Spring... It's coming!

Can you believe its Spring next month here in Sunny S.A (not that we have had much of a winter) time to start you spring cleaning and adding those "spring" looks to your home, office and your blog! We plan to have a Spring Fancy Photobooth Special, just in time for all the Spring weddings, birthdays and babies!

If you have a pinboard / dream board / motivation board (whatever you call yours) here's a fun way to "Spring" it up! 

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

1. Small fake flowers

2. drawing pins

3. Glue gun OR wood glue works too!

WHAT TO DO:

Put glue on the top (flat) part of the drawing pin, leave for 1 minute and then stick on the flower, wait until completely dry and you are ready to go!

We love pinning up our favourite Spring Shoot Photo's up with these! 

Scrapbooking Printables!

We love scrapbooking... and we love free stuff even more. It makes our hearts skip a beat when we see "SCRAPBOOKING PRINTABLES FREE"

So, we thought we would share with you... Just because we love you!

We have a new Header!

As I'm sure you have noticed, we have a new banner!

Out with the old and in with the new!

We just feel that this banner represents us a LOT better! So here's to new beginnings, new business and  new customers!

We cant wait to do your next function! Birthday, Corporate function, Weddings - YOU NAME IT!

Give us a mail on:

kayleigh_zettler@hotmail.com  

OR

tlzettler@telkomsa.net

Our 5 best tips for AWESOME indoor photo's...

5 Tips for AWESOME indoor Photo's

1. Adjust your white balance

If we could tell everyone just one thing about indoor photography, this would be it. White balance. It will change your life (it totally changed ours). We lived through months of orange basement photos and random blue photos thanks to "auto white balance," and we're here to tell you there's a cure! Little did we know it would be so easy. To simplify WB, just know that it is the coloring of the light. Different light sources come with different colors or temperatures. Our eyes are awesome and can adjust to the different hue of light each light source provides, but digital cameras can't do that on their own. You want to adjust white balance to get the colors in your images as accurate as possible. For example, the coloring of shade is much cooler than sunlight, but light bulbs inside the house are much warmer than sunlight. Because of the change of coloring, you need to adjust your WB to compensate. Auto white balance (AWB) does an okay job, especially outside with the sun, where your camera can guess coloring pretty well. But low light and mixed indoor lighting throws it off, and you may have found you'd like a little more (or a LOT more) control to avoid those bluish or orangey-reddish pics you're getting (like what we got for months!!).  Adjusting your own WB will make the most obvious difference indoors at night, but it's always better than auto. There are almost always presets on a DSLR, which are displayed as icons you can choose from to match your lighting:

For clarification, Tungsten is your basic yellowish household light bulb. Fluorescent lights make you feel like you're walking through Target (think bright neon-like white). Everything else is pretty self explanatory. So for cooler light (cloudy day, shade, indoors in the day without lights on) you’ll tell the camera to warm things up, and in warm light (indoor lights/tungsten) you’ll tell it to cool down. Or just pick the WB icon that matches your light :)

2. Lose the flash

We have to confess..., we LOVE our flash... perhaps a little too much. Even with our point and shoot. Granted we've probably ruined a lot of shots that way, and when we finally had to suck it up and learn how to use our external flashes for receptions, we hit a learning curve the size of China. And we'll admit, there is a time and a place for flash. Large events in the dark being a good example. But (we could totally be going out on a social limb here) we are believers that inside our house we can all take great photos without it. We can also take a lot of not-so-great photos without it, but that's what the delete button is for :) And our guess is that even then, you will not regret having ditched your flash. Our goal with photos is to make them authentic, and flash will sadly take your moment and flatten all the depth right out of it. It removes soft shadows that show definition and replaces it with harsh shadows that are super distracting. Work with the real light you have and learn everything you can about your camera so you can adjust it to make your shot light enough without flash.

3. Use your biggest aperture

Another confession (all the sudden it feels like we have a lot of things to confess)... We are addicted to large apertures. Huge, open, suck-in-every-speck-of-light apertures. A depth of field that turns everything into a watery blur (except the tiny point I focused on) makes us melt. This is to a fault, and we stick to it even in family sessions or group shots. We seriously can't help ourselves. Aperture. This is hard for us to even mention without going into more detail, but for now, know that your aperture is the size of the opening on your lens. The bigger the opening of your lens, the more light you will let in, and the more background you will blur out. Both of these things are the best news ever for indoor shots. You need light, and you want the busy background to melt away. Try switching to Aperture Priority setting ("Av" for Canon and "A" for Nikon) and get your aperture to the smallest number possible (they're fractions, the smaller the number, the larger the opening). That's a good start.

4. Clean up the clutter

As a family, we've always got some form of a tornado running through our house, so a constant mess is inevitable. But we have a little secret. We like to practice the idea of quickly cleaning up the background of any shot before we take it. This doesn't mean sweeping and vacuuming or putting everything away on their proper shelf. We would miss the moment we wanted to capture if we did that. Let's call it the 10 Second Sweep. We do a quick scan of the scene, and if anything is distracting from what we want our focus to be on, we just move it away so that it's out of the shot. Literally, like to the side of the couch. Or to the opposite wall. It's fake cleaning. And it works like a charm. We do it all the time :) We're all about being real, but if we're taking a photo that we may potentially frame on my wall, or send off to grandparents, or if we just want to make ourselves feel better, it's worth a fake cleaning. 10 seconds. No big deal.

5. Look for catchlights

A catchlight is when indirect light fills your subjects eyes and lights them up. We're pretty hooked on them, they have an awesome way of bringing the eyes—and entire face—to life. To know if you’re getting a good catchlight, look for the source of light reflecting in your subject’s eyes, and notice how much the eyes light up compared to a direct light or backlit photo. We're secretly crazy about backlighting, but we've noticed most clients prefer a radiant face to a radiant halo of glowing hair at the top of their head. Weird, I know. That said, even as a lover of backlighting, when we're shooting indoors I am a sucker for catchlights, and I'll always choose indirect light in the eyes over the hazy background and darker face you get with backlight. You can get awesome catchlights with indoor window light during the day by having your subject look toward the window. Try it...you'll fall in love with it.

Each to their own... Canon vs. Nikon

We all have our favourite brand of soaps or chips and generally stand by and defend your brand. Same goes for Camera's! 

We are team Canon... what team are you and why?

Family Photo Day - Tips and Tricks Continued

The Poses

While your photographer is sure to have suggestions and guidance on posing, knowing a couple of pose ideas beforehand that you absolutely LOVE can help you get just the picture you’re looking for.  Here are some of our favorite posing ideas…

The Clothes

Don’t know what to wear for pictures?  Check out these tips for endless outfit and color inspiration…

31.   Coordinate the style and color of your clothing with your location in mind.

32.  When choosing a color palette, consider what will go well with the colors of your home.  After all, most people plan to hang them up!

33.  Try to avoid clothing that is super seasonal.  Unless you’re planning on using them only for Christmas cards, red and green scarfs may not be the best choice.  Pick a style, color, and location that you don’t mind displaying in your home year-round.

34.  Don’t be afraid of color and pattern.  While you may not want everyone to wear a bold color or a busy pattern- a pop or two of color and design adds interest to the picture. 

35.  Layer!  Adding layers to your outfit not only adds texture to the picture, but also allows you to shed layers later on for different looks in different pictures.

36. For a photo that stands the test of time- opt for clothes that are classic rather than super trendy.

37.  While a little bit of pattern can be a good thing, it’s best to avoid clothing with large graphics and logos.

38.   Gone are the days of identical blue jeans and white shirts!  Instead of matching colors- coordinate them.   Stick to a color palette, but don’t feel like you have to match color values exactly.

39.  For color palette inspiration, try these online tools:  Design Seeds, Big Huge Labs, CSS Drive, and DeGrave.

40.  For more outfit inspiration, do a simple Image Search on Google for “What to Wear Photography” and you will get more outfits and color combinations than you know what to do with!

How to Look Good

And now the part we’ve all been waiting for- how to look good in front of the camera.  Who doesn’t want that?!

41.  For a slimmer appearing waistline, we angling your body towards the camera instead of facing it square on.

42. If you put weight on your back leg, you’ll feel more comfortables and look natural instead of awkward.

43.  To look thinner, leave space between your arms and your body to show your waistline.

44.  Remember to push your shoulders back and don’t slouch.  (After 10 shots we usually forget to sit or stand straight)

45.  Avoid looking down to prevent a double chin

46.  Ask your photographer to shoot straight on or from above.  They are much more flattering angles than from below.

47.  To avoid the totem pole look, bend whatever can bend.

48.  Don’t leave your arms hanging straight down. Try  touching the person next to you or resting your hand on a nearby object.

49.  Try look places other than directly at the camera for a more natural look.  Maybe look off to the side or past the photographer into the distance.

50.  Schedule your shoot at the “golden hour” near sunrise and sunset.

51.  If you’re worried about wrinkles, shoot with the light in front of you. (Side lightening emphasizes wrinkles)

52.  We know  you can minimize a big nose by tilting your head just slightly upward.

53.  Self-conscious of big ears? We have a solution for that too!  Position yourself at an angle so only one ear is showing.

54.  To avoid shine, use LOTS of powder on your face and neck.

55.  For small eyes, false eye lashes can be a life saver! 

56.  Check your makeup with a camera, not a mirror.  Remember, you need to apply more than usual for it to show in pictures!

Getting the Kiddos to Cooperate

This can be one of the most stressful parts of family pictures!  But with a little planning and these quick tips- you’ll be prepared…

57.  When you first tell them about your family picture plans- act excited like it’s going to be SO much fun!  Often attitude is contagious.

58.  Involve the kids in the process from the beginning!  If they get to help pick what they’re going to wear and what props they can bring, they’ll feel included and be more likely to cooperate.

59.  Allow plenty of time!  It’s hard to be patient and positive when you’re rushed.

60.  Bring along an “entertainer” to sand behind or beside the photographer to get the baby or little ones to look and smile.

61. We recommend planning the shoot for when your kids are the happiest, not just the time that is the most convenient.   Work your appointment around the kids’ routines.

62.  Give the kids breaks in between shots to stretch, run, and play.

63.  Even better- let them play during the pictures!  You’ll get great candid shots and capture your little ones the way they really are.

64.  Play peek-a-boo, tickle, and throw the baby into the air for real, genuine smiles.

65.  Bring water and snacks to avoid mid-shoot meltdowns.

66.  Use fun props like suckers, toys, and bubbles to keep them happy.

67.  Promise them a reward when the shoot is over. We are so not above bribing. 

68.  We suggested using a code word (like “ice cream”) to remind them of the reward throughout the shoot.  Genius!

Getting Your Hubby On Board

Sometimes the kids aren’t the only ones that drag their heels for family pictures.  Here are some helpful hint to get your man on board…

69.  Plan ahead so that he knows it’s coming and has time to mentally prepare for it.  No one likes being surprised with something they don’t love.

70.  Budget for it to avoid the money stress.

71.  Let him know WHY it’s important to you.  If he knows it’s about preserving memories for you, and not just for a cute Christmas card, he’s more likely to value it too.

72.  Give him a say in it!  Most people don’t like to be told what to wear and how to sit and stand and when to do it.  So ask for his opinion and value it.  (Maybe you could even make a little shopping date and pick out new outfits together.)

73.  Compromise!  Find out what is most important to each of you and make it happen.

74.  If he absolutely hates pictures, look together to find poses that he’s okay with.  Usually pictures where the kids are the focus are the best.

75.  Just like the kids- bribe!  Oops, I mean- reward!  If he’s willing to do this just for you, then let him know you appreciate it.

Ordering Pictures

So you followed all of these wonderful tips and had a fabulous shoot.  Now what?

76.  Don’t forget to order prints!  So many people just get the CD- and then it ends up lost in a drawer when they could have a gorgeous print on the living room wall instead.  Remember that sometimes less is more.

77.  Pictures can get pricey.  Remember- you’re not just buying pictures, you’re preserving memories.

78.  Plan ahead and consider how and where you’re going to be displaying your pictures in your home.  It makes ordering so much easier.

79.  If you plan on making a collage or wall gallery out of your pictures, be sure to ask your photographer for their input.  They have lots of ideas about which pictures would look well grouped together and can often help you plan it all out.

So there you have it! Our best tips, tricks and the ultimate guide to family photo day! We hope to hear from you soon to book your next family photo shoot!

Contact us on tlzettler@telkomsa.net OR kayleigh_zettler@hotmail.com

We had some fun!!!!

We had sooo much fun this weekend we cant help but share the good times with you - incase you missed out.

We were at the Wonderlands Fun Day on Satruday and the Bulwer Food and Craft Lovers Market on Sunday...

look at those cuties!