Lensbaby Love | Learning Something New

It's good to stretch yourself and learn something new. This vast world of photography never disappoints with new avenues to pursue.

If you aren't a photographer or haven't heard of Lensbaby, I'd recommend wandering over to their site for a quick overview. Lensbaby lens allow creative, manual manipulation of your depth of field and blur by tilting/angling the lens. They have a whole series of creative lens with different affects depending on your own tastes. It takes some practice...and patience, but worth it.

I have admired Lensbaby work for sometime now and kept an interested eye on how this lens that seemed to be so popular for flowers and details, then became a go-to portrait lens.

Here's a bit from my first go at using the lens. Manual lens manipulation, holding an umbrella, in the rain no less! I love them!

My thanks to Deb Schwedhelm and her fantastic photog class "Breaking The Mold" over at The Bloom Forum. As a photographer, if you get the chance, take this amazing eye opening, soul reaching class. It really was what I needed to help push to the next level in my craft.

Enjoy!
{mm}

Photography Fieldtrips

I'm lovin' photography fieldtrips!! Whether I've been out with the girls or other photographers, I love getting out, seeing a new (or old) place and looking at ways to connect with it through pictures.

The girls have started asking..."Are we going somewhere this weekend with our cameras?" I really LOVE that too!

Since the beginning of the year:

• Birch State Park
• Arthur Marshall State Park
• Wynwood District in Miami
• Gold Coast Train Museum
• Quiet Waters County Park
• Sugar Sand Park
• Founder's Day in Deerfield
• Junk Yard in Pompano (just wait.......it will surprise you!!!)
• Downtown Hollywood
• St. Ambrose Carnival
• Broward County Library
• Flamingo Gardens in Davie

Well, we're getting ready to go on the mother of all fieldtrips...a ROADtrip. I've been aching to get out of South Florida and follow a northern path. If you follow my posts, you know how much I love getting on the road and having some "planned spontaneity!" So stay tuned for that post after we get back.

In the meantime, here's some of my favorites from the fieldtrips I've had so far this year!

Enjoy!
{mm}

   Gold Coast Train Museum, Miami

Wynwood District, Miami

 Car Junkyard, Pompano Beach

  Downtown Hollywood

  St. Ambrose Carnival, Deerfield

  Broward County Library, Coconut Creek

  Flamingo Gardens, Davie

Winter Light | South Florida Photographer

"Girls, you want to go make some pictures?" A chorus of "Yeah!" sounds throughout the house.

I was hoping for a GLORIOUS colorful sunset. Instead what we got was this odd "flat" light. I call it "Winter Light". It was a bit chilly out. The girls weren't exactly in the jumpin' around mood. (But I did convince them to do one.) The light partnered with this perfectly.

The result...beautiful, reflective, soft images. These are REALLY some of my favorite images of the girls.

The best part...it showed me that you don't always need to have the "perfect" golden light. (Don't get me wrong...I'm not going to stop chasing that light.)

Enjoy!
{mm}

The collage below is one I'm putting up on the wall.

Holiday Portraits with Christmas Lights | South Florida Photographer

I was reminded back in May that I hadn't posted these holiday portraits from LAST YEAR. I know...I know...but, I couldn't very well post holiday portraits around Mother's Day. So, I was reminded again recently to get them up.

This was very last minute last year. One of my older girls asked if I could do a group portrait with her and her friends. Problem was they all worked crazy hours and the only time she could get everyone together was at 10:30PM!!

WHAT was I going to do with that??! Hmmm...

Holiday lights and a Ryobi power lamp. Wa-laaahhh! The very coolest holiday portrait EV-ER!

Better late than never.
Enjoy!
{mm}

Happy Friday - Find Beautiful Light

Finding the magic, beautiful golden light and chasing it down...happiness.

Don't smile and say cheese. Be quiet. Be thoughtful. Be still. Be yourself. Be light.

Go find some magic light this weekend.

Enjoy!
{mm}

  

Mirror, Mirror

Who knew that a simple piece of glass and a lamp could produce such amazing results? Not I.

A fellow photographer got a group of us together to mess around with still life and a room full a lighting set ups. I was truly in a happy place. I'm CRAZY happy about these.

I always love photographing people, but if I took a flashlight to a person like I did these ocean remnants, everyone would look like someone out of a Vincent Price movie. (Hmm...Halloween IS just around the corner. Hmmm.  ;)

As always, thanks for following my photographic adventures.

Enjoy!
{mm}

Happy Friday - Photographing Bubbles

A fantastic off "shoot" of my bubble portrait session last week were these A-MAZ-ING bubble images. This was the first time I had photographed bubbles and I was just giddy about the detail and composition which was tough since the wind picked up.

Photographing bubbles is challenging, but I have a few tips that will help you get the best shots.

1) Use the bigger bubble wands. This makes it easier to grab focus as you're chasing the little suckers around.

2) Ask someone to help out and have them blow the bubbles. (Even if it's your 7 year old.)

3) Know your wind. Wait for a day where the wind isn't going to carry them off too quickly. And position yourself downwind.

4) Pick interesting surroundings for the reflections. The park gave me some stunning landscape type images. (Might be fun to try architecture.)

5) To help pick up those reflections, try shooting against a solid or same color for your background. Mine really POPPED with the canal water behind them. Some of the other great ones were the green mottling of the trees and grass. ( Ooooh...I'd also like to try against a rising or setting sun.)

6) Use a lens/aperture combo that will give you a nice blurry background so your focus is the bubble. A telephoto helped with the zoom. (Mine were shot at f 2.8/50mm.)

7) If you'd like to get shots of them bursting (which I'm going to try!)...use a fast shutter speed (1/400th).

Maybe this weekend - grab your camera, grab your kid and a bottle of bubbles. Have fun!

Enjoy your Friday!

 

 

Yeah...that black dot is me!

 

 

Change of Scenery - Photographing a Road Trip

 

Those of you that follow my adventures know that I love a road trip. Our road trips have been confined to our state, mainly because Florida is so freakin' long. This time around we decided to take to the road and head to Tennessee. Over 2,000 miles and 35 hours of driving over 10 days. (I know...I know...I was definitely glad to be back in my own bed.)

 

The reward was fantastic! We saw nature at its most beautiful and powerful...waterfalls, hungry predators, graceful wildlife, awe inspiring vistas and wondrous caverns. We got to share memories of our own childhoods with the girls. We visited love ones that have passed and was blessed to visit with family not seen in years or even decades. The Rubber Ducks met a new friend and I faced my vertigo head on. (and didn't pass out!) And even documented Tropical Storm Andrea that followed us all the way up through Florida.

 

A fellow photographer recently took a family vacation and decided to only take ONE lens (her 50mm/1.8). She didn't want to lug all the gear. I don't blame her. She went through the same rationalizing and weighing that I would. What if I want to get that zoomed in distance shot? What if I need my flash? What if I need my tripod to get that group shot...with myself included!

 

I really didn't think I could do it this time, so I brought all my gear. Tripod included. It did come in handy to have my zoom lens. One morning we witnessed a water moccasin catching & eating his fish breakfast. The zoom lens allowed me to get some great detail of that snake and his meal.

 

BUT, I broke a personal record and posted 50 Instagram photos documenting our trip! I found myself juggling back and forth with my DSLR and camera phone. Knowing that our friends and family were looking forward to following along & seeing how our days unfolded, so I posted at the end of each day.

 

In a recent post, I wrote about how much I enjoy/love Instagram and the benefit of training my eye. This trip continued that journey and I found it to be even truer. I love how the story unfolded. I took these out of chronological order and rearranged a bit based on Road Shots, Nature Shots and more of the Storytelling Shots (like the Ducks with the baby snapping turtle).

It truly is doable with just your camera phone. I've got a great album here. The important thing to quickly snap that shot and enjoy the time. SOME day, I'll upgrade my phone with a faster shutter camera and may leave the heavy DSLR at home. Some day.    :)

 

(Wander over to http://instagram.com/marylovesphotos to see more and to follow me!)

 

Enjoy!

{mm}

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Friday - Bug's View

Like many states, Florida has started a roadside wildflower program. They are scattered in swales and roadside areas mainly mid-state and further north. For some reason we don't seem to have them down here in South Florida. But, further north these areas are a delightful surprise of color and pattern.

The girls and I have photographed these areas many times. A recent trip north found us stopping for gas and this traffic-free patch of wildflowers was calling to be photographed. And because we weren't in a hurry and didn't have to contend with drive-by traffic, the girls and I took our time. We must have been a sight...the 4 of us, each with camera.

I was working hard to dodge the background of passing cars and the gas station signs. At one point, I lowered my camera to find almost all of that disappeared. The results were this great "bug's eye" view of the flowers and sky.

As we get older (at least for me ;), maneuvering and bending certain ways just isn't as easy as it used to be. Remember, your camera doesn't always have to be held up to your face. And with today's view screens and tilted screens, some of the best shots are those when you pull the camera away.

Enjoy!
{mm}

Instagram Love

If you follow me on Instagram you know that I love my camera phone almost as much as I love my DSLR. (Almost.) This past weekend was no exception.

I've found my camera phone to be a fantastic alternative to lugging my big camera around everywhere. Don't get me wrong...I'm often shooting with both when I see something that catches my eye. The wildflowers on the side of the road, the beach and Allie's yard frog all got love from BOTH cameras this time around. Sometimes it's just about capturing the moment.

I love the rough grain and funky filter options that come with Instagram, as well as the supporting 3rd-party filter apps. And I don't even have an iPhone!! I'm working from my Android.

Another plus side to using Instagram is that it really has trained my eye to look for things that I might not have noticed. Colors, shapes, textures...details. I know it's a bit messed up, but as I go through my day, I constantly find myself framing things in nice little Instagram squares. (I know...I know.)

Today I discovered a FAB-ulous internet tool called Instaport. I've been wanting to download and print out a photo collage of all my favorite Instagram pics for the wall in my office. I stumbled on this incredibly easy time saver. (I've been downloading my Instagram pics from FB...painful.)

If you're an Instagrammer...take a look at this. And if you're not Instagramming thinking "WHY do I need to document my food and my feet everywhere?" Reconsider that it could be a window for creativity.

If you're not already following me on Instagram...come on...I don't mind...
http://instagram.com/marylovesphotos

Some cool projects for your Instagram photos check out my Pinterest Photo Display & Crafts board -
Coasters
Wall Art
Magnets
iPhone case
Photo Books/Albums

Enjoy!
{mm}

Happy Friday - Photography "Field Trips"

(Heads up...fun photos & some geeky photography stuff in here!  ;)


Most of you know that in addition to photographing portraits & lifestyle images, I also love to get out there & capture the world around me. A few months ago I started doing weekly "Field Trips" with my dear friend & photographer, Iris. We pick a local place and see where it takes us. We have the best time!!

 

Just a bit of what we've photographed...

• A historic 1938 State Farmer's Market in Pompano, soon to be demolished  :(
• My first beach sunrise in Deerfield
• A Japanese teahouse at Morikami
• A field of vibrant sunflowers in Boynton (on a Closed day...saying "please" gets you far) 
• A historic school house in Fort Lauderdale (again...saying "please")
• And a few weeks ago I shot my first alligator (not literally!). I even managed to get the reflection of me standing on the dock above him!! How cool is that?!

Yesterday we added some FANTASTIC stuff to our list! We went to Sugar Sand Park in Boca Raton. Our goal was the beautiful carousel. But, the unexpected surprises are the best part of our Field Trips.

We wandered into the main building to get permission to photograph the carousel & found to my
pop-culture, geekish delight...an original B9 robot from the TV series "Lost in Space." (You know..."Danger Will Robinson, danger!"  (my Instagram photo) What a fantastic jolt of childhood! If you get the chance, take the kids to the Explorium...they also have an R2D2 and Robbie the Robot from Forbidden Planet.

We made our way to the carousel and photographed almost every angle possible. But, on the way out, next to the 2-story play structure...were about a dozen spider webs dancing above our heads in the early morning sun. Just gorgeous!!

My Sony a77 has this amazing feature called "Peaking Levels". This allows me to clearly see what detail is in focus. I was shown this game-changing focusing featuring when I was in Seattle.
(HUGE "Thank You" to Drew Temple from Sony for showing me this!)

If you've ever tried to nail a spider web and managed to get details...congrats!  I....on the other hand....have struggled with it. Even on manual focus. I don't know if Nikon or Canon has this, but this Sony feature is so freakin' cool.

The incredible detail of these spider webs was captured courtesy of Sony's Peaking Levels feature. Even cropped, I am blown away by the detail!!!!  I included the screen shots of my crops. (You "math guys" can figure out those percentages for me!  ;)

Get out on your own Field Trip this weekend & photograph!

Enjoy!
{mm}

I was standing 20+ ft. below this using my 75-300mm/4.5 (zoom was at 150mm). Wind was blowing!!
I cropped about 30% out of the original frame. (See below.)

 

 

 

 

This is a detail of the shot above. This was then cropped a crazy amount again to see this detail. (See the crop below.)

 

 

I might need to bring this one out again around Halloween!