This morning Louise and I are off to photograph baby Noah (who is 6 months old) in the comfort of his own home.  We offer custom made packages and tailor our packages to suit our client’s requirements.  I am very excited because the previous time we saw little Noah he was but a few weeks old.  He must be getting really big by now and is apparently getting ready to crawl   So watch this space later on today to see a few pics of our shoot!

Ok let’s face it….  In this day and age almost every mom and dad owns a digital camera and loves taking photos (especially of their kids)  If your kids are anything like my brother’s kids they tend to tell YOU when YOUR PHOTOSHOOT IS OVER…, then all you get out of them is funny faces (especially if you have little boys)  So the solution to this is to photograph them when they are doing something they love like going for swimming lessons for instance.  Don’t be in their way or ask them how to pose, rather take a journalistic approach and just photograph what they are doing.  If your camera handles low light conditions well I would also recommend turning the flash off (as this distracts them and the whole class)  Swith your camera to sport mode (the little running man) and snap away.  Try different anlges like sitting on your bum (which might get a little wet, you’ll know what I’m talking about if you’ve ever tried this, but a good photographer will do anything to get that perfect shot)  I had the pleasure of taking my brother’s twin sons, Frans and Gerhard, to indoor swimming lessons some time in the summer and boy was I amazed at how much they have learnt!  They were always scared to have their heads go under the water, scared to jump into the pool and now they were almost completely at ease.  I think taking your child to swimming lessons (or getting them comfortable and accustomed to swimming by yourself) is a very important part in raising any child.  Prevention is better than cure…  If you look at the boys expressions these lessons are really hard work but also tons of fun…  Can you remember when you have such seen such concentration on a little one’s face, it’s just too cute   Gerhard and Frans is now so confortable that they dive underwater(with some help of their instructor) to retrieve a little rubber fish which lies on the bottom of the pool!  As a parent your children are probably your models most of the time (which is cool cos they kind of have to listen to you) but never misuse this privilege.  Respect them when they tell you they don’t feel like taking photos anymore.  Sometimes you will get that perfect shot and sometimes you won’t, be happy for the little things in life… :-)

Riani

Photographing Tivesh’s 1st Birthday Party made me realize how truly blessed I am to be able to follow my passion in life…  I absolutely LOVE photography, photographing kids, photographing babies or pregnant moms-to-be   They are all unique in their own way and I feel privileged whenever someone wants me to capture their essence.  Anyways, back to the birthday party.  This birthday party was every kids fantasy, but in REAL LIFE.  There was a merry-go-round, 2 jumping castles, a little animal farm, face painting, candy floss and all the good stuff  … (well not necessarily if you are a mom who is going to have a little one with a sugar rush but moving along) The party was Mickey Mouse themed so naturally the cake was Mickey Mouse Clubhouse  (I was actually impressed because my brother’s kids watch this every morning at our house before going to school and I can even sing you the whole theme song – scary I know but that is what happens when you spend a lot of time with small kids:-)  )We had such brilliant weather on the day, and while photographing kids I thought to myself that I have the absolute best job in the world!  Photographing kids is an everyday adventure, they are all just perfectly themselves and I love capturing what they think and do.  They were all just having so much fun that it was hard not to smile when watching all of them play their hearts out.  Can you try to imagine what it was like to not have a single worry in the world?  Just playing every day away?Have a look at these faces and you can see they are absolutely innocent…  And then we’ve got the crowning glory of the day, little Tivesh.  Little man I hope there is many more happy years for you ahead!

Riani

John Sheckler, a former photographer for the Standard Times in New Bedford, Massachusetts, said this when asked how many photographers does it take to screw in a light bulb. – “Only one. However, it takes two editors and three reporters to decide if the bulb should be turned clockwise or counter clockwise or just shoved in.”

“A friend of mine who teaches film-making at a well-known school was approached by a noted brain surgeon who asked that he be given a two-week crash course in film-making because of a film he wanted to produce. “Okay,” my friend said, but I won’t charge you for the course if you’ll swap me a two-week course in brain surgery. That’s something I’ve always wanted to do.” – Anonymous

“The quickest way to make money at photography is to sell your camera.” – Anonymous

“The rarest thing in the world is a woman who is pleased with photograph of herself.” – Elizabeth Metcalf

1. You Entertain Too Many Photographers

Speaking with a great number of photographers can appear to be the best plan of action, but in fact, it can cause more harm than good. By speaking with many photographers in order to get the best price, you will most likely end up with the least qualified persons for the job.

A good photographer often has an already established client base and relies more on word of mouth than on advertising or on overly competitive prices. Many quality photographers will not even consider lowering rates for a price shopper. While it is important to get a good price and to stay within budget for photography services, it is even more important to have a professional experience and a high quality product.

2. You Assume the Paperwork is Legitimate Prior to Signing

It is not only one of the biggest mistakes but also one of the most commonly occurring – many people do not read the paperwork provided by their photographers. If a couple is serious about getting the best photographer, they need to take the time to read the contracts. Also, any items that are discussed between the photographer and client must appear in writing.

3. You Do Not Trust Your Own Instincts

A gut reaction to a person, product, or service should be given full attention. If your instincts tell you something is amiss, it probably is.

4.You Assume the Photographer Will Dress and Behave Appropriately

A person who is planning a wedding has a long list of items to attend to, so it can be easy to ignore small things, such as a photographer who is dressed unprofessionally or behaves in any way other than a business-like fashion. It may seem unimportant how a person is dressed at the time of procuring their services, but if you attempt to picture this person in the midst of a wedding ceremony and formal reception, you may understand why professionalism is vital.

5. You Do Not Make Inquiries Into the Sample Album

Amateur photographers may attempt to piece together a sample album from multiple weddings, showing only one or two of the best shots taken at each wedding. A professional photographer will show a sample album with shots obtained at one wedding, showcasing the ability to capture multiple excellent photographs during the event.

Also make sure that the sample album is from the photographer who will be at your wedding. If you have any doubt that the album is a true representation of the photographer who shows it to you, you should look elsewhere.

This advice was brought to you by Hampshire wedding photographer, Cooper Photography. This award winning husband and wife team assure you that by hiring them to photograph your wedding you will avoid many of the problems mentioned in this post.

The day you get married will be unique, especially since you will probably be photographed more on that day than any other. Because of this, one of your key wedding decisions will be the photographer you choose.The photographer and style you choose can not only affect the look of your album, but also the flow of your wedding day!.Understanding a few basic principles about wedding photography styles can ensure that you find a good match.

“Traditional” Wedding Photography
When you look at most wedding albums, this is the style you see.The photographer will often have a checklist of combination’s, and the photos will be in a fairly limited number of settings because the photographer will want to work efficiently to check off every pose on the list, and moving guests around can be a challenge. The photographer often has a checklist of shots to get, and once those are finished, the subjects are free to return to the rest of the guests. While you can feel secure that you will get all of the posed pictures you want with this style of wedding photographer, sometimes these photos can lack spontaneity.

Photo-journalistic Photography
A popular option in recent years for wedding photography is the photo-journalistic style. Photojournalism is telling, through photos, the story of the day. The photo-journalistic photographer will convey the sequence of events from the day through the photos that he or she takes. Pictures will not be posed, and people may or may not know they are having their picture taken.Also, many of the photos will be candid, so people may not know their picture is being taken at the time. While the candid photos will lend spontaneity, sometimes candid shots can be less flattering.

“Illustrative,” “Contemporary,” or “Fashion” Photography
This style is the most nebulous of the wedding photography styles; unlike traditional photography, groups are not staged into set poses and given a countdown to the flash. While traditional photography involves formal poses and grouping, this style rarely includes such linear, portrait-style images. However, unlike the spontaneity of the photo-journalistic style, this style does involve intentional composition and lighting design. The main quality of this style of photography is the prominence of the photographer’s artistic aesthetic; this type of photo shoot can be a unique experience, but the photos will have a good dose of the photographer’s own point of view. This style can also involve more time away from the guests.

Some Photographers are quite versatile and incorporate a mixture of different styles into their photography. A good example is Hampshire wedding photographer, Cooper Photography

My brother and father collect and resell copper cables and so their one “supplier” strips the cables from old boeing’s and aeroplanes to sell.  So off I went to this plane graveyard to take some creative pics.I don’t really enjoy flying because it truly makes me feel sick.  So I will fly somewhere if I have to, but I don’t enjoy it.  So I’m used to walk around planes when you are at the airport where designated people tell you where you can and can’t walk etc.So naturally I felt a little intimidated being around Boeing’s (the aeroplane wheel is bigger than me) I don’t know if something might fall on my head or something like that.  So I climbed up these steps to go and have a look inside and take a pic or two.I was looking at the Boeing 747 and my brother said:” You can climb into it if you’d like to take some pics inside… You just climb through this hole (a small service opening in the bottom of this plane) and then you crawl through the space where the fuselage is and that’s it”  I was just thinking to myself that my brother must be crazy, cos there is no way in this world that I will be doing that anytime soon…  None the less I think I got some pretty cool shots

Riani