Category: Tips
What to Wear for Mother/Daughter Portraits
April 12, 2011
Mother’s Day is just around the corner and what could be more perfect than mother/daughter portraits?! Below is a little inspiration for just that type of photography session! Notice the coordinating colors and the textures. These elements really lend well to portraits. Play and have fun with your outfits. The most important thing is to make sure you wear something that makes you feel pretty, as that attitude will shine through when you’re in front of the camera, resulting in beautiful portraits that you will cherish for life. Happy shopping!
Ready for your close up? Contact Yvonne Niemann Photography at info@yvonneniemannphotography.com or 314.265.7142 to schedule your next St. Louis Photography session.
What to Wear – Spring Portrait Session Inspiration!
March 1, 2011
Spring is just around the corner and with that comes the popular question – “What do I wear?” When you book a session with Yvonne Niemann Photography, you receive a guide on what to wear, but here are a few ideas for clothing items that are in the stores NOW! I love the color palette and the use of textures. Coordinating colors, but not matchy matchy is always good too! Enjoy shopping and putting together your outfits for Spring portrait sessions with Yvonne Niemann Photography!
Fall/Winter Portrait Fashion Guide | St. Louis Family Photographer
September 7, 2010
Everyone wants to know what to wear for their portrait sessions and I have a guide that each client can browse to get ideas complete with a list of great recommended stores, but here are some ideas that you can find NOW in stores and on-line! Coordinate your outfits using various colors that complement each other and use layers and textures to add more interest. Hope you have fun picking out your outfits for your fall and winter portrait sessions with Yvonne Niemann Photography!
{The next two looks would be perfect for your maternity session!}
Brochure courtesy of www.pinkletoes4photographers.com
I get a lot of questions regarding photography and how to take better candid shots, so I decided to start answering those questions within my e-newsletter and here on{the blog}.
This question comes from a client of mine who got a Canon DSLR around the time her son was born:
“I want to take pictures similar to your photo of the month that has a focused image and a blurred background. Is this a lens need or a sofware editing need? I have tried to change the settings on my camera and don’t see a difference. Do I need a different lens other than the one that came with my camera (18-55mm). Do I need photoshop? Any advice is appreciated. Thanks so much.”
OK, first off, Ms B is referring to this first image from Mr L’s session that was last month’s photo of the month in the April’s Yvonne Niemann Photography e-newsletter. Notice how Mr L’s face is in great focus and the background and an area in front of him on the bed are blurred into a nice creamy smoothness? That’s bokeh as a result of the shallow depth of field, which I adore and do a lot of with my portraits to really make my subjects stand out and pop! This is something I achieve with my lens choices and where I place my subjects – not using editing software. I don’t like to spend a lot of time processing my images in my digital darkroom, so I try to get things as perfect in camera as possible. Sure lenses can make a difference, but before you go out and buy a new lens try out these tips with the lens you have and see if you get better results.
1) Use the smallest f/stop number that your lens allows. With your 18-55mm lens, that would be f/3.5 at 18mm (wide angle) and f/5.6 {zoomed all the way in to 55mm}. To choose your f/stop, you’ll want to be in M {manual} mode or AV {aperture priority) mode. (AV is a Canon thing – for those shooting with Nikon, you’ll set it to A}. The higher the f/stop number, the more will be in focus. This is perfect for when you want everything in your frame in sharp focus {think landscape}. In this example though, you want your subject to be in focus and your background out of focus, so you will need to choose a low f/stop number as I’ve outlined above.
Here’s an example using my daughter’s beloved lambie. Below, on the left, I have my lens set to f/4 and on the right, I have the same lens set to f/11. See a difference?
2) Keep your subject far away from the background and zoom your camera all the way in {with your lens, that’s 55mm}.
Notice that the picture on the left, the subject is further away from the wall than the one on the right. Do you see the difference that makes? Both images are at f/4 and are zoomed in to 50mm, but just the simple placement of the subject makes all the difference with how much is out of focus in the background.
OK, now practice this at home and see what you think. Take several shots at different f/stop numbers and at different distances and see how it affects your final image. If you’re STILL wanting more bokeh {remember, that’s the out of focus area of an image}, then perhaps you want to look into getting another lens. I highly suggest the 50mm f/1.8 lens {Canon and Nikon both make this lens} and it’s around $100. I do have to warn you though…it’s very hard to get things that you want in focus at those low f/stop numbers. It takes a lot of practice and therefore you may find yourself using that lens at a higher f/stop number until you get a grasp of things anyways. I strongly urge you to make the most of the equipment you have and only upgrade when you’re feeling limited and have learned how to use your current lineup to it’s fullest.
For those of you without a DSLR, you can still apply these tips with your point and shoot camera. Most will allow you to set your f/stop number these days and if not, well then just zoom in, keep your subject away from your background and have fun!
Hope this was helpful and please don’t hesitate to let me know if you have more questions. I know this can seem overwhelming and complicated, so I just hope it makes sense. If not, let me know and I’ll try to clarify.
If you have questions about photography and how to make your treasured candid shots even better, subscribe to the Yvonne Niemann Photography e-newsletter and e-mail me your question to info@yvonneniemannphotography.com Each month, I’ll answer questions in the newsletter from subscribers. I won’t always post the answers here on the blog, so if you want to be “in the know” you’ll have to subscribe to the newsletter.
Good luck!
I’ve been hearing the birds singing in the morning, there are buds on the trees, I’m able to go outside without bundling up and there’s no more need for heated seats in my car. All signs that Spring is just around the corner! That means we can get outside again for custom portrait sessions and get rid of those winter coats and cold weather clothing!!! So, what do you wear to your custom portrait session this Spring and Summer? Well, the same advice applies – make sure your clothing choices show off your personality and use layers, textures and color to add some depth and interest. Also, coordinate with other family members instead of being matchy and looking like you’re wearing uniforms. I give more complete information and tips in my “What to Wear” guide to all my clients upon booking a session with me, but below are a few ideas to get you started AND you’ll find these outfits in stores now! {if you want to know where certain items came from, just contact me} Have fun picking out your outfits for your upcoming customized portrait sessions!
{perfect for a family or children’s portrait session}
{great for a maternity session}
)
Today’s Find – Ruffle Butts!
February 24, 2010
I’m always on the search for cute bloomers for my lil’ girl and today I found the cutest ones ever – Ruffle Butts! They have so many cute options for girls sized newborn to 4T – diaper covers, bloomers, pants, jeans, swimsuits, beanies, tees, swing tops, dresses, etc… These are seriously the cutest things ever and I can’t wait to pick up a bunch of bloomers and swimsuits for my daughter.
When my daughter was a baby, I hated the bloomers that came with her dresses and I really detested her diaper showing – especially since I was taking her picture all the time! I really wish I had found these back when Lily was born, but at least she’s not too old for me to grab some of these ruffle pretties. You see, now that she’s three, most dresses don’t come with bloomers, but she’s not at an age where she knows not to pull her dress up and to sit like a lady, so I always worry about her undies showing. I’ve made a few bloomers, but they’re not nearly as cute as these! Also, those ruffle bikinis are too adorable! I can’t resist.
If you have a lil’ girl, you should really check out Ruffle Butts and think about purchasing a few bloomers. Not only are they practical, but think of how cute your pictures will look with these cute ruffled bottoms – WAY better than showing off a diaper and timeless to boot! As a baby photographer, I really like taking portraits of lil’ babes in the buff or in sweet diaper covers since most clothes swallow them when they’re first born. I think I found exactly what I was looking for to cover those diapers at my custom photo sessions. Now I just need to find some solutions for the boys…
Fall/Winter Fashion Guide | St. Louis Family Photographer
October 14, 2009
Everyone wants to know what to wear for their portrait sessions and I have a guide that each client can browse to get ideas complete with a list of great recommended stores, but here are some ideas that you can find NOW in stores and on-line! Coordinate your outfits using various colors that complement each other and use layers and textures to add more interest. Hope you have fun picking out your outfits for your fall and winter portrait sessions with Yvonne Niemann Photography!
I just adore large fine art canvas gallery wraps and I always get a lot of compliments on the ones hanging on the walls in my home. Instant conversation pieces that really stand out. The 3D look of a gallery-wrap is the first thing people notice. You really have to see it in person to get the full effect.
Your favorite image is printed directly onto fine art canvas with archival inks and stretched around a 1-1/2 inch deep frame. From there all of the prints are sprayed with a UV protectant that will seal and prevent the print from fading, cracking or drying out for at least 80-100 years. Once the print is received you can pull it right from the box and place it on the wall, there is no additional framing needed.
Here are a few tips on taking care of your custom work of art.
~ Prints can be wiped with a slightly damp, clean, chemical-free cloth
~ For optimum longevity, keep out of direct sunlight
~ Don’t place stretched prints too close to direct heat or high variations in temperature {cold/warm}
~ Canvas can be tightened if it becomes loose. You can purchase canvas retention at any craft store or on the internet. It can be sprayed on the BACK of the canvas and let dry overnight or for a few hours.
~ Touch up – You can touch up small spots in the canvas with thin-tipped markers if your canvas gets scratched or damaged. Be very careful when touching up specks. Artists can also use paint to touch up small blemishes if needed.
If you’ve been eying one of these beauties for yourself, this is a great time to order! My lab is offering 20% off their fine art canvas gallery wraps and so I’m passing the savings on to you. Order your gallery-wrap between now and July 31, 2009 to receive your discount. Contact Yvonne through the contact page at http://www.yvonneniemannphotography.com if you need your on-line photo gallery republished from a past custom portrait session.
3 Comments
LOVE The color palette!
Great color palette!
Love this! Purple is my favorite color!