Photography Now

The speedlight dilemna

2009-11-23T18:51:00.002-05:00

I want a speedlight.

I really want a speedlight.

I really, REALLY want a speedlight.

I'm limited by my budget so I'm having to do a lot of research. Clicking around on B&H is never a good idea. Window shopping on that site makes me drool, thus short circuiting my keyboard.

I need something with a decent recirculation time but I don't need top of the line. While I do prefer to use Nikon products, I think the Nikon lights are out of my price range right now.

Any recommendations? What should I be looking for? Any tips on brands or models that are just junk?

Sun Flare

2009-11-23T00:40:00.004-05:00

This is the best sun flare photo I have. I struggle with creating a sun flare while not washing out the face of the model or putting them completely in the shadows. Even in this one, I think she's a bit washed out. I love her slight smile and her curious eyes looking out of frame.

Autumn Beauty

2009-11-16T12:00:00.002-05:00

It was a perfect Fall day - the air was cool but not cold, crisp but not chilly, the sky was a million shades of blue and the trees were at their peak.

I headed to University of Richmond with my friend Aryn and her little family. This is my favorite photo from the entire shoot. I love the action, the movement, the interaction between Mom and Son. But most of all, I love the look on Tyler's face.

For me, the beauty of this photo isn't necessary what you see in the photo, but the love and bond between mother and son that made this photo possible.

Rachel & the Two J's

2009-10-23T00:43:00.002-04:00

I love photographing during autumn! The colors are great; the weather is perfect; and there are so many great natural props. I love the leaves, the trees, the mums, the pumpkins, the corn... it all just pops!

My friend Rachel and I have been trying to coordinate a date to take pictures of her two boys, Big J and Little J. We finally made it to the pumpkin patch and we had a blast. Those two boys are full of energy and I'll admit that most of my photos were of the back of their heads!

Here are a few of my favorite shots.

I Heart Faces – Excited Photo Challenge

2009-10-12T00:05:00.002-04:00

Vittoria & Family

2008-11-11T00:28:00.003-05:00

I love taking photos for my friends. Vittoria rebels against the standard school photo and asked me to shoot her kids (not literally of course). I was able to get her and her boyfriend Alex to pose for me as well.

And this time, I finally broke down and did some Photoshop editing. I have been loathe to go all PS'y on my photos. I truly believe that if you can't shoot a great photo straight out of the camera, then you need to learn. But, we had flat light, not the greatest color and, quite honestly, it's been so long since I've done any serious photography that I forgot how to get good quality pictures out of my camera!

So here is Vittoria, Rylie, Landon and Alex in all their Photoshopped glory!

Micah

2008-03-28T22:33:00.001-04:00

No flashing!

2008-01-13T16:07:00.001-05:00

Eons ago, I purchased my first SLR - a Nikon N70. I was so proud of it! But I realized that the body didn't come with a flash so I immediately ran out and purchased an SD-something-or-other. About 37 seconds after the flash entered my home, I found the flash on the camera body and felt quite stupid. I had every intent to return that flash and get my money back but never got around to it.

Here it is, at least 4 years later. I now have a D50. I do not have the money to be running around buy camera accessories willy-nilly while my husband is in school full time and I need to support our two small children.

Suddenly, I remember that flash! I should be practicing catch lights! I pull it out and slam it onto my fab D50.

It. Won't. Work!

I can't even get a decent price for it on eBay. They're selling for about $26 now. Nice.

So, no flashing around here! Wah!!

First Snowfall

2007-12-05T11:05:00.000-05:00

Wordless Wednesday

2007-10-30T18:41:00.000-04:00

Baby Feet!

2007-10-18T11:28:00.000-04:00

Wordless Wednesday

2007-09-04T16:34:00.000-04:00

Book bags courtesy of PolkaTotsAndWhatNots

Polkatots Photo Shoot Part I

2007-08-30T19:41:00.001-04:00

A friend of mine runs PolkaTotsAndWhatNots, an online children's boutique. She's expanding her business and asked me to shoot her products on models. Here's the first batch!

Products: bags, sippy cup, hair bow, pillow dress, monogrammed boxers

Wordless Wednesday - Owen Investigates

2007-08-28T18:01:00.000-04:00

Trip to Virginia Beach

2007-08-25T21:07:00.001-04:00

See my Tabblo>

Wordless Wednesday

2007-08-21T21:03:00.000-04:00

Wordless Wednesday

2007-08-14T22:13:00.000-04:00

Wordless Wednesday

2007-08-08T00:14:00.000-04:00

Wordless Wednesday

2007-07-31T21:01:00.000-04:00

Bright Eyes

2007-07-30T00:53:00.000-04:00

Maternity Shoot in a Tabblo

2007-07-27T22:14:00.000-04:00

Click to see the full Tabblo

Momma wants some pictures!

2007-07-27T00:24:00.000-04:00

A friend asked me to try some maternity photos for her. Her goals were pretty straightforward: traditional maternity photos of herself, photos with her daughter, photos with her husband and family photos. Since her husband was out of town, we started with her and her daughter.

Wordless Wednesday

2007-07-24T16:53:00.001-04:00

Wordless Wednesday

2007-07-17T23:46:00.000-04:00

Wonderment

2007-07-15T14:01:00.000-04:00

The Water Fountain

2007-07-15T13:58:00.000-04:00

Wordless Wednesday

2007-07-10T21:59:00.000-04:00

Expressions

2007-07-06T00:08:00.000-04:00

Hot Air Balloon Festival

2007-07-04T01:04:00.000-04:00

I love using Tabblo to create a composite of my favorite shots. Here's my Tabblo for today's shoot at the hot air balloon festival in Lexington, VA.

July 3, 2007

... See my Tabblo>

Wordless Wednesday

2007-07-04T00:25:00.000-04:00

The Boy

2007-06-28T15:19:00.001-04:00

DSC_0328, originally uploaded by la_rubicita.

Look

2007-06-27T22:08:00.001-04:00

Wordless Wednesday

2007-06-27T21:23:00.000-04:00

San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

2007-05-30T22:21:00.000-04:00

I participated in a National Geographic photography workshop in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico a few years ago. Here's a sampling of the digital photos I took while there. The workshop itself focused on slide film but haven't gotten around to scanning any of those into digital format.

Maymont Tree

2007-05-27T22:09:00.000-04:00