A Winter to Remember

Atlanta most certainly has put on a show this winter.  The Snowpocalypse of two weeks ago (which I was lucky enough to avoid) had people stranded in cars, at their workplaces, or in various restaurants, shops and private homes that opened their doors to complete strangers in a true display of Southern hospitality.

Good folks all over town headed out to the highways with hot drinks and food for those who were stuck on the treacherously icy roads.  I've been known to mock Atlanta drivers on occasion, but what happened here last month was no laughing matter - it was downright dangerous.  Roads large and small all over the greater Atlanta metro area were clogged.

This week we were better prepared, if only because schools closed and many workplaces asked their employees to work from home.  A far cry from 30 January, when cars and trucks littered the highways, this time the city became an overgrown ghost town.  Traffic cameras that two weeks ago displayed the extent of the chaos in 10 minute updates, now showed the few who were venturing out into the frozen stillness.  Many areas experienced power outages which added insult to injury.

But not all was doom and gloom.  The kids on my street built snowmen - one with a hard hat and another with a pink bonnet.  Families spent time together making candles, playing games and enjoying time seldom spent together.

Yesterday morning, before the sun came out and the city began to thaw, I woke to a layer of snow-covered ice on the trees, with a bright red cardinal who hung around long enough for me to grab my camera.  Seeing him sitting there in the confusion of branches brought to mind the closing lines of a poem my Mum used to have hanging on the wall:

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy.*

* From Max Ehrmann, Desiderata 1927.

Photography - A Gift from the Heart

HeartsApart is a non-profit organisation that aims to help ease the pain of separation when one member of the family is serving in the military.  Partnering with a force of volunteer photographers, HeartsApart provides military families with the gift of photography at a time when they're soon to be miles from each other.

It was my privilege to photograph this family not long before the husband deployed and to capture this time in their lives.  Daddy and daughter just love to read a book together - and what better place to do so than under a tree bathed in late afternoon light?!

Click to see their gallery on Facebook.

Here's a short video highlighting some of the moments from their family portrait session:

It's Christmas Day!

Merry Christmas to you all - may you have a wonderful day and may the blessings of God be with you throughout the coming year.

Guess Who's Coming to Town?!

Not long ago I had the privilege of meeting and interviewing someone we all know well.  He has different names depending on where you live in the world:  Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas, Sinterklaas or Papa Noel, to give but a few - yes, it's the twinkly-eyed man himself - Santa Claus!

I met with Santa and Mrs. Claus while they were getting ready for the big event and was able to photograph him while doing the laundry, darning his loooong red socks and sitting down to have a nice cup of hot cocoa.

It was so much fun chatting with them and getting to know them!  Santa's a great guy (as we already knew!) and he's also graciously allowed me to share some photos with you.

So coming in December, I'll be posting a photograph of Santa every day (except for Sundays!) on my Facebook page.  Come and join us for the fun!

Christmas Card Photo - Mini Sessions!

October 1st - today is the anniversary of the day I set foot in the US for the first time.  In celebration of that, I'm opening up one day this month for a limited number of 20 minute mini-sessions to get that special photo for your Christmas or Holiday cards!

When is it?
          Saturday, October 26, 2013.

Who are you photographing?
          Families, children or pets.

Where is it?
          An outdoor location in the local area.

What comes with it?
          20-minute session, 25 folded cards with envelopes OR 50 double-sided flat cards with envelopes.

Call me at 404.583.0659 for more information and to secure your time slot!

A Passion for Learning

Buckingham Fountain, Grant Park, Chicago IL USA

This week I was in Chicago for Skip Cohen University's Summer School, an annual photography conference that gathers many of the great photographers of our day into one place, to teach others in the field.

Industry icons such as Joe McNally, Clay Blackmore, Roberto Valenzuela and Ryan Schembri joined many other well-known photographers in heading up the list of instructors for SCU 2013.  We studied topics such as lighting, posing and fashion, for family, child and wedding portraiture, as well as fine art, marketing and the business of photography.

All this so that we can get better at doing what we do, for you our clients.

So what do a bunch of photographers do at night after class?  We hit the town - with our cameras.  We learn from and teach each other; because we love what we do and get a kick out of helping others improve their skill.

It's all about learning, progressing and improving the photography industry as a whole.  As Anthony J. D'Angelo said: "Develop a passion for learning.  If you do, you will never cease to grow."

Summer in Georgia | Cumming GA Family Photographer

"And now for something completely different".  Well, it's not really, but it is a break from the 2014 Dog Calendar campaign!

Georgia summers are a dodgy time of year for photographers; the weather changes at the blink of an eye.  But thunderstorms mean you have puddles to play in, which is great for kids - including us big kids!

During this particular shoot, fortune was smiling on us and the rain held off for the entire shoot.  We were lucky enough to have an overcast evening which turned the sky into a lovely, big softbox, meaning no harsh shadows from sunlight.

There's only so long that Hotlanta can go without rain during summer, though, and as we were heading back to our cars the skies opened and we were pelted!

Ethan - 7mo | Cumming GA Baby Photographer

Check out these baby blues!  And in case you're wondering, that's their real colour - no tinting in Photoshop.  Ethan's photo shoot was a huge amount of fun and he ran the whole gamut of expressions across that precious face.

You can see more from Ethan's photo shoot in his album on the Southern Kiwi Photography Facebook page.

Beauty? It's in the Eye of the Beholder

When clients come back in after the photo shoot to see their images, sometimes I'll have one who is a little surprised at how they look.  My personal thought has been that the usual way we see ourselves is in a mirror, which is a reversed image.  So when we see a photo, it looks familiar enough, but there's something different and you can't quite work it out.

Today I watched this video and it really made me think about how we look at ourselves.  Do take the three minutes to watch this because you really need to see it for yourself.  And then think about it some.  Think about it a lot.

What to Wear on Your Photo Shoot

Notice how the colours worn by each person are in the same palette (earth tones) and are brought together in the scarf.

One thing that all of my clients ask me (well, except for the four-footed kinds) is: "What should I wear for my photo shoot?"  While the type of shoot does determine the style of clothing, e.g. formal, casual, individual or family portraits, there are some basic guidelines that you should consider.

Colour

Don't wear brightly coloured clothes!  They look good in real life, but neon-bright shirts or blouses will give a tint to your neck and face that won't show up until you see the photos.  That said, don't feel the need to stick with neutral tones.  Choose colours you like that flatter your skin tone, as well as your eyes for those close-up shots.

When dressing for your family photo shoot, you want to look like you're meant to be together rather than a group of people randomly gathered off the street.  But this doesn't mean donning a uniform of khaki pants and white shirts.  It's often easiest to use pants and skirts to create a coordinated base and allow individual characters to show through with the remaining clothing.  Help younger children to select their clothes and give older family members guidelines that help them stay coordinated.

Remember also that the eye is attracted to the lightest part of the photo, so if one person is wearing a shade of clothing that's a good deal lighter than the others, the viewer will automatically be drawn to that person in particular.

If you're planning on having a wall portrait made for your home or office, consider the colouring of the room where your piece will hang.  Look for shades that complement those of the surroundings instead of competing with them.

Patterns

While we don't need to completely avoid patterned clothing, it's best to be conservative in your choices.  Individual photo shoots such as seniors, baby portraits and headshots are more forgiving, but it is possible to include patterns in family portraits without causing eyestrain.  Regardless of the amount of people involved, choose a basic pattern such as stripes or argyle so that your clothing doesn't upstage you.

If you do decide to incorporate patterns into a group photo, have only one or two people (depending on the size of the group) wear a pattern and make sure the patterns are similar.  Base the other subjects' clothing around the colours included in this pattern.

Style

You may also want to think about clothing trends: what looks good this year might be out of style next year.  And while we can't avoid changes in fashion, selecting clothing that isn't outrageously trendy helps prevent photos from looking overly dated, even when they're 20 years old.

Of course, you might want something completely different.  Coordinating a group of family or friends in a period theme is fun and can add a new dimension to your family portraits.  I rented clothing from a local theatre company for a personal photo shoot a few years ago, which made for a lot of laughter and enjoyment.  Which is what we want in our photo shoots, right?!

Location
Keep in mind the location of your shoot.  Unless you're having a beach wedding, your seaside photos will look better with fun, summer-type clothing rather than formal attire.  Urban areas might call for a stylish look while natural settings will favour more casual clothing.  Be aware that you will likely be sitting on the ground at some point in your photo shoot and while I do bring something for people to sit on if necessary, it's better to dress with this in mind.

Most of all, you want to wear clothes that make you happy and are comfortable to wear, so that you'll be relaxed during your photo shoot.

Mum, Dad & the Boys | Duluth GA Family Photographer

This client was so happy with the headshots I took of her earlier this year that she came back for a portrait photo session.  And lucky for me, because I got to meet their pups!  These two guys are a lot of fun - have a look at my website to see the DVD I made of their shoot.

It was a hoot to let the dogs run around and play while I videoed their games.  Now, if only I could teach my dog to play fetch like these two do!  He has the chase part down, but the fetch?  Not so much...

Anyhow, check out these expressions.  They always make me smile :o)

A Time for Family & Friends

Thanksgiving has come and gone here in the USA and Christmas is coming up soon all over the world.  The holiday season is a time when folks spend time with friends and family, reminiscing about past times, planning fun future activities and enjoying each others' company.

But there's allllllways someone who wants to take photos, right?  And don't we just hate it when we're in the middle of a nice meal and someone decides to snap a photo of us while we're attempting to stuff a forkful in our mouths...

Don't do it, folks!  No-one likes awkward photos of themselves plastered all over the various social media sites, no matter how funny it may seem at the time.  But don't put away that camera completely during this season of gatherings - one day we'll be grateful  for those photos.

Do catch people being themselves and enjoying the moment.  Photograph them around the table, laughing and talking with loved ones.  Use a shallow Depth of Field to cut out the background clutter.  Zoom lenses are great for capturing natural, candid moments, but don't abuse it!  Aim to make people look fantastic, not ugly.

Have a look on my website for a short story about a little girl who'd never seen herself in a photo before.  That's the sort of thing we can do as photographers.

Last year I wrote a post with tips for taking posed photos of large groups.  Try them out at your next party - and especially remember the part about not being grumpy!

Family Fun | Alpharetta GA Family Photographer

How cute are these kids?!  This high energy trio made for a fun family photo shoot on a warm late autumn morning.

Preston | Alpharetta GA Child Photographer

Here's a little guy with a story.  These photos were taken back in February this year, not long after his first birthday.  His parents have been waiting for over a year to adopt him and they received the wonderful news earlier this month that it's been finalised!  They're one very happy family.

Preston is a bundle of energy and did a good job of totally scrunching up my backdrop.  But hey - the three of us had a ton of fun and that's the whole idea, right?  He's a gorgeous kid - just look at that smile!

Times Are Changing

Atlanta doesn't see much in the way of snow, so when it happens you take advantage of it.  But you have to be quick because it doesn't hang around for long.  While most folks were hiding out in their homes after the most recent snowfall in Georgia, I got up early and drove around taking photos of the transformed landscape.  There was very little traffic on the road which was a good thing, because in all honesty Atlanta drivers can't drive properly in the best conditions!  You know it's true...

So why am I writing about snow scenes at the tail end of the Southern US summer?  Because I recently drove past one of the places I photographed that morning - the pretty little lake shown below:

I liked the monochromatic feel of the foreground, with the blue of the shadows in the background.  The overhanging tree had prevented a small patch of lake from freezing over, leaving a nice reflection in the water.

But when I drove past that same place last week, to my surprise it was gone!  The little lake has been drained and a number of earthmovers have taken up temporary residence.  I'm sure that whatever takes its place will be lovely, but it made me realise how quickly and easily things change.

With that in mind, don't pass up any opportunity to capture the world and lives around you with your camera.  Places change, people grow and all you have left is memories and photographs.  That is, if you remember to take them.  What was it like when you were newly married, planting a garden, welcoming a new child or pet into your home?  What does the home you are growing up in look like?  It's never too early to start and your children's children will thank you for these precious images one day.

My brother has been scanning old photographs into digital format so that he can share them with the family.  Earlier this year we were looking through the dusty albums, remembering the times that went with the images and laughing at the goofy ones.  Now I thank my Mum for making us all pose for yet another photograph and also the people who took photos of my grandparents and great-grandparents, extended family and friends.

The holiday season is coming up, with friends and family gathering and spending time together.  Are you going to get out there and record some memories of people, places and fun times?  Because you never know when things are going to change, like 'my' little lake.

Spirit of Happiness - A Love Story

Just recently I was honoured by the opportunity to photograph a friend's wedding.  This sweet couple were full of smiles radiant enough to outshine even the brilliance of the sunny June day.  Their joy was infectious and all who were gathered to witness this special event were caught up in the spirit of happiness that enveloped the bride and groom.


Here are a few of the photos from their day.

Spring Smiles ~ Cumming GA Family Photographer

Come spring and early summer in Georgia and *everyone* wants to get out and play - after the pollen's gone, that is.  Here are some smiles for you - Mum and Dad with two adorable little boys.  The youngest decided to try out his climbing skills and I caught a series of photos that just begged to be turned into a single image.  I love his expression as he realised he made it!

Photo Shoot - Cumming GA Family Photographer

Here's a fun family of four who contacted us for a portrait session a few weeks before Christmas.  We posed them outside as the sun was going down, then moved inside with our portable studio setup for photos in a Christmas setting.  Their little doggie joined in and posed perfectly for some of the shots - quite the ham!

Photo Shoot - Cumming GA Family Photographer

Here's another great-looking, fun family.  These guys were a pleasure to work with and even though everyone knows kids this age can't stand posing for photos - check out those gorgeous smiles!  Hmmm... kinda makes that one hard to believe... :o)