SOAR! Teleconference with Me Ra and The Wisdom Connection

Here are my notes from the Teleconference that was back on February 18th:

SET BOUNDARIES - Don't surf the internet after 10PM looking at other photography blogs.  It makes you feel discouraged.

THE FIRST STEP.  Each woman that submitted a SOAR! application video came out of the dark and let the world know of their dream... to have a photography business of their own.

The SECOND STEP.  Don't put all of your effort in building your photography business into the wee hours of the night.  Let your kids see the ups and downs of you building your dreams.  God is going to give you a vision of your dream.  Hard days come.  Don't second guess yourself.  Believe and tell your kids what your dream is.  An idea is to hire a babysitter for 4 hours a week twice a week.  There is no shame in that.

ME RA's ASSIGNMENT:  Write a paragraph that answers the question:  What does it mean to shoot like a woman/ approach the camera like a woman?  Email your answers to mera@merakoh.com

Here's what I wrote for Me Ra's assignment:

"As a woman, my mind seems to be racing of all the things I have to accomplish in my day.  So when I want to stop and take a photo, I pick up my camera and my mind switches gears to thinking:

-Where is the light coming from?  

- I then change the white balance.

- I meter off my hand.

- I take the picture quick before I loose "the moment."

- I cross my fingers hoping that the pictured turned out.

It gets overwhelming to remember what is most important in taking a photo.  I want to get to the point where I've mastered the camera settings, especially manual mode, and that I can work on getting more creative photos."   - Lisa Ward

* Side note:  Follow the SOAR! blog and leave the 3 Soar Scholarship Recipients comments on the blog. 

Wendy Zippwald is the SOAR! Coordinator and a photographer.  Check out Wendy's photography website/blog.


SOAR! Weekly Events on the Soarority Forum
These events are meant to empower and encourage women.


Ask and Learn with a Professional Photographer- 1st Thursday of every month from 6-8pm MST.
* You can email Wendy Zippwald if you'd like to suggest a photographer.  wendy@merakoh.com

Images for Inspiration- 2nd Week of Each Month. We will have a new category for you to post images to inspire others. If you can, please include your photo recipe, including ISO, Shutter Speed, Aperture, and Lens used.

Ask and Learn with a Previous SOAR! Applicant or Confidence Workshop Attendee-  3rd Thursday of every month from 6-8pm MST.

Monthly Photography Exercise- Due the last Tuesday of Every Month. This is where you will post your monthly SOAR! photography exercise results. (The exercise that the SOAR! Recipients do during the second week on the SOAR! blog.) Two to Three will be Critiqued by Pros!

Christine Baker created an very detailed video on the Soarority Forum that tells how to navigate the forum.

Notes from Karen Buckley of The Wisdom Connection:

TIME TO REFLECT.  Notice your breath.  Look out to December 31, 2011.  Imagine your heart feeling full and satisfied because you fulfilled your business dream.  Here are some questions I'd like you to answer: (I pushed 1 on my phone to "raise my hand" and answer the questions out loud on the teleconference.  It was fun to share my answers.  My answers are italicized below.)

#1 What is one step you can take this year towards your business dream?  I am planning on taking Brooke Snow's Advanced Pro Photography online class this year... most likely in the fall.

#2 What is one way I can hold myself back this year?  I can hold myself back this year by continuing to view other photography blogs late at night.  I get somewhat discouraged at looking at other's professional photographs, but I try to stay positive and realize that I too can capture great photos with more practice and more education in photography.

#3  What is one phrase that you can say to yourself to help you stay encouraged this year?  I've been reading Julia Cameron's book, "The Artist Way."  In the book, my favorite affirmation that I read and will now say to encourage myself this year is: "As I create, I will be led."

Notes from BROOKE SNOW's Class

I went to a class taught by a professional photographer, Brooke Snow.  The class was titled: Ten Tiny Tips that will Dramatically Improve Your Photography.  Here are the notes that I took from the class:

Beginning notes:

Establish a knowledge base of photography
   - master using your camera and understand the functions and the effects it has on the images
   - Read photography books
   - Take a photography class

Practice taking pictures and shoot intentionally!
   - slow down, even if you miss the moment you were trying to capture
   - shoot often

Train your eye
   - spot issues in your own work
   - rules should be learned and not broken
   - (my own note) look at other photographer's work and be able to explain why you like their images

The Importance of Photography
   - Happiness can increase by keeping happy memories vivid.  Viewing your own photographs can flood the mind with happy memories of your life.

"What you record on earth is recorded in heaven."
     ~ Wilford Woodruff

"We should be a record keeping people.  Record the story of your life."
      ~ Spencer W. Kimball

"Those who keep a personal journal are more likely to keep the Lord in remembrance in their daily lives."
      ~ Spencer W. Kimball

*** TEN TINY TIPS THAT WILL DRAMATICALLY IMPROVE YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

Tip #1: LEARN TO SEE THE FRAME

            -Look through the viewfinder and scan your eyes around the frame (especially the edges) and ask yourself these questions:

What in included in your frame?  What is excluded in your frame? 

Watch for cut-offs. 

Avoid cropping at joints. 

It's more pleasing to the eye to:

- crop at the midpoint of an arm, leg, etc. 

- crop the top of the head

- don't crop off the chin

Tip #2: WATCH FOR MERGERS AND DISTRACTIONS

            - Look through the viewfinder and scan your eyes around the frame, looking for mergers and distractions at the background.  Reposition yourself or the subject in your photograph if necessary.

            - Take the picture right the first time so you don't have to spend as much time editing 

Tip #3: CONSIDER THE RULE OF THIRDS

            - heads centered in the middle of the frame generally are boring to look at.

            - As you are looking through your viewfinder, divide your frame into thirds and place your subject at an intersecting point.

            - When photographing a landscape, decide if you want to showcase the sky, the mountains, or the foreground and frame it accordingly as you shoot.  If you want to showcase the sky, frame atleast two thirds of the sky in your viewfinder.  

Tip #4: CHANGE YOUR PERSPECTIVE

- be creative

- heavier people can look thinner if you shoot from above.  (ex. have the person sit on a lower step than you and have them look back at the camera.)

- get a child's eye level when photographing children

- when you view a great professional photographer's work, ask yourself where the photographer was standing when he took the shot.

Tip #5: GET IN CLOSE

- take two steps closer once you set up your shots

- closer shots create more intimacy

Tip #6: REMEMBER DETAILS

- when shooting an event, remember the details of the occasion.

- photograph buildings, street signs, landscape, food, etc.

- detail shots help to tell the story of the event

- it's fun to look back at detail photographs of previous places you've lived

 Tip #7: THINK LIKE A KID TO GET GOOD KID SHOTS

- shoot from a kids' perspective

- get down at their eye level

- for kids who don't follow a photographer's direction well, play games with them to help get true expressions (ex. "Simon Says" is a great game to get kids to cooperate)

- Imagine outloud with kids... get into their world.  Expressions on kids' faces when using their imagination creates authentic moments.

- Involve kids when doing a photo shoot.  Let them see their pictures once you take them or even let them take a picture or two themselves.

- sing

- don't overstimulate (if you need to start to whisper, sing, etc. to get kids to pay attention to you.)

-talk to kids... ask "find out" questions (ex.  What's your favorite food?  Who's your favorite princess?)

- allow them to relax and be themselves (suggestion: photograph in a kid friendly environment and allow kids to play as you photograph them.)

-have fun people behind you (suggestion:  if you are at a kid's level (down low) and you want your fun people (like the parents) to help you, have them get down low with you. 

Tip #8: GOOD POSING HELPS PEOPLE LOOK THEIR BEST

suggestions:

- put weight on back foot

- bend your leg closest to the camera (ladies bend leg closest to the camera when doing leg pops in kissing shots)

- keep your arms off your body (bend arm)

- sit on the edge of your seat (better posture and makes your thighs look thinner)

- if you have two of something, put them on different planes (ex. put one arm over someone's shoulder and one arm on your hip)

- to reduce seeing a double chin, have person lean forward or the photographer can shoot from person

-avoid full front posing (widest view of a person)

-group shots - put heads in closer together and connect through touch

  

Tip #9: CHOOSE LIGHT FIRST, LOCATION SECOND

Finding the light:

- watch for dapples on the ground (patchy sunspots in the shadows on the ground)

- look for open shade (even light)

- shoot with the sun behind the subject

- look for natural reflectors (cement, white walls)

- window light adds shadows, drama, dimension, and provides catch lights in the eyes

- Become a student of light by studying images and see the characteristics of light.  Ask yourself: Where is the light coming from in this image?

Tip #10: BE A GOOD EDITOR

- if you want people to think your a fantastic photographer, only show your best work

- use the proper camera setting to take the picture right the first time so you don't have to spend so long editing your images