Little Photography Tip: Struggles with Shady Portraits

I took some pictures of my dad and the boys hanging out in their new clubhouse this weekend. 

They were really enjoying a good game of "I Spy" and the cool shade. 

I wanted to capture the fun, but my camera kept exposing the sky correctly at the cost of everyone's faces. Nice sky, dark faces. 

Ever had it happen!? Frustrating!

I'd like to show you an example of it, but I deleted all the bad ones not realizing I'd want to share them with you later! Dur.

But can you see how well their faces are exposed after a little camera tweaking? Sky in the back is burnt out, but the faces are beautiful. 

Note: I'm also using open shade here, which is a whole other topic worth reading up on. Here's a great link: Using Open Shade. Check it out!

But back to metering! If your camera just isn't getting it on it's own, check your settings. 

Can you change the way your camera meters/checks light? 

My Nikon D3000's offers me "spot metering." Got anything like it:

 It will change your light meter from averaging the light over a large area, to taking a very precise metering on a small spot you chose (their eyes or face).  

Here's how to use it. Find your metering settings and change 'em up to spot metering.  In your viewfinder, you'll see your focus dot. Place that on the their eyes or face and press your shutter release button halfway down. Your camera will meter the light in that spot, but not take the picture.

Now DON'T LET GO. 

Recompose your picture the way you'd like it to look/move people to where you want them in the frame. Holding the button half way still. The metering you took a second ago will still hold if you don't release your shutter button. 

Now, you've got it just right? 

Press the button all the way down. 

And Ta-da!

See how the sky is all blown out and my son's face is great!? 

Spot metering!

I don't advise using spot metering all the time, especially if your hairy hooligans are moving fast. Hard to pin them with this one. But great for slower portraits in the shade!

Happy photo-journaling, friends, in the great outdoors!

Photojournal: I'd risk a firecracker in my hair for these pictures!

We started our fourth with some sparklers. Classic and mostly safe. Much joy was experienced.

Patiently awaiting the darkness together!

We couldn't wait! Bring out the roman candles! 

 And Lord help us, point them away from everybody!!!

Love Jonas' contemplative face. 

Seems to say, "That's odd. I think that just spewed fire..."

And Kincaid's face seems to say,

 "Oh, heck YES! I think that just spewed FIRE!"

Lot's of ACTION! NO death!
Not even blood or dismemberment. 
Very good!

And now for my favorite part! 

I sat with my BACK! 

MY BACK! 

To the fireworks as Ryan set them off so I could catch those beautiful faces enjoying their glee! 

And it was worth the risk and fear.
And not getting to see the fireworks much myself.

Could have caught my hair on fire and these pictures would still be worth it!

Beautiful! 

LOOK at all that glee! Childhood right there!
Childhood!

Here's my favorite set of three. I love watching their faces look up !

Yes!
We have lift off!

THIS next one I did NOT love!

 Taken promptly after I watched them look into the sky! 

Child, where are you GOING!? 

And we ended the evening the same way we began. Classic and safe with sparklers! 

It was a good fourth.

Getting Wound Around A Fat Finger

Them eyes are some dangerous eyes there. 

They got me all wound around that little fat finger.

I don't even mind the snot. He can rub it all over my shirt. 

Don't mind the peas and carrots and mushy cheerios he gets all over those cheeks and hands. 

Still gonna hug on him. 

Cause he's got those eyes. 

Adventures in Family Photography

I had to laugh when a couple friends commented on how great our family picture was on our Christmas cards. Mainly because, we shot that picture at 8 o'clock at night when I realized Shutterfly's Christmas sales were ending at midnight. "Ryan, quick! Bathe the kids! I have to roll the rug up and move all the furniture... because we need to take a family picture... Yes, I know it's bed time! Please! Help me! And... we have to semi match!" 

I thought it would be fun to share all the pictures that didn't work so you could see how this was really just a fluke good picture. A turn of luck. Madness. That we really are dysfunctional and out of control. We just thought what with the holidays and all, and the likelihood that you would put this picture on your fridge, we should try to look... functional. 

I'm hoping too, this will encourage you to keep shooting until you get the shot you want!  

Sometimes it works.

Here's the one that finally worked for us.

Ha!  I'm just now noticing the toy star in the background. Wonder if that made it onto the card? 

Nope, good cropping! 

We did this with a tripod and a timer. I would hit the button, run, slide, try not to smash Jonas, and yell, "Smile! Smile!!! Everybody SMILE!" I really have no idea how this worked! 

Because first we started here:

"Ryan, can you scoot over? Ryan! Ryan! Scoot! Are you paying attention to me!?" 

I can't imagine why he  was so distracted! "Boys! Put the guns DOWN!"

Progress. Great job Kincaid. :) Very authentic.

Um... No... 

Didn't make the slide that time and doesn't everyone look lovely. 

Oh! Oh! So close and Kincaid, love the enthusiasm bud! Great job!

Hey! Not bad family! 

Oh! Oh! Oooooh! We did it! We did! Nice job, family!

Yes! No one will ever guess how dysfunctional we really are!

Here's where I start acting like a gambling addict. Can we take just one more!? Just one more...

And the moment has passed... as quickly as it came.

But we did get this one! And it's a good one.

 Here's to photo adventures!