MomShots

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PhotoCamp has sold out - but due to huge demand, we have added 75 seats to our max capacity. If you are thinking of registering, this is your second chance so act fast! These will sell out again and fast!

PhotoCamp Utah is for photographers BY photographers. For this event-be a success, we need you-be there!

We have some amazing presenters comitted - sharing their knowledge, entertaining keynote speakers, and sponsors giving us some amazing gifts - all-make this a great event for all those that attend. This is going-be an exciting event.

There is limited seating available, and those that we have are filling up fast. Don’t delay, register right away-save your seat! It’s only $10 for an entire amazing day. Register now!

Last night, I was watching my Twitter feed when I saw a post about a mini-clinic at the Salt Lake Library in an hour and a half. Ben was home and I asked him if he would mind watching the kids while I went to it. He agreed and I quickly got my stuff together and ran out the door.

The clinic was hosted by the Flickr group Photowalking Utah and was presented by Rich Legg who is an incredible knowledgeable and extremely talented photographer. The theme was studio lighting for under $250.

The class was great! I learned so much. Especially since I haven’t really delved into the world of studio lighting yet. I am what you would call a “Natural Light Photographer”. For me, that’s a hoity-toity name for someone who still has so much to learn that I just haven’t gone in that direction yet. Optimal word here is “yet”. One day I will. And now after what I learned last night I feel much more prepared for that day.

Courtesy Disclaimer: This is my personal definition. Not all Natural Light Photographers are in this boat. Just me.

I really had a fun time and ended up sitting next to an amazing photographer named Anne Torrence. I follow her on Twitter and have always been super impressed with her. It was such a surprise to realize that it was she I was sitting next to. I had a little moment of star-struckness but that passed and I introduced myself and talked with her for a few minutes about her current project. I’m excited to get to know her and the whole Photowalking Utah group better. I really hope I can swing getting to events more frequently.

MomShots is really is not a location specific blog even thought it may seem like that lately. If you don’t live in Utah I am sure you are getting sick of me mentioning Utah things all the time. I would strongly suggest that you look into your local area and see what kind of photographer groups are out there. I bet there are some good ones around. If you don’t find any, maybe you should think about starting a group. A photowalking group is a great way to start.

Speaking of location specific, once again I am going to plug PhotoCamp Utah. I found out last night that there are only about 75 more places available. If you are thinking about going be sure to sign up right away or you won’t be able to. It will be held in south Provo on March 14th, 2009. More information can be found on the website.

As you know, I am speaking. My theme is tips & tricks for photographing kids. I know you’re all surprised by that title… LOL… Anyway originality aside, I was wondering if anyone had any specific topics or questions that you would like to see addressed? I am trying to put together the outline for my discussion and I thought your input would be much appreciated. Even if you are not attending, I would love your input.

Also, I need to put together some prints to show as props. Do you have any favorite pictures that I have posted here or on Flickr? I am very excited about the opportunity to speak about and share my love of photographing kids but honestly, I am a teensy bit nervous. Especially after meeting all those incredible photographers last night! I am feeling a bit like an imposter since I really am so new to the art.

Insecurities begone! No more thoughts or words about that. That’s the last you’ll hear about that. It’s all about having fun and learning some new things. I would love your input and opinions on anything related to this.

Obligatory MomShot:

I got asked to be a guest poster over at another one of my favorite sites, I Never Grew Up. She does a theme each day and Thursday is the day her site focuses on the arts. I decided to write about how photography, usually a single person spectator sport/art, does not have to be. You can easily get the whole family involved. This builds art appreciation, friendship and great memories.

I hope you will click here to read my article and if you have any other suggestions for building family unity through photography I really hope you will take a second to comment. I am trying to compile a list of fun family activities using this artform so your input would be greatly appreciated either here on MomShots or after the post on I Never Grew Up.

I was inspired by my blogging buddy Tara’s post yesterday. She made these adorable Scrabble pendant necklaces. I love them. I don’t know what it is about them but I have been enamoured with these things since I first saw them a few years ago. I even bought one off of Etsy a while back, which I love. I keep telling myself I am going to get the supplies and make a bunch of them. I think there are so many fun applications beside necklaces for them.

Anyway… Go enter Tara’s giveaway. Then comeback here and check out this project that I made before Christmas. I didn’t post it before Christmas because it was a gift for a few people and I have been holding off on posting because one of those people has not received theirs yet, but I can hold back no longer! It’s time to share with you this cute little photo album. If it looks familiar it is because I mentioned it in a quick little post back in December but I didn’t post any pictures. Here is my result:

I had a bunch of wallet sized photos printed up and filled them with shots of the kids and family and have given them to the grandparents.

Anyway, if you are up for it, it is a super easy and fun craft project to do. I found the business card holders at Target and then had a blast playing with Modge Podge. I would like to cover the world in Modge Podge.

I want to share with you. I have been absent for a few days. I have been in the Mom Trenches, meaning I’ve been dealing with a bunch of sick kids and then I got sick too. But we are on the upswing now. Yay!

How was your Valentine’s Day? Did you get any good photos?

I had a really fun opportunity to do a photo shoot with my sister and her husband. They were celebrating their 5th wedding anniversary and I asked them if I could take some shots of them. It was so different to shoot adults than children - and especially these two who have had lots of time in front of the camera so they did a great job of posing and just looking adorable. Here’s a small sampling of the shots I got.

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Ok, so it’s not pictures of kids and that is really the primary objective of this site but I do want to share something I learned. Because learning photography is the second thing that this site is about.

The biggest lesson is that I need to use my flash to fill in my subject, especially when the background is bright. We went up into the Provo canyon to try to capture some images of them in front of the beautiful mountains. However I was frustrated because they were too dark and the background was so light. I kept thinking that if I had a reflector stuck in the snow the shots would be perfect. Silly me! I didn’t even think to use my flash until about two days later and I was editing some images.

Hello?!? Fill Flash!!!

I think that if I would have used my flash to fill in the foreground light on their faces, the shots in the mountains would have been great.

I am kind of kicking myself about forgetting that. I try so hard to use natural light and avoid using my flash that I completely forgot that it is OK to use in some situations. This would have been one of those situations.

Here’s one of the better lit shots. It sure could have used a bit of fill flash love!

You can bet I will be trying hard not to make that mistake again!

I will now be the crazy lady walking down the street chanting to myself, “It is OK to use my flash. It’s OK to use my flash. It’s OK to use my flash.” So if you see me, be sure to stop me and say hi!

Also speaking of saying hi, don’t forget about Photocamp Utah, on March 14th. If you register before the 1st your price is only $10. It’s such a screaming deal I can hardly believe it. It is for photographers of all levels so don’t be intimidated if you don’t feel like you can call yourself a “photographer”. If you have a camera and want to learn more you should come. It’s going to be great.

I am trying to figure out exactly what I am gong to talk about (suggestions are welcome!!!) but I am super excited. If you go, I really hope you will say hi to me. I’d love to meet you!

In an attempt to better direct our Tips of the Weeks, Tye and I would like to know what you use for post processing. Are you a full blown Adobe snob (like I try to be!) and only use the latest version of their Creative Suite? Are you a proud Photoshop Elements user and have no intention of ever upgrading? Are you a use-the-software-that-came-with-your-camera kind of person? Are you an iPhoto or Picassa user? Inquiring minds want to know.

Please take a second and fill out our survey so that we can tailor our Tips more to your interest and need. Thank you!

Obligatory Photo…

My friend Kathy wrote up a review of her Canon PowerShot SD1000. While the SD1000 has been replaced with the more recent model, the SD1100, I think this review might help someone who is in the market for a nice point and shoot camera. Her review mentions a lot of great features that I am sure the SD1100 also has. Take it away, Kath!

I carry my Canon PowerShot SD1000 Digital Elph with me whenever I leave the house. For a compact, portable camera, it boasts a range of features that have helped me get great photos of memorable moments in my life. Because it is so small and easy to take with me, I have been able to capture some unexpected and spontaneous events as well. Here are some of the reasons I love this camera:
Small Form Factor

As mentioned above, the PowerShot SD1000 is a compact point-and-shoot camera. At 3.38 x 2.11 x 0.76 in, it is a little longer and a little narrower and about the same thickness and weight as a deck of cards. Because of this, it is easy to slip in a pocket or purse and carry with you wherever you go. The image quality isn’t quite as pristine as a DSLR, but it is great for those times when you wouldn’t be likely to lug a tripod and a bag full of lenses around and good enough to be your only camera if photography isn’t your profession.

Speed

With a Digic III processor, the SD1000 is ready to take a picture shortly after being powered on. This makes it great for spontaneous events, pictures of children, and sports shots. The large LCD is also pretty responsive, enabling you to frame your shot quickly as well.

Video Quality

At a maximum of 30 fps (frames per second) and a 640×480 resolution, the SD1000 has rendered my late model digital camcorder nearly obsolete. I use the Canon most of the time I want to shoot a video since the quality is as good or better than my camcorder. I only keep the camcorder because the PowerShot has one drawback: you can’t change the amount of optical zoom while recording.

Face Detection

The face detection functionality on the SD1000 works wonderfully, ensuring that faces are within the focal plane.

Image Quality

With a 7.1 megapixel CCD, the Canon SD1000 allows you to take high-resolution photos. The colors are vibrant and noise is kept to a minimum. With a 3x optical zoom, it is easy to frame your shot how you want.

Shooting Modes and Manual Settings

The Powershot SD1000 comes with a set of great pre-programmed modes such as Macro, Indoor, and High ISO (up to 1600) to ensure you are using the optimal settings for shooting conditions. There are also a number of attributes that can be set manually by the advanced user such as white balance and exposure compensation.

SDHC Compliant

Because the SD1000 supports Secure Digital High Capacity memory cards, you never have to worry about running out of space. I use a 4GB card and regularly am able to store over 500 photos on the card along with some video. This is a great feature for going on an extended vacation since it eliminates the need to bring multiple digital media or back up your pictures to another source so that you can make room on your card.

Drawbacks

Despite it being a fantastic camera, the Canon PowerShot Digital Elph SD1000 does have a few things that can be improved upon for a camera in its class. In addition to the previously-mentioned inability to zoom while shooting video (digital zoom is available, but essentially worthless), the SD1000 does not have image stabilization capabilities. However, I have not noticed a great deal of blurriness in my images due to camera shake. The battery is a proprietary design and must be charged separately from the camera. Also, while transferring images to a computer via USB cable, the camera does not time out or shut off after transfer. Many times I have forgotten to turn it off and completely drained my battery. The battery life is adequate but not exeptional; a spare battery would be a good accessory for this camera.

Conclusion

Even in light of its shortcomings, the PowerShot SD1000 is a great compact point-and-shoot model. Canon has stayed true to their reputation in exceptional image quality and reliability, and the camera is fun to use. With the right settings, the SD1000 Digital Elph can take great shots even in low light or indoor conditions, and the CCD has a high enough resolution that you can have quality enlargements made of favorite shots. I highly recommend the Canon PowerShot SD1000 as a compact, on-the-go camera.

Have you heard about #GNO? If not you might want to check it out.

Especially tonight, if you are into photography like me. Tonight’s discussion is about photography and how it can help to build meaningful relationships. It should be a really fun discussion.

#GNO is held every Tuesday starting at 6pm PST. I jumped on for a few minutes last week for the first time and was really excited to meet so many cool new ladies. This week the topic is something near and dear to my heart so I’m going to be sure to be there as long as I can.

Check out this link to learn more. And if you don’t have a Twitter account, it is free and super duper easy to set up. Set it up and join in the fun. You can go to TweetChat and enter #gno as the room and you’ll be in a chat type environment that will be easy to follow.

Obligatory photo:

Ok, well maybe not gold, but for something so inexpensive it can be an invaluable purchase. Check out Luann’s story and you’ll see what I mean. You should spend some time checking out her blog and Flickr photostream. She’s a super talented photographer who I follow regularly.

This is what she said:

I teach a little community photo class, which reminds me, it’s time to set a date for another meeting. Anyway, a few months ago I advised the other photographers in the group to get a UV filter for their lenses and keep it on at all times. The only exception would be to temporarily remove it if they needed to use a different kind of filter.

A UV filter helps a little with image quality by absorbing ultraviolet rays and cutting through some haze in outdoor photos, but the main reason I gave them this advice was to protect their lenses. A cheap $10 filter can be your first line of defense against scratches, curious babies with slimy fingers, dust, dirt and any number of other every day hazards that may threaten an expensive SLR lens.

Occasionally a more dramatic accident will occur, like what happened to me last Saturday. The short version is that my camera fell from a height of about 3 feet and landed face first on the concrete, jamming the lens cap down into the front of my favorite lens. When I picked it up I could hear the sickening sound of rattling shards of glass under the cap. With the help of my auto mechanic father-in-law, we eventually got the UV filter unstuck from the lens and this is what we found underneath.

The lens cap and filter, laying to the right, are still jammed together and all the broken glass you see on top of the lens is from the filter. I used dry canned air to very gently remove all the pulverized glass from the lens before I tested it. It looks like my little filter did its job and absorbed most of the impact from the fall because thankfully, I haven’t been able to find any problems with my $500 camera or my $200 lens. First chance I got, I was happy to shell out another $10 at my local camera shop for a new UV filter. It’s my little hero.

Seriously, after reading that story how could you not rush out and buy yourself a filter if you don’t already have one?!? All my lenses have filters on them and I highly recommend you doing the same thing if you haven’t already.

There are many different types of filters that you can buy. Some filters filter out the UV light and some filters are polarized making your colors a bit more vibrant. You can also find filters in colors like blue, red, green, etc. that can add a fun tint to your photos if you are feeling a bit bold. There are lots of different options. You can find them at any camera store and also at my favorite online haunt, B&H Photo and Video.

Fitting a filter to your lens is really simple. Look at the end of your lens and there is a number like 52mm (the size of my 18-55mm kit lens and my 50mm lens), or 62mm (the size of my 60mm macro lens), and many other sizes. You just screw the filter on and you are set. You never have to take it off again.

Hopefully you will never have to test out the protecting power of your filter like Luann did, but if that day comes you will be so thankful that you spent the few extra bucks and got a filter!

I get asked once in a while what point and shoot cameras I recommend.  I love that question and I wish I had an awesome answer for you.  I would love to be in a place where I could review cameras and let you know my thoughts on them but currently no one has sent me any cameras to review.

Hey Nikon! Are you listening?!?

Here’s your chance Nikon, Canon, Olympus, Sony and any other camera manufacturers.  Send me your cameras and I’ll let my readers know the scoop!  

Since I don’t have a lot of experience with various manufactures I can only tell you this:  I love Nikon.  I have loved their point and shoots in the past and I love their DSLRs now.  They always have excellent lenses and cutting edge technology.  

I know people who have loved their Olympus’, Canons, Kodaks, etc. I don’t have any experience with any of these brands for digital cameras. I had a Polaroid film camera and it was a fine little camera. It did the job.

If I were to buy a digital point and shoot to keep in my purse, I would probably choose the Nikon Coolpix S60.  I like the size, I love Nikkor lenses, they claim to have one of the fastest start-up time and shutter speeds around and an added bonus is that I think Ashton Kutcher is kind of cute.

I’m just kidding about that being a reason to buy it, really I am. I’m so NOT that shallow!!!

The S60 has a 3.5″ touch LCD screen on back. I think that’s pretty cool! It has a cool feature where you can touch the subject (on the screen) to lock focus. This sounds like an awesome feature that gives point and shoot users more variety. It also has some fun things like smile detector, a high ISO of 3200 so you can get low light shots and smile timer. Using the touch screen you can write on and edit your photos in camera. Those are some of the reasons why I would consider buying this camera.

For a little more robust point and shoot camera I like the Coolpix L100. It has a VERY fast shutter speed of continuous shooting in sports mode at 13 frames per second. That’s WAYYYY fast! It also has an amazing zoom range simulating a 28mm to 420mm zoom lens. That is a 15 times zoom. The average point and shoot only has a 4 or 5 times zoom. It has a high ISO of 3200 meaning it can be used in low light situations pretty well. It also has all the normal Nikon preset modes that I love on a point and shoot.

I think if I were to choose a camera between the two I would choose the L100 because I like the awesome zoom capacity and super fast continuos shutter speed aspects of this camera very much. When taking pictures of crazy, wild, wiggly, running all over the place kids I think this feature would get used a lot. I would probably always have my camera in sports mode if I used the L100!

These recommendations are solely based off my research online and my past and present experience with Nikon. I don’t have much experience with other brands so obviously my opinion is tainted by that.

What point and shoot camera do you recommend? What have you used in the past? What aspects do you enjoy about your camera? Why did you buy it? Please share your experiences with us here on MomShots so we can all benefit from your knowledge.