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Sunday, August 31, 2008
Friday, August 29, 2008
Family Fun
I love family sessions! Especially when I'm shooting a fun family like the Mofus. We decided on brighter colors and a white background during the consultation session and it worked like a charm. Thanks for being so fun to work with guys! And thanks for making such beautiful daughters for me to photograph :)
Thursday, August 21, 2008
More Than Just a Portrait
I like doing portraits, but I LOVE doing more than just a portrait.
Here are Abby and Sean. Gorgeous couple, right? Right!
Well, after we had gotten our traditional shots together, they wanted to have some fun and get a portrait that showed off a bit of their street cred as original gangsters. They each got their own gold jewelery together and their dog, Baxter, joined the mix for this gorgeous family portrait.
Thanks for the fun time guys!
I absolutely love doing fun, staged portraits like these, so if you're thinking of having a portrait done with Leavitt Photo, and you'd like to do something a little different than normal we'll throw some ideas around during your consultation session and produce something great.
Here are Abby and Sean. Gorgeous couple, right? Right!
Well, after we had gotten our traditional shots together, they wanted to have some fun and get a portrait that showed off a bit of their street cred as original gangsters. They each got their own gold jewelery together and their dog, Baxter, joined the mix for this gorgeous family portrait.
Thanks for the fun time guys!
I absolutely love doing fun, staged portraits like these, so if you're thinking of having a portrait done with Leavitt Photo, and you'd like to do something a little different than normal we'll throw some ideas around during your consultation session and produce something great.
Friday, August 15, 2008
Senior Portrait Session
Here's a Senior portrait session I did with Matheu last week. As you can tell, it was a lot of fun :)
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Press Release
Local Photographer’s Work on Display at International Exhibition of Professional Photography
Three prints created by Ben Leavitt of Leavitt Photo in Fort Irwin, California have recently been accepted into the LOAN Collection of the 117th International Exhibition of Professional Photography. Leavitt's work will be on display at the Phoenix Convention Center, January 11-13, 2009, in Phoenix, Ariz. This exhibition is held in conjunction with Imaging USA, an annual convention of over 8,600 professional photographers and several photographic associations.
Approximately 4,514 entries were submitted to Professional Photographers of America’s (PPA’s) International Print Competition, from which a panel of more than 40 eminent photographers from across the United States selected the images that would comprise the 2008 General and Loan Collections...the most prestigious awards. In recognition of the achievement, PPA members receive one merit for each entry into the General Collection (39% of entrants) and two merits for each entry into the Loan Collection (only 15% of all entrants). These merits can be applied toward PPA degrees granted by the association.
Titled "Man's Search for Meaning", "Which One of You Clowns is Responsible for This?!", and "The Rightful King of England," Leavitt's entries will be in Phoenix alongside other photographic works from not only PPA’s print competition, but also traveling and special invitational displays. These images constitute the world’s largest annual exhibit of professional photography gathered simultaneously under one roof.
Professional Photographers of America (PPA), an international nonprofit association, exists to assist its more than 20,000 members in achieving their professional, artistic and fraternal goals; to promote public awareness of the profession; and to advance the making of images in all of its disciplines as an art, a science, and a visual recorder of history.
###
Three prints created by Ben Leavitt of Leavitt Photo in Fort Irwin, California have recently been accepted into the LOAN Collection of the 117th International Exhibition of Professional Photography. Leavitt's work will be on display at the Phoenix Convention Center, January 11-13, 2009, in Phoenix, Ariz. This exhibition is held in conjunction with Imaging USA, an annual convention of over 8,600 professional photographers and several photographic associations.
Approximately 4,514 entries were submitted to Professional Photographers of America’s (PPA’s) International Print Competition, from which a panel of more than 40 eminent photographers from across the United States selected the images that would comprise the 2008 General and Loan Collections...the most prestigious awards. In recognition of the achievement, PPA members receive one merit for each entry into the General Collection (39% of entrants) and two merits for each entry into the Loan Collection (only 15% of all entrants). These merits can be applied toward PPA degrees granted by the association.
Titled "Man's Search for Meaning", "Which One of You Clowns is Responsible for This?!", and "The Rightful King of England," Leavitt's entries will be in Phoenix alongside other photographic works from not only PPA’s print competition, but also traveling and special invitational displays. These images constitute the world’s largest annual exhibit of professional photography gathered simultaneously under one roof.
Professional Photographers of America (PPA), an international nonprofit association, exists to assist its more than 20,000 members in achieving their professional, artistic and fraternal goals; to promote public awareness of the profession; and to advance the making of images in all of its disciplines as an art, a science, and a visual recorder of history.
###
Monday, June 30, 2008
The Eyes Have It!
"The Eyes are the Window to the Soul"
The most important element of a portrait is the subject's eyes. Eyes reveal the emotions, thoughts, health and character of a person, so it's vital you capture them accurately.
Always focus your camera on your subject's eyes.
Unless you're doing an artistic portrait that focuses on some other part of the body it's always a great idea to make sure the eyes are as sharp as they can get. If something else in the photo is sharp besides the eyes, it tends to look like a focusing mistake.
Most cameras have a focusing point in the center of the frame. If you hold the shutter button (the one that takes the picture) down half way the camera will focus on whatever the focus point is on. Once you've focused on the eyes, keep the shutter pressed half way and recompose your shot the way you want it and press the button all the way to capture the shot.
Many cameras (such as the Canon SD850) have a "Face Finder" feature that detects faces in the frame and focuses on them. This is a handy tool since it saves you from having to focus and recompose your shot every time.
Lighting the Eyes
When you have highlights in the eyes it makes your subject come to life. On the other hand, when there's no light in their eyes their portrait can feel dull and lifeless. To make sure your subject has highlights in their eyes, turn their face toward the light source. If there's nothing shining light or bouncing it onto the front of their face, they won't have a twinkle in their eyes.
Some final thoughts on eyes...
If you have a cooperative subject, having the subject look just above the lens (about the top of your head) makes the eyes seem more open and alert.
Whenever photographing a woman, I recommend makeup for the eyes. At a minimum I like to see some mascara, which really enhances the portrait immensely.
The most important element of a portrait is the subject's eyes. Eyes reveal the emotions, thoughts, health and character of a person, so it's vital you capture them accurately.
Always focus your camera on your subject's eyes.
Unless you're doing an artistic portrait that focuses on some other part of the body it's always a great idea to make sure the eyes are as sharp as they can get. If something else in the photo is sharp besides the eyes, it tends to look like a focusing mistake.
Most cameras have a focusing point in the center of the frame. If you hold the shutter button (the one that takes the picture) down half way the camera will focus on whatever the focus point is on. Once you've focused on the eyes, keep the shutter pressed half way and recompose your shot the way you want it and press the button all the way to capture the shot.
Many cameras (such as the Canon SD850) have a "Face Finder" feature that detects faces in the frame and focuses on them. This is a handy tool since it saves you from having to focus and recompose your shot every time.
Lighting the Eyes
When you have highlights in the eyes it makes your subject come to life. On the other hand, when there's no light in their eyes their portrait can feel dull and lifeless. To make sure your subject has highlights in their eyes, turn their face toward the light source. If there's nothing shining light or bouncing it onto the front of their face, they won't have a twinkle in their eyes.
Some final thoughts on eyes...
If you have a cooperative subject, having the subject look just above the lens (about the top of your head) makes the eyes seem more open and alert.
Whenever photographing a woman, I recommend makeup for the eyes. At a minimum I like to see some mascara, which really enhances the portrait immensely.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Get Low!
If you're an adult, chances are you're probably taller than your child. Without bending down to their eye level you're at risk of stiff neck syndrome. This is where all your shots involve your child looking up in the air toward the camera. If you're shooting down on them at very close range the lens could distort the proportions of your child. Usually they'll end up with a large head, medium arms, and tiny legs.
Of course, I'm not saying this is the wrong way to take pictures. In fact it can look cute, and it's a great way to create a clean background, but you probably don't want ALL your pictures to look like this. Kneeling down to your child's eye level creates a more intimate shot, and helps you see the world from their perspective.
You don't want to go too much below eye level, or you'll be in danger of "Godzilla" syndrome. This is when your child looks like a towering giant in the frame, which can be fun at times, but not necessarily flattering.
Try it the next time you photograph a child. Simply ask yourself, "What Would Shorty Do?" and get low low low to their eye level for some great shots!
Of course, I'm not saying this is the wrong way to take pictures. In fact it can look cute, and it's a great way to create a clean background, but you probably don't want ALL your pictures to look like this. Kneeling down to your child's eye level creates a more intimate shot, and helps you see the world from their perspective.
You don't want to go too much below eye level, or you'll be in danger of "Godzilla" syndrome. This is when your child looks like a towering giant in the frame, which can be fun at times, but not necessarily flattering.
Try it the next time you photograph a child. Simply ask yourself, "What Would Shorty Do?" and get low low low to their eye level for some great shots!
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Genuine Expressions
"Say Cheese!"
Say this, and you'll get exactly what you asked for... a cheesy processed smile.
I'm not talking refined Sharp Tilamook Cheddar here folks, I'm talking about a processed "American Cheese Singles" grade of cheesiness. I've had photo sessions almost ruined by these smiles elicited by parents insisting their child smile for the camera. "No, not that smile, a REAL smile. Come on, you need to give Ben a REAL smile...show less teeth... more teeth!...Do this! Don't do that!... etc., etc."
If you want genuine smiles and expressions from your kids, the first rule to obey is to strike the "Say Cheese" phrase from your vocabulary (or any phrase with the same meaning). For some it's a long road to recovery, but the rewards are great. Trust me.
"If I can't tell them what to do, then how will I get them to smile?" you may ask.
Well, that leads us to our second rule which is:
Kids Rule, Babies Drool.
You can control a child's expression about as easily as you can stop a teething baby from drooling - i.e. You have no control. When it comes to kids, they run the show. You're just there to set the stage and capture the performance.
Setting the Stage:
There are several things you can do to set the stage for great expressions. Here are a few:
1. Feed the kid. A hungry kid is an unhappy one.
2. Make sure they're well rested. A child that needs a nap is a grouchy child.
3. If they wear a diaper, make sure it's clean. (hint: Babies don't like dirty diapers.)
4. Place them in a familiar environment. Some children can feel uneasy in a place they don't recognize, and this can show in their expressions.
5. Take out the camera before you're ready to take the real shots. Everyone needs some warm up time in front of the camera. Most people will either shy away from it, make faces at it, or try to give you the smile you're looking for at first. The longer you have the camera out, the more accustomed they'll be to it and the more natural their expressions will become. Some forget you have it after a while. Reality TV has shown us that most everyone starts acting like themselves when the cameras are on long enough. ;) (*Note: Turning off the camera's sound effects can help them forget you're there as well.)
6. Get your settings right. When your child is giving you great expressions the LAST thing you want to be doing is changing your settings. "Can you do that again? I had it set to movie mode." doesn't fly. Once the moment's gone, it's gone. Make sure you're ready before it happens.
Guiding the Performance
Ultimately your child will do what they want to do, but here are some things you can do to elicit some expressions:
1. Talk to them. This is my most powerful tool I have to get kids out of their shells. When you ask kids (or adults) about their lives it gets them involved and thinking about other things besides smiling for the camera. This is where the real expressions are found. "What's your favorite food?" Child stops to think... *CLICK* "Pizza!" she says with a smile. *CLICK* "What's your favorite dessert?" Child thinks of sweets, yum! *CLICK* "Is it chocolate-covered monkeys?" Perplexed look *CLICK* "Nooooo! You don't eat a monkey!" *CLICK* You get the idea. A tripod is PERFECT for this situation since it will allow you to escape from behind the camera and actually have a face-to-face conversation. It's hard to convince a child you're trying to talk to them while peeking to see if the shot is framed correctly.
2. Play with them. This should actually be #1b. Tickling children is extremely effective. you can use a feather duster, or just pretend you're the tickle monster and you're going to get them. Place a stuffed animal on your head and ask where it went. "Have you seen my duck? He was here a minute ago!" The game will depend on the child and the situation of course. Once again, this technique works extremely well when you're using a tripod.
3. Give them something to do. This is my third most powerful tool. When your child performs an action, you can get a great expression immediately after or during the time they've done it. Sometimes I will ask them to spin around in a circle. The moment immediately after they've done it they'll usually smile and that's when you get the shot. I like to follow that up with, "OH! I missed it! Can you do that again?" for another shot of their expression.
4. Give them something to interact with. This is my fourth most powerful tool to get a great expression. When you have a rowdy child an ice cream cone, cool toy, or book will completely redirect their energy toward a task other than escaping the camera. This is also the ultimate tool for capturing genuine moments or gestures of your child. You may have controlled when the treat was available, but the chocolate ice cream on their face and running down their arm is 100% genuine... and cute. This is a win-win situation for both sides!
5. BRIBERY! Along the lines of giving them something to interact with, bribery can be a powerful tool. I only use this as a last resort, and try to treat it as more of a hostage situation than a payment for services yet to be rendered. What do I mean by that? Don't hand over the whole bribe up front. Make a deal that if they release some hostage expressions then you'll meet some of their candy demands. As they produce the hostages they gain credits towards a grand reward. "Oh good one! You're up to 5 pieces of candy now! You're going to get a lot of candy!" You may have to simply show the goods to some kids, while others may need a tiny sampling from time to time (one that doesn't show in their teeth), but this can produce results in a pinch. Of course, I won't guarantee the expressions are going to be 100% genuine in this situation, which is why I only use this as a last resort. Actually, #s 1-4 are so effective, I rarely even reach the point of bribery.
In review, there are several ways to get a genuine expression from your child.
Rule #1: Don't use the "C" word, "Cheese!"
Rule #2: Kids Rule, Babies Drool
Rule #3: Set the Stage
Rule #4: Guide the Performance
When you learn to work with your child instead of against them, they'll give you expressions and moments greater than you would have ever imagined. If you still can't figure it out, your best bet is to hire Ben to do it for you.
Say this, and you'll get exactly what you asked for... a cheesy processed smile.
I'm not talking refined Sharp Tilamook Cheddar here folks, I'm talking about a processed "American Cheese Singles" grade of cheesiness. I've had photo sessions almost ruined by these smiles elicited by parents insisting their child smile for the camera. "No, not that smile, a REAL smile. Come on, you need to give Ben a REAL smile...show less teeth... more teeth!...Do this! Don't do that!... etc., etc."
If you want genuine smiles and expressions from your kids, the first rule to obey is to strike the "Say Cheese" phrase from your vocabulary (or any phrase with the same meaning). For some it's a long road to recovery, but the rewards are great. Trust me.
"If I can't tell them what to do, then how will I get them to smile?" you may ask.
Well, that leads us to our second rule which is:
Kids Rule, Babies Drool.
You can control a child's expression about as easily as you can stop a teething baby from drooling - i.e. You have no control. When it comes to kids, they run the show. You're just there to set the stage and capture the performance.
Setting the Stage:
There are several things you can do to set the stage for great expressions. Here are a few:
1. Feed the kid. A hungry kid is an unhappy one.
2. Make sure they're well rested. A child that needs a nap is a grouchy child.
3. If they wear a diaper, make sure it's clean. (hint: Babies don't like dirty diapers.)
4. Place them in a familiar environment. Some children can feel uneasy in a place they don't recognize, and this can show in their expressions.
5. Take out the camera before you're ready to take the real shots. Everyone needs some warm up time in front of the camera. Most people will either shy away from it, make faces at it, or try to give you the smile you're looking for at first. The longer you have the camera out, the more accustomed they'll be to it and the more natural their expressions will become. Some forget you have it after a while. Reality TV has shown us that most everyone starts acting like themselves when the cameras are on long enough. ;) (*Note: Turning off the camera's sound effects can help them forget you're there as well.)
6. Get your settings right. When your child is giving you great expressions the LAST thing you want to be doing is changing your settings. "Can you do that again? I had it set to movie mode." doesn't fly. Once the moment's gone, it's gone. Make sure you're ready before it happens.
Guiding the Performance
Ultimately your child will do what they want to do, but here are some things you can do to elicit some expressions:
1. Talk to them. This is my most powerful tool I have to get kids out of their shells. When you ask kids (or adults) about their lives it gets them involved and thinking about other things besides smiling for the camera. This is where the real expressions are found. "What's your favorite food?" Child stops to think... *CLICK* "Pizza!" she says with a smile. *CLICK* "What's your favorite dessert?" Child thinks of sweets, yum! *CLICK* "Is it chocolate-covered monkeys?" Perplexed look *CLICK* "Nooooo! You don't eat a monkey!" *CLICK* You get the idea. A tripod is PERFECT for this situation since it will allow you to escape from behind the camera and actually have a face-to-face conversation. It's hard to convince a child you're trying to talk to them while peeking to see if the shot is framed correctly.
2. Play with them. This should actually be #1b. Tickling children is extremely effective. you can use a feather duster, or just pretend you're the tickle monster and you're going to get them. Place a stuffed animal on your head and ask where it went. "Have you seen my duck? He was here a minute ago!" The game will depend on the child and the situation of course. Once again, this technique works extremely well when you're using a tripod.
3. Give them something to do. This is my third most powerful tool. When your child performs an action, you can get a great expression immediately after or during the time they've done it. Sometimes I will ask them to spin around in a circle. The moment immediately after they've done it they'll usually smile and that's when you get the shot. I like to follow that up with, "OH! I missed it! Can you do that again?" for another shot of their expression.
4. Give them something to interact with. This is my fourth most powerful tool to get a great expression. When you have a rowdy child an ice cream cone, cool toy, or book will completely redirect their energy toward a task other than escaping the camera. This is also the ultimate tool for capturing genuine moments or gestures of your child. You may have controlled when the treat was available, but the chocolate ice cream on their face and running down their arm is 100% genuine... and cute. This is a win-win situation for both sides!
5. BRIBERY! Along the lines of giving them something to interact with, bribery can be a powerful tool. I only use this as a last resort, and try to treat it as more of a hostage situation than a payment for services yet to be rendered. What do I mean by that? Don't hand over the whole bribe up front. Make a deal that if they release some hostage expressions then you'll meet some of their candy demands. As they produce the hostages they gain credits towards a grand reward. "Oh good one! You're up to 5 pieces of candy now! You're going to get a lot of candy!" You may have to simply show the goods to some kids, while others may need a tiny sampling from time to time (one that doesn't show in their teeth), but this can produce results in a pinch. Of course, I won't guarantee the expressions are going to be 100% genuine in this situation, which is why I only use this as a last resort. Actually, #s 1-4 are so effective, I rarely even reach the point of bribery.
In review, there are several ways to get a genuine expression from your child.
Rule #1: Don't use the "C" word, "Cheese!"
Rule #2: Kids Rule, Babies Drool
Rule #3: Set the Stage
Rule #4: Guide the Performance
When you learn to work with your child instead of against them, they'll give you expressions and moments greater than you would have ever imagined. If you still can't figure it out, your best bet is to hire Ben to do it for you.
Friday, June 20, 2008
10 to 2 Is Hard To Do
What's the best time of day to shoot portraits?
Not from 10-2:00 pm, that's for sure!
Why?
Well, I can give you several reasons:
These are my favorite ways to beat the sunny side blues:
Shade is amazing. If you can find a nearby tree, building, juggernaut, or whatever, do your best to find some shade. The shade will reduce the light contrast and make a nice soft even lighting on your subject. If you can find a canopy of some sort that's ideal because it will block the direct overhead light and get rid of the "Raccoon eyes". Here's what a high noon picture looks like when you place your subject in the shade of a tree with a pond to camera right.
Ahhhh... Doesn't that shade feel great? Yeah, it does!
Some additional tips about using shade:
If you live in the Mojave Desert and there's not a tree or building in sight, then your second best option is to turn your subject's back to the sun. Turning their back to the sun will create soft even shade on the face, and light their silhouette with a golden rim light. This technique prevents your subject from squinting their eyes as well. Here are 2 examples:
Sometimes the light will look fine as it is using this technique, but sometimes you'll find your subject's face is too dark and everything else is bright. When this happens, simply turn on your flash and use it to fill in the shadows with light. In the skunk picture, the little stinker's face was a bit dark, so I bounced some light onto her with a white reflector. A flash would have worked as well.
Another way to add sparkle to the subject's eyes is to wear a white shirt. Your white shirt (if you're close enough) will bounce light onto their face and create a white reflection in their eyes.
Not from 10-2:00 pm, that's for sure!
Why?
Well, I can give you several reasons:
- The Sun is beaming down from directly over head, creating shadows in your eye sockets.
- If there's no cloud cover, the sunlight is bright and contrasty... not flattering for a portrait.
- It's the hottest time of day - you sweat and your subject sweats.
- If your model is posed at the wrong angle, you can get very harsh bright spots on their face, which pretty much ruins the picture because you can't recover that detail.
- Moving from full sunlight to shade requires constant monitoring of your camera settings... if you're shooting on Manual... which I always do.
- It's right around lunch time, so it's possible your subject is getting hungry and less patient.
These are my favorite ways to beat the sunny side blues:
- At all costs, find some shade! PLEASE!
- If you can't find shade, look harder! Then give up and turn your subject's back to the sun.
Shade is amazing. If you can find a nearby tree, building, juggernaut, or whatever, do your best to find some shade. The shade will reduce the light contrast and make a nice soft even lighting on your subject. If you can find a canopy of some sort that's ideal because it will block the direct overhead light and get rid of the "Raccoon eyes". Here's what a high noon picture looks like when you place your subject in the shade of a tree with a pond to camera right.
Ahhhh... Doesn't that shade feel great? Yeah, it does!
Some additional tips about using shade:
- Place your subject at the edge of the shade. Deep in the shade will cut down on the light considerably and flatten your lighting. Keeping them at the edge will provide more light, and add dimension to your lighting.
- Face your subject toward the open sky (away from the shade). This will light up their faces and add sparkle to their eyes.
- Keep track of your white balance settings. Either use "Auto WB" or use the "Cloudy" or "Shade" white balance settings to avoid a blue-tinted photo.
If you live in the Mojave Desert and there's not a tree or building in sight, then your second best option is to turn your subject's back to the sun. Turning their back to the sun will create soft even shade on the face, and light their silhouette with a golden rim light. This technique prevents your subject from squinting their eyes as well. Here are 2 examples:
Sometimes the light will look fine as it is using this technique, but sometimes you'll find your subject's face is too dark and everything else is bright. When this happens, simply turn on your flash and use it to fill in the shadows with light. In the skunk picture, the little stinker's face was a bit dark, so I bounced some light onto her with a white reflector. A flash would have worked as well.
Another way to add sparkle to the subject's eyes is to wear a white shirt. Your white shirt (if you're close enough) will bounce light onto their face and create a white reflection in their eyes.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Neighborly Session
I had the honor of photographing our neighbors before they left for their next duty station in Texas. Here are some shots from the session which I just put on my website as well. The flower shots with Jill were actually taken after the session. We were saying our goodbyes and I saw the flowers across the street and begged her to pose for a couple more shots. Those turned out to be some of my favorites that day.
Lesson learned: The session's not over until it's really over. If you have an idea, act on it.
Lesson learned: The session's not over until it's really over. If you have an idea, act on it.
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