My manual settings on this image below:
ISO – 200
aperture – F 4.5
shutter speed – 1/400 second
lens – 50mm 1.2

My manual settings on this image below:
ISO – 200
aperture – F 2.5
shutter speed – 1/800 second
lens – 85mm 1.2

My manual settings on this image below:
ISO – 200
aperture – F 4
shutter speed – 1/500 second
lens – 50mm 1.2

Now go capture some smiles….but a TIP first….

Make SURE your camera settings are all figured out before you start trying to get those smiles. Get your camera all set up for the lighting and situation that you’re in and THEN try to gather smiles.

My manual settings for the picture below:
ISO – 1600
aperture – F3.5
shutter speed – 1/125 second
camera body – canon’s 5D mark II
lens – canon’s 100mm macro 2.8L

Oh and these squishy pouty little lips…

My manual settings for the picture below:
ISO – 1600
aperture – F3.2
shutter speed – 1/160 second
camera body – canon’s 5D mark II
lens – canon’s 100mm macro 2.8L

This is the fabulous 100mm macro lens that I am talking about. You really should check it out. Really.   :)

And for more blog posts on newborn prop ideas you can look at these different blog posts. They have more prop ideas, fun newborn prop ideas based on daddy’s job, and some of my favorite props that I’ve purchased at antique stores.

So, here’s the way it goes down when I take my camera with me when it’s just my boys and some friends. This is for the times when it’s not a photo shoot, it’s just heading out for a picnic and exploring or something real life like that. First of all, I don’t take lots of stuff. I take only one camera and choose one lens only. This time I chose my 50mm lens. I usually will take my 50mm if I’m only going to take one lens (unless I want to force myself to play around and do something different). I make sure I have one (charged) battery in my camera, one memory card, and I make sure I have a strap on my camera. The strap is just realistic because my hands will often be full with something else when I’m out with my little boys. I don’t take my white balance target, but instead either put my camera on auto white balance or on the sun or shade choice (based on what lighting situation I’m in of course). And that’s all. Then the next challenge is to take a few pictures here and there and then enjoy the moments with them. Don’t be crazy photo shoot mom. Explore, throw rocks, shoot a pic here and there, and then let the rest go. :)

My manual settings for the shot below:
ISO – 200 (sunny out, midday)
aperture – F 3.2
shutter speed – 1/1000 (bright out, what was needed for proper exposure)
lens – 50mm 1.2

I first come up with a plan. Where do I want them to sit or stand? And then I look at the available light and set up my manual camera settings for that light (ISO, aperture, and shutter speed). I set my custom white balance. Then I take one quick test shot of the spot where I will have the wiggly little kids sit (before I put the kids there, see below) and I double check my exposure on my LCD screen. Does it look okay? Are my settings appropriate for what I’m trying to achieve and for how many little people I will be photographing? Is my shutter speed fast enough for possibly moving little kids?

**All of this above is done before putting the kids in the spot.

When I’m pretty sure that I’m ready to snap away with my camera, then I gather the little people and put them where I want them for the photo. That way I am not using up the one minute of the time that they will sit still for me to figure out my camera settings. But instead I can use that one or two minutes of them sitting still to capture a few pictures.  :)

The manual settings for this shot below:
ISO – 200 (full shade, in the morning)
aperture – F4.5 (four boys and I want them all in focus even if their depths of field differ slightly)
shutter speed – 1/250 (what I needed for proper exposure)
lens – 50mm 1.2

Try it! I hope it’s helpful to you! Have fun photographing those wiggly little people. They’re some of the best little challenges to capture! Because they’re tricky their mama’s (or you…if they’re your kiddos) will appreciate the pictures even more.

My manual settings and a few details to help:
ISO – 200
aperture – F 4.5 (photographing two wiggly kiddos, want them both in focus)
shutter – 1/400 second (what i needed for proper exposure in the given light)
lens – 50mm 1.2 L
camera – canon’s 5D mark II
lighting situation – full shade
time of day – 10am (so bright morning sun)

My manual settings and a few details to help:
ISO – 200
aperture – F 2.8 (love 2.8 when photographing just one child)
shutter – 1/1250 second (what i needed for proper exposure in the given light)
lens – 50mm 1.2 L
camera – canon’s 5D mark II
lighting situation – full shade
time of day – 10am (so bright morning sun)

My manual settings and a few details to help:
ISO – 200
aperture – F 2.8
shutter – 1/800 second (what i needed for proper exposure in the given light)
lens – 50mm 1.2 L
camera – canon’s 5D mark II
lighting situation – full shade
time of day – 10am (so bright morning sun)

My manual settings for the image below:
ISO – 320
aperture – F 2.8 (the widest my macro lens will open)
shutter speed – 1/1000 second
lens – 100mm macro 2.8L
camera body – canon’s 5D mark II

My manual settings for the image below:
ISO – 320
aperture – F 2.8 (the widest my macro lens will open)
shutter speed – 1/1000 second
lens – 100mm macro 2.8L
camera body – canon’s 5D mark II

*Isn’t the macro a pretty lens? It grabs that sharp focus on the details of the face but then just makes the background fall away. I love it. :)

My manual settings for the image below:
ISO – 200
aperture – F 4.5
shutter speed – 1/1000 second
lens – 50mm 1.2L
camera body – canon’s 5D mark II

Happy beautiful spring shooting!  :)

Personally I love it for keeping track of all the loveliness I find on the internet. You know that feeling when you’re like… “where did I see that super fun craft idea that I wanted to do with my kids?” …but you can’t find it anywhere? Well, now I can pin it and keep track of it to do later. Or if I’m organizing or dreaming of remodeling my kitchen I can pin all the styles and looks and fun ideas I like.  Then later when my dreams get to come true then I can refer back to those. Love that.

I also love looking through other people’s pins all over Pinterest. Such beautiful photographs, fun ideas, and more!

Well, my hubby…being the fabulous developer that he is (hey I can brag on him right? I’m married to the man!) he has created a “Pin It” button for WordPress that’s pretty deluxe and just keeps getting better and better! Oh and it’s….FREE! You can add this button to your WordPress blog and it will be at the bottom of each individual blog post. That way other people can pin your picture or your craft idea or whatever you’re blogging about. Then people just might start looking at all your fanciness all over Pinterest! :)A couple of great things about his button are:

• It displays how many times the post hass been pinned right next to it. Super cool. See the number in the box up above right next to the pin it button?
• When you click on it you get to select which particular picture from that blog page/post that you’d like to pin. See picture below.
• And the upgrades just keep coming…

Basically…If you’re a blogger using WordPress you need this “Pin It” button. Cause why wouldn’t you want people pinning your stuff right? Pinterest is the new big and super fun thing! So get on it! :)

Manual settings for the image below:
ISO – 1000
aperture – F 2.5
shutter – 1/125

Manual settings for the image below:
ISO – 1600
aperture – F 3.5
shutter – 1/125

Manual settings for the image below:
ISO – 1000
aperture – F 2.8
shutter – 1/320

So, in honor of the love for the iPhone (or other fabulous smart phone) I have created a new family posing product just for your phone. I often forget that “one other thing” amidst the pile of things that I need to take with me, but I almost always have my phone.

So… I’m excited to show you my new…
“To Go Poses for Photographing Families”

Check it out! 30 poses for families with pictures, the how-to, and the manual settings!  And… ready for immediate download to your phone. Pretty fab right? On your phone?

SO…go check it out!