Cutest Little Baby Face

Baby Face Monday

cutestlittlebabyface@gmail.com (Tara) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 15:25:00 +0000

This gorgeous little pumpkin was shot by Brea Bursch of CYE Photography. How cute is that basket? Apparently it cost only $6.99 at the local grocery store...what an awesome prop find!

Baby Face Wednesday

cutestlittlebabyface@gmail.com (Tara) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 14:30:00 +0000

Melanie Disbrow is today's featured photographer. Her shot of this little munchkin hanging out in his hammock is utterly adorable! I love his cute little rolls and wide open eyes. Go check out Melanie's blog to see more of her fantastic work!

Baby Face Monday

cutestlittlebabyface@gmail.com (Tara) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 14:10:00 +0000

Today's image by mbphoto09 puts the focus on the hands with just the right about of blur on the baby's face. I love his dimpled fingers and the way he's nestled so snugly in his bed. Such a perfect choice for black and white!

Win a Skye Hardwick workshop workbook from the Savvy Photographer

cutestlittlebabyface@gmail.com (Tara) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 21:34:00 +0000

For those of you who are not familiar with the Savvy Photographer, it's a blog that features the work of a different photographer each week, along with some very awesome giveaways. This weekend, they are giving away Skye Hardwick's Workshop Workbook that covers topics such as editing (every wanted to learn how to do a head-swap in Photoshop?), pricing, workflow, posing and more! Go check them out for more details on how you can win this amazing workshop in a book!

Baby Face Tuesday

cutestlittlebabyface@gmail.com (Tara) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 14:35:00 +0000

It's not often that you see this kind of eye contact from a baby this young. The cutie here, beautifully captured by beinta, grabs ahold of you with her intense gaze and you get the feeling that she knows things you don't...that she is an old soul. Her heart locket adds the perfect touch, for what is a baby if not the physical expression of love? A gorgeous portrait that draws the viewer in again and again!

Baby Face Thursday

cutestlittlebabyface@gmail.com (Tara) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 12:18:00 +0000

Today's little one was captured by Keri Meyers. What a sweet pose; I love how his elbow is resting so gently against his foot. And those bow-shaped lips are simply to die for! Check out Keri's blog to see more of her inspiring photos!

Baby Face Photo Tip: Finding the Sweet Spot

cutestlittlebabyface@gmail.com (Tara) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 14:02:00 +0000

There are many factors that go into taking sharp photos (using a fast enough shutter speed to avoid motion blur or camera shake is definitely the most important), but one overlooked way to get razor sharp photos is to find your lens' 'sweet spot' and shoot within it. Simply put, the sweet spot is a range of apertures at which your lens produces the sharpest images, usually starting a couple of stops above wide open. The picture above was taken with my 50mm 1.7 lens, whose sweet spot is around 2.8-3.5. The actual photo was taken at 2.2, only because I was worried about freezing the action, but if the light permits I try to shoot portraits with this lens at 2.8. This gives me tack sharp images while still allowing for a shallow depth of field. Experiment with your lens to find its sharpest point. Utilizing the sweet spot, along with getting a proper exposure and keeping the shutter speed high enough to combat blur, is a sure-fire recipe for getting the sharpest photos possible.

Baby Face Thursday

cutestlittlebabyface@gmail.com (Tara) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 19:14:00 +0000

This stunning 7 week old babe in arms was captured by Mandi of Mandi Jane Photography. Look at that head full of hair and her plump little arms! So sweet and new!

Baby Face Monday

cutestlittlebabyface@gmail.com (Tara) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 16:19:00 +0000

Today's photo was captured by Chantena of Bubbles n Puddles Photography. I love the bright colors and wonderful textures of the fence, and the way the blue paint matches the boy's eyes. So cute!!

Rebecca Lily LightRoom Presets Winner!

cutestlittlebabyface@gmail.com (Tara) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 15:09:00 +0000

We have a winner for Rebecca's LR Presets, congratulations to Gianna, commenter #110. There was some confusion as to which blog you needed to leave a comment on, Rebecca's or mine (it was mine), so I counted all the entries on both blogs. In the future I will be more specific in my instructions! Thanks to everyone who entered, and Gianna be sure to come back and tell us what you think of Rebecca's presets!

Baby Face Friday

cutestlittlebabyface@gmail.com (Tara) — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 18:40:00 +0000

This doe-eyed sweetheart was photographed by Kelley of Simply Gorgeous Photography. The tight crop and shallow depth of field beautifully accentuate the baby's eyes (not to mention those pillowy lips!) This one is definitely going to grow up to be a heart breaker!

Baby Face Wednesday

cutestlittlebabyface@gmail.com (Tara) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 14:22:00 +0000

Today's photo was taken by Roxana of RL Photography. What a winsome smile on this little bathing beauty -- it's impossible not to look at this image without smiling yourself! Check out Roxana's flickr stream for more of her work.

Rebecca Lily LightRoom Presets Giveaway!

cutestlittlebabyface@gmail.com (Tara) — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 11:54:00 +0000

Time for another giveaway here at Cutest Little Baby Face, this time for an entire collection of Lightroom presets by the uber-talented photographer Rebecca Lily! Rebecca's RAW presets are gorgeous and so versatile...here are just a few examples of her presets in action:

And here is a shot of my daughter, processed with Rebecca's dreamy preset:

Please note, these presets were developed with RAW files in mind and are not recommended to be used on JPEGs. So, how can you win this fabulous set of presets, valued at over $90? Just check out Rebecca's blog and leave a comment saying which preset you like the most. For extra entries you can:

Blog about this giveaway
Twitter about the giveaway (Cutest Little Baby Face is giving away a collection of Lightroom presets: http://bit.ly/c0zIW)
Become a Cutest Little Baby Face subscriber
Add the Cutest Little Baby Face button on your blog

Remember to leave a separate comment for each thing you did. Deadline to enter is Sunday, September 20th 2009 11:00 p.m. EST. Winner to be announced the following Monday. Good luck!

Baby Face Friday

cutestlittlebabyface@gmail.com (Tara) — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 14:17:00 +0000

Today's cutie was photographed by Cori Smith. I'm totally smitten with this little beauty's irrepressible smile and flaxen hair. She's cute enough to eat! Please go check out Cori's blog for more wonderful photos!

On another note, make sure to check back on Monday for another Cutest Little Baby Face giveaway!! I won't say any more for now except that if you use Lightroom, you won't want to miss it!

Baby Face Wednesday

cutestlittlebabyface@gmail.com (Tara) — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 13:21:00 +0000

With back-to-school already here and the fall fast approaching, I find myself missing the warm weather already and seeking out images that embody summer...and nothing says summer like a baby in a sundress eating a wedge of watermelon. I love how she's cramming the whole thing in her mouth like she can't get enough, too cute! Go check out Andrea Larson's blog to see more of her work!

Baby Face Monday

cutestlittlebabyface@gmail.com (Tara) — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 14:03:00 +0000

The term 'vintage' these days has come to mean more of a post-processing style than an actual photographic style...photos with desaturated colors, a yellowish/purple hue, use of texture, etc can all qualify as vintage. This photo by Paula Hickson, however, is pure vintage, from the post-processing right down to the pose, use of props and lovely expression on the baby's face. Truly a timeless and classic portrait!

Great Watermark Tutorial by Rita from Coffeeshop

cutestlittlebabyface@gmail.com (Tara) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 17:45:00 +0000

If you are a professional or amateur photographer who posts photos on flickr or other public forums, watermarks are a great way to protect your photos from theft and give your photo biz (if you have one) a little bit of branding. Rita over at Coffeeshop just posted one of the best watermark tutorials I have seen, so if you've always wondered how it's done, or want to give your current watermark a makeover, definitely check it out. Remember, when it comes to watermarks, less is always more -- the point is to let people know that you took the photo in a way that isn't distracting. Try experimenting with different placements to find the best position for each photo, but at the same time, don't make it so small and unobtrusive that some malicious thief can just clone it out!

Baby Face Wednesday

cutestlittlebabyface@gmail.com (Tara) — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 14:44:00 +0000

This image by Holly Christian brought back memories of my son's toddler days. From the time he was 18 months old until he was at least 3, he didn't go anywhere without a car in his hand (sometimes one in each!). Isn't the black and white conversion here (with just a hint of chocolate) fantastic?

365 days of your kids

cutestlittlebabyface@gmail.com (Tara) — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 13:51:00 +0000

Unless you've been living under a rock for the past few years, you've probably heard of the 365 Days Challenge, where you take one self-portrait a day for 365 days. I've seen many people on flickr do this, though more people start the project than end up finishing it. While I love the idea of using my camera every day, I pretty much hate taking self-portraits. First off, I'd rather be behind the camera than in front of it, and secondly, I happen to think that I make a rather boring photographic subject.

If I had to pick only one subject to photograph for a whole year, it would have to be my kids. And of course, there is a flickr group for this too: Project 365 Kids. I've thought about doing this for a while now, but I can't seem to commit somehow. I'm too scared I'll give up, or that somewhere around day 73, all my photos will end up looking exactly the same, since that's when my creativity will have run out. I really want to do this, but I keep waiting for the perfect moment. Which, of course, is just my way of stalling.

What about you? Have you ever taken a photo a day? What are some tips to get started and more importantly, how do you keep going once the novelty wears off?

Baby Face Monday

cutestlittlebabyface@gmail.com (Tara) — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 14:21:00 +0000

Today's cutie was photographed by Jessica McCarthy. The warm, honey processing in this candid shot is a perfect complement to the boy's sweet and sunny smile . A carefree and beautiful moment captured!

Win a Gallery Wrapped Canvas from ColorInc

cutestlittlebabyface@gmail.com (Tara) — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 13:04:00 +0000

Erin from Texas Chicks Blogs and Pics (formerly from Digital Photography for Moms) just did a review of ColorInc's gallery wrapped canvases, and is giving away one for free to one lucky reader. All you need to do is read her post and leave a comment before September 2nd 2009. If you happen to be a blogger yourself, her new site has tons of useful info on how to create a successful (and even profitable) blog. I definitely recommend checking it out!

Baby Face Thursday

cutestlittlebabyface@gmail.com (Tara) — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 14:05:00 +0000

This image by Hana Lynch is so unbearably cute. The dreamy pastel colors and negative space here are simply perfect. Notice the army-style legwarmers paired with the pink tutu...if that doesn't qualify as sugar and spice, I don't know what does!

Baby Face Tuesday

cutestlittlebabyface@gmail.com (Tara) — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 13:38:00 +0000

This image by Amanda Nicole immediately jumped out at me for its composition and lighting. The low-key feel, so rare in newborn photography these days, puts the focus of the photo exactly where it should be, on the baby's face. I especially love how her polka dot dress is thrown deliciously out of focus. Please go check out the Cutest Little Baby Face flickr pool for more inspiration!

Frugal Photography

cutestlittlebabyface@gmail.com (Tara) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 03:35:00 +0000

When it comes to hobbies, photography isn't as easy on the wallet as say, scrapbooking or knitting. An entry level DSLR is going to set you back at least $500, if not more, and that's not even counting the extra lenses, memory cards, tripod, camera bag, backup batteries, off-camera flashes, editing software, etc, etc. For the pros who make their living with a camera, it's easier to justify the cost as a business investment. But for the rest of us without a whole lot of money to throw around, there are ways to be a thrifty photographer. Here's how:

Consider buying used equipment. Ebay and Craigslist are great places to look for used gear. Oftentimes you'll see ads/auctions from people who have upgraded their body and are looking to unload the old one. This is a great way to get a decent camera for quite a bit less than you'd pay in the store. Lenses also abound in the second-hand market. Of all my lenses besides the kit lens, one was bought from eBay, one from Craigslist, and another from a camera shop that specializes in pre-owned equipment. They all work perfectly, and some are as old as I am! The picture above was taken with a used lens I bought for a song because it had a tiny (almost imperceptible) scratch. As you can see, the scratch didn't affect image quality at all. Remember: buyer beware. Test everything out before you buy it, and if you can't, ask lots of questions and make sure the seller has posted detailed pictures of the merchandise.

Make the lenses you already have work harder for you by buying teleconverters and extension tubes. Teleconverters can double the focal length of your lens if you need a longer reach and extension tubes will decrease the minimum focusing distance of a lens...perfect for macro work. These alternatives cost a fraction of what a new lens does.

Use natural light. It doesn't cost a penny and nothing beats it.

Zoom with your legs. If you're at the end of your zoom and still want a tighter shot, find a way to physically get closer to your subject.

Use free editing software. Picasa is great for photos that don't need too much work. Some color pop, a little contrast boost, crop if needed and voila, you're done. Get as much right in-camera, so you don't have to spend hours saving a photo in Photoshop.

Finally, make the most of what you've got. Owning better equipment will not make you a better photographer. With a little creativity you can take great photos with just about any type of a camera.

What are some of the ways you've saved money with your photography?

Camera Strap Winner!

cutestlittlebabyface@gmail.com (Tara) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 03:08:00 +0000

Congratulations commenter #22 ("I like the Full Moon Dot Amy Butler strap plur268 at yahoo dot com") on winning the strap from The Personalized Touch! I also want to give a great big thank you to everyone who entered this giveaway...it was a huge success and I look forward to having another one here soon!