I love following instagram on Thursdays because I find so many sweet [and hysterical] photos of friends when they were younger and I love seeing the stories that go along with those old photos. So I’m going to blog my #tt.

So, this photo. This photo represents how kind and sacrificial my parents are. I mean, who really wants to drive a teal mustang… but when I was about 6, my parents decided to get a new car – a MUSTANG! I had no idea what that meant, but I new it was going to be a CONVERTIBLE. And they gave me the sweet honor of choosing the color. My favorite colors growing up were teal and purple. Together. I’m thankful Ford only offered teal.

It wasn’t until years later when I asked my parents, “Yea, why DID you have a teal Mustang?” And they explained that I had chosen the color. They had let me pic out the color and I picked TEAL! This car drove me so many places with my mom and dad. Countless trips south to visit my family in NC. My mom and I would listen to books on tape and I would sleep in the back. Until of course I grew over 4 feet tall and no longer could handle “the back seat.” It was our barn car – we would pack this baby up and take it to all of the horse shows. This was the card in which I learned to drive. And then one night right before Christmas, my mom came home from work, and got off the commuter bus and saw an empty parking space where her car should have been. But it wasn’t completely empty. They had left circles on the ground. Real life Grand Theft Auto. It was a tough way to say goodbye to my family’s car that was soon to become my car. Miss that Mustang. But let’s be honest. I’m kind of glad I’m not driving a teal Mustang…

Obsessed with Sara’s vintage ring.

This review/tutorial is for people with Canon cameras that are older than 2011.

I have a EOS-1D Mark V. It’s a big fat camera and I love it. But I bought these flashes under the impression that I could use them to their fullest – I cannot. I only have the ability to use them on MANUAL mode. And in certain situations, that is PERFECT and ALL I need. Really! Detail shots and portraits are the perfect example, but I was hoping to have a dynamic change in my reception shots. I’ll really just gain consistency with firing and that is all until I update my camera! Do I NEED to update my camera? Not immediately, but they do only last so long! So although I’m bummed that these flashes won’t work the way I had thought when I made the purchase, I will have gained consistency. And that is valuable!

Here is a mini tutorial on how I plan to use these flashes just so you can get an idea of what I’m working with. I have a light on camera, and a light off camera on a stand. Pictured below is my set up. I have a mini softbox to soften the light JUST a touch so I’m not bare bulbing my subject. It also appears like a spot light if you accidentally shoot into it – not a piece of equipment or the harsh speedlite that it is.

Idealy, you start with a light meter, but I’m just going to start with the “black box” technique. I learned this from Casey Templeton when I learned to use speedlites manually. Basically, get to the point where you have a black photo – in the series below, you can see that I have a TOUCH of ambient window light, but the flash will overpower this!

PHOTO 1. ISO125 // f2.0 // 1/200 – this gave me a black box – the lightest black box I wanted to go.

PHOTO 2. I’ve now turned on my flashes. They are connected wirelessly via the radio transmission, but are on MANUAL because my older camera does not allow they to work on the ETTL [Auto] flash settings. The catch using manual is that they both will reflect the SAME settings no matter what, where as ETTL will change depending on where your subject is in relationship to the camera. Idealy, I’d want to use ETTL at a reception because people are always moving! But I’ve used Manual before so this really isn’t a huge hinderance to my game. Anyway, they are both on 1/16th power and are located the same distance away from the subject. Overall, it is a pretty flat photo. It’s lit, but with the light is “boring”.

PHOTO 3. In this photo, I moved the slave [the light on the stand] 1/2 the distance to the subject, making it 1 stop brighter. This allows the highlight [compare the petals and the back of the vase to PHOTO 2]. It is a more dynamic image than the second. This is similar to what I would have at a reception, but I’d allow more ambient light in to get the “glow” of a reception! IE, I’d see more in the “black box” image.

So, now what? Let’s play with some variables. The only photo with 2 lights impacting the image is #3.

I really love lighting with speedlites because they are light, easy to change, unobtrusive, and give a good pop of light for their size. I’m excited to bring this “new” set up to weddings to really work the environment I’m given and manipulate the light! What are you using for lighting?

I pulled into my driveway after a bridal session and a quick run to the grocery store and saw this sweetest little bird face. He had an obvious robin belly – almost rustic with browns and oranges – but little tuffs of baby feathers all over. He looked a mess but so cute. I watched him, thinking he was learning to fly. Then I took a few steps closer and realized he couldn’t fly yet. I have no idea how he got to the middle of the yard. His little squeaks as I moved in became frantic and alerted all of the mama birds of the danger. They flocked to the nearest branch and tweeted me away. So I watch him hop away under some bushes. Then I had an idea. I know you’re not supposed to touch birds, but I have garden gloves with dirt on them. Despite the objections from all the mamas, I put them on and scooped up baby and brought him to the only nest I know of in our yard and went inside. As I sat inside, loading the refrigerator with fresh milk, it started to storm. I went outside but baby was gone. NO idea where he went, but I hope his cute self is safe!

There are days I wake up and I know exactly what I want to write about. Either I’d been thinking about it, or I had it scheduled on my blog calendar. Or the obvious – I had a shoot and I need to post it. But then there are days, much like today, when my blog calendar fails me and I haven’t had any inspriation. So I’m blogging about how I have nothing to blog about. I can’t believe it. But there are organized points and ideas about this. Not to worry.

Excuse #1: Someone else JUST wrote about that. I hate being a copycat. Or, seemingly one. This happens when I think I’ve had such a unique idea. But it frequently happens. I plan to blog something and everything I wanted to write about was just posted on a friend’s blog. And better. Sometimes I swear us photographers are on the same wave length. Whatever that means. But it happens so often!

Excuse #2 Everyone has already covered this. Much like the previous excuse, this I can’t tell you how many times I’ve written a post knowing full well that 7 other photographers in my area have already covered a topic. What else could I have to offer about something that is already an industry standard? When we’re trying to set ourselves apart, do we take on an overdone topic? Sadly, I allow this to paralyze my blog rhythm.

Excuse #3 No recent shoots. Obviously, as a wedding photographer, I’m not shooting everyday. There are other things we do to keep our business up and running so it’s impossible to produce sessions everyday. But that is no excuse for not blogging – it just means we have to be creative with what we blog about! And that should be exciting, but it sometimes can be pressure! Especially when….

Excuse #4 I’m not feeling inspired! And this really cuts right to the heart. The truth is that when I’m working in my office doing admin chores, running errands, making calls and answering emails, it’s near impossible to find inspiration or be inspired. And it’s up to ME, no one else, to go looking for that. Whether its a drive in the country, a walk around the mall, a small getaway vacation – really anything can be inspiration. I think it takes a change of environment, but really inspiration can be found anywhere!

So, there it is. Bloggin woes. My excuses. And here is my personal charge:

GET OUT, GET INSPIRED, AND GET OVER IT.

Meanwhile, here is some inspiration for today’s bridal shoot!    1  //  2  //  3

I also love that Martin’s labels the produce that came from local farms. I almost always get suckered into buying THAT over anything else.

A few days ago, I was at home and my mom had mentioned how small strawberries used to be. They were so flavorful and tiny. I remember going to my grandparent’s garden and eating those bite size little things until I wasn’t hungry for dinner any more. But now, when you go to the store, strawberries are HUGE. Like, TOO big. Big enough for you to say that there is something else going on besides some good ol’ farming. Costco had a good deal on a huge basket of strawberries yesterday, and I walked right by it after seeing how huge they were. Then I went to Martins. And they had the neon orange sticker, “Locally Grown.” YES! And, they were little. Bite size. Just as they should be.

Toward the end of my time with Rob Garland Photographers, I had a few conversations with the associates. I wanted to know more. I felt like I was in a rut and didn’t know how to grow any more. But I was about to graduate so I decided to take a few photography classes. My first class was at NOVA. It was a “how to use your camera” class. I knew how to use my camera, but this class really gave me power. I suddenly had so much more confidence with my camera. I could flip to Manual mode and not feel scared! The second class I took was at JMU – black and white film photography. This class taught me to SLOW DOWN. My images weren’t anything to write home about, however, I loved how the class made me step out of my comfort zone and ask people if I could photograph them. It was really fun!

Somewhere in there, in 2009, I started a blog. It wasn’t anything great at all. And I made sure people knew I was growing. I named my blog, Open During Renovations. I’m still really proud of that first big step. I posted the images THUMBNAIL size, as you’ll see if you check it out, probably because I was scared how they would look if they were any larger. It was where I posted my first wedding. The wedding I did by myself. All on my own. I booked it, wrote up a contract, took money, rented more gear, and shot it. The first few weddings fell into my lap. I was still in school, but friends would talk and people knew I was interested and working for a wedding photographer. I think my first wedding I charged $700.

And this is the scary part of the blog post. Where I post images from my first “on my own” weddings and sessions. I look at these, and I’m proud. Scared to post, but proud that I have them. They represent this girl, who had NO business in the photo business. But she made the best of the knowledge she had, and pushed herself forward.

Part 1. Hanging out with Hannah + Luke. Two great friends who live in AZ and were awesome enough to meet us there. It was our first time vacationing with another couple, and I have to tell you, I’m a fan. It takes a little more honesty and sacrifice when it comes to things you want to do, but the rewards TOTALLY way out the “downfalls” if you consider them that. For example, Chad had to sit in a HOT sushi restaurant and the poor guy hates the smell of seafood – he just ate rice! But we rewarded him with 3 days of MEXICAN!

Part 2. Visiting Jacqueline + Jen. Two of my friends live out in San Diego now and it was SO awesome to see them! Jacqueline is a wedding photographer and Jen has been a best friend since high school! I loved seeing where they lived, and getting to learn about their life since moving west!

Part 3. Grandpa + Anne. This is the most fun – Grandpa took us down to stay on the Navy Base on Coronado. WHAT A TREAT. We were totally spoiled and loved every minute of our time with them. This trip had been a long time coming and I’m so glad we were able to go and visit!

Other exciting things that happened?

- mexican food 4 times in 6 days.
- walking around Old Town San Diego – SO FUN!
- eating at Il Fornaio – best Italian in San Diego I’m convinced.
- our plane getting STRUCK BY LIGHTNING on the trip home
- meeting sweet Blue and seeing Jake [instagram pic] again [Jacqueline and Jen's pups]
- putting my toes in the sand
- visiting the most vivacious dog beach I’ve ever seen
- worshiping at a west coast church [the same one where Switchfoot came from!]
- eating California style tri-tip
- getting a flat tire at Seaport Village – boo.