8 Tips for Backlighting

May 17, 2013 By 6 Comments
8 Tips for Backlighting via Click it Up a Notch

Shooting into the light is my favorite. I receive emails all the time from people asking what the trick is to backlighting. Most often people say their images are dark or they can't focus into the light, don't know how to find the light or have no clue how to position their subject. While this takes lots of practice & requires different settings/set ups for different lighting situations, here are some general tips. I hope this helps some of you! 8 Tips for Backlighting 1. Spot Meter. ...continue reading

Lensbaby Composer Pro with Sweet 35mm Optic – 6 Lessons Learned

May 16, 2013 By 4 Comments
Lensbaby Lessons learned

*I received a Lensbaby in exchange for this post. The Lensbaby Composer Pro with Sweet 35mm Optic is such a fun lens. I have had a blast learning how to use it and figuring out different ways to photograph our lives with it. Below are a few lessons I've learned from using my Lensbaby. 1. Set your aperture to f/4 or f/5.6. Unlike most lenses we are used to these days, you set your aperture on the lens. In fact, your camera will say the aperture is f/0. Don't let that confuse you. ...continue reading

Letters to Our Children – May 2013

May 15, 2013 By 9 Comments
letters to our children

Dear Sweet Girls, Please, oh please, use your manners. ALWAYS. If you receive a gift or compliment, say "thank you". When someone says "thank you" to you, say "you are welcome". Don't say "no worries", that drives Honey crazy. Look people in the eye when you speak to them. Shake someone's hand when meeting for the first time. Look them in the eye, give a firm hand shake, and say "Hi, I'm ____. Nice to meet you, ________". Be sure to say their name back. It helps you remember ...continue reading

Critique Me – Laura at Super Sweet Life

May 13, 2013 By 14 Comments
Laura at Super Sweet Life

Remember: -Read How to Critique a Photo -Make a critique sandwich - something positive, something you would have done differently, something positive -My rule: no improvement tip = deleted comment -This will benefit the person leaving the photo critique just as much if not more than the person receiving the critique. Thanks to Laura at Super Sweet Life for submitting the following image. Settings: SS 1/125, f/2.5, ISO 100 ...continue reading

Happy Mother’s Day: Give Yourself a Gift

May 12, 2013 By 12 Comments
get in front of the camera

Happy Mother's Day! I realize not everyone who reads my site is a mother but I know a lot of you are. I hope you are spoiled today and feel as appreciated as you should be. You have an important job. You have a thankless job. You have a job where the children you are raising won't appreciate all your hard work as much as they do once they have their own children. Being a parent is tough work but it is a job that God has entrusted you with. You get to raise these amazing, ...continue reading

Lensbaby Love – May

May 8, 2013 By 25 Comments
lensbaby love via click it up a notch

It's as if I fall in love and am challenged each time I put this lens on my camera. There is something about using manual focus and turning this lens to capture the effect you want, makes it a fun and interesting lens to play with. I heart my Lensbaby Composer Pro with a Sweet Optic 35mm. Don't forget to follow through our circle of photographers to see some amazing Lensbaby Love images. Check out Tracy Bradbury who rocks her Lensbaby! ...continue reading

Critique Me – Jessica of Jessica Faith Photography

May 7, 2013 By 24 Comments
Jessica Faith Photography

Remember: -Read How to Critique a Photo -Make a critique sandwich - something positive, something you would have done differently, something positive -My rule: no improvement tip = deleted comment -This will benefit the person leaving the photo critique just as much if not more than the person receiving the critique. Thanks to Jessica at Jessica Faith Photography for submitting the following image. Settings: ISO 400, f/2.2, SS 1/2000 ...continue reading

5 Senior Portraits Tips

May 3, 2013 By 2 Comments
senior portrait tips

'Tis the season for senior portraits! Last week I had a wonderful opportunity to do a photo shoot with two beautiful high school senior twins.  I decided before the shoot that I would use some of the images for this post and share senior portraits tips. These are things that I like to keep in mind as the photographer during a senior session. Senior Portraits Tips 1. Look for structural elements (or other leading lines in nature if you aren’t near any architecture) to draw the viewer’s ...continue reading

Letter to Beginner Photography Self

May 2, 2013 By 26 Comments
A letter to my beginner photography self

Dear Courtney, You recently got your first DSLR and convinced Megan to come over and start teaching you manual mode. Yes, it is super confusing but you will get there. Manual mode seems like a daunting and confusing new language that you do not understand. Take your time. You will get there. You will be amazed that you will eventually be able to change your shutter speed, ISO, and aperture without even thinking about it. Your fingers will do the work for you. Despite ...continue reading

Photography Habit of the Month: Daily Editing

April 30, 2013 By 33 Comments
Photography habit: Daily editing via Click it Up a Notch

Creating good habits especially photography habits help to keep your life less stressful. My friends joke around because I'm constantly trying to create self improvement habits for myself. Why not transfer that into photography. For the month of May we are going to tackle daily editing. Editing seems to be the beast I can't tame. When I did my Project 365 in 2010, I was so good about uploading and editing daily. It made life easy and I never felt guilty about images sitting on my computer ...continue reading