HARKER STUDIOS: October 2011

Baby Adalyn

8:00 PM

Five Photography Accessories for Mom

3:14 PM

This was my first segment on Studio 5 as a "professional photographer".
Very exciting.

Here's a rundown of the five products I found:

1. Shutterbuddies -Found these babies on Pinterest. These adorable little creatures go over the lens on your SLR camera and attract the eyes of busy little kids. And just in case you're still having trouble getting their attention, each one also has a squeaker. Shutterbuddies are handmade and sold by at Utah mom at her Etsy store.

They start at $17 at www.shutterbuddies.co.

2. ShutterBuddy - Same name, different product.
Don't have a DSLR? No problem! This product is made for point and shoot cameras. It was invented by a husband and wife who just wanted their baby to look at the camera. The black and white pattern is proven to jump out at infants while their vision is developing. They can't help but look at the pattern, and as a result, they look directly into the camera lens. It folds up small for convenience.
$14.95 at www.shutter-buddy.com

3. CraftyStaci Lens cap pocket- For me, having somewhere to put my lens cap is more important than having a cute camera strap. CraftyStaci on Etsy makes this lens cap pocket which slips on any camera strap. There are more than 150 fabrics in three sizes to choose from.
$7.00 at www.craftystaci.etsy.com.

4. Waterproof case for Point and Shoot Cameras, like the DicaPac - A good waterproof camera can be more than $200. This case, which makes YOUR camera waterproof, goes for $20-25. Just slip your camera in, seal it up, and jump in the water! Now you can make memories underwater and your photos will still be sharp. Perfect for vacations or pool parties.
The hubby and I took ours to California. It was super fun to use in the Ocean, but I will spare you the pictures of us in swimsuits.
$25 on Amazon.com

5. Lensbaby Fisheye Lens - This last product is for moms wanting to spend a little more. Lensbaby lenses are already known for being mom-friendly and the fisheye lens is their newest offering. Put this lensbaby on your Canon or Nikon camera and just watch as your kids actually want to be photographed. Fisheye lenses are so wide, and let you get so much into frame, they kind of distort the subject. It's like dancing in front of those crazy mirrors at a carnival.
To put the price in perspective, Canon sells a fisheye lens for $700. The Lensbaby is only $250 at Pictureline. It's probably the cheapest fisheye lens you can find on the market.

This is the only one of the 5 products I don't actually own. But MAN I want one!

My nieces and nephews were great models.

Fall

Why You Should Take Family Photos in Fall

9:15 PM

Even if you don't do the annual Christmas card, here are three reasons you should take your family photos in fall.

1. The Colors.
This might be obvious, but I'm not just talking about the changing leaves. You can have so much fun with the colors your family wears.
In this setting, the prominent colors are red and orange, warm colors. Yes, there's lots of green too, but in outdoor photos, natural greenery works as a neutral.
I've read posts that say families should also wear warm colors to match your background. I disagree. You want your family to stand out, and to do that, you want to wear cool tones like blues and purples. But stay away from solid colors (So 80s!). Play with different patterns and shades.

2. Natural Playground
You remember what it was like to play in the leaves, let your kids have fun too! Don't worry about getting new outfits dirty. The candid facial expressions will be well worth the risk.
Parents should get in there too. Start a leaf war with your kids. Make some memories.
If it's not late enough in the season for this many leaves, you can always find natural settings with sunflowers this time of year. And ever seen a kid not happy in a pumpkin patch or a corn maze?

3. Texture/Lighting
This reason is a little more technical. In Fall, there are so many leaves on the ground, you can get a cool depth of field. The texture makes the photos more interesting to look at. Again, this same principal works in a pumpkin patch or a corn maze.
I threw lighting in there too because in order to see the cool textures, you have to have the right lighting. You WANT shadows and highlights.
Not all of these pictures are perfect examples. The sun kept going behind clouds, which is fine, I still got some good shots, but I got the BEST pictures when the sun was out (see picture below).

One last tip. Morning or afternoon is the best time of day to take pictures in fall. Don't wait until evening (unless your trying to work the sunset into your shots). You will lose your light too fast.
Learned that the hard way.

These pictures of the Pagnani family were taken in Fall 2010 at Nielson's Grove Park in Orem, Utah.