Oh, The Sunlight in Your Hair!

There is something so simple and beautiful about the sun painting a radiant glow along the edge of flowing locks of hair. This is something that can be so beautifully captured as the sun begins to set. It is the perfect kiss of color of nature’s purest highlights that can turn an ordinary portrait into a brilliant result. You can literally watch the sun work it’s magic to breathe life into the frozen frame of a portrait.

This technique of hair lighting works with any color hair, but with lighter shades, it is often most striking. For these casual senior portraits, the location was the side of the road, yet you can see how the sun against the dark green palette illuminates, Kylie in her photos.

We later moved to a brighter location away from the trees to allow some brighter light to shine down. And for these shots, I really wanted to showcase her long beautiful hair so I asked her to turn away from the camera and tilt her head up. Then I asked her to bunch up her hair and play with it. These shots were a mix of dramatic and playful images...and ones that became our mutual favorites from the evening photo session.

Photo Tip: When you feel like you are running out of ideas and poses to try. Ask your model to touch or play with her hair. Since it is ultimately attached to the person, there becomes some type of emotional attachment that unveils itself before the camera. It also helps to loosen up their hands and get them more comfortable with posing. Depending upon their hairstyle, you might want to introduce a clip, a headband, a hat or some other prop. Try this out at your next shoot and share with me your results!

Oh Those Eyes!

It has been a while since I have posted, but life has been just crazy busy. This is the norm between juggling graphics, photography, family life and being in the heart of volleyball season.

I would like to share some images from a recent Senior Photo Shoot done at Gleason Park in Eau Gallie. There are so many beautiful natural backgrounds there that allowed me to showcase Jessie’s beauty. Here are some cropped shots showing a variety of poses with a couple different outfits.

Jessie has such a natural smile and amazing eyes that I wanted to be sure to highlight in her photo shoot. Prior to the shoot, we discussed the colors and likely outfits that she would choose to wear. This is always a good idea for photographers to discuss with the people that they will be shooting. It gives you a great opportunity to make suggestions to accomplish the overall look that your client is trying to achieve. Now with cell phones, they can send you photos and the two of you can work in a partnership to achieve a successful shoot. 

Post shoot editing gives other opportunities to add styles and effects to create the mood for an image. If you look at the color version, shown in the right hand corner of the grouping above, you can see how different a feel a similar shot from that series has to it when stylized with my black & white allure action. Her eyes, oh those beautiful eyes, become the center of attention.

One Shoot in Adverse Conditions - 3 inspiring results

What do you get on a stormy night, with a bit of drizzle and a lot of enthusiasm? Three concepts for shooting in less than ideal conditions. Here is how you can think quickly on your feet and salvage a senior portrait session.

When we arrived at the park, it was still lightly drizzling with the weather predicting a one hour window before sunset, however clouds were constantly looming and lighting was tricky, so I started out under a large gazebo posing my model, Christy, while I sported an umbrella over my shoulder to protect my camera. Here are some of the images working within the confines of the gazebo.

We then moved outside the gazebo once the rain let up using, at first, a frame as a prop, then a brightly colored umbrella. Yes, mine! I thought, why not work with the weather in this situation and have fun.

For this model, who is a very natural beauty, the umbrella shots were some of her favorites from our session. To think, those might not have even happened if it wasn’t for the weather!

Another amazing outcome was the spectacular sunset that occurred. I used this opportunity to use it as a photo backdrop as well as to experiment with doing some dramatic silhouette, artsy style photos.

So the lesson of the day is, if you can work around the weather, you may be pleasantly surprised by the end result. Let it test your quick thinking, challenge your creativity and inspire new approaches to your portrait photography. For more photo inspiration, visit my website.

If you like what you see here, click the like button on my facebook page or subscribe to my blog for more creative inspiration and tips.

The Prop Connection

Using props can always add an interesting element to a photo, but when you use a prop that has a connection to the main subject in your photo, it adds a deeper level of meaning. For instance, when shooting senior photos, I like to ask the teens that I am photographing what their hobbies and interests are. I even ask them to bring along a favorite article of clothing or jewelry, something that they have a connection to. One senior wore a necklace in her photos that was special to her. That way, regardless if the necklace was lost or damaged, she would have it forever preserved, photographically, for her to always remember. These props can be an old teddy bear, a heirloom from a grandparent, a favorite hat or a piece of their sports equipment.

The reason for this? When someone is passionate about something they love or even love to do, it typically comes through in the photos I take. My photography is not just about capturing images, it is about creating memories.

When you shoot a photo with a prop that they have selected, it reveals a little bit about that person’s life and evokes conversation and interest. Sometimes, it reveals a personal and sentimental connection. And sometimes, it just is a comfort zone that puts your subject at ease. In having something familiar from their real life in the photo session, it makes them almost forget that the camera is there. Of course, it helps to continue that chatty conversation which also helps to distract and relax them.

In the example above, I thought it would be interesting to bring along an old  bike wheel that had some busted spokes as a fun prop since the model, Kylie, works at a bike shop. It makes the viewer wonder, “why does she have this wheel?” and creates more interest in wanting to know her life story.

Begin shooting with props and exploring ways how you can reveal a little bit about the life of the person that you are shooting and leave the viewers of your photos wondering...what is the prop connection?

For more examples, vist my website or Facebook Page.

Drowning in Pictures!

On Monday, I did a double photo session with our youngest daughter, Kylie, who is about to start her senior year. She is also a spokesmodel for my photography business, Cheri Wenger Design Photography so we did a DREAM session...twice the photos, twice the fun!

She and I are both not morning people so I wasn’t sure how waking at 6 am was gonna correlate into getting ANY good pictures, but I think you will agree that we did more than alright! She started off with a cute silky sundress to have a slightly more formal look with plans to change into shorts & a tee.

Living in Melbourne, FL provides awesome opportunities to shoot photos at the beach. We just couldn’t make the true sunrise at 5:30...no way, no how that would happen with either of us! We did some in the water, but she didn’t want to get too wet since we were just getting started. We played with bubbles. Note: it really helps to have an assistant for that shot so they can direct the bubbles while you snap away! We managed to get a photo or two, but I am gonna try that again, like planned, in her shorts and colorful t-shirt, which by the way, we never got to shoot. We'll save that for another more fun and playful photo session.

Hey, you don’t know what a success this really was. We didn’t have even one squabble AND despite sweating our tutus off, there were plenty of smiles and great shots. Now, we took a break at Starbucks for breakfast and some passionfruit lemonades to revive ourselves! Here are some of the shots taken by the Indian River along with a few from the beach session.  

You know, I have always said that I am an evening person and my daughter is just like me, in more ways than one! She comes alive in pictures and I just seem to have more creative ideas for shots, angles and lighting. No, this couldn't have anything to do with staying up late working on design stuff for my business! As you can see by all these photos, I am in picture and editing overload, but lovin' every minute of it! The handheld ponytail shots at sunset are my mommy faves, and hers too!

If you want to see the complete gallery of photos from the a.m. and sunset photo sessions, check out my  facebook page or go to my Cheri Wenger Design Photography website and you will see them as two of the featured galleries. Be sure to leave me a guest book message on my website and to hit the like button on my facebook page! Thanks.

Project 365 - Days 98-109 Eleven Days of Spring & Easter Creativity

Day 98 - Bunny Hugs n’ Wishes Set

Alas, you get to see the final version of this set whose elements I have showed

you sneak peeks of in my daily challenges. To think this set started with some b&w sketches

and developed into a pastel colored set that isn't just for Easter use!

Day 99 - Love & Hugs Cards

I created thes card samples to show you how the Bunny Hugs n’ Wishes set can be used for creating cards to share your love for someone, send them a get well hug, send a comforting hug to a cancer patient or just let a friend or family member know that you love them. When working with any digital image, think outside the box and challenge yourself to use it creatively, and not just the obvious uses.

Sometimes it just involves changing out the paper colors or embellishments. 

Day 100 - Golf Tournament Pics

If you are looking to get more creative with your picture taking, try shooting from a different vantage point than straight on. While volunteering at the West Shore Jr./Sr. High annual Golf Tournament, I have the opportunity to take photos of the event and participants. Cocoa Beach Country Club provides wonderful scenery and wildlife to photograph, too. Here are just a couple photos I took today. You can try this challenge out for yourself the next time you pick up your camera. Shoot your children from a side angle, take a close up shot of something that commemorates the event, such as an invitation, ticket stub or an article of clothing that was worn. This tip can even work for team sports and sporting events!

Surprise everyone with that shot that no one else would think to take.

Day 101 - Casual Senior Portraits of Ashley

This Saturday morning photo shoot included a few outfit & location changes.

And a few more in b&w...

Day 102 - More Bunnies on the Loose!

You know the saying about putting bunnies together...they multiply! Well, that was the case when working with these digi files. The possibilities kept on multiplying and I will warn you that there may be even more bunny cards to come! These cards show how you can combine embossed layers, ribbons and cut out digital images to create fun cards.

Hop Dot Bunny Card

Peek-A-Boo Bunny Card

Day 103 - Easter Egg Cards

Cheerful Easter Basket Card

Easter Banner Card

Day 104 - 2 Birthday Cards

Who hasn't let a birthday slip by? Here is a perfect card to make up for being late.

The verse is from a retired Stampin’ Up! brithday set. I combined it with some Noteworthy flowers from Making Memories, cardstock embossed with dot embossing folder, a punched border and yummy papers and cardstock cut outs from the Home Tweet Home collection from My Little Shoebox.

I Forgot Birthday Card

An inside view of the card with stamped verse.

Sweet Melon Birds (16th Birthday Card)

For a momentous birthday try pairing patterned chipboard numbers with patterned papers and punch outs. Just add some ribbon and a few embellishments like buttons and flowers to complete this in a flash.

Day 105 - Soft Floral Thank You Card

Below is another card idea that you can create in a flash using paper strips, a stamped greeting/message, some layered elements like ribbons, sticker flowers and a punched heart. To complete the look, I added some mini adhesive pearls to give it more bling.

Day 106 - A Mom Senior Prank

You may have heard of kids doing Senior pranks as a graduating class, well why should kids have all the fun? My daughter and her best friend, Courtney were kidding with her mom about prom hairstyles. They posted some bizarre photos. This one was the one that Ashley joked she was going to have as her prom "do". I used my photoshop skills and one of her senior photo session pics to replace her face in the picture. It wasn't until she did a double take later in the day that she caught on to my mom prank.

All in good fun, ya know!!!? Sometimes, a girl just can’t help but live life creatively!

Day 107 - Senior Prom Portraits

It seems like these days I have spent more time as a photographer than a designer, but when it involves taking photos of my girls and their friends, it is pure enjoyment.

Day 108 - Easter Cards

I warned you that cardmaking with my Bunny Hugs n’ Wishes set became very addictive. I made more Easter cards than ever this year. Use these card ideas as sketches for creating other cards.

Easter Bunny Skies

Eggsactly Bunny Card

Happy Easter Surprise Card

Day 109 - More Easter Cards

Floral Eggs Card

Hideaway Bunny Card