elegantillusionsphotog

Saving her heart

NIKON D3100

settings

Aperture f/5.0 ISO 900 Shutter 1/640

upload_date

Nov, 2014

Views

357

Likes

Awards

Staff Winter Selection 2015

Absolute Masterpiece

Outstanding Creativity

Magnificent Capture

Superb Composition

Superior Skill

Top Choice

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Same photographer See all Behind The Lens

Just a girl, her remote shutter release, and her amazing tresses.

In between cars passing, we ran in to the street to capture this glorious shot!

street dance session with this beautiful model. This image melts my heart & made her mom cry.

I snapped this shot from my car via my HTC One X ( while my husband drove, of course.)
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This little one hides his eyes in exasperation, while mom & dad are caught kissing.

Newborn photo shoot, 5 days old, 2nd child

Fun & quirky family photo. This is one of the coolest families I've had the pleasure of photographing. They moved to Haiti 2 weeks after this photo sh

My favorite little model (my stunning daughter) and my first attempt at using smoke bombs during a session.

Behind The Lens

Location

This image was taken at the gorgeous Shaw Nature Reserve, which is part of the Missouri Botanical Gardens. It is one of my favorite locations to use because it has so many different options, from babbling brooks, to wooded paths & tons of wildflowers spread across the acreage. I am a natural light photographer, so it is an ideal place for me.

Time

This is probably my favorite shot of this couple. We were nearing the end of their session & were approaching dusk quickly. I remember saying to him to just hurry & scoop her up, as I ran back to grab the shot. I just love the connection between them, even with his back turned.

Lighting

Golden Hour is always a photographers dream, but this particular day carried the briskness of the autumn. There is something so perfect about those fleeting moments before a fall sunset, the light is extra soft & dreamy.

Equipment

My trusty little 50mm was used for this image. No other equipment, just a girl & her camera/lens.

Inspiration

This couple had been trying to start a family for several years. After battling infertility & numerous miscarriages, they were about to head down the road to fostering. They wanted to capture this time in their life before their new journey began. They told me the story of their relationship & how he swept her off her feet & I just knew I needed to do something like this with his firefighter gear. I didn't tell them before hand & it was one of the very last ones we did. I wanted it to be a spontaneous shot.

Editing

I shoot in RAW & edited with a clean base & then added a slight matte, which I felt complimented the image perfectly for the season.

In my camera bag

The first thing I ALWAYS have with me is my 85mm 1.8 lens. That & my 50mm 1.8 are essential to my collection. I currently shoot with a Nikon D7100, which I LOVE. I find the combination of those three pieces is perfect for me, being a family/couple photographer shooting primarily in outdoor settings. I have a few little fun things in my bag, like a piece of copper piping & a prism, for when I'm feeling extra spunky. I have one thing though, that I can NEVER go without. I carry a few packs of smarties (candy) wherever I go. These make the absolute best "bribes" for those littles that don't feel like cooperating. They don't leave a big sticky mess & most littles can handle them without problems, bonus, one pack usually lasts each kiddo the whole session. It is my biggest secret so shhhhh.

Feedback

Getting that genuine connection can be tricky. Get the couple talking about themselves, this helps them relax. Find some common ground with them, so they feel like they already know you. Then, when the moment strikes, have them do something they don't expect, like jumping in to his arms as he scoops her up. Spontaneity is key!

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elegantillusionsphotog

Saving her heart

Behind The Lens

See more amazing photos, follow elegantillusionsphotog

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