Lamar Studios Photography http://www.lamarstudios.com/blog Family Portraits, Senior Pictures, Baby Photography & More Sat, 28 Apr 2012 23:34:21 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Studio Photography | Expert Portraits http://www.lamarstudios.com/blog/uncategorized/studio-photography-expert-portraits/ http://www.lamarstudios.com/blog/uncategorized/studio-photography-expert-portraits/#comments Sat, 28 Apr 2012 23:32:13 +0000 admin http://www.lamarstudios.com/blog/?p=905 Why use a professional photographer? There are many advantages to using a professional photographer and their studio to shoot a subject.

  • Light manipulation is one of them.The ability to be able to splash light on certain areas and darken others make the subject really stand out. Obviously this can’t be done outside a studio because one is forced to work with the outdoor light rather than manipulate the light themselves to work for them.
  • Props! Just like the movies or television, props are used to convey a certain feeling. In a studio, clients are able to bring different props like a cello, a sword, or a catcher’s mitt to pose with. This advantage of bringing a prop helps the picture display the subjects personal hobbies or interests.
  • Wardrobe changes are another way clients can express themselves by bringing outfits that represent their lifestyle to the studio. Military uniforms, nurse scrubs, or even something as simple as a beautiful sundress are often brought to the studio.

The photo shown is Hannah  a law student at ASU. She did not bring a gabble, but she did take a stunning photo obviously. The first photo shows off her fun attitude, with her polka dot dress and vintage white glasses. And the final two are great examples of light manipulation in the studio. The light here hits her just so that it splashes off her left shoulder and illuminates her face.

 

]]> http://www.lamarstudios.com/blog/uncategorized/studio-photography-expert-portraits/feed/ 0 Indian Dancer | Photography http://www.lamarstudios.com/blog/uncategorized/indian-dancer-photography/ http://www.lamarstudios.com/blog/uncategorized/indian-dancer-photography/#comments Thu, 26 Apr 2012 03:11:04 +0000 admin http://www.lamarstudios.com/blog/?p=880 Some photo shoots are routine, but every once in awhile we have the pleasure of getting to go outside the norm. In this case, Anjli and her family welcomed us to shoot in their home and fed us after, which is a rare treat! Anjli was preparing for her Bharatanatyam Arangetram. This is an ancient Indian dance, signifying Anjli has graduated from the art of bharatanatyam, and this means she has trained under a respected guru (teacher) for around 4 to 6 years. The dress worn is incredibly intricate and beautiful as you can see. We shot for a couple hours while she got into specific poses and expressed varying emotion. It was a great experience and her family was very gracious to cook for us and invite us into their home.

]]> http://www.lamarstudios.com/blog/uncategorized/indian-dancer-photography/feed/ 0 Wild Horses | Senior Pictures http://www.lamarstudios.com/blog/senior-photography/wild-horses-senior-pictures/ http://www.lamarstudios.com/blog/senior-photography/wild-horses-senior-pictures/#comments Wed, 18 Apr 2012 17:47:23 +0000 admin http://www.lamarstudios.com/blog/?p=867 Recently, I did a senior photo shoot with a wonderful young lady named April. She brought along her horse and I took photos of her in a grove near studio. As you can see, it turned out spectacular! The horse behaved and so did my subject. It was plain to see her and her animal companion had a real connection and I believe it translated on to the pictures quite well. It can be a challenge working with animals but they are such a part of the family that I love when they are included.

Her parents loved this shot so much that they are making a large canvas wall hanging of this one and another. What a great way to preserve the memories of their daughter and her love of horses.

]]> http://www.lamarstudios.com/blog/senior-photography/wild-horses-senior-pictures/feed/ 0 First Communion Portraits | Gilbert Photographer http://www.lamarstudios.com/blog/family/first-communion-portraits-gilbert-photographer/ http://www.lamarstudios.com/blog/family/first-communion-portraits-gilbert-photographer/#comments Tue, 14 Feb 2012 22:33:42 +0000 admin http://www.lamarstudios.com/blog/?p=841 We recently photographed Abby  for her First Communion portrait.  Her mom has brought her other children in for First Communion pictures in the past and it’s always fun photographing them.  Abby looked so grown up in her white dress and she was a natural in front of the camera.  I could tell she was having fun!  Before we know it, we’ll be taking her senior pictures.

]]> http://www.lamarstudios.com/blog/family/first-communion-portraits-gilbert-photographer/feed/ 0 Photography Workshops Descriptions http://www.lamarstudios.com/blog/uncategorized/photography-workshops-descriptions/ http://www.lamarstudios.com/blog/uncategorized/photography-workshops-descriptions/#comments Thu, 09 Feb 2012 22:06:19 +0000 admin http://www.lamarstudios.com/blog/?p=688 PHOTOSHOP WORKSHOP

You asked for photoshop and we have got a great intro class that will get you up and running in 6 easy steps. You will get a 56 page workbook to take home that covers all of the material gone over in class.

 

Now that you know how to use your camera better this Photoshop class will give your images that extra boost that takes them to the next level. These 6 easy steps will make your images come to life.  If you have a laptop, feel free to bring it however, it is not required.

 

I look forward to seeing you at one of the classes.

 


All New One Day Photoshop Workshop

Photoshop is as much fun as taking pictures and it’s essential with today’s digital photography! This class makes Photoshop totally user friendly and immediately workable by anyone. During our time together, everyone will work at their supplied computer station as they follow a simple but comprehensive lesson plan. Whether you plan to use CS5, an older version of Photoshop, or Photoshop Elements, this workshop will improve your photography forever.

Dates & Times: CLICK HERE

We’ll cover six easy steps which are also outlined in the included booklet that you can take home for easy reference and practice. Come see why everyone is having so much fun working their images in Photoshop.

 

 

De-Fog
Levels
Hue & Saturation		 Selective Adjustment
Sharpening
Retouching – Cloning


Bring some of your favorite images to class and watch them come to life.

NEW…
One Day Workshop: “Fast Track Photoshop”

Click Here to see dates available.                               

 

 

Beginning  Photography Basics 1   Knowing Your Camera

 

Our beginning photography workshop is one of our most popular workshops. We’ll help you get the most out of your camera and take the mystery out of all those technical terms and camera settings and have you on your way to shooting like a pro. This workshop will help you understand how your camera works and how you can get all those great creative images you want.

This three hour plus workshop includes:

Understanding how your digital camera works

Getting the best exposure

ISO, Aperture & Shutter Speed

Exposure Modes

Metering

Bracketing

Histograms

White Balance

Auto Focus & Manual Focus

Focus Modes

Lenses Overview

Digital Storage

Questions & Answers

 

Beginning  Photography Basics 2    More Control

This is the second part in our beginning photography workshops and is even more hands on. You will be doing practical photography exercises that you can take home and start using right away. In this workshop we’ll go deeper into photography and show you ways to get more creative control over your camera.

This three hour plus workshop includes:

Making the camera work for you

Exposure Overview

Manual Settings for Maximum Control

Using Shutter Speed to control motion and blur

Using Aperture for sharpness and creativity

Using ISO to control Exposure and Image Quality

Depth of Field, what it is and how to make it work for you

Creative uses of Lenses

Composition and Perspective

Questions & Answers  

 

]]> http://www.lamarstudios.com/blog/uncategorized/photography-workshops-descriptions/feed/ 1 Arizona Mountain Biker | Senior Pictures http://www.lamarstudios.com/blog/uncategorized/arizona-mountain-biker-senior-pictures/ http://www.lamarstudios.com/blog/uncategorized/arizona-mountain-biker-senior-pictures/#comments Fri, 05 Aug 2011 19:02:17 +0000 admin http://www.lamarstudios.com/blog/?p=665 I love it when people have a passion for some sport or hobby. It makes it fun to photograph when they are eager to share that passion with me so I can capture some notion of them. Nick is one of the top mountain bikers in Arizona in his class. We shot everything near my Agritopia studio since I didn’t know he was bringing his bike and gear. It would be fun to go on location some day and get some action shots too.

These are a few of the ones I like.

 

 

]]> http://www.lamarstudios.com/blog/uncategorized/arizona-mountain-biker-senior-pictures/feed/ 0 Bass Playing Senior | Gilbert Photographer http://www.lamarstudios.com/blog/uncategorized/bass-playing-senior-gilbert-photographer/ http://www.lamarstudios.com/blog/uncategorized/bass-playing-senior-gilbert-photographer/#comments Thu, 04 Aug 2011 15:29:56 +0000 admin http://www.lamarstudios.com/blog/?p=653 When Cody walked in the door with his bass, I thought, what are we going to do with that huge thing. I had never had a bass in the studio before so I had him get it out of the case and then I had an idea for what to do with that huge thing. I love the beauty of the wood in string instruments and wanted to show it off but this photo was about Cody and how music is part of his life.

Cody and his dad were so easy going and helpful and went along with my ideas even though they had no idea what the end photograph might end like. I think we (the team at Lamar Studios, Cody and his dad) got some great images that they can enjoy and share for years to come.

Here are a few of my favorites.

 

]]> http://www.lamarstudios.com/blog/uncategorized/bass-playing-senior-gilbert-photographer/feed/ 0 Fun Senior Shoot | Outdoor Photography http://www.lamarstudios.com/blog/family/fun-senior-shoot-outdoor-photography/ http://www.lamarstudios.com/blog/family/fun-senior-shoot-outdoor-photography/#comments Wed, 03 Aug 2011 02:33:47 +0000 admin http://www.lamarstudios.com/blog/?p=641 It was hot outside but living in the Phoenix area I expected that. What I didn’t expect was how much variety we would get out of just one outfit. Sometimes it’s hard for me to visualize what I want from a shoot but Gabrielle and her mom brought in  some layouts from another shoot that they had seen. The layouts gave me a starting place but I have to make it my own and it’s also hard to duplicate what someone else has done and where is the creativity in that. I also worried that Gabrielle might not be able to pull off the look we were after but she was like a pro. I was impressed how she could get the right look without a lot of direction.

It is so rewarding to see the results of what can happen when it all comes together in a photo shoot. I love shooting the seniors.

Here are a few of my favorites.

 

 

]]> http://www.lamarstudios.com/blog/family/fun-senior-shoot-outdoor-photography/feed/ 1 Shoot For The Moon | Arizona Photographer http://www.lamarstudios.com/blog/uncategorized/shoot-for-the-moon-arizona-photographer/ http://www.lamarstudios.com/blog/uncategorized/shoot-for-the-moon-arizona-photographer/#comments Mon, 21 Mar 2011 17:48:11 +0000 admin http://www.lamarstudios.com/blog/?p=627 I went out to photograph the perigee moon. That is when the moon appears it’s largest due to the orbit. It’s pretty rare so I thought it would be fun to see it and get a cool photograph.

I used to say that being there is 90% of getting the shot when photographing landscapes but who knows exactly what percentage it is. The point is that if you aren’t there you get nothing.  If you prepare for a shoot and know what you are doing then you show up and let Mother Nature do her thing.

Of course things don’t always go as planned.  If it’s one you can count on in Arizona, it’s the weather. It’s normally clear blue skies, sunny and warm but not on this day. I knew we were getting some clouds and some kind of weather system so when I went out and could see the moon through the clouds I thought that would be a great shot.  I like photographing the moon with clouds and something on the horizon like mountains or buildings, otherwise it is just a big white ball and doesn’t mean much.

Before I got in the car with my gear to get a good spot I went in my back yard and shot a couple of frames hand held just to see what I might get. Well I got one shot and the moon disappeared so I got in the car and drove to my location and waited like a fisherman for the ‘big one’.

The moon never came out again.  I only had one shot and it wasn’t great. I was a little disappointed but photography isn’t always about getting the perfect shot but also the process. Even though I didn’t get the shot I wanted I enjoyed going out and trying. Photography is just like the rest of life. You make your plans and do everything right and it still doesn’t work out sometimes.

That’s photography, that’s life. Enjoy the process!

The Perigee Moon

]]> http://www.lamarstudios.com/blog/uncategorized/shoot-for-the-moon-arizona-photographer/feed/ 0 Agritopia Project | Gilbert Arizona Photographer http://www.lamarstudios.com/blog/uncategorized/agritopia-project-gilbert-arizona-photographer/ http://www.lamarstudios.com/blog/uncategorized/agritopia-project-gilbert-arizona-photographer/#comments Thu, 17 Mar 2011 17:44:19 +0000 admin http://www.lamarstudios.com/blog/?p=612 I live in Agritopia, a unique neighborhood in Gilbert Arizona that was intentionally designed to create a sense of belonging to a community and knowing and caring for our neighbors. My experience is that this has happened to a certain degree but what if I sat down and spent time with them in an interview.

I was told that at one time that I should be on Face Book, Twitter and blog, because it is good for business. I did this but it seemed a bit forced and a lot of the blogs I was writing just seemed like I was doing it because I was supposed to.

This is where Agritopia comes into play. People live in this community for a reason. Why are they here, where did they come from. I think it would be interesting to interview the people in the neighborhood, take some photos in a more journalistic style and then blog about my encounter with them.

I’ll update you later. I hope to post my first one soon. I am eager to see what this will look like. I have my ideas but things often morph into something else.

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