Sometimes you have to take a break from the norm to do something you don’t often do. Last weekend I traveled into Boston with some members of the Worcester Photography Center (Meetup site here) to do some leisurely strolling and shooting on one of their “Click and Shoots”. These are always great little adventures because Click and Shoots have only one objective and that is to have fun with a camera.
This past weekend we walked the Rose Kennedy Greenway. As someone who grew up in East Cambridge and frequented that area of Boston many times, it was strange and wonderful to see such beautiful greenery where an ugly elevated highway existed for so many years. We walked the Greenway’s length, stopped off for some food in Quincy Market and finished the day with some treats from Mike’s Pastry in the North End.
I would advise everyone to take a break and stop taking the world around them for granted long enough to take a little walk with their camera and recognize the beauty around them. You won’t regret it!
I met Meghan and Mike today at Purgatory Chasm to shoot some engagement photos. They are a great couple and very good sports. Purgatory was quiet this morning except for the mosquitos. Despite the constant nagging of mosquitos which bit us and swarmed my lens, M&M just kept on smiling and having fun without complaining. That may change tonight as they itch themselves to sleep but I’m hoping I can make it a little easier by showing them some of their photos!
Announcing a new giveaway from Tom Walker Portraits with two ways to win! On May 1st we will be giving away a free portrait session to one lucky winner.
The free portrait session will take place in the winner’s home or at an outdoor location they prefer in the Worcester area. They’ll receive a custom portrait session and a password protected online proofing gallery to view the images from the shoot. This session is valued at $250!
To be entered, simply follow Tom Walker Portraits on Twitter (www.twitter.com/twportraits) and retweet our contest tweet which we will post every day. OR, you can “Like” Tom Walker Portraits on Facebook (www.facebook.com/tomwalkerportraits) and post “Please enter me to win a free portrait session!” on our wall. That’s it! Two ways to win and they’re both easy. If you want to improve your chances, enter through Facebook and Twitter. Every qualified entry will be will be entered into a drawing on May 1st and a winner will be chosen at random.
Rules (There are always rules aren’t there?)
- One entry per method (Twitter or Facebook) per person.
- Winner will be notified through either Twitter or Facebook.
- All entries must be submitted by noon Eastern time on May 1st to qualify
- The Free Portrait Session is non-transferrable
- Contest is open to existing and new followers and fans of Tom Walker Portraits
- Free Portrait Session includes a one hour photography session in the winner’s home or at an outdoor location. Prints or digital images are not included and must be purchased after the session.
- Free Portrait Session is for up to two generations of a family (Parents and Children).
- Free Portrait Session will be held within a 10 mile radius of Worcester, MA. Tom Walker Portraits reserves the right to allow exceptions at their own discretion.
- Free Portrait Session must be booked by June 30th and must take place before October 1st.
- Tom Walker Portraits is the sole judge of each entry’s compliance with the contest rules.
Tom Walker Portraits now has a new address for our Facebook page. If you’re already a fan, you can just continue to get to our page as you always have. If you’re not a fan yet, come visit us at www.facebook.com/tomwalkerportraits!
People often assume that, because I’m a photographer, that my kids must be perfect little models for daddy’s camera. They envision my boys striking poses and flashing smiles. I wish they were right.
In truth, most photographers (who are being honest) will tell you the hardest people they ever photograph are their kids. It makes some sense. Daddy is always chasing them with that camera, they’re sick of it. Based on completely unscientific research, I’ve found that most parents have the same experience too. I’m here to try to help.
First, don’t try to pose. Kid’s don’t want to stop and pose. And, even if you get them to pose, you’ll probably get that goofy, canned smile they’ve learned from adults yelling “CHEEEEESE”.
Instead of a pose, try catching them doing something fun. The shot of my son here with his balloon is one of my favorites of him. He had a balloon that he was completely taken with. I just popped off pictures while he played. If they’re not playing, give them something to play with. Small stuff is best since it won’t be obtrusive in the shot.
Finally, please don’t say cheese. Kids know that just means to put on the biggest, most unnatural smiles they can muster. Instead use silly words or phrases that will elicit an involuntary and natural smile. Words like “candy” will get a natural smile for a second but phrases like “daddy’s wearing baby pants” or “mommy has puppy breath” will get honest to goodness laughter that you can catch for a couple of shots. Now, its up to you to find a phrase that won’t haunt you in the minivan but you get the idea.
So grab the camera, chase the kids, and try some new tricks to make great snap shots!
Recently a mom-to-be mentioned that she wanted to talk about having me photograph her baby when she arrived. Like a lot of expectant mothers, she figured that talking about the photos could wait until after the baby was born. While we certainly have to wait until the baby is born to photograph her, if you wait until you bring her home to think about portraits you’re likely to get portraits of a 3 month old instead of a newborn!
So why the advanced planning? There are a few reasons that it pays to start thinking about a portraits session before your baby arrives.
Things Get Busy
Once the baby arrives your life gets turned upside down. There are lots of visitors and well wishers and a whirlwind of activity to get you and your new one home. Once you’re home its time to settle into your routine as new parents (or busier parents!) and there’s plenty to do. Photography falls well behind feedings, burpings, diaper changes, and sleep (if you can find that). Even though it may not seem like it, you’ve got a lot more time in the month before baby gets here to plan for your portraits.
Babies Grow Quick
We all know this one, right? Everyone tells you to “treasure this time” and “enjoy it while it lasts” because it “all goes so quick”. All very true but never more true than in the first few weeks of life. The best time for portraits of newborns is in the first 2 weeks. Its at this time that they are the most complacent (usually) and spend most of the day asleep. Its a great time to get some great peaceful shots of them.
Decisions Take Time
A custom portrait session is not a drive through item for most folks. Its something that takes a little planning an a little discussion. You’ll have questions about the session and about what to expect. You’ll want to talk with your spouse about what you want out of the session and exactly how many prints the grandmas get.
So when should you start talking about your newborn session? The easy answer is: as soon as you think about it! In reality, about a month or so before your due date is a great time. It will give you an opportunity to talk about your session and plan for what you’d like. We can plan a window for your dates and you can begin to think about what type of package will fit your needs. Remember, this isn’t about committing, its about having a plan!
Alright, so technically I may be jumping the gun by a couple of days but something about blue skies and sixty degrees of sunshine gets the blood pumping! Especially after a few days of rain. I have been woefully neglectful in keeping the blog updated. Its now time to come out of my winter hibernation from my updates and get busy keeping you all informed about Tom Walker Portraits.
With the official first day of spring just a couple of days away, its a great time to start thinking about a family portrait session. An on site photo session can be a wonderful way to personalize your family portraits. With the sun becoming more of a regular visitor to our skies, the backyard or even local parks become wonderful spots to photograph your family. To talk with us about booking a spring portrait session, email us at info@tomwalkerportraits.com
With Halloween only a few weeks away and the Halloween party season in full swing, it’s time to start snapping some shots of your little ones in the cutest costumes ever. If you’re like most folks, taking Halloween shots can be intimidating. Low light, fidgety kids, and costumes can pose a challenge that might scare the camera out of your hands! Here’s a few ideas for taking some great Halloween shots
1. Don’t Wait. Kids are usually willing to put on their costumes at the drop of a hat. My son has been wearing a Spiderman costume almost everyday for two weeks now. Take advantage of that and get some shots early. Without the stress of trick or treating, organizing, and finding gloves, you’ll find it much easier (on all of you) to have fun with the photos. At the very least, plan on taking shots well before you leave the house on candy patrol!
2. Set The Mood. You’ve gone through the effort of getting the perfect costume but you’re going to settle for a picture of it in the kitchen? Try to match the setting to the costume. Got a little cowboy? Try a shot on the lawn or against the wood wall of the shed. Astronaut? How about a shot with nothing but sky in the background? (get low and shoot up) Setting the right mood for the shot makes a world of difference.
3. Play With The Light. Don’t be scared of the dark. Shut your flash off and play. A flashlight under the chin or from the side of the face makes for very dramatic and spooky light. A twirling trick or treater with a glow stick will also make a neat light trail. Have fun and experiment.
4. Change Your Point of View. So often we take photos of our kids from the same place. Standing at our height and shooting down. Point of view makes a big difference. Got a Superman on your hands? Stand him on the patio table, crouch down, and shoot up at him. The low closeup will make you little guy look huge and powerful! Got a little ladybug? Get up high on a chair and shoot down with lots of space around her. This view will make her look small and delicate in a big world. Point of view means a lot but we often don’t think of it.
5. Have Fun! Your kids want nothing but fun on Halloween. Posing for pictures is boring. But, if you ask Superman to bend a steel bar (foam tube from the hardware store) or Buzz Lightyear to talk on his wrist radio, you’ve made it a fun game. Give you kids a reason to get into character and they’ll give you all the shots you could want!
Naturally, you can get good photos without following all or any of these but hopefully, some of these tips will help you take your best Halloween photos ever!
As an avid iPhone user I was annoying myself with the Tom Walker Portraits blog! I could open it of course but it was formatted for a standard browser. I was constantly pinching and squishing to fit what i wanted on screen. Finally, I have done something about it.
Simply head to this site on your iPhone and you will see a version of this blog (with the same content) that actually fits on your screen! As I continue to tinker we’ll make this new iPhone version even closer in looks to the regular browser version.
If you choose to save the page as a bookmark on your homescreen you’ll get a smaller version of the icon above. If you bookmark the html version of the main site, a similar icon in green will be saved.
My little guy turned 8 months old today. Two days ago he started crawling. Its not a full out, hand slapping against the hard wood, crawl yet but he’s mobile enough and fast enough so that we can’t turn our backs on him for a second. The beginning of the end of infancy.
It seems like yesterday that he was as small as “I” in the photo above. Now I’m wondering “Did I get enough photos of him?” The answer is always “no”, even for the photographer.
With Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas around the corner and closing fast there are lots of opportunities to get those shots of your little ones just the way they are now. Don’t find yourself asking…”Did I get enough?”
Uncategorized | Tom | 
May 28, 2010 11:16 am | 
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