Tutorial Tuesday - How I got the shot:)

Since I know when I was first starting out I was soooo curious about photographs I saw and how the photographer took the shot. So I thought I would share my simple set up for the Xmas shots in my living room.

Here is the pull back on the set up....

I had my cheepy IKEA blanket, the Sled and my own (FAKE) Xmas tree. I did three sessions for people I know well in my home (I wouldn't reccommend it unless you know the people very well or are licensed/insured to have a studio in your home). Next year I plan to do full sessions at the clients home or I will do a Mini Session weekend where I will rent out the hall next door and set up a psuedo studio and let everyone come to me:)

So my light is coming from the left (however, even though it looked like it was bright out it was actually a little overcast so I wasn't getting as much light as I wanted) If it was full natural light I would have used a large white foam board on the right as a reflector. I actually just used fill flash to do the job. I put my Fong Puffer (see it in my Amazon store) which is great for portraits like this because it diffuses the light.

Here is the pull back on the scenario

I just cleared a small space in the corner near the window but without the sunlight hitting them directly - you can see where it hit in the left corner of the picture.

Here is a SOOC with a couple adjustments in LR (and cloning in the second one so you don't see my ugly wallpaper) - I also showed you one on a past post for my little man (also from the same set up)

TIME SAVING TIP  ***  my workflow to proof is usually very basic exposure and major flaw correction which I did with these in Lightroom (I love love love my lightroom), once they place the order, I go and do a skin smoothing to give that soft looking skin and do eye pops, and sharpening etc. This is pic is before all that. If you are looking for a great FREE action to make your subjects skin smooth or eyes pop - COFFEESHOP has a couple that are great. I use POWDER ROOM for every pic that I finalize for print and there is also BABY POWDER ROOM for baby touch ups. She is phenomenal over there at Coffeeshop. I just noticed that she and her sister are doing custom blogs, logos, and have a custom watermarking action, too. They have very reasonable prices. I am actually thinking of revamping this blog and having them add the menu bars and all that fun jazz:)

http://www.coffeeteaphotography.blogspot.com/