Hello followers! We've been undergoing many changes here and have re-created the business to become Winsome and Whimsy Photography, with a larger focusing on weddings while still covering family, children, horses, and other adventures that may come our way. Please check out and subscribe to www.winsomeandwhimsy.com to keep up to date on what we're up to!
Thanks for your interest!
~ Amy
Monday, August 8, 2011
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Tip Tuesday - Homemade Reflectors
Hello followers!
Welcome to Tip Tuesday. As photographers, there are many tools available in our arsenals to help us get the shot that we want to capture. Different lenses, filters, reflectors, diffusers, strobes, etc, can help us create different effects or enhance an image to have it match the vision we can see in our minds. One of the tools that many of us use are reflectors to help manipulate the available light to light up a subject in a particular way. If you've never used reflectors before, you may want to play around with the technique a bit before buying some or perhaps you already have reflectors but find yourself far from home without them and no means to purchase them. Never fear! You can use simple everyday things to obtain the same effect. So this week's tip is...
Homemade reflectors.
I'm pretty selective about what I spend money on (not cheap! selective!) and therefore am always looking save a buck, at least at first. When I first started playing around with reflecting light, I wanted to play without spending. I thought to myself, all they do is reflect light right? So I can use anything that reflects light right? Right. I headed off to the dollar store a half an hour before I was planning on taking some maternity shots of a friend and picked up a piece of white bristol board and a car windshield sunshade (one of those metallic things people put in the windshield of their car to keep the sun out when it's parked). I knew that the white bristol board would cast a softer reflection and the metallic sun shade would likely cast a sharper reflection and seeing as how they were a dollar a piece, I figured I'd splurge (big spender, I know!). They worked! Reflecting light is reflecting light, regardless of how you do it. One problem I did have with these reflectors is that because they had no solid frame they were nearly impossible to use myself - luckily my friend's fiancee was there to help out and he did an outstanding job.
Now some photographic examples:
As you can see in the photo on the left, the shadows from the branches behind her cast strange and distracting shadows across her face. I don't mind the shadows cast by the branches and leaves... I just don't want them muddling up her face and I wanted to cast a bit more light on her baby belly. I used the metallic sunshade for this because I wanted something a bit stronger and more"condensed" so that I could cast light on her face and belly, but leave the shadows on her arm and hair because I like the way it looks. As you can see from the photo on the right, her face and belly are illuminated. Mission accomplished.
Here are some ideas for homemade reflectors:
Welcome to Tip Tuesday. As photographers, there are many tools available in our arsenals to help us get the shot that we want to capture. Different lenses, filters, reflectors, diffusers, strobes, etc, can help us create different effects or enhance an image to have it match the vision we can see in our minds. One of the tools that many of us use are reflectors to help manipulate the available light to light up a subject in a particular way. If you've never used reflectors before, you may want to play around with the technique a bit before buying some or perhaps you already have reflectors but find yourself far from home without them and no means to purchase them. Never fear! You can use simple everyday things to obtain the same effect. So this week's tip is...
Homemade reflectors.
I'm pretty selective about what I spend money on (not cheap! selective!) and therefore am always looking save a buck, at least at first. When I first started playing around with reflecting light, I wanted to play without spending. I thought to myself, all they do is reflect light right? So I can use anything that reflects light right? Right. I headed off to the dollar store a half an hour before I was planning on taking some maternity shots of a friend and picked up a piece of white bristol board and a car windshield sunshade (one of those metallic things people put in the windshield of their car to keep the sun out when it's parked). I knew that the white bristol board would cast a softer reflection and the metallic sun shade would likely cast a sharper reflection and seeing as how they were a dollar a piece, I figured I'd splurge (big spender, I know!). They worked! Reflecting light is reflecting light, regardless of how you do it. One problem I did have with these reflectors is that because they had no solid frame they were nearly impossible to use myself - luckily my friend's fiancee was there to help out and he did an outstanding job.
Now some photographic examples:
As you can see in the photo on the left, the shadows from the branches behind her cast strange and distracting shadows across her face. I don't mind the shadows cast by the branches and leaves... I just don't want them muddling up her face and I wanted to cast a bit more light on her baby belly. I used the metallic sunshade for this because I wanted something a bit stronger and more"condensed" so that I could cast light on her face and belly, but leave the shadows on her arm and hair because I like the way it looks. As you can see from the photo on the right, her face and belly are illuminated. Mission accomplished.
Here are some ideas for homemade reflectors:
- White bristol board
- Car windshield sunshade
- Foam board (with aluminum foil on one side for versatility)
- A white sheet or blanket
- A pizza box (if you're really hard up)
- Cardboard with tin foil (wrinkle the tin or aluminum foil first)
- Gold foil or gold fabric from the fabric store for a warmer reflected light
- Have your assistant, second shooter, friend, or dog wear a white shirt
I think you get the idea. You can use just about anything that is bright and bounce light.
To skip all this that I've just talked about and just buy a reflector, here you go: Westcott 301 Photo Basics 40-Inch 5-in-1 Reflector
.
.Further to this idea of homemade reflectors is homemade diffusers. But that's a tip for another Tuesday...
Until next time,
~ Amy
Monday, May 16, 2011
Coffee
Guess what I'm grateful for today? That's right - coffee. It is Monday morning afterall. I'm sure I'm not alone in my feeling toward coffee this morning. After a weekend of not feeling very well, Monday morning does not come as a welcome. But this coffee (and the opportunity to relax and enjoy drinking it) is very, very welcome. It is cold and dreary outside today and I continue to not feel well but all is good, because I am grateful.
Until tomorrow,
Amy
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Loyalty
Today I am grateful for my loyal friends, my dogs Ben and Mickey. I've been under the weather today and have spent most of the day on this couch. It's hard to tell from these photos, but these are two very active dogs. They usually spend the day playing together or trying to convince me to take them somewhere fun. But today, almost as if they understand (and I think they do), they just laid on the couch and cuddled with me. They could have just kept on playing, being noisy, and trying to get me to take them to the park but they just stayed by my side in quiet, comforting companionship. Who could want more than understanding and loyalty? I'm a lucky girl.
Until tomorrow,
~ Amy
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Rainy Day
Today I am grateful for rain. Rain is in the forecast for the next week, so I expect I won't be so grateful in a few days, but for now I love how green it makes everything and how quickly plants are growing because of it. Not only that, but as I was outside taking photos I began to remember what it was like to play outside in the rain as a child. Rain wasn't seen as a bad thing, but an awesome thing! As long as we had rubber boots and could splash in puddles, what was there not to be happy about? Again, this is why I have a such a huge appreciation for this project. I am constantly reminded of how wonderful things can be and how easily we take for granted the small things. I miss those days when something as seemingly insignificant like sloshing around in rubber boots was just about the most fun ever. Thankfully with this project I'm being reminded every day. :)
Until tomorrow,
Amy
To check out a video on the original 365 Grateful project, click here.
Friday, May 13, 2011
I can grow things!
Hello everyone... Blogger was down yesterday and most of today thus prevented me from being able to post. But it's back, therefore I am back! Today I am grateful for these plants... I grew them on my very own from seed and anyone who knows me understands what a miracle that is! I usually kills plants, but apparently now I'm gifted. Well, I wouldn't go that far. I've managed to water them enough (but not too much) to keep them alive. These tomato plants will be going in my garden in the next couple of weeks where hopefully I'll continue to be able to keep them alive.
Until tomorrow,
Amy
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Country Roads
Today I am grateful for country roads. After spending the day in the city with ridiculous traffic and borderline psychotic drivers, I was so incredible happy to get back on the country roads that lead me home. I've never been happier to see silos! I snapped this photo with my little point-and-shoot that I keep stashed in my car "just in case."
Until tomorrow,
Amy
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