Dia de los Muertos :: A Do-it-Yourself Mask

While shopping a few weeks ago, I came across a flimsy Day of the Dead mask with an attached veil. I liked the concept of the piece, but I wasn't impressed with the execution. I wanted to make a mask using some of the skills I have developed over the years painting on canvas. I knew I had a blank white mask at home, as well as a section of black lace fabric. The rest of the build is pretty much just paint. The only item I had to purchase is the purple flowers attached at the very end. 

Playing with Light and Tattoos

After an open-call on facebook, I only had one taker for a free photo session for a person with tattoos. I wanted to play with different lighting scenarios to achieve some looks I hadn't attempted before. This setup was done in-home, in-dining room to be specific. I brought my backdrops, lights, and my box of props and we spent almost two hours mixing and matching different ideas.

Dramatic Lighting with Savanna

I took some time with Savanna to experiment with my studio lights, and explore new possibilities with light and shadow. I wanted to create new images that I hadn't thought of before. Since my space is limited, I rented a room in a reception hall that allowed me more ceiling height, and enough space all around to have lights, backdrops, and distance to allow me to pull my lights and model further from the background to create the effects I desired.

Milestones of Maternity

My goal is to document the Milestones of Maternity.

My years of experience capturing the different stages of pregnancy, I have come to describe a shortened maternity series as the Milestones of Maternity. The milestones are essentially four different points along your path to motherhood. Here, we establish a series of poses that will be duplicated throughout your pregnancy to document the changes you experience. For those who want to document their pregnancy progression but cannot afford to dedicate the time or money to a monthly series, this is a wonderful option.

I have had the good fortune to help several women over the years preserve the memories of their pregnancy through photographs. When you decide that you want to document your pregnancy with more than just mirror selfies, there are several options for how to proceed. How often do you want to take your photos and how many different poses and outfits do you want to use for those photos?

I maintain a portrait studio in the living room of my home. I have a selection of props and wardrobe that can be utilized for each session. If you would be more comfortable in your own home, my studio kit is fully portable and can be set up within a few minutes. A living room, dining room, or bedroom can be converted into a studio without the need to fully clear the room. My kit is battery operated, so there are no cords to trip over. I also bring several fabric backdrops and my own backdrop support stands, so there is no need to nail anything into your walls. I have also assembled a select number of props specifically for adding to maternity sessions.

Living Room Studio for Christmas Portraits

My parents were in need of new portraits of themselves to share with family members for Christmas this year. Once we agreed on a day where we were all available, I brought my studio cases to them and set up my lights and backdrop in their living room. I had about five feet from left to right for the width of the room with the sofa on one side, and for length it was about ten feet from where I could stand to my backdrop stands. Not a large studio shooting space for any photographer, but we decided that full length poses would be impractical, so we focused on 1/2 to 3/4 length poses. We started with my hand-dyed fabric backdrop and some simple poses both standing and seated. 

I photographed both my parents individually as well as together. I also shot portraits of my brother and sister and my nieces and their friend who happened to come over unexpectedly. Once we were finished with the fabric backdrop, I brought out my seamless white paper for some high key closeup portraits. The white paper is not wide enough for multiple people, which is why I only use it for individuals. I rearranged my lights several times throughout the session, moving them closer or farther and up or down to change the direction of the shadows. My kit for this session included two umbrellas, one large soft box, a home-made strip light, a collapsible silver reflector, two backdrops and backdrop support stands.

I Offer Quality In My Photography

"TULIP" © Adam Telford

I don't take on many photography jobs anymore. I have set my priority as quality over quantity. For me its all about the quality of the content rather than having a  higher volume of photo sessions under my belt. I like to spend time thinking through and planning a photo shoot, rather than just put up a light and snap a few portraits. I will scout a location days or weeks in advance, check the weather report if we will be shooting outside, and even consult a sun-calculator to see the direction the sun will be shining during a certain time of day. I put a lot of effort into every photo shoot before I even take my camera out of it's case.

Dining Room Studio Setup for Kristie and Her Girls

I have photographed Kristie and her girls before, and it is so much fun to photograph them as they grow up. Watching them change in photographs is a privilege and is a big part of why I enjoy taking portraits for others. This session was set up in her dining room complete with a low hanging light fixture which we tied up higher to the ceiling. I brought a white paper roll as well as a full length black fabric to use as backdrops during this session. I set up with four lights this time using a large soft-box on the main light and a white umbrella for the second. The third and fourth lights I initially set up facing the white paper in order to get a nice bright background. I also added a square white reflector below the main light to help fill in shadows. All the portraits using the white background were shot this way. I included a set-up shot below, but the space was so tight, I couldn't get all my lights in the wide-angle setup shot. That didn't stop me from getting some beautiful images though.

I changed things up a little bit with the black fabric by putting the two background lights into my DIY-made rim-light modifiers. The soft-box and umbrella were brought closer, and the white reflector remained in place to fill in shadows. In the final closeup portraits I brought the main soft-box to the center of the room with the white reflector tight up underneath it with a very small gap between the two, which is where I was shooting through. The two rim lights were aimed at their hair and the white umbrella I kept further back and to the right of the camera to add  more dimension to the reflections in their eyes.

Below are a few of my favorites from this session.

Living Room Studio ::: Family Portraits

After premature labor and delivery prevented us from holding a maternity photo session, we were finally able to schedule a family photo session when the baby was four months old. He was born two months early and stayed in the hospital for nearly as long. Two months after coming home he had his very first formal photo shoot. To keep things as simple as possible, I arranged to bring the studio to them in their own home. We moved the coffee table and a few chairs from the living room into the kitchen, and then I set up a fabric backdrop on one end of the room along with a few strobe lights to complete the location studio. 

I brought a few small props with me including the alphabet blocks which spelled out the names of the two boys, my small white step-ladder for sitting and climbing, and the soft white blanket used to photograph the baby. All this fits in the trunk of my car and is accessible for anyone who wants to schedule a session. I have more props, modifiers, and backgrounds which I can bring on a case-by-case basis, depending on the desired outcome of the photo shoot. If you are interested in scheduling a session with me, you can contact me by following the link below the photos. 

Headshot Lighting Setup

This session focused on the play of light and shadow as it travels across facial features. I have included a wide-angle setup shot for the final portraits with placement and modifiers labeled within the image. Power settings were adjusted up or down depending on the dramatic effect I was trying to achieve in each portrait. Please also note that the exposure settings for each setup shot may be altered from the finished portrait to allow for better visualization of the lights and modifiers within my shooting space.

When is the best time to take maternity photos?

::: If you're looking for the quick answer its 30-32 weeks :::

In my professional experience photographing pregnancies, the best time to plan your maternity photo session is when you are 30-32 weeks, which is  approximately 7 ½ months into your pregnancy. At this time, the baby's gender is typically known and can be utilized in choosing colors and props for your session. The size of your tummy increases the most in the third trimester, and for most women at 32 weeks, it is symmetrical and round. If you wait until your belly is larger, the baby tends to sit very low or rests on one side creating an asymmetrical appearance. You also don't want to wait too long to schedule your session in case of early delivery. By taking your photos earlier in you pregnancy your energy will last you through a longer photo shoot. My maternity sessions typically last between one and two hours with multiple wardrobe changes and lighting adjustments. 

My New Open-Air Studio

When I was arranging a portrait session with Dylan and Melissa, it became clear that we would be unable to find an indoor location to hold a photo shoot. I knew I wanted more that just natural light portraits, so I simplified my kit even further than usual to include two cameras, two lights, and a shoulder bag for my backdrop. My usual kit includes a hard case for holding my light modifiers and stands, a separate bag for backdrops, my backdrop stand bag, and my camera bag. An extra case for props can be brought along if the need arises. I still prefer the control an indoor space provides, but it is no longer a necessity. I can create a studio within minutes of arriving at a location.

We agreed to shoot in a local park along the river, and shot some portraits at a pond using the natural landscape as our background. For those shots, I alternated using one light, two lights, and all natural light. We then walked the nature trails until we found an area just off the main path with enough space to set up a backdrop without being interrupted by passers-by. A light-weight backdrop support  with a fabric backdrop and two lights created my brand new open-air studio. The part I like best about the images shot using this technique is that, until you see the wide-angle view, you wouldn't know the images were shot outdoors. Can you tell the difference?

I had a very simple setup for my lighting. I placed one light on my left hand side with a plastic diffuser that softens the light like an umbrella (without the bulk and kite-like behavior in the wind). My second light was set to my far right without a plastic diffuser, but using a blue gel coating that gives a coolness to the rim light you see on their hair and shoulders. With the shaded location, I was able to achieve very dramatic shadows by using the main light at a higher angle and from the side. The rim light helps to separate them from the black background and offer some definition on that side of the image. To amplify the dramatic look in some of their individual portraits, I turned off the rim light so that the shadow side of their faces merges with the background.

I have included several set-up shots taken during this session so you can see how I was able to achieve these looks. On the behind-the-scenes shots I also include a break down of my equipment and settings for anyone who is curious about my techniques.

Below are samples and behind-the-scenes shots from our first two shooting locations. We continued along the nature trail taking more shots along the way, but I will save those for another post.
Enjoy!