Relishing in Those Unscripted Moments

As 2012 comes to a close, I've been sifting through thousands of photographs that I've taken over the past year. Putting some in albums for gifts. Getting more framed and hung in our home. And just generally taking a winding trip down memory lane.

This picture is one of the stand-outs for me. Well, who am I kidding? There are, um, hundreds of stand-outs. But this picture goes to show how magical those unscripted moments can be. I have never been a big fan of the "look here, say cheese" type of photos. I much prefer those candid shots of real life, and this is one such moment. It was my niece's third birthday. What you can't see in the picture is that she was sharing the chair with Snow White, who had come to visit her on her birthday. Snow White was turning her attention to the young guests that sat before her, and Sadie very quietly sat down on the chair next to her, and took it all in.

Out of the five cousins, Sadie is usually the one that will sit the stillest for me, next to Nick, who at age 10 is just a pro at knowing his mom needs to take 30 snaps before she'll let him resume his activities.

And the end resulting picture? Priceless.

Photo Backdrops: Think Outside of the Box

When it comes to finding the perfect backdrop of your next photo shoot, whether it be food or people, think outside the box a little. This backdrop happens to be the back of my house. It provided the perfect, plain backdrop for this yummylicious Balsamic Strawberry Yogurt Parfait. It was plain enough to not distract from the food I was trying to shoot, yet interesting enough to get noticed. Look around your house, office, and neighborhood for those neutral areas you can easily use as a background that won't distract from your photo ... walls, garages, doors, sheds. Venture into your downtown and look around. I bet you'd be surprised at what you can find.

Want the recipe? Head on over here for all the details.

Why I Take Pictures

In My Sister’s Keeper Jodi Picoult wrote, “A photo says, you were happy, and I wanted to catch that. A photo says, you were so important to me that I put down everything else to come watch.” Perhaps we never see ourselves objectively. But I hope when self-doubt creeps into her mind she sees in her portraits all the beauty that I see in her.

This.  This is exactly why I take pictures.

Gift Ideas for Your Favorite Photographer

When it comes to being a photographer, the accessories, lens, and let's just call a spade, a spade, t-o-y-s can get pretty expensive. And fast. But that's not to say the occasional bargain doesn't still exist. Have a photographer on your holiday list this year? You might want to consider this really inexpensive video light.

In my freelancing career, I take a lot of photos, but I don't always have the perfect natural lighting available. This just might be the next best thing. The light that this casts is fairly widespread, enough to light a small room well, and it's bright enough to the point that when shined in someone's eyes at full blast, they might cry for mercy. Or start spilling their guts a la an SVU interrogation room.

It comes with several diffusing screens that you can quickly swap out, depending on the current lighting situation, and what you're looking for, and there is also an adjustable dial on the side to easily soften the light, or put it on full blast.

Although it is plastic, it is fairly sturdy and weighty. It slides right on to the top of your camera (my current one is a Nikon D60), and takes six AA batteries.

Stay tuned for my second favorite camera accessory on the cheap ... coming later this week.

Beautiful Pictures in Your Own Home {NJ Photographer}

It is completely possible to take a gorgeous picture in your own home. This picture just goes to prove it. Find a blank wall. Move furniture or take pictures off the wall for a few minutes if you have to. This photo has no fancy lighting. No studio backdrop. And just the tiniest hint of retouching after the fact (just a little tweaking of the coloring). And it is still one of my favorite shots to date. Don't get bogged down in props and fancy stuffs you don't need. Keep it simple and you can't go wrong.

Jessica - Sneak Peek {NJ Child Photographer}

Have you ever seen more beautiful eyelashes? The length remind me of the uber-long eyelashes both my kids were blessed with. This is Jessica, a nine-month old curly-haired little wonder that I had the pleasure of meeting and photographing last Friday. Gorgeous!

Appearing at Caldwell College Craft Fair

Need to do a little holiday shopping? Be sure to visit the annual Caldwell College craft fair on Saturday, November 19, 2011 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Olivia Photography Associates will be representing! There will be a number of my stock prints available for immediate purchase, and discounts available for photo sessions booked that day. Hope to see you there!