I know a common problem a lot of you have while shooting your kids is getting them to smile.  Not the cheesy cheese smile.  A real, genuine smile.  I asked Shutter Buddies (the maker of those super cute lens props and one of our awesome sponsors) if I could try one out when shooting my kids.

I got the kind with the squeaker, which I love.  It’s super helpful to get a baby (or even a dogs) attention!  Kennedy is already pretty easy to get smile, but when I used my Shutter Buddie it helped make it even easier!

Now, Brayden is another story.  Brayden is so easily distracted that I normally get pictures like this.

When I put the Shutter Buddie on my camera I was able to get great eye contact from him.  I love that!

I used it on a couple of clients as well and I love the eye contact I got from this beautiful 4 year old.

I love how I can just throw it in my camera bag and if I’m having a hard time with a client (or one of my own kids) I can throw it on and I know I’m guaranteed a few great smiles!

And now you can have your own Shutter Buddie!  They are giving away one to a lucky Mom*tog!  Here’s how you can enter:

-  “Like” Shutter Buddies on Facebook.

-  Come back here and leave a comment on this post saying that you’ve done so and tell me which Shutter Buddie you’d love to win.

It’s that easy!  The giveaway will close Friday night, May 18 at midnight PST.  The winner will be announced on Monday, May 21.

And if you can’t wait to win one, Shutter Buddies is giving all Mom*togs a 20% discount!  Just use the code “MOMTOG20″ at checkout.  You can order Shutter Buddies here and here.

Enjoy and good luck!

Happy Mother’s Day, Mom*togs!  We have the hardest job in the world.  But, isn’t it the most rewarding?  I hope you all got a full nights sleep and well behaved children all day long (I got the sleep, but not so much on the well behaved children part!).

In honor of Mother’s Day I have put the UNmanual and UNposing Guides on sale.  40% off until Monday May 14 at midnight.  The code is “momsrock”.  Because we kind of do.  Enjoy!

I was once super resistant to iPhone pictures.  I used my iPhone for snapshots if I didn’t have my big camera or my point and shoot on me.  But, then I became addicted to Instagram (you can follow me at drewbphoto, but only follow me if you want to see a zillion pictures of my kids) and I realized that there are some amazing iTographers (I just made that word up.  I like it!).  I would get frustrated because I couldn’t get my pictures to look as rad as their pictures.  I decided to challenge myself to become a better iTographer.  Rather than just snapping away I began to really pay attention to composition and lighting to get the best picture possible.  Nothing wrong with snapshots.  The iPhone is so convienent it’s great to take those everyday snapshots.  But, you can make those snapshots look super rad.

Here are a few tricks I’ve learned along the way:

1)  I love shooting backlight images.  But, shooting backlight with your iPhone camera is hard.  I’ve found that I get the best results when shooting with the sun behind me rather than my subject.

2)  Shooting in low light is difficult as images can become blurry from the subject moving and camera shake.  To help prevent camera shake press the camera button (shutter) and hold it until you are ready to take the shot.  Take a deep breath and release the shutter when you want the image to be taken.  When you just press the shutter it can create camera shake.

3)  Did you know that the iphone has an AE/AF lock?  Tap your subject and hold down until you see the blue box pulsate.  Release your finger and you will see “AE/AF Lock” at the bottom of the screen.  This will keep your shot in focus and exposed correctly even if you move the camera.  Compose your shot and take the picture!  If you tap the screen again the AE/AF will unlock.

4)  Better yet, if you use the Camera+ app you can lock your focus and exposure separately.  This is extremely helpful when taking backlit images.  The first picture I took just the normal iphone camera.  The second I took with the Camera+ app.  No editing done to it!

For the exposure, if your subject is too dark, set the exposure to the darkest point in the picture.  That will lighten your subject up.  If your subject is too light, set the exposure to the lightest spot in the picture.  That will darken your subject.

You can also adjust your WB with the Camera+ app, but I haven’t found that particularly useful.

The app is only $.99.  I promise it will be the best $.99 you’ve ever spent.

5)  The best filter app I have found is MagicHour.  I love it because you can download filters (for free) and you it will show you how all of your pictures look with that particular filter.  You can also recreate the filters if you don’t like a certain thing about it.  For instance, if I don’t like the texture I can recreate that filter without the texture.  It’s super fun!

6)  Treat your iPhone camera just like a real camera.  Use the rule of thirds.  Shoot from down low and up high.  Try silhouetted shots.  Get creative!

7)  If you need to get to your camera fast (which happens a lot with unpredictable kids) and your phone is locked, hit the home button twice and that will make a camera icon appear.  Click that to get to your camera faster!

Happy shooting!

It’s crazy how much these kids love each other.  He just looks at her and she starts cracking up.  Nothing is better than the sound of their giggles.  I love how they are the bestest of friends.  I realize that might soon be coming to an end with Kennedy gaining more independence.  But, I’m loving how in love with each other they are right now.

*** Canon 5D Mark II, 50 1.2

F 2.8, 1/100, ISO 2000 (Brayden’s room is EXTREMELY dark)

F 2.8, 1/125, ISO 1600

F 2.8, 1/200, ISO 500

It’s official.  We have a crawler.  Watch out world.  Kennedy Ann is on the move.

Canon 5D Mark II, 50 1.2

F 2.0, 1/250, ISO 400

F 2.0, 1/200, ISO 400

If you’re like me I’m sure you’ve waited until the last minute to prepare for Mother’s Day.  I always try to plan ahead, but it just never works out that way, does it?  It’s not too late to get some great photo related gifts for Mother’s Day.  Here are a few that I would love to give and/or receive!

- Mpix

Mpix has a lot of great options for Mother’s Day gifts.  I recently ordered their dry erase calendar because my husband feels like he can never keep up with all of our activities and my work schedule.  They have super cute designs and their production time is fast.  Still time to get it in time for Mother’s Day!  It comes with adhesive backing, but I put mine on our magnetic board.

-  Photo Album

There’s still time to make a custom photo album!  I ordered this album from Mpix Pro Wednesday night and received it on Friday!  I used the My Mommy template from Mom*tog by Photo Card Boutique.  It’s my Mother’s Day gift to myself  But, it can be customized for Grandma too!  I love the option from Mpix Pro to have pages that lay flat!

-  Frames

I love frames.  And you can get them so inexpensively too.  Buy the ugliest frames you can find at your local Goodwill or Salvation Army and spray paint them.  It’s amazing what a little spray paint can do.  You can also wrap them in fabric.  I’ve had this tutorial for fabric wrapped frames on my to do list for quite some time!  I was lucky enough to be gifted a pair at my friend Julie’s Favorite Things party last week.  I LOVE them!

-  Photo Jewelry

Love this tutorial for how to make photo jewelry.  Looks easy enough and Grandma would love this!

-  Photo Shoot

Who wouldn’t want a photo shoot with their favorite kiddos?  Perfect for Grandma, Mom, or even an aunt.  Most photographers are happy to offer gift certificates for purchase!

Poor Brayden was so disappointed there weren’t any real dinosaurs at the dinosaur museum.  Just bones.  And bones are boring.  Apparently.

Canon 5D Mark II, 24-70 2.8

F 2.8, 1/100, ISO 1250

I’m SO stinkin’ excited about this album template!  This “All About Mom” Photoshop album template from Mom*tog by Photo Card Boutique is the perfect Mother’s Day gift – for yourself or for your favorite mom!  I love this template so much because not only can you fill it with all your cute pictures of you and your kids, but your kids can fill out information about you and their favorite memories with you.  Remember those funny little things your kids say about you!  Such a fun gift to look back on for years and see your kids cute writing and drawings.  Your kids aren’t writing yet?  No problem.  The template comes with handwriting font that you can download so you can fill in your child’s answers for them.

I just ordered this for my own Mother’s Day gift, but since all the text is fully editable the album template is also a great gift for Grandmas and Aunts!  There’s still time to print in time for Mother’s Day (our favorite lab to print custom albums through is Mpix Pro)!

The Father’s Day template is coming soon!!!

Dear Kennedy,

Happy eight month birthday (a couple of weeks late)!  For some reason I kept telling people you were going to be nine months this month.  I was so happy when I realized you were actually only eight months!  Another month of babyness for me to enjoy.  Because, Lord knows, I’m not ready for this baby stage to be over.

I sorted through all of your old clothes and I just about had a nervous breakdown when I was boxing them up.  How have 8 months gone by so fast and so slow all at the same time?  How were you in my belly 8 months ago?  How did I not know I could love you this much?  You are such a little person now.  You have such a huge personality.  Such a love for life.  You love your brother more than anyone else.  You love to be outside.  You love the breeze and trees.  You hate to be left alone.  You fall asleep super well, but you really stink at staying asleep.  You prefer vegetables over fruit.  You love carrots.  I think that’s why your hair is so orange.  You got your first baby curl this month.  Curly hair just like Mama (I hope your hair cooperates better).  You love dogs (except for Auntie Michelle’s dog).  You have the two most perfect baby teeth.  You want to crawl so badly.  You bury your head in my chest when you are acting shy.

You complete our family, Kennedy.  Not a day goes by when I don’t ask myself how I got so lucky to be you and your brother’s Mommy.

Love,

Mama

Ask and you shall receive!  The Baby Boy Line from Mom*tog by Photo Card Boutique is here!  I only wish the album template was around when I made Brayden’s first year album.  But, that’s okay!  I will be making his next yearly album using it!

The Mom*tog line was created because I had a hard time finding Photoshop templates that I could use for my personal family projects.  I found myself buying several templates and spending a lot of time customizing them to my needs.  I wanted a line of templates that were made specifically for moms who love photography – Mom*togs!

The templates are to be used with Photoshop and are fully customizable (colors and text) and very easy to use (you can watch a tutorial here).  The Baby’s First Year Album is perfect for recording stats and writing letters to your little boy.  It’s a great keepsake to enjoy for years.  Here are a few of my favorite spreads:

The Baby Boy Line is 25% off through Thursday, April 26.  Be sure to check out the coordinating templates!  They are all SO cute!