Tag » event photographer Archives – Pikku Arkki Valokuvaus : Little Ark Photography « : Pikku Arkki Valokuvaus : Little Ark Photography

Jan

30

Starting Out: Backlight

A few people have asked about backlight recently, and since I a) try to answer questions from my loyal readership and b) am happy to find an excuse to look over photos from when there was actual LIGHT to backlight photos because it gives me hope that there will someday, once again, be light in this country- I thought NOW would be an excellent time to talk about backlight.

Backlight is exactly what it sounds like- lighting your photo from the back. It means shooting INTO the sun. It means your background might be rather bright, but your subject is lit well.

Here are some examples:

Some benefits of backlighting your photos:

1. If your subject is looking at you, then they are facing away from the sun. No squinty eyes from looking INTO the sun. Lovely, natural faces.

2. Beautiful pastel tones.

3. Convenient. There isn’t always a huge rock or building to provide open shade. You don’t have to put away your camera just because the light is too intense. Just backlight.

Jose Villa- a brilliant, brilliant photographer- takes it one step further when he backlights. He tries to get something behind his subjects to break up the sun- branches from a tree, a fence, whatever. Just so the backlighting isn’t so dramatic.

For instance:

Things to remember when backlighting your photos:

1. You need to expose for the face. You need to expose for the face. YOU NEED TO EXPOSE FOR THE FACE. This means that no matter what is going on in the background- no matter how bright it is- the subject’s face needs to be properly lit. If your subject’s face is too dark, it’s just not going to look good.

2. Sometimes properly exposing for your subject means you have to sacrifice the background, which is something I don’t mind doing AT ALL. For instance:

The sea is behind my groom. But because I wanted his face to be well lit, I had to sacrifice the blue of the sea. I don’t care. I love my groom. He looks great. I’d sacrifice the sea again in a heartbeat so he’d look good.

(Sidenote: if you want both to be exposed properly, you’d use your flash or a reflector- great if you can find a natural reflector like pavement or sand. But that’s a whole different post, because now I’ve just confused you, haven’t I?)

The way to make sure your subject is lit properly is switch the settings on your camera to SPOT METERING. Look it up in your manual. What SPOT METERING does is it gauges the light of your focus area. It doesn’t matter if it’s bright as the Fourth of July behind your subject- it’ll sense the light reflecting off of your subject only. That way the face will be properly exposed no matter what the rest of your photo is doing.

I hope I’ve answered more questions than I’ve created with this post. If anything is unclear, you know where to find me!

Posted by sarah | 1 comments

Oct

16

Reconnecting

Life Through a Lens

The theme of this trip has been “reconnecting.”

Finding people that I haven’t talked to in two, five, seven, ten years- talking about the past, catching up on the present.

Hearing their stories.

Celebrating their strengths.

Rocking the karaoke.

That totally happened.

Posted by sarah | 2 comments

Oct

09

The second first birthday party

The one where jetlag caught up with him and he couldn’t even enjoy his birthday cupcake.

The one where the wind threatened to blow out the candle before ~~Benjy~~ Henry could do it.

The one where Benjy ate a peanut butter and jelly sandwich

And turned into the Joker from Batman.

Only 346 days to plan until his next birthday party.

Posted by sarah | 1 comments

Oct

05

Friday Night Lights

Benjy / Life Through a Lens

Last Friday night, I showed Benjy what it means to be an American high schooler when I took him to his very first high school football game.

We watched the Mighty Dobson Mustangs nobly battle the Mesquite something-or-others in an epic battle of good an evil. In this case, as was the case when I went to school at Dosbson, the epic battle ended with Dobson THRASHED. We left at the end of the first quarter, when it was 19-0 Mesquite.

But BEFORE we left, we saw a great many exciting things.

We saw Mesquite’s Homecoming Queen flown into the game on a helicopter (let me tell you, that sure didn’t happen when I was in high school).

We saw fireworks after every Mesquite touchdown (also DIDN’T happen when I was in high school).

And, most importantly of all, we saw the Dobson High Marching Band rock on with their awesome pre-game show.

And, really, as much as I love football, I was there to see the band.

Benjy had a great time, impressed all with his undeniable cuteness, and learned a handy new sports phrase, “Come ON!” since I was shouting it just about every three seconds.

Fun had by all.

Posted by sarah | 3 comments

Sep

27

Starting Out : Go, team, go!

Starting Out

Last weekend I had the honor of attending Jake’s flag football game. Imagine, if you will, total chaos. Kids running helter skelter, willy nilly, this way and that way, round and round all while their parents, coaches, siblings, and friends cheer them on.

And photograph them.

The average, I’d guess, was 10 cameras per kid.

Of course, I was also there with my own camera. My own camera and my own two kids for whom I was the sole responsible adult. And although my camera is a fancy one, I don’t have a zoom lens- I have portrait lenses, so it wasn’t as if having a fancy camera alone was going to produce better pictures (Side note- having a fancy camera alone NEVER guarantees better pictures. If you don’t learn how to use your fancy camera, you should save your money and stick with a point and shoot. Point and shoots are actually excellent cameras and super small, so you’ll always have them with you. And a point and shoot maximized might actually perform a fancy camera that has gone un-maximized. And now on with the show).

So although Jake isn’t actually my kid, I definitely had the “photograph my kid whilst watching my other kids with an inadequate camera” experience.

I thought I’d pass on my tips.

#1- Get down to their level. Remember this Starting Out Post? Yeah, it’s no less true with sports events. Don’t tower over them. Kneel down, get at their eye level and start photographing.

#2- Position yourself in the good light and wait for them to come to you. Henry was STRAPPED TO MY CHEST. And I had to keep Benjy in my line of sight on the sidelines. There was no way I was going to be able to run around, chasing the action. Plus, by the time that I would be able to find the right light, adjust my settings, and then take the shot, the action would have long been over. So, I simply walked over to the good light (in this case , they needed to be backlit. Remember how unflattering direct sunlight is…), knelt down and waited. It didn’t take long before they were running willy nilly in my direction.

#3- Get close. You’re not going to be able to see anyone’s face in the photo if you sit waaaay back in your folding chair. Get as close to the action as you’re allowed.

#4- Quit while you’re ahead. Seriously? Five minutes of photos will do it. It’s enough time to get the idea- kids running around, having NO CLUE what they’re supposed to be doing, all while being ridiculously adorable. Twenty frames’ll do it. Then sit back, grab a Capri Sun and enjoy the rest of the game.

To book you’re own Starting Out Seminar, email me at sarah (at) pikkuarkki.com . There are still spots available for this Saturday’s Starting Out Seminar in Chandler, Arizona.

Posted by sarah | 0 comments

Aug

22

The Embassy Do

Benjy / Life Through a Lens

Finland is small.

Seriously small.

Arizona is more populated than the nation of Finland.

But, really, that’s what I love about this country.

Its small size makes it a) really fun to root for in the Olympics, because each medalist is revered, b) easy to use its national language as code when traveling abroad, c) highly likely you’ll run into celebrities at your local cafe, d) possible to get invited to fun parties at embassies.

Now, I don’t know about you, but I’ve never been to an embassy party in America. Those seem reserved for the creme de la creme of society. But here in Finland, we normal folk can just wander on down and throw a barn dance at any given moment.

Okay, not quite. But the party held at the British Embassy yesterday afternoon was the eighth event held at an embassy that I’ve attended.

It was a summer fete held by the British Women’s Association and it was idyllic as it sounds.

I took a whole lot of photos, and I love them all. Unfortunately, they’re of children. And I don’t know their parents names let alone how to find them to ask permission to use them in my blog. I’m sorry for you, because they’re really cute. Wheelbarrow races and everything.

BUT.

I can show you some photos of the bake sale!

Unfortunately, we got there hours after it had begun (thwarted by naptimes once again), so the bounty wasn’t quite as plentiful as when it began, but really, it was all lovely.

Oh! And I can also show you a photo of one little boy whose mother wouldn’t mind AT ALL if you admired him on this blog.

If he isn’t the sweetest baseball player ever to walk this green Earth, I don’t know who is.

Posted by sarah | 3 comments

Jul

04

Happy Fourth!

Henry / Life Through a Lens

Booze in a bag?

Pulled pork sandwiches?

Cute kids in sunglasses?

Red, white, and blue everywhere?

And I do mean EVERYWHERE?

Must be the fourth of July. Nothing screams independence from the British quite like a good old fashioned backyard barbecue. Especially one that takes place in a Finnish National Park.

It was a WONDERFUL evening cut too short by a baby melt-down (here’s looking at you, Henry). Next time we’ll leave the kids at home- that means more American treats for us! :)

Posted by sarah | 2 comments

Jun

17

Early Bird Special!

Remember When

Here’s the thing- July is a madhouse in the world of photography here in Finland. It’s the one month with guaranteed sunshine (okay, as guaranteed as it gets in this Northern climate), it’s a time when people have off of work so they’re free to spend a couple hours in front of my camera, the city is gorgeous- don’t get me wrong, I understand why people want sessions in July.

But it seems that June will now be a month of guaranteed sunshine (in case you Southerners are wondering, June is usually cold and rainy. Yes, this is a tough country to bear sometimes). And the city is already beautiful!

So! Why not spend an evening in front of my camera in June instead of July! It’ll make my life a bit easier come that crazy, crazy month.

Just to sweeten the deal, to give you a bit of incentive, here’s my Early Bird Special for ya’ll.

All portrait sessions booked for June get 50% off the sitting fee. That’s a pretty sweet incentive, people!

Contact me at sarah(at)pikkuarkki.com with any questions or to book your session. I’m excited!

Posted by sarah | 1 comments

May

15

Family Photographer: Four generations

Remember When

Let me tell you how much I love my job.

I love it. A whole lot.

For a few hours, I get to insert myself into another family. I get to meet people I’d never otherwise meet. I get to hear their stories. I get to eat their good food (not too much of it, of course. I am on the clock afterall). I get to capture an afternoon where four generations across 2 continents and four countries meet, mingle, catch up, reminisce…

and love. Always love.

Thank you, family, for being so welcoming. I had such a wonderful afternoon.

Posted by sarah | 2 comments

May

13

Preview: Something different

Remember When

Today I photographed a beautiful, intimate family party. In fact, its beauty stemmed from its intimacy. But I’ll talk more about that when I post the full session. Right now I’m going to post a preview. And before I do that, I’m going to talk about something technical.

Shooting a party is different from a family session in pretty much every way possible. If I arrive at your house for a family session, you can be pretty sure it’ll take you a week to put your furniture back in order. I’ll move your sofa, your lamp, your drapes, the toys. I’ll change your comforter, rearrange pillows and blankets. I’ll strategically place books, food, flowers. You get it- I’ll take over.

But a party. A party is a different bag altogether.

I approach a party differently- I photograph it AS IS. This is because I try to become an observer. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I talk to my subjects. A lot. A whole lot. About life- theirs and mine. But I don’t ask them to please move here into better light, I don’t rush to close the drapes or open them, I don’t arrange furniture or interrupt conversations (well, not unless it’s REALLY necessary). I feel like my job at a party is to let them worry about enjoying themselves while I worry about working around harsh light, physical obstacles, and focal lengths.

This means parties are much more difficult than normal portrait sessions.

But in the challenge lies room for growth.

I can’t ask them to back up, tell that joke again, and all laugh just as they did right then, this time with my correct camera settings. So, it forces me to 1.) learn how to change my settings faster and 2.) work with the photo that I’ve taken when I get back to my computer.

This particular session, however- perhaps inspired by the BW high contrast documentary photography in Shutterbabe, perhaps inspired by this photo taken by Benj Haisch (he’s a photographer that I follow and admire, but wouldn’t really consider a soulmate when it comes to my style):

and definitely inspired by a 1950′s feel- I found myself loving photos that are definitely NOT my normal style.

They’re rich in contrast. They don’t necessarily show a whole face. They’re definitely black and white images. They’re more artsy than my normal style. But somehow I’m drawn to them.

Especially this one- he’s waving good-bye to his Great Grandma.

They’re really, really different from what I normally present to my clients. Will they like them? Will they order them? I honestly can’t say. But I love them. The more I look at them, the more I love them.

I don’t think I’ll purposely change my style in the future, but I think it’s exciting to know that I’m capable of surprising myself.

I’ll post the full shoot summary very soon- and it WILL be my normal style. I just wanted to share a bit before I head off to bed.

Happy Friday!

Posted by sarah | 1 comments

I wish you love

30

Starting Out: Backlight

16

Reconnecting

09

The second first birthday party

05

Friday Night Lights

27

Starting Out : Go, team, go!

22

The Embassy Do

04

Happy Fourth!

17

Early Bird Special!

15

Family Photographer: Four generations

13

Preview: Something different

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