Share the Love

Networking, don't you just love it?!  I get excited when someone shares a really cool product with me so I thought I would share something really cool with you.  I recently got connected with a company that takes your photo files and creates an upbeat video, somewhat like a movie trailer. Use this service to create a family video from shots you took on Christmas morning or use them to enhance your business advertising.  I personally plan on using this service as an added feature for my photography clients.  My seniors are going to love showing their personal video trailer during their graduation party.   

Check out this cool service by clicking on the featured link on the left side of my blog.  

Enjoy!

Make A Difference

It is Sunday evening and I am sitting in the San Antonio airport waiting for my flight back to Boise. I have been gone for ten days and am anxious to go home. In the past several days I have been blessed to be able to spend time with my son and daughter-in-law living in San Antonio, Texas, and to watch my daughter play in the NAIA National Volleyball tournament in Sioux City, Iowa. Both legs of my trip were fantastic and helped to fill that motherly void that often comes with empty nester's.

Last Sunday while in San Antonio I visited my son's church, BRCC (www.brcc.net). What a wonderful experience! Brcc has a great ministry, great music, and provides very thought provoking messages. The pastor mentioned something that really stuck with me: You can't change the world on your own, but you can help make a significant difference in one person's life.

Being the romantic, idealist that I am, I imagine that this quest might be dramatic and profound, as if the ground will shake in recognition of my unselfish deed. But I am guessing the difference I hope to make in someone's life will be subtle, maybe even unspoken. Maybe this difference will be through my photography, or my teaching. Maybe it will be during my trip the grocery store or to some stranger I meet during my travels.

If each of us share our talent, our kindness, or something as simple as our time, just think of what an impact this could have on our world. Think of what a difference this could make to someONE. So, I challenge US to be that someone who makes a difference.

Give Thanks

Turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, and cornbread stuffing.  Football, board games, and family traditions.  It is that time of year when we gather with family and friends, giving thanks for our many, many blessings.  

Today as I was preparing for our Thanksgiving meal I was reminded of how blessed I am.  My children, husband and I are healthy and enjoying our various endeavors.  I have been abundantly blessed this past year by the growth of my photography, especially technically and artistically.  I get excited thinking about 2009 and all that I will learn and experience.

At the same time I am humbled by the many that will go without this year, economically burdened and overwhelmed with what the future holds for them.  My prayers go out to each and every one who may be struggling right now.  I pray that your faith brings you comfort and strength, and that you will be open to receive the blessings that God has for you. 

From my home to yours, I wish you a very happy Thanksgiving!  

Ask Someone Who Knows the Answer

I once heard that if you want to know about something, ask someone who knows. That might sound a little simple but how often do we make ourselves vulnerable to really ask others for help?

On one of my earlier posts I spoke about my quest to become a better sports photographer. A few weeks ago while at my daughters volleyball game I noticed a photographer carrying around a massive lens. Guess what I did? Yep, I tracked him down and started asking him a bunch of questions about sports photography.

I found out his name was Steve and he worked for the local paper. His camera was equipped with a gadget called a slave (which I don't have) and it triggers four lights installed in the four corners of the gymnasium at LCSC. Steve gave me pointers on what camera settings I should have while shooting indoors (without a slave),where to stand to get the best action shots, etc. Steve didn't seem offended at my forwardness, in fact, he seemed flattered. Will this newfound knowledge make me a great sports photographer? Well, that remains to be seen, but I am now more equipped to understand what might work better in my sports photography quest.

So, the next time you want to know something, ask someone who knows. It will probably make their day!

It's all about Composition

When I made the decision to start a blog I thought it would be interesting to discuss various topics that might aid my blogger friends in their quest in becoming better photographers, or artists for that matter. I have taught art for over 25 years so I hope that my steadfast love for the subject might help you in your artistic journey.  

Today's topic is composition.  Hmm, we've all heard about it but what does it really mean? Webster might define composition as a means of 'putting together,' and can apply to any work of art, from music to writing, that is arranged or put together using conscious thought.  When I am taking photographs I am constantly thinking about composition.  Mainly, I am thinking about the placement of my subject.  

For years when I was taking portraits, my senior portraits for instance, I would use a vertical format 80% of the time.  I was conscious of my subject and 'vertical' just seemed to make sense. As my photographer's eye matured I began to see the bigger picture (no pun intended).  I began to see the picture frame in a whole new way.  Slowly I found myself using more and more horizontals with my portraiture.  The vertical is efficient in doing portraits, yes, but the horizontal, oh the stories it will tell. 

You have probably heard about the rules of thirds, how you should, "never put your horizon in the middle of the frame," but divide the space equally into thirds and place your subject somewhere in the third sections vertically or horizontally.  This does help the composition. But what if we go one step further?  Let's tell a story with the placement of our subject in the horizontal and play around with the placement beyond our rules of thirds.

So, let's see, perhaps the subject is entering the lower right corner, in fact, maybe just half of his face is entering the space. The background, or negative space, becomes an important part of the story.  The 'placement' can read a lot of different ways: confinement, intrusion, retreat, avoidance.  Ask yourself the next time you are taking a portrait: what significance is the background to my subject? The background might consist of brilliant colors, it might be an interesting textured wall, it might be a crowd of people.  What ever it may be, if the relationship is significant why not make it a vital part to your visual story.  

Visually play with your subject placement and you will discover a whole new meaning to composition.  By the way, sometimes it is okay to put your subject in the middle of the frame, it all depends on your intentions.

The Peterman Experience

You may remember the J. Peterman character on the Seinfeld series.  You know, Elaine's extravagant boss who owned a mail order clothing company.  Peterman would lavishly describe a Parisian trench coat as if it were the lead character in a French novel.  I actually saw my first Peterman catalog in the early 90's and remember thinking what a brilliant marketing strategy. The J. Peterman Company (non fictional by the way) engages their customers in an extraordinary experience through the description of a garment.  Peterman invites his customers to be a part of the experience," Come along with me and let's travel on this journey together."  

It is my aspiration as a photographer for my clients to experience something extraordinarily special.  Whether I am taking senior portraits, family photos, or children photography I want my clients to feel relaxed, engaged, uninhibited and most of all,  significant. Photography is not a job to me, it is a unique creative journey and I look forward to sharing this journey with you.

How to Get a Dog to Say Cheese

I never quite understood the connection people had with their pets. I was raised on a farm and had all sorts of animals: cows, dogs, cats, even a sheep once. I bonded with my cows but never had a strong connection with our dogs and cats. When my daughter was twelve she adopted an 18 pound cat from the Human Society and Fred Darling (aka Freddy or Frederick (when he's in trouble) is still with us today. He lives in the garage and roams freely on our two acres, is smart and stays out of trouble. I feed and water him, pet him occasionally, and carry on lengthy conversations with him while we garden.

This past summer I traveled to Kentucky to visit my sister. She has four small dogs and a huge 80 plus pound Rhodesian Ridgeback by the name of Chance. During my ten day stay something magical happened to me: I fell in love with Chance! Believe me, I tried to resist those sweet eyes and adorable personality but I was weak, he caught me off guard and before I knew it I was hooked!

To many of you pet owners, your animals are your family. So, why not bring your dog or cat for their own photo session, or how about including your pet in the next family portrait. The holiday is just around the corner, so gather all the kids, Fido included, and let me document this important time of passage. In the meantime I will bake up a batch of doggie treats!

Family Portrait Sessions

My most cherished possessions are the photographs taken of my family. I love looking at photos with all of us together. Sitting on my desk at school is a photograph taken the day I married my Jack. The six of us are making really goofy poses while dressed in our wedding best. Every time I look at that photo I giggle.

When was the last time you had a family portrait taken? Perhaps it is time. I would be honored to photograph your family. We can shoot by the river, on a mountain, downtown or in your own backyard. I promise to make your family portrait experience fun and memorable. Now, I can't think of a better way to spend an afternoon, can you?

Schedule your family portraits in time for the upcoming holiday season. You'll be glad you did.

2009 Senior Photo Sessions

It's that time of year when seniors are looking for that perfect senior photographer to take what will be one of the most memorable and important photography experience of their young adult lives.  Things have changed a lot since I was a senior.  In the late 70's all senior photos were taken in an indoor studio and it seemed so limited compared to now.  Here in the Treasure Valley, graduating seniors have a ton of options and are looking for a photographer that will help capture their individuality.

Senior photography makes up the bulk of my business.  I love, absolutely love, the creativity that comes with my senior sessions.  When seniors book a session  I ask them questions that will help me to understand their personality and interests.  I invite the senior to bring as many outfit changes as they like. The more the senior brings to the session the more creative I get.   I do not restrict the number of poses or number of locations.  It isn't about the watching the clock, it's about seizing the moment and feeding off of creative energy.  I have been taking senior photos since the start of my photography business and the rewards have been abundant. I get a great deal of joy helping each client look and feel amazing.  There is no greater reward for me than to see the pride on their faces when viewing their proofs for the very first time.  Now that my friends, is priceless!

If you know of any 2009 graduating seniors in need of a creative, fun photographer, please tell them about me.  My senior images can be viewed on my website:  Mona Oxford-Lyman Photography & Design at www.monaoxfordlyman.com.  

Camp RiverRun

I love children photography! In July of this past summer I had the honor of spending four days taking photos at the very first Camp RiverRun!  Camp RiverRun is a non-profit camp for children with medically challenging illness.  This year thirteen amazing children got to have a camp experience of a lifetime.  In turn, I had a life changing experience, as did the numerous volunteers.  It was truly  amazing and it gave a deeper level of meaning to my photography.

If you are interested in finding out more about Camp RiverRun, making a donation to Camp RiverRun or you are interested in volunteering, please click on the following link: www.campriverrun.org. 

Children photography has a new meaning after my Camp RiverRun experience.  Child photography is now one of my most favorite genres.  I am looking forward to the second annual Camp RiverRun next summer; perhaps I will see you there.

Every Winner has Scars

As a portrait photographer I use natural light as the majority of my photographs are taken outside on location.  I find comfort in knowing what type of lighting will work, what settings I need to use on my camera, and what effects I can manipulate with my lenses.  You know that "feel good", confident kind of place that we all love to be? 

Last weekend while attending my daughters college volleyball tournament, I thought it would be fun to take my camera and try out my new lens.  I played college volleyball and coached it for more than 20 years so I know the game.  I know the timing of when the ball reaches the apex and when the hitter will make contact.  I know the the sequencing of the passing, the setter hitter relationship, all of that.  But. . . what about the indoor lighting, or the ISO, or the proper shutter speed, or where to stand so I wouldn't get run over by the players?  I've got to tell you, I was stretched to the max and not feeling very confident in what I was doing.  Luckily for me there were two matches!

The first match is where I made all of my mistakes.  I didn't have the ISO high enough to compensate for the lighting in the gym, my images were blurry because my shutter speed wasn't fast enough.  I was a bit shy and I didn't move around so my images lacked variety.  I kept thinking, "Oh my gosh, I feel like I have never taken a photograph before in my life, and I call myself a photographer!?"  I made some adjustments in the second match.  I adjusted the ISO, the shutter speed, I got my butt off the bleachers and actually moved around to different places in the gym.  At this point I was still guessing, but hoped my adjustments would help.  When I got home I uploaded the images onto my computer.  To my surprise I was delighted to find that the adjustments that I made paid off.  In fact, some of the images were "kind of" good, for an amateur sports photographer.  

This week, challenge yourself to do something new and different, even if it feels uncomfortable. You never know what great things might be gained from the experience.

Every winner has scars.  

Herbert N. Casson

American Author

 

Realize your Worth

I had several hours of reflection time today while driving back from my weekend in Lewiston. As I was winding down Hwy 95, listening to my David Gray CD, I became overwhelmed with emotion. So much in fact, that my sunglasses began to fog up!

Have you ever had one of those moments that you feel abundantly blessed and thankful? Even in an insignificant way you feel you are in fact significant? That somehow your talents and contributions, no matter how small they may seem, make a difference to someone else. Today I was reminded of my worth and I gained a better clarity to what my purpose may be in this life's journey.

I challenge you to acknowledge your unique talents, what ever they may be. Embrace your uniqueness and realize your worth.

"The purpose of life is to matter, to be productive, to have it make some difference that you lived at all. Happiness, in the ancient, noble sense, means self-fulfillment and is given to those who use to the fullest whatever talents God or luck or fate bestowed upon them." Leo Calvin Rosten

Welcome Friends

 I had two goals this year.  One, to get my website up and running (www.monaoxfordlyman.com) and two, to create a photography blog.  Yeah for me, I have accomplished both.

So, welcome to my blog.  I thought it would be fun to share my photography journey with you.   I will be posting samples of recent photo shoots, lending some photography tips for all of you aspiring photographers out there, and  to keep you informed of new and interesting products/promotions  I have available through my photography studio.  

I am anticipating that my skills in this new blogging arena will develop as this wonderful journey unfolds, but like all new endeavors it might be a little slow going at first.  I am up for the challenge and excited for what is to come.  Until next time. . .