This
is where I tell you to SLOW down and really look at your frame before you
shoot. Just like some people take a
shot to then review their settings and adjust, the same can be true of the
elements of your frame. Take a shot and
re-evaluate the frame. If you can identify
any objects that don't belong remove them.
If they can't be physically removed then it is your responsibility to
either move your subject or reposition yourself to eliminate distracting
elements from the image.
My
biggest pet peeve in my living room are my lamp and that recliner. I hate that recliner. No really, HATE. For planned shoots in the living room earlier
this year I would push it into the dining room or even the kitchen to get it
out of my living room. Now, my daughter
simply will not allow it. She LOVES
sitting on the recliner during the day.
There is no need for the lamp during the day so I try to remember to
remove it first thing in the morning. If
I forget, I usually remember when I am looking at the back of the camera
because it is quite an eyesore for me.
It is also pretty common to slide the coffee table over to the area in
front of the fireplace leaving a nice open space for Chloe to play in and a clean
frame for me to shoot in.
Here
are some nice clean images taken once the room is rearranged.
What
about the temporary items that are in the frame but do not relate to the
story? Typically these are toys that
Chloe was playing with and they don't play a part in my story. I have learned to wait until she leaves the
room to clean up the room, otherwise she literally walks behind me putting the
toys I am picking up exactly where I found them. I swear the kid LOVES mess.
For
this second image, the story here is that her old stroller has become her new
personal recliner. Admittedly there is a
lot of clutter in this image that does not add to the story. It was my anniversary and I just did not
want to clean the frame. This image
still tells a story, but the clutter is distracting. What about for you, do you ever shoot and leave the clutter?
Thanks for reading.
By
Colie James – Boulder, Colorado
Colie
is a storytelling lifestyle photographer based in Boulder, Colorado serving all
areas between Ft. Collins and Denver. She is an on-location photographer who
loves to tell the true stories of her clients, just as they are. She also
writes a weekly blog column for LIght Inspired sharing her own work and others. While her love of photography started long
before the birth of her daughter, Chloe, it has taken on a life of its own as
she strives to capture all of her own moments and now her clients. Colie
equally loves espresso, her husband of twelve years, James, and her daughter
who is two going on twenty.
remember the details.
children grow so fast. don't forget to document the little details. my son's dirty feet on the chair. just love.
get them all in the frame.
take lots of photos of your children all together. this is such a special time in their lives when they are home with you all under one roof. capture them in their world doing what they normally do.
let go of perfection. it will free you.
embrace the truth.
the raw honest to goodness truth. document it. it's ok, it always looks better in photos. (;
shoot what you want to remember.
i walked into my bedroom one night and my nightstand looked like that. evidence of sickness. baby girl burning up. this is the throws of motherhood. i want to remember every little bit.
embrace the camera
make a point to get in the photo yourself. it is never easy, but do it for your children. to them, you look perfect just the way you are.
evidence they leave behind in their wake
capture images without your children in the frame. things change so quickly. in the moment it is easy to be taken for granted, but looking back you will treasure them even more.
shoot what you see
what moves you. life is so full of wonder. close your eyes so you can see. it will come to you.
