6 Days 'til Halloween - Fill The Frame

Six more days to photography the sights and sounds of Halloween!

Today, get in close. Fill the frame with your subject to leave the view NO DOUBT what your subject is. Whether your photo is a bit scary or super cute, step up closer and leave nothing but the subject in the frame. If you need to crop to do that...no problem, we won't even notice!

Check out my focus post at the DailyDigi if you are curious about just how close you can get!

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Don't forget to link me up to your photo or leave a comment and you'll go in a drawing on November 1st for a spot in Your Life: Captured Through The Lens, my most popular photography class. That means you can get up to 13 chances to win!

Your Life: Captured Through The Lens is a 6 week online, interactive photography course. We start class in aperture priority mode (the A or AV on your dial) and work our way to manual mode. Each class includes a composition method as well as technical shooting information.  You'll receive 6 pdf lessons and access to 6 videos in addition to two live online chats. See what Tracy Muilenberg, Debbie West, and Amy LeJeune have to say about class.

7 Days 'til Halloween - Not For Vampires

Holidays and events find us behind the camera taking photos of everything and everyone. But what about you? Are you in any photos or is that just too frightening?

Mirrors are the easiest classic way to get yourself in the photo. Try a little something different this time though. Don't cover your spooky self with the camera. Place the camera low and shoot into a mirror. It may take a few tries to get it right. Have fun with it, see what else you can get in the picture. Think Halloween. And you know what? You don't have to be in focus, just be in the photo!

50mm | ISO 4000 | f/1.4 | ss 1/100 

I'll assume you're a vampire if you don't take part in this challenge!

8 Days 'til Halloween - Dig Deep

Have a little fun with perspective with your Halloween photos. Make people look bigger by shooting low and wide. The lower you go, the larger they will appear. If you shoot super wide (the smallest mm number on your lens) you can exaggerate their height even more. This is one spot where point and shoot cameras can have a great advantage over dSLRs!

So, dig deep for your Halloween shot and show us your results!

ISO 4000, f/4.0, ss 1/40

I used Matt K's Ultimate Fighter preset in Lightroom because I'm in love with Lightroom and Matt K!

Show us what you dig up!

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Don't forget to link me up to your photo or leave a comment and you'll go in a drawing on November 1st for a spot in Your Life: Captured Through The Lens, my most popular photography class. That means you can get up to 13 chances to win!

Your Life: Captured Through The Lens is a 6 week online, interactive photography course. We start class in aperture priority mode (the A or AV on your dial) and work our way to manual mode. Each class includes a composition method as well as technical shooting information.  You'll receive 6 pdf lessons and access to 6 videos in addition to two live online chats. See what Tracy Muilenberg, Debbie West, and Amy LeJeune have to say about class.

9 Days 'til Halloween - On Location

The excitement is building in our house! With a weekend in the mix before the big event, it makes it perfect time for a location shoot!

Taking Ian out for a little fun somewhere that matches his costume makes him more cooperative and I'm always happiest with the background. So dress up the little one (or the dog or the big ones, whoever is cooperative), grab your camera, and head out!

Bats love hanging out at the cemetery.

A cemetery would be perfect for little ghosts, witches, vampires and other scary things. Find the oldest section of the cemetery for the best headstones. For our shoot we went to a historic cemetery from the Gold Rush Era about an hour before sunset. After a discussion about respecting the space, "mom what is respect," "why mom," "are they going to wake up," I let him explore. I tried to catch him at his natural moments with all of the costume on or just parts. Make it fun and you'll get the best photos.

Other fun spots might be:

Cleopatra  next to a river.

A little cheer leader or football player on the 50 yard line.

A little firefighter at the fire department.

Mario and Luigi in front of a pizza place.

Little bugs flying through a field of flowers or garden.

A little pumpkin at the pumpkin patch. I'd love to shoot a little pumpkin lined up with all of the pumpkins at the grocery store!

Harry Potter would be amazing atop a hill at dusk with just the blueish twilight glow behind him.

I can see Spider Man walking up the side of a wall. Position Spider Man below a window in your house, have him "cling" to the wall, shoot out the window as close as you can get to him at your widest angle. Oooh, this would be a fun shot!

Woody, Buzz or Jessie at the playground or near a train or stacked in a box with lots of other toys.

A little princess in front of a castle (I'm imagining our local Fairy Tale Town). 

I'm looking for a red velvet curtain and stage for  this year's photo of Ian!

What's your favorite Halloween location spot?

Behind The Lens: Deirdre Harger

I love sending the emails out for Behind the Lens. The reactions and responses are so real and so fun. Deirdre's words were what every teacher wants to hear, "some of my best shots are a direct result of what I learned in your class." I'm so appreciative of her comment, but do believe she came with her own great talent too! I'd like to introduce you to Deirdre Harger.

What sparked your interest in photography?

Mostly children and family and the desire to document our lives’ progression.  We got an EOS film camera as a wedding gift, and I started photographing our dogs and family members (always on auto).   Later, we got our first digital camera (a 3 megapixel Olympus) as a gift from my mother-in-law.  I finally progressed to a digital EOS but still always on auto.  As I delved into digital scrapbooking, I discovered “Get Me Off Auto” and “Capturing a Photo a Day” and then “Your Life Through the Lens".  Once I started to learn about exposure, shutter speed, ISO, aperture and all that other fun stuff, I was hooked.  

What camera do you use?
I use a Canon 40D 

What is your favorite lens?
My favorite lens is my Canon 50mm f1.8, with my Canon 70-200 f4 a close second.

What makes you happiest about your photography?

My photography makes me happiest when it captures a mood and sparks a memory so that I can feel that mood and moment all over again every time I look at the photo.

What have you learned from Your Life: Captured Through The Lens that has helped your photography most?

I love the way “Your Life:  Captured Through the Lens” explained technical elements of photography while also delving into the emotional side of things.  It taught me to try to find the little things in my life that will remind me of what I was doing that day, not just the big moments, but the everyday little things, and to be able to capture them in a photograph that’s pleasing as well.

What are your current photography goals?
My current photography goals:  I want my focus to be sharper.  I really want to just keep building on what I’ve learned through tons of practice.  I want to be able to view my surroundings in a unique way and capture that with my camera.   I also love viewing others’ work and I draw a lot of inspiration from that.  I guess my main goal is to have a meaningful visual memoir of our lives for my current and future family members and friends  I am fortunate enough to be able to go on most of my children's field trips, so I take a lot of photos that other parents really appreciate.  I also need to try to get in front of the lens more too! 


Thanks Deirdre for sharing your images and words. I love your take on everyday life.

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You can be a part of Your Life: Captured Through The Lens. The six week class begins on November 2nd. We'll explore  "shutter speed, ISO, aperture and all that other fun stuff" in a user friendly, step by step way. You'll finish class shooting on Manual mode and understanding how aperture and shutter speed work as well! You can take part in 13 Days 'Til Halloween for a chance at a spot!

10 Days 'til Halloween - Cut Off Parts

Focus on the unexpected today to create a bit of visual interest in your subject. The viewer doesn't need to see the entire costume to know exactly what he is dressed as!

In addition, you can see a visual triangle in this photo - from tip of his cape to his eye to the tie below his chin. Whether you have a triangle or simply emphasize a part of your subject, try a Halloween twist by only capturing a portion of your subject!

Avoid chopping at joints, it just isn't as pretty!

Happy Haunting!

11 Days 'til Halloween

Lightroom can help you make any photo spooky in three easy steps!

Grab a well exposed photo.

So let's Halloween this up now!

1. In the Develop Mode/Basics panel, slide Blacks to the right to make it slightly darker. It gives your photo that spooky edge.
2. Now add Matt K's Nostalgic Preset. (what? You don't have that?! It is my go to spooky preset! A Halloween must)
3. You can fiddle with your Blacks again to get it just right or go with what you've got!

It works with people as well!

Enjoy creating some frightening photos! I'd love to know if you have a favorite spooky preset too.

12 Days 'til Halloween

Today we are going to dig into our photos.

How many old Halloween photos do you have buried in boxes or  deep in the digital cobwebs of external hard drives? Once you find them, the challenge is to print them, scrap them, display them. Get them out of their purgatory for a few weeks to help add to your decor!

They might be four years old or so.

Or three years old

Or REALLY old. The choice is up to you! Yep, that's me with my little sister and brother. Seems we have a long line of pirate blood in our family!

Show us or tell us what you dig up and how you display it!

Picture Of The First Day Of School

Doesn't the first day of school need to be rewarded? It was huge and he ate almost the entire thing. School has given the boy an appetite!

13 Days 'til Halloween

'Tis the season to be scary!

Halloween is a big event in our house with a little boy who loves to dress up and partake of all things scary. Of course, the candy is a bonus too!

For the next 13 days I'm going to count down to the big event with a photo prompt. It might be a tip, maybe an idea, but each will prompt you to get out your camera and shoot! Then link me up to your take or leave a comment and you'll go in a drawing on November 1st for a spot in Your Life: Captured Through The Lens, my most popular photography class. That means you can get up to 13 chances to win!

Today's idea - Capture the Decor

ISO 400, f/2.5, ss 1/250

Decorations are such an important part of an occasion. We have ghosts, spiders, rats, and ravens around our house. Something new seems to appear every day. Go grab a shot of them, whether they are home made, purchased in the clearance bin,  or heirlooms passed down (do people have Halloween heirlooms...hmmm). We're keeping it simple too...just shoot. No worries. I shot fairly wide to leave the focus on just one frank, and leave you guessing what the rest of the stuff on my mantle is!

Ian and I made these fun Frankensteins, he likes to point out the bolts. The all important part of an Frankenstein!

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Your Life: Captured Through The Lens is a 6 week online, interactive photography course. We start class in aperture priority mode (the A or AV on your dial) and work our way to manual mode. Each class includes a composition method as well as technical shooting information.  You'll receive 6 pdf lessons and access to 6 videos in addition to two live online chats. See what Tracy Muilenberg, Debbie West, and Amy LeJeune have to say about class.

And So It Begins

Dear Ian,
Tomorrow is a big day little man. After taking an unexpected path, tomorrow you begin school.

You have so much to learn ahead of you. You will have opportunities to see the world in new and different ways, to fill your mind with knowledge, insight and understanding. I know it will be an incredible journey. I know you will rise to the challenges ahead of you.

Yes, it's early kindergarten, but there you will learn some of your most important life lessons and make friends perhaps forever. You will learn the value of play and community. You will learn to share and to listen and to color. Know that outside of the lines is okay by me. Curiosity is a good thing, please keep yours.

I hope you look back on these years and remember nothing but goodness, happiness, and joy. I hope your pants stay up and your shoes stay on. I hope you can leave your weapons at home and keep your imagination alive.

Oh, and remember its okay to say "Momma, I love you" and to give give me a hug before you go. And it will be for a very very long time. I don't care what your friends think :).

Love you buddy,

Mom

Boys in Motion

He is a mover. Lately he seems to have the most energy right before bed. What is that about? We're home today enjoying his LAST day before he goes to his new school on Monday. He's excited. My emotions are very mixed!

He's watching his favorite movie and I'm wandering around the web. In my wandering I found a fun blog, Home With The Boys. I just love her challenge today, Boys In Motion. Yep, I have one of those. 

This is absolutely one of my favorite photos. I love the motion, the joy and the silliness. It is completely him!

What is that you love about your favorite photos? Just wondering.

Capturing Life One Photo At A Time!

We are on LOAD Day #14! I haven't missed a day of capturing our stories. I am loving digging through photos and finding those with moments and memories I need to write down. I'm keeping it simple because, well, I have a lot of moments! And wow, does this boy love to make faces!

 Credits at DesignerDigitals

Credits at DesignerDigitals

On another note, I'm offering Your Life: Captured Through The Lens again! This is MY MOST popular class. I love watching people's skills develop through class and love seeing the bits and pieces of everyone's life. Early bird registration ends on October 19th!

If you've taken the class, what did you enjoy most? What did you learn that most benefited you?

If you've not taken it, what questions do you have about it? What's holding you back? ;)

I'll have a little something for two of you just for leaving a comment. 

Have a great day!

What Makes A Photograph Special?

What makes a photograph special? It might be the exposure and lighting. The angle you've captured. The  uncluttered background or the action you've stopped. It could be a small detail or the big picture.

Honestly though.

It's really about one thing.

A photograph is special when it means something to you. When it tells a story that connects the moment to your heart. When it stirs emotion. When it matters. To you.

So embrace the blurry, the compositionally challenged. The overexposed. The underexposed.

Embrace the connection to your heart.

That is what matters most.

We Have A Winner!

Thank you for all of the wonderful comments on My Three Lens Weekend Post! It makes me so happy that I can help so many of you capture the moments of your life. This will be a post I come back to every time I doubt why I blog!

Gloria from Bolivia, you are the winner of a pass to Your Life: Captured Through The Lens. Class starts on November 2nd!

Looking forward to seeing you in class.

For now, I'm back to LOAD. I'm having a load ;) of fun and truly can't remember the last time I felt this inspired to document our life! Here's a quick look at a few of my favorite pages so far.

Credits here and here

The Importance of Perspective

I've been loving creating this week for Layout A Day.  I finally did something with one of my favorite photos, but first, let me share the photo's evolution.

Ian and I have made a ritual of going to The Train Museum followed by a trip to "our" candy store. The nice one. The one that gives him two rolls of smarties at no charge or validates our parking for a small candy purchase. He loves to sit and eat his candies, one by one, saving the second roll for our trip home.

On this particular wet, February afternoon, he'd decided to carry his blanket in his backpack, you know, just in case he needed it. There is just something about a boy and his backpack. I snapped several photos as he intently ate each candy.

The first photo, just didn't capture what I wanted. He wasn't very pleased with it either, as his candy went rolling out of his hand.

The next photo, I changed my perspective, but faulted on the "from where I'm standing without moving my body" angle. It's rarely a compelling angle after the button has been pushed.

So I moved in closer, always a good rule of thumb. I wanted the candy sign, but really didn't want the Raiders jacket in the background.

I changed from portrait to landscape to create more space for the eye to travel, but still that silly jacket.

And then I found it. Moving in closer and to the side just a bit, I was able to block the view of the jacket. Cutting off a bit of the bottom of the photo, I could fit in the candy sign. Sometimes it pays to keep shooting until the perspective is right.

Credits at DesignerDigitals

A Three Lens Weekend

What a weekend! I used three different lenses this weekend, so you know we were busy!

Shea's car was stolen. With a full tank of gas, so I'm guessing it went a long way before we discovered it missing and the police report was filed. We are both sad and a bit disappointed (thank you yoga for taking the anger away).

We spent a marvelous Saturday (before realizing the car was stolen) with great friends. One of those all day unexpected extravaganzas complete with great food, conversation, and entertained kids! So thankful for wonderful friends. I got to try my hand at soccer photos for the first time!

I had a bit of fun. This is probably a little different than most parents want of their kids! It made me think of Tara Whitney's In Betweens.

Today was our annual trip to Apple Hill which, of course, meant a little stop at Jack Russell Brewery for a pint. Now fall can begin!

If you are stopping by from LOAD, welcome! Say hello if you have a chance! Everyone who does is going into a little impromptu drawing for a pass class to Your Life: Captured Through The Lens! Class starts November 2nd. Leave a comment by Wednesday 10/6 at 10PM Pacific time telling me what you like most around here! Not doing LOAD? Well, I guess I'll let you enter too :).

Here are a few of my favorite photography posts you might enjoy!
How To Photograph Meeting The Mouse
5 Ways to Photograph Active Children
Capture Context In Your Photography
Photographing At The Speed of a 4 Year Old
What If Photographers Posted Their Bad Photos
Don't Be Fooled By Bad Light

Stop by the TheDailyDigi where I write The Photography Class. You'll find some step by step posts to help you out.

Thanks for stopping by!

The Crazy Lady With The Camera

The Crazy Lady, originally uploaded by katrina.kennedy.

What's your guess of his opinion?

September Rejects

In an effort to keep it real, it's time again for my rejects! I had a few. 

You could call it arty, I call it underexposed.

This was a great idea in my head. Unfortunately bending over during yoga to take a picture doesn't quite allow for the best control over my settings.

And then, I went to the other extreme. Funny thing...it was the same day! Looks a bit like an alien abduction.

Again, with the underexposure. And for good measure, out of focus as well!

Perhaps the back of the lens cap? An important picture I'm certain. 

Can you see the bat? Yeah, I can't either.

Maybe, I should rethink the wide angle lens?!

So those are my best of my worst for September! I hope October is in focus and well exposed for you!

Sack of Groceries

I'm a mom.


After a five year stint I've finally come to grips that most of what I do is for someone else. Today I happened to have an exceptionally over demanding resident in the house who drove the point right through my heart. He's five, I'll forgive him. Tomorrow will be a different day. No worries.


But what is a distraught mom to do? I, of course, did what any mom would resort to. I drank picked up my camera. I picked it up just for me. No worries about settings or completing an assignment. Or composition for someone else. Just for me.

"Dad, lay my blanket flat and put me in it like a grocery bag."

Funny thing. He'd saved up his pure joy for the end of the day. How's that for a sack of groceries?

It's Going To Be A LOAD of fun!

Mollie was my randomly selected winner for a spot in LOAD!

Thanks for all of the great comments you shared.

I hope you can join us tomorrow!

Want To Join Me For A Load of Fun?

Have you heard about LOAD?

That's right, a month long challenge to create a layout a day complete with inspiration from Ali Edwards, Celeste Smith, Noell Hyman, and me! I feel a bit unworthy being in the presence of such great talent!

The focus for the October Load is the importance of story in scrapbooking. I loved sharing my perspective of story through photography with Lain. If you've not met Lain yet, you'll love her spirit and ideas. There will be lots of fun, inspiration, and a few give aways!

If you are working on a Photo of the Day project, this is a great way to get caught up before the holidays!

I've got a LOAD entry to give away too! Leave a comment here with a quick comment with your answer to my question and tomorrow I'll announce a winner! Comments close at 10PM Eastern/7PM Pacific tonight!

My question -

Which comes first, the story or the photograph?

Good luck!

I Heart Faces Week 38 "Smirk" Photo Challenge

Ian is the king of the smirk! This is his pirate smirk, not to be confused with his silly smirk, his coy smirk,  his mean grimace or his smirk value pack!

This is my clear favorite for this week's challenge at I Heart Faces. Stop by if you can, so much amazing talent there!

A Well Exposed Boy

It's been a while since I've posted my photo of the day. This was with out a doubt yesterday's choice. He was absolutely taken by the x-rays at the Discovery Space & Science Center. He turned the light panel off and on making photos a fun challenge.

So how do you get the right exposure in this situation? This is a perfect example of when Aperture Priority just won't work for you. Your camera will see all of the light from the light panel and your subject will be too dark.

Perfect opportunity for manual mode. In manual mode, I spot metered on his cheek since he's what I want exposed correctly. Once I've dialed that in then I snapped away ignoring my light meter since it was screaming at me that I was wrong. It doesn't know better!

Was all of this jibberish, but you want a similar result? Consider joining me on Tuesday for The Very Basics. We will explore all of the buttons and settings on your camera so you are ready to go for Your Life: Captured Through The Lens, where we'll go all the way with manual mode! Take a look here for frequently asked questions about The Very Basics.

Surrounded By Good Stuff

Feeling like my life is filled with good stuff! Ian and I are loving school. We've left the rigid curriculum we started with for an imagination infused free flowing one. He's loving it and flourishing! Big things for him in the last two weeks!

Credits and journaling at DesignerDigitals

Credits and journaling at DesignerDigitals

I was interviewed yesterday by Lain Ehmann for her October LOAD (Layout A Day). Loved getting to know Lain, she had me really thinking about how I take photos. So happy to be able to share my perspective with her and appreciate the moment to really reflect.

And if that wasn't enough! The Very Basics starts on September 21st! I love helping people capture their memories and moments. This class is ideal for the point and shoot and dSLR user who wants better pictures but knows very little about their camera. It is a great way to get ready for my most popular class Your Life: Captured Through The Lens. 

I have more, but I can't share it just yet! You may see it before I can say it! :)

Have a wonderful weekend. May you have a blessed day!

PIcture A Cure Photos

I had several requests to see all of the photos in my show this weekend. Here they are, set to one of Alma Desnuda's songs. I hope you can make it to the event, but if not, enjoy the music and the photos.

If you would like to place a bid on any of them, please send an email to katrina at katrinakennedy dot com. All proceeds benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Picture A Cure

In 2003 I started selling triathlon and marathon event photos to raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, a cause dear to my heart. It just fits that my first "show" is also a fundraiser for the LLS.  Twenty one of my photos will be sold silent auction style during the event. The photos are a collection of my life, the little bits and pieces, the parts we take for granted when we have our health and well being.

The child playing. The sunrise over the ocean. The edge of a cork screw. Snow on a tree, taken from the car. A sunflower from my garden. The gentle twist of a barbed wire.

Each photo will be displayed with a story. A story with meaning for me that will, perhaps, provide meaning for someone hanging it in their home. They are professionally printed with a linen texture and mounted on a 1/4 inch mat board. The printer did a beautiful job that I believe enhances each of my photos.

Here is just a small sampling of the 21. I hope people enjoy them as much as I do. I know you've seen some before, while others haven't been seen by anyone.

See something you like? Want to support a great cause? Send me an email (katrina@katrinakennedy.com) with your bid amount and I'll make sure your bid gets placed. If you are local to Sacramento, you can join us for the fun. Details can be found on facebook or in my The Thing About Photography post.

The Thing About Photography

If you begin to compare your photography to others, you can slide down a slippery slope of self doubt. The slope is lined with composition tips, processing methods, lens choices, and apertures.

The beauty of photography is the uniqueness to you. The moment you click the button, from an angle that no one but you can see. Yes. Someone could stand in the same spot once you are done. Maybe they can even use the settings you use and perhaps even your camera. But it won't be your moment. that is reserved for you. Uniquely and amazingly yours.

For several years I've wanted to share my photography through a gallery show. I've wanted to walk into a space surrounded by my moments, sharing them with the world. Surrounding others with the bits and pieces that have moved me.

I've been too afraid. Too fearful that others will look at them and not find them focused, or well composed, or interesting, or... You can finish that list with so many reasons. But if I come back to the moment, remind myself of my uniqueness, I find courage.

And then opportunity arrived.

I'll be sharing my photos this Sunday. Not in a gallery, but in a garden setting surrounded by great music and wonderful people. All for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, a cause so dear to me.

The band's name means Naked Soul. And on Sunday, I get to reveal a bit of my soul, a bit of the passion that defines who I am.

Are you interested in seeing a few of the photos I'll be showing?