Local children, family and couples photographer Sara Moon is hosting a “Taking Fantastic Pictures of Your Loved Ones” Photography Workshop on November 6th, 2010. Use the skills from this workshop to take your own family’s photographs for your holiday cards this year!

You should own at least an entry level DSLR camera, not a point and shoot. You should be shooting mostly on Auto mode and looking to expand your knowledge of how, when, where, and why to click that shutter. You should be looking for consistency and a little know how.

Topics to be covered:

Knowing your Camera (and the dreaded Manual!)

Using those symbols! Better yet, getting off of Auto mode!

 The Holy Trinity of Photography (Shutter, Aperture, ISO)

What makes a good picture, anyway? (the clothing, the surroundings, the “props”)

Composition 101

Lighting 101 (Turn OFF that flash for goodness sake!)

Resources for your Photography needs (What to buy, what NOT to buy, where to learn more, etc.) 

 What will NOT be covered: Editing (I have another class for that! It’s a BIG can of worms, trust me) and Starting a Photography Business

Date: Saturday, November 6, 2010 Location: The Woodlands/Magnolia area (still securing location)

Time:  9a.m. – 2 p.m.

Provided: Drinks and snacks   

What to bring: Your camera (charge the battery and bring memory cards!), your camera manual, paper, pens, a laptop (optional)

 Cost: $150 per person

Email me at saramoonphotography@gmail.com to secure your spot. $50 non-refundable deposit required to hold your spot.

 ———————————————–

Great Holiday Gifts (for you or a loved one!) 

One-on-One Advanced Photography Mentorships

 Advanced Shooting:  $400 (4 hours)

Where to find the best light

Using reflectors (natural and/or professional)

Styling your scene

Guiding your subject, not posing them

My favorite things to do while shooting (a whole hodge podge of tips)

Portfolio Review (I’ll look over your work and give gentle critique and profuse oohing and ahhhing.)

Your questions answered

Photoshop Tips and Techniques Add-On Class: $400 (4-5 hours)

The basics: Getting around Photoshop

Curves and Levels

Sharpening for Web, Sharpening for Print (and defogging, too!)

Correcting over and under exposed photos

 Color Pop,  Beautiful Black and Whites

Skin Beautification

Your questions answered

Email me to set up your mentorship!

Yee Haw! I will be hosting a “Taking Fantastic Pictures of Your Loved Ones” Photography Workshop on November 8th, 2009!
 
Topics to be covered:
::Knowing your Camera (and the dreaded Manual!)                                           

::Using those symbols!
::Better yet, getting off of Auto mode!
::The Holy Trinity of Photography (Shutter, Aperture, ISO)
::What makes a good picture, anyway? (the clothing, the surroundings, the     ”props”)
::Composition 101
::Lighting 101 (Turn OFF that flash for goodness sake!)
::Resources for your Photography needs (What to buy, what NOT to buy, where to learn more, etc.)
::Real models to practice on! Get ready for the fun stuff!

What will NOT be covered:
::Editing (I have another class for that! It’s a BIG can of worms, trust me.)
 
Date: Sunday, November 8, 2009
Location: Mason Road and Kingsland Blvd in Katy
Time: Tentatively 9a.m. – 2 p.m.
Provided: Drinks and snacks and me! (We’ll go next door to a bagel cafe for lunch)
What to bring: Your camera (charge the battery and bring memory cards!), your camera manual, paper, pens, a laptop (optional)
Cost: $150 per person

You may enroll in the class between now and October 31st. Please contact me via email or phone to sign up. Space will be limited, so don’t delay!

I wish I knew how to do the editing technique (second pic down below) correctly a la the image is found, but alas, I don’t. If anyone out there can give me a tip or two, let me know! Otherwise, this is the best I could do and I still love it.

Can’t believe how many great comments I got on the wedding pix redux post! Thanks everyone! Tracy and Jesse were awesome and fun and just as wonderful as they look.

Now, who wants to be my next victims???? I would LOVE to redo your wedding pictures for you! Call me

Hellooooo Blog Land!

A few announcements:

1. Do you have an Etsy or Ebay store that is filled with lackluster images of your products? I would love to help you spruce up your shop with killer pictures. Contact me for rates!

2. Do you take great pics of your family but want that extra kick that Photoshop can give your images? Contact me for rates! I love to play in Photoshop!

3. Want to learn how to take better pictures of your family? Want to come to a Sara Moon “Taking Better Pictures of your Family” workshop? I am on a “listening tour” (ahahahahaha!) to gauge interest. I have gotten some great feedback on a potential  class so please let me know if you are interested!

4. Do you want to start a photography business but don’t know where to start? Again, see number 3 above and let me help you! I want to share my knowledge with you!

5. Ummmm I think that’s it for now! More pics to come soon from a fabulous couple-only session – Kim and Mike! They are GORGE. As in ous.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

I wish Tracy were here to tell her story…well, now that I think of it…let her tell you why she wanted to redo her wedding pictures in her own words. She’s hysterically funny.

- we got married on a cruise. sounds romantic and cool right? um… not really. they married us in the DISCO. complete with 1972 carpet and hot pink curtains. wish i could say i was lying but i’m not.
- i was so stressed out before my wedding trying to plan a cruise for 90 irresponsible- just-out-of-college kids that i lost 12 pounds. sounds like every woman’s dream right? not so much when you are already on the skinny side. i kinda looked like skeletor.

There. Wasn’t that better than me being all romantic about it? But man, these pictures turned out AWESOME if I do say so myself. They are so cute (and healthy and athletic! which I would know n.o.t.h.i.n.g. about)

Meet Amanda and Steve. They were so easy to work with! Nothing fazed them, and I love how relaxed and natural they were in front of the camera.  Makes my job so easy! They’ll be first time parents very soon…

Doesn’t Amanda have great legs??? Another gorgeous mama-to-be.

Steve is an avid comic book collector so I wanted to work that in. I’m sure baby Joshua will take after his Daddy and love them too!

When Leigh offered to be one of my models for maternity she included a picture of herself. It took me all of 2 seconds to shout in all caps reply back to her with a resounding YES PLEASE. She is quite the stunner. Not only that, she was so friendly and easy to work with. And that was a good thing – BECAUSE HER CAR PROCEEDED TO BE BROKEN INTO WHILE WE WERE SHOOTING. We sort of watched it happen, mouths agape, saying surely this isn’t really happening. Surely, that complete scuzzbag lowlife  man standing by your car isn’t really taking your purse and calmly getting into the getaway vehicle in broad daylight??? Well, yes, yes he was.

Session over

Leigh and I had big plans that morning all ruined by that horrible incident. We only shot for about 20 minutes. Leigh took it all so calmly and got everything taken care of right away. I felt absolutely awful for dragging her out on a Saturday morning at the crack of dawn only to get her purse stolen. She was so gracious and not upset at all (at least in front of me!) Now that is the kind of person I am so lucky to have met and worked with. We’ll be photographing her newborn in a few short weeks! Stay tuned.

My personal favorite:

This was such a unique session. Jennifer called and wanted a very special family portrait to capture three generations of family. Love and laughter all around. Each person had a unique bond with the next. Just a complete joy to be around them. Thank you, E family!

They make a beautiful couple. Just beautiful.

Batten down the hatches…this is a long one.

Britney and Erik had a beautiful wedding. I am honored to have captured their day. Really, when I think of the magnitude of the pictures I took – that they’ll be showing them to their kids, and their kids’ kids. Yikers. It’s kinda scary, but such an honor. Britney and Erik both have impeccable taste. Every detail was just right and simple and perfect. My favorite thing about their wedding, though, was the music for the ceremony. They took a playlist right out of my head and dreams and used it to paint their wedding. I was actually singing along as I took the pictures, and feeling the songs right down to my core. The right music just does that.

I think I will probably split this into two posts…because there are so many special pictures.

Congratulations Britney and Erik! You are a stunning couple. (I’m going to do one more post of just B & E and their Mr. and Mrs. images…some of my faves of just the 2 of them.)