week 15 of the bethadilly 52 has us focusing on bokeh, which is one of my favorite things to incorporate into my images. this past weekend found me driving into the city for a newborn session in the early morning. as normally happens when driving through the center of the city, i found myself stopping and going, stopping and going, as the stoplights went from red to green. at every red light, i was inspired by all the lights from the stop lights to the tail lights on the cars to the lights on the buildings. there was also an early morning glow reflecting on the buildings as the sun kept getting higher and higher into the sky.
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by about the 3rd stoplight, i found the inspiration just too good and was digging out my camera from my bag in the passenger seat. i knew that i wanted to intentionally blur the entire image, to not only create some beautiful bokeh but to also give a soft and clever perspective on the concept of traffic. i find that i am constantly striving to photograph my everyday in a beautiful way and love when i am challenged by an idea that isn’t immediately beautiful. by quickly switching my lens to manual focus, i was able to intentionally blur this entire image by removing focus. i adore how this turned out, everything from the colors to the bokeh to the soft hint of the american flag on camera right.
to join in on the bethadilly 52, where we take one photo a week using the hashtag #thebethadilly52 on instagram, check out the prompt list.
The Bethadilly 52 Week 15 – Bokeh
.jpg "The Bethadilly 52 Week 15 - Bokeh | Bethadilly Photography")
this photo was achieved using : nikon d750, sigma art 24mm f/1.4 lens.
my settings were : ISO 200 | f/2.8 | 1/250ss
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to learn more about creating bokeh, be sure to read tips for creating bokeh in seconds.
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when it come to photographing things like holidays, i like to have a plan of photos i want to take and be as prepared as i can. holidays are something that cannot be recreated, so it’s something that i like to be really prepared for, in terms of photography. this year was our first year coloring easter eggs with our little girl. at just a year old, it really was a non event to her but it was important to me that i photographed this first holiday for her. while this year she sat quietly and curiously watched her daddy turn white things into beautiful colors, i am sure the years ahead will find her with easter coloring all over her fingers and calling out the colors as they come out of the dye. as you prepare to photograph this activity with your family this year, here are 5 photos to take when coloring easter eggs.
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5 Photos To Take When Coloring Easter Eggs
.jpg "5 Photos To Take When Coloring Easter Eggs | Bethadilly Photography")
1. The Before
i always like to get a picture of those fresh white eggs before they get colored. as you are laying out all your supplies for coloring easter eggs, don’t forget to take some photos of your preparations, including those fresh white eggs.
.jpg "5 Photos To Take When Coloring Easter Eggs | Bethadilly Photography")
2. The Waiting
i wanted to be intentional with color within these photographs, so we purposefully used clear mason jars to color our easter eggs in so our daughter could see the pretty colors from where she was sitting. it lent well to photography too, instead of using solid cups that you can’t see through from the sides. it makes waiting for easter eggs much more fun because you can actually see the eggs.
easter egg waiting minutes are like microwave minutes or christmas morning minutes…they are longer than the ordinary minute! be sure to take some photos of what is happening while waiting for the easter eggs to take color. is your child peering into the cup, looking for the egg? is a mess taking place?
.jpg "5 Photos To Take When Coloring Easter Eggs | Bethadilly Photography")
3. The Candids
the candids are always my favorite and my most cherished photos. while i do prepare myself ahead of time with photos i wish to take, i am intentional about never putting my camera down and photographing in between moments to ensure that i photograph those spontaneous moments. i love this photo above, as if our little girl is saying, “what now?” after we plop the eggs into the cups. it very accurately portrays this curious age and her personality.
need inspiration for designing easter baskets? check out how I avoided all the loud branding and i created a classic easter basket for my daughter.
.jpg "5 Photos To Take When Coloring Easter Eggs | Bethadilly Photography")
4. The Big Reveal
probably one of my favorite parts of photographing easter is when the easter eggs come out of the cups. if you have older children, be sure to be intentional about capturing their reaction when they see the eggs come out. for our little girl, she was really calm this year so the reaction was pretty minor because of her young age. as the easter eggs are being revealed, be sure to capture the reactions of your children and the eggs themselves as they are pulled out of the dye.
i decided to use my nikon d750 and my sigma art 24mm f/1.4 lens to photograph this activity because i felt that a wide angle would help me get more details within my frame. and i was so right! having a wide angle was really a game changer.
.jpg "5 Photos To Take When Coloring Easter Eggs | Bethadilly Photography")
5. The Colorful Finale
just like you took a picture of those fresh white eggs before being colored, be sure to take a photo of the eggs after as well. whether you photograph them back in their carton, placed in an easter basket, or in the hands of your kids, be sure to photograph their beautiful color in the end. when thinking of photos to take when coloring easter eggs, have fun with different perspectives and get creative with your angles.
.jpg "5 Photos To Take When Coloring Easter Eggs | Bethadilly Photography")
.jpg "5 Photos To Take When Coloring Easter Eggs | Bethadilly Photography")
.jpg "5 Photos To Take When Coloring Easter Eggs | Bethadilly Photography")
.jpg "5 Photos To Take When Coloring Easter Eggs | Bethadilly Photography")
.jpg "5 Photos To Take When Coloring Easter Eggs | Bethadilly Photography")
as you are thinking of what photos to take when coloring easter eggs, be sure to keep these 5 photos in mind to help thoroughly document your day. and be sure to set your camera down too, and live in the moment with your family. being present is super important, too.
check out my latest ebook, the everyday photograph. it’s a guide to seeing the beauty of your everyday!
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Letters To My Little One | One Year Old
.jpg "Letters To My Little One | One Year Old | Bethadilly Photography")
thursday, april 13, 2017
dear baby doll,
as i sit down to write this one year old letter, i am truly in awe. it seems like i just started writing these letters to you when you were just 20 weeks along in my belly, and now i am writing you on your first birthday. it just truly doesn’t seem possible that time can pass this quickly. i told your daddy that the years i spent praying for this family seem like yesterday and now here we are, as our family turns a year old.
you have a full on personality now and everything about you is uniquely you. the way you wave both arms when waving “bye, bye” and clap your hands whenever you hear us exclaim, “yay!” the way you stick your little tongue out when you are studying something or thinking. the way you throw food on the floor, even though mama is begging you to eat it instead. the way you crawl fast down the hallway, giggling as mama chases after you. they way your arms and legs move in excitement, all at the same time, when you see daddy after work. the way you put your head down on the carpet when the puppy comes near you, and then giggle when you kisses your face. the way you grab your hanging pajamas in your closet and sway them back and forth, back and forth. the way you always sleep on your tummy and only sleep on your back when you get too warm. the way you gently look at books, the paper kind, and love to flip through the pages. the way you absolutely, positively hate getting your face washed after a meal but absolutely, positively love brushing your teeth once it’s over. the way you crinkle your nose and purse your lips.
all of these things are so beautifully you. and we truly woudn’t want you any other way. how it is possible that we got so lucky with the sweetest baby? for all the mistakes we’ve made in life, we must have done something right to deserve such a beautiful blessing. you are truly our biggest accomplishment.
when it comes to food, you truly love peas, olives, cheerios, steak, potatoes, green beans and much more. when you first started eating finger foods you would eat well, but now you find more enjoyment throwing your food on the floor for the dogs. sometimes it can be adorable, but most of the time we are begging you to eat.
at 11 months, 7 days you went on a nursing strike for 5-6 days and were not very interested in nursing. while mama knew we were going to transition you to milk at one year old, it was still a little surprising to see your sudden disinterest. we took it as a sign that you were ready and after talking with your pediatrician, you were cleared to begin cow’s milk. we introduced it about a week later at 11 1/2 months, as mama really wanted to be sure you were close to your birthday. after your few days of the nursing strike, you began nursing like normal again, much too mama’s relief. while i know we will be ending our nursing at one year old, it is nice to enjoy the last times with you instead of being pushed away. while we are both ready, i will truly miss the morning feeds when i would come get you from your crib and we would cuddle and feed in mama’s room before going back to sleep for a few more hours.
at one year old, you are becoming a really good swimmer and have excelled so wonderfully since your first day at swim school. you really love the water and especially love splashing the water while we sing songs and kicking your feet in the water while you are sitting on the edge of the pool, waiting to get in. you also love to collect the duckies and put them into the basket, and have learned to drop them into the basket yourself now!
our days are filled with lots of play, these days. you are amazing at independent play and love to play with your blocks. you love taking them out of the bin and then putting some of them back in and you also love to spread your golden books all around your room. you get a lot of joy taking those golden books out of their book basket and tossing them on the floor; it is endlessly entertaining for you.
you are learning to pull yourself up and can get all the way up on your knees without help. we transitioned your play center into the table version and you like to pull up on that, but have yet to get up on your feet on your own. with help, you like to stand by the mirror in our walk in closet and look at yourself and you like to stand next to the ottoman in your room and pat the top of it. you are getting so strong and we are certain you will be trying to walk in no time.
even after a year, it still amazes us how quickly you learn and develop. one day you will be struggling to crawl and a couple days later, you will master it and crawl faster than we imagined. it must be all the good sleep you get each night that is helping you during the day. you are still such an amazing sleeper and sleep regularly for 13 hours each night in your own bed. and you are still napping, twice a day beautifully as well. if there is one thing we did right, it’s teaching you how to sleep well and we are so happy that you are such a good sleeper…meaning we can be good sleepers too! we are one refreshed little family!
last night, we began a new tradition with you. a frozen yogurt family date on your birthday eve. last year on april 12th, your daddy and i were sitting on the couch after dinner and all of a sudden thought, “let’s go on a frozen yogurt date!” it was so beautifully spontaneous and we weren’t sure exactly why we suddenly felt the need to go have a sweet treat, but we did. we were expecting you in three days and thought it would be nice to have one last spontaneous night out before you arrived. little did we know, we would meet you the following day. looking back, we always find irony that we suddenly had a last night date the night before you came. and now, we have decided it should be a birthday eve tradition. something we do every year with you. so last night, we buckled into the car and went for frozen yogurt.
as we begin your second year, it is going to be so much fun to compare “this summer and last summer,” “this fall and last fall,” “this winter and last winter,” and “this spring and next spring.” to see how much you have changed in one year leaves us unsure of who you will be a year from today. what we do know is that you are going to be a very sweet and smart little girl, who is very, very loved.
happiest of birthdays to you, doll. we love you more than words could ever express and cannot wait to continue this beautiful life as a family with you.
love,
mama
to read more about my journey with motherhood and mama adventures, be sure to check out the posts trending below.
one of my biggest photography goals this year is to not be so intimidated by light. i felt like i was limiting myself to only using really bright light which, in turn, was limiting my photography because the brightest light is only available during a few hours of the day. i have been personally challenging myself to step out of my comfort zone with my photography and try new things. and when this beautiful morning light fell onto our bed, i knew that my initial feeling of being very initimated by hard light meant that i must try and experiment with it.
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as photographers, i think we get in our comfort zone with styles and light. but it is also important to branch out, especially if we are not photographing a certain way because of intimidation. i think there is a huge different is not photographing a certain way because you don’t like to versus not photographing a certain way because you don’t know how to. for me, photographing hard light was something i hadn’t done much of, so it proved to be an opportunity for learning. in the end, i really liked the way the light played across the skin and created shapes through the opening of the window. while photographing in hard light may not be my go-to, it definitely has me curious on what else i can do with it and has opened the door to a little more though and experimenting with my camera.
to inspire your everyday photography, be sure to read the everyday photograph to get started.
Morning Light by Bethany Deschamp
.jpg "Morning Light by Bethany Deschamp | Bethadilly Photography")
this photo was achieved using : nikon d750, sigma art 24mm f/1.4 lens, and tripod.
my settings were : ISO 160 | f/2.8 | 1/1250ss
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taking a successful photograph has less to do with camera gear and more to do with how you point your camera and position yourself in relation to your subject. as you pick up your camera, photographing with perspective should be your ultimate goal. you can do this by getting creative with your angles and thinking outside of the box. photographing with perspective is one of those photography skills that comes with experience and a dose of trial and error. as you pinpoint your next subject, check out how you can encourage yourself to think through perfective when you pick up your camera.
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Photographing With Perspective: Using Angles To Create Stronger Images
.jpg "Photographing With Perspective: Using Angles To Create Stronger Images | Bethadilly Photography")
the photos in this post were achieved using : nikon d750 and sigma art 24mm f/1.4 lens.
.jpg "Photographing With Perspective: Using Angles To Create Stronger Images | Bethadilly Photography")
Practice Using Perspective
one of the easiest ways to practice photographing with perspective is with still life. whether you take a vase of flowers or a cup of coffee, set it on a table and begin photographing it in as many different ways as you can. experiment here! if the photo doesn’t turn out, the worst thing that happens is you delete it. the best thing that happens, is you learn from it. try photographing your object from above, the side, below, close up and far away. include your surroundings as you stand back and include details as you get closer.
.jpg "Photographing With Perspective: Using Angles To Create Stronger Images | Bethadilly Photography")
photographing with perspective is always really important when you are storytelling, or creating a story through your images. be sure to check out how i use photographing with perspective with my documentary photography, as i photograph my daughter waking up from nap. as you are photographing your subject, whether it be a person or still life, consider how getting closer or staying further away can create a stronger image.
the most important thing to remember about photographing with perspective is that your subject is staying in the same position, you are just varying yourself and your angle with your camera. photographing with perspective is not about moving your subject, it is about moving you!
.jpg "Photographing With Perspective: Using Angles To Create Stronger Images | Bethadilly Photography")
as i photographed this series of images, i was intentional about constantly changing my perspective by standing further away to include the vase and getting closer to include the delicate details of the petals. i was mindful to vary my compositions as well to put a unique stamp on each image. i tried my best to use a few different angles by photographing from the side and from above.
as you begin to consider perspective when you pick up you camera, remember that it’s all about experimentation with your camera. try as many angles as you can and you never know, you might just surprise yourself as you fall in love with your images. it could be the angle that you thought least likely to work that creates the most compelling image. photography can surprise you like that.
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need some photography tips + inspiration? check out what posts are trending below!
.jpg "Photographing With Perspective: Using Angles To Create Stronger Images | Bethadilly Photography")