An 8×10 is not a wall portrait…and size does matter

It’s fun to surf Facebook and see what other photographers are up to and I like to promote other photographers by blogging about them and what they are doing.

Yesterday, I found a side by side photo of a gallery wrapped canvas mounted on a wall. The first pictures shows an image that is not 8×10, but is even bigger. It is an 11×14 print. Some would be so impressed that they invested in such a large wall print, that is what they are thinking. But, as you can see this 11×14 portrait is way undersized for the place selected for the image. The photograph next to it shows what a 30×40 gallery wrap looks like in the same space. Now we are talking. The image fits the space.

This picture is a great idea to help people see that an 11×14 is really a very small image depending on the space that it will be displayed in. The 30×40 portrait matches the space much better.

Meg Bowman Photography does lots of small children, but she also seems to work with seniors and wedding photography as well. If you live in Wooster, Ohio visit her web site and be inspired by her work.

http://www.megbowman.com/

Here is her Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/MegBowmanPhotography

Some very cute baby portraits for inspiration – SKNY Photography

Just sharing this as inspiration. I thought this was an outstanding baby session including the photographs of the big sister and mom with the baby as well. This is not my work. If you click on the image you should be taken to the photo album where there about 5 more rows of pictures to enjoy.

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150359065314144.366005.666189143&type=1

I ran across this photographers personal profile and photo albums while looking around on Photographers Unleashed a place to share and grow and make mistakes together. http://www.facebook.com/groups/photogsunleashed/

Unfortunately I could not find her Facebook business page or web site. If she sees this, perhaps she will email it to me so I can add it to this post.

Fall portraits with color for seniors and families and children

Gone are the days of 95 degree heat with 90 humidity here in the Dayton area. Suddenly the crops and the trees are showing us that fall is here with small bursts of color. Because of the heavy rains over the last two weeks, the grass is all greened up again too. Good grief, I had to mow my grass twice already even though its cool outside.

Time for fall portraits with horses

If you have a horse and you want fall portraits, act now before they start getting their heavy winter fur. Actually, I’ve seen many great portraits with horses and their human companions when they have their winter coats. Cool evenings make for some more interesting clothing choices like sweaters and scarfs and hats. Perfect weather for something different for senior portraits as well with furry hooded coats, scarfs, and long-sleeved sweaters.

    

Time for family group portraits

Cool evenings make for some good family group portraits. However, the days are shorter so scheduled times are more limited.

Like the slogan of a major manufacture of athletic shoes

I was just talking to a woman today about having some portraits done. She has seen my work and knows she will love her portraits, but she dreads having her picture taken. My job is going to be to get her to relax and enjoy herself so that I can capture, not the stiff and fearful person, but the wonderful outgoing person that I know her to be. She even was considering canceling her session, but with some gentle prodding, and the “JUST DO IT” attitude she is going forward with the session.

So many families have very few portraits of themselves in relaxing outdoor environments and enjoying each other. Is it time for you to “JUST DO IT!” ? Time moves so fast in families and in no time you kids are going to be going off to college and starting their own families.

  

Peter DeMott Photography • peter@photosbypdemott.com • 937-478-6222

 

 

Outdoor child portrait session – Children have such cute expressions

I had a lovely time with Susan and her three children at one of Dayton’s Metro Parks, Cox Arboretum. Since my wife Patty was out of town, I posted a note on Facebook indicating that I wanted to do a child portrait session that evening and that I needed some practice interacting with children and taking their portraits. With a discounted session fee, a teacher friend of my wife named Susan gave me a call. It was a deal. Meet me at 7pm and we will take a walk through the park and find places to take portraits of each of her children. Mike, Susan’s husband showed up a bit later as we continued through the park.

For sessions like this it always seems that if I stay alert, there will be exceptional candid moments. Here Susan whisked Joseph (age 2) into her arms and headed toward me and Lucas who were ahead about 30 feet. I was able to act quickly and fire off a couple shots and got this one. These are the truly special images as they are completely natural. More to come.

Casual family portraits and high energy little boys

I did some casual portraits for a family I know. They have two lovely girls and two young boys who were full of energy at the time of the session. I’d rather have high energy than tired and grumpy, but we had to come up with a way to focus their energy so that we could capture them in the portrait.

I asked Chris if he horsed around with the boys sometimes and after he said yes, I organized the family (without the boys) on the sofa. Then I told the boy, go climb on dad which the gleefully did do.

You can see more portraits from the session here: http://pdemott.smugmug.com/Portraits/Chris/15809800_umdxb#1185311621_CJQKu

• Peter DeMott Photography • Dayton, Ohio • peter@photosbypdemott.com • 937-478-6222

Baby Maria portraits with Mark & Molly

Molly and I had tried to set up a time for maternity portraits with her and her husband Mark at Cox Arboretum three months ago, but things did not work out. But, now, three months later we set up a time to take some pictures of both Mark and Molly and with baby Maria. Cox Arboretum is one of the Dayton Metro Park. I was a little concerned that fall would come with a cold front and we would not be able to do any naked baby portraits. But, we have been having a very hot September and although the sun was going down, it was still warm and comfortable for the baby.

I explained to Molly that this might take a while and that I would be as patient as was needed so that she could feed Maria when needed and have her settle down. To get the best portraits I wanted time for mother and daddy and baby to relax and just enjoy each other. We did portraits of just Maria and also Maria with daddy and Maria with mommy.

Molly was particularly happy with the pictures of all three of them together.

I added some GLOW to this portrait.

First year is a very fast changing time. I talked with Molly and we agreed to have portrait sessions at 3 months, 6 months, 9 months and 1 year. Because this is such a critical time, I suggested that my regular location portrait session fee of $95 would be the fee for all four sessions combined. Molly was delighted with the portraits and you can see the rest by going to the gallery here: http://pdemott.smugmug.com/Portraits/Mark-Molly/13886590_ZAwvY#1018698211_52SXK

For children a photo session can be a play time

These are some portraits that I created Monday evening. Rather than take an energetic little girl and try to stifle her joy and excitement in play, I was able to let the parents encourage her to play and capture moments and natural expressions. My wife said, “Wow, look at those eyes!” After she ran around in this dress she went and pet our horse. Too cute!

If you would like a play session portrait session for your child, please give me a call and we can have a phone consultation to discuss your ideas to capture the true nature of your young one. The session can be here at our farm, at any near by park, or at your own home. Dayton, Oakwood, Centerville, Springboro, Fairborn, Huber Height, Vandalia, Englewood, where ever you are we can set up a time that works for you and for me.

Peter DeMott

937-478-6222

Trails End Equestrian Center Barn Door Mini Sessions at DLSC show

These are  a couple young ladies that I hope will become the subjects of some of my senior portrait sessions with horses. These are from mini barn door sessions that I took while at the horse show at the Trails End Equestrian Center which is a couple miles down the road from my home.

It’s fun to get professional portraits of kids with horses. At these shows and stables, kids can enjoy horses in a very controlled environment that is fairly safe. Kid’s, children and horses, with great smiles, you can’t beat that.

Sometimes I shoot the local horse shows in the DLSC (Dayton Local Show Circuit). Here are the participating farms:

http://www.trailsend.biz/dlscorgs.html

and the schedule of shows

http://www.trailsend.biz/dlscshows.html

Participating Farms and Stables Listed here. Come and join the fun.

Dancing Horse Farm – Lebanon – 513-933-0343

Greenstone Stables – Germantown – 937-859-1835

The Riding Center – Xenia – 937-767-9087

Shelby Farm – Centerville – 937-886-9230

Stillwater Pony Club – Beavercreek – 937-426-9443

Trails End Equestrian Center – Dayton -937-835-5062

Wetherbrook Farm – Waynesville – 937-885-6328

Whitehouse Stables – Sidney – 937-492-3831

This post will appear on my web site: http://www.photosbypdemott.com It will also appear on my facebook personal page and my facebook fan page along with a post ontwitter. I am a portrait photographer in the Dayton, Ohio area specializing in on-location portraits of seniors, families and children. I also have a specialty in equine (horse) photography and will come to your farm or stable for your session. If you like my style I encourage you to follow me in any or all the above mentioned areas. If you are a photographer, I enjoy networking with other photographers both professional and amateur.

Senior Portraits in Snow, Horse and Rider Portraits in Snow & Family and Kids in Snow

Gray and dreary outdoors here in the Dayton area. I cannot wait for Spring and the blossoms and new green foliage.

Right now in the Dayton area, there is not much snow. However the first weeks of February can be unpredictable and we could have what West Virginia is digging out of any time in the next several weeks (first three weeks of February, that is). As it is now, we have nothing but gray and it does not make for beautiful outdoor portraits.

BUT, if the snow flies again consider professional on-location outdoor portraits

If we do get a big dose of snow in the coming weeks, I just want you to know that I am available to take Senior Portraits in Snow. I’ve recently posted some snow portraits with horses along with some tips on how to get great snow pictures and portraits. Lots of white snow is NOT a time when you can just trust you camera to make the right decisions. If you want to take your own pictures in the snow, review my previous posts to get some good ideas, but it you want professional on-location snow portraits of your high school senior or your children (special family time portraits of mom and dad with the kids), don’t hesitate to give me a call when the weather man starts talking heavy snow. If you have a wooly horse that you want portraits with in the snow, I can do those too. If it works out, you will have extra special portraits, completely unique and fun to share. Call me at 937-478-6222 (Peter DeMott). IF the snow comes and IF someone takes me up on this offer, I will share some extra special and completely unique family portraits, senior portraits, or horse and rider portraits here on my blog.

If you missed my earlier posts with tips on getting good snow pictures and portraits with your digital camera, here they are:

http://www.photosbypdemott.com/2010/01/snow-snow-snow-taking-better-pictures-in-snow/

http://www.photosbypdemott.com/2010/01/taking-better-winter-snow-portraits-follow-up/

This post is on my web site and blog here: http://www.photosbypdemott.com . It will also appear on my personal facebook page where you are welcome to friend me: Peter DeMott . It will be on my Twitter account: pdemottphoto . And last it will show up on my facebook fan page: Peter DeMott Photography . You are welcome to share these posts and links with your friends in snowy areas, become a fan or friend or follow my web site by subscribing on the top right of my home page. Thanks, Peter DeMott

A telephoto zoom and kids / I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE natural smiles.

I have to say that I have always liked taking pictures of people with a telephoto lens. It is particularly great for taking pictures of kids with completely natural expressions. In this particular portrait I was at a competitive trail ride near Dayton during the vet check portion of the ride. This young rider is the son of Shannon Loomis. All her children are quite cute and this young man was waiting his turn to show his horse to the vet at the finish of the ride. Natural smile come so easily to young children when they are unaware of the camera.

When I do a kids portrait session there is nothing that can frustrate me more than a parent telling their child to smile. Sometimes this results in a completely unnatural pasted on smile that is unappealing. It is not the smile that comes from delight or finding something funny. It ends up being a false representation of the person. There are two things that can help with this. First it is important to instruct the parents that they may not instruct there children during the session. No instructions like, “Not that smile…you know the smile we want.” There is nothing that will cause a child not to relax more than a parent making them feel selfconscious about how they look or what they are doing.

And second I have had good success doing a “candid” session where the parent and the child play together and I tell the parent to just pretend they are alone and to just forget about me. With the telephoto lens I can walk about looking for those natural moments without being right there close to the action. I can be 15 to 20 feet away like I was with this portrait. As I have posted before (this blog appears on my website and on my facebook accounts) sometimes my best images of children occur in the first few moments or the very last moments of a session either before the children figure out that I am photographing or after we announce that we are all finished. Of course all these things depend on the age of the child.

Here is the young boy I mentioned in the paragraphs above – just too cute. One thing that you will notice is that in all competitive trail rides and endurance rides junior riders are required to wear protective riding helmets. In addition Shannon has protective riding vests on each of her children when they participate in these events together.

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Natural smiles.

This portrait was taken from 20 feet away using a 70-200 mm telephoto zoom lens using available light.

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