Week 7: Guilty Pleasure {ISO: In Search Of}

This week's theme is guilty pleasure. I find this challenge to be particularly fun. It will allow us all a little peek into each other's more private lives and what floats our boats!

Sadly, I have a lot of guilty pleasures but one of the bigger ones in particular are mimosas. While visiting Arizona, we took some beautiful and juicy oranges from my husband's grandparent's trees and made fresh squeezed orange juice for our oh so delicious mimosas. This mimosa was the best one I've ever had, it can't be beat!

So what's your guilty pleasure?

So, how do you enter?

Post your photo for the challenge on your blog/Flickr/Photobucket/Facebook. Unfortunately, if any of these are private, you will be unable to link up to us.

Make sure you link up to the ISO {In Search Of} blog! You can grab the html over there in the sidebar (or I also posted it below) and put that in your post and it will put our little bloggy badge in your post.

Come back here and "link up" to us using LinkyTools below.

Week 5 Winners! ISO {In Search Of}

I'm sorry this is late, guys, but I got back into town late last night and well, I'm sure you know how the first day home from vacay is... crazy.  So anyhow, I am HOPING that soon we can get some volunteer photographers to enlist and be our "judges" each week... any takers? Please?

I was really bummed I was out of town during this weeks challenge and had been excited to participate.  I had contemplated taking my iMac camping with us (oh yes, I did) but ultimately decided I wasn't sure I'd forgive myself if dust or dirt or whatever other fun camping things happened to ruin my iMac.  So, home it stayed where it was safe and sound.  And thus, aside from my iPhone, I remained pretty detached from the internet.

The participants this week did a great job.  I really enjoyed looking through everyone's challenge photos.  So without further ado.... the winners!

Water: This was a hard decision for me because everyone really had some great perspectives to their images and no two were alike!  There were lakes and ponds and bathtubs and even ice.... so many perspectives!

Leslie from L'espoir fait Vivre!  I was immediately struck by the beautiful colors in her photo as well as the glassy, beautiful crystal clear water!


Dream: Again, so many great perspectives!  However, I had to go with Rachel's photo.  The hazy, sunlit bride just beamed with so many dreams and hopes for her future.  Perfect!


Great job everyone!  Winners, don't forget to grab your badge!  Good luck everyone next week and I can't wait to see more entries!




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Week 6: Reflection {ISO: In Search Of}

Reflection is such a fun thing to play around with, I really can't wait to see what you guys come up with.

This one is pretty clear cut, it's clearly a reflection and while I wasn't being very creative here, I'd love for you to step outside of the box!

So, how do you enter?

1. Post your photo for the challenge on your blog/Flickr/Photobucket/Facebook. Unfortunately, if any of these are private, you will be unable to link up to us.  
2. Make sure you link up to the ISO {In Search Of} blog!  You can grab the html over there in the sidebar (or I also posted it below) and put that in your post and it will put our little bloggy badge in your post.
3. Come back here and "link up" to us using LinkyTools below.  

Week 6: Home {ISO: In Search Of}

What does home mean to you?  Is it the comfort of your own bed and your own pillow?  Is it a favorite spot hidden away from the rest of the world?  Is it literally a picture of your house?  Show us!  Join in on the challenge this week, come on, it's fun!

Home for me is anywhere this crazy clan is!  As long as they are there, I'm happy.

So get snappin' and link up!  

So, how do you enter?

1. Post your photo for the challenge on your blog/Flickr/Photobucket/Facebook. Unfortunately, if any of these are private, you will be unable to link up to us.  
2. Make sure you link up to the ISO {In Search Of} blog!  You can grab the html over there in the sidebar (or I also posted it below) and put that in your post and it will put our little bloggy badge in your post.
3. Come back here and "link up" to us using LinkyTools below.  

Week 4 Winners! {ISO: In Search Of}

Only a day late, but who's really counting, right?

This week's judging is coming from ISO Co-founder Michelle of Michelle Sauer Photography since Nicole is off camping in the wilderness right now!  I thought it would be fun to feature the two of us for the next two weeks.  I know there is an "about" section where you can learn about us, but today we'll be talking all business :)

I got started almost 3 years ago when my youngest, Bennett, was about 6 months old.  I owned a basic DSLR and I was itching to learn how to use it.  I practiced, read, read some more, practiced even more and enlisted all my neighbors to be "clients".  They were willing participants in my portfolio building and I appreciate all they have done for me.  I specialize in lifestyle (photojournalistic) photography for newborns, children, families and seniors.  Sometimes I throw in a few maternity and engagement sessions, but my passion lies in children.  I love capturing innocence and wild abandon.  No awkwardness coming from a small child and their eyes are still bright and clear.  Business has been good to me and I am so lucky to have this awesome job.  

So without further adieu, here are Week 4 Winners!

Flare 

Wendy did an awesome job on this week's challenge.  It was just stunning and oh so creative!  Great job!

Feet

Anne from over at FatJ is the winner here!  I am very biased when it comes to chubby baby tootsers but I just love how this is composed, and you can't resist the grass in between his little piggies!

Congrats winners, go grab your button and brag, you deserve it!

Week 5: Water {ISO: In Search Of}

Water is such an abundant thing on our planet, it should not be a difficult thing to photograph.  Water could be interpreted in so many ways; bath time, water skiing, sprinkler time, pool time and OH SO MUCH MORE!  

This shot also hails from my time in Hawaii (can you tell I love Hawaii?).  This was the catamaran we went snorkeling on, it would park right there each night and was such a beautiful sight as the sun was setting.  

So get snappin' and link up!  

So, how do you enter?

1. Post your photo for the challenge on your blog/Flickr/Photobucket/Facebook. Unfortunately, if any of these are private, you will be unable to link up to us.  
2. Make sure you link up to the ISO {In Search Of} blog!  You can grab the html over there in the sidebar (or I also posted it below) and put that in your post and it will put our little bloggy badge in your post.
3. Come back here and "link up" to us using LinkyTools below.  

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Week 5: Dream {ISO: In Search Of}

Dream.  The beauty of these challenges is they are wide open for interpretation.  When you think of "dream" what do you see?  Link up and show us!

When I dream, I dream of Hawaii, or some other beautiful tropical island.  Sipping coffee on the beach watching the sunrise.  It really can't be beat.  Even better?  Sipping a Mai Tai on the beach watching the sunset with the man of my dreams: the hubs.

My picture isn't technically perfect, but it brings me back to that very time and place and it was a true dream being there.

So, how do you enter?

1. Post your photo for the challenge on your blog/Flickr/Photobucket/Facebook. Unfortunately, if any of these are private, you will be unable to link up to us.  
2. Make sure you link up to the ISO {In Search Of} blog!  You can grab the html over there in the sidebar (or I also posted it below) and put that in your post and it will put our little bloggy badge in your post.
3. Come back here and "link up" to us using LinkyTools below.  

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Week 3 Winners!

This week our judge was the wonderfully talented Jessica from One Swift Click.

Not only is Jessica a Minnesota photographer but she also has a new venture called Lemondrop Stop Backdrops where you can purchase a HUGE variety of backdrops or floordrops for photography sessions.  I have a few of hers and they are awesome!  (Friend Lemondrop Stop Backdrops on Facebook!)

So now that we've introduced this weeks judge.... let's get to the winners!


For our first category, Sweet, the winner is Branson from My Reflection of Something!  Her series of images had us cracking up as the little guy enjoyed his sweet treat!

For the second category, Low Angle, the winner is Anne from FatJ!  She had a really unique take on this category and her picture is beautiful!

Congratulations, Winners!  Don't forget to snag a winner badge for your blog!

And thank you thank you to everyone else who participated.  Everyone had such creative ideas and perspectives on the challenge topics.  I hope you all are having as much fun with the challenges as we are!





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Flare Baby!

It's no secret that I'm slightly obsessed with sun flare.  In fact, I probably go out of my way to seek it out and most likely over use it.  But hey, it's only summer for so long here in MN so I go with it. 

Nicole gave some really awesome tips about shooting into the sun.  When you are just learning photography, you will most likely hear that you should never shoot full sun for optimal results.  In fact, it's literally drilled into your brain to find that open shade everywhere you go.  We are trained to search for the most perfect light as photographers and for most, that definition does not include full sun.  Not for me, that golden hour, right before the sun sets when the sun is big and bright in the sky is my favorite time to shoot.  Whether I'm shooting into it, or in open shade, it's beautiful.

I like how Nicole explained that you can get flare using any camera and any setting, but if you really want to bring your shot up to a whole new level, manual is a must.  Last summer I spent a lot of time shooting in aperture mode on my 7d and while I got the results I was looking for, I spent a good amount of time tweaking my shots in Photoshop to get them just right.  Now I shoot manual and my shots come out of the camera needing little photoshopping to get them right. 

What do I mean?  Well, in manual I can get the flare and haze AND expose the skin properly.  I HAVE CONTROL, not my camera and that is the key to this.  I promise, it's a scary thought, but well worth the effort.

Here is a little tutorial I wrote about a month ago on shooting in full sun.  If anything, it will just encourage you to get out of your comfort zone and try something new and fun!  Not every shot will make the cut, but with a little practice you will nail one!

Here are some of my favorite flare shots. 

Sometimes my flare is subtle, just producing some bright light at the edge of my shots.

And sometimes my flare can get ridiculously out of control.

And by ridiculous I mean crazy flare!  But, it's a dramatic shot and that's what I was going for.

Whatever your preference, it can't hurt to play around and see what that camera of yours can do!

{tips for creating beautiful sun flare}

Now, "technically", lens flare is a "no no" in photography.  The people who make our camera?  Well, they work hard to create a product that will NOT produce lens flare (hence the large lens hoods you see some photographers using).  

However, lately it seems that sun flare has become a growing trend in the photography world.  It can take a "blah" and run of the mill image and turn it into a beautiful surprise.  

1. Shoot Manual:  This isn't "necessary" but makes it a lot easier.  I've gotten sun flare from my little point and shoot (see below), but I love using my "big camera" to mess with the settings and customize my image.  So, if your camera is capable, and if you are familiar with shooting manual... do it.  You'll want to keep a low ISO and most likely play around with your settings until you get the effect you want in that spot.  Once you get an image you like (I suggest practicing on a still subject... a flower, the side of a building, a tree etc...) you can use that setting to shoot other objects then and there.  (obviously, different days and different times and different camera settings will produce a different image)
   
   
2. Exposure:  Now, the #1 rule to getting sun flare... shoot INTO the sun.  Your subject will be "backlit" (aka, the light source behind them) and your camera will be thinking "BRIGHT!" and to compensate it will underexpose your subject and try to expose the sky properly.  You don't want this.  Actually, you really don't want your camera to be thinking at all so I highly suggest putting it in manual and choosing your ISO, aperture and shutter speed to create an image you like.
   
   
3. Focusing: When shooting into the sun, your camera may end up hunting around for a place to focus without any luck.  If I can't get a solid focal point I will sometimes put my hand up to the side of my lens (ahem... the job of a lens hood) to block the sun momentarily.  Once I lock my focus, I move my hand and take the picture (I may recompose the shot if needed, but keep my focus locked). You can also put your camera in manual focus mode or use a higher aperture to allow you a little leeway if you don't get your focus dead on.
   
   
4. Time of day:  I tend to find that shooting in the late afternoon/early evening produces the best sun flare for me.  You want the sun to be in your lens, either fully in the middle and bouncing off your subject or just "kissing the edge" of your lens.  If you attempt sun flare in the middle of the day when the sun is at its highest point, you'll need to get low on the ground and shoot up toward the sun.  I love shooting a few hours before the sun sets as the sun is low and the light is beautiful and golden. Also, you don't necessarily have to be outside for this to work.  Try using a window or doorway to produce sun flare.
   
   
5. There is no right or wrong:  In my opinion, the object of sun flare is to evoke some warm and magical emotion into an image.  Play around with it... we're in the digital age so you can take a thousand pictures to attempt to get something you really like.  The flower picture I posted below?  I think I took about 75 different shots... changing the angle, changing my focus point, changing the composure of the picture, adjusting the sun's position in my lens etc.... 

So, go out this evening and play around!  I can't wait to see what you get!

An image with my little point and shoot camera:

Week 4: Flare {ISO: In Search Of}

Flare.  When I think of Flare I think of that glorious sunlight, streaky, glowing, bubbly flare you can get by shooting into the sun.  However.... you're welcome to interpret "flare" in any way you like!  I can't wait to see what you come up with!

I couldn't choose, so I'm posting a couple "samples."  Michelle is also amazing with capturing beautiful sun flare, so maybe she'll bless us with a few sample images of her own!

So, how do you enter?

1. Post your photo for the challenge on your blog/Flickr/Photobucket/Facebook. Unfortunately, if any of these are private, you will be unable to link up to us.  
2. Make sure you link up to the ISO {In Search Of} blog!  You can grab the html over there in the sidebar (or I also posted it below) and put that in your post and it will put our little bloggy badge in your post.
3. Come back here and "link up" to us using LinkyTools below.  

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Week 4: Feet {ISO: In Search Of}

This week the first challenge is FEET!  I looove taking pictures of feet.  Typically in photography sessions I'm taking pictures of baby feet or a family's feet.  One of my favorite shots to do at the beach is of our family's feet all together (or... me and the kids etc).  This week I decided to go a little different approach, and maybe you'll be able to think of something interesting/different as well!  

So, how do you enter?

1. Post your photo for the challenge on your blog/Flickr/Photobucket/Facebook. Unfortunately, if any of these are private, you will be unable to link up to us.  
2. Make sure you link up to the ISO {In Search Of} blog!  You can grab the html over there in the sidebar (or I also posted it below) and put that in your post and it will put our little bloggy badge in your post.
3. Come back here and "link up" to us using LinkyTools below.  

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Linky Issues

We have just realized we are experiencing issues with our Linky system.  If you have been trying to link a post to our challenges, please keep checking for updates.  We hope to have this issue resolved quickly.  

-Nicole and Michelle

Week 2 Winners!

This week was tough, everyone did a really great job.  Nicole and I had a really hard time choosing just one winner but alas, it has to be done.  So, here we go!

Shadows:

Bree from over at Bree: his honey and her mommy had a beautiful entry, and while it definitely had some great flare and silhouetting going on, it was all in her interpretation with the theme and it was stunning.  Congrats Bree!

Summertime:

Christy from over at Christy Wolgamot Photography entered a really sweet picture of her husband and daughter.  I liked the back story and it made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside :)

Congrats to Bree and Christy, don't forget to grab a winner's button!

And just because I like to highlight a few others, here are a few more of our faves:

Nikki over at Running with Pics entered this pretty cool shadow picture.  So different and creative, awesome job!

Wendy from over at Here Goes Something entered this shot.  I've got pedi envy going on, not to mention totally jealous of how relaxing it looks!  

And lastly, Kasey over at Keeping up with the Laughlin's entered this awesome carnival shot.  It's so pretty and colorful and definitely a highlight of the summer.  I really like her composition as well.

Congrats to the winners and I hope you keep playing along.  Check out this week's themes of Low Angle and Sweet.