CARRIE REED!!!!

congrats Carrie… we LOVED your prop usage in your maternity portrait pictured here….
You not only used the ultrasound for a darling prop… but that car ROCKS!!!

using the props around us, that are unconventional, are a great way to incorporate into a fun and sassy shoot!

Introduce yourself… what is your name and website?
My name is  Carrie, I’m the girl behind the camera at Carrie Reed Photography
You can view more of my work at www.carriereedphotography.com and www.carriereedphotoblog.com

Do you consider yourself a hobbist, or a professional, in the photography world (dont be modest!)?
How about a Wanna-be Professional? Does that count?! Ha ha! I’m fairly new to the photography business and I still have a TON to learn!

Where did you find the fabulous prop(s) used in your entered pic?
Unfortunately the Mustang does NOT belong to me.  All the props used in that particular photo belong to the client. If you look hard enough you can find really neat props around the client’s house!

Do you have a favorite prop shop, or store to find goodies?
Definitely Huggabeans shop on Etsy! Check them out, if you haven’t already!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/huggabeans

most important… what is your FAVORITE prop to use?
That’s an easy one! HATS! I LOVE using bright and funky hats on newborns and babies.

FOR FUN….
1.    Are you a lefty, or righty? righty
2.    What color are your eyes? green
3.    What is your FAVORITE color? I love bright, vibrant colors. Hot pink, bright green’s and turquoise.
4.    Share us the link of your favorite fellow photographer: I would have to go with Beth Jansen (www.bethjansenphotography.com). She has an AMAZING eye for color!
5.    How did you find out about Prop Insanity? A photographer friend told me all about Prop Insanity and I was hooked

Thanks again for joining in our Prop Junkie of the week Carrie… and make sure to join in on future ones!!! Featured weekly

Dont forget to check out Carrie at:  www.carriereedphotography.com and www.carriereedphotoblog.com

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Filed under: Uncategorized by Tracy Joy
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Looking for a special treat… something bright and cheery to bring some “sunshine” into your dreary winter days???

What about a colorful PARASOL?!?!

Well… if you have a Hobby Lobby close to you… get moving!
Check out the garden section (just being placed now in stores), and pick up some cute parasols!
Only $5 each to boot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ive used these same parasols in MANY shoots… from inside with a 6m old babe…

or on a sunny outdoor shoot with a pair of darling sisters!!!!! Like here….

But dont fret… if you don’t have a Hobby Lobby near you..

I am selling a few in the “vendor section” on>>>>>>

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Filed under: Props & Stuff by Tracy Joy
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Today we visit the last tip of the exposure triangle. ISO.  The noise maker.

What is ISO? ISO measures the sensitivity of the image sensor, the lower the number the less sensitive your camera is to light and the finer the grain and vice versa.

Depending on your camera’s make and model will play a HUGE roll in how high you can go and still remain “safe”. When I started out with my Canon Digital Rebel, I couldn’t even think about going over 400ISO without grain. My 40D worked well up to about 600ISO, and my 5D Mark II rocks ISO safely at 1200 ISO and I can sometimes (with the right combination of my 3 points of the exposure triangle) push it to 3200 ISO and still have very little grain (small enough that a noiseware program can easily fix).

Play with your camera and find your “max”.

There are of course instances when you will have no choice but to go above what you are happy with. Indoor sporting events, a wedding perhaps, maybe even a dim clients home.

Because ISO is part of that little triangle of light, changing your ISO greatly effects the two other key points, as will adjusting any or all of the points Aperture, Shutter Speed, and ISO.

Let’s setup a mental situation with poor light. Your local high school has asked you to shoot the Championship Basketball  game Friday night. You know that the lighting is pretty poor and there is going to be a ton of quick moving action. Let’s determine which point of the triangle will be most important to us. I’m going to go with shutter speed. We are not going to want Jim Three Pointers to be blurry as he take that game winning shot. We want to capture that moment in time. Freeze it to be remembered for always. Let’s bump the shutter speed to 1/500, maybe even 1/1000. You haven’t touched your aperture yet, it’s set at f/7 and your ISO is at 100 (haven’t touch that yet either). Shoot. WAY to underexposed. Remember that we want to leave ISO as our last ditch ever, so lets bump the Aperture down a whole lot. We can take that down to f/4 or even f/2.8 Wow! What a difference. MUCH more light coming in to the camera but still not perfectly exposed. Last resort, ISO…bump the ISO from 100 to 400. HUGE difference. Now shoot away!!

If you are in a low light situation that does not require a super fast shutter speed, get yourself a tripod! I know, its yet ANOTHER piece of equipment that you just don’t feel like lugging around, but you will be so thankful you did! Situation: Maternity session, clients home little light coming through the small itty bitty windows on a dark, stormy day. Mom is laying on a gorgeous, green velour couch (I have been dreaming of one of those). That small bit of light is hitting mom’s belly just right. Camera settings: Shutter Speed: 1/125 Aperture: f2.8 ISO: 200. You need just a bit more light coming into your camera. First thought, bump the ISO to 400 or higher, say a prayer and hope for no noise. IF you had your trusty tripod, you could easily break the hand held shutter speed rule (remember never put your shutter speed less than your aperture length or you risk some nasty shake blur).  Hook that bad boy up to your tripod and you can drop the shutter speed down to 1/30 without any shake (as long as mom-to-be is a good listener and can sit still) ISO remains at a safe no-noise level.

The only way to get the hang of these tips and tricks is to get out the camera and play. Eat, Sleep, Breathe the triangle. When you get on location, take a big deep breath, review your surroundings, set your camera settings, check your settings, check ‘em again and start shooting, making adjustments as you go.

Aperture, Shutter Speed ISO. Aperture, Shutter Speed, ISO. Just keep saying it, out loud if you have to. You’ll be shooting manual in no time…with PERFECT exposure!

Next week we will visit a couple of other adjustments you may not of know you could control when working in manual mode. Take this week to practice your manual shooting and nail that exposure!

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Filed under: Fix It's and How To's by Tracy Joy
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This contest has closed, the winner was

Attention anyone who has EVER booked a newborn session or has ever even thought of shooting a newborn session. We have found an official MUST have for any newborn session!

We all know that bean bags are a must when shooting fresh new life but there are so many out there to choose from. You could surf the web for days trying to decide on a size, shape, and material. Look no more!

Meet the Shoot BabySuede Ottoman Bean Bag.

Isn’t she divine?? HUGE and divine.

The suede is soft and cozy. Because of the diameter of this baby you have SO much space to “play”. Babies just sink right in there! Now I know what your thinking..SUEDE, babies + poops and peeps does not equal suede. The beanbag cover bag has been made from a faux suede which is backed with a thin layer of PVC/waterproof fabric. The beanbag has been designed to work with waterproof pads, however if some mess happens to spill onto the beanbag (or it gets dirty some other way) you can simply take the inner bag/s out after the session and throw the cover bag in the wash! No mess can seep through the bag because of the PVC backed suede fabric.

That’s right…the beans themselves are locked inside two huge inner bags for easy removal of the suede cover for washing!

I cheaped out myself and bought a Target number some time ago. DON’T DO WHAT I DID! Get yourself a Shoot Baby beanbag and fast! You will be so glad you did! I can not even begin to explain the difference in shooting a session with this little, giant piece of prop goodness!

I used my Shoot Baby bag  this weekend. My Target special would never have handle this bit ‘o chub the way my Shoot Baby did!

No more bobby pillow teetering n the edge of my MUCH smaller old bag!

I’m shooting with Shoot Baby and NEVER going back!

Want one!? Today is your lucky day! We are giving away one Vinyl Shoot Baby Bean Bag!!! All you need are the beans!!

How to enter: Head over to the new Shoot Baby shopand tell us which bag, pettiskirt, accessory is your favorite! Come back and leave us a comment!! ReTweet (using the button right at the top of the post for an additional entry and facebook to for a third and final chance to win!!)

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Filed under: Contests & Giveaways, Cool Finds, Featured Shops, Props & Stuff by Tracy Joy
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Who doesn’t LOVE canvas?! And who doesn’t love canvas that is reasonable priced and exceptional in quality!? Well we found the place for you!! Hung With Love is the baby of Melissa Campbell of Preserved Photography. You may remember her awesome post on getting down and dirty with kids and reaching inside them to get that perfect pose.

I can tell you hands on the Melissa rocks a stretched canvas as well as she does a camera. We recently chatted about her love (obsession) with canvas. Her inner crafty woman came shining though once she fell in love with canvas and all of its being. As did her clients. Brainstorm-I CAN DO THIS! And now she does. Being able to share canvas with clients at a reasonable price, and now with all of you was Melissa’s mission when she started Hung With Love.

From Gallery to Standard to all sizes you can think of, she can do it! I recently had two giganto, and I mean HUGE, 24×36 prints done of my kids and I can not tell you how thrilled I was to see them. I cried! I won’t lie, I shed a tear in joy!

To help launch the new Hung With Love Canvas site and blog, Melissa and Prop Insanity joined together to create some custom Canvas templates that are truly unique and down right sweet.

Each set consists of 3 coordinating designs. One 24×20 center canvas with 2 20×20 side canvas that are COMPLETELY color adjustable! That’s right..no flattened layers here!! ALL layers can be color changed and hidden to create unique looks to match any decor and any theme. Whether it be seniors or newborns, engagements or toddlers, these templates are so versatile you will use them over and over!

Starting today and running through next week, if you purchase any of the 4 Canvas Template sets (only $25 each) you will receive 10% off your first order with Hung With Love. Buy the bundle pack (only $85, a $25 savings, and get 15% off your first canvas order!) Hung With Love is currently only accepting color canvas orders until the new BW printer rolls in! Keep an eye on the blog for updates when they will be available!

Head over  to the brand spanking new site and check it out!!

And if you like canvas, you will swoon over the custom frames that Hung With Love has to order. And if you have something in mind that you don’t see…just ask, custom orders are ALWAYS welcome.

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Filed under: Cool Finds, Discounts & Sales, Featured Shops by Tracy Joy
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