Looking for a fun new DIY?

How about a Valentines prop project?

And what about a backdrop banner?!

YES, thought so!

I went into my local Joann crafts looking for a fun lil project for my little ones and I… and thought “hmm, home craft + photography prop = PERFECTION”!
And there I found a simple idea for a great prop.

I scooped up some valentines foam hearts (on sale for 40% off). They have an outer heart with a middle solid heart cut out… easy and simple!
Snatched up some raffia ribbon that I already had at home… along with a package of cupcake scrap booking stickers.
grabbed my hole punch… and got crafting!

I used, again:

• foam hearts
• raffia (or any other ribbon)
• scrap booking sticker (if wanted)
• hole punch
• and of course… my little helpers!

STEP BY EASY STEP…  first I sepearted my hearts… outer heart from inner heart.

1. Hole punched (1) hole in the corner of each small solid heart
   and (2) holes in the outer rim of the larger hearts…
2. Cut my raffia roughly from arms length to arms length
   (stretching one arm to the other with ribbon in hand) and
   Then, I pulled my ribbon through the holes in each heart,
   varying from small to large, and by colors…
3. Lastly I had my lil helper stick the cupcake scrap stickers on the small solid hearts…

And here is our final prop!

A darling Valentines banner!
Plus we had enough left over to make 2 more banners for our house..
family fun + a new prop for me

SCORE!

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Bokeh... from Wikepedia
In photography, bokeh (Originally play /ˈboʊkɛ/,[1] play /ˈboʊkeɪ/ boh-kay, and also sometimes heard as play /ˈboʊkə/ boh-kə,[2] Japanese: [boke]) is the blur,[3][4] or the aesthetic quality of the blur,[5][6][7] in out-of-focus areas of an image, or “the way the lens renders out-of-focus points of light.“

BOKEH it’s a technique that 99% of us photographers ADORE!
So why not be creative with it, really use it as a full prop in your photography sessions.

Here at PI, we put together a quick tutorial that will hopefully help us EASILY grasp how SIMPLE this lil trick can be… ready for it?
WE thought so!

First of all.. here are some samples to get you grooving into your bokeh mood…

#1 by our Fabulous own Lindsey Mills…
Ps, you should check out her facebook page, Click Here for some prop inspiration, and see all of her heart shaped bokeh shots…

Now here are a few of my own shots, with a pull back below…
First… blowing heart shaped kisses!

(when I did my edit above… I 1) burned out the Christmas light wires and than 2) painted over the hearts that were out of the “kiss blow” area)

Next…
Baby Love!

(again, I burnt out the wires for the lights…)…

Its very similar to our HOLIDAY BACKDROP how to,
just shooting with a lens cover in the shape of a heart.

So, here it is…

Now, how easy is this? SIMPLE DIMPLE!
Well, it’s a million times easier than I originally thought it to be.. I guess it just looked more dramatic than the process actually is… so here is the groove junkies…
First of all.. you need to do a simple cut & paste with your lens…
CUT into a black piece of paper a small heart shape
(for a 50mm lens, the shape should be roughly 25mm in size).
Then cut the paper to match the circumference of your lens and tape it directly around… as seen in the picture below

(or head to PhotoJoJo to buy precut shapes!)

(sorry for the ho’dunk image above lol)

Second, set up your lights (Christmas lights are great!) in the background
(I clipped them right to my black backdrop)…
Next, place your subject 1/2 way between you and the backdrop.. remember, bokeh works only when you have a foreground subject to focus on..
leaving the lights in the background to BLUR bokeh style.

Lastly… set your camera to its lowest aperture… a 50mm lens is best for this, using as wideopen as you can (1.8-1.4 is fabulous).. and SHOOT!

Now if you’re like me, your still confused on how this happened?!
Yep, I fully admit.. I’m NOT book smart,
I  need to SEE a pull back to understand how it happens.

Some basic questions… ANSWERED!

Is this s a composite of 2 images?
Nope, you are using 1 image… shoot through your “new lens”
(shape attached/taped to front of lens)
and shoot directly AT your subject (not the lights).
The lights in the background will then blur (bokeh) and give you hearts.
YES you can see right through that tiny heart to your subject

I’m shooting through the lens, but all I see is a vignette?
You need to make sure you have a foreground subject.. shooting the lights directly wont give you any bokeh, hence no hearts.

I dont have a 50mm, what can I use?
Even if you dont have a 50mm, a lens with as low as 2.8 is still good, you just have to set your subject further away from the backdrop so you get the bokeh affect.

How do you cut the shape?
I simply bent my paper in 1/2 and cut the heart shape,
but you can buy small shape punchers at stores like Michaels crafts etc

Looking for more great info on this subject?
Check out this video tutorial by Michael Warf, Click Here
Or this great article from DIY Photography, Click Here,
and if you want some real great ideas, check out this flickr search… Click Here .

There is inspiration everywhere!!!
And who doesnt LOVE LOVE LOVE some fabulous bokeh?!

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Hello Everyone and Welcome to 2012!!  I can’t believe it’s already here and we have so much to look forward to this year!!

Before I explain a little about myself  I am in need also for models for my Denver Workshop this Thursday and Friday!  They need to be under 2 weeks old and will receive 5 free high resolution digial images for their time!  If you know anyone please shoot me an email at c_k_photography@yahoo.com 

Now to introduce myself

For those of you who don’t know me, I’m Cherise Kiel!  I am a mother of 3 beautiful children (7, 4 & 2) and a wife to an wonderful man and soldier.  I am also the Owner/Photographer at Cherise Kiel Photography and I also put on Newborn Posing Workshops at Precious Beginnings Newborn Workshop.

I absolutely LOVE what I do and am honored when my clients allow me to be a part of such important times and trust me to capture those memories for them.  I am a natural light photographer, but I did work in a high end portrait studio for 4 years, so I am very familiar with studio lights as well.

I decided to put on newborn workshops last year when I myself was looking at attending one to improve my skills and get some fresh ideas.  However, when I saw the prices of those workshops, I just about died, lol!  As a small business, I just didn’t have $1200-$1500 (plus travel costs) to attend a 1 day workshop   So after much thought and feedback, I decided to put one on myself, and make it as affordable as possible for us photographers who want to learn and grow without breaking the bank.

The Precious Beginnings Newborn Workshop is a 2 day workshop full of information on safety, posing, soothing, handling, marketing, pricing, post-processing and much more!  There is a TON of information provided as well as live models, and for ONLY $600!!!  This is such an awesome deal!  Below is my schedule for 2012!  Since I am an army wife and I never know when my husbands schedule is changing, these are the only dates available for this year!  I have opened up all of my dates for registration, and it’s never too early or late to schedule!  I am only taking 8 spots per location to ensure more hands on time and a better learning experience   Once the spots are filled, they are gone, so don’t hesitate!!

2012 Schedule

January 5-6: Denver, Colorado

March 12-13: Dallas, Texas

May 28-29: Seattle, Washington

July 9-10: Virginia Beach, Virginia

September  6-7: Mobile, Alabama

November 10-11: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Thank you so much and I hope to see you at one of my workshops!!

Below are some photos from my Ohio Workshop this past October!!

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Hello!   I hope you all survived Black Friday!  I hear there were some AMAZING deals going on yesterday!  But don’t worry, if those sales didn’t last past yesterday I have something to cheer you up today!  Because that’s how we roll over here at PI!

Today, I am so happy to introduce one of my all time (and very first most favorite photographer) Erin Cobb!  If you have not seen her work (tsk, tsk), make sure to check her photography work out!  She is pure inspiration!  I think the biggest thing that has always drawn me towards her work is how clean, fresh, fun, and colorful her images always are!   From the minute I became addicted to her blog….(yes, addicted….have you read it?)…..my passion for photography began!   Myself, along with many others have stalked…uh, I mean followed her work and have always wondered HOW she does it?  I am guessing her head spun from how many emails she received from photographers asking her HOW she got her photos to look the way they do!    So to everyone’s surprise and pure happiness, Erin Cobb released the Clean Color Workflow Video showing you exactly HOW she does it!!!   Now we all don’t have to wonder…..she actually TELLS & SHOWS us how from beginning to end  in her 2 hour video tutorial!  And the best part about it is that it isn’t an exact science!  You can customize her workflow to what works best for you!  Love that.   She offers three options to choose from – one for Full Photoshop, one for Photoshop Elements, and a bundle of both!

Here is a recent photo of mine using some of the Clean Color Editing techniques that I picked up from the tutorial!  I can honestly say I use something from that tutorial EVERY time I edit….it is packed full of awesome info!!  Isn’t this little guy just dreamy?

So…….who wants to win their very own Clean Color Workflow Video Bundle????

To enter, just go to Erin Cobb’s Facebook Page and LIKE her!  Leave her some comment love telling her we sent you!  Then come back here and leave a comment telling us you are now a fan!   If you can’t wait for the giveaway to end to get your hands on this fabulous tutorial, click here to go buy your own NOW!

xo

Staci

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WINTER IS ALMOST HERE!
And that means getting creative for winter newborn sessions.

While surfing PINTEREST the other day, I came across a photo that was so sweet, so stunning… so PERFECT for a winter newborn shoot, that I had to reach out to the photographer who captured this precious little image. Lucky for me… the photographer is also a friend of Prop Insanity, the wonderful Kristen Caldwell!
Pin It

And lucky for ALL OF US.. Kristen was happy to share how she captured this image…. pretty much step by step…. pictures included *happy dancing* !

So without further hesitation.. from the speedily typing hands of the wonderful Kristen Caldwell.. here is her HOW TO~ Winter Newborn.

“HELLO PROP JUNKIES!
I would be more than happy to tell you how I did that particular shot…

I’ve attached a SOOC (below) of the image, then the final edit…

We have a craft store local here called Pat Catans… I went there and found the branches (it was just one bundle) and then I went in the Christmas section and found garland that had silver and pearl balls… I just laid that on the branches to hang…

My sister is my assistant for all my newborn sessions so it is her hand that you see holding the branch to the right as she spots the baby… I shot this on a roll of darker grey seamless paper…

ALSO included is an image of the actual stool I used in the shot… I just threw an ivory faux fur fabric over it, making the one side higher than the other for the babies head and then threw a large sheepskin throw from IKEA on top of that…

In the SOOC, you will see some kinks in the paper which are NOT ideal but it was the last of the grey seamless I had on hand and I just cloned those minor imperfections out in PS… I ALWAYS use Florabella actions for EVERYTHING… For this particular image, I enhanced it using the new Florabella Classic Workflow… lightened up the midtones a bit and hit it with some contrast and clarity and a bit of warmth…

SOOC probably looks a bit under-exposed but I shoot EVERYTHING under-exposed… I feel by doing so, I have less of a chance of blowing out any highlights (especially since there was white fur being used here) and more of a chance at recovering details… I shoot with a Sony A900 and 90% of the time I have my Carl Zeiss 24-70 f.2.8 on… rarely does this lens leave my camera body… And I HAVE to throw this in, but I RARELY shoot on seamless and almost ALWAYS shoot using one of my many Bad Sass Backdrops! But for this image, I wanted it to be classic hence the use of seamless paper… ”

~Kristen Caldwell

AND HEY PROP JUNKIES! Check out Kristens other obsession.. Bad Sass Backdrops! They just launched a new collection… Itty Bitty Sass Backdrops? They are the same quality as their full size Bad Sass Backdrops, only smaller and perfect for crafters to shoot their products on to enhance their images for their Etsy/Big Cartel shop… Check out the below pull back and edited shot… our friend Heather Joiner of the famous JoCo Couture sent the images to Bad Sass, as she used them to photograph her gorgeous goods!

Kristen

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We all LOVE LOVE LOVE freebies, so why not introduce a new treat for this holiday weekend… and revisit some of our favorites from the past!

New to PI’s freebie friday… T.Grossie Originals (click here) is offering some fun freebies for you, just see below!

And of course, one of our all time favorites is MCP Free Photoshop Actions (click here), like their free Mini Fusion Set…
… (*seen below)…

A fabulous way to give your photogs that extra professional POP is by joining the online Facebook group with Florabella (click here)… and grab one of her freebies like below…

And THE all time favorite of many photographers… pros and hobbyist alike… Coffee Shop Blog (click here)… where you can find a free fix to just about anything ANYTHING you might need!

So this holiday weekend, enjoy some fabulous fun and FREE goodies… and thank us later upon your edits

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Ceiling tiles are all the rage in backdrops right now.  So when I found Decorative Ceiling Tiles on Facebook a few months ago I had to test them out for myself.

This is the 20×20 R 14 Styrofoam Victorian Ceiling Tile. They are very light weight. maybe a few ounces each. When I first watched the videos they had posted on their site I was worried that the tiles would be flimsy and very fragile. That is not the case.  The foam is very sturdy and I’ll admit… I stepped on one. Not one scratch.

I headed to the “ORANGE BOX UP THE ROAD” and picked up two paints. I’ve discovered that the sample sized (around $3 each) was sufficient. I chose a brown that had some red to it knowing I did not plan to primer my tiles. The turquoise would be my accent color. (any water based paint will do)

We start off by painting the entire tile. For the look I was going for I did not want even coats.  Rather went for a more rustic look.

Goodness I love this tile!

(my lovely assistant. Hi Jen!)

Next we dry brushed the blue.  Slightly dip your brush into the paint. Just enough to get on the tip. Then on a some newspaper we dabbed the paint till it was a little lighter and more spread out on the bristles. From there you run the brush over the rigid areas to give it a nice patina like look.

For my studio I chose to make 2-40×80 panels out of 3/4 inch insulation foam (normally come in 4×8 but I cut them down). This is much more manageable for me. Using a caulk gun and a couple of tubes of LIQUID NAILS we glued each tile to the foam. Be sure to press firmly so that it will dry flat.

These panels may look heavy but they are deceiving. They’re maybe two pounds each.  Not to shabby!

I love my new backdrop from Decorative Ceiling Tiles!

One of the great things about this company is that if you don’t have the time to paint your own foam tile you can also buy any one of their tiles from their Faux tin line and just glue or Velcro to a wall of foam board. Head on over to Decorative Ceiling tiles and check them out.  The staff is super friendly and very helpful.

Till Next time…

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Today’s confession: My Frame LOVE AFFAIR.

I must admit. I’m a lover of all things funky. So when I found Organic Bloom it was like a match made in Heaven. Curvy, spunky, and elegant designer frames sold wholesale exclusively through professional portrait photographers. They’re unlike anything else out on the market and a true crowd pleaser.

Organic Bloom is bases out of  Tulsa, OK and is the brain child of MR. and MRS. Bloom as they like to be called.

As a photographer/wholesaler you’re entitled to one set of 10- 8×10 or 10×10 studio samples at a discounted price. You pick the colors and sizes you want. When you receive your frames it will truly feel like Christmas. This big brown box will arrive on your door step. Ok… now this is where I go all “CHRISTMAS STORY ON YOU”.  You know the scene. The one where they open the package and start digging through all the stuffing?  Yeah.. you’re going to have to work to find them all because these guys go out of their way to be sure your new little pretties are safe.  Every frame is wrapped like a gift. My first package was like getting my very own Red Ryder BB gun. Pure glee.

Each Organic Bloom frame has:
A rubber stopper (one on each corner)  and two hangers so that you may hang vertically or horizontally.

and rubbed edges

(Easel backs and glass are not standard but available upon request.)

As a PROPaholic I love re-purposing items so that they can work in several ways. I’ve used them for many of my sessions and even in my home for decor with and with out pictures.

Here are two in my entry I’m using as St. Patrick’s Day decorations…

I’ve also used them for engagement sessions as well as Maternity.

Just for fun I made a chalk board out of one of the backings.  This is a fun way to make a honey do list, write a note  for a loved one or just make a statement. Here’s a brief tutorial on how I make them.

First remove the backing from the frame and place on news paper or a protected surface in a well ventilated area. This is where I might recommend you use a primer. I didn’t the first time I made mine and now wish I had because the wood back sucked the paint right up.

You can buy chalk board paint as a spray or in a can. This time I used the spray version from Rust-oleum.

Using long even strokes cover the entire surface.  You may want to do several coats.

Let dry over night  and then place back in frame.

Pull out the chalk and have some fun!

Organic Bloom frames currently come in over 50 colors …

and 11 shapes (Johnny not shown)

So now for the fun part. Head on over to Organic Bloom on Facebook and become a fan on their page. Then come back here and post a comment that you’ve done just that.  This will be your one and only entry into this give away. You may also want to check out their BLOG. Mondays are a blast when they do their fun frame giveaways.

When we close entries we’ll use Random.com

So I guess you want to know what you get?

One lucky winner will get 1-8×10 frame from Organic Bloom. You get to pick the  style and color.

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Exciting announcement!  Backdrops and Floordrops by ImaJen is releasing their new COMPANIONS line. And you’re the first to get in on the action!

I was very lucky to test COMP-001 in this new line… Don’t you love it?!

Each Companions set will come with a backdrop and floordrop.  The backdrop has pole pockets to make it easier to hang and there are 9 sets to choose from (Sorry no Al a Carte).

Companions will be a permanent part of their product line. New sets will come in the future.

One of my favorite things about these sets is that you can still use them separately. I’ve used a backdrop alone for head shots with beautiful results.

Before I tell you about the GIVEAWAY (..yes I said giveaway..) I wanted to give some tips on using these awesome vinyl backdrops.

Here’s a set up shot of the backdrop/floordrop and lighting. PLEASE ignore the messy studio.

You’ll notice that my main light(on the left) is not aimed right at the backdrop. This helps to prevent glare. It also helps to angel the light and/or backdrop or you may get this…

…Yes the client loved it but the glare is distracting in my opinion.

Clamps from the hardware store (99¢ each) are great in keeping your baseboard up and prevents wrinkle when pulled tight.

I always put my floordrop on a hard surface. A piece of plywood on carpet works nicely. You can see mine behind the backdrop.

I used to hand roll my backdrops/floordrops. I’ve learned first hand the way you store them is very important. It left creases as shown above. Now I simply roll mine onto a piece of PVC pipe and store in the tube it’s shipped in.  Works like a dream.

One last tip.  If you do get a wrinkle or crease in your drop you can simply lay it on a flat surface for a while or if you’re in a pinch the more drastic messure is to pull out your hair dryer and slightly heat it up on a low setting.

(PLEASE DON’T PUT IT TO CLOSE TO HEAT… IT WILL BURN)

From now till February 18th Backdrops and Floordrops by Imajen will run an introductory offer of

10% off all COMPANIONS!

Giveaway details:

1~ lucky PI reader  will get to choose one small Companion Set of their choice! All we ask is that the winner covers shipping ($20.)  There are two ways to enter:

1. Stop by Backdrops and Floordrops by ImaJen’s page on facebook. Become a fan (if you aren’t already) and have a look around. Post a comment to this post that you’ve done so.

2. Tell me what your favorite prop is in your personal collection. I LOVE PROPS!

Our very lucky winner will be announced soon!

Till then…

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And the winner is…

YELLOW!!!

After tallying the votes from PI comments, Flickr, email and facebook; yellow was the winner.  Here is a break down of the four main colors nominated by YOU.

Yellow-23

Turquoise-21

Plum/purple-8

Green-5

As you can see it was a close race between Yellow and Turquoise.  Both would have looked great in my opinion.  I think I may have to do a plum colored chair in the future as well.  Now for the transformation…

I started by sanding the entire chair with a fine grit sandpaper.

Originally I picked out a beautiful color called Sunflower. But once I got it on the chair I realized it was a little off. A quick return trip to the hardware store and a can of spray paint later we were back in business.

Once I went over the chair with the spray paint I was pleased with the finished color.

When the paint was dry I took the advice of one of the comments to the previous post. Lets just say that I’m a lover of buttons. There is a rather large stash of them in my arsenal thanks to my grandma. It took a hot glue gun in hand and 14 antique buttons to create this fun accent on the back.

Isn’t that CUTE?!

I love how the final product turned out!

As promised, here’s some shots of my three daughters putting this awesome chair in action.

(Ariana’s favorite color is yellow and was begging me to let her go first. I thing my prop addition may be hereditary. SCARY!)

Till next time…

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