Some Reachel's Wander

You can find the intimate corners of my mind and home at Kristen Duke Photography today.

Please join me, and leave a comment, so Kristen and her friends will think I'm really cool.

Ten Exemplary Family Photo Wardrobes

Prudent preparatory tips for your family photo shoot:


5 Wise Wardrobes

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This feels so natural and effortless.  The low contrast blend of brown and gray patterns and solids feels cohesive but not forced.  And the texture of the blanket backdrop gives it a cozy effect.

(How to pose for a photograph)

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No one individual recedes or advances because each ensemble is given equal visual weight via pattern and color.
(How to pick a photo color scheme)

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Matching solids escape feeling contrived via rich pattern, texture, and color in the background.
(How to use a prop)

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Harmonizing small scale prints in the same hue unifies the family without distracting from them.
(How to use patterns in photos)

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Small complementary shots of red energize the green without ensuing visual frenzy.

5 Foolish Wardrobes

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Selected not for the clown noses (a circus themed wedding gives this prop quirky charm), but instead for  the second ensemble to the left.  Adorable dress (I actually own it), but the pattern's scale and contrast is too bold amongst the humble neutrals and low-notice solids.

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One ensemble never suits all.  Buying a uniform outfit for every member forces ill-advised compromises.

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The liberal legs, decolletage, and shine on Mrs. Claus distract from the remaining members.
(Use of skin in photos)

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Ensure that all photographed hues have equal weight.  The bright teal in this set outshines the rest of the backdrop and participants.  Still an adorable family and a lovely family picture.

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Few families (short of sweet beyond saccharine Shayce Nicole and her quartet) could carry this styling off without appearing costumed.  The remainder of us need be wary of extreme trends, for they could betray us several years down the road. 

Allow Cardigan Empire to style your kin for their next Family Photo. Click here to book a family-sized virtual shopping session.

Share your family photo tips in the comments

What to Wear for A Family Photo

November Twenty-Sixth, Twenty-Eleven.
The anointed date of my baby wedding.  When the tiny, squishy hand of our toddling daughter will be placed on ours and sealed to our family for eternity.  Two years of anticipation garners a suitable jubilee and baby engagement photos.   

OPTION ONE: HARVEST

Anthropologie

anthropologie

Gymboree

gymboree

H&M (Sweater, Corduroys, Fedora), Janie & Jack (Shirt)

h&m

Banana Republic (Shirt, Khakis), J.Crew (Sweater)

banana republic

In selecting photo friendly sets, aspirations were aimed to:

1) Keep it natural.  Newer does not equal better.  Careening to procure the allure of a new wardrobe could end in a photographed fashion fatality.  Opting for a strong and experienced ensemble, allows you to capture a true memory rather than an unfavorable illusion.  Shopping your closet captures you rather than a trend.

2) Select a color scheme, but don't waste time, money, or creativity in mirroring a single static hue.  Blending color harmonies offers rich dimensional results read more...

3) Use consistent patterns.  If one photo member dons a patterns, make sure they aren't alone on a loud pattern island.  Conform to consistent use of patterns (both scale and contrast) or solids, so that each individual holds equal visual weight and interest read more...

OPTION TWO: LUSH & SHADY

Shabby Apple

Gymboree

gymboree

H&M (Jeans, Sweater, Shirt), Janie & Jack (Bowtie)
Vintage (Cap)

janie

Banana Republic (Sweater, Shirt), AG (Denim)

AG

Allow Cardigan Empire to style your kin for their next Family Photo. Click here to book a family-sized virtual shopping session.

Which option do you favor?

What is a Photographer Worth?

Mister and I just enjoyed the 8th anniversary of love at initial ocular recognition.  In August of 2003 following fervent recommendations from my roommate and co-workers, Andrew decided to casually comparison shop my romantic possibilities on an unannounced visit to my home. 

Unbeknownst to Andrew, I was in my bedroom, on the phone, in the process of breaking up with my current boyfriend.  And soon to be ex was throwing down some exceptional vocabulary (fickle, capricious, coquettish) with jilted malice in response to my decision to conclude our relationship on a cellular basis.  But I couldn't ignore the visceral throb to act immediately.   

I shortly emerged from my bedroom in tear sogged pajamas, matted hair, and melted mascara to see my future husband on the couch.  And I recognized this man I had never met immediately: he was my husband.  I thought to myself, self, this is why we had to break up, over the phone, in a hurry.  Now we can retreat back to our room and hide under the comforter, or we can wipe the snot off our cheeks and make the best of it.  So I did. 

  

As Andrew got in the car that evening, he called his mom and told her he had met the girl he was going to marry.  She told him to do it at Christmas so that the extended family wouldn't have to pay for extra flights.  And being a doting son, he did marry me, five months later.

From there we searched out Coco, miraculously received Levi after seven years of infertility, and couldn't be happier.  Trite but true.

Serendipitously, Kristen Duke, helped us to commemorate our special date (see the rest of the shoot aquí).  I couldn't be more grateful; the woman is worth her weight in pegasus feathers.

And then she told me I could take a decent photo too!  She sells her own little e-book, so I got myself my own little  edition.  Feel free to copy me, I won‘t mind.

In the meantime, how did you meet your Mister?

How to Pose for a Photograph

Studies of common sensory have shown that as the festivity of holidays increases, the rate of photography follows a positive correlation.

Following is an introduction to posing for said photographs.  Each pose is engineered to be figure friendly.  Meaning, they shed the 10 lbs that camera flashes tend to adhere.  So charge your battery and clean off your memory card.  You and your holiday frock are going to look pretty as postcards this year.

one. tall elegance

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Ease and effortless efficiency combine to create this classic pose.  First, imagine there is silken cord suspended above your pretty head.  Your elegant neck extends long while your shoulders drop away from your ears.  Arch your back slightly bringing your chest forward and those arm rotators back.   Finally tuck in your tummy, but stop before you cross into visible ribs. 

two. hands on hips + crossed ankles

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Hands on Hips: Holding the arms away from the body keeps upper arm fleshies from flattening.  Placement of the hands will also draw attention back to a narrow waist or trim little hip. If you choose to execute this pose with only one arm, make sure to employ the arm angled toward the camera lens.

Other add-ons 

Waist Rotation: Turn your shoulders three-quarters toward the lens, rotating from your now visually narrowed waist. 

Asymmetry:  Doing something slightly different with each side of your figure will make your shot more interesting. Asymmetry can sprout from seeds as simple as a tilted hip, a dipping shoulder, or leg bent slightly more than the other.

Ankles Crossed: Crossing one foot in front of the other keeps your pose playful.  It reports the status: "ready to stay a while, weight shifting to accommodate lingering." Either cross both feet flat on the ground for a lengthening effect, or advance your posing prowess by balancing the crossed foot on the toe.

three. pointed toe + pocketed hands

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Point & Turn: 

Like a prima ballerina, point and spin your front toe to add inches faster than toe slippers. Point your piggies toward the camera then rotate a quarter set of degrees away from your back foot (where the majority of your weight has been planted.)  Unlocking your knees and shifting your weight to the posterior heel will keep you from looking stiff.  

Hands in Pocket:  unless you promenading in a full skirt with ample pockets, it's better to hint at hands in the pocket via thumbs or finger tips, rather than cramming your digits into a too tiny pant space.

four. profile > over the shoulder

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Profile: 

This position showcases the full silhouette, offering a two-dimensional image more curves and less width. Start by placing your feet perpendicular to the camera's gaze.  Then give your neck a slight spin toward the shutter.  For optimal results, angle your head slightly down and point your nose away from the camera.  This will sculpt those neck muscles and allow you to showcase rather than flatten facial angles.  Experiment with tilting your face a little up or a touch down, a little left or to the right, but keep your gaze on that camera.

 

Advanced

Over the Shoulder:

Intermediate and above models can rotate their walkers an additional quarter set of degrees so that their back and shoulders are angled toward the photographer.  (This is a great pose if you’ve recently completed many sets of squats and upright rows.)  The head is then rotated into a profile view.  Turn your best side towards the photographer and smile coyly.  

five. seated

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Sitting:
Unless you see multiple chins as a sign of financial affluence, when cameras emerge, ensure that the lens never descends below your own line of sight.  When seated, lean fearlessly in towards the camera.  Very few cameras have been shown to have a biting disposition.

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Sitting Continued:
Although your shoulders are advancing forward, your weight should stay on your seat.  This will keep your thighs from squishy, squishing unnaturally.  And unless you aim to exhibit your inner dominatrix, keep your knees together.  The feet can be slung apart, crossed at the ankle, draped to the side, but the knees...together.

freestyle extras

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Pigeon Toe:  

Commonly paired with eyes cast down, this pose adds an element of fragility.  It's slightly awkward and ingenue.

Grip:  

If you're wondering what to do with your hands, hold on.  Grip the bundle of your scarf, your jacket lapels, or other available fashion ornamentation.  A soft grip brings emphasis to individual elements and depending on the rest of your pose composition can convey any disposition from shy to confident.

Hands Above:
Whether fidgeting with hair locks or petting the neck, this pose has the same slenderizing effect as hands on hip but adds a coy, indirect, feminine appeal.

Hop, Skip, Spin:

Let yourself feel pretty and you will look pretty.

Jolly photography developments to you and your kin!

Allow Cardigan Empire to style your kin for their next Family Photo. Click here to book a family-sized virtual shopping session.

How to be Photogenic

 

For passive prowlers who prefer to watch rather than read...

And tomorrow a Fitting Room Friday Special featuring photo posing demonstrations by a 36 week, nearly 37 week pregnant amateur model

Allow Cardigan Empire to style your kin for their next Family Photo. Click here to book a family-sized virtual shopping session.

How to Smile for a Photograph

Our goal is to master such an effortless grin

1) Practice makes photogenic

One of the most camera pleasing persons I have the pleasure to know really pretty well has a hard drive full of self portraits.  Photos from web cams, snapshots taken at arm's length, timer-delayed shots.  Since this self-proclaimed model was an adolescent, she visually cataloged every handsome hair day or fetching ensemble with a few snappies of herself.  The results: missy knows the angles which flatter her features, how to instantly differentiate between pouting and perplexed, and photographically foremost, she has mastered her smile.

Posing amateurs like you-sies and me-sies can commence in front of the looking glass, but for robust results collect two-dimensional images of your mug on that digital camera of yours. Without the cost of film, you can pose, purge, and practice without price. 

Like a crooked Cary Grant

2) Build a smile wardrobe

One frock won't suit every occasion and neither will a single smile.  From tender closed mouth moments to raucous full grin occasions, you'll need a small wardrobe of smiles to appropriately express each exposure opportunity.  

Start by mastering your natural smile.  Your lips should unveil your upper teeth while cloaking most of the lower pearls.  Extending to around the incisors, aim for about twenty percent more expression than you might expect.

To call upon your expression apparel, let us summarize the philosophy of Mr. P. Pan: keep a happy thought in your pocket.  Then pull it out before the photographer flashes.  You can also warm up your smiler with a quick chuckle immediately before the shutter yawns.

After you've mastered your basic beam add at least another pair of options to your portfolio.  Whether it's a quirky smirk or a coy simper, find something that exhibits your unique entity.

Someone wishes they had applied liner

3) Smile with your eyes

If you're just s-mouth-ing, you won't show happy.  Start sm-eye-ling by coordinating your eyes and mouth.  Far from  limiting you to a trite, traditional emotion, a range of possibilities are available.  While some slightly squinted rainbow eyes will shiny up many a lens capture, you can also experiment with looking up for innocence, slyly to the side for curiosity, or marginally down for a shy effect. 

And don't forget your eyebrows.  While lifting them lightly will help your smile appear natural, there are a full range of expressive possibilities available through these horizontal strips of hair.  Just keep practicing and continue to expand your smile wardrobe.

Post-script: To avoid shutting your eyes as the aperture exposes, close your peepers as the photographer counts down.  For red eye termination, focus on a bright light, thereby shrinking your pupils and the surface area available for retina reflections.

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