Top 5 Reasons Your Clients Should Book a Professional Session

By Stacy Nish

5. Does It Really Make Sense To Take The Pictures Yourself?

How many of you have ever thought "why hire a professional to do something I can do myself?" when contemplating booking a professional photo session? Yes we live in a day and age where the digital camera is just as common in the household as a toaster and with scrap booking and photography such fast growing trends, there are a lot of moms out there documenting every second of their family's lives. But there is a BIG difference between family snapshots, and nice professional family photos. And let's face it, even a professional photographer, like myself, can't always take ALL the photos themself, there's really only so much you can capture with a tripod and a timer. I have hired professional photographers a number of times to take our family photos because even though I can, and have, taken our photos myself before, I can't really get the candid, emotional shots that I love when I'm trying to be both in front of and behind the camera. Plus, a professional knows how to get that perfect shot that can really bring a photograph to life.

So even if it's only once a year, it really is a smart (and stress-free) investment to hire someone else to take your family pictures for you. 

4. They're Worth Making Time For

There are 365 days, 52 weeks and 12 months in every year. If you can't find ONE day out of all of that to book a professional portrait session, then you need to better prioritize your time. Photos are an investment, in a fast paced, hectic world, a picture is able to stop time in it's tracks and freeze a moment forever. There are so many life changing and memorable experiences in life, how can we NOT find time to capture them? Weddings, graduations, baby's being born, baby blessings, birthdays, family reunions, anniversaries etc. Far too often do I hear people telling me how they regret that they never got newborn photos taken of their babies, or that they haven't had a family photo taken since their oldest daughter was one, 12 years ago!

It's easy to let time slip by, if you allow it, but a family portrait session is the perfect reason to put your crazy lives on hold, come together as a family and capture a moment you can cherish and look back on forever.

3. You Can Be Photogenic Too!

I know a lot of people who don't prefer to be in photos because they don't like the way they look or think they're not photogenic. I think this is a selfish mind set. Photos aren't always just of one person, and if you haven't booked a family portrait because you don't like how you look, then you're depriving both yourself and your family of important memories. I can understand being insecure and that a photograph can be a very vulnerable thing, but having a nice photo taken of yourself can also be an uplifting and empowering experience. Often times people don't like how they look in photographs because they over think it and look awkward and stiff. A good photographer knows how to capture people of all different shapes and sizes. We know how to work with angles, lighting and posing that is flattering to you and will make you look good in photographs. If you have a good photographer and vocalize your insecurities with them, they will help you to feel comfortable and confident during your session and the more comfortable and natural that you feel, the more you will like how you look.

2. Because You Can't Afford To "Weight"

Most people who feel they are overweight don't like getting photos taken of themselves. Far too often I hear people say "I really want family photos taken....but I want to lose x numbers of pounds first", or "I want to take pics with my newborn, as soon as I get the baby weight off". Next thing they know it's been years and they still haven't had a portrait taken, family or otherwise. Losing weight can be a difficult and timely process, and while I can understand wanting to be in shape for your pictures, at the same time, if you wait til you're "perfect" you may never get pictures taken again. I still have clients I'm "waiting' on that keep telling me their gonna get photos taken soon, "just a few more pounds" they tell me, yet I've been hearing that for years, all the while precious time and memories are passing them by. Their kids don't have any recent photos of their parents and all the "family" pictures are missing mom or dad. I think it's all about priorities and what's really important. Wanting to look super thin for your pictures while passing up multiple opportunities to document the years with your family, or being a little heavy but having years of photos with your family as they grow? Again, if you find a good photographer, and express your weight concerns with them, they will help you feel and look good in your photographs.

And the number 1 reason people shouldn't shy away from getting professional photos taken is....

1. Money

Yes, professional photography can be expensive, but let's talk about why. As a professional photographer I work and have been working extremely hard to learn and improve my skill and knowledge. Photography is an art form, an expression of ones personality, attitude and style. A good photographer knows how to capture someone in their true and unique form. There are a lot of people out there who think that a nice camera=nice photos, but that is simply not the case. While photography is about learning, knowing and understanding your camera, it is also about lighting, posing, angles, knowing how to frame and capture your subject and it's about learning how to deal with and interact with people. Making people feel comfortable, look natural and be themselves in front of a camera. There is a technical, a creative and a business aspect of photography and not all photographers are mastered in all three aspects. A good photographer is in touch with their own personal style and flare but doesn't limit themselves to one particular way of shooting. Photography truly is an art from that is not only learned, but discovered, inspired and mastered.

Photography is also expensive on the photographer's end. We have constantly evolving products we have to keep up with, and camera equipment isn't cheap. Camera bodies alone can be $1000's of dollars, then we've got all the different lenses that allow us to capture images differently and uniquely. We've got lighting, props, camera accessories etc. If you want nice professional images, you need a photographer who has high quality equipment. Everything we own and use costs money, and we have to factor in our time as well. For me, photography is my lively hood, it's my full time job and main source of income. I am extremely passionate about what I do and have taken years to develop my talent. I work hard to ensure that each session is a fun and genuine experience, so underselling myself wouldn't be fair to me or my clients. Often times in the photography world what you pay for, is what you get. If you choose to be cheap and go with someone who charges next to nothing, then chances are, that's what you're going to get... Discount photos that often lack a lot of style, professionalism and quality.

Professional photos are an important investment worth making time for, and if you have to, saving up for, because you know what they say...

"...A picture is worth a thousand words".

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May 2011 Cover

Cover Image by Claudine Kosier of Simply Dog Photography

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Tips for Great Pet Photography

by Claudine Kosier of Simply Dog

Anyone that knows me, knows I'm completely over the top when it comes to dogs! Any animal really, but especially dogs! I adore those sloppy dog kisses, cute wiggly butts, their silly ridiculous habits that define their personalities and I believe there is even something special and endearing about their "naughty" little habits!

It was only natural when I started photographing again that my main focus would be pets. I love being able to provide a unique experience and capture images that reflect a pets natural essence and individual personality in beautiful natural light and surroundings. Modern simplistic images, yet expressive and playful.

While I can say I've tried many different ways of photographing pets, it has only been in the last year that my own personal style has started to develop. My best suggestion is to try a variety of different things, but in the end define and embrace your own style. If you are willing to be patient and ready for anything, it will be so worth the wait and you will have some incredible images to show for it. These are just a few things I have found that work for me.

 

1. Make sure to have plenty of treats on hand along with squeak toy or other noisemaker. Animals have short attention spans, and get bored easily, therefore I use these sparingly, just to get attention and a great look!

2. Photograph the pet where it is most natural for them. Although I never suggest for pets to be taken off leash, if they are truly well trained to be off leash, take advantage. Visit a nearby park, scenic location or take a hike. I prefer to shoot in natural light whenever possible and with a wide open aperture. Shooting wide open with dogs will take a lot of practice getting sharp focus. 

 

3. If the animal is more comfortable at home, scope out nice a backdrop right in the backyard. As shown in the cover image, a tree in bloom with very shallow depth of field worked perfectly. Compose your shot before you actually start shooting. Just like any portrait, make sure to remove any clutter or anything that will deter from the subject.

4. If indoors, find a nice window to photograph near. Soft window light produces such beautiful catch lights in their eyes. 

 

5. My style is to capture pets in their natural element that show their playful personalities. Not every image has to have the subject looking into the camera in order for it to become a stunning photograph.

6. Try unique compositions or try adding some kind of unexpected element.

7. Don’t forget the owner. I like to shoot some images that will capture the relationship with the pets person but I also like to shoot with the owner in the background, keeping the animal as the main focus.

8. Try shooting from different angles or perspectives. This is one of my favorite images taken from the perspective of the dog overlooking this canyon. I love the serenity of the image along with capturing all of her beautiful markings. 

 

9. Get down on their level and fill the frame. Focus on their eyes and every detail. 

 

10. Most important---have fun with it, dogs have some crazy antics, let them be silly, and then capture it!

What's in my bag--

My camera body is a Nikon D700 and I always prefer to shoot in manual. I keep my lenses minimal and at the moment, my favorite and most used is the 50mm/1.8. My other favorite is the 105mm/2.8 (macro). When I'm shooting environmental portraits, I go for my 35mm/2.0. My post edit is done mainly in Lightroom with a minimal amount in Photoshop.

Simply Dog Photography

http://www.simplydogphotography.com

http://www.facebook.com/simplydogphotography

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Location Location Location

“To photograph truthfully and effectively is to see beneath the surfaces and record the qualities of nature and humanity which live or are latent in all things.” - Ansel Adams

by Brittany Meng

As photographers, I believe we love to be inspired just as much as we love to inspire others. We set goals, read inspirational quotes, listen to music, watch documentaries, all to inspire us to do more, be better, and live a fulfilling, happy life. This is what I feel we all seek in our life, and in our work, to be inspired.

Having a location that overwhelms you with possibilities and gets you excited because of all that you could do, is what I want to talk about.

One of the first things after setting a date with a client is, “Do you have a location in mind where you would like to have your pictures taken?”

Ah, the daunting task of narrowing it down. Here in Vegas, I feel like we tend to all show up at the same places;

Red Rock

Nelson’s Landing, Ghost town

Lake Las Vegas

Jean Dry Lake Bed

Don’t get me wrong; these are all excellent locations that I often visit. I love the tall green grass at Red Rock this time of year, and Nelson’s Landing has great textures and colors but these places are the hot spots. Because they are used over and over, what was once enjoyable becomes tedious and uninspiring.  I may have not even shot there before but because it has been used so many times I feel there is nothing unique about the location that I am offering to my client. I feel uninspired because this location is exhausted.

So here are some tips to mix it up.

Drive with the intention of looking for new ideas for locations.

Look at the light, look and the smaller details, not just the overall spot.

When I find myself getting bored with what I have been doing, I pack things up, drag my kids out to the car and go hunting for new spots.

I say hunting, yes, because it is not easy; you really need to look.

Take back roads instead of freeways and main streets. Get your GPS so you don’t get lost, and start driving. Keep these ideas in mind as you search out new locations:

Look for locations at the same time of day you want to be shooting at them. You might go right past a spot that during midday is boring but at sunset has magnificent lighting.

Look for variety in textures and colors. This will be more enjoyable to the clients when looking through their photos.

Get off the beaten path. But also make sure it is practical enough to get there again when taking clients.

Just get out and shoot. You never know until you try. Make sure to have your camera ready and don’t pass the opportunity when you see something to stop; get out and take a picture.

Check out the grounds around hospitals, hotels, and libraries. As a whole it might not be exactly what you are looking for, but often times these types of places have interesting walls and architecture. Don’t be shy about getting back in the car and go to several locations to be able to give your best.

Driving around I found this gem. You can’t see it from the road; you have to walk down into it. But I was thrilled when I happened upon this spot. It has great color awesome lighting, and it gave the city look I wanted, perfect for this recent senior session.

This abandoned house provided great texture for a backdrop. (I talked with a neighbor about the property to get permission.)

This is just an empty lot across the street from a high school with developed trees. The funny thing is that I drove past this location so many times coming home from a friend’s house, never giving a second thought about it. Now it is one of my favorite places.

 

This is at a school. They have colorful door and trim. I loved it for senior pictures.

 

I just kept driving till I ran out of road and came into this. You feel as if you are alone in the desert and really it is only minutes away from a shopping center.

My husband is a law student at UNLV so I have to put in my disclaimer about trespassing. Just because there isn’t a sign, it doesn’t mean it is legal. Though sometimes I wish it was that easy. Take the time to find out. Be careful and have fun. Get out there and lets show what Vegas has to offer!

www.brittanykphotography.blogspot.com

https://www.facebook.com/britkphoto

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Correcting White Balance : Tutorial

by: Amy Leavitt

We've all been there. You come home from a great session to discover that some of the photos have a color cast. You open up Adobe Camera Raw or Lightroom and fiddle with the temperature and tint sliders, but it just doesn't look right. Now it looks too green. You fiddle some more and settle for "close" instead of "correct" white balance. You go on to edit the session, to find that your processing makes the photo's color problems even worse...

There is a better solution for those problem photos with color casts. Plus, it's really simple.

Here's my example. My daughter's birthday cake. With an obvious color cast. I get this a lot when shooting indoors. This is SOOC- Straight Out Of Camera.

If you're like me, it's not always easy to see what color the actual cast is. Which is what makes it so difficult to fix. Go ahead and guess what specific color you think this particular cast is.

1. The first thing you'll need to do is duplicate the image. Press CMD J (Mac) or CTRL J (PC).


2. While the duplicate layer is selected, go to the Filter Menu, choose Blur, then Average.

You'll see the actual color of the color cast now. Kind of a pink/orange-y thing.

3. Next, invert the color. This will change the color to the exact opposite of the current color. Press CMD i (Mac) or CTRL i (PC).

As many photographers know, the best way to fix color issues in a photograph is to ADD another color, and this is the basis of this technique.


4. Change the blending mode for the duplicate layer to "Color". (You can also play around with other blending modes, such as Vivid Light).

This is the result:

5. The last thing is to reduce the opacity of the layer until you find the perfect balance. On this photo, I reduced to 30%.

That's it, you're done! Once you do this technique a few times, it will become second nature.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

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April 2011 Cover

Cover image by Yasmin Tajik

 

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My Personal Journey as a Photographer

By Yasmin Tajik of Shalimar Studios
South Asian Wedding Photographer

Photo by Pet'ographique

My parents were born and raised in Pakistan. My mother is from Lahore, a large urban city in the Northeast, and my father is from the tribal town Bannu in the Northwest. Over 45 years ago they migrated to Minnesota, where I was born and raised along with my 4 siblings. Being raised in Minnesota and coming from a different ethnicity definitely had its challenges, however those events have made me who I am today as a person and as a photographer.

Growing up, I was constantly singled out being in the minority with brown eyes and dark skin amidst a community of Norwegian decent where blond hair and blue eyes were dominant. Like many children, I often looked at my appearance and culture and wanted to distance myself from it because I was different and wanted to fit in, but I could never do it. That would have required me to disown my heritage, ethnicity and my family. Over the years I learned to embrace what made me different from my friends and celebrate the uniqueness of my culture and heritage.

As I ventured through life I found myself drawn to experiences and imagery that represented cultural differences. I cherished learning more about other cultures through international travel, and sought out experiences where I could learn more about others, their family history and heritage. I knew everyone had a story and finding out theirs, was always an adventure for me to learn more about who they are. Their stories fascinated me and taught me to appreciate everyone’s journey.

It wasn’t until I saw Steve McCurry’s iconic image of the Afghani girl on the cover of National Geographic [here] that I experienced the impact of an image of someone from my own culture. The girl wasn’t the typical blond model, perfectly coiffed or styled. Her piercing eyes spoke volumes of her torment as a refugee, her tattered clothes represented her limited daily choice in clothing and food options. But most of all, it was a beautiful and striking image of someone from my own culture. It represented beauty in the darkness of the Afghanistan war, and made me stop in my tracks. The image was simply breathtaking and I saw beauty where no makeup artist or stylist could recreate, and that is what started my personal journey utilizing my photography.

Since starting my studio 2 years ago, I’ve been blessed with meeting so many wonderful clients who I’m proud to now say are friends. Each person has a story, each family has a history, and I pride myself on the fact that I am here to photographically document my client’s lives and heritage for future generations to cherish. But there was something else I needed to do with my photography. I needed it to share with others the beauty within my own culture. To open the eyes of those around me to something shunned in a world of terrorist attacks, discrimination, fear and hatred towards a culture I know so differently. And now I’ve been deeply drawn to using my photography to document and share with the world beautiful images of people from my own culture, just like Steve McCurry did for me.

My studio name, Shalimar Studios, is in honor of the famous Shalimar Gardens in Lahore. And in honor of my culture, I purposely set out to specialize in photographing South Asian families, weddings, engagements and events. My goal is to share with the world the beauty I see in my culture, in my people and seen all around the world. Beyond it having a personal connection to my own culture, it also feverishly feeds my soul in no other way that I can describe. Having the ability to show others beauty where we typically don’t associate it, is groundbreaking. It feeds my soul and rejuvenates my spirit. The magic, message and impact of the images I strive to create, transcends any language or cultural difference. And that is something beautiful.

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Shooting Video Manually with My Canon EOS 5D Mark II

By Brooke Weidauer  
(Many of these tips can be used with other cameras that have video capabilities)

"Maybe you’re like me and have not been receiving email firmware updates for your camera. Maybe you’re like me and had no idea how important firmware is. Yep, that’s an embarrassing confession".

You ought to keep in the know about your camera’s firmware. Updating your camera’s firmware is relatively easy to do and requires:
•A fully-charged battery
•Your EOS 5D Mark II camera body
•A CF memory card
•A CF card reader
•Internet connection

If you do not have a card reader you may use a USB cable and EOS Utility, software that was included with your camera.
Updating Firmware

A few weeks ago I decided to discover for myself what all the buzz was about regarding the 5d Mark II’s video capabilities. To my dismay, I’d expose properly and then once I began to record my subject, the camera took over.

I had to update my camera’s firmware. Since the Mark II was released in November of 2008 there have been six firmware updates. These updates fix little annoyances as well as big issues, like the inability to shoot video manually. When you update the latest version, 2.0.8, all previous versions will be included in the update.

To begin your firmware update click [here].

Under “Drivers and Software” select your operating system in the drop down menu. Then click on the firmware link and “I Agree- Begin Download”.

A step-by-step guide [here] will pop up on your screen. Follow these instructions carefully.

Shooting Video in Manual Exposure Mode, A Very Basic How-To

My grandpa was all about the video camera when his kids were young. We recently sat down as a family and watched these old silent films. The children in the video shielded their eyes from the spotlights affixed to the 8mm film camera while opening their presents on Christmas morning.

Fast forward two generations. Forget the bright lights, the silence, and lack of control. If you shoot with the 5d Mark II by Canon and are not utilizing the HD video and in manual mode, you are just as nutty as I was.

Fun fact: the Mark II has been embraced by film and television productions. One such production was the television series House, episode Help Me broadcast May 17, 2010. The episode was filmed entirely with the Mark II.

Before you Begin

A few last steps before you begin to shoot video:
•After updating the firmware on your camera and before you begin to shoot video be sure your LV (Live View) settings are set to “Stills + Movie”. Then, press the SET button and set your screen settings to “Movie Display”. If your screen settings are anywhere but “Movie Display” you will not be able to manually adjust exposure.

•Turn the mode dial on top of the camera to manual just as you would to manually adjust exposure for still shooting.

•Press the Live View button (to the left of the viewfinder) to activate Live View and the SET button to start and stop recording.

Shooting video manually will be intuitive to anyone who’s familiar with shooting stills in manual mode. Basic camera settings such as shutter speed, aperture and ISO apply to video mode as well. Other settings that also apply include picture style, white balance, AE lock, and exposure compensation.

My Method

What I like to do before switching to video is to first expose properly and take a few test shots. I then activate LV and the settings, and therefore exposure will remain constant. When shooting stills I use automatic focus but manually focus when shooting video because I love the look as well as the added control.

Play around with your settings just as you would when shooting still frames. Try shooting at your lens’ widest aperture. Experiment with different lenses, various compositions and angles just as you would when shooting stills.  

When you are ready to upload your video, you would do so just as you would for still shooting, either with a card reader or a USB cable.

Here’s a one-minute video. My aperture was between f/2.5 and f/2.8 and shutter speed around 1/250. I shot with the 85 mm f/1.8 and the 24-70 f/2.8 lenses. The post processing in these images includes a simple s curves, a soft light layer at reduced opacity as well as some slight skin retouching yet the exposure is consistent with the video. For the editing of the video I used imovie and added some royalty free music that I purchased.

Whether you choose to shoot video around the house or plan to incorporate video into your still photography for your clients, you will benefit creatively by utilizing your 5D Mark II’s HD video. For a more in-depth article regarding shooting video manually with the 5d Mark II click [here].

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Photo Session Share: Neon Museum

by Chelsy Cardin

"Allie and John have such a great love story. Allie is from Chicago, and John is from London. They met in Las Vegas six years ago while both doing an internship. Time and distance kept them apart, but their love eventually brought them back together. They are now living in Las Vegas, recently engaged, and planning their September wedding.

I had the pleasure of photographing their Engagement Photo Session at The Neon Museum's Boneyard . Since Las Vegas is where their love started, this location was the perfect spot! The Boneyard houses all of the vintage and original Las Vegas signs; I love the colors, the history, and how unique the photos are".

About the Photographer:  Chelsy Cardin, owner of Cardin Creative, is a Las Vegas photographer specializing in wedding photography and couple photo sessions. She is the winner of the “Best Wedding Photographer 2010” award from the Wedding Professionals of Las Vegas. 

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The Contributors of LVP

Where We Began...
 

 Cindy Larkin: Founder/Contributor

I have been interested in photography since I was a little girl sifting through the pages of my own personal photo album.  But let's face it, just because I loved pictures and photography, did not mean that I started out as a good photographer.  Actually, my photography was quite dreadful when I first began and I specifically remember my husband sitting me down and telling me kindly, that I needed to read my manual on the camera that he'd just given me for Christmas, or I was never going to figure it out.  "Owning a camera does not make you a photographer ", so they say.  Although I agree with this statement, I really dislike the negative connotation behind it.  I had a camera and I wanted to be a photographer, but I was having such difficulty mastering it. 

I was angry and frustrated with myself because I had this natural longing to be a portrait photographer, and I also wanted to be able to take beautiful pictures of my children, but I had no idea how to use this brand new camera of mine.  In fact, I'd started reading the manual several times, but had thrown it down in dismay, when I couldn't figure out what it was trying to tell me.  I didn't learn well from simply reading about it.  I needed practical application and hands-on experience.  I learn kinesthetically, and the only way I could get a grasp of this new skill was when I really began to practice, practice, and practice some more.

At the time, I could not afford a photography class, but I was determined to learn so I set out to teach myself.  I tried in door lighting with cloth backdrops, clamp lamps and windows.  Then I tried outdoor lighting in full sunlight, overcast light, and shade.  I tried changing every knob on the camera and getting familiar with how each button worked, and which one was best for each light setting.  I tried reading the manual word by word, and then using my camera in practical situations to grasp what it was saying.  My children, our dog, and my sisters were my subjects.  I tried googling Nikon and Canon's websites, and browsing YouTube for videos and tutorials on everything, including how-to's on using photoshop, and tutorials on my specific camera.  It took hours, that turned into days, that turned into years [Yep, I learned the hard way]. 

Eventually, after I'd gone through several mediocre cameras and learned more about photography, my husband upgraded me to a nicer camera, and bought me some lighting equipment.  Then I started taking pictures for my extended family and friends.  On occasion, I’d even get a referral!  At first I could hardly believe that I was getting paid for playing, but soon I got repeat customers and more referrals! 

Around year three of my photography career, my sister got me a job with a small local magazine that thought enough of my work to hire me to take pictures for their customer ads. Up until that point, my title had always been “amateur photographer”, and I didn’t really see myself as a professional until the first day I saw my photographs and my logo on a prominent page in the magazine. This was such a boost to my “photographer's image” because now someone other than myself and my small clientele, was seeing my value as a photographer. Soon my logo and name got out, and I began taking pictures on a regular basis as a professional.

Even after being in business for myself for more than 8 years now [Cindergirl Photography], I still get excited every time I pull out my camera. I especially love to collaborate with other photographers and shoot just for fun. Shooting with other photographers, and doing it "for fun", is what has inspired me to start Las Vegas Photographer.

I am blown away with the talents of the photographers that I have had the opportunity to associate with on a regular basis. It has been such an education for me to put my fears aside and shoot and learn with them.  Letting them teach me, as I share some of my knowledge with them, has been a key component in my photography and I know it has made me a better photographer.  I believe that no-one is good at everything, but we are all good at something! We can learn so much more from each other, than we could possibly learn on our own.  I LOVE meeting, networking, and learning with you!  I personally invite you to come and share your talents with us! 

P.S.  I just opened up a facebook page specifically for my photography!  [It's about time, right?]  I'd love to connect with you. Come find me [here]!  :)

Photo by Yasmin Tajik

Amy Leavitt: Contributor

I started in photography in 2007 when I took a course at our leisure center on how to use my new Canon Digital Rebel xTi. I fell in love with it, as many do, and my kids soon developed photographers-child-syndrome. They ran and hid when I pulled out my camera...

And I sucked. But I thought I was awesome.

I took another course, from the New York Institute of Photography and began to really develop my skills. I started to understand how bad my photography was. I read everything I could online. I even tested the focus system on my new Canon 5d because I was sure it was unable to focus. It passed the test (shock!) and I understood on a deeper level that if I really wanted to be a photographer, I had to put in the time and effort to really learn it. I studied masters like Diann Arbus, Jacques Henri Lartigue, and Leon Levinstein, and most recently, Vivian Maier. I paid too much for an over-hyped workshop. I imitated other photographers I admired.  I practiced on friends and my own kids. I signed up with Kelby training to learn Photoshop better. Some of it worked, and a few things didn't, but I took giant steps forward to becoming a better photographer. I am now studying to become a PPA Certified Professional Photographer.

I run my own portrait business, Amy Leavitt Photography. When Cindy asked me to help with LVP, I was more than happy. It's fun! I get to discover new talent by handpicking my favorite photographers for the cover. I get to talk and interview with successful bloggers and photographers. Although LVP is for all photographers, I particularly love that it connects local Las Vegas Photographers.

I remind myself every day:
Nutella is not a food group.
Millions of women are doing laundry all day too, and are complaining far less.
I may not be beautiful, but my husband thinks I am, and that should be all that matters.
I have a house, a husband, and three kids who still like to kiss and hug me at bedtime. What's better than that?
Some people may not like me, but my dog thinks I'm awesome.
And from Oscar Wilde: "Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken."

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March 2011 Cover

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Letter To The Editor

I received this letter today from a Boy Scout here in Las Vegas.  I thought it was pretty funny and thought you'd enjoy it too! 

Dear Cindy Larkin,
I am writing to you so I can finish my Communications Merit Badge before getting my Eagle.  I understand that you are the founder, and one of the editors of Las Vegas Photographer magazine and blog.  It would be cool if you could answer my questions.


Sincerely,
BJL


How is it?  It's awesome!  I love collaborating with other photographers from around the world on special writing and photography projects.  I get to learn from many talented photographers, and in return I also get to share some of my own knowledge and ideas.       

What do you do as Editor?  As one of the editors here at LVP I get to read the articles submitted by other photographers before they are published.  I help gather the information and images, make sure our deadlines are met,  then proofread it for spelling and grammatical errors.  One of my favorite assignments that I share with Amy Leavitt, (my co-editor, contributor, and partner in crime), is creating the cover of the magazine.  I really enjoy the process and absolutely love seeing the finished product!  Getting to use the best images from a photographers portfolio to create a beautiful masterpiece, makes our job so much fun! 
 
Do you have to sit there for hours looking at pictures?  -I think that would be really boring.   Yes, we sometimes sit for hours at a time looking at pictures and deciding which ones to use for the cover, but I'd have to say that we really like doing it!  It inspires us to see other photographers best work and to read about the story behind the photographs.   

Do you get to have your own pictures in the magazine?  Yes, as the founder and contributor, I get to be as creative as I want to be.  I love sharing my work and my ideas, but mostly we try to feature and highlight other photographers masterpieces.  Learning from others is what makes the world of photography go 'round, and we really enjoy having photographers submit articles, tutorials, and photo sessions, that they've done just for our blog.   

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