Fab Friday: How to Photograph Fireworks!

Happy 4th of July! (Can you believe it is already July? Am I the only one that still feels like it was March just last week?! This year is flying by!)

Anyway, it is in fact July 4th... a day to BBQ, swim, relax and celebrate with friends and family! If you have some fun firework festivities planned for later tonight, then this FAB Friday post is for you!

The key to creating awesome firework images is actually pretty simple! You need to shoot with a SLOW shutter speed. (Like, way slooooow... like you're probably going to need to use a tripod SLOW.)

The way to get your shutter speed slowed way down is to shoot with a low ISO (like, ISO 100?) and a small aperture (say f/16?)... then, set your shutter speed to get an accurate exposure. You want your shutter to be open for the entire burst of the firework, usually half a second to four seconds. So yeah, it will seem like an eternity to you, but it will make for an awesome picture!

Here are a few more things to keep in mind when shooting fireworks:

1. Use a tripod. Like we said, your shutter speed is going to be crazy slow and unless you're a statue, you're probably going to need some extra stability. If you have a timer or a remote, you might want to think about using that, too!

2. Get a correct White Balance before you start shooting. Of course, if you shoot in RAW this is less of an issue, but if you shoot in jpeg, you definitely want to get your white balance as close to accurate as possible! You do not want to be messing around with color in post-production.

3. Turn off your flash. It won't reach the fireworks anyway... but it will be distracting and it will probably blow out your foreground.

4. Try turning off Auto Focus. Since most cameras have trouble using Auto Focus in dimly lit situations, you might want to set your lens to focus to infinity when you're shooting fireworks. (In case you're wondering what infinity focus is, it's when the lens forms a sharp image of an object an infinite distance away from the camera.) It's pretty easy to set up, too. Just set your lens to Manual Focus and then turn your dial to that little infinity symbol.

5. Tell the whole story! Don't forget to get pictures of your surroundings and the spectators! Yes, fireworks are super cool to watch, but your images will be so much stronger with the whole picture painted! Add interesting elements to the foreground/background of your firework shots! Get a picture of your toddler freaking out during the big show! Take a snapshot of your snacks! Get it all!

That's it! Get out there, be safe and have fun!

Happy 4th! Xoxo!

Golden Girls

Fab Friday: Faves and Facts!

Happy Fab Friday, folks!

Today we have decided to help you guys get to know us, the ladies behind Golden Girls, a little bit better! While we absolutely LOVE photography, it isn't all we are about!

Here's a fun little list of some of our favorite things and some fabulous facts about yours truly!

 

 

Valerie: Team Canon. Wears a lot of black. Daydreams about tattoos too much.

1. Favorite Food: If we're talking type, Chinese food hands-down. I could eat it every day. If we're talking one specific thing to eat.. well, that's hard. It pretty much changes all the time. Right now, I've been eating a lot of cucumbers. They're so refreshing and crunchy and yummy! So... cucumbers. Final answer.

2. Favorite band/musician: RAMONES. For sure. Forever. Gabba Gabba.

3. Favorite 80s movie: What is this? Sophie's Choice?! This is a topic close to my heart. There are soooo many good ones. It's probably a four-way tie with Karate Kid/Say Anything/Ferris Bueller's Day Off/Dirty Dancing. No wait! Back to the Future totally takes the lead. Back to the Future is my favorite. (But the other four are right behind. So close, guys. So close.)

4. Guilty Pleasure: Diet Dr. Pepper. I know, I know. It's so bad for me. I'm really addicted. Forgive me.

5. Most Famous Person You Have Met: OK, if we're talking most famous, probably Robert Downey Jr. (although, technically, I met him before his comeback, so I'm not sure if this counts.) I ran into him in the back of some empty art gallery in Hollywood. He was super nice, kinda smelly and very friendly. He seemed like he wanted to chat for a bit but I really had to pee so I cut it short. (Regrets. I've had a few.) But my favorite celebrity encounter was with Dennis Haskins, better known as Mr. Belding! The year was 1995. I was in fifth grade. I just won a medal for my awesome D.A.R.E. essay and he was our celebrity host dude. When they called me onstage, I high-fived the heck out of him. (Semi-related: Did you know there's going to be a Saved by the Bell expose on Lifetime?! Mark your calendars!)

Summer: Nikonian. Bottled Red. Believer. Cupcake connoisseur.

1. Favorite Food: I would have to go with GRILLED asparagus hands-down favorite. Preferably anything grilled is dreamy to me, grilled veggies, grilled pizza, grilled strawberries! (Yummo!) I want Bobby Flay in my backyard grilling breakfast, lunch and dinner, all day erry day!

2. Favorite band/musician: JENNY LEWIS people! Go right now and listen to "The Last Messiah" <3

3. Favorite 80s movie: Dude, Pretty in Pink for sure! When Molly Ringwald cuts her dress that her dad bought her, and Blaine! OMG! But, really, the star of the movie and my inspiration for my punk, ska days: Duckie! Oh, Jon Cryer, before that one show with that one guy.

4. Guilty Pleasure: Netflix! Binge watching Orange is the New Black, Breaking Bad, Cake Boss, and any  movie that includes the words "ABC Family original movie".

5. Most Famous Person You Have Met: I've seen tons of celebrities, I was in a room with Justin Timberlake, like, less then 15 feet away!! I've walked passed Shaq at the airport, Gwen Stefani touched my hand! But to have a conversation with any and say, "Hi! I'm Summer and I'm your biggest fan"... nope, too chicken!

So, what about you? What are your faves and facts? What celebrities have you rubbed elbows with? We want to know!

Xoxo!

Golden Girls

Work it Wednesday announcement: Next week's theme is FAVORITE! Send your photos to hello@goldengirlsworkshops.com by Tuesday!

Fab Friday: What's in my bag?

Happy Fab Friday, lovelies! Valerie here! I have to admit, I'm kind of nosy... especially when it comes to camera gear! I always want to know what other photographers use... not so I can compare what I have and get bummed, but just because I love learning about all the cool gadgets that are out there and how other photographers are using them! (That being said, while I may be curious about camera gear, I am so not a gear head! I don't have the time or money to buy every new gadget I learn about.)

Anyway, today's Fab Friday post is going to give you a little glimpse into my camera bag! It's not the most impressive setup but it does get the job done! (Bonus: I didn't have to sell any of my children or my organs to buy any of it!)

70-200 f/2.8L: My lens of choice. See that big hunk of metal on the left? That's my baby. My love. My best friend. I begged and pleaded for this lens for forever until my husband caved and gave the green light. It has pretty much lived on my camera ever since! The compression of this beauty is insane. Everything is crisp and creamy and lovely. (Are you drooling yet? I am.)

Canon 6d: My camera! I love it! It's full frame, has awesome ISO capabilities and Wi-Fi! Say what?! I started out with a Canon Rebel t2i, so when it was time to upgrade, going full frame was my No. 1 priority.

If I am doing your average outdoor portrait session, my camera and my 70-200 are always with me. In fact, I usually get by with just these two. But, if I am doing an indoor or low light session, I also bring the following lenses:

85mm f/1.8: This is my favorite portrait lens. It is super sharp and great in low light! When my 70-200 comes off, this is the one that usually takes its place.

50mm f/1.8: I love this lens for shooting in tight spaces and low light! If you are only shooting with a kit lens, get out there and get the nifty fifty! It's is super affordable, it has a wide aperture, it's awesome!

I have a back-up camera and a few other gadgets, but I really rarely use them. I just wanted to give you guys an idea of the stuff that I can't live without... my go-to gear! Like, I said it's super simple and I love it that way! I shoot in natural light, usually by myself, so the less stuff to mess with, the better!

Now, if you were super nosy, you'd find a few more treasures in my bag.

I always carry the following things with me: a cleaning kit, sunglasses, Purell (I am totally a mom!), my phone, a rad Golden Girls pocket mirror, gum, my beloved Dr. Pepper chapstick, and of course, business cards! I can't count the number of times some stranger has seen me out shooting and asked how they can book me! Be prepared, folks!

Also, because I am a genius, I forgot to take a picture of my actual camera bag! In case you're curious, I have a few that I rotate. Right now, I'm mainly rocking this Kelly Moore bag but I am also a super huge fan of all the Jo Totes bags! I have a few and they are all super cute and affordable!

So, there you have it! My gear! If you have any questions, please comment or email hello@goldengirlsworkshops.com!

Xoxo!

Valerie

Work It Wednesday: The theme for next week's Work It Wednesday is JOY. Can't wait to see what you come up with!

Fab Friday: What's happening around here?

Happy Fab Friday, lovelies! We have so many fun things planned for Golden Girls and especially for this blog! We want to give you a fabulous little rundown on what you can expect from us every week! Please check back in regularly to stay in the know!

Mondays will now be known as Marvelous Mondays! We want to shine the spotlight on local vendors and photographers. We have a few in mind, but if you know a vendor or photographer that deserves a shoutout, please send a message to hello@goldengirlsworkshops.com!

Got a question? We've got an answer! Let's Talk Tuesdays will give you the chance to pick our brains and we'll try our best to answer any photography related questions you may have! (Even if it's not exactly photography related, ask away. We can pretty much chit chat about anything.) Please send your questions to hello@goldengirlsworkshops.com and look for an answer on Tuesdays!

On Work It Wednesdays, we want to show YOU off! Every Friday, we will announce a crazy fun theme for the upcoming week! Submit your images to us the following Monday and check back on Wednesday to see your sweet stuff in the spotlight! (Did you get all that?) Next week's Work It Wednesday theme is Morning. Interpret it however you want and send your images to hello@goldengirlsworkshops.com before midnight on Monday!

On Talk Shop Thursdays, we'll get down to business. We'll offer advice on starting your photography business, ways to keep it thriving and ways to keep you sane!

And of course, Fab Fridays will feature anything we deem fabulous enough to share!

So, there you have it! Things are getting awfully exciting around here and we are so glad to have you join in the fun! Xoxo!

Summer and Val

Fab Friday: The best tip I could give you...

Hey guys! Valerie here. Summer and I are so excited you have decided to join us on this awesome journey! We have so many cool things planned... it's nuts! We can't wait to get started!

We've spent a lot of time talking about what we hope you all get out of this big crazy endeavor. Of course, our main goal is to help anyone with a passion for photography better their craft through fun workshops and shootouts. But, another HUGE goal for us, is that Golden Girls will become an excellent tool for photographers to build their network and, fingers crossed, make some awesome friends!

When I first decided to venture into the crazy world of photography, I jumped in on my own. Sure, I read blogs and browsed forums, but for the most part, I was flying solo.

I learned a lot by myself, but I still had a way to go. One day, while browsing Facebook, I came across a post on Summer Shea Photography's Facebook page. She was looking for someone to mentor. For free. Out of the kindness of her heart. Just because.

I was sure there had to be a catch. I mean, why would an obviously talented photographer just want to reach out to a newbie for no reason, other than camaraderie?

In my silly little head, I was under the impression that the business side of photography was a cutthroat place --- there was no room for making friends! Oh, man. How wrong I was!

Skeptical, I messaged Summer. We talked back and forth for a bit and then met up a coffee shop to talk photography. Of course, I asked her what her game plan was. (I like to cut to the chase.) She told me that she offered to mentor people, because it was a fun way to make friends with other photographers. For her, taking someone under her wing, showing them the ropes... it was all for fun.

Well, here we are. It's been a long while since that coffee shop meeting, and I can honestly say there was no catch. Summer and I are super good friends now. We hang out at least once a week. We talk every day. We geek out over gadgets and workshops and Golden Hour. We make our friends model for us just because.

And obviously, my photography has grown leaps and bounds. Like, seriously. Sending Summer that skeptical message was the best thing I could have ever done for my hobby and business.

When I started out, I was convinced I would never, ever, EVER shoot a wedding. (I thought for sure weddings were, like, waaaay pro. I would never be that good, right?) But here we are, I am now Summer's main second shooter and I've booked/shot a few weddings on my own!

It has been so nice having such a talented photographer for not only a friend, but for a mentor. Any time I have a question or I just want to cry about all of the gear on my wishlist, she's there for me! She's helped me understand the technical aspects of photography that always escaped me. And she's made me feel super confident in my skills, something I could never have given myself, if I was still sitting at home alone studying random blog posts.

And in the last year or so, I've made so many more awesome photog friends. It's been incredible. Every time I attend a workshop or join a new Facebook group, I am so jazzed to meet new people and build awesome relationships.

Having a good circle of support is super important in this industry... because sometimes it is cutthroat. Sometimes, other photographers are going to be snooty jerks who just don't want to share their locations or spend their time explaining technical mumbo jumbo to a newb.

But, dudes, don't worry. That is far from from the norm. I have a lot of photography friends these days, and let me tell you. They all rule.

It's so easy to get lost in comparing yourself to others. Sometimes you just need someone to help you keep things in perspective. You need someone who can give you constructive criticism, or give you a tip about the perfect spot for an engagement session... or even tell you that creative edit you're playing with, is straight up ugly.

If I had one piece of advice to give to a new photographer it would be this: Don't do it on your own. Get out there. Find a mentor. Be a mentor. Just make some friends. You can learn something new from every person you meet.

Of course, just making photographer friends will not make you the world's best photographer... but, it will make you a better photographer than the one you are now. I firmly believe that.

In conclusion (and especially if you read the whole thing) thank you for being a friend!

XOXO!