The Germantown Series - A Discovery, The Great Hall & Conference Center, Michelle East

Photography Tips Mom to Mom, Michelle East, Award Winning Photographer and Artist, Memphis TN

Thank you for your wonderful feedback on the first of my new series, Photography Tips Mom to Mom!
I am so pleased that so many of you were able to find the first tip on natural light photography helpful. If you missed it, please scroll down to the previous post and you will be all caught up!

Today I want to share some tips on where to position your camera when taking pictures of you children.

The very best place to be when you photograph kids is eye level with them. This sounds easy enough but how many times do you stand at your full 5 ft to 6 ft height and aim your camera down at them?
For a change try getting down on your knees or kneeling. It all depends on the height of the child. For those of you who have seen me in action photographing a child, you know I wear old clothes and sometimes end up on my belly, leaning on my elbows holding the camera!  Whatever works!!

Why do I need to be on eye level with my child?

A

B

We need to be on eye level with our children when photographing because we want to have the best view possible of those gorgeous eyes!  The eyes are the focal point.   Too high and you get the forehead or top of the head, too low and you end up looking up into their noses..... not a pleasant sight even on their best day!

While we are on the subject of eyes, I want to tell you about a little thing called catchlights. Little but powerful in a portrait!

What is a catchlight?

A catchlight is a tiny reflection in the child's eye of a light source. Catchlights add vitality and sparkle to a portrait and keep the eyes from looking dark and flat. (See above example.)


How do I get one?

If you are photographing inside use a window as your light source and position your child so that you can see the catchlight in his/her eyes. (See top example A.)  When outside, use the sun to create the catch light. (See top example B.)  Just be careful and do not have your child look into the sun. The sun catchlight should be coming from sun at the side, not directly above.  You have to look and work for it! This will set your photography apart. I promise!

Have a great week of photographing your sweet, sweet babies!
Please leave me your feedback, I would love to see what you are working on.  Email me a small sample
at michelleeastfineart@live.com. Check out more of my work at http://www.MichelleEastStudio.com & you can also go to my Gallery section here on the blog - see top of the side bar.

Till next time,

Photography Tips Mom to Mom, Michelle East, Award Winning Photographer and Artist, Memphis TN

Hi to all the Moms out there who love to take pictures of their babies - no matter what their age!

I get a lot of questions these days about digital cameras, taking pictures, computer
software, etc..... you get my drift!  It seems like we all have to be photographers
even if we just want to be moms! So I thought it would be fun to post once a week
or so, a tip to help you as moms take better pictures of your children.

So check back often and get your camera ready because you will become a better photographer
if you follow my tips.  :)

To kick off the Photography Tips Mom to Mom blog I want to start with a natural light tip. I am assuming 99% of you do your photography with natural light or with a pop up flash on your camera, which I want you to stop using immediately!

A flash makes the skin look over exposed and blotchy.  The best and most natural look for your pictures will always be natural light.  Please, please, please turn the camera's automatic flash off if you can. You may even go so far as to borrow your husbands duct tape and tape that sucker down!!!!

Head outside into an area out of the direct sun, i.e. shady spot.  Remember not to get into too dark of an area. We in professional photography call it open shade. It is where once you have the child set up, there is open sky on both sides of the child when you look thru the camera. Another option is to use tree shade or a porch.  Try to get the light on your child from the sides rather that straight above which causes shadows on their sweet little eyes.

If you are inside, go to a window to get the natural light falling on your children. Surround them in a warm glow keeping the shadows off their faces. Watch what the light does. You are training your eye to see as a professional photographer sees! Once you get the lighting right, act fast because sunlight changes quickly and so do kids!

A great set up inside it to have the window on the right or left of the child and them facing you forward.

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|  Window         X  Child
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                        X  You








Here is your photography cheat sheet!
Enjoy!
If you like this idea of tips from me on photography, please let me know. I would love to hear from you. Also, I will take questions and try to answer them on the blog if I feel they would be good for everyone to hear.

Happy Photographing!

Michelle East Memphis Artist & Portrait Photographer

Summer Fun with Portraits! Love, love, love this little guy! I've been photographing him since he was 3 months old. You may remember him from when he modeled a Strasberg outfit for a photo shoot I put together for the store in Saddle Creek, Germantown, TN.  

These were done at his house. He loved his pool! Can you tell!

 If you would like to have portraits of your little one, please call me 901.326.6074 and we can discuss a specialized session just for you.

Till next time,

Michelle East Studio Fine Art at Fountain Art Gallery in Memphis, TN

SOLD!

Taking the Evening Trolley 

Mixed Media

20 x 24

I love this trolley work and it sold today at Fountain Art Gallery.  A big thank you to the new collector of my art work.  May you enjoy your new piece of art for many years! 

To see more of my work http://www.Michelleeaststudio.com. I have some NEW work coming up that I can't wait to show you.... hopefully I'll have it up on line by the end of the week.  I will give you a hint - abstract and acrylic!

Saturday I am hosting an art class for children aged 11-15 at my studio.  We are focusing on an introduction to color, acrylic paint and learning about Rembrandt. (Who had a July birthday!) 

Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈrɛmbrɑnt ˈɦɑrmə(n)soːn vɑn ˈrɛin], 15 July 1606 – 4 October 1669) was a Dutch painter and etcher. He is generally considered one of the greatest painters and printmakers in European art history and the most important in Dutch history. His contributions to art came in a period that historians call the Dutch Golden Age.

Having achieved youthful success as a portrait painter, his later years were marked by personal tragedy and financial hardships. Yet his etchings and paintings were popular throughout his lifetime, his reputation as an artist remained high, and for twenty years he taught many important Dutch painters. Rembrandt's greatest creative triumphs are exemplified especially in his portraits of his contemporaries, self-portraits and illustrations of scenes from the Bible. His self-portraits form a unique and intimate biography, in which the artist surveyed himself without vanity and with the utmost sincerity.

In his paintings and prints he exhibited knowledge of classical iconography, which he molded to fit the requirements of his own experience; thus, the depiction of a biblical scene was informed by Rembrandt's knowledge of the specific text, his assimilation of classical composition, and his observations of Amsterdam's Jewish population. Because of his empathy for the human condition, he has been called "one of the great prophets of civilization."

One of my favorite paintings by Rembrandt-

Night Watch   1640-1642

I will be giving future art lessons in my studio, if you are interested in your child participating, please email me at 

michelleeastfineart@live.com for more information!

Till next time,

Michelle East Studio Germantown TN, Children's Portraits- Summer Fun with Pictures!

Summer is finally here and we are already making some memories with portraits in the park!

The grass is green and lush and the sky is blue,  what a nice backdrop to your family or children's pictures.  

Call and set up a time with Michelle for Summer Fun in Portraits 2011!

Till next time,

Michelle East Studio Germantown TN, Children's Portraits

Bringing the beach to Memphis, TN this year with lovely paintings of your children!

The source imagery is photographed in studio. Vintage clothing for boys and girls provided by Michelle. 

Please call Michelle at 901.326.6074 to schedule your child's beach painting. 

Till next time,

Memphis has the most beautiful kids...just look at this one.... Michelle East Memphis Tn Photographer & Artist

These are some of my favorites from a session last week. I just love the beautiful flowers we have here in Tennessee. Spring is one of my favorite times of the year.  

This little girl I've been photographing since before she was born. She is so lovely and did a fantastic job for her 2 year old photo session!

Michelle East Portrait Work Germantown Memphis Tennessee Children's Photography

Some samples from a portrait session this morning. What a beautiful day in Memphis! The sun was shining, the azaleas were amazing and my client was a doll baby!  

If you would like for me to create keepsake images for your family, please call me. 

It would be a pleasure to work with you.  

Till next time,

Michelle East - Germantown TN, Memphis TN Artist & Photographer on Live @ 9 WREG

I will be interviewed on WREG's

Live at 9 

on February 22nd at 9:00 a.m. regarding my exhibit on breast cancer survivors. One of my portrait participants and cancer survivor Zoe Nadel will be with me speaking about her journey through cancer. Please tune in!

About:

Watch Alex Coleman & Marybeth Conley weekdays 9 - 10 a.m. on Channel 3 in Memphis or streaming live www.wreg.com/liveat9.

Detailed Info

Website:

http://www.wreg.com/liveat9

Starring:

Alex Coleman & Marybeth Conley

Directed By:

Joel Rosenberg

Written By:

Jennifer Cates

Plot Outline:

Live at 9 is an Emmy-nominated, hour-long live television show focusing on current events, entertainment, and community affairs. Live at 9 takes pride in offering viewers a wide variety of interviewees including politicians, local and national leaders, musical guests, chefs, authors, and the like. In the past, we’ve hosted local celebrities as well as stars like Billy Bob Thornton, Morgan Freeman, Danny Glover, Tom Arnold, Randy Jackson, Terrance Howard, Jane Seymour, Cuba Gooding Jr, Molly... (read more)

Schedule:

Monday - Friday, 9 a.m. - 10 a.m. CST

Awards:

Emmy-nominated

Facebook Page:

http://www.facebook.com/Liveat9

The exhibit will be held at the http://www.germantowncommunitytheatre.org during the run of the play, The Dixie Swim Club.  There will be an artist reception with breast cancer testimonies on March 5th, 2011 from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. with the play starting at 8:00 p.m. I will be staying for the play on that night as will many others. Please come for a wonderful event. Can't wait to see you there!


Till next time,

Michelle East Art & Photography Working with the Wooberry Dolls!

Look what I got for Christmas!

I opened a card from a colleague Melissa Conroy, whom I collaborated with on the Le Bonheur Children's Hospital project in 2010. Inside the card was this super cute calendar 

she had made and to my surprise, 

she gave me photo billing right on the front page!  :) 

 Thank you so much Melissa!  It is my pleasure to work with you. 

Melissa Conroy's sweet dolls - named woOberry dolls , were the feature of many photographs I took that are now adorning the walls of Le Bonheur's brand new children's hospital in downtown Memphis, TN. 

Check out Melissa's Website http://www.wooberry.com. It is so much fun for kids! Full of bright colors, artwork, dolls and much more! She is also the author of a wonderful children's book Poppy's Pants, we have a signed copy I am pleased to say, and my kindergardener loves it!

 I was so blessed to work on a project of this scale with so many caring and wonderful women who make up the Le Bonheur Club.  For more information about the new children's hospital or the sponsoring artwork for the hospital, you can go to their website at http:/www.lebonheur.org

Till next time my friends,

Your Going to Miss This.... Michelle East - Germantown Artist

Just heard this song and it touched my heart today as a mom and as an individual....

Your Going To Miss This
Sung by Trace Adkins

If you haven't ever heard this song or haven't in a while, here is the you tube link are the lyrics below.

Ponder this..... where do our lives go... trying to get to the next phase... the next achievement...
why can't we stop and just live .... why can't we be content?

I am in the process of purging my home and creating a simple space...(as simple as three kids and two cats allows)..... Went into a store today and asked what can I live with out instead of what do I have to have.

Right now my daughter has 5 years remaining until college. My son eight. My youngest 12 years.
Seems like a long time before I have an empty nest... however, the empty nest of the babies and preschoolers has begun this year with the beginning of Kindergarden.  I am going to miss that time of
diapers, bottles, loveys, car seats, strollers, nap times, play dates, onesies, footed pjs, nursery rhymes, sesame street, cribs, high chairs, sticky faces, dirty hands, crafts, board books, tears, screams, and lots and lots of love.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=ZIBediEAcUQ

Your Going to Miss This.
She was staring out the window
Of their SUV
Complaining, saying,
I cant wait to turn 18
She said, "I'll make my own money"
And I'll make my own rules"
Mama put the car in park 
Out there in front of the school
And she kissed her head
And said 'I was just like you"

You're going to miss this
You're going to want this back
You're going to wish these days
Hadn't gone by so fast
These are some good times
So take a good look around
You may not know it now
But you're going to miss this

Before she knows it
She's a brand new bride
In her one bedroom apartment
And her daddy stops by
He tells her "It's a nice place"
She says "It'll do for now"
Starts talking about babies
And buying a house
Daddy shakes his head
And says "Baby just slow down"



Cause
You're going to miss this
You're going to want this back
You're going to wish these days
Hadn't gone by so fast
These are some good times
So take a good look around
You may not know it now
But you're going to miss this

Five years later
There's a plumber
Working on the water heater
Dogs barking, phones ringing
One kids crying, one kids screaming
She keeps apologizing
He says "They don't bother me.
I've got two babies of my own.
One's 36, one's 23.
It's hard to believe..."

But
You're going to miss this
You're going to want this back
You're going to wish these days
Hadn't gone by so fast
These are some good times
So take a good look around
You may not know it now
But you're going to miss this
You're going to miss this
Yeah you're going to miss this

Michelle East Pondering on Life and Art - Germantown, Memphis Tn Artist and Photographer

What have you done with your first 4 days of 2011? Has it been memorable already?  Have you celebrated your life, your accomplishments, your successes? If not, then you should. You are special and your life should be celebrated.

Over the last few days I have been diving into books and documentaries about the abstract expressionism movement that happened in art around the 1950's. New York is the setting with artists Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko, Willem de Kooning, and a female artist that I love, Joan Mitchell among many more as the players.

My focus has been on Mitchell and Rothko in particular this week.  I am in tune to the abstract as an art form and have begun work that is a big departure from my current style. Don't think it looks anything  like the beautiful works below but in my studio, alone with only me and my big grey persian cat, I am celebrating my new abstract expressionism exploration!

Rothko's large simple color blocks have me mesmerized while Mitchell's use of brush stroke and colors I find compelling.

http://www.joanmitchellfoundation.org





http://www.markrothko.com
Mark Rothko and I share the same birthday- 65 years apart. Maybe that is why I like his art..... :)

Cheers to you!
Till next time,