Back to school photos tips!

Back to School Photo Tips

It's that times of year...backpacks, crayons, haircuts, new shoes & school lunches.  Wether your kids are just starting school or ready to graduate you want to capture it all. They grow up so fast.  

Here are a few tips for taking all the photos you need on that busy first day back. 

1. Fill the frame: get a good close up/portrait of your child.  Use the portrait mode on your iPhone for that pretty blurry background. You want that great portrait of their sweet face. 

OH and don't forget to do the same on the LAST day of school. You will be amazed at how much they have changed in one school year. 

2. Tell a story:  Get the details! What back to school traditions do you want to capture?  Morning routine? Breakfast? Walking to the bus stop?  Lunch box notes?  It is all something you will wish you had captured when they are all grown and graduating. 

Include all the things you shopped for together. That perfect sparkly backpack, the matching lunch box. Definitely get those school supplies in there.  You want to remember that cute kitty cat spiral she just had to have. And of course include those new shoes and that perfectly put together outfit.  

For older kiddos make sure you get a close up of their favorite accessories, from that Letterman jacket, to their watch, jewelry, car keys and of course their phone and charger. 

For your littles, go into the classroom on meet the teacher night and take pictures of that beautiful room his teacher has worked on all summer to make inviting. Capture their name on their desk, their locker, their new teacher.  

  

3. Get their personality: Let go of wanting all posed photos. Capture who they are. It is the 

 perfect time to step back and just click without posing them.  They are way over that anyway, right?  Take some pics of them talking with their friends.  Keep them moving, let them be silly. Capture that fortnight dance that they MAY NOT be doing in a few years. Get in paparazzi mode and tell them how amazing they are, yes work it...the camera loves you!  Get those sweet, funny authentic expressions. You want to remember who they are and what they are like at this stage. 

  For those teenagers, if they want to borrow money they have to let you borrow some of their own photos from their insta-stories. GENIUS IDEA! LOL

4. Document growth: Take a picture in the same spot each year. Dress them in an oversized shirt with class of_____ have him where it for first day of school pics from kinder all the way to senior year. Get a chalk board sign and add a quote or their grade. What do you want to remember?

Write these down on a sign. Their favorite book, favorite hobby, what they want to be in 2nd grade....

Get creative & have fun! 

5.  GET IN THE PHOTO WITH THEM! It doesn't even matter if you are still in your PJs and looking rough after trying to get everyone ready.  You are their WORLD and they want to remember you in it. PLUS, they will be taller than you in a year or two and you will want to remember them little. 

What Kind of Camera Should You Buy?

I get asked this question ALL the time. Deciding on camera gear can be tricky. I cover this more in depth, based on individual needs, in my photography class. Your gear depends a lot on what you are planning to shoot.

Here are my suggestions for Canon gear with different budgets in mind. Don't pay extra for kit lenses.  They are okay to start with, but you will want to spend that money on better lenses. 

A great beginner camera is the Rebel T7i 

   Canon EOS Rebel T7i DSLR Camera (Body Only) $749.00 $649.00    

Intermediate FULL FRAME Camera 6D Mark ii

Canon EOS 6D Mark II DSLR Camera (Body Only)

Advance FULL Frame 5D Mark iv

Canon EOS 5D Mark IV 

My favorite lenses 

50mm A great lens for a great price. 

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM $125.00

One of the best selling lenses a bit of an upgrade compared to the one above, but still affordable. 

Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM $329.00

This one is a zoom lens and it is my favorite especially for sports. 

Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD G2

You can buy other brands that fit your canon camera.  Just make sure it is made for your camera. Tamron is a bit cheaper than the canon lens 70-200. 

Hope this helps give you some ideas for your next camera purchase. https://www.bhphotovideo.com is a great resource and it lets you compare different cameras side by side. 

💕 Catina 

www.facebook.com/catinamichellephotography

Painting With Light

Want to capture some fun designs or words with SPARKLERS? 

Try out these camera settings.  

Use a tripod or flat surface to keep camera steady. You can't do this hand held because you want to wait until it's dark!

DSLR Camera 

Beginners: Set to Shutter Priority    

Set your SS at 3" ("= seconds) 

Have your subject start drawing as soon as you click the button and continue until you hear the shutter click.  Stick with something easy at first like a heart. You may want to draw with a sparkler in each hand. 

How does it look? 

Too bright?  Click shutter speed to 2"

Too dark?  Try changing your shutter speed to 4"

Experiment and have fun. 

Writing words should be written right to left unless you plan to flip the photo in edit. Cursive is easier.  For longer words you may want to try out a longer shutter speed like 6 or 8"

Intermediate: Let's go MANUAL Mode (not to be confused with manual focus)

Now YOU are in control of it ALL!! 

NO FLASH....YAY

Try out these settings and click away and play!

Apeture 16

ISO 1000

Shutter Speed 3"

Play around with settings and be creative.  That is why the delete button was created!

The SLOWER you DRAW the THICKER your lines will be
The FASTER you DRAW the THINNER your lines will be

BUY the LONG sparklers or safety sparklers.  You can also find great options by searching wedding sparklers.

Post yout images on insta and use #cmpphotogclass

💕 Catina 
          from Catina Michelle Photography 

Back to blogging!  It has been a while....I now have a high school graduate and one starting high school. I think this is a great place to document our "everyday" even if I don't post consistently. Life is busy.  Plus, I am now the owner of my own photog business and that takes up a lot of time. SO this blog will be undercontruction....it does need some decorating updates. I hope to continue to capture our life as well as add some business aspects to the blog. I hope you are having a great summer. ENJOY!

Teaching my girls to bake with my grandmas recipes. So happy to have these recipes in her own handwriting.

Back to the blog

Getting back to blogging. Documenting my every day blessings and our much needed family get away. We had a blast and just enjoyed our time together. 

Easter Eggstravaganza

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Lots of fun celebrating Easter at Faith  Southwest! Music, crafts, egg hunts and pictures with the Easter bunny!!! Sadly made me realize how fast my girls are growing up! 

Decorating Eggs

Loved pulling out all our creative stuff and  decorating eggs in our own way!! 

Why can't I keep up with this??

I love keeping this blog... Just a way to document our every day blessings BUT I am so bad at keeping up with it!! Here's a few pics to just catch up! 

Christmas is my favorite time of year!!!