Recent Sessions
It’s been awhile since I’ve blogged! I can’t wait to share some images with you soon, but today this post is all about some exciting changes! The first and most obvious is a little change in the menu bar up there. You will see that there is now a link for a “wedding site.” I love all of my portrait clients, and I love all of my wedding clients, but the relationship with each type of client is very different. Following this train of thought, I wondered why I would try to lump two very different relationships into one site. This blogsite will continue to be the main face and focus of my business, but now for brides who happen to drop by looking for more information on wedding, they can click right to that site and find what they’re looking for. Likewise my portrait clients can still have access to all the information and goodness they’re used to right here. A note for the wedding site - it is a flash site, so may not be viewable on all mobile devices. We’re working on that nifty HTML5 to rectify that for the apple users.
There will also be some exciting changes coming to the way we proof images! I can’t give all the details on that yet, but if you are one of the clients who is already booked for spring, you will be among the first to find out!!
I hope you all have a great Monday!
I’ve been busy with holiday sessions and orders, and I have been neglecting the part of my Blog dedicated to other photographers and the industry in general. I have, however, been keeping up with the questions and comments from the readers of that section. The example posts are by far the most popular, and so it seemed like a good day to post one.
Here is the finished version of the image we will be looking at.
This version is a fully processed image with an urban theme, which is the theme I get the most questions about. It also happens to be one of my favorites. 
Knowing how to manipulate and set your camera, and not relying on auto functions is key to any good image. We have discussed that a ton, so I won’t go into it again on this post. Here is that same image straight out of the camera. (SOOC for future reference)
I’ll bet there’s not nearly as much work done to it as you thought is there? I get tons of questions on how to create images in Photoshop. My reply is always the same - you don’t create an image in Photoshop, you create it with the camera. Just as a painter knows the right mix of paints, or a musician knows the right key and notes, a photographer must know how to read the light, and how to use both the light and the camera to create the image that they want. Photoshop is merely an enhancement tool. It can not correct and out of focus image. It can not enhance quality or detail that is not already there. Heres a side by side comparison.
Let’s also take a look at the Black and White conversions that everyone loves. I myself, even with a love of color, adore a good black and white. Lets see the difference between a normal everyday conversion (which is what basic photo software offers) and a correctly done, basic, professional black and white image. The one on the left is the greyscale conversion and the on the right is the professional black and white.
Quite a bit of difference huh? Black and white images were the first images ever captured, since color film wasn’t invented until long after black and white film. And images taken on true black and white film only have black, white, and a mix of the two. There is no gray option, and that is the goal to accomplish with digital black and whites as well. You can see the difference in Caleb’s face in the two images – the one of the left is a shade of gray, and the one on the right is a true mix of black and white.
Here is a quick recap!
I hope this helps, and if you have any questions leave them in the comments or drop me an email with the contact tab!
I’ve been a little MIA on the blog – but all for good reason. We have had family in town, plus we traded family sessions with my awesome friend Danielle! I’ve also been swamped with wedding consults (is October the new June? Awesome!) and booking up for back to school and holiday portraits. I really love this time of year, crazy though it may be.
Here are some photos of Danielle and her family!
As Danielle said “This is the field where God created grasshoppers.” SO so true, but Charlee was loving looking for them!
Love this little girl!
This little girl loooooves her mommy!
Stunners!
I love this photo – it describes these two!!
And of course some of my cousin and his wife!
See Brutus up there? Very possibly the coolest dog ever.
And of course – one that I love from our session by Danielle!!
Most mama’s can relate to that photo!!
Happy Friday! I hope you all have a great weekend!
That’s right, it’s contest time!!! We have to break in the new Blog somehow right?? Since Facebook changes their terms of service about once a day, this contest will take place here on the Blog. The subject is exactly what it appears to be. I want to hear about your proposal! I *love* love stories, and I love to document people in love.
Send the story of your proposal to contact@vaughanphotography.com (or use the contact tab above) for a chance to win a free engagement session, a mounted 11×14, and 20% off any wedding package (optional – booking not required). The first two items alone value over $200.00, and entries are only being accepted until July 20th!
Below is the flyer for the contest – it is also on Facebook. If your not a fan already hurry over and join! If your not getting married yourself, but know someone who is then don’t forget to spread the word! I recommend tagging them in the photo on Facebook.
Here is all the info – I can’t WAIT to hear your stories!!!
Here’s another before/after!! This one is pretty close to how I normally process everything – quick enhancements only. Anyone who reads my blog knows that I’m an advocate of getting it right in camera – but I won’t get on that soapbox today!
Before:
And After:
And the comparison:
Any questions, feel free to use the contact me tab above! Info on mentoring can be found on the photographers tab.
Have a great weekend!!
Happy Tuesday everyone!! Now that things are slowing down from the holiday weekend, I thought that it would be a good time to look over the exciting changes that the new site will bring. As thrilled as I was about my brand new Blogsite, I was kind of sad to see my old site go. It hung with me through the early days of learning, and starting a business and has served me well. Eventually though, I noticed that most of my traffic was to my Blog, which I enjoy because I like to interact with my clients. So it was time to let the old site and blog go, and pursue options to combine it all into one. That’s how we landed here!
You’ll notice as you look around that this Blogsite is different in alot of ways from my old Blog. There’s the pretty flash header and the animated galleries. It also , of course includes client proofing and my portfolio right here, as well as all the information links. I love that everything in combined into one easy to manage site. That gives me more time to do what I love – capture great images!
My FAVORITE thing about this new site is the option to provide clients with their own mini-sites. Right now you will probably see this mostly with weddings and my senior reps. They will have their very own site for their friends and families to browse and enjoy, as well as their regular proofing gallery to order from. What was that……? That’s right! You can now place your order directly from this site.
Keep your eyes open for an announcement about the very first mini site that is on its way soon! I hope you all have a great day!!!!