Happy New Year! Enter Our New Contest!

Photograph by Mary Monaghan Schannen.


We have started a new contest on the Facebook Group, Photographing Children! The first prize is Adobe Lightroom! Secondary prizes will be awarded as well, including a year's membership to NAPP/Photoshopuser and textures/actions from JESSICA DROSSIN, NICOLE VAN, and SARAH CORNISH. Guess what else? A signed copy of my book, Photographing Children (see Amazon link to right)!

All you need to do is join the FACEBOOK GROUP and click on the first EVENT. You will be directed to the contest. In this group, we share our love and inspiration and learn to better our photography.

Ends January 31st.

Here is to a very peaceful, successful and inspired twenty-ten!

Holiday Gift - Photographing Children

Word has it that my book, Photographing Children, has been a great gift for new and expectant parents. It is also a wonderful accompaniment to the gift of a camera!

As time has passed since the book came out last year, and our Facebook Group on Photographing Children has reached almost 800 members, I've been thinking about how time will effect the popularity of the book. I have noticed that throughout all the fads and popular photography trends for photographing children, you've got to know the basics: seeing the light, learning to make beautiful compositions, and evoke striking expressions. Once you have the basics down (and I'm not necessarily talking about the technical elements,) you can freely start to develop your own style: photojournalistic, mystical, retro, modern, stark, romantic, classic - whatever suits your tastes and temperament!

I think you will find the book extremely friendly and helpful from all points of view, whether a beginner, intermediate or pro.

Feel free to join the Facebook Group, Photographing Children, to join in on the discussion, and perhaps join our next contest.

Happy Holidays!

Ginny

Facebook Group Photographing Children 2nd Place

Soon we will be announcing the first place winner of the contest on composition. In the meantime I wanted to introduce the second place winner of our last contest on Pictorial Photography of Children.

Lori Hannon-Ladouceur

"The photo was taken when we were out looking for foxes for me to shoot(with my camera of course)! We found some dens, and my daughter was staring into the woods trying to see if the foxes were coming home. "

I think you will agree that the style and composition and story here give it great strength as a contemporary pictorial photograph. It has a magical, ethereal look to it, which seems to convey just the story Lori tells.

Congratulations, Lori!

(Lori received a signed copy of Photographing Children Photoworkshop, by Ginny Felch) To see more about this book, click on the Amazon button on your right.

Online Mentoring Photographing Children

I have just begun to offer online mentoring and critiquing for those of you who are interested.

I have been offering mentoring out of my studio in person for years, and it is really a friendly and efficient way to hone in on exactly what YOU want to learn - be it composition, Photoshop tips, seeing light, getting better exposures or expressions. It allows you to cut to the chase rather than spending money on classes where many students try to have their needs met and you have to go through too much information that is not relevant to you.

We will use email,iChat or Skype, so that screen-sharing will be involved. See the Paypal icon on the upper right-hand side of the blog here. Email me at Ginny@silverliningimages to set up a date. Start thinking about what you want to learn, what photographs you want to show me (your worst or your best - the ones that will help you improve!) Also line up some questions, challenges or snags you are running into and we will cross them off your list one by one. If you aren't clear about exactly what you want, we can discuss it and hone in on what you need.

In the meantime, don't forget the contest on the Facebook Group Photographing Children - first prize is Adobe Lightroom!
Contest ends at the end of September, but in the mean time there is a lot of learning and inspiration going on there right now.

Photographing Children Contest Winner

Congratulations to Jane Adlem, of London, who won first prize in our Facebook Photographing Children Contest. The assignment was "Pictorial," and this image beautifully typifies my vision of the assignment. We are always busy om our group inspiring one another and improving our photographs of children. Jane is a new member and we welcome and honor her!

What I love about this image is the beautiful and somewhat dramatic background, with soft light that eliminates distracting hot spots. Even though there is a pictorial or painterly look, I consider it a timeless, contemporary photograph due to the clothing. I would not ordinarily recommend centering the subject as Jane chose to do in this photograph, but it is the perfect example of "breaking the rules" and going for boldness. The natural and unfettered expression of the child is timeless and spontaneous. Her body language is so fluid and carefree.

Jane describes her photograph:"This is a photograph of my niece I took for a project which was part of a photography course I recently started. I found this beautiful, quiet country lane not far from her house and just followed her around with my camera whilst she was having fun running and hiding from me. I was so pleased to have captured a sense of her movement and love the way her face looks so lost in thought!

Thank you so much for choosing my photograph, I feel very privileged!"

Today we are starting a new contest. The first prize is Nik Color-Effex Pro 3.0. I LOVE that software and use it almost every day. I will announce the subject of the contest on the Facebook Group Photographing Children page. Don't hesitate to join our group by clicking HERE

If you want to go to the contest page it is HERE

Contest on Pictorial Photography of Children

My Facebook Group Photographing Children is growing by leaps and bounds with many enthusiastic members just inspiring and being inspired! We are in the middle of a contest right now with ADOBE LIGHTROOM as first prize! Second prize is a signed (if you live in US) copy of my book, Photographing Children (see link to the right)

Join in by going to Facebook, joining up with the group Photographing Children. Then go to the EVENTS on that page and sign up for the Pictorial Contest and you will be able to enter and LEARN.

Pictorial photography is about a sense of place utilizing all the compositional elements we learned about in the book, adding to it the essence of beautiful, natural light. It is NOT about close-up photography.

There are links on the group page to learn more. Join in on the fun!

Ephotozine Interview Photographing Children by Ginny Felch

A few weeks ago, Nikita from ephotozine.com emailed and asked me if she could talk with me about photographing children. Wiley sent her the book and today they published a nice interview which follows. Thank you, Nikita! I love to share my enthusiasm about photographing children and then get involved with the photographers and parents who share it. The Facebook Group, Photographing Children (by invitation) has grown to over 400 members who ask for help, share their successes, and participate in discussions and contests. The subject of our contest ending June 6th is about depth of field (bokeh) or keeping the background out of focus while the subject remains in focus. Sometimes this really enhances a portrait and it is fun to experiment with. The winner will receive Photoshop Elements from Adobe!

One of our newest members just had a baby a week or so ago and is sharing her first portraits, complete with her own hand-knitted hats and outfits.

Enjoy the interview, read the book (!) and join in on the fun! Best, Ginny

Interview