Irene Jones Photography

It’s a Beautiful Day

Irene Jones — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 02:13:34 +0000

I just made this as a promo for the studio, what do you folks think? I’d love some feed back. I have a feeling this is the first in a long series…

Click on the link above to view!

Momtography School: Indoor Event Photography

Irene Jones — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 20:08:11 +0000

When I was 18 years old I shot my first wedding for pay. I vividly remember taking the negatives (yes, you read that correctly) to my client’s house for delivery a few weeks after the event. Back then I had no clue what copyright meant and I was just making the whole thing up as I went.

When I arrived, it was 3pm and my client opened the door in just her bathrobe. She took one look at me and the contact sheets/negative sleeves in my hand, and screamed at her kids, “We’ve got company! Turn down the TV!” We had a brief and uncomfortable conversation before she made up an excuse about running late and I left.

On the way home I couldn’t help but wonder “wasn’t shooting a wedding supposed to be glamorous job?”. I had this idea in my head that things would be, well different. Then I started totaling up how much I made. For the two hours I was shooting, plus the time it took to develop the negatives, print the contact sheets, meet with the client, and drive around looking for their house in the middle of nowhere, I got $300.00. Before this job I worked at our local movie theater making min. wage. So even though I only profited $60 after all expenses, it felt like I had gotten a $1.25 raise per hour.

Despite all of this, I was un-detoured. I shot another wedding the following year, I doubled my rates and thought I was really hitting the big time. I think I kept going because with each job I saw how my images effected my clients. Seeing their wedding photos for the first time was life altering! I had preserved a personal moment in a creative and descriptive way. I impacted their lives for good and I felt great.

Fast forward 11 years later, my day rate is now 9 times what it was then and my clients don’t come to the door in their bathrobes at 3pm. The best part? The couples I work for! Meeting these wonderful people who truly love each other, their families and friends is a blessing that will keep me shooting weddings as long as I can pick up a camera.

How does this tie into Momtography School?

The purpose of this Momtography class is to help people who were in my shoes 11 years ago gain the skills set and self confidence necessary to make any event they shoot a success. Though the class will be focusing on how to shoot a wedding, these same skills can be translated to a ballet recital, soccer game, or birthday party. Any event worth photographing really.

Here’s what we will be covering:

Shooting with available light indoors
Strobe indoors
Mixing strobe and available light
Achieving correct color balance in mixed lighting
Creating a narrative for your images
How to make a great candid image
The best equipment for low light

The class will go like this. All attendees and myself will meet and tour The Manor. Together, we will create a shot list of what images we want to capture throughout the “event”. Once we have compiled a shot list will we will begin executing each image in order. As we go though each area of the Manor will will be able to work with different lighting scenarios and practice each technique. We will have a bride, fresh flowers, beautifully set tables, and all the elements of a real event at our disposal.

Best of all, we will be able to work our way through different portions of the event at a decelerated, learning friendly pace. As with all my classes, questions are welcome and demonstration provided. Plus each participant will receive a detailed packet which covers all of the technical vocabulary and a step by step how to guide to recreate similar shots in the future.

As an added bonus, the Manor, and the shops providing our flowers and cake, would love to post your best images from our two hour shoot on their website! Photo credit will be provided. This is a great opportunity for some free advertising.

Oh and did I mention the buy one get one free? Pay for this class and you’ll also get the Outdoor Event class for free. The Outdoor Event class is a perfect stepping stone for any photographer wanting to add strobe on location to their photographic tool box.

For anyone reading this and feeling overwhelmed or that these classes are out of your league, please don’t worry. On purpose I’ve dedicated these classes to small groups. I want your questions to get answered face to face and you to grow as a photographer. If you’re struggling to shoot in manual mode, or even auto mode, there will be something in this class for you. I take that back, there will be A LOT of things in this class for you.

If you’ve been thinking about registering, now is the time. Follow this link to take advantage of the buy one get one free offer now.

http://momtogrphyindoorevent.eventbrite.com/?discount=bogo

Once you’ve registered for either the Outdoor or Indoor class, I’ll send you an email with info on how to register for the second class at no charge.

Still have questions? Call me. 425.367.4781 or email irene@ijphoto.net .

Sneak Peek: Lindsay and Jesse’s Wedding

Irene Jones — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 06:33:36 +0000

On Saturday Terice and I spent our day at the lovely Lord Hill Farms for the wedding of Lindsay Bowyer and Jesse McCelland. To say these two are fun loving is an understatement! Jesse loves the camera, and it loves him back.

After shooting this image I couldn’t help but show it to Lindsay. Her smile when she saw the image was fantastic. It was a perfect way to start off the day. For those photographers out there reading this post. I shot this in the middle of the day with strobe. The goal? Over power the harsh overhead light to create dimension and shape. Using strobe allows me to mold the light into what I want it to be instead of muddling through with only natural light as a source. It’s techniques like this one that are taught during the Indoor and Outdoor Event classes I teach as part of my Momtography School: Photo Workshops for Moms. These classes are coming soon, and space is still open. Please check them out!

Lord Hill Farms has recently finished a number of renovations to their facility. It looks amazing. If you’re looking for a venue for your wedding, this should be on the top of your list!

This shot shows the reception area on the main floor. They also have an indoor and outdoor ceremony site, a must have for any venue in Western WA. Here’s another angle of the table decorations. I love their choice of flowers on the tables. I think it complemented the elegant, yet rustic look that this beautifully converted farm embodies.

While Terice, Jesse, and the groomsmen (Matt and Ryan) were photographing outside, I was with Lindsay as she put on the her final touches prior to the ceremony. For this wedding Lindsay and Jesse opted for “split formals.” Splitting the portrait session into before and after the ceremony is a good way to keep the tradition of the bride and groom not seeing each other prior to the ceremony, while still allowing for us to take a bulk of the portraits before hand. This keeps the guests happy, and gives us ample time to get creative shots. Other couples choose to do a “first look” where we have the bride and groom meet up a private little moment before the ceremony. With this option we get all of the photos out of the way prior to the ceremony. Some photographers want all their clients to do a first look, others always do split formals. Personally, I do whatever make the bride happy.

Once Lindsay was ready for her turn in front of the camera, I couldn’t resist a few shots on the dock. The Snohomish Valley is just amazing, and the sky, looks like something from a childhood memory.

The 5pm ceremony was perfect. Set on the hillside overlooking the river, Lindsay, Jesse, and their families participated in a heartfelt expression of love and unity. Both the bride and groom incorporated traditions from their individual heritage and then sealed their vows with passionate kiss.

And it’s that very idea of passion that I think best encapsulates these two. Their love is infectious and a joy to witness!

As a part of the ceremony, Ryan, the best man read a traditional Irish wedding blessing, which says:

May the road rise to meet you.

May the wind be always at your back.

May the sun shine warm upon your face.

The rains fall soft upon the fields.

May the light of friendship guide your paths together.

May the laughter of children grace the halls of your home.

May the joy of living for one another trip a smile from your lips, A twinkle from your eye.

And when eternity beckons, at the end of a life heaped high with love, May the good Lord embrace you with the arms that have nurtured you the whole length of your joy-filled days.

May the gracious God hold you both in the palm of His hands. And, today, may the Spirit of Love find a dwelling place in your hearts.

Amen.

May I add my agreement to these beautiful words and my wish for a long and happy marriage for Lindsay and Jesse!

To view more of Lindsay and Jesse’s photos please visit our online ordering page. All of the images will be online July 24, 2010. Please use the following username and password to view the images.

Username: Lindsay & Jesse

Password: 21366

And finally, if you attended Lindsay and Jesse’s wedding and love what we did, please write a review for us! Follow the link below to learn how to win an 16×20 canvas just for telling us what you thought!

http://blog.ijphoto.net/2010/06/08/write-a-review-and-win-our-contest/

How About Head over Heals?

Irene Jones — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 17:56:00 +0000

Today’s photo challenge for I Heart Faces is “Over your Head.” The challenge is pretty open and I shot this on Saturday at Lord Hill Farms in Snohomish, WA. More images from Lindsay and Jessie’s wedding will be posted later this week.

The photo was a series of fortunate happenings all at once. Right after the ceremony the wedding party and a bunch of friends were standing outside the reception hall. I grabbed my gear, some flower petals the florist had stashed for me earlier that day, and a strobe. We passed out flower petals and told our bride and groom to kiss. I had one shot, luckily it turned out great!

Lindsay and Jessie were so fun to photograph! One of my favorite things is seeing the way a groom looks at his bride. The love, passion, and commitment to each other is beyond words.

Check back in later this week for a sneak peek from their gorgeous wedding day!

Momtography School: Intro to Digital- What did you learn?

Irene Jones — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 20:52:26 +0000

On July 10, myself, Terice and a great group of photographers met up for the first ever Momtography Class. For anyone thinking about attending a class in the future, we had a great time and everyone said they learned a lot along the way.

The first hour was a crash course for many of our photographers in how to use the features their DSLR has. These include Aperture Priority Mode, Shutter Speed Priority, Manual Mode, White Balance, and ISO. We also discussed in depth the relationship between aperture, focal length, and distance from a subject.

Then is was off to the Everett Arboretum for a more practical application of our favorite artistic medium. It was a bright sunny day with the sun high in the sky. Not the easiest light for a flattering portrait, but we used the following simple tricks to capture some great photos.

1. Minimize the contrast level by placing a subject in the shade.

2. Meter for the shadows on the subject’s face to find a pleasing exposure.

3. Fill with a reflector to add depth, dimension, and interest to a portrait.

Here are a few examples that attendees submitted.

This image is by Lynell Hildebrand. Exposure is 1/400 @ F 5. The lens is 85mm focal length. Notice how the background is a beautiful blur but still recognizable, thus keeping the image in context. What you don’t see, is me on camera right doing my best to bounce light onto my son’s face while keeping him smiling. The slight over exposure (highlights on the top of his head, left side of his face and back) which would be distracting in some photos is okay here. The added warmth in the image is great too. These elements really play into the sweet expression.

If you’ re wondering how to tell what kind of lighting is used in an image, just look in the eyes of the subject. You can see in Tyler’s right eye a large round catchlight. This is the reflector I was holding. The eyes will tell you every time how to mimic the lighting senario. Here’s a diagram of the set up.

Jessica Burnett caught a different angle on the same shot and even used a similar exposure. Completely different results though. Take a look.

Jessica’s exposure was 1/640 @ F5.3 using a 200mm lens. The telephoto lens really added to the compression on this image, rendering the background a solid color blur where the park once was. Also the depth of field has been severely shortened. The only thing truly in focus is his eyes and the hair on his arms! The rest is blurred because of the shallow depth of field. Both images are great and would please any client. This time, that client is me, (oh how the tables have turned!) and as a Mom I’m very happy with the great photos of my darling boy.

Next up in the Momtography Class series is Intro to Composition on July 24. I’ve added space for additional photographers to attend. To help this one sell out quickly, as of today the class is on sale! Now only $35 per person. This is a savings of $90! Register now.

I’ve heard from a number of people, “I don’t need a composition class,” and I totally understand the sentiment. But this will be a more hands on workshop environment with each person shooting and learning as you go how to improve your images. No matter the skill level this will be a great opportunity. The best part? Professional models and beautiful historic buildings. It’s worth the money just to add to your portfolio.

Details about what the class will cover and where we will be going are coming soon! If you have questions, just call me! 425.367.4781.

Hope to see you there!

Oh, and I almost forgot. If you attended and would like to share more images or your experience, please comment below!

Lyndze DuPape

Irene Jones — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 18:56:53 +0000

Recently Lyndze DuPape, a student of Lake Stevens High School, visited my studio for a mini session and applied to be a Senior Portrait Representative. This years Reps are a part of the class of 2011 and it’s their job to spread the word about Irene Jones Photography.

Here’s a few images from her session.

After our session, Lyndze received 50 Rep Cards with a coupon for free wallets to pass out to friends. If you know Lyndze, ask her for a card! Or if you like what you see, call or email me and let me know you saw Lyndze’s photos and would like to book. You’ll also receive 16 free wallets just for booking.

Now is a great time to schedule your session while space is still available! Call 425.367.4781 to book.

For more information about packages and to view more images please visit our Senior Portrait Site.

Zaidy Barradas

Irene Jones — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 18:53:08 +0000

Recently Zaidy Barradas, a student of Kamiak High School, visited my studio for a mini session and applied to be a Senior Portrait Representative. This years Reps are a part of the class of 2011 and it’s their job to spread the word about Irene Jones Photography.

Here’s a few images from her session.

After our session, Zaidy received 50 Rep Cards with a coupon for free wallets to pass out to friends. If you know Zaidy, ask her for a card! Or if you like what you see, call or email me and let me know you saw Zaidy’s photos and would like to book. You’ll also receive 16 free wallets just for booking.

Now is a great time to schedule your session while space is still available! Call 425.367.4781 to book.

For more information about packages and to view more images please visit our Senior Portrait Site.

Annie Vo – Senior Rep

Irene Jones — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 20:55:32 +0000

Recently Annie Vo, a student of Cascade High School, visited my studio for a mini session and applied to be a Senior Portrait Representative. This years Reps are a part of the class of 2011 and it’s their job to spread the word about Irene Jones Photography.

Here’s a few images from her session.

After our session, Annie received 50 Rep Cards with a coupon for free wallets to pass out to friends. If you know Annie, ask her for a card! Or if you like what you see, call or email me and let me know you saw Annie’’s photos and would like to book. You’ll also receive 16 free wallets just for booking.

Now is a great time to schedule your session while space is still available! Call 425.367.4781 to book.

For more information about packages and to view more images please visit our Senior Portrait Site.

Pareesa- Senior Rep

Irene Jones — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 20:41:44 +0000

Recently Pareesa Goshtasebi, a student of Mariner High School, visited my studio for a mini session and applied to be a Senior Portrait Representative. This years Reps are a part of the class of 2011 and it’s their job to spread the word about Irene Jones Photography and the of our portraits.

Here’s a few images from her session.

After our session, Pareesa received 50 Rep Cards with a coupon for free wallets to pass out to friends. If you know Paressa, ask her for a card! Or if you like what you see, call or email me and let me know you saw Pareesa’s photos and would like to book. You’ll also receive 16 free wallets just for booking.

Now is a great time to schedule your session while space is still available! Call 425.367.4781 to book.

For more information about packages and to view more images please visit our Senior Portrait Site.

Momtography School: Introduction to Digital Photography Class

Irene Jones — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 18:41:42 +0000

Are you attending Momtography School, or thinking about attending but you want to know more before you hand over your hard earned cash and precious Saturday? Keep reading!

First off, who is Momtography School for? Well anyone really, but as the name suggests, it’s geared towards the busy schedule Mom’s have. And if you’re a like me (I have three kids under 6!) Getting a free moment to do something I want to do, can be hard! Momtography school is for those of us that love photographing and want to take better pictures; of our children, families, and all of those special moments where hiring a professional isn’t a possibility.

Below is a detailed description of the first class, Introduction to Digital Photography and the topics we will cover. This is a great place to start if you’ve recently purchased a DSLR or you’ve had one for a while but you’ve been afraid to take it off Auto. The class will include detailed demonstrations, examples, and hands-on practice to help you understand the theory as well as the application of the features listed. In addition to the information below, if you have specific concerns or questions, time will be provided for personal, one-on-one instruction, regarding your individual questions.

Class Outline:

The class will be a two hour course which will begin with some instruction in the universal features that all DSLR cameras use. These included:

ISO
Shutter Speed/ Shutter Speed Priority Mode
Aperture/ Aperture Priority Mode
Manual Mode
White Balance
Camera Metering Modes
Exposure Compensation

From there we will move into a discussion of how to use these features to control the following and achieve:

Shallow/Infinite Depth of Field
Stop Action/ Motion Blur
Correct Color in Any Light
How to Correctly Expose a Subject (ie bright backgrounds, or dark foregrounds)
Photography Tricks all North-Westerner’s Should Know

Just in case you don’t have a photographic memory, (forgive the stupid pun) information sheets will be provided to help you remember what you’ve learned. If the list above seems daunting, don’t worry, the small class size will allow for a friendly exchange of ideas and lots of room for questions.

During the second hour we will leave my studio and go to a local park (Everett Arboretum) to practice these concepts and demonstrate how to correctly expose a scene. Joining us will be a professional model that I have worked with in the past and is a joy to photograph! Each photographer will have the chance to apply the discussed camera settings, ask questions, and photograph images that will instantly show an improvement in the quality of your work.

This class is a perfect for anyone that loves photography but has had difficulty making the images they imagine translate to the viewfinder. No matter the brand of camera you use, or how much you already know, this class will build your confidence and provide new technical know-how.

As an added incentive I’ve extended the $10 off coupon through July 4! Space is still open so please don’t hesitate, register now to save! Invite a friend to register and you’ll both save $15 off the Introduction to Composition Class which builds upon the skills learned during the Introduction to Digital Photography Course.

See all available classes for all skill levels and register now!