ART regardless

ART | regardless featuring @lauries_little_ones

November 28, 2016by hellodearphotographer2 Comments

This special feature is to showcase those excelling at creating some extraordinary art with their phones.

Why do you love to utilize your phone to capture these images?
You will never see me without my phone in hand, or very close by. Ironically, I dislike actually talking on the phone, but I use my iPhone 6 throughout the day to capture sweet, candid moments of childhood. I work out of our home 2 days per week, but I am home with my children the rest of the time. Some may think that always being home with kids may not make for the best of photo opportunities, but I’ve come to discover magic in the mundane and I work to capture it.
Has your phone helped spark more creativity onto other type of work?
Yes! As much as I enjoy capturing our everyday moments, my love of mobile photography has sparked a desire in me to write about my experience for various photography forums and I look forward to sharing tips and inspiration with others. I have also partnered with some cool brands and small shops which has been interesting and fun!
Where does your inspiration come from?
Instagram inspires me. Instagram also intimidates me, but for the most part, I find a great deal of inspiration as I scroll through my feed. My interest in photography developed initially once I became a mother. It wasn’t until I was expecting my third baby that I was introduced to the world of Instagram. This exposure sparked a new passion within me. I became deeply inspired by other mothers who seemed to have an exceptional ability to capture their everyday lives in a beautiful, magical way. This is when I began to look at photography differently and focused on the simple, daily documentation of our days.
Can you share some tips to achieving your style of art?
First of all, if you plan on primarily using a mobile device to take high quality photos, I strongly suggest that you photograph your subjects in plenty of natural light. Our window shades and blinds are always fully open to allow for as much natural light to stream into our home as possible. I’ve experimented with taking photos at various times of the day throughout our home. It’s been so interesting to see how light greatly impacts each image. You will come to see that the light from even rainy or overcast days lends itself to great iPhone captures.
Secondly, as much as I love natural light conditions, it is also fun to experiment with what I call “creative light” situations. I’ve begun taking note of shadows and directional light. I will draw all of the shades in a room except for one to see how the light plays against my subject. Unfortunately, I am reluctant to post these images to Instagram for fear of interfering with my “aesthetic” but I do hope to become more comfortable with this over time.

Another thing that has helped me in terms of developing my style of art is the fact that I am very consistent with what I tend to photograph as well as the environment in which I photograph my subjects. For me, it is less about choosing the same filters and presets, but more about the fact that I take lots of images at our home. It’s always the same environment, rooms, colors, décor, etc. which creates a uniform feel or style.
Finally, one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned when photographing my kids is that while there are tons of fancy cameras and editing apps that can help us attain great images, I think it’s important to remember that there is beauty in every moment. Even the difficult ones. Challenge yourself to see beyond the moment, and then capture that. This should be carefree and fun. I love my iPhone because it’s just always there. I’m able to pick it up and snap a quick photo in literally seconds. And sometimes that’s all that we have. These precious moments with our kids are fleeting and I truly use my iPhone to document the moments that conjure the most emotion within me. My advice is to keep it fun! As long as you have fun with the art of photography, your images will always be perfect.

What are your favorite communities on Instagram so that we can also follow?

It is hard to answer this question, as there are so many inspirational and supportive communities on Instagram! I have come to love the forums that encourage exchanges of information so that we can all learn and grow from one another. The accounts I am sure to check in on regularly are: @dear_photographer, @camera_mama, @momtog, @mobile_snaps_collaborative and @clickinmoms.

What gear do you use?

I use an iPhone 6 for all of my photos but I can’t wait to upgrade to the iPhone 7 Plus!

What are your favorite editing apps and why?
I enjoy experimenting with various editing apps. My current favorite go-to editing application is the @VSCO Cam app. The @VSCO Cam app is available for free and it comes with many free filters and presets to add to your images. You can also crop, straighten and fully adjust your photos using this app; it’s been a game changer for me and I can’t say enough good things about it! Another editing app that I’ve come to love is Snapseed. I typically use Snapseed to edit my outdoor shots. Snapseed is a very powerful, yet user-friendly editing tool with endless possibilities. I tend to apply a Glamour Glow overlay to some of my outdoor images to add that special, more finished touch. I also like to use PicsArt from time to time, primarily for the cloning functionality it offers. If there is a distracting element in an image, I will use PicsArt to remove the distraction from the shot which has been invaluable.

ART regardless, PHOTOGRAPHY

art | REGARDLESS featuring @for_the_love_of_it_all

October 31, 2016October 25, 2016by fortheloveofitall1Leave a Comment

This special feature is to showcase those excelling at creating some extraordinary art with their phones.

Why do you love to utilize your phone to capture these images?

I love the convenience of using my phone. It’s always on me, so I don’t have to worry that I may miss something while I run to get my “big camera”. It also allows me to capture moments without needing to have the perfect camera settings. When I use my phone I’m way less worried about perfection and way more focused on the moment.

Has your phone helped spark more creativity into other types of work

For sure! Often I’ll see a shot and capture it quick with my phone and if the moment lingers long enough I’ll run and get my big camera. Because my phone is always nearby, I’m forever subconsciously looking for light, shadows, and pretty locations. I have learned so much about my own style through taking pictures with my phone on a daily basis and that has overflowed into my personal and client work.

Where does your inspiration come from?

My inspiration definitely comes from my two girls. I’ve always loved photography, but when my 4 year old was born I realized just how much it meant to me. I don’t have the greatest memory so capturing my girls’ lives through a lens, whether it be an iPhone or a DSLR, is very important to me. I love how I can look at an image and all the feelings of that moment can come rushing back to me.

Can you share some tips to achieving your style of art?

I love to capture our daily happenings, but I try to do it in an artistic way. Light is definitely something that I focus on the most – I’m always on the look out for a good spot of light, or a killer shadow.

I love to use pockets of light. They’re a great way to draw attention to something specific, plus it looks really cool! When I take pictures of pockets of light I’ll often use my VSCO app because it allows me have one point of focus and another point of exposure, helping to create that contrast that I really want.

Silhouettes are some of my favorites and they’re really quite simple to make with a phone camera. Making sure that you have a bright background (light source) and a dark figure is really important in making that perfect silhouette. Using the VSCO app for one point of focus (your subject) and one point of exposure (i.e the sky) is great for silhouettes as well. If you’re outside, taking the picture right after the sun goes down is the best! And getting low to the ground really gives you that big sky. I’ll totally lay in the grass to get the shot. If you’re inside big window are a great source of back light.

Although I don’t do it nearly enough, I love to get in the frame with my girls. I’ve learned that anything can be a tripod for my phone. A shoe, a trashcan, a tree stump or even… my big camera (gasp!). One way that I really like to get in the frame is by putting a timer on, taping my phone to the ceiling above our bed, and going in for the snuggles! It gives such a cool perspective.

No Posing! (Ok, maybe just a little posing) I try my hardest not to make things too staged. I may sit my little one in a pretty spot and let her crawl around, or ask my big girl to run to the top of the hill, but I always find that my favorite shots are the ones that happen all on their own. I just make sure to always be ready 😉 And always take more pictures than you need! I’m always telling my girls “Ok, just one more!”, which really means 10 more… but in the end I’m left with a lot of options and most of the time only a few actually turned out how I really wanted them to.

What are your favorite communities on Instagram so that we can also follow?

I’m a contributor in a wonderful community on Instagram called @mobile_snaps_collaborative – we feature mobile images only, so it’s a perfect place to see all of the amazing art that can come from a phone – I’m constantly in awe and inspired! I’m also a big fan of @camera_mama. They feature all sorts of beautiful pictures but also ask a question or two about how the photo was achieved, so you can get lots of great tips for your mobile and big camera images! And of course @dear_photographer!!

What gear do you use?

I currently have an iPhone 5s. I use this for all of my Instagram photos. I also have an Olloclip attachment that offers a macro, wide-angle and fisheye lens. I like to use that for fun sometimes!

What are your favorite editing apps and why?

My go-to editing app is VSCO. (Its FREE!) I love that it offers a lot of great tools for easily adjusting the exposure, contrast, highlights etc! I also use Snapseed (also free!) sometimes because it offers a tool that allows you to edit only specific spots within your photo. For the shots that I try to get in with my girls I use either the timer on my phone or an app called TimerCam (yup, free!) if I want to get a shot from farther away because it has an option for a 30 second timer.

Processed with VSCOcam with f2 preset Processed with VSCO with f2 preset Processed with VSCOcam with x1 preset Processed with VSCO with x1 preset

About the photographer:

I’m a part-time natural light photographer, full-time momma. I live in Lancaster, PA with my two beautiful daughters, ages 4 and 11 months, and my awesome husband. I love Mountain Dew slushies, fall sunsets, summer evening car rides with the music blasting, and long afternoon naps.

Website. Facebook. Instagram.

ART regardless, PHOTOGRAPHY

ART | regardless featuring @paperdoll_pioneers

October 3, 2016August 25, 2016by dclanfranchi3 Comments

This special feature is to showcase those excelling at creating some extraordinary art with their phones.

Why do you love to utilize your phone to capture these images?
My family is on a 2 year journey to explore the beauty of our country and fulfill some serious wanderlust. Documenting our ordinary days and our extraordinary days has become an obsession and an art. We are outdoors for hours and hours everyday. To have my DSLR camera on me all day is a recipe for a broken camera. Plus my babies keep my arms full. But I always have my phone with me since it fits right in my back pocket. I’ve been impressed by my iPhone. It’s proven more than sufficient for capturing our beautiful memories. My other camera rarely ever comes out anymore.
Has your phone helped spark more creativity onto other type of work?
I have never considered myself a creative person. Coming up with new things and enhancing the beauty in ordinary things are not my specialty. But when I am doing circles around a tree staring at it to figure out the best view or when I am ducking low so I can fill my shot with flowers or foliage, I am able to admire nature better. I examine my surroundings in ways I wouldn’t cameraless. It causes me to slow down and really take in the mountains and rivers we are walking by. It’s inspired me to begin learning watercolor painting.

Where does your inspiration come from?
Nature and my children’s faces are two things I want I want to preserve. Nature can be so magical, I want to really know it and see how it changes in the light. And I adore the faces of my children, but I also want to be sure to document their experiences for them to recall later.

Can you share some tips to achieving your style of art?
1- Hold your phone long ways. I can always get a better shot with my phone if I don’t hold it up and down. The picture is wider and if I need to crop I have more to work with.
2- Have fun. When you aren’t focused on getting a great picture and are just enjoying those little moments, that’s when the magic happens. If I am placing my child in front of flowers and telling her what to do with them or with her hands, nobody is having fun. But if we are strolling through wild flowers together and both smelling and touching the flowers, I am capturing more than an image. I dote on their candid body language and childish skipping and I find myself smiling as I take the snapshot.

3- Find the style you like and stick to it. I love to have colorful and bold images. It’s not as popular as the very beautifully faded and foggy dream state-ish photos I love to look at. But I like my grass green and shadows dark.

4- Full face is not a necessity. I love when I can take a picture of what someone is looking at, so I will get behind them. Faceless pics are some of my favorite. It takes the pressure off of my kids and puts the focus on what they are seeing or where they’re going.

5- When editing with Instagram, I always go through the edits in the same order. I try the structure and sharpen out first,then the highlights and shadows. Then, I try out the other edits and add a filter last because sometimes the picture doesn’t even need a filter.

What are your favorite communities on Instagram so that we can also follow?
@thevisualcollective
@passionpassport
@thegreatoutdoors
@wildandfree.co
What gear do you use?
iPhone 6plus
What are your favorite editing apps?
I only use Instagram’s editing features on my pics but I have been playing with Snapseed.

About the photographer:

Hi! I’m Charlene and I’m a stay at home mom to 3 little girls. Me and my husband, Damian have traded in our suburban life to take a couple for 2 years of full time travel. I started photographing my now six year as soon as she was born as my passion for photography has grown with each child. My current obsession is getting ready to homeschool my now first grader.
Website. Instagram.

ART regardless, PHOTOGRAPHY

ART | regardless featuring @erinrbrooks

September 5, 2016August 4, 2016by hellodearphotographerLeave a Comment

This special feature is to showcase those excelling at creating some extraordinary art with their phones.

Why do you love to utilize your phone to capture these images?

I think the iPhone is a really good camera, and it’s always on hand. It’s so easy to capture the moment by just grabbing it out of my back pocket, sliding up, and snapping.

Has your phone helped spark more creativity onto other type of work?

Yes! It got me interested in photography in general, and only after shooting with my phone for about 2 years, did I purchase a “big camera.”

Where does your inspiration come from?

My inspiration comes from my 2 daughters, sunlight, nature, interesting light, moods. I love to capture my girls as they grow. I think I’m desperately trying to hold onto them as babies, because it’s all going by too fast.

Can you share some tips to achieving your style of art?

-Pay attention to light and adjust the exposure on your phone. It’s better to underexpose, and brighten up later, than to have hot spots with no details.

-Pay attention to the background and try to minimize distractions by changing your angle.

-Crouch down and get on the same level as your subjects—it allows you to capture more of their expressions, and thus, more of the story.

-Don’t be afraid of moody shots—Moody doesn’t have to mean sad, and can be really cool.

-Treat your phone like any other nice camera, pay attention to light and composition, take time to let the camera focus all the way before you snap.

-I personally love to shoot into the sun, I love lens flare, but be careful with exposure when you do—adjust it so you don’t lose too much detail.

-When it comes to editing, usually, less is more. Don’t overwork/ over-edit the image.

What are your favorite communities on Instagram so that we can also follow?
Obviously, Dear Photographer! I have so many I love, and a few of my top favorites are, Candid Childhood, Childhood Unplugged, Camera Mama, JJ Community, Magic of Childhood, and Unite in Motherhood.What gear do you use?

I currently use the iPhone 6s Plus, the native camera app. Some of my older shots are all the way back to the iPhone 4, though!=

What are your favorite editing apps and why?

I use VSCO and Mextures occasionally, but my favorites are by a company called Really Nice Images. I absolutely LOVE their apps called RNI Films and RNI Flashback. They are both are on the lighter-handed side, make photos look like film, and create beautiful tones. RNI Flashback especially is so special: It is unlike any other photo editing app, and there isn’t much control, which is both scary, and exhilarating! What it does, is mimic what it thinks actual film chemicals would do to the tones in your image, and it never ever recreates the same edit twice, for your image, or anyone else’s.

About the photographer:

I’m a self-taught photographer interested in capturing every day, real life moments full of interesting light, emotion, and connection. I was lucky enough to be featured in the Shot on iPhone6S Campaign, and am currently writing a book on iPhone Photography. I absolutely love learning from others, and continuing to explore the endlessly creative world of photography.

Website. Facebook. Instagram.

ART regardless, PHOTOGRAPHY

Art | regardless featuring @jordanandco

July 30, 2016July 23, 2016by hellodearphotographerLeave a Comment

Why do you love to utilize your phone to capture these images?
My love of iphoneography stems from one basic life need: convenience. Yes, convenience is something I “need”/crave in life! With two little ladies to run after and with moments that happen in the blink of an eye, it just isn’t possible to have my big DSLR on hand at all times. Plus, let’s just all say it together now…those cameras are HEAVY!! My phone, on the other hand is always nearby- and weighs in at a highly convenient 6oz (yes, I had to google that.) Not only can I grab my phone and start shooting no matter the time or place, but it is also easier for me to give my fav shot a quick edit and share it to social media all while on-the-go. Don’t get me wrong, I ADORE a good photoshoot with my big camera and nothing makes me happier than watching a vision come alive in photoshop or lightroom, but these days my time allotted for sitting at the computer is pretty minimal. Shooting with my phone is fun and really gives me a sense of freedom- the ability to be present and to live in-the-moment with my busy little family.

Has your phone helped spark more creativity onto other type of work?
For sure! I feel like shooting & sharing on my phone has really allowed me to change the way I shoot in general. I’ve always seemed to feel more pressure when using my dslr- making sure a shot seemed truly “worth it” before running to grab my gear, whereas using my phone has really forced me to take a more casual approach to photography and to start seeing the beauty in our everyday life. At the end of the day, it’s the phone shots (that I probably wouldn’t have bothered to go and grab my big camera for) that I love the most. This has translated into my dslr shooting because I find myself devoting days to my big camera, saying- I’m just going to use this beast all day instead of my phone and see what I get. I always wind up loving what I capture, and I know they are images I would have never taken if it weren’t for my love of phone photography teaching me to not take myself so seriously! Also, my love of children’s clothing and photography has really starting meshing together because of photos taken and shared on my phone. I’ve gotten to shoot some brand/clothing lines for some pretty awesome companies and I don’t think I would have been exposed to those opportunities without social media and my phone photos.

Where does your inspiration come from?
This is an easy one- my girls! If you take one look at my feed, I think it’s pretty clear that they are my inspiration and my favorite subjects to capture. I always knew I was born to be a mother and unfortunately that proved to be a bit of a struggle for my husband and I. We fought hard and prayed many prayers for these girlies so it’s no wonder that I’m pretty obsessed with being their mommy. It’s the greatest job I will ever have.

Can you share some tips to achieving your style of art?
I still feel kind of silly calling what I do “art” because I pretty much just feel like I’m just a mom running around shoving an iPhone in her kids’ faces- messy mom bun and coffee mug in hand! 😉
But I guess if I had any advice for shooting on your phone it would be:

1. Just like a big camera- learn to use your gear. Just because it’s a phone doesn’t mean it can only be used as a point-and-shoot. I use an iPhone, so I can’t speak on any other brands, but on an iPhone you can manually focus and adjust exposure before taking your shot, just by tapping on the screen. There are also a ton of apps that allow you to get much more technical than that. I try to keep it simple & spontaneous when shooting on my phone, but it’s fun to play around with those sometimes, too.

2. Since you aren’t working with advanced editing programs on your phone, I always like to be extra aware of the surroundings I’m shooting in. I look for natural light sources, try to avoid florescent/overhead lighting, and keep an eye out for distracting objects that I won’t be able to easily “clone” out like I would in PS (although there are some basic phone apps that do that too!). I think it’s important no matter what you are shooting with, to try and get your best shot in-camera and not rely solely on post-processing. For me, when shooting on my phone, that is more important than ever.

3. Have fun and don’t over-think it! I like to keep my phone shots bright and cheery, so I’m always on the lookout for fun walls or interesting settings that I know will engage my kids and give me a great photo opp! Although I admit, I do give my girls what we’ll call “general requests” – I always find my favorite shots are when they are doing their own thing or actively engaging with other another. If they aren’t having fun- I’M not having fun…and I’m certainly not going to get a good shot out of a situation like that! So “playful and silly” is the name of our game! 😉

Favorite communities on Instagram:
Oh man, so many…and all for different reasons! I love my photography communities: @dear_photographer (of course), @clickinmoms, @momazine, @childhoodunplugged, @candidchildhood, @lightinspired, @subject_light, @pixel_kids, @mozimag- just to name a FEW. These accounts always have such beautiful and inspiring work in their feeds, and I love the whole “takeover/moderator” deal that so many accounts are doing now! I also love my “learning” communities like @momtog and @camera_mama. These accounts are all about sharing and learning from one another and I find them (and their contributors) so extremely talented and generous in sharing their wealth of knowledge. Some of my random “Mommy” favorites are @thekaleidoscopeca (which features amazing children’s books & reviews) @smartschoolhouse (she’s like a human pinterest board with amazing crafts and activities for kids) and lastly @momsbestntwk (products/design/fashion & all things motherhood!)
But if you REALLY want to know what I’m up to on instagram…I’m shopping! Although I think that’s a list for another time. 😉

Gear used to achieve these:
I use my iPhone 6s+, with an optrix case for underwater (aka summertime) shots.

When not shooting on my phone, I use my Nikon D700 & D810 with an array of (mostly) prime lenses. )

Favorite editing apps:
-Pic-tap-go is my go-to editing app. I use it to straighten/crop my photos (if need be) and give them a quick edit. I find the PTG filters to be pretty clean and simple, which is what I like.
-Snapseed gives me the most amount of control I’ve found on a phone app. I love that I can paint on/off certain (standard) effects like exposure, temp, saturation, and dodge/burn.
-A Color Story, Big Lens, and Image Blender are a few that are super fun to play around with! Lots of ways to get creative!
-And Instagram- yep, I actually still use the “editing” tab in the instagram app to give my photos a quick contrast and sharpening boost before posting!

DCIM100GOPRO

About the photographer:

Jordan is a natural-light photographer living in Dallas, TX.
She is currently enjoying life as a mommy and hobbyist photographer, taking on small projects that ignite her passion.

Website. Instagram.

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ART | regardless featuring @littlebudphoto

April 30, 2016April 27, 2016by hellodearphotographerLeave a Comment

Why do you love to utilize your phone to capture these images?

Like many people, I have my phone near me most all the time so it’s super convenient. I also love that I don’t really have to mess with my settings much and can just set my exposure and snap. When I shoot with my “big camera” it’s harder to stay in the moment with my daughters, ages 5 and 1, when I’m adjusting my settings for changing lighting conditions. I also love the ability to shoot, edit, store, and post right from my phone.

Has your phone help sparked more creativity onto other types of work?

Absolutely! I give myself much more freedom and creative license with my phone and I’ve definitely carried that over to my other work as well. Also, since phone cameras don’t really allow for a shallow depth of field, I’ve had to really think much more about composition in order to include the elements I want in my frame and exclude what I don’t want without being able to rely on blurry background to take care of it for me. I also tend to edit my mobile images more according to what I want the image to convey instead of obsessing over correct exposure, skin tones, etc. and I’m working on bringing that process to my DSLR work as well.

Where does your inspiration come from?

Light, shadow, and color. Wanting to remember my girls as little ones is important of course, but I think a lot about them as viewers of the images I create of them and I hope that when they see the pictures I’ve taken they’ll understand something about how I see them and how much I love them.

Can you share some tips to achieve your style of art?

I love dramatic light and I think my phone camera handles strong light and shadows really well. When you see some stripey sun coming through the blinds or big sunny spots on your floor those are great places to take pictures of kids playing. Phone cameras do really well with backlight as well and if you angle your camera downward slightly you can get those great sun rays without having too much blinding sun in the image itself. Another great thing about phone cameras that I take advantage of frequently is the wide angle. That means you can get some wonderful birds-eye-view images of your kids which always take me back to the moment so strongly because I’m often just naturally viewing them from above.

Favorite communities on Instagram so that we can also follow?

I’m a contributor at @mobile_snaps_collaborative and we only feature mobile photography so if you want to see the amazing things photographers are doing with their phones definitely follow along! I also love @siblinghoodlove because photographing my girls together is my favorite and I love the other inspirational sibling images they feature.

Gear used to achieve these?

iPhone 5c and very seldom an olloclip for an extra wide angle or a macro shot.

Favorite editing apps and why?

VSCOcam almost exclusively because it’s easy and I have a couple of go-to presets that I use to give me the look I want. I really love the VSCO mobile community and perusing their curated collections. I also sometimes use an app called ColorStory which has some neat fine-tuning adjustment tools.

. Corrie Heisey Feature-1 Corrie Heisey Feature-2 Corrie Heisey Feature-3 Corrie Heisey Feature-4 Corrie Heisey Feature-5 Corrie Heisey Feature-6 Corrie Heisey Feature-7(1) Corrie Heisey Feature-8 Corrie Heisey Feature-9 Corrie Heisey Feature-10

About the photographer:

My name is Corrie Heisey and I’m a mom to two young daughters and a Boston Terrier. After living in Tennessee, Alabama, and North Carolina while my husband was an Army officer we are living in Northern Virginia close to where we both grew up. I started getting serious about photography in 2012 and I shoot daily with my phone (I’m doing a mobile 365 project this year), often with my DSLR, and with my Nikon F100 35mm film camera when I have a special project. I shoot families and children but what I really love are at-home lifestyle newborn sessions.

Website. Facebook. Instagram.

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ART | regardless featuring @thelifeofbuttons

April 4, 2016March 22, 2016by hellodearphotographerLeave a Comment

Why do you love to utilize your phone to capture these images?
I LOVE having a camera with me at all times. I just never know when one of my two boys is going to do something ridiculously entertaining, or sweet, or beautiful. And being the mom of two young boys, I feel like most of my time is spent trying to make sure they don’t majorly hurt themselves, which usually requires two hands, and a third if I could have one. It’s really hard carrying around my big camera all of the time–it’s heavily, bulky, and can be very distracting. I find that having my phone in my back pocket is wonderful for capturing a quick image or ten while we are out and about. It goes back into my pocket just as easily, and I have both my hands free again.

Has your phone helped spark more creativity onto other type of work?
I think my phone has been really wonderful in helping me to develop, and strengthen my photographic voice. It allows me to experiment with new angles, composition, lighting, and subject, without all the effort of shooting manually on a fancy camera. After I began shooting with my phone everyday a couple years ago, I really began to notice that all my images, including the photos I was capturing with my fancy camera, were stronger overall, especially with capturing light, and storytelling.

Where does your inspiration come from ?
My boys are my everything, and these images are my love letters to them. I hope they can look at them one day and feel the love that I put into them all. It’s important to me to document all the little endearing details about them, in an honest way. Our everyday life together is nothing very exciting, but I still find so much beauty in our life. Sometimes, when these everyday moments feel extra hard, just being able to focus on pretty light and shadows, and the realness of life with children, makes it all a little easier.

Can you share some tips to achieving your style of art?
-I always look for the light. Once you start to truly “see the light,” it starts to become an obsession. I especially love pretty light, paired with interesting, and deep shadows. Pretty light for me, is not always a strong sun flare, but more often a a soft, indirect light from a window. I try to find the line between the light and shadows, most often, exposing for the highlights. I love to actually see the contrast of the light somewhere in the background of the images, when I can find them. To expose for highlights, once I’ve framed up the photo for composition, I will tap on the brightest area of the image on the screen, to bring down the exposure…this brings the highlights, as well as the shadows down.

-I also try to capture the image as if I am a fly on the wall, which I am a lot of time, unless the boys are about to hurt themselves or each other. I want my images to convey a true documentary style…uninterrupted, real-life situations, frozen in time. If I catch them interacting in an interesting way, whether it be with their surroundings, or each other, I will sit down, right where I want to document the image from, and frame it up on my screen, and then wait. I wait for the exact moment that reveals the connection, and tells the story. I will then hold down the “shutter” button on the exterior side of the phone, to capture a “burst” of images. The iPhone, as awesome as it is, as a camera, just isn’t as fast as my big camera. I find the easiest way to counteract this is, to capture a burst, so that I can capture small changes in movement, without missing the one image where everyone is just the way I want them to be.

Favorite communities on Instagram so that we can also follow?

I love the warm, friendly, and supportive community created by @thealbumsco. I get to guest IG for them a few times a month, and I am always warmed by how everyone is so wonderfully kind, honest, and uplifting with one another.

I am also a huge fan on my dear friend Melissa’s new IG community, called @kidsoftheoutdoors. It’s such an inspiration to see families out enjoying nature together. The images she features are just gorgeous.

Gear used to achieve these?
Just about a month ago, I upgraded to an iPhone 6s, but before that, all my iphoneography images were captured on my iPhone 5s. I don’t have any cool lenses, but I think they’d be fun to try.

Favorite editing apps and why?
VSCO cam! It’s the only editing app I use. I like the editing control I have with my images, that mirrors almost exactly how I would edit them in LR.

About the photographer:

Kelly is a Southern California native, and natural light photographer, who has fallen in love with capturing the beauty of everyday life. She strives to document the reality of life with children, with authenticity and emotion; as well as, the humor, adventures, and non-stop energy that being a mom to two boys brings. If she’s not taking pictures of her family, she’s probably drinking coffee or eating ice cream, and listening to NPR.

WEBSITE. FACEBOOK. INSTAGRAM. OFFSET. VSCO.