Documenting real families and children with modern lifestyle photography in DC, MD, and NOVA
Sweet baby Anna’s parents recently adopted her from Texas, and she quickly received a Pittsburgh winter welcome! Despite the snow delaying the photo session, I finally got to meet little Anna on Saturday, as well as her Mom and Dad and darling grandparents. And of course, we can’t forget Kirby, the dog. I don’t think it gets much more precious than this.
Heh, love the dog’s curiosity.
Welcome baby Anna!
I remember when I bought my first dSLR–the trusty Canon 20D–and a small selection of lenses, I was overwhelmed with the camera bag options to choose from, and I had a difficult time selecting one. Basically, I wanted to get one bag that would suit my needs for the rest of my life and in every circumstance.
Well, that was just wishful thinking. The truth is, if you plan on being a professional photographer, you’re very likely going to need multiple camera bags for different circumstances. But where to begin? Well, I can’t speak for everyone, but here’s what I have, and maybe it will work for you, too.
I started out with a Lowepro Micro Trekker 100. It’s a nice little backpack bag that could carry all my gear at the time. I still use it now for little excursions, or if Jay and I have to separate on a wedding day–then he takes it with the gear he needs.
You can fit about one SLR and three lenses in it.
The next camera bag I acquired was the Lowepro Stealth Reporter. I used this bag in conjunction with the Micro Trekker last year, but I was really running out of space for all my gear.
It was definitely time for an upgrade. Plus, I wanted something that rolled… So, I bit the bullet and purchased the Think Tank Airport Security V.20 bag. Let me just say this bag is awesome. (Don’t worry, yours won’t come with white dog hair stuck to it!)
This bag not only fits all my stuff, but it also fits US domestic airline carry-on size restrictions, which was important to me because I knew I’d be traveling with my gear this year.
It also comes with a lifetime warranty and several locks and cables for securing your gear.
And it can carry a laptop in the front and has several other little pockets for various items.
The wheels…ah, the wheels. These things run so smoothly and are very sturdy.
And if you’re ever in a situation where you can’t roll it (or you want to send your husband into hysteric laughter as you hoist the suitcase on your back), you can use these straps that are normally tucked away to turn the bag into a backpack.
And the handle has several extension sizes, perfect for shorties like myself and regular sized folks like Jay.
So, if you’re wondering what camera bag to get…keep in mind you’ll probably want several. I still use the Stealth Reporter for smaller shoots where I don’t want to haul my suitcase…so I don’t regret any of my bag purchases. As your gear list grows, so will your bag!
Hahahahahaha that cracked me up “or you want to send your husband into hysteric laughter as you hoist the suitcase on your back” Very funny Mary. And oh yeah, awesome bag complete with Astin hair!
Granted, Google was, of course, around when I got married, but they certainly didn’t have all the neat products that they do now. One of those handy tools is Google documents–their free online version of Microsoft’s well-known Word, Excel, etc. I love using Google docs simply because everything is automatically saved and stored online, accessible from anywhere with an internet connection. I don’t know about you, but emailing yourself documents just so that you have an online copy is a major pain…and if you’ve ever experienced the horror of accidentally closing a Word document without saving your changes (that you’d been working on for five hours and needed to have finished by the next morning so you could turn in your college senior thesis…yeah, not that that’s ever happened to me), you’ll understand just how wonderful automatic saving is.
OK, so we all know Google docs is wonderful, but now it’s even more awesome because Google has come out with some great wedding planning templates for brides. They’ve collaborated with Style Me Pretty (a lovely wedding inspiration blog) to create these free wedding planning templates.
I took a quick look through them and was impressed by the selection and simplicity of the tools. For instance, I liked this one for choosing your wedding photographer (not that you’d really need this, though, because naturally, you’ve already chosen me to be your wedding photographer) 🙂 :
And I thought this wedding day schedule is a must (so useful, too, for making sure you get the photos you want):
So, if you’re looking for some good tools to keep your wedding planning organized, definitely check out those templates. I only wish I’d had such useful tools when I got married.
Ooo! Cool. I didn’t know this about Google…
The theme this week at i heart faces is “I Wanna Dance.” Again, I had a hard time choosing a photo because I have so many of people dancing and enjoying themselves (must have something to do with weddings being a happy occasion).
Still I kept thinking of this one from Caitlin and Derick’s wedding because I really do love it when grandma makes it out to the dance floor–I want to have that kind of spunk when I’m that age.
Of course, be sure to check out the other fun dancing photos at
Mary,
This photo means so much to us! I’m glad that you like it as well.
Caitlin and Derick
Grandmas are my FAVORITE : ) I love it! Congratulations on being a winner this week! So exciting : )
Dude you won editors choice! Awesome! Hope you’re having a good Saturday!
Great expressions, and I love how they’re including grandma in the fun. A wonderful, storytelling image!
This picture is the best! Having memories like this is just wonderful. A photo is suppose to tell a story but this one looks like a story within a story. And to have the wonderful grandma in the middle there to have that moment, it is so perfect!
I love this one! Definitely one of my favorites!
Aww, that is too sweet! 🙂 Great lighting on your picture too, btw 🙂
Thanks for stopping by in my blog 🙂
Oh my… how precious is this!! It looks as though she is telling a really good, funny story… makes you want to put your ear to the image to see if you can just catch a word… Wonderful job catching such a treasure of a moment!!
This photo really tells a story. Nice work.
You caught a moment I am sure they will treasure forever! Great shot!
Lovin’ this shot, Mary! It’s not just that grandma is on the dance floor… it’s all the expressions of everybody else! The lady in purple clasping her chest, the way the bride’s clutching grandma’s arm, even the videographer honing in on the moment. Beautifully captured, yay! 🙂
I totally, totally love this one!
oh my word, this is another winner for sure my friend! They could not be cuter – and what a sweet moment you captured! Perfect!
Oh my, I can’t even tell you how much I like this picture!!! The happiness & joy on their faces, grandma busting a move, the one guest being in awe of what’s going on in front of her… and last but not least, the groom’s red converse!!!!
absolutely stunning! this is a great photo because it is so original! Seeing this lady out there makes me love and appreciate getting older even more! look how happy she is out there!
oooh! i love the color, the wide angle & everybody’s expression as they’re just loving that grandma & the couple dancing! oh my heart 🙂
What an amazing photo! Love Grandma’s spunk! Beautifully captured memory.
I just love this photo! The faces of everyone watching, his shoes, and the angle! Great shot!!!
What a beautiful (and fun!) photo! You could tell they’re such a fun couple (look at his red sneakers!). 🙂
by mary
Karey Crain - Beautiful shoot, Mary! Is it weird that I can tell these are Pennsylvanians? Makes me feel at home!
Jessica - These are beautiful!! I love the second photo and the one of the feet. Wonderful job! What a beautiful baby.