Tag Archives: lifestyle

Finding Everyday Light :: Taking Better Pictures at Home | Erica Mulford Photography Workshops

Beginner’s Camera Class, June 15, 2015  6-8pm  Cost: $70/person  Limited to 10 moms.  Rain make-up date: June 19, 2015, 6-8pm  Location: TBD in central Raleigh, outdoors

This two-hour workshop will be a hands-on class where you will literally be practicing different camera settings in manual mode in different outdoor light situations.  The first 30-45 minutes will be going over the basics and taking a closer look at your camera.  Then I will work one-one to help you adjust and correct settings as you shoot (models will be provided!).  I will also be setting up a private FB group where students can learn and grow together after the class is over!

This class will teach you:

Basic camera functions to get you off of auto mode, and why you should be shooting in manual (ISO, shutter speed, aperture, reading your meter)

Shooting in different light and how to get the best results in each situation

Focus, and how to use your lens

Composition, how to set up your shot

This class will not teach you:

Anything about professional photography

Post processing (editing)

Posing

Required materials:

A camera.  A DSLR or other camera that has manual mode is suggested.

A notebook, pen, your camera manual, and blanket

Workshop cost: $70/person – Due in full at booking to hold your spot.  Non-refundable unless your spot is filled with another mom.  1-1 mentoring is also available in your home to find light and practice shooting in manual with your little ones, 2-hours $200.

Disclaimer: I have been shooting in manual mode since I was 15 using a film camera.  A two-hour class is a basic introduction to getting to know your camera better, but will not turn you into a master overnight.  It takes a lot of practice and time to get comfortable using you camera in different lighting situations :):)

Freelensing Strawberry ART Minis – Erica Mulford Photography, Raleigh Children’s Photographer

When I discovered freelensing earlier this year, I fell in love.  Finally, a way to break free from perfection, from tack-sharp images and perfect composition (or the ‘ugh’ from not achieving them).  I found a new way to capture my world that was interesting to look at, that pulled me in.  But, taking a million freelensed pictures of my own kids is just fine and dandy because they are for me, and me alone.  When I decided to offer these to clients, I knew that I would only get a few families (if I was lucky!) and that I would have to explain what they would be getting in their gallery three times to make sure they would not be disappointed with the outcome.  I decided strawberry picking would be the perfect setting; no posing, no direction, and very little interaction because I knew my little clients would be so distracted by picking and eating strawberries that they would hardly notice me.  I was nervous uploading the pictures, but when I saw the perfectly imperfect sessions before my eyes, all of my nerves melted away.  Here are a few shots of the three wonderful families that trusted me as an artist with something new and creative <3<3

 

This was my practice session with my own kiddos to make sure I could pull it off for my clients.  Please jump back to Facebook and let me know what you think!!  XOxo

Sunshine, Fields & Rain Boots :: McKay Family :: Raleigh, NC Family Lifestyle Photographer

There is truly nothing more beautiful than looking at pictures of families in wide open fields, the sun dancing off the lens.  Fields are my all-time favorite place to photograph a family.  I love the undisturbed beauty, the chance to really be creative and free with my camera, the way I can play with light like in no other location.  But let’s face it – a field, although a childhood fantasy of running your hands across the soft grass as you run barefoot, is actually the home to many (and when I say many, I mean millions of) bugs.  And a little poison ivy.  And if summer is still in the air, mosquitoes (which around here are more like a small bird).  I fully explained all of this to mom when we were planning the location and she was all for it!  I leapt for joy, dusted off my goulashes, packed the bug spray and got ready for what happens to be one of my favorite sessions, ever!  You see, sometimes pain really is beauty!  And if you want a truly magical experience in front of the camera, you must put yourself in what I like to call the photographers ‘zone of creativity’ – even if it means you’ll have a few itchies the next day (and even if that means you skip the sandals for more highly fashionable boots :)  I could hardly narrow down my favorites for their gallery let alone this blog post :)  EnJOY!

 

Erica Mulford Photography presents The Organic Bloom | Raleigh Professional Photographer

I was thrilled to partner up with The Organic Bloom as a vendor for their amazing frames.  Recently they had an awesome sale on their Ready to Ship frames and I passed it along to my clients.  I am so glad that this family took me up on the offer because the final product is simply amazing!  The quality of the professionally printed and mounted images inside these to-die-for frames is beyond extraordinary!  And I cannot stress enough the quailty of professionally printed images.  I know the immediate response right now is ‘I want the disk’ but you could have an amazing order of prints to gift and display if you really took the time to think about how you want to use and display the images in your home :)

Here is a sample of their order!  Please note that I am not a product photographer!  There are (3) Lewis frames in white, 11×14, (1) Audrey frame in white, 11×14, and just to show size and color I have compared the Audrey in 8×10 and 11×14 (size of the print- as you can see the actual frames is much larger with beautiful character).  There is also (1) Ellie frame in white, 8×10 that I also used to compare the colors parchment & white.

Pricing post will be up shortly.  Enjoy!

 

Welcome Spring :: Raleigh Children’s Photography

Leah has the perfect little baby (I mean, big girl :) features all rolled into one adorable little girl!  From her stunning blue eyes and porcelain skin, to her silly and happy little sayings, she is such a joy to be around!  Her session marked the warmest day of the month, and she was ready for spring!  I love summer-dress-bare-feet sessions <3