For Christmas, Jer surprised me with a new lens. It is the 85 mm lens and I was literally petting it like Ceelo does with his pimp cat. yeah. I said that.
So I bribed kindly asked Will to come out one particularly sunny afternoon for me to give it a whirl.
I’ll explain this in layman’s terms (so all you professionals chime in if you have something else to add)…
I have a DLSR – which means I have a camera that I can switch out the lenses on. Not a point n shoot. I can control pretty much everything manually. Specifically I have a Mark II – which I call Markie Mark…sometimes Wahlberg 🙂
This lens is a prime lens. Prime lenses are ones you can NOT zoom in or out. It’s fixed at a certain focal length…basically if I want to zoom in on Will, I gotta move my feet forward. BUT the great thing about prime lenses is that they are typically very sharp.
So the conditions here were full sun…middle of the day type shadows…
and my subject was moving…a lot…
I wanted to test out the lens for portraits (which generally move less than a toddler who is a little too excited to get outta the house and throw sticks)…so under my conditions I went with an ISO of 400. I set to AV (which means that I set the ISO and the aperture and the camera spits out the shutter speed for proper exposure) – that way I can make sure Will isn’t putting harmful fungus into his mouth while I check my settings…
I tend to do that when shooting kids…use AV. It helps especially if you are responsible for their safety (like a toppling baby who may not catch themselves if they are still learning to sit up by themselves) or for when you are alone in the snake-infested woods behind our house 🙂
Okay – so based on my very limited knowledge of prime lenses (I have a nifty fifty – great prime lens for the price & a 50mm 1.4 – sharp sharp lens that I love), this one was a little more tricky for me.
First – it’s 85mm…which means that I have to stand like 6 feet away to get this shot. And to me, that’s far away when dealing with a toddler who I generally like to be within grabbing distance of…especially when in nature. Hello! I mentioned the snakes!
And I found it a little tricky to get it to ‘grab’ more depth in focus. I had it set to f/4.0 which would normally get his lips, eyes and to his ears in focus with my normal lens…but with this lens, I probably need to play more to find that sweet spot of getting just that right focal point.
I found it especially sharp all the way back to this full length shot – which is nice because it would remind me to take more full-length portraits vs. all close ups.
BUT when it got too far away – not my favorite. I think it just proves that it really goes by it’s reputation of being a portrait lens.
There were some moments when literally it was really easy and it captured the sharpness perfectly…
I loved it especially with back lighting – which I struggle with…so this encouraged me.
Of course, we had some shadow issues with the full sun…so it was a challenge to get far enough away from Will and still be able to manipulate him into being in shadows. Imagine me saying – HEY Go get that stick over there! a million times…and then running away and running back to show him which stick and then runnning away to get the shot again. It was a workout.
But you know that sweet blurred background that 50mm delivers – yeah…to me, it’s even more of a soft blur with the 85mm when you do closeups. It’s purty.
Overall – I love it. It’s gonna be great to use for outdoor shoots with more manageable subjects…like senior photos or maternity pictures. I don’t think it would work for my newborn shoots – just simply because most of the times I work indoors for those. And handling a toddler alone and running back far enough to get the shot didn’t make it ideal for me for Will’s photos. I think in the end, the really sweet spot for it will be waist up portraits and closeup shots because the sharpness when set up correctly is AMAZING.
Okay – so there you have it – one little gal’s review on the lens.
Anyone else wanna chime in?
p.s. For all of you starting out, I highly recommend beginner DSLRs like the Canon Rebel (Xsi
or Tsi) and READING YOUR MANUAL. Also, Nifty Fifty
would be hands down my recommendation for work beyond your kit lens…
I love ALL of your pics, I have a Nikon SLR and I still am not great at using it…I really need to take a class!
This was perfect! I have the nifty fifty and have been wondering about the 85mm!
Thanks so much for the review!
I had an epic fail on a lens I recently bought and am in the market for another. Thanks to your review I know this one won’t work for me, as I was giving it consideration.
PS – I love your photography and I wish I was in the Atlanta area so I could have a photoshoot!
Beautiful photos! That is a great lens for portraits, but I can see what you mean for “everyday” shoots. Thanks for the review, though. It helps me decide what lens I want next.
We only have one lens for our DSLR (the standard one it came with) but I’m hoping to get a zoom lens and then maybe one like the 85mm lens. I like the style of picture it produces! Thanks for the review 🙂
That picture of Will bending over and pulling at the big stick is so precious! I’m a terrible photography with my point and shoot . . . maybe one day i’ll save up for a nice camera so i can take beautiful pictures like this!!
Well, I didn’t understand 90% of what you wrote in your blog post today (I am photography illiterate) but it was worth it to see all those pictures of that cute little boy!!! He’s a heartbreaker!
i think. i saw. a sideburn…
Great photos – That background blur is amazing.
This is really helpful! I always need lens advice (and advice on using my DSLR in general….which I’m too lazy to study up on like I should…). Your photos came out great; you have such a cute little subject to go out and practice with. 🙂
This was really helpful! Not to mention the bonus of all of the adorable pictures of your little man!!!
I shoot Nikon and I love love love my 85mm. For me my sweet spot seems do be f/3.2, but again it is probably distance to subject. My absolute favorite portrait lens is the 70-200 2.8. It has wonderful bokeh. Your little Will is absolutely adorable!
This is great! Thanks for the information – very helpful. I have the Xsi you recommend and also the nifty fifty so glad to see I am on the right track. I’ve been a nifty fifty advocate for a few years and have made many of my friends fall in love with (and get) it. I even had my good friend’s husband calling me last week for info on it so he could buy it for his wife’s bday. Ah, camera love 😉
Love the pics, but I have to ask where you got Will’s adorable brown sweater. It’s so hard to find budget friendly cute clothes for boys (I have a ten month old).
Hi Katie,
Thanks for the lens review. I am an intermediate DSLR user, and I just photograph as a hobby. I am at the point were I have collected a couple of lenses and I was wondering if you could share what type of bag you use when carrying your gear? I struggle with needing different types of bags, at times I want to just carry the body with one lens when we are on a quick family outing, but other times I would like a bag that could carry all of my gear for when we are traveling, or when I know I might shoot a lot. Plus the bonus of it being a cute bag would be sweet! I have looked at Kelly Moore bags, and a couple others, but would I would love to hear your thoughts, especially because I trust your opinion as we both share a handbag obsession! Thanks 🙂
I just took my 1.5 and 2.5 year old out for a V-Day shoot yesterday and it was nearly impossible to get a good shot of them… so I know exactly where you’re coming from in regards to “moving toddlers.”
I also have the 50mm which I adore, and I actually just borrowed my friends 85mm last night to test out since I do mostly portrait photography… I’ve been looking into purchasing one of my own but wanted to play with it first.
What lenses do you tend to use most for your portrait photography?
i just got a nikon d3100 & i love it! i’m taking a class right now to really get to know it better. i was shooting only in manual, and then learned about how AWESOME av mode is. i’m hooked. and i got a nifty fifty too! i haven’t taken it off my camera since i got it. 🙂
beautiful photos and little boy 🙂
I have a rebel t3i and only know how to use the auto settings. I need to read the manual 🙂 the only lens I have may not be quite this sharp but it takes great pics and is SO FREAKING VERSATILE (18-135 IS – I am totally afraid to use a non “IS” lens. should I not be?)
Thank you Katie! I bought my first DSLR when my oldest son was born almost five years ago and despite taking a digital photography class when he was a newborn, have never ventured off the automatic setting! 3 more babies later, i think its time to figure out how to do the blurry background thing. I can’t keep paying a professional photographer to document each stage! I will be studying your post and pulling out my class notes to revisit this…thanks again!
Your photos inspire me to get a new camera and learn how to use it 🙂 Hubs works on electronics so he’s been looking for a broken DSLR for me that we can buy cheap and fix…so if you break yours, let me know 😉 Until then I’ll admire your photos and cry when I use my point and shoot.
Ps. Love your shots of Will! What a blessing to be able to roam in a backyard like that!
I totally second your advice re: the nifty fifty (although at our house it is called the plastic fantastic). When I got that lens I finally learned how to shoot in manual. Since then it’s been passed down to my husband and I’m using my 50mm/1.4 almost all the time.
It’s so good to hear you say you shoot in AV sometimes. I quit doing it because I felt like a wimp when I wasn’t shooting in full manual, but then sometimes I blow shots when I’m shooting too fast and not paying attention to lighting conditions. I loved AV, though, so maybe I’ll go back to using it sometimes.
One last thing…we recently picked up a Canon PowerShot at Costco just to have something small to carry in our pocket/purse and it is awesome. It is set up similarly to my 40D so it’s easy to navigate if you’re a Canon person, it takes great low-light shots, and it is suuuuuper easy to change the exposure settings on the fly, like in a suddenly backlit situation. I think for someone who usually uses an SLR and likes the control of an SLR, it is a really great small/lightweight alternative. For someone who is used to a point-and-shoot, the good features are probably lost on them! We tried a Nikon Coolpix first and kept it for about two weeks before returning it out of frustration with the functionality and low-light problems. The PowerShot has been a great little camera to carry around.
Katie, you will love that lens court side when Will plays for the Lakers. Seriously. I bought mine in the early 2000’s when I shot film. I still use the same lens today. Invest in the glass baby. That’s where the quality lives. And yes, it doesn’t get used as much for portraits as my 50 does, but for indoor sports I LOVE it.
I just bought a Pentax DSLR and have no idea how to use it yet. Really wanted it to take newborn/baby photos so hopefully I’ll figure out the best lens and settings soon.
Great pictures! I am so glad there were none of snakes! Ack!!!
I only use my 85 for indoor sports shots!! I am not a big fan of it for portraits. My favorite lens is my 24-70 F/2.8 for smaller kids or my 70-200 f/2.8 if I have older teenagers who will stay still long enough for me to back way up or for outdoor sports!!!
This is a lovely review, perfect for someone like me who understands the basics but is still a camera Newb.
I think the nifty fifty is on my list as the ‘next big purchase’ but I’ll add this one to the ‘check if it is on sale’ list every couple months.
Did you take a class? Or are you winging it? I recently bought a decent camera and have yet to produce shots half as good as yours. I’ve been using my 5 month old as a scapegoat. “Hey check this pic out. What? You can’t tell what it is? Eh yeah, Ruth must’ve been shooting that day. Heh.”
W’s got a great grin.
I love your photography posts, especially when they contain tons of helpful information!
Also, I call my Marc Jacobs purse Marcy Marc and Funky Bag. 😉
I was trying to take pics of my girls for Valentine’s cards yesterday (inside) and it’s so difficult with a 50mm. I just can’t get far enough away. I also have a 35 mm but it’s not auto focus so I don’t use it as often.
I’m going to have to try your tip of setting it to AV. I’ve been trying really hard to use manual, but it IS a lot to focus on with two little ones too!
I got the same lens from my hubby this Christmas. I’m struggling with it, too, especially figuring out the right distance and focal point. But I do love how beautiful the shots are. I will definitely be using it for portraits. Good luck with it!
You are great with the camera! And I am glad I am not alone in the wonderment of the pimp cat.
Katie, thank you so much for this review!! I’ve been wanting to buy another lens and was wondering about the 85mm since I already have a nifty fifty. I think you’ve convinced me to hold off for now since I also have a terrible toddler 🙂 and need to be within handling range!
I’ve heard wonderful things about the 50mm f/1.4. For a hobbyist mom who just likes to take pictures of her son and random flowers in the garden – would you recommend shelling out another $350+ to upgrade from the nifty-fifty? Is it worth it? Do you even use your nifty fifty anymore now that you have the f/1.4? I’m wondering if I should eBay it.
OR should I save my pennies and buy the 24-70mm f/2.8? Would it suit me better for photographing a child constantly on the run?
Your recommendations are greatly appreciated! <3
I have a Canon T2i and love it. My boyfriend is a semi-pro photographer so I get to share his lenses. I did get a 17-85mm lens for Christmas that only fits on my camera (it’s an EF-S ). I love it. It has great range for being a walk around lens.
I’ve blown them too. With two little girls sometimes I get caught up in the moment and forget to check when we change spots. I’m going to start using this tip!
In my experience, the 85mm’s sweet spot was closer to f/2.2-2.8, it’s a great lens! I’ve only used it for portraits a few times and normally use it for weddings (which it rocks at!) – I’ve never used AV or any auto modes because I feel out of control, haha
Let me tell you something – I have the 24-70 and it is life changing. If you can afford it, it is the best lens for kids in my book. Absolute favorite.
As for your question about the 50mm…it’s all about how you shoot…do you even use the aperature at 1.4 for your kid? Or do you open it up more to get more of them in focus? Do you use it for low lighting mostly or just really great portraits? if you use the lower f-stops more and more, then I say splurge on the 1.4 otherwise stick with the cheaper lens…it really doesn’t have THAT much of a difference for a hobbyist in my eyes.
xo – kb
I’m self-taught. A true homeschooler 🙂
xo – kb
Hands down my favorite too!
xo – kb
I’m loving the advice about this lens for sports…I’m definitely a few years away for Will to be in organized athletics – so I’ll be sure to pack it when it comes time! THANKS!
xo – kb
Ooh – I’ll keep that in mind. I’ve been using my iphone camera for tote-around kinda shots…the shame, I know.
xo – kb
Don’t be afraid of your camera and lenses. Remember when people said that about computers? 🙂
Seriously – your manual will help you. I had to read mine like four times all the way through before anything started clicking!
xo – kb
I love the 50mm 1.4 for portraits and the 24-70mm for everything else. If I know that I’m gonna be in a cramped spot I take both…
xo – kb
I have a nifty fifty and it has become my go-to lens. I pretty much use it for everything now just because I love how the pictures come out. It can be an adjustment getting used to using a prime lens but not too bad. And there are just certain situation where AV is handy. I’m also trying out using my tripod more which has produced good results. Thanks for the photog tips. I’m still growing in that area and want to get much more proficient with my camera. Your photography inspires me!
I have a Jo Totes bag that is great. I used it as an everything bag. I would absolutely die for a Ketti chevron bag though…they are adorable beyond belief.
xo – kb
It was a Gap clearance find! I love it when they have 40% off their sales rack…and this little sweater ended up being $12 🙂
xo – kb
I wish I knew more about the Nikon’s in general. It would be fun to experiment 🙂
xo – kb
I have a Kelly Moore bag and LOVE it!!!
Love the pics! I’ve been wanting to save up for a new lens as well (I have the 50) and I think this may just be the one. I feel like I have to get soooo up close with the 50, that I am sometimes uncomfortable. I love those distance portraits – beautiful. You might experience the need to get farther away as your little cutie grows. My son is almost 7 and he tends to make a crazy fact or frowns when I want to capture him. If he doesn’t see me clicking (because I’m further away) I may get some better pics!
I’ve been waiting on your post about this lens. I bought the 85 mm a while back and returned it. It just seemed as though I could get relatively similar shots with my 50 mm. I was just a little disappointed….my 15 month old moves at the speed of light and once I took a few shots with the 85mm, I felt as though I had to reset all that I had gotten used to after training myself with using a prime lens. Sooooo, I sent it back and got a 17-40 wide angle (on sale) to play around with (just to have something WAY different). After reading your post, the 85 mm has made it back on my wish list, along with a bookmark of this post….
Thanks for the advice Katie! Sounds like I should get both, haha!! My husband is going to flip. 😉
I’m obsessed with bokeh, so my 50mm is pretty much permanently set to f/1.8. I used to shoot manual all the time, but I found it easier to set the camera to Aperature Priority and then adjust the exposure depending on if I am inside or outside. I get some blurry shots this way (or maybe my son’s eyes are in focus, but nothing else is), but I LURVE the results when the shot comes out right. I’m hoping the 1.4 will get me sharper photos, but maybe the problem is my technique.
I recently got a nifty fifty for my Nikon and still trying to adjust from my kit lenses. I should probably finish reading my manual soon. I don’t know enough about photography yet to know what lenses are good for and its great to read a good review of lenses from someone who knows whatt they are doing. Can you do a similar post on the 50mm?
Great shots!
The Nikon 85mm I have is one of my favorites, but you’re right…mostly for portraits. The further away from a subject I get with it (past a certain point) the less I like it. It’s still super sharp (especially when stopped down) and is still a lens I use a lot, but the sweet spot for me really is when I use it for tight shots.
For anyone who would like a good Nikon prime that’s not too expensive, it’s definitely a lens I’d recommend if you can’t afford the much pricier 85/1.4
Here are some pics I’ve grabbed with this lens:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/31078600@N05/5233550870/in/photostream
http://www.flickr.com/photos/31078600@N05/5090353072/in/photostream
http://www.flickr.com/photos/31078600@N05/5439986272/in/photostream
http://www.flickr.com/photos/31078600@N05/4672855113/in/photostream
Katie,
Those pictures are so darned precious… every last one of them!
I appreciate the lessons and the ins and outs so much. I don’t mess around with manual settings too much because I am too scared AND too darned lazy to read the manual. *sigh* One day I’ll be a big, brave girl!
Wendy
My husband as the same camera as you and he LOVES it. He’s kind of obsessed with photography. His newest, and current favorite, lens would be the 70-200 2.8 IS II (at least I think that’s the name).
It was a Christmas gift and I must say, photography is definitely not an inexpensive hobby to get into. Haha.
Thanks for the feedback! Krysta – which Kelly Moore bag do you have? And do you carry just camera gear or also things you would carry in your purse as well? I’m going to have to check out the Ketti Chevron – Thanks KB!
Thanks for doing this! I got my 50 for Christmas and adore it. But it definitely is tricky trying to practice on a very busy toddler. lol. I actually thought your far away shots weren’t that bad!
i always appreciate your tips! i love my 85mm and my nifty 50 – i get compliments all the time on how my daughter looks in the pictures and i have you and the lenses to thank!
Sweet baby J, that sweater, that tiny chair, and that sweet, sweet face are the cutest things I have ever seen!
Katie – Do you have any advice for people that want a really good point and shoot camera, but do not want a DLSR? I don’t think I’ll get that into photography, but I want a good camera to take pics of my kids…and I don’t want it to be bulky. Any certain camera you recommend?
This is completely random but was your sister and her husband in Boston yesterday? Could’ve sworn I saw them but who knows…maybe just look-alikes!
Katie – dont be shameful about using your iPhone for tote around pics. It’s a wonderful tool for that.
Are you using Instagram? If your not, you should be!!!
Also, go to a blog called ‘Fat Mum Slim’. She has a wonderful ‘photo-a-day’ thing going on that links back to Instagram, Twitter and Facebook etc.
Its excellent!!
Even though I am still confused as hell, you make things so much LESS confusing. And I like that. I have a 50 mm prime lens and it is like I am attempting robotic surgery. Someday I will conquer photography…someday… Please keep doing these posts for idiots like me. XO.
Well, you probably already know this but just for everyone else reading this comment – remember that bokeh can be achieved with taking that fstop down or you can get it by just making sure the background is farther away from your subject and you are close up while your fstop is closer to a 4.0. Being deliberate about placement of your subject and then creating the right angles for light means you don’t necessarily have to worry about JUST getting his eyes in focus but not compromising that wonderful bokeh.
xo – kb
I’ve heard really good things about the Canon Power shot 🙂
xo – kb
As an all around work horse lens I love my Tamron 24-70mm. It’s a macro lens, but it was recommended to me as a great portrait lens as well and I have found this to be the case. It is a 3rd party maker, but a die hard Canon elitist said my lens of the same focal length was taking better photos. The amazon reviews are great as well.
but is the 24-70 good for someone who has a 1.3 /crop sensor? You have the 24-70 on a full frame 5dmk2.
I think the equivalent on a crop body like the XSI, T2/3i would be the 18-55 or 17-55 2.8
I just bought the 17-55 2.8 for my XSI and it is my best investment yet (even better than the camera itself!) mucho dinero however, but worth it. I think the 24-70 might be a little long on a crop.
Love your blog. Between you and YHL, I’m set!
I’m guessing that is the 85mm f/1.4??? I have the 85mm f/1.2 and it’s AMAZING! Took me a while to get used to the distance even on a full frame camera, but it’s so crisp at 1.2 I’m shocked. You might look at a 35mm, or even the 28mm f/1.8, nice prime wide angle. I don’t even use my 24-70 anymore, but it’s still a great lens.
Cute boy btw!
Thanks for the shout-out to the pimp cat. What is up with that thing??
Great pics. I have a Nikon D3000, which is perfect for a beginner like me. I need to play around with lenses though.
Aww, he is a little cutie! Thanks for the 85mm review! It’s another on my long list of lenses to purchase!
Hi Ann, I have the Kelly Moore B-Hobo bag and I used it for my DSLR and 2 lenses and a whole lot of regular handbag stuff (purse, sunglasses, a cardigan, lipgloss, a kitchen sink;)) when my husband and I spent 7 weeks travelling around the USA last year. I used it every day and I couldn’t reccomend it more highly! I loved it. It fitted a ridiculous amount of stuff in it, and has two different straps for different uses.
Sick of taking pics with the iPhone, i got a mirror less micro four thirds. the Olympus PEN PL-1 ( http://amzn.to/xN5ohj ). I really want the PL-3 in a bad way, but I think I need to actually learn how to use the camera before investing that kind of moola. Came with a 14-42mm & and a 40-150mm. Having a lot of fun playing and learning and going on field trips with my mom to San Francisco for some color. Still, sooooo much to learn and I would really like a fixed lens. I already have some amazing pics of the kids so, so far, it’s been worth the investment. Plus it’s small and easy to carry,but I still have to option to change out the lenses.
Thanks for posts like this, I learned something today!!
I don’t know but I think it is so funny that I literally scream “PIMPCAT!!!” whenever I see a commercial for The Voice.
xo – kb
Yes – that’s true. The 24-70 is my fav on a full frame. I will say this – the 18-55 is nowhere near as sharp and versatile to me as the 24-70…and I had a 17-50 Tamron lens on my Rebel that I would have chosen 9 outta 10 times vs. the kit lens (18-55). I never spent the moolah on your nice lens so I’ll have to trust your word for it. But yes, for a crop sensor I can only personally recommend the Tamron lens if you have a tight budget and I can only guess that the 17-55 2.8 is even nicer 🙂
xo – kb
My hubby Bill, we’ll call him bubba, just to make it fun… He got me the 50mm for Christmas and I’m in love. Serious love. So funny to grab for the lens and it not move…. But I love it so;)
Totally random and slightly stalker… Need a roomie for haven? Are you going? I know no body. I promise not to fart ( without knowing it…) or burp too much;) let me know. Would love to hang:)
Tracie from Kentucky 🙂
love the review, im in the market for a camera myself 🙂
and i love wills sweater!!!!!!
Will is seriously, THE CUTEST!!! Your photography is awesome too!! Keep it up Katie!!!
Hillary, I went to a photography class from a well known children’s photographer around here. He actually suggested that with children to use AV as he does quite frequently. He said the camera gives you that option for a reason, and it would be dumb to miss a really great shot because you’re too busy adjusting your settings.
TOTALLY unrelated to you post, but I saw this on the Today Show this morning and immediately thought of you. Have you seen this website??
http://marrybacon.com/
Specifically, have you seen that they offer a bacon-flavored milk shake?!
Looks like you’ll be making a trip to Jack N the Box today! 🙂
Beautiful photographs as always! I admire your work!! 🙂 I am a photographer as well. What is your take on fill flash for outdoor portraits? I aim to capture my clients an hour or so before sunset so shadows aren’t harsh, but sometimes their eyes will be dark if I don’t use the flash. And when I do use my flash, my shutter won’t go above 1/250 and am therefore forced to use a higher f stop which results in hardly any bokeh. 🙁 How do you light your images so beautifully and still achieve the bokeh?
I haven’t a clue what any of this means and I have a T3i. Off to Google 1.3 crop sensor!
I wish you lived closer, I would happily loan my gear to experiment with, if you let me play with that sweet boy in exchange. 🙂
I want a DSLR so much! I want to be a part of this conversation. Instead, I feel like Joey speaking French on Friends:
Phoebe: Je m’appelle Claude.
Joey: Je te flouppe Fli.
We are blowing our life savings on a big six-month trip to Europe, which I think deserves a good camera, but Holy Mother of Photography, I can’t afford one like yours. I think my heart stopped when I googled the price just now. Soo, do I go with something like the Rebel? Or do I decide I don’t want to haul a big camera and lens(es) 24/7 for six months (since I would be too paranoid to ever leave it anywhere), and get something like the PowerShot?
Tough call! I always tell folks that if you want to take the time to learn how to use a DLSR then go for a used beginner DSLR first – otherwise, there are great point and shoots that get great images! Good luck!
xo – kb
Well there are probably a million ways to skin this cat – but for me, capturing those catch-lights was just using the right angles…having the light source behind me and having the subject look up so that the eyes sparkle is key. And since I have ZERO experience with fill flash, I can’t say that it is different or the same 🙁
xo – kb
Katie: two nights ago I had a weird series of dreams, and one of them was starring you. I hope that’s not too creepy – I think you were in my dream since I ended up getting a camera as a birthday gift like an hour after reading this photography post, so you had been recently on my mind.
Anyway, I dreamed that you revealed that you had finally gotten pregnant (!). I know that this something that’s very important to you in your life right now…and although in reality this may not end up happening very soon, I just wanted you to know that people are wishing good things for you (even subconsciously). Best of luck with everything!
Other Katie
You probably have answered this elsewhere but do you shoot in what they call RAW or do you do jpeg or something else…….. Also could you do a post on how you store each shoot you do, do you need a lot of storage space and a really fast computer to save things and edit….. I do a shoot off my kids and take about 200 shots….but need tips on then getting through them all and editing etc……..I love taking pics and the end result but think I might be missing something in streamlining the way I sort through save and edit files…….
I am probably the last person to ask…my system stinks. I am still working on it. BUT I know that on Clickinmoms they interview people about their process all the time – maybe check it out!
xo – kb
Thanks Katie……………………….
Awesome review! Did you by chance (or do you have a good resource) do a review in your 50mm? Just received this guy for Christmas and am looking for little suggestions and tips – just like the ones you offered in this post!
When shooting, have your subjects face their shadows (if there is harsh sun) and make sure that you’re properly exposed…that always helps, you can also use a reflector (or even a white poster board) to reflect that light back onto their face. 🙂
RAW is good to shoot in if you have issues with exposure (blowing out channels – whites, reds, etc.) JPEG is much harder to correct, whereas you can pull a RAW file into Adobe Camera Raw and use the recovery tool to fix any blown channels.