I still remember telling someone, “I don’t NEED to use manual mode! My camera knows more than I do so I’m just going to let my camera set itself!” WHAT! Oh Christa… You had so much to learn! Mainly manual mode (and a little more confidence!)!

But why was I wrong? Well first, my camera doesn’t really know that much! It’s just guessing on what the sensor is reading. It doesn’t know I want to expose for skin tones, want a blurry background so my subject can pop, and that I include movement through posing that needs to be captured sharply! So even though MAYBE I was telling the truth about my camera knowing more than me then, that didn’t HAVE to be the case!

I sat down and figured out manual mode. I still remember scrolling through blog post after post reading each part of the exposure triangle and trying to figure it out. I had learned it WASN’T the equipment or camera body that achieved beautiful images, but the PHOTOGRAPHER. That’s why I was able to shoot wedding and build my business before even having a full-frame camera!

If you keep telling yourself that lie, remember this:

Your camera doesn’t HAVE to know more than you!

You CAN learn manual mode, and even if you just know a little of it, you’ll know WAY more than your camera guessing!

Knowing manual mode saves you HOURS in editing!

And you can finally be consistent in your style but getting things right IN-camera!

It might feel scary at first, but I promise once you KNOW manual mode, you’ll never go back to auto. Ever. It can’t compare to you setting your camera with purpose!

Because I believe every photography should have a resource to learning manual mode, I have a course just for you on it! BUT this isn’t JUST for growing photographers. This is also for moms wanting nicer photos of their kids, bloggers, shop owners- ANYONE ready to take their camera to the NEXT level!

Head to the CR Manual Mode Course here to learn about it and take your images to the next level (and even catch a special discount for the next week!) !

The post Do I NEED to Know Manual Mode? appeared first on Christa Rene Photography.

Instead of simply saying “laugh” when explaining a pose, there’s one thing that works EVERY time when encouraging laughter! Seriously- you can’t go wrong with this!!!

Have your clients encourage it in each other! When photographing a couple, the bride is WAY more likely to laugh at her groom than just on my command! So how do I do this?

ASK HIM TO WHISPER IN HER EAR!

When I’m photographing a bride and am setting up a shot for her to be looking at the camera laughing while the groom leans in close, I ask him to whisper things in her ear! I might ask him to whisper a few different reasons he loves her, whisper sweet things, or just whatever he wants!

No matter what he says (trust me, he’ll say a LOT of different things! Some grooms even just repeat “whisper” over and over) she’ll start laughing! I keep encouraging it and praising them telling them what an AMAZING job they’re doing to keep everything light hearted and joyful!

But without fail, this is the easiest way I’ve found to generate genuine laughter from my couples!

I have a guide in the shop sharing even more ways to generate laughter at every session & wedding! This is just one out of five ways I encourage and capture genuine laughter! View the guide on capturing authentic, genuine laughter HERE!

The post One EASY Way to Photograph GENUINE Laughter in Couples appeared first on Christa Rene Photography.

I’m sharing 5 simple tips for using off-camera flash!

Use flashes that are radio transmitted, or use a transceiver.

Flashes can talk to each other either by sending signals to each other via radio, or by optical which would be seeing the light from the flash on the main camera and firing. The problem with optical is it wasn’t consistent. If I was all the way across a room, it often wouldn’t fire, but might fire when someone nearby fires a flash with their camera! I wanted something I KNEW would work and fire every time!

I used Nikon for years, and always used a transceiver for my flashes! These sat under the flash and communicated with each other. When I switched to Canon, I only bought flashes that were radio transmitted to get rid of the extra step of setting up transceivers under the flashes! But by setting things up to communicate via radio, no matter where I was, even if I was in a different room, my off-camera flash would fire.

Have the off-camera flash stronger than the flash on-camera.

This will create bursts of light and light up the background even more! It allows for beautiful shots that are creative and look high end! The flash on my camera still gives off enough light to make my subject lighter and fill in the shadows.

Set the off-camera flash up across from where you’ll be most of the time.

When I’m preparing to shoot the first dance, I do my best to stand with my off-camera flash across from me! I’m strategic about this since I want to avoid certain things in the back of the first-dance shots! I try to set it up by an object or pillar where people are less likely to knock it over, and try to avoid getting the DJ set up in the back of all of the shots! If it’s an option, my favorite set up is to position myself with my back to the DJ table (so it’s not in the shots), then either have one off-camera flash across from me, or 2 on each corner so it would make a triangle from where I’m shooting to my flashes.

Use a sticky label as a cheat sheet.

Especially if you’re just learning flash, it can be confusing to know what settings to put it on! When I switched camera systems, I stuck a sticky label on the back of the flash that sits on my camera with the settings it needed to be on and what buttons to push to get there! This way if I accidentally bumped things pulling it out of my bag, I could easily and quickly set it back to what I needed it at! This was especially great when I was still getting used to the settings!

Set up the reception flashes before the ceremony.

If the ceremony and reception are nearby, I always try to set up my reception flashes before-hand! This allows me to be less rushed, and ensures everything is set up right so I just have to turn things on before the couple enters the reception. Then I also can shoot the reception details using flash!

If you’d like to learn about my exact flash system, the equipment I use, and how I set it up, I have a guide all about using off-camera flash in the shop! I break it down so whether you just want to learn manual flash for one or multiple flashes, you can! Head to the Off-Camera Flash Guide in the shop HERE!

Remember, it takes patience and practice to learn new things! If things don’t go perfectly the first time you try it, don’t be discouraged! Practice setting up your flash system at home so you’re comfortable with the settings and have things ready to go when you set up for a wedding day!

The post 5 Simple Tips for Using Off-Camera Flash appeared first on Christa Rene Photography.

I’m sharing 6 tips to making sure your images are sharp in every situation!

Use a shutter speed of at least 1/200, or twice the focal length!

Look at the focal length of your lens, and multiply it by 2 to see the minimum shutter speed to use! If you’re using an 50mm lens, your shutter speed should be at least 1/100 (50×2). However, I go one step further and never go under 1/200! Even though 1/100 is twice the focal length, I’ve found going under 1/200 can be risky when I shoot! So stay at least at 1/200, and then double the focal length if the lens is over 200mm.

Use back-button focus.

Instead of pressing the shutter halfway down to focus, I use a button on the back of my camera to focus, and the shutter only takes the picture! This way I can use one of the stronger focus points (the middle ones) to focus on a subject’s face, then slightly move my camera to reframe if I want the focused face somewhere else in the frame! I also refocus between every shot to make sure I’m nailing the focus! The set-up for back-button focus can vary camera to camera, but I’d suggest trying it and practicing before using it for a client! This way you’re comfortable with it since it is an adjustment!

Take more images than needed.

I normally take at least 5 images of the same thing, and focus between each image! While this sounds like a lot, I shoot FAST. I don’t use continuous shooting mode, but just quickly refocus and press the shutter. I’ll normally take more than 5, and often some are slightly out of focus! But since I took several, I can be sure I’m shooting enough and getting crisp images!

Be sure your aperture is high enough.

I LOVE shooting with a wide aperture (low number). BUT even though my favorite lens can go as wide as f/1.2, I never photograph clients with an aperture that wide! SO little would be in focus, I prefer to play it a little safe and normally shoot clients with my aperture set around f/2.2-2.8! If there’s multiple rows you’ll want to go even higher than that!

Purchase lenses with VR/IS.

Canon lenses with a red ring around the rim shows the lens has Image Stabilization. This helps off-set any shaking that naturally comes from shooting! Nikon has the same thing called Vibration Reduction (VR). Having lenses with these options is an extra step to ensure crisper images! If a lens with this option isn’t in your budget right now, remember that using the shutter speed rule will make up for this!

Use flash in dim light.

In dim, indoor situations, it can be hard to get sharp images! First, your camera might be slower focusing since there’s less contrast if everything is dark. Second, it might be too hard to keep your shutter speed at least at 1/200 to capture movement and still let enough light in! Receptions often involve a lot of movement like dancing, so that can be hard to capture sharply! But knowing how to use your flash to get sharp images even in dark receptions will step up your images! Even with a lot of dancing, I’m able to shoot quick, sharp images for my clients!

If you’d like to learn more about using flash, visit the shop for my off-camera flash guide!

I hope this helps as you produce even sharper images at your next session or wedding

The post 6 Ways to Achieve Sharper Images | Education for Photographers appeared first on Christa Rene Photography.

But there’s one tip I’ve found to get amazing ring shots EVERY time. It’s important to always find natural light when shooting detail shots! So I normally set up shooting details next to a big window or door. BUT there’s more!

I was making a mistake! I didn’t really notice which way the ring diamond was pointing! BUT I knew I wanted the bride’s diamond to look bright and clear! And I finally figured out how to get this look best:

Shoot the ring with the diamond facing the main natural light source!

While shadows might be nice for other detail shots, I want the ring to look sparkly and clear! I get this best if I avoid any shadows by having the diamond on the ring facing the light source (so the main light is at my back)! Make sure you aren’t shading the ring too much when shooting it, even if you angle slightly. But having the main diamond facing the light allows it to appear clear and bright!

Having even light directly hitting the diamond created beautiful, bright ring images I had been hoping for! And what bride doesn’t want her ring looking extra bright??

That’s just one tip out of many in the Detail Shots Guide over in the shop! I give all my tips and tricks to get beautiful detail shots at EVERY wedding! Want to learn more? Head to the Detail Shots Guide in the shop!

The post How to Photograph the Ring | One Easy Tip for AMAZING Ring Shots! appeared first on Christa Rene Photography.

First, the bride has put a lot of time, money, and effort into her reception space. The first reason to get amazing images of the reception set up is for her! Also, this is the time the bride gets to see and dance with her friends and family! She invited the people most special to her! Capturing the events of the reception, who attended, the speeches, cake cutting, and who she’s on the dance floor with will help her remember and cherish this time!

Second, publishers love beautiful reception details! If you’re working on getting published, getting shots of the entire room and also décor will help!!

And last, it builds credibility to yourself as a photographer when you can show that in ANY lighting situation, you can provide beautiful images that match your style!

Here are some tips on how to photograph the reception:

Photograph the reception details before the ceremony.

I leave 30minutes-1hour of down time after portraits before the ceremony. This allows me to photograph the reception un-touched before any guests fill the room! Photograph wide shots of the room, as well as each detail, centerpiece, and the cake! This also gives me time to set up my off-camera flashes!

Have the second-shooter photograph guests while you stay with the couple.

When guests start to fill the room after, I stay with the bride and photograph candids of whatever she and her husband are doing! I have my second-shooter walk around getting images of the guests together! This helps her see who was there and have images of them, and the guests love when they see her images shared and there’s one of them! And then she also has images of whoever she was chatting with, her bridesmaids with her on the dance floor, or whatever she was doing!

Use flash!

Receptions are normally in the evening and most venues will have the lights low. Sometimes, the lights even go about all the way off when the dance floor opens! But using my off-camera flash system, I’m able to still take bright, airy images! I used to be SO afraid of using my flashes, but figured out an amazing system that worked! And even when I switched from Nikon to Canon, I was able to understand both flash systems!

Do you feel stumped by off-camera-flash?? Trust me, you are NOT alone! It’s so common to feel unsure about this, but is easier than you think! I have a guide in my shop just for you all about understanding off-camera-flash! I share my step-by-step process, the equipment I recommend, and different set ups so that you can have amazing images in the darkest receptions! Understanding flash really can separate a good photographer from an amazing one! You can learn more and find the Off-Camera Flash guide over in the shop!

The post How to Photograph the Reception | Education for Wedding Photographers appeared first on Christa Rene Photography.

We started with donut holes and coffee and chatted about lens choice, posing, and lighting throughout the wedding day! After a few hours, it was time for the amazing styled shoot full of burgundy tones, and even pieces of POMOGRANATE!! No joke! How amazing is that?? I’ll be sure to share the styled shoot with you all soon! But let’s just say Sarah Walters from Plan My Wedding Day outdid herself!

During the shoot demonstrated how I smoothly pose, shoot details, and we even popped outside for some ceremony practice! After this, they girls got a brand new headshot! Then we headed in for my favorite part!

We dove deep into marketing and business. And goodness am I passionate about this. I believe that anyone- no matter your personality, background, age, etc, can be a successful business owner if you work efficiently and hard! So sharing tips on reaching their ideal client, organization, and client experience fuels me!! We went over on time because we just dove in so deep! I wish we had scheduled wayyy more time because I didn’t want to say goodbye to these amazing ladies!

For those wondering- YES there will be another workshop in 2019!!! And I’m already beyond excited for it to come!! I always share the inside details with my newsletter first, so sign up here to be the first to know about workshop details in 2019!

Here are a few recap images that Edward snagged, and some behind the scenes from Sydney Rae Photography & Carissa Bradley Photography!

I have no idea what I’m doing here, but hopefully it was helpful!!

NO idea what I was doing air quotes for!! This made me laugh!!

Headshot time!!Aren’t these girls GORGEOUS??And back to learning all about business & marketing!

Don’t forget to sign up here to be the first to know about workshop details in 2019!

The post The Booking & Shooting Weddings Workshop Recap | Christa Rene Photography appeared first on Christa Rene Photography.

This also applies if you shoot with 2 separate cameras on wedding days! I’m going to give the example of using a second-shooter, but if you shoot with 2 cameras just apply the second-shooter examples to your second camera!

There’s a much easier way to do this than dragging all of their images into the place they belong! Even if it’s just a few images, that’s going to take a LONG time. So instead, I have a system that allows me to stay really organized and easily edit the capture time of my second-shooter’s images to match mine!

Here’s how to edit the capture time in Lightroom!

1. Create categories in your Lightroom catalogue.

Instead of having all of your images just in one big group, separating the sections of the day is very helpful in staying organized!

2. Have a separate category with just your second-shooter’s images.

This will allow you to easily find their photos and edit the capture time of the group! You can see a separate category for Julia’s images in the screenshot above!

3. Find the capture time of the ceremony kiss on your image.

Find one moment both you and your second-shooter photographed at the same time- for me, I find the kiss since we both always photograph that! When you’re on the image in Lightroom, use the shortcut “i” until the capture time comes up on the top left of the image! I normally take a picture of it on my phone so I have the exact time down to the second and can pull it back up later when I’m editing my second-shooter’s capture time.

4. Find the image photographed at the same time in your second-shooter’s category.

Read this step super carefully! This is the easiest one to mess up!

Go to your second-shooter’s category, then to the library module.

At the bottom left of the toolbar, click the icon so that their whole category shows up on the main screen instead of just one image (this is VERY important to do! See the red circle at bottom of the screenshot below).

Be sure you’ve clicked the main image once so it’s highlighted (the image that was taken at the same time as yours- don’t click it twice since you don’t want it to fill the screen), and then select all of the other images in that category (command+A on Mac).

The image you had clicked on first should still appear highlighted as the main image (see how the bottom left image- number 61- is highlighted brighter in the picture below). If it isn’t highlighted anymore, select all of the images again (command+A on mac), then click the main image once so it appears highlighted brighter than the other images. All of the images have to be selected or the time will just adjust on the one image.

(Don’t be confused that the image on the bottom left is brighter than the others. This means it will base the shifted capture time off of this image. The others are still all selected even though they appear darker.)

5. Edit the capture time.

Still under the library panel, go to Metadata, then Edit Capture Time. A window will appear. Under “Type of Adjustment,” leave it set to the first option, “Adjust to a specified date and time.” (See screenshot below.)

Then under corrected time you can type the new capture time in (I look at the picture I took on my phone). Then click “change all.” I had already fixed this capture time but highlighted where you’d type in the corrected date/time.

6. Combine second-shooter’s images with yours.

I’d add just a couple of your second-shooter’s images to the section they’d below in with yours first to be sure the time was corrected right! After this, you can select the groups of your second-shooter’s images under their category, and drag them into the separate categories with your images.

Don’t delete their own separate group after this. Keeping them in their own separate group as well is still helpful through for editing purposes. They won’t need the exact same edits as your images, and it’s easier to sync the edits on these separately.

In the screenshot below, I had photographed the image on the left, and Julia had photographed the image on the right. Since the times are now the same, the images are side by side!

7. Organize by capture time. 

Be sure Lightroom is showing you your image order based on the capture time! To do this, go to the Library Module, then view, sort, capture time.

I hope this helps as you combine multiple camera images, as well as edit quicker! I use this for every wedding and I’m able to work quick and stay organized!

If you liked this post, be sure to check out all of the posts I have for Photography Education!

The post Editing Capture Time in Lightroom | Staying Organized Combining Images from Multiple Cameras appeared first on Christa Rene Photography.

I’m sharing my tips on…

how to get a blurry background in your images!

1. Use a wider aperture!

Aperture is how much is in focus, and a little number means less is in focus! This is great if you want your subject to stand out and be sharp, and everything else in front of or behind them to be out of focus. Your LENS is what determines how low your aperture can go, not how nice your camera is! Aperture is measured in an f/number! When I’m photographing one person, I like to shoot around f/1.8-2.8. When photographing two people, around f/2.2-3.2. When photographing multiple rows, I set it to at least f/3.2-5.6 or higher depending on the rows! So I love prime lenses that have a low aperture available! If you use a zoom with varied aperture that changes as you zoom (a range like f/3.5-5.6), just keep it to as low as it will go (unless photographing several rows)! This means as you zoom in, the aperture will get higher. But it’s still ok to zoom extra and lose that aperture because of the second tip!

In the first example below, I could use a wide aperture (small number) (like f/2.8) because just the couple’s faces needed to be in focus and they’re on the same plane! If you look at the very front of Natalie’s bouquet and the steps behind them, you’ll see that they’re out of focus while the couple is sharp!

But when there’s a group like this, I needed a higher aperture (like f/3.2 or higher) to be sure everyone was focus!

2. Zoom in extra.

If you use a zoom lens, take some extra steps back and zoom in more! If you use primes like I do for portraits, use a longer focal length prime and again step back more! This adds more compression to the background. Look at the examples below! The left one was with a 50mm, and the right with an 85mm! If you look at the trees in the background and the shoreline, you can tell that the 85mm makes the background a lot more out of focus and compressed! 

3. Shoot tight.

Be sure you’re zoomed in extra since if you come in tight with a wide lens. The image may look stretched if the lens is too wide and you’re really close! But if you’re really trying to get the background super blurry or compressed, zooming in extra like mentioned above, AND shooting tighter will do that! See the examples below! Look at the staircase rail design and how much more out of focus it is even thought this was with the SAME lens, I just came in tighter on the second shot!

And look at the leaves below in the next example! Just shooting tighter made the background extra creamy!And one more! 

4. Have distance between the subject and the background.

Creating distance between the subject and background will help your subject stand out more, and the background to be even more out of focus! If you use a small aperture, less is in focus. So if you have the background further back, it will be even more out of focus! In the shot below, I had space between the couple and the tree line so it would be even extra out of focus!

And in Rebekah & Mark’s session, I had them take a few steps away from the tree instead of shooting with one trunk right behind them! See how creamy it looks in the back? Pulling the couple away from the background, and not photographing a tree right behind them helps with getting the background out of focus! And the same with Chris & Andrea’s wedding! The tree is several yards behind them which helps it look softer!Now you know what it takes to get even more amazing images where your subject can stand out extra! I hope this helps as you take photos, and gives tips for what lenses fit your needs best! For portraits, I prefer my Canon 50mm f/1.2 and Canon 85mm f/1.2. However, like I mentioned above, I rarely shoot below f/1.8! But these lenses are crisp and allow me to have creamy backgrounds, especially the 85mm since it’s some extra lens length!

If you enjoyed this post, you might also enjoy the educational materials available in the shop!! Did I mention there’s a few things even FREE over there?? Head to the shop to see what educational materials I offer!

The post How to Get a Blurry Background | Education for Photographers | Christa Rene Photography appeared first on Christa Rene Photography.

How to capture gorgeous getting ready shots in amazing light after the bride is ready:

Have the bride put her dress almost completely on.

I have my bride get in her dress wherever is easiest and most comfortable for her, and either leave it a little unzipped so mom can finish the zip in the spot we go for the best light, or have it completely fastened and mom will just pretend later! This is also great since it can sometimes be a strategy to get the dress buttoned just right, so it’s easy to forget to smile!

This way I’m able to get the bride her beautiful portraits in amazing light to match my style, they’re able to relax and have genuine, joyful expressions since it’s mostly already on, but I can also tell the story of the day from start to finish! While I often still take shots when mom is actually zipping it for her to have even if the lighting isn’t ideal, the ones I blog and share are always the ones in the great light we move to!

Find natural light!

To get these beautiful shots, look for natural light! Find an area nearby a window, or if there aren’t any indoor options or natural light available, I’ve also taken brides outside for this! This goes back to the first point- the bride doesn’t want to walk outside in an un-fastened dress! But once she feels secure and if she put it on in another area, have her come to the area with the best light!

Clear the clutter!

If you find an area with beautiful light inside, move any clutter and furniture if possible away to get a beautiful, clean background and open area for the best portraits! I’m constantly moving furniture around (and people think I JUST take pictures ;)) and it’s always SO worth it! And I let my bride know that while this seems crazy to move the hotel lamp, chair, etc, it WILL be worth it!

Have the bride’s mom and bridesmaids completely dressed.

The bride and her mom will love and treasure those moments of getting the dress on, and they’ll love it even more if Mom is in the dress she spent weeks picking out, and has her hair and makeup are done! The same goes to bridesmaids! While I love getting groups shots of the bridesmaids in matching robes or shirts, have them change into their bridesmaids dresses for the shots of them around the bride when her dress is on! I always remind the bridesmaids they’ll have plenty of time to touch up hair and makeup while the bride is having her first look!

Explain your plan to the bride and her mom!

They aren’t all photographers eagerly searching for natural light, and might not realize that getting all of the shots of her dress being fastened in a yellow closet isn’t the only option! Let your bride and her mom know that you’re going to have her get her dress completely on before heading going to a spot with amazing light so she has just INCREDIBLE portraits of this time in gorgeous light!

I hope this post was helpful in taking stronger getting ready shots!! Along with these tips, be confident in your decisions! They hired YOU because of your skill and expertise!! So don’t be afraid to tell them where to go for the most amazing pictures- that’s why they hired you!!  Be sure to check out recent educational blog posts for photographers!

The post How to Photograph Beautiful Preparation Portraits | Photography Education | Greenville, SC Wedding Photographer appeared first on Christa Rene Photography.

I love helping other photographers grow and giving advice and help where I can!! So to help answer these, first off it isn’t just the camera that achieves a style! A good photographer doesn’t need top grade equipment to achieve their style! I remember thinking at the start of my business that buying a nicer camera and lens would automatically make my pictures better, and I was disappointed when this didn’t happen instantly like I thought it would! While certain things like lenses with a wider aperture help in achieving a certain look, the PHOTOGRAPHER is the one who “tells” the camera what to do! So before you go out and buy all new equipment to get a different look to your photos, read this post first and you might be surprised and what you can get with whatever equipment you have!

Here are 5 tips to getting light, bright and airy images!!

1. Shoot at golden hour.

Shooting the hour before sunset is SO pretty and gives such a beautiful glow to images! I do my best to only schedule sessions for around this time, and IF it needs to be earlier in the day I find somewhere with shade to avoid harsh light at all costs!

2. Find even light.

Find a place where the subject, foreground, and background are in even light (no sun spots!). Avoid spotty light and harsh shadows! If shooting at sunset, have the sun backlighting the subject instead of them facing the sun! If shooting during harsh light, try to find even shade, or face your subject towards their shadow since direct sun creates unwanted shadows. Look at the images below! These were taken in the middle of the day (not ideal to shoot in)! See how much better the even light from being in the shade (right) looks compared to the spotty light (left)?

Here’s an example of how to make an image look glowy even in shade when you find even light!

But what if there’s no open shade?? So earlier from the above pictured couple, it was harsher light! Yet I still took the bridesmaids out in it since it was evenly bright through the background. Having them face their shadow allows the light to still look soft and even!

Here’s another example. This was in Battery Park in Charleston around noon! So it was bright! There wasn’t any available completely open shade without spots of light coming through (it’s a crowded place in the summer!), so I had them face their shadow! The spots just hit the back/tops of their heads and the light hitting the front of them was even.

3. Choose light backgrounds, and create distance between the subject and background.

Shooting in front of a white wall is going to look a lot lighter and than shooting in a dark forest! While I don’t think every photo should be in front of a white wall since greenery is so beautiful, it also helps to leave distance between the subject and background so the background is more out of focus and soft. This makes the subject stand out more and look sharper, and adds to the dreamy, light quality of the image!

Here I had the background far from the couple so it was out of focus! It looks a lot dreamier than if the couple was right in front of the trees!

Here’s another example of the same idea! The greens are light and out of focus, and wouldn’t be as creamy in the back if the couple was right under the tree!Here’s some examples of finding a light background! This was in the lobby of their venue and SO gorgeous!

And this was in front of a TIRE SHOP!!! But knowing to find soft, even light as well as light backgrounds makes it look SO classy!

4. Use a wide aperture.

Each lens has a maximum aperture. The wider the aperture (lower the number), the less is going to be in focus meaning the background will look blurrier and your subject stand out more! So I normally shoot couples with my aperture at f/1.8-2.8 so that just a little is in focus! Of course be sure you’re nailing your focus since shooting too wide and being off slightly will produce an out of focus image. But checking on how wide (lower the number) the aperture can go will be helpful in upgrading lenses! If you aren’t sure where to start, I recommend a 50mm prime lens with an aperture of around f/1.8 to start off with! My favorite lens is the Canon 50mm f/1.2, but it’s a costly piece of equipment, and the f/1.8 and f/1.4 are much more affordable!

Here are some examples! Especially when used at sunset, it makes the background SO creamy and dreamy!!

5. Use an ExpoDisc!

I noticed a HUGE shift in my images after purchasing this little guy! It measures the light actually hitting your subject instead of bouncing off of your subject, and helps me easier set my white balance and correct my exposure! This allowed me to shoot with the correct exposure instead of shooting really underexposed and allowed me to be more consistent! You can read more about this in my last post on using an ExpoDisc!

I hope this helps as you become a stronger photographer!

BUT in order to get these glowy images, one main way I do that is by getting my images right IN-camera! That means my editing is minimal because I have setting my camera on manual mode mastered!! Are you ready to REALLY understand your camera and get glowy images STRAIGHT out of camera?? You’ll be saying goodbye to hours of editing! I have a course just for you all about learning manual mode! Click HERE to see how you can learn manual mode today!!

The post 5 Tips to Get Light & Glowy Images | For Photographers | Christa Rene Photography appeared first on Christa Rene Photography.

Then I learned about the ExpoDisc! Here’s some questions about it I’m answering!

What does the ExpoDisc do?

If you use Kelvin and are still frustrated with results, I’d recommend trying the ExpoDisc! This is a little round, disc looking device that measures light. Think of it as a glorified gray card. But the special thing about an ExpoDisc is it measures the light HITTING the subject (incident light), instead of the light bouncing off of them (reflective light)! It sounds complicated, but basically it sets my white balance for me, and I also use it to measure exposure!

So how does it work? You simply stand where your SUBJECT will be standing, and point it back to where you will be standing! This is because it has to measure the light that’s going to be hitting your subject! Turn your camera white balance (WB) setting to “custom” for Canon (for Nikon, it was the PRE setting on most of my models), and stand in the same spot your subject will be standing with your camera pointed to where you’ll be standing. Then to also measure exposure which I highly recommend, look at your meter bar and adjust your settings until the meter bar is right in the center at 0 (all this while you’re holding the ExpoDisc in front of the lens pointed back to where you are like in the image below). In the picture below, I was measuring the light for when my subject would be standing where I am facing the same way I’d be facing.

For Canon, simply take a picture (if you use auto focus, you might need to switch to manual focus since the camera won’t be able to focus on anything). Based on your camera, there’s different ways to set this as the new WB! But try going into your menu to white balance, custom settings, and you should find an option to select your image!

For my Nikon d750 and d810, select PRE as the WB option. Then, hold the WB button until the top screen was blinking, go through the steps I listed above (stand where subject will be, point camera to you, be sure exposure is accurate), and click the shutter. Then, “GOOD” blinks on the top screen (or “NO GOOD” if you need to redo it).

One tip I use is I’ll sometimes set my exposure slightly over-exposed when choosing my settings with the ExpoDisc at the front of my camera. Also, every now and then I point it wrong or the lighting in a specific spot can be a little wacky, and I might have to do this process again, BUT you get very quick with it!

Why not auto white balance?

Your camera isn’t always right! When on auto settings it does the best it can, but if shooting in front of a blue wall it’s going to read that as a LOT of blue and make your image too warm! Even if you use the settings for different light situations (like sunny, cloudy, etc), things still don’t always end up accurate! Here’s an example below of the image with different settings, and finally with the ExpoDisc!

So you use this every time you shoot?

YES! There are a few exceptions since on some points of wedding days indoors so I might use Kelvin or auto, but for every shot outside and inside with natural light I’m using my ExpoDisc! I’ve had photographers concerned about how their clients would feel, and I simply just tell them what I’m doing!! If I jump in front of them with my camera pointed the opposite way, they of course might be curious! I simply say, “This just measures the light hitting you and helps me have more consistent images!” And I’m never questioned or feel uncomfortable!

Is it worth the time to set it?

While it sounds like several steps, I’m actually able to do this REALLY quickly… like we’re talking 10 seconds or less!! Which is worth saving me WAY more than time than that in editing! It might take a little longer at first, and sometimes I have to “re-do” it if the lighting is constantly changing or it just didn’t look right the first time, but is SO worth the time for me! Just a side note: I also don’t actually screw it on the front of my lenses, but just hold it there!

Where do I get one???

Here’s a link to the main website, and if you have trouble figuring it out with your exact camera body, I’ve simply Googled “how to use ExpoDisc with X camera”! Or feel free to contact me anytime! I purchased my ExpoDisc from B&H Photo here!

I’d challenge you to give it a try and see what you think!!

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So I’m sharing what I’ve learned in composition over my years as a photographer that I believe steps my images up instantly!!

The first thing when considering composition is to learn the rule of thirds. This implies that the strongest point of an image is anywhere the lines intersect (see grid below).

It might surprise you that the center of the image isn’t as strong as having your point of focus a little 0ff-centered! I always tell people it’s okay to break this rule as long as you know you’re breaking it! Here’s another example! If you look carefully, you can see how I included the grid on top of the image to show how the point of focus is on one of those lines and intersections. 

This is just one of 5 different tips I share in my new 13-page Composition Guide! This guide gives even more examples about the rule of thirds, and several other amazing composition tips! You’ll be able to choose where to photograph your clients easier, what to look for around them for stronger images, and where in the frame is best to put your subject! I include a lot of images to make it easy to understand and keep it basic so it’s helpful for everyone! No matter where you are with your photography, I wanted to share something these composition tips that have helped me over the past almost 5 years!

I’m offering $3 off my Composition Guide with the code HELLO! This means it’s only $5 to get it, and you’ll have the basics of composition mastered so you can step up your photos instantly!! Click here to access the composition guide, and I can’t wait to see how it helps your images become stronger!!

Happy shooting!! Be sure to visit my page all about education for photographers!

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However, there’s a few reasons this wasn’t going to help my business. People following my work might not book me since they don’t know for sure what they’re getting. If one image is dark, moody and serious, then the next image is light, airy, and joyful, people aren’t going to know which images they’ll get from me! They might even try to tell me how I should edit the images after booking me since they don’t know what to expect. Reverse that, and now I have clients coming to me because they love how consistent my images are with the light, joy, and color. But it’s also hard to grow your photography business if you’re still trying to figure out your style. Instead of working on posing, posting more consistently on social media, and serving your clients better, you might be spending those precious hours hunched over your computer frustrated you can’t seem to find what works best for you!

So I’m sharing some tips I think will be helpful in determining what style is best for you!

How to determine your photography style:

1. Find some past favorite images you’ve taken, determine what you like about them, and ask yourself what’s the same about each image.

If you’re still at the beginning of photography, find a few images others have taken that you love, and determine what draws your eye to those. Is it the light? White balance? The same emotion through the images? The same type of background? This could be a clear sign of the style you’re naturally drawn to! Then try to create the same type of images!

2. Keep your head down and stop comparing.

While it’s alright to look around at others’ images for inspiration or to study what they’re doing to achieve their style, be sure you don’t feel like you have to replicate someone else’s image. Comparing in this way leads to discontentment and discouragement, and can actually hinder your creativity!

3. Keep a folder of a few of your new favorite images.

Pull these favorites up, then compare the current images you’re working on. Ideally if random images were picked through your portfolio they would look consistent, and it would be clear the same photographer took them! This will help if you’re stumped on an image and need a place to start!

4. Shoot consistently in-camera.

It’s going to be easier if your style requires about the same edits to every image, especially if those edits are minimal because you shoot so accurately in-camera! If your style is darker and moodier, shooting the same darker exposure in-camera will help keep images consistent in editing! Not to mention it will cut your editing time WAY down. The same goes if you choose a lighter, more natural look. I use an ExpoDisc to keep exposure and white balance more accurate, and it helps keep my images more consistent! I’d highly suggest using an ExpoDisc or Kelvin to measure white balance so you have control to be more consistent!

5. Choose locations and light to match your style.

This goes back to step one of what you liked about those images. Was it because the background was clean and soft and drew your attention to the couple? Or was it vibrant and bold? Do you prefer harsher shadows on an image, or the light and airy glow the sun makes when it’s backlighting the subject? I love shooting light and airy, so I shoot regularly at locations with a lot of light colors and around sunset when the sun gives off a soft glow. Picking a spot in the middle of the woods right after sunset would make it really hard for me to keep my style! I have friends who do an AMAZING job with shoots in forests. The dark tones, shadows, and dark greens are beautiful. They prefer specific locations with these qualities because it fits their style! But if I did a darker forrest shoot like this, it wouldn’t match my style and would confuse my clients and followers.

6. Whatever you decide, stick with it and only make minimal changes to fine-tune your style!

It’s easy to look around everywhere and want to try everything! But it’s so important to find a style you love and will stick with too so that your work can be consistent! This way you can focus on improving your style, not completely changing it! This way people will hire you because they KNOW they’re getting your beautiful images and because they’ll love your style! And let’s face it… they can’t love your style if you don’t have a consistent style for them to fall in love with!

I hope this is helpful in achieving your style so you can grow as a photographer! Be sure to check out additional posts on free photography education!

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First off, reflectors bounce light. It allows for beautiful skin tone colors, and less editing if you shoot it right! There are two types of reflectors: Natural and artificial. I always prefer natural, meaning any light surface that I didn’t bring! This often looks like a light cement sidewalk, or white walls. Here’s a few examples!

I LOVE these spots, but obviously there won’t be white sidewalks and white walls everywhere! That’s why I also love using artificial reflectors! 

These can get rid of colored shadows. Grass, dark pavement, etc. will cast weird shades on the shadows on faces, normally the tint of whatever the ground is! Meaning your skin tones won’t be as beautiful or accurate! Even if it’s red brick on the ground or nearby, there can be a red tint to the face! Not cool! But also, reflectors get rid of shadows on cloudy days! I LOVE cloudy days! It’s like a giant soft box! But if you can’t face your client toward the light, or really get those shadows filled in, a reflector is great for that too!!

What I do to avoid those unwanted shadows or colors is prop the reflector up using my camera bag in front of my couple! This is my FAVORITE trick, and a great system since I’m often shooting alone! It bounces the light right up to the shadows on their faces, and I can move in and out for tighter or wider shots without worrying too much about it! Another option I read on Ryan & Alyssa‘s blog a few years ago is to lay the reflector flat on the ground too if needed! I for sure use that as well!

Here’s a couple shots showing how I propped the reflector up! Obviously this isn’t a shot I give my couples, but you can see how all the shadows in their faces are filled in!

And an example with the reflector flat:

If it’s a tighter shot, I can pick the reflector up with one hand and shoot with the other! Here’s an example! If you look closely at my bride’s face, there’s no green tint that would be there normally from the grass!
Here’s an example with and without the reflector being held up towards the face! Look under the eyes- they’re way lighter in the first one thanks to using a reflector!

Reflectors can also shade your lens! If the sun is setting and shining right into your lens, there’s going to be flare. So to get rid of that, there needs to be something to create a shadow on your lens. This can often be a tree, building, lens hood, or I’ve even used my hand, but in some cases a reflector is the best thing! Have an assistant hold the reflector to block the sun from hitting your lens. This is a recent trick I learned from Amy & Jordan, and this way you won’t get any flare at all! This has really helped in locations where the sun set was really bright and didn’t have much to diffuse it, or anything to shade my lens!

And of course my cute boyfriend helping out

I use the Westcott 6-in-1 reflector kit! I highly recommend it too, and if it’s too pricey, I’d just purchase a white one! The 6-in-1 includes a silver/gold side, which adds some color on gloomy days (thanks again for this tip, Amy & Jordan!)! But I use the white a lot more, so that’s a great start for a budget that will have a huge impact!!

Happy shooting and I hope this helps with your knowledge of reflectors!

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I wanted to share some of my FAVORITE lenses with you!!

But first, remember that equipment is only as good as the photographer who tells it what to do!! But here’s the lenses that are my go-to’s followed by images taken with each lens! I also included links to their listings on B&H Photo Video!

1. Canon 50mm f/1.2. This is the most versatile lens for me, and if I could only have ONE lens, this would be the one! On a full-framed camera, 50mm is about what your eye sees so it’s really practical and easy to get a variety of shots! With f/1.2, I’m able to open the aperture crazy wide (I don’t normally go lower than f/2.2), to allow lots of light in! SO, if you’re not wanting to spend that much, I’d also recommend the 50mm 1.4! A 50mm is one of those lenses I’d always recommend people purchase as soon as they can (again, you can always purchase one with a higher aperture like f/1.4 or f/1.8 to cut back on price!) since it’s so incredible! (For Nikon: Nikon 50mm 1.8, Nikon 50mm 1.4) 
2. Canon 85mm f/1.8. This is another favorite lens for portraits! If I want a little extra compression in the background and the couple to stand out more, or if I want a tighter shot this one is great! I’d still get the 50mm first since you CAN get the same shots with a 50mm, but the background will be a little extra creamy with the 85mm! (Nikon 85mm f/1.8)
3. Canon 24-70mm f/2.8. This my FAVORITE for wedding days after the 50mm! I LOVE it for ceremony shots, reception shots, getting ready shots in a tight space, and bridal party! It’s SO versatile and the zoom length is perfect for groups! I do just have to watch for some distortion on the edges if I’m shooting wide (so I just never zoom completely out when details are on the outside!)! I don’t use it for couples portraits since I prefer my primes for portraits, but this is a very versatile lens for tight rooms or large groups! (Nikon: 24-70mm f/2.8)
4. Canon 100mm f/2.8. This is my ring shot lens and I don’t know what I’d do without it! A macro lens really helped me step up my wedding details and get gorgeous shots of the incredible rings my brides have! You can also use it for non-macro shots, but I’d normally pull out the 85mm for portraits instead of this one! (Nikon 105mm f/2.8)
5. Canon 70-200mm 2.8. This is a BIG lens! So big I ONLY use it for ceremonies! I do my best to be very discreet during ceremonies, so with this guy I’m able to stay at the way back and zoom WAY in! I love capturing those up close shots like I’m right there, but in a way I’m not being a distraction! It is a chunk of change, and when I went from Nikon to Canon last year, I purchased a used one! (Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8)

I hope this helps as you research lenses!! And remember it’s not the quality of the camera body or lenses that makes an image incredible, but the photographer who tells it what to do!! Happy shooting!

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I’ve found 5 practical tips to allow my wedding days to go WAY smoother and have way less mishaps!

1. Save the couple’s timeline on your phone lock screen. This makes it super easy for me to see their timeline right away!
2. Have your wedding gear ready the night before you shoot the wedding. This helps me not only sleep better knowing everything is set for the day, but makes my morning WAY easier! I’m less likely to forget something or run behind because it took longer than expected!
3. Save buffer time in the timeline! I had a wedding where part of the bridal party was 30 minutes late. But I was able to assure the bride it was alright and we’d be ok. Why? Because I had so much extra time built in that this was true! And it’s one of my favorite weddings!
4. Plan to arrive at least 30 minutes early. I know it sounds crazy, but we often can’t tell what the exact lighting will be like until the day of. This gives us time to scout what the location is like in the current light, and also time to come in and introduce ourselves to the mother of the bride and bridesmaids before we start shooting! Plus if you get stuck in traffic, you aren’t worrying too much!
5. Pack snacks & drinks! This has given me WAY more energy when I eat and drink mid-wedding. My friends gave me a Lilly Pulitzer cooler for my birthday last year, and it was the BEST. GIFT. EVER. I bring some water and Gatorades, along with granola bars and crackers for Julia and I to refuel!

I hope these tips are helpful as you prepare to shoot your next wedding!! Happy shooting!!

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First, check to be sure there aren’t any big events that evening, and avoid shooting in busier spots on weekends! That’s one reason I love having engagement sessions on weekday evenings instead! But sometimes you can’t avoid the crowd even on a weekday, or a weekend might be the only time that works for your couples. Here’s a few tips to avoid those large crowds showing up in your photos!

1. Shoot in an area where people can’t get to the background. This sounds really simple, but if there’s a large plot of grass before a lake, shoot really close to the lake so no one can be between you and your couple, or between your couple and the lake! Or if there’s a pretty wall like at the Biltmore, shooting closer to the wall will allow for less people to walk in front of you! Here’s a couple examples: With Emily & Jordan, if I had shot down the battery there would have been people walking in the background! So instead we shot with the water in the back for this shot!
2. Shoot with a wide aperture. I normally am shooting around f/2.8-4 with couples! And using a longer lens will even help more! This way, even if people are way back there, they won’t be clear! In both the shots below, having people in the back was unavoidable. But because they were so far back and out of focus, they don’t take away from the couples at all!
3. Be patient! Sometimes you have to wait out people passing you every now and then. And that’s ok! Thankfully I live in the south where people are pretty considerate to notice and move by quick, or wait for me to finish! But every now and then the waiting game takes a little longer. Just be ready to snap quickly and pose your couple ahead of time so you can get the shots quick once there’s an opening! If I’m shooting in a street and we’re waiting for that short block of time to run out, get the photo, and run back, I’ll tell them before even stepping into the street what pose we’re doing so we can get it done quick during that specific window we patiently waited for!
4. Have multiple spots in mind that are away from people just standing around. If you’re shooting at the Biltmore Estate, you don’t have to shoot the entire session on the front lawn! Why? Everyone else is there too! There’s great spots up against the house, or in the lines of trees around that people don’t normally hang out and busses aren’t passing! Same goes for any other busy place you may be shooting! When I’m shooting in downtown Greenville, I’m rarely going onto the big bridge! If a couple requests it that’s no problem and I do it, but I like going to other spots around where other people aren’t just hanging out at! The one on the left is in the line of trees at Biltmore, and the one on the right is a little area off of Rainbow Row in Charleston we had all to ourselves!This one is by a wall at Biltmore!
   Liz and Vince were in downtown Boston, and we managed to find this great spot where we’d only have to wait for a few people to pass every now and then!
5. Shoot tight if the crowd is simply unavoidable at a certain time! Get some wide ones when you can using the tips above, but if you’re waiting for people to walk by, maybe focus on getting some tight ones that don’t require an empty background!

I hope this was helpful for your next session where it might be a little crowded!! As always, feel free to email me at christarenephotography@gmail.com if you have any questions!

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I was 18, dying to find someone to take pictures of, doing the craziest things to edit that didn’t work, and had so many (oh SO many) questions. I needed help! Someone to sit down with me and tell me where to find the best places to take pictures was. Someone to guide me to find the best lighting. Someone who’d really want to invest in me and my business to help me. Someone to tell me the best ways to market my business. That help came a multitude of ways for me!
I had mentors that were invaluable. I looked up to them and asked occasional questions (or casually bombard them with so many questions!), but I also learned many things the long, hard way. I made many mistakes that could have been easily avoided that set me back. But I stuck with it! I read countless blogs on photography, annoyed so many with questions I had, carefully studied images I loved to try and figure out how it was edited, took note of how people were finding my business and struggled with how to book more, and the list goes on and on!
Fast forward 4 years later, and after a business degree and over 40 weddings photographed, I want to help you. I want to be there to guide you in shooting and editing consistently, and how to best market your business. I want to cheer you on and answer all those annoying questions that keep slowing you down while sharing advice and help!
So that’s why I’m now offering mentoring sessions! Whether it’s the first time you’re really digging to know your DSLR camera, or you’ve been in business a few years and feel in a rut, I want to help you in whatever way I can!

Mentoring sessions are 3 hours and include:

Technical advice
Business & Marketing advice
Head-shots
Q&A

Before the session, I’d send you a simple questionnaire to better understand where you’re at so I can help you the best I can! These are the broad areas I’d typically cover, but can be altered to fit your specific needs! For those not local, mentoring sessions can be done over Skype, and the head-shots would just be exchanged with more Q&A time!

I’m now offering $50 off mentoring sessions that are booked during the month of February! I want you blog readers to get in first on the deal!

And I’ll end with some friendly feedback!
“I HIGHLY recommend this to ANYONE just starting or even years into their business. Christa takes so much time explaining and really breaking down all sides of a photography business!! She is so amazing!” -Ashlea

I’d be thrilled to death if you’d email me at christarenephotography@gmail.com or fill out a contact form so we can start talking more about strengthening your photography skill and excelling your business!

Headshot by Ryan & Alyssa Photography

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1. Look professional. I start with this because before you even say a word you leave a first impression! If you’re serious about this make sure you look serious about it. If you want your brand to be known for being professional and classy, looking like you just came from the gym may not be the best option (even if it’s the most comfortable option ;))

2. Talk to & encourage your clients. I literally talk almost the entire session, asking them about themselves, and encourage them A LOT!. I realize this isn’t easy for many people, but I took a step out of my comfort zone being able to talk to anyone for 1 hour+. It makes clients feel comfortable and breaks the ice if they see how comfortable and confident you are talking to them! Constantly tell them how beautiful they are, what an amazing job they’re doing, and let them know how awesome they look in the poses. If they feel confident and beautiful, they’ll look more confident and beautiful!! Plus they’ll tell all their friends how amazing it was to work with you!

3. Get a lot of shots without completely moving your clients. The tip’s source goes to Katelyn James! I’d highly recommend Katelyn James’s mini guide on posing where she expands and even gives examples for posing a bride and groom without moving feet. This same principle also works for families and seniors. With families, pose them and have them look at you, look at each other and laugh, etc. Then you can stay in the same spot, and just rearrange the kids so you’re getting a different family shot with minimal work. Here’s a few examples of different shots with minimal movement!

4. Tell your clients exactly what to do. I’ve had multiple of my clients tell me they’ve had a previous photographer who didn’t tell them what to do. What?! Yes it’s important to get your clients naturally, but especially at the very beginning many people feel unsure about themselves and are nervous and want your help! I often do the exact same pose I want my clients to do and talk through it. So for the image below, I said something similar to, “stick out your back hip and bend the knee closest to me slightly. Now put the hand closest to me on your hip and bring your other hand up like this and push up your hair a tad. Now look softly down over your shoulder” while doing the same pose. It gets easier the more you do it!

5. Keep the sun behind your clients. To get that soft glow and so there isn’t any squinting for your clients, position so the sun is behind, or behind and off to the side a little bit of your clients. You’ll need to know manual for this since on auto the camera will expose for the sun and underexpose your clients (not good!).

As always I hope this was helpful! Part 3 will be how to get your images back to your clients quickly and efficiently so follow along! 

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1. Focus. It’s so important your focus is right on point. I shoot at very high apertures (between f/1.4-2.2), so it can make a big difference if I’m focused on a subject’s shirt rather than their face (or even their ear instead of their eye!). It is a little easier if you’re shooting at a lower aperture (larger number), but still important to be right in focus! 

Here’s an example. These images have basically the same edit. One image is sharp and in focus and the other isn’t making it soft and not as clear.

Here they are zoomed in more. See how much clearer his eyes are on the left? 

There’s very little you can do in editing to make an out-of-focus image look very clear and in focus! 

2. Correct exposure in-camera. This means that without any editing, your image is well exposed (how light or dark an image is). I use an ExpoDisc to really nail my exposure and White Balance, which has saved me hours of editing time and helps me achieve such a light look! This was a huge game changer for the style I was trying to achieve! The ExpoDisc measures the light actually hitting your subject rather than bouncing off so it’s a lot more accurate. I don’t do a heavy edit to my images now because I don’t have to! Below is a before and after of my edit. No, my before and afters aren’t anything crazy drastic. The edit is very light (exposure +.05, contrast up, highlights down, and a few changes to the tone curve) since the image was properly exposed in-camera. One photographer explained to me that if you shoot under-exposed and lighten it way up after, you’ll lose contrast and your images will look flat (Thanks Alyssa!). So it’s really, really important to my style to shoot properly exposed in-camera for a light, consistent look. 

3. Shutter-Speed. If your camera is still stuck on auto, use the rest of this summer to get it on manual! You won’t be able to do steps 2 & 3 unless your camera is on manual. Shutter-speed is how fast the camera takes the pictures. A higher shutter speed means the camera takes it quickly and can capture movement. A lower shutter speed means your camera will catch movement, and your photo won’t be as sharp.

I always use a high aperture (low number) which means a lot of light gets let in. To compensate, I use a very high shutter speed to let less light in so it balances out. But while it balances out the exposure, it also gets rid of any slight movement from me or my subjects. 

Here’s an example with my camera settings included (click the image to enlarge it). The family was actually walking here, so a slow shutter speed (under 100) would probably have not captured them clearly. I used my 50mm at f/1.4 and the sun was coming up, so a lot of light was able to get in. I set my shutter speed at 1/1250 or my image would have been over-exposed. So for me, I like a faster shutter speed for 2 reasons: to balance out my high aperture, and to capture moevenemt. But even if it hadn’t been so light out, I don’t like shooting with my shutter speed lower than 1/200 so that no movement is seen. 

Another example. The sun was setting, and there wasn’t as much light left. I wanted a higher shutter speed still, but even shooting at f/1.4 I still needed my image to be lighter. So I put my ISO up (to make the image lighter) then I could continue to use a faster shutter speed of 1/200. 

As always, I hope this was helpful for you! Email me at anytime (christarenephotography@gmail.com) if you have any questions! Good luck shooting! 

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