Alt text here
 

Posts Tagged ‘photography tips’


Eventually Even the Littlest of Kids Grows Up

© Tim Pannell

My niece is now 24 years old.  I remember like it was just yesterday, her performing on the fireplace hearth and bowing to our thunderous applause and shouting “Thank you – Gentlemen!” as she jumped  into what she believed to be a mosh pit on the carpet.  She was 2 1/2 years old at the time and living in Long Beach…….cuter than crap!

These little kids that we love, nurture, protect, bandage and teach eventually do grow up and leave the nest to start their own life’s journey and adventure…….really cool ride, but it always puts a lump in my throat

© Tim Pannell

She just got married a couple of weeks ago and I took the opportunity to take her and her, then, fiancee out to the Salt Flats to shoot them in their tux and gown.

What a blast we had!  I left the house at about 2:30 in the morning to be able to pick them up in Salt Lake and whisk them off to the Salt Flats before sunrise.

© Tim Pannell

We lucked out and had a beautiful day…….temperatures were in the 60′s and no wind.  I would have preferred having a few more clouds than we did have, but after living in Utah for almost 7 months now, I’m grateful for any day that isn’t raining or snowing.

They’re a great looking couple and we got a bunch of great shots….they were troopers to get up so early in the morning, but I think they were more than happy with the results we got.

As parents, sometimes we’re guilty of not shooting as many pics of our kids as they get older.  Their not quite as cute as they were when they were 2 and 3 so we don’t look for as many opportunities to shoot pictures with them.

© Tim Pannell

The lesson today is to recognize that they’re ALWAYS cute and to shoot them even past their teen years.  At least until they start cranking out their own kids and then they’ll have to take a back seat to their own kids as we shoot image after image of the next generation of “little ones”.

Have fun and enjoy the ride…..it’s the best one there is!

Just a side note – If any of you have older kids that are getting married up here in Utah…..one of the gazillion weddings up here every year…..and want great shots of them in their tux and gown just contact me and I’d be happy to set something up. I don’t shoot weddings at all, but I will spend time with couples that want one of a kind gorgeous images….just not on their wedding day.  Trust me…it’s worth it.  I hope to hear from you soon.

Have a great day!

  • Share/Bookmark

2 Comments

handsfullmom - Beautiful photos. I enjoy all of your stunning work.
Tim Pannell - Thanks for the compliment.....I appreciate it.
 
 

 

Photography Tips – Shoot Through Stuff

© Tim Pannell Photography

Shoot through stuff guys…..now that’s real technical sounding isn’t it?  If any of you have watched the show “24″…..they do it all the time.  There is almost always something very out of focus in the foreground of most of their shots.

If gives the image a little bit of mystery, a little bit of depth and a little more interest than just a straight photograph.

I love depth in imagery.  I usually want my images to look as 3 dimensional as possible.

For this shot of my neighbor’s daughter I thought it would be much more interesting if I shot the image through the French door rather than on the inside of the room with Jillian.

She’s by far the cutest little girl on the planet….she comes over and visits 4 or 5 times a week to eat “white” cheese and “good” pickles…”not the icky kind.”

When we lived in Arizona we had neighbors with 2 little kids that would come over and visit us as well…..we miss them dearly…..Jillian’s visits have helped us through our “withdrawal” period from Trenten and Cadyn.

As always, when shooting 2 or 3 year olds you can’t get too technical in terms of directions……gently nudging is about all you can do.  Let them have fun….see what they naturally come up with……you’ll be surprised what great images you can make just observing what a 2 year old invents on the spot.

The next time you shoot, find some different objects with varying degrees of opacity to set really close to your lens in the foreground.  See what happens to your image when you shoot through it.  Play around with different things until you find something you like.  Shoot through windows……play around with reflections.

If you go too far with something, just dial it back a little.  Experiment with different depths or distances from your lens.  Try different f-stops……typically wide open, or close to wide open works best, but try stopping for a few if only just to see what it does.

Most of all…..just have fun playing around with your photos.  The beauty of digital is that it costs you nothing but your time to experiment.

Good luck!

Share this post:
  • Digg
  • Mixx
  • del.icio.us
  • StumbleUpon
  • Facebook
  • Technorati
  • Reddit
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Propeller
  • Sphinn
  • MySpace
  • MyShare
  • Tumblr
  • Twitthis
  • Yahoo! Buzz
  • email
  • Print
  • Share/Bookmark

0 Comments

 
 
 

Photography Tips For Older Kids

© Tim Pannell Photography

Not everyone has a willing 2 year old subject at their disposal to use as an indentured “photo servant.”

My kids are all older now with my youngest being 12.

Older kids don’t always like to have their pictures taken, so how and when is the best time to photograph them?

By the way…..I’m sorry I haven’t posted in a while.  I’ve been both very sick and very busy.

I’ve been sick off and on for over 4 months….ever since we moved up here to Utah.

I finally went in to see a doctor and he determined I have allergies.  Who would have guessed?

I hadn’t had any allergy problems in Arizona in over 22 years.

I also had 2 photo assignments…..one that took me to LA 2 weeks ago and another that took me back to Arizona for all of last week.

I was shooting within 1/2 mile of our old home in Chandler and my daughter, who came along as my “digi-tech” assistant and I just wanted to hop over our old fence and go swimming one more time in our pool.

It would’ve been fun, but I decided to pretend to be mature…..so we didn’t.

© Tim Pannell Photography

OK, back to the subject…..I’m sure you’re not on here to hear me blather on about my personal junk.

Most teenagers, not all I realize, but most are involved in sports programs at some point during the school year and I’ve found that even the most uncooperative of my kids didn’t mind having their picture taken when performing.

My middle son really doesn’t care to have his picture taken….probably my fault for shooting him too much as a little guy.

He plays lacrosse and wanted me to shoot his team while they played in a tournament.

It was fun and a nice change of pace.  No posing, no giving directions, just covering what happens in the game.

© Tim Pannell Photography

There are other activities where you might be able to shoot your older kids and still be involved in directing.

Maybe you have a daughter or son in ballet.  There are lots of cool ways to shoot ballet.

If their instructor is amenable to it you might be able to shoot them at practice.

If your child has friends you can get a bunch of them involved as well and get shots that everybody’s excited about.

© Tim Pannell Photography

I shot all of these images in Orlando at a school for ballet.

The kids had a great time and were amazingly cooperative as well as incredibly talented.

As always….the name of the game is to have fun….it always shows in your final images if people had a good time or not.

Share this post:
  • Digg
  • Mixx
  • del.icio.us
  • StumbleUpon
  • Facebook
  • Technorati
  • Reddit
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Propeller
  • Sphinn
  • MySpace
  • MyShare
  • Tumblr
  • Twitthis
  • Yahoo! Buzz
  • email
  • Print
  • Share/Bookmark

0 Comments

 
 
 

Photography Tips – Find a New Angle

© Tim Pannell Photography

Here’s a really simple photography tip: try to find a new angle to shoot from.

In the last couple of weeks I’ve seen the same shot over and over again.

A little kid sitting in a chair on green grass, shot from an adult’s perspective.

The adult stands in front of the kid and shoots down on them.

The adult is between 5′ 3″ and 5′ 10″ tall.

They’re nice shots, but I’m amazed at how consistent they are from picture to picture.

The goal isn’t always attainable, but it’s nice when an effort is made to try to be a little different than everyone else.

Look for interesting shapes, light patterns, backgrounds, colors and angles.

Try getting down low with your subject.  Shoot at their level.

Try shooting them from behind, you don’t always have to show their face to get a great image.

I did this shot for a client down in Fort Meyers, Florida.

This playground was in a fairly ugly area and the background was really busy with old buildings, bad colors and unkept landscaping.

I wasn’t happy with the location and I was struggling to get something nice that captured the freedom kids feel at the playground.

I shot her from the front and hated it.  I shot her from the side and hated it even more.

She wanted to go higher and higher and eventually got to the point where she was really leaning close to upside down at the apex.

I got down pretty low to the ground so I could eliminate the ugly cluttered background.

This let me shoot into the treetops and sky.

Since I wasn’t shooting her face, I was looking more for interesting shapes.

I asked her to have a good time and have as much fun as she could.

Mission accomplished.

Share this post:
  • Digg
  • Mixx
  • del.icio.us
  • StumbleUpon
  • Facebook
  • Technorati
  • Reddit
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Propeller
  • Sphinn
  • MySpace
  • MyShare
  • Tumblr
  • Twitthis
  • Yahoo! Buzz
  • email
  • Print
  • Share/Bookmark

0 Comments

 
 
 

Photography Tips For Spring

© Tim Pannell Photography

One of the best photography tips I can think of is to not over think your shots.

Over thinking leads to overproducing.

Overproducing leads to frustration.

You don’t have to make a big production every time you go to take pictures of your kids.

You do, however want to control the things that you can control.

Just don’t try too hard to control your “subjects.”

Picture a scenario….the less contrived the better.

Pick good angles to shoot from so your background doesn’t detract from your images.

Be sure to shoot when the light is pretty – morning, late afternoon, open shade.

Have your kids and anyone else in the shots wear nice co-ordinated clothes.

Then, when you’ve got everything ready….go out and play.

Give people a basic idea where you want them and have them do their thing.

© TIm Pannell Photography

If you see something you really like give your kids some feedback and have them continue doing what they’re doing.

If it’s not working, don’t let them know it.  Give them encouragement until it starts to look right.

Take your time, let the shot evolve.  It doesn’t have to be “perfect” right off the bat.

Be playful, make it fun.

Springtime is coming soon…..even if it is snowing here in Utah…..ridiculous!

There are lots and lots of Springtime activities to shoot – gardening, water fights, picnics, playgrounds, parades, barbecues.

Pick something and shoot away.

© Tim Pannell Photography

Another good photography tip – you don’t have to make people look at the camera to get a great shot.

Shoot your kids interacting.

The kids will have fun no matter what their ages.

I take that back….if they’re 17 they won’t have any fun.

If they’re 17, find a different hobby. lol

Share this post:
  • Digg
  • Mixx
  • del.icio.us
  • StumbleUpon
  • Facebook
  • Technorati
  • Reddit
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Propeller
  • Sphinn
  • MySpace
  • MyShare
  • Tumblr
  • Twitthis
  • Yahoo! Buzz
  • email
  • Print
  • Share/Bookmark

0 Comments

 
 
 

Wind Sucks? Nah, Wind Blows

© Tim Pannell Photography

Ever have to shoot in the wind?

It sucks!

Well…..technically, it blows.

We’re in that in between stage of weather here in Utah when it doesn’t know if its still winter or Spring.

2 days ago it was almost 70 degrees and yesterday it was cold enough that it started flurrying snow.

I don’t really enjoy this in between time…..either snow a ton or get on with it and bring on the Springtime.

It’s no fun shooting kids in cold weather when there isn’t any snow for them to play with.

I went out and shot a bunch of scenics instead.

My wife called while I was shooting so I turned my back to my tripod (something I never use shooting people) and had a little conversation with her.

The next thing I know is the wind blows my tripod and camera into the back of my head.

I’m glad my head was there to keep the camera from hitting the ground, but it really hurt.

It was extremely windy that day and cold and rainy – sleety.

I don’t know why I was out in it…….low I.Q. I guess.

© Tim Pannell Photography/Corbis

In any case…..it reminded of a much warmer day on assignment in Fort Meyers, Florida.

It was at least 90 degrees out and close to 1oo% humidity with 40-60 mile an hour wind gusts.

It was one of the most miserable days I’ve ever shot in.

I would lay on the beach to shoot and the wind would create these little mini tornadoes of sand that would blow into my nose and eyes.

The sand there is almost pure white, which is nice for providing fill, but causes snow blindness after a full day or working in it.

The other frustrating thing is what that much wind does to hair.

A little breeze is always great for getting hair to flow and move, giving your shots some life.

But that much wind just becomes a giant killer pain in the butt!

What should you do when this happens?

If you were smart and you were just out shooting for yourself, you’d bail out and head inside.

If you were on an assignment like I was or were as dumb as I am, you’d stay out and give it a go.

We pow wowed and decided to turn the day into “hair day”.

Most all of the shots we took that day focused on peoples hair in the wind.

It would have actually been a lot of fun if the wind and the sand hadn’t exfoliated at least 3 layers of skin from by body.

© Tim Pannell Photography

With the exception of the 2 year old we had with us, who had no hair.

She would have normally been my “workhorse” that day, but since she was 2 she ran out of gas pretty quickly.

Who could blame her?

The balloons in this shot with her only lasted for 3 frames anyway before they “Auntie Emmed” there way into the stratosphere.

We failed to explain the whole helium concept to her………ooooops.

It reminded me of all the times at Disneyland when there are always several balloon “escapees” at any given time in the air over the park.

We actually got quite a lot of great images that day in spite of the ridiculous amount of wind.

A couple of the images are still among my favorites.

I guess no matter what, it’s important to learn how to work with what the situation gives you.

In this case, we made the blowing hair the subject and quite trying to fight it.

It worked.

Share this post:
  • Digg
  • Mixx
  • del.icio.us
  • StumbleUpon
  • Facebook
  • Technorati
  • Reddit
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Propeller
  • Sphinn
  • MySpace
  • MyShare
  • Tumblr
  • Twitthis
  • Yahoo! Buzz
  • email
  • Print
  • Share/Bookmark

0 Comments

 
 
 

One More Photo Snow Day

© Tim Pannell Photography

Just when I had given up on getting any more snow to shoot in, we got 10 – 12 inches.

The forecast was for a whole week in the 50′s.

We’ve lived here in Utah for just 2 months and the weather has been accurately predicted about 4 of those days.

We heard for weeks and weeks in January about major snowstorms coming our way and then..poof….nothing…..no snow…..not even a flurry.

© TIm Pannell Photography

When they said that we’d see warmer, precipitation free weather for the next week……Blam!…..we get a bunch of snow.

Why do I bother listening to a thing these people say.  Weather forecasters are the very definition of inept.

Sorry about the rant!

In any case, the snow came, we shoveled for a couple of hours and then went to work.

My youngest son stayed home from school and 3 of his cousins ditched as well.

It’s nice to know that I’m encouraging truancy in America and the non education of my family.

I just worried that if I didn’t shoot pictures that morning that even though we had a foot of snow outside, it would melt quickly once the temperature bumped up.

It was for good reason because that is exactly what happened.

© Tim Pannell Photography

By late afternoon 2/3 of the snow was gone.

Our snowman had bought the farm by 1 p.m.

We got the kids all dressed up and hit the ground running….literally.

I wanted to get images with a neighborhoody feel to them so we just shot outside our house.

It makes it real convenient to just be able to walk inside to download and edit.

If one of the kids gets hurt during the snowball fights, they can run in the house and get triage…..convenient, eh?

I just threw a tarp down on the ground in the snow, laid down and screamed action.

I shot the action shots with my Canon 70-200mm f2.8 set at f4 and 1/640th of a second.

I tend to underexpose my images just a little when I shoot in the snow in order to preserve detail in the snow.

I noodle around with curves later on in post production.

You want to pay close attention to your histogram as you shoot so you don’t end up with completely blown out highlights.

© Tim Pannell Photography

As usual, the key to getting great shots with kids is to make sure its fun for them.

Lots of encouragement with lots of laughter.

Don’t get uptight.  Don’t make it life or death.

Be sure to notice when they start to get bored and change the action.

Move onto a different shot.

One more thing to pay attention to is color.

There are a lot of nice colors in this years winter fashions……thank heavens.

© Tim Pannell Photography

It’s nice to have a lot of scarves and hats to pick from as accents for the kids’ ski jackets.

Most places are completely picked over by now, but you may be able to find some killer deals for next year if you keep your eyes open.

You can find hats for 75% off or more in some cases.

If you can get a small arsenal of hats and scarves to use in your shots…..it’s totally worth it.

Find a bunch of colors that work together and have fun with it.

© Tim Pannell Photography

I don’t know if we’ll get any more snow this year or not.

I’m pretty ready for Spring at this time of the year.

Back in Arizona I’d be out golfing and seriously considering getting in our pool by now.

The key I guess is to appreciate the weather you have, when you have it.

Make the most of the photographic situation that presents itself and as always……..have fun!

Share this post:

1 Comment

Photography Tip – Take What They Give You | Photo Mommies – Online Photography Training – Online Photography Workshop - [...] He’s 10 years older now and has become a great model on top of that.  He’s let me do countless shots of him over the years and I’m sure there will be countless more to come. [...]
Show More: featured postphotographing childrenphotography tips
 
 

 

Snowball Fight

© TIM PANNELL PHOTOGRAPHY

How do you take pictures of a snowball fight?

How do you do it without getting snow all over your gear?

In my experience…….you don’t.

I spent the last 5 days working on a stock photography assignment.

The subject was winter family fun.

I had my good friend Pete come in from L.A. to art direct for me.

I just got back from dropping him off at the airport this morning.

It’s so nice to have that extra pair of eyes, especially when we had so many people in most of the shots we did.

Obviously, this shoot was done differently than if I was just out shooting my own kids or creating images of someone’s family for them.

You wont’ have an art director, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have an extra pair of eyes to help you.

Use your spouse, use a friend, use one of your other kids.

Don’t be afraid of biting off more than you can chew.

Give the kids a little encouragement and some guidelines and then jump right in.

© Tim Pannell Photography

Get close to the action and shoot a bunch.  Don’t worry if a lot of the shots stink, that’s going to happen no matter what with this much action.

There’s just too much going on to get a great shot every time.  Don’t focus on the missed shots, focus on the great ones that you get.

If you always play it safe, you’ll never get anything great.  Push yourself, take chances, you’ll be greatly rewarded.

It’s really easy to make excuses to not shoot in the snow, or rain or just plain old winter.

Don’t make that mistake.  Take advantage of the winter weather.

If your kids are like my kids, it won’t take any encouragement at all to get them to go play in the snow.

The next time they go out to make a snowman, build a snow fort or have a snowball fight, follow them out and take a bunch of pictures.

Enjoy the cold winter weather, it won’t be around much longer.

We’re still settling in to the new place and getting caught up on some other business obligations so the next Photo Mommies Workshop will be pushed back another couple of weeks more than I wanted.

To all of you who are patiently waiting…..I apologize, but I thank you for your patience.

The workshop is coming and as soon as I can guarantee a start date I will.  It should take place within the next month.

In the meantime……….keep shooting!

Share this post:

2 Comments

Photos in the Snow | Photo Mommies – Online Photography Training – Online Photography Workshop - [...] this kind of stuff, it’s really all about the energy. © Tim Pannell [...]
One More Photo Snow Day | Photo Mommies – Online Photography Training – Online Photography Workshop - [...] one of the kids gets hurt during the snowball fights, they can run in the house and get triage…..convenient, [...]
Show More: featured postphotographing childrenphotography tipsphotography workshop
 
 

 

Child Photography Tips – I Need Help!

© Tim Pannell Photography

© Tim Pannell Photography

Having trouble taking good pictures of your incredible children?  Do your kids look like they’re just showing you their teeth instead of smiling?  Are you trying too hard and getting no real results to show for it?  Do you need help?

Chances are you’re not as far off as you might think.  For some of you though, the previous statement doesn’t apply.  Some of you might actually be taking absolutely horrible pictures.  Don’t despair, there is always hope, especially in this day and age.

The first question you need to ask yourself is what type of images do you want of your son or daughter.  Are you looking for images that document the way they look or do you want images that express who they are as people.  Your answer to that question will dictate the approach you should take.

If you are looking to just document what your kids look like then I would suggest trying out a different website, maybe www.HowToShootMugShotsForPrisons.com.  Photography has so much more potential than just showing what little Johnny looked like when he was 4 years, 3 months, 2 weeks and 5 days old.

The greatest invention in the photographic world has to be the digital camera.  There are plenty of close second place finishers, but the digital camera absolutely rules! I used to spend up to $10,000.00 a month on film and processing with my commercial photography business on a fairly routine basis.

Think of the money you’re saving by shooting with a digital camera, I don’t care how expensive it is.  You can shoot til your fingers bleed without going broke on film costs.  That means that it doesn’t cost you anything to play with your camera.  You can experiment to your heart’s contentWhat a great deal this is!!

There are many rules of photography and it’s important to know and understand them, if only to know when it’s appropriate to break them.  Never say never and never say always when it comes to photography.  I will give you some beginning photography tips in future posts of what I think is needed to make a great photograph, but they’re just guidelines, not hard and fast rules.

As you explore photography while shooting your children you will eventually start recognizing what you like and what you don’t like.  You will begin creating your own unique vision and way of seeing things photographically.  It’s a great adventure and one I’m sure you will enjoy.

© Tim Pannell Photogrpahy

© Tim Pannell Photography

Don’t get caught up in “directing” her and just experience her.  Give her something to do, no matter how simple it might seem and see what she gives you.  Some of my favorite images of all time, are those happy little accidents where a kid will just do his thing and be completely oblivious to me and I get an amazing timeless image out of it.

A word of caution: don’t force it.  It’s difficult for control freaks to let a 3 year old be in charge, but trust me, they are.  You can nudge and prod , but when push comes to shove if your little angel doesn’t want to take pictures, you’re not going to take pictures.

I have shot countless images for countless clients with tons of children and have always come away with great shots without throwing a tantrum or spazzing out on the set.  For some reason though, I can’t say the same thing about shooting my own children.  Truth be told, I get way too attached to getting a great shot with my own kids and I have at times forgotten all of the techniques I use as a professional to “convince” kids that they want to have their picture taken.

Several years ago we “tried” to shoot our family portrait and my assistant of 10 plus years came along to help.  He had never seen me “lose it” ever, always calm, always cool, no ruffles, no worries.  That wasn’t what he saw that day.  I was a wreck.  It was entirely because it was my family and I wanted perfection and complete co-operation.  We got nothing that day…….all my fault.  My assistant even asked, “Who the hell are you, and what have you done with my friend?”

For some reason, I have unrealistic expectations when I shoot my own kids, but am the most patient person in the world when I shoot someone else’s children.  The lesson is not to ruin the whole experience.  You want to be able to shoot with your child on a routine basis so make sure that they don’t perceive any pressure when you do shoot with them.

You want them to have a great time so they actually look forward to doing it again.  Make it fun, make it easy, make it a blast and you’ll be rewarded with amazing pictures that capture your child’s essence, whether they’re little or big.

© Tim Pannell Photogrpahy

© Tim Pannell Photography

One of my most obvious child photography tips is to get on their level, not yours.  So, for starters, the next time you shoot your kid, try getting “down and dirty.”  Get on the floor and roll around a little bit at their level and see how differently things appear to you from down there.

Your first assignment is to just try it.  Keep the lighting setup simple and easy.  Find a nice window to shoot next to and focus on letting the child do what they want to and see if you can capture their experience.  Stay calm, stay focused and for heaven’s sake don’t throw a tantrum yourself.

Have a great shoot!

hook me up



spam

Share this post:

3 Comments

How Can I Take Better Photographs? – Learn Photoshop Online - [...] author on Aug.05, 2009, under Photography You eat, drink and sleep photography!  You take fairly good pictures of your kids They’re not award winners by any stretch of the imagination, but they aren’t clunkers [...]
Photography Tips For Spring | Photo Mommies – Online Photography Training – Online Photography Workshop - [...] good photography tip – you don’t have to make people look at the camera to get a great [...]
Photography Tips For Older Kids | Photo Mommies – Online Photography Training – Online Photography Workshop - [...] middle son really doesn’t care to have his picture taken….probably my fault for shooting him too much as a little [...]
Show More: child photographydiy photographyphotographing childrenphotography tips
 
 

 

Who the Heck is Tim Pannell?

Don't Just Stand There!

Don't just stand there! © Tim Pannell Photography

Hi, my name is Tim Pannell and I’ve been a commercial photographer for over 24 years.  Sounds almost like some kind of 12 step program.  I guess for many, photography can be kind of addictive.

It’s hard to believe it’s been that long.  I started out shooting weddings and engagement pictures for just under 2 years.  I grew bored of the entire wedding routine and moved our family down to Arizona in 1987 where I got a job as a photo assistant.

I worked for a great guy named Paul Markow.  He shot “commercial photography”.  Basically, he did a little bit of everything…..architecture, cars, headshots, business portraits, fashion, big productions, little productions, some celebrities.  It was a lot of fun and it introduced me to a

lighting setup

whole new world of photography that I’d never experienced before.  I enjoyed all of it since it was completely new and fresh at the time.

I learned about all the different ways I could control light, modify it and shape it.  I loved the challenges associated with lighting.  I loved learning how differently a scene could look just by the way the light hit it.  I could alter the mood from bright and cheery, to somber, warm and cozy just by the types of lights I used and how I chose to place them.

By 1990 I was ready to move out on my own and pursue my own career.  I was very interested in sports photography for advertising.  I didn’t want to cover games or anything like that, I just wanted to create game type situations where I had control of the lighting.

I got a New York rep that got me some higher profile national work and I was off to the races.  I shot for Reebok, and Champion Sportswear, McDonalds, Coca-Cola, AT&T, Adidas, Gatorade and whole bunch of other clients.  I worked with some of the greatest athletes on tthe planet……….Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, Larry Bird, Phil Mickelson just to name a few.

It was a blast!  I also started to shoot stock photography in 1992 with an agency in Miami called Sharpshooters.  They became my second family, Susie Turnau and Edie Tobias were instrumental in completely changing my career and my focus.  There are no words that exist that could express how grateful I am to them for taking me under their wings and guiding me.  I’ve lost touch with Susie, but I still get to see Edie from time to time.  That relationship changed my entire life.  I loved shooting stock images.  It was so nice to shoot what I wanted, when I wanted and with whom I wanted.

As time went by, I started to drift more and more away from sports and towards lifestyle photography.  I love interacting with people.  It was the perfect path for me.  I’d shoot seniors, baby boomers, babies, toddlers, families, gen X’ers, you name it.

Sharpshooters was eventually bought out by Corbis and my career shifted gears again.  I was able to work with several of the best art directors in the world in locations throughout the world.  We’ve shot in Africa, Paris, Barcelona, Costa Rica, Vancouver, Whistler, Norway, London, Denmark, Prague, Greece, Buenos Aires and all over the states as well.

I’ve had to learn not only how to light a wide variety of situations in a wide variety of locations, but how to do it quickly and as simply as possible.  In the commercial assignment world, I’ll shoot a handful, 3-4 images a day at most.  We spend a lot of time making sure the lights are just right and angles are perfect and exactly where the models will be.

With stock, the goal is to get 50 + pictures in a given day, so I have to be able to light quickly, but still do it well.  It’s a great challenge and there are many times of great frustration, trying to find the right balance between the short amount of time I have and the quality of light I want.

Fortunately, I always have an amazing crew of talented assistants, production co-ordinators, make up artists and stylists that juggle an amazing workload to help make everything go unbelievably smooth.  When we’re on the road it’s like we’re one big crazy family.  It’s a lot of work, but it’s so much fun, you wouldn’t believe it.  The images we create always turn out great in spite of whatever hardships or setbacks we encounter from our wide variety of locations and talent we happen to be working with.

I love photography, I love the emotion it can convey and the camaraderie that exists within the crew while we create all these cool images.  It’s a wonderful career and a wonderful medium to enjoy.

This blog however, isn’t written for people “in the biz.”  It’s written for moms that want to be able to take better images of their kids.  It’s written for people who aren’t happy with the quality they get when they take photos of little Jeffrey or Christina.

Maybe they mistakenly thought that if they bought a nice new expensive digital camera they’d instantly get better shots, only to be disappointed when they’re new pictures looked exactly the same as their old pictures, but with higher resolution.

I can’t count the number of times I’ve had people say to me….”Gee, I bet it’s nice having that expensive camera, I know my photographs would look really great too, if I could afford a camera and lenses like yours.”  Hey…..thanks for the compliment pal!

What most people don’t realize is that it’s not the camera that makes a great picture, it’s the eye behind the camera and the choices that eye makes with composition, lens choice, f-stop choice and lighting choices.

This blog will be about how you can make better choices so that your photos have life in them.  There are tricks and techniques that I know will help you get better looking pictures instantly if you learn to understand them and apply them.  I hope the information I share is helpful to you and that you enjoy the act of creating a great photograph of your child as much as i enjoy that process.

I welcome any questions you might have, or feedback you want to give.  Photography is a fun ride as it is.  You’ll have even more fun once you get good at it.  Enjoy the ride!

hook me upspam

Share this post:

0 Comments

Show More: child photographydiy photographyphotographic lighting secretsphotographic lighting tips
 
 
 

Follow me on Twitter


Alpha Inventions Ranking


hook me up







spam

MOST RECENT POSTS


Connect With Me On Facebook Tim Pannell
Tim Pannell
Create Your Badge

Views


Bloglisting.net - The internets fastest growing blog directory

Digital Camera Reviews

FreePhotoGallery - photography links directory

PhotographySites
Photography Forums

blog search directory

Blog Search Engine

Weight Loss Blogs - BlogCatalog Blog Directory

EatonWeb Blog Directory

Web Directory

Health blogs & blog posts

Alphainventions

Read Blogs

blogiche

Blog Directory & Search engine


Blog Directory

http://alphainventions.com/feed.xml

Blogitti<⁄a>



Contents of this web site and all original works are copyright ©2010 Tim Pannell Photography - All rights reserved. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of owner.

BLOG ARCHIVE