Tuesday, December 30, 2008

pink sky at night sailors delight

Lately the sky at sunset has been amazing! Thank goodness because it helps me to not feel completely exasperated for it being dark by 5pm. How can I complain when the sky looks like this? :)

These pink and orange clouds were the perfect excuse to experiment with a new technique Collin & I learned from one of Candice Stringham's informative videos below.

Before & After

I've always wondered what the little star button was for on my Canon Rebel camera & I also wondered how people can take photos with a ton of back light with out their faces being dark. The video below answered both of my questions and inspired me to dust off my Photography 101 book from college and shoot with manual settings again. I got too comfortable just leaving it on AV Priority. If all of this sounds like a different language :) whip out your trusty camera manual, it's actually quite simple.
(Scroll down to the very bottom to turn off the tunes.)





That's my cute friend Erin in the video. :)
Feel free to share any of your tips & let me know if you have any questions. You can view more of Candice's videos at CK here.

25 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the cool camera tip!!

s a n s k u :) said...

I need a new camera! My picture of the pink sky looks like nothing compared to this one. :D

Love the Christmas card below and how they can quote movies. I wish I could do that. :)

Your mom looks great and so does your grandma! They look alike.

Anonymous said...

Great tips. I didn't know CK's site offered photography tips. I'll have to delve into it more. Also, do you use the Sleepy Wrap for babies that you have on your blog? I have a 5 and 2 year old and a 5 month old so I could really use my hands free. I have a sling, but Nick hates it. I would love to know if you have one and if you like it or not. THANKS in advance. You're always so great at getting back to me. Happy Tuesday!! Jennifer Stanley

Valarie Lea said...

My sisters have a studio and they are always fussing at me for shooting in Auto, but I have not had time to learn my camera! I mean its only been a year since I got it. ;)

elizabeth kartchner said...

So true Valarie-life is so busy to take the time to figure out all of the settings! There really is so much to learn.

Jennifer,
Yes I use the Sleepy Wrap and I LOVE it. I would wear it every night on our family walks and I need to break it out again!! I wonder if Quincey is too heavy now? I'll have to try it out and see. :)

Anonymous said...

If you shoot in RAW, and have a decent working of photoshop I know how to get an AWESOME picture with both the sunset at a correct exposure, and the person's face at the correct exposure. Although your picture is totally cute, the sunset is over-exposed. In a situation like that, it would be fun to get the best of both worlds (IMO).

I love all the tips you share. You are very inspiring to me.

elizabeth kartchner said...

Thanks for the great tip Amy! Working in RAW is amazing. I need to do that more often.
I wanted the background in the photo of me to be out of focus because of the ugly house and street just wanted some good back lighting hehe! :)

Emily Frame said...

are those REAL diamond earrrings? like perfect flawless diamond earrings? i wish i had some! ;)

elizabeth kartchner said...

haha!
em, let's just say those babies are screwed on tight!

:)

Lisa said...

Love your blog...are there going to be anymore Collin movie reviews and are you going to do Project 365?

elizabeth kartchner said...

Hi Lisa!!

We definitely need another movie review asap!!:)

I am planning on doing Project 365 starting Jan 1. Are you? I got to use in for a few pages in the Jan CK. What a cool kit.

Unknown said...

Thanks for the great camera tip! I just took a photography class, and am alwasy looking for ideas and tips. I am upgrading to an SLR this spring, I have a cannon now, and I am planning to get the rebel, would you reccomend that one?

Unknown said...

Oh here is a photography blog that I love! Tons of fabulous professional tips!!

http://blog.webshots.com/

I used some tips from this site to take a photo of my kids under the christmas tree, i have it on my blog, feel free to take a look!

http://maluukkonen.blogspot.com/

Ally's Corner said...

I have the Canon Power Shot A630.
I wonder if it has an AE Lock on it.
Sometimes I wonder if it can do more than I know.
I have read my manual but I guess I need to do that again.
Oh, there is so many things I want to learn this coming year.

Allison said...

Thank you so much for posting this! I watched this tutorial months ago before I got my new camera, so I retained non of it. Now I have a frame of reference. :)

Allison said...

I mean 'none.'

clippergirl said...

Thanks Elizabeth, that's one of my new years res....to take more photos, learn to use my camera to it's fullest potential and to edit them using PS. This is a great start, one step at a time right? Great photo of the mountains and sunset.

Lisa said...

Hi Elizabeth...
I am definitely doing Project 365 on January 1. As a stay at home mom of 4, sometimes I wonder what was accomplished that day. I think this will help me appreciate the day to day things that go un-noticed.
I just saw your layout in the Jan CK mag and I love how you made it your own. It's great to color outside the lines!

Just hope this kit doesn't sell out!

Simply Vintagegirl said...

Oh! Thank you for posting that video! Just like you, I always wondered what the AE-L/AF-L button was for on my Nikon. How happy you have made me! This will be a great help!

Blessings!
Miss Emily Rose
www.SimplyVintagegirl.com

Sara Ancich said...

Last year's resolution:
start a blog
check!
This year's resolution:
step up the photography skills

Thanks for the continued tips, advice, and inspiration.

Happy New Year.

Anonymous said...

Hi again. I'm going to get the Sleepy Wrap. I'll let you know how it works. I hope Q will be able to use yours! Do you have Target stores there? I was at our local one today and they have this whole line of Valentine's Day stuff (placemats, towels, blankets, frames, etc.) that are so you! They are bright colors and hearts with little birds, turtles, etc. I couldn't resist buying some for myself. I wanted to let you know. They are too cute to pass up. Happy New Year!!! Jennifer Stanley

Anonymous said...

It took a year, but I finally took a picture that wasn't on "auto" and knew what I was doing! Thank you for this post!! All the time and effort you put into this blog impacts so many. Thank you barely touches the surface.

{Erica} said...

the sunsets have totally been amazing lately you're right!

and you're right...you should start shooting in manual again...it's the only way to go :)

Anne Thompson said...

Thanx for sharing that video :) I'm totally going to try that.

Unknown said...

I saw that same sunset....I just got back from visting my friend in Woods Cross....I love UTAH...
Its so beautiful!!!
I think you are in the SLC area...
Thanks for the great picture...