Masthead header
  • Welcome to my blogsite!

    My blog will feature both personal and professional photography posts, along with some fun features about mentoring, local wedding vendors and contests! Please visit the contact section to inquire about your next rockin' session with Keri Doolittle Photography!

Calling all golfers…Golf Fest 2012!

Calling all golfers!  This summer Denver, CO will be hosting a FABULOUS golf tournament to benefit The Gleason Initiative Foundation!  This isn’t your ordinary golf tournament…it will be FULL of contests, music, awesome food and some amazing silent auction items.  Please visit the WEBSITE to find out how you can become involved in Golf Fest 2012.

Even if you don’t want to golf, feel free to come on out and enjoy a Cajun buffet from the chefs at Blackstone Country Club.  To register for lunch, just visit the Sponsorship link on the website.  Limited quantities available.

We need your help to spread the word.  Here is all the social media links:

Facebook:  Golf Fest 2012 on Facebook

Twitter:  Golf Fest 2012 on Twitter

Website (REGISTER TO PLAY HERE):  Golf Fest 2012

Thank you for making this event a success for The Gleason Initiative Foundation!!

On a personal note…the blog will be dark until next week, as I make my way to the city of Lost Wages for a little sister-vacation.

no comments

Back to Top Contact Me Share on Facebook Tweet this Post Email to a Friend

Nashville, TN Wandering Photographer

This post is loooooong overdue.  It is actually PART 3 to my ESPN and Alabama posts, which can be found HERE and HERE.  Back in November I traveled to Tuscaloosa to visit my friend, Brandi, and go to the big ‘Bama/LSU football game.  Happy to say that the January rematch ended much better for the University of Alabama.  Anyhow, back to the story…I quickly found out that Birmingham was SUPER expensive to fly out of during the “Super Bowl” of college football, so I started looking for another route home.  A close 1.5 hour drive north of B-ham is the lovely city of Nashville, TN.  The plane tickets were about $300.00 cheaper, so I decided to rent a car, drive up to Tennessee and explore Nashville for awhile.  Turns out, I was there a few days before the CMA’s, so my goal was to find a country celebrity or two.  Mission accomplished!

First stop was the Ryman Auditorium, home of the original Grand Ole Opry.  It was quite empty when I arrived, which was probably due to the Tennessee Titan football game happening across the street.  The short movie at the beginning of my tour was quite interesting and, as it turns out, this place has quite the history!

Next up was the Country Music Hall of Fame.  On my way to the museum, there was a crowd gathered outside, right along the Country Music Walk of Fame.  As it turns out, some famous country singers were receiving their star on the walk of fame.  Do you recognize any of them?  I actually didn’t have time to walk through the museum since I purchased a studio tour of historic Studio B.  This was an AWESOME tour!!  The image of me sitting at the piano, was the piano actually used by Elvis himself.  Pretty cool that they let anyone come sit on it and take a pic!!

The last part of my trip was visiting Opryland.  It was pretty amazing…HUGE hotel with a cool atrium in the center with lots of restaurants and shops.  This is now where the Grand Ole Opry is located.  Unfortunately, I didn’t bring my camera into the hotel with me, so you’ll just have to look on their website for some pictures.  :-)  It was a great trip!!  Both Nashville and Tuscaloosa are BEAUTIFUL cities!!

no comments

Back to Top Contact Me Share on Facebook Tweet this Post Email to a Friend

Photographer FAQ’s

A couple weeks ago, one of my past mentees, Karen, shot me an email with some situations where she thought she needed improvement.  I always encourage my mentees to follow up their session with questions, if they didn’t get answered during their session.  I thought Karen’s questions were great and I asked her permission to share them on my blog:

 

Lighting Questions:

Karen: I usually don’t have anyone helping me but if I did you suggested a second flash.  Would that person just stand behind me?  Would I still have my flash on my camera.  A few pictures from a wedding I just did.  I am getting shadows on the wall even when I am not close to a wall.  I can get the subject lit up but then the background is very dark.  I was on maunal 2.8 200 19mm Pattern with the couple and same with girls but 55mm.  I was using my 17-55 2.8 wide angel lens.

Me: Yes, a second flash would help a ton!  I usually will either put a second flash on the DJ speakers or bring a light stand (also a pocket wizard to trigger it).  I like to have the flash directly across the room from me OR to my left or right.  I will also have a second flash on my camera.  I really just play around when it comes to using flash, I move around quite a bit until I get the desired effects.  Reception lighting is very tricky and the best thing you can do is just trial and error

Karen: I was doing senior pictures and the session was over since it was dark so I attempted to use the flash on a stand with umbrella like we did in mentor session in phoenix.  I wasn’t sure of the settings.  I didn’t like the shadowing and if you blow up the one with the sunset it gets grainy.

Me:  LOVE that you tried off-camera flash!!  I think seniors are a PERFECT client to use these on.  Regarding the grain…when using off-camera flash, grain is something that just comes along with the flash…I usually need to run a noiseware program in order to make the sky nice and clear.  Just remember that your shutter speed is controlling the ambient light, so if you wanted your sky to look lighter/brighter, shoot at 1/60 – 1/80th.  If you want your sky to look completely dark, shoot at 1/200 – 1/250th to shut down all the light that the sky is producing.  

General Questions

Karen: I am holding out for another camera.  I have the nikon d300 which is a dx and not full frame.  I have a 17-55 2.8, 50mm 1.4, 85mm 1.8 and two speed flashes.  I saw your pictures using alien bee and beauty dish.  The colors are amazing!?  I have taken lighting classes but probably need some refreshers.  I wouldnt know what setting to use.  I am just not happy with the way my pictures look.  It’s frustrating, is it me, is it the camera??  I just want a clear crisp picture.

Me: I think it is a mix of lens choice and what aperture you are shooting at…your lenses make a TON of difference.  They should be your biggest investment.  I spend between $1000.00 – $1500.00 on each of my lenses, making sure they are the top-of-the-line.  The 85mm 1.4 is my fave and what I shoot about 80% of my work with.  I rarely shoot anything with my wide angle (16 – 70mm) because the aperture only goes to 3.5.   The alien bee is great just because it gives you a TON more output on light than your speedlights.  This is good to have if you are going to be in a lot of harsh-lighting situations.

I thought these were okay (regarding images of a senior male).  But his white shirt is glowing?  2.8 250 shutter iso 200 +.3 step Pattern A mode

Me:  Ah, the lovely white shirt. It is just the nature of the beast.  I tell all my portrait clients NOT to wear white, just because of what happens above.  It is just such a reflective color, that you get blow-outs very easily.  Part of this can be adjusted in LR, with the “RECOVERY” tool.  I use that tool A LOT to get my skies back to normal and any other hot-spot that I see in the image.  Unfortunately, it is just something that happens when a client wears white. 

If you are interested in a mentoring session, please shoot me an email or visit my Photography Mentoring Website.  Thank you Karen for allowing me to share!!  Hopefully, someone else will learn a little while reading this post.  :-)

no comments

Back to Top Contact Me Share on Facebook Tweet this Post Email to a Friend

I have found the secret to success!!!

Yes, I have finally found it, the secret to success!!!  It hit me like a ton of bricks last night and then I couldn’t sleep, I was tossing and turning all night in anticipation to run to the pet store.  Yup, you got!  The secret to being a successful photographer is…wait for it…a DOG!  So, I bundled up the kids, dropped Ryland off at pre-school, and Easton and I headed to our local pet store and purchased the CUTEST little dog, EVER!!

Crud!  I just had to run into the other room and rescue Ryland since he just got peed on.  Ahhhhh!!

Sooooooo, here he is!!  The kids named him last night…HOOTIE!  Love it!  He is only a few days old, so still have to get shots and all, but he should grow up to be about 35 pounds.  Very exciting for the kiddos (and for my business!).

I will be updating the blog with how the kiddos are doing with Hootie and pictures of his growth from time to time.

 

Show Hide 1 comment

Katie - January 24, 2012 - 7:21 pm

Mac and cheese post was my favorite post I think this one is pretty good as well but the mac and cheese was great.

Back to Top Contact Me Share on Facebook Tweet this Post Email to a Friend

Denver, CO Social Media for Photographers

Nowadays, a big part of our business is social media (Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Linkedin, Yelp, Meetup, etc).  It sometimes feel as if it is a full-time job in itself and, in my opinion, necessary in the success of your business.  Some companies and photographers can get along just fine without it, but some rely on it quite a bit to bring in new business.  Before I moved to Denver, I knew I had to get connected and find some sort of community.  I did that via social network from Phoenix, AZ.  It helped to give me a smooth transition, which is exactly what I needed.  There is a GREAT community of photographers here in Denver and I am forever greatful for everyone being so open.

So, if you are new to Denver or just haven’t had enough time to network, I wanted to list several photography groups that you can find on the web:

Mile High Photographers and their Facebook Group

Professional Photographers of Colorado and their Facebook Group

Denver SMUG Group

Collages.net Group

Denver PUG Group

ISES Denver and their Facebook Group

NACE Denver and their Facebook Group

There are also a couple other groups on FB, for example, Colorado Photographers, Denver Photographers, Pursuit 31 Denver, Showiteers Denver and a slew of MeetUp groups…

I am sure there are plenty that are listed above, so if you have a group that I missed, please add it to the comments below.  Thanks!!

 

 

 

no comments

Back to Top Contact Me Share on Facebook Tweet this Post Email to a Friend