Available Light

Not working out of a photography studio means not ever knowing what my shooting conditions will be until I arrive. Sometimes I am pleasantly surprised with big windows and south facing views. Other times, garden units with dim overhead lighting await me.

Given that my photography lives and dies on the light that is present, I am instantly analyzing available light the second I walk into most rooms, assessing how I'd conduct a shoot if it had to happen right there in that moment. It's my own form of training. If I had my way, I would make every shoot be at sunset on the lake shore during summer. Since that unfortunately cannot happen, I try to be ready for any and everything.

I was heading to my shoot this Saturday morning, looking at the harsh shadows the light was casting on the cement, and I just knew I would be limited. The neighborhood I was heading into didn't have much in the way of mature trees, and it was way too bright outside to stand anywhere but in the shade. I was hoping for a patch of shade or a room with good light. And that's just what I got. It wasn't much to work with, but it was more than enough. Especially since my subjects were beyond adorable.

We did what we had to do. We worked it out in the living room and in the front yard. And I am incredibly happy with what I was able to get. 

Just goes to show me that all I need are cute subjects, a room with windows and a patch of shade. Oh and a bubble blower helps too.

Smiley

I hope your weekend was full of smiles this good.

Taken during my Saturday morning shoot.

Mine was.

Instagramming: July

If I had to put July in the fun or lame column, it would be so far in the fun column that it couldn't even seem lame. It was that good.

I got to hang out with my favorite people in the whole wide world during the month of July and got to see a lot of my fair city. My fair city was also my hot city, as Chicago baked under 90+ degree temperatures for most of July. I complained about the heat, but not too much because there was too much fun to be had.

Here is a little of the fun I had in July.

 July

- the heat, my God the heat - MY BACHELORETTE PARTY - Chicago architecture cruise - 

spending a lunch hour in Millennium park with my sister and nephews - watching my garden grow - drinking on my back porch - a photo shoot in Lincoln Park - sending out my wedding invitations and getting some responses back - a weekend in Michigan at my parents lake house - ordering wedding decorations - getting my passport renewal in order so I can go to Panama(!!!) - a Sunday concert in my hood with Mike - charity dog wash - hanging up artwork on my walls

Instagramming - June

I know, I know, I know. It's already half way through July. But it's been a busy summer so far. Fun, but busy.

Here is some of what kept me busy in June.

June

- Bonding with Taylor at his favorite dog park  -  the best homemade banana split ever  -  watching the flowers bloom in our backyard  -  Wisconsin for a weekend  -  lots of time spent on my back patio  -  supervising playdates with Taylor's girlfriend  -  lunch hours spent wandering downtown  -  seeing Roger Waters play The Wall at Wrigley  -  tasting the first fruits of my garden  -  getting my two week vacation for the honeymoon and wedding approved (!)  -  mole removal  -  reading "Love in the Time of Cholera"  -  my firm's annual summer outing on a steamy rooftop downtown  - 

Here's hoping I post all about my July sometime before September.