Photography Tips Archives - Sara McConnell Photography Blog https://blog.saramcconnell.ca/category/courses-workshops/photography-tips/ Ottawa Photographer Fri, 06 Jan 2023 13:02:48 +0000 en-US hourly 1 Safety first! https://blog.saramcconnell.ca/2020/06/30/safety-first/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=safety-first https://blog.saramcconnell.ca/2020/06/30/safety-first/#respond Tue, 30 Jun 2020 17:14:00 +0000 http://blog.saramcconnell.ca/?p=30534 My husband, and the father of three boys, likes to joke “safety last” when it comes to family fun but if you’ve spent any time with me you know that I’m a firm believer in the motto ‘Safety First’! Believe it or not there are a lot of risks that come along with taking photos of little ones and they’ve become even more prevalent with the popularity of Pinterest and […]

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]]> https://blog.saramcconnell.ca/2020/06/30/safety-first/feed/ 0 Tiptoe through the tulips! | Ottawa Baby Photographer https://blog.saramcconnell.ca/2020/05/13/tiptoe-through-the-tulips-ottawa-baby-photographer/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=tiptoe-through-the-tulips-ottawa-baby-photographer https://blog.saramcconnell.ca/2020/05/13/tiptoe-through-the-tulips-ottawa-baby-photographer/#respond Wed, 13 May 2020 11:06:00 +0000 http://blog.saramcconnell.ca/?p=30296 Spring has finally arrived in Ottawa and with it the chance to take beautiful photos of your little ones with the beautiful flowers in your garden. 1.  Use a blanket.  If your baby isn’t yet sitting on their own, use a small neutral blanket that you can lay on the grass next to the flowers.  Make sure you lay them in an area where they aren’t in the direct sunlight.  […]

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]]> https://blog.saramcconnell.ca/2020/05/13/tiptoe-through-the-tulips-ottawa-baby-photographer/feed/ 0 Capturing the calm & the chaos with your camera | Ottawa Photographer https://blog.saramcconnell.ca/2020/05/12/capturing-the-calm-the-chaos-with-your-camera-ottawa-photographer/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=capturing-the-calm-the-chaos-with-your-camera-ottawa-photographer https://blog.saramcconnell.ca/2020/05/12/capturing-the-calm-the-chaos-with-your-camera-ottawa-photographer/#respond Tue, 12 May 2020 12:51:00 +0000 http://blog.saramcconnell.ca/?p=30292 The stories about this chapter in our lives will be told and re-told to our grandchildren and their grandchildren. I struggled initially to pick up my camera but am trying to take photos everyday with both my camera and my phone because I want to remember this time, as hard as it is. Not only are photos a wonderful way to document history but they can help us with our […]

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]]> https://blog.saramcconnell.ca/2020/05/12/capturing-the-calm-the-chaos-with-your-camera-ottawa-photographer/feed/ 0 Well that escalated quickly | Ottawa Photographer https://blog.saramcconnell.ca/2020/03/31/well-that-escalated-quickly-ottawa-photographer/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=well-that-escalated-quickly-ottawa-photographer https://blog.saramcconnell.ca/2020/03/31/well-that-escalated-quickly-ottawa-photographer/#respond Tue, 31 Mar 2020 19:37:35 +0000 http://blog.saramcconnell.ca/?p=29976 Hi. The last two and a half weeks have been quite the ride. We went from cancelling our March Break plans to self isolation within a 24 hour period and I finally feel like everything has stopped spinning long enough for me to catch my breath. For 14 years I have been a stay-at-home parent and a work-from-home parent and none of those experiences prepared me for the last two […]

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]]> https://blog.saramcconnell.ca/2020/03/31/well-that-escalated-quickly-ottawa-photographer/feed/ 0 Terrific Toddlers | Ottawa Photographer https://blog.saramcconnell.ca/2020/03/31/terrific-toddlers-ottawa-photographer/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=terrific-toddlers-ottawa-photographer https://blog.saramcconnell.ca/2020/03/31/terrific-toddlers-ottawa-photographer/#respond Tue, 31 Mar 2020 17:27:48 +0000 http://blog.saramcconnell.ca/?p=29963 We hear all about the terrible twos and the threenagers but in all honesty, the toddler years are some of my favourite for photography sessions.  Why?  Because they are curious, adventurous, and have a lot of big feelings, there are endless opportunities for photos!  Toddlers also love to play and engage, which means even if they think they don’t want to participate in a photo session there are endless ways to get […]

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]]> https://blog.saramcconnell.ca/2020/03/31/terrific-toddlers-ottawa-photographer/feed/ 0 If only it were that easy | Ottawa Photographer https://blog.saramcconnell.ca/2020/03/31/if-only-it-were-that-easy-ottawa-photographer/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=if-only-it-were-that-easy-ottawa-photographer https://blog.saramcconnell.ca/2020/03/31/if-only-it-were-that-easy-ottawa-photographer/#respond Tue, 31 Mar 2020 12:30:00 +0000 http://blog.saramcconnell.ca/?p=29965 If only it were as easy……as pushing a button.  You don’t need to own a camera to take better photos of your children and family.  With a basic understanding of the exposure triangle and it’s three different settings, you can take noticeably better photos using your cell phone camera. Step 1: Download a camera app that allows you to easily adjust and change the ISO, aperture and shutter speed.   Step 2: […]

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]]> https://blog.saramcconnell.ca/2020/03/31/if-only-it-were-that-easy-ottawa-photographer/feed/ 0 A new photo tradition | Ottawa Photographer https://blog.saramcconnell.ca/2020/03/29/a-new-photo-tradition-ottawa-photographer/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=a-new-photo-tradition-ottawa-photographer https://blog.saramcconnell.ca/2020/03/29/a-new-photo-tradition-ottawa-photographer/#respond Sun, 29 Mar 2020 17:35:00 +0000 http://blog.saramcconnell.ca/?p=29969 One of my favourite things to do is recreate photos (for clients and myself) because I love that you can see how much children have grown and changed when the setting (or outfits) are the same.  Photo ‘then and now’ traditions are easy to start.  You don’t need to wait for a trip or a special occasion and there doesn’t even have to be a specific amount of time that […]

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]]> https://blog.saramcconnell.ca/2020/03/29/a-new-photo-tradition-ottawa-photographer/feed/ 0 Exist in photos with your children | Ottawa Photographer https://blog.saramcconnell.ca/2020/03/28/exist-in-photos-with-your-children-ottawa-photographer/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=exist-in-photos-with-your-children-ottawa-photographer https://blog.saramcconnell.ca/2020/03/28/exist-in-photos-with-your-children-ottawa-photographer/#respond Sat, 28 Mar 2020 13:15:00 +0000 http://blog.saramcconnell.ca/?p=29972 I have a lot of clients who book regular photography sessions for themselves and their kids despite the fact that they don’t love being in front of the camera.  When I asked one of the moms about this she explained to me that even though she doesn’t necessarily enjoy being in front of the camera she continues to have photography sessions with her kids because she wants them to have […]

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]]> https://blog.saramcconnell.ca/2020/03/28/exist-in-photos-with-your-children-ottawa-photographer/feed/ 0 Professional Photographers of Canada National Image Competition | Ottawa Photographer https://blog.saramcconnell.ca/2020/03/03/professional-photographers-of-canada-national-image-competition-ottawa-photographer/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=professional-photographers-of-canada-national-image-competition-ottawa-photographer https://blog.saramcconnell.ca/2020/03/03/professional-photographers-of-canada-national-image-competition-ottawa-photographer/#respond Tue, 03 Mar 2020 16:22:14 +0000 http://blog.saramcconnell.ca/?p=29712 This was my third year entering the Professional Photographer’s of Canada (PPOC) National Image Salon. Each year I can submit up to four images in a variety of categories. The first year I entered, none of my images were accepted into the competition. Last year, three out of the four images I entered were accepted into the competition and one of those images received a merit. You can see my […]

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]]> https://blog.saramcconnell.ca/2020/03/03/professional-photographers-of-canada-national-image-competition-ottawa-photographer/feed/ 0 52 Week Project: Ho-ho-holidays https://blog.saramcconnell.ca/2020/01/16/52-week-project-ho-ho-holidays/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=52-week-project-ho-ho-holidays https://blog.saramcconnell.ca/2020/01/16/52-week-project-ho-ho-holidays/#respond Thu, 16 Jan 2020 17:17:55 +0000 http://blog.saramcconnell.ca/?p=29097 Week 49 – All the sugar I love watching their faces when they decorate cookies and gingerbread houses: the excitement, the concentration, not to mention the icing and sugar that ends up all over their faces even though they claim not to be eating anything as they work.   Every year their designs get more elaborate as does the amount of time their projects take.  I remember when keeping them occupied […]

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]]> https://blog.saramcconnell.ca/2020/01/16/52-week-project-ho-ho-holidays/feed/ 0 52 Week Project: Swimming our way towards the holidays https://blog.saramcconnell.ca/2020/01/13/52-week-project-swimming-our-way-towards-the-holidays/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=52-week-project-swimming-our-way-towards-the-holidays https://blog.saramcconnell.ca/2020/01/13/52-week-project-swimming-our-way-towards-the-holidays/#respond Mon, 13 Jan 2020 16:22:15 +0000 http://blog.saramcconnell.ca/?p=29083 Week 45 – Toronto Zoo After three busy weekends of holiday sessions, my first weekend ‘off’ was spent in Markham at a swim meet.  It was actually the perfect getaway after the busyness of the holiday season because being away from the house and my office means I didn’t spend my first free weekend catching up on everything I missed while I was photographing holiday sessions. We left Ottawa on […]

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]]> https://blog.saramcconnell.ca/2020/01/13/52-week-project-swimming-our-way-towards-the-holidays/feed/ 0 Capturing Holiday Memories https://blog.saramcconnell.ca/2019/12/09/capturing-holiday-memories/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=capturing-holiday-memories https://blog.saramcconnell.ca/2019/12/09/capturing-holiday-memories/#respond Mon, 09 Dec 2019 23:49:24 +0000 http://blog.saramcconnell.ca/?p=28978 No matter how you celebrate the holidays there is no better time for photos of your children enjoying the magic of the season. The holiday season is a highlight of the year for many families and offers a variety of memorable moments to capture on camera. I’ve put together a list of my favourite tips and tricks for photographing your children and family during this magical time! Family traditions One […]

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