Thanksgiving at the Waterway!

Night-Time Photography

There are so many things that make the night a magical time, so learning how to capture them with a camera is a must!

You just need a few supplies to get started:
-Camera with Manual Settings
-Tripod
-Beanbag

Shooting architecture at night is a great place to start. Since the buildings do not typically do a lot of moving it will allow you multiple chances to get just the right shot.

Start by picking a spot that offers up a little lighting. I recently had the opportunity to go to Washington D.C. and shoot some of the monuments. Set up your tripod and try to shoot for larger scenes, like landscapes, instead of smaller things, like people.

For the shot pictured above I used the settings f/3.5 with a 5" exposure. I still used a polarizing filter even though it was night time, and I am really pleased with the results.

Play around with length of exposure until you get what you are looking for. I try to stay low on my ISO ("Film Speed") to reduce grain, but if you are having a really hard time getting the image to show up then go ahead and increase it.

Long exposures let you capture fun effects like light streaks from passing cars and movement with light.


The tripod is great for shots that capture the whole area, but if you are looking for shots where you lay on the ground then get out your little beanbag. It may seem silly, but it is a great way to steady the camera while you are shooting when a tripod isn't an option.

I hope this helps! Have fun shooting :)

Not Your Mom's Maternity Photos

In the world of Mommy-Chic, there are no rules. Maternity portraits capture that tiny stretch of time when you are busy cooking up that little bun, and the style of portraits you go with can range from super traditional, to the wild and crazy, to the Hot-Momma-Chic. Whatever style your mommyness takes, you can be sure Constructive Tendencies Photography will capture it in a way that makes you go "Woah." Maternity session specials are happening right now, so get it while you can!

Bridal Shoot: Where? Galveston.

When you have the option of a full formal bridal shoot where you aren't constricted by the progression of your ceremony date, the world is your oyster!
I am taking this opportunity to share with you all of the fantastic places where bridal shoots can happen, from the severely obvious, to the not so well-known. Of course, the exact spots are tightly under wraps (I don't want to give away all my secrets!) but these entries will give you great ideas and help you plan out your time so you get the best shots possible.

Bridal Shoot Location One:

Galveston
With its historic buildings, brick streets, gorgeous mansions, and Gulf Of Mexico view, Galveston is a wonderful backdrop for Bridal photos. Despite the BP mess, the beaches are still lovely!

Galveston has many turn of the century buildings that are fantastic for shoots with the bright painted colors and architectural details. Bright and colorful candy shops and quaint little cafes give extra detail to your photos and can make for some great albums.

The beaches range from built-up Seawall views with backdrops such as the Hotel Galvez, to the more natural "Bride in the Sea Oats" beaches that are more isolated.

Here are a few shots I have captured in and around Galveston, enjoy!

Best Portrait Ever Service- Now available!

Today's entry is to let everyone know that digital art services are now available for all portraits. This can be performed on images that you supply to me, or we can meet up and do a new shoot. I will take your thoughts and requests and keep them in mind to make something really special for you.

This image was created for Erik Smith of Potbelly (www.myspace.com/potbellymu

sic) to commemorate his appearance at the wedding of Mr. and Mrs. Evans, which had a really awesome rainbow theme. I took this theme and applied it in a hand painted style to create a really fun piece for him.

This service is available on any kind of photo, so send them my way and let's see what kind of art we can create together.

-Carlynne
www.ConstructiveTendencies.com

I do love a good bridal shoot!

The weather was hot-hot-hot but the pictures were just gorgeous!

Carlynne Welch
Constructive Tendencies Photograhy
www.constructivetendencies.com

Flash Flash Lights Lights

As photographers we are all trained to hate the flash, but in some situations it is necessary.

We wedding warriors are forced to make gorgeous photos in dim churches, super dark reception halls, and quite often the outdoors just do not cooperate in terms of providing wonderful light. We turn to our speedlights for assistance, unhappily, but with a few bits of insider knowledge we can take those bright and awful bursts of light and turn them into something wonderful.

Today's entry features some general information on which batteries to choose for your speedlight. I currently shoot with a Canon 580EX II, but these tips can be applied to just about any speedlight of your choice.

Recently I discovered that using a P-E4 battery pack can greatly reduce the refresh time on my speedlight. Nothing is worse than missing shots waiting on that little red light to turn on again! If you are internet savvy you can find them for around $20 online. They hold 8 batteries and greatly increase the rate at which you can get shots, and for an antsy wedding party ready to get their groove on this can be a lifesaver.

Inside your speedlight and battery pack you need some batteries, and the general consensus is that the Eneloop lithium rechargeable batteries are the best. They are a little more expensive to get started out with, but after three uses they completely pay themselves off. They retain their battery life much longer than other rechargeables. (They look really cute, too.)

I hope these tips for getting better flash refresh have been helpful, and I will have more information to come.

My Gary Fong diffuser arrived in the mail today and I am very curious to see how it holds up! It looks absolutely hilarious, but if it can give me some great lighting than I am more than happy to look like an idiot who strapped a margarine cup to my speedlight.