photoshop friday | time saving technique when retouching
CMmentor, Lisa Harrison has been showcasing different little tips and tricks, picture plays, photo fixes, tutorials and so much more Fridays here on the blog. Our members are able to submit questions for her and she may choose their question to answer in her post – so fun and a great way to get answers to your Photoshop questions. Blog readers are also welcome to submit questions in the comments section if there’s a topic you would like Lisa to cover. I know I’ve been learning a lot – you’ll have to keep checking back to see what she(…)
5 tips to beat the business card blues
Have you been using the same business card since 2006? Are you heading out to WPPI in a few weeks? You’re going to need a lot of business cards! If you haven’t yet ordered them, take a few minutes to read some helpful tips that CMmentor, April Nienhuis has compiled to make sure your business cards are a true representation of yourself, your work and your business.
Image courtesy of Monica Wilkinson
5 tips to beat the business card blues
by April Nienhuis
You’re standing in line at the grocery store and in an effort to make the time fly quicker you start chatting(…)
february cmpro of the month | lora swinson
How is it February already? It’s the first and that means time for a brand new CMpro of the month! This month we have a wonderful longtime CMmember, Lora Swinson of Swinson Studios. Spend a few minutes admiring Lora’s work and you’ll see what a gift she has for storytelling. Stay tuned next week when we’ll be announcing Lora’s breakout session at ClickinMoms. The topic is “Creating Connections in Family Portraiture” and it’s sure to inspire, much like Lora herself.
february cmpro of the month | lora swinson
If you could take only three pieces of gear on a shoot, what would(…)
a peek inside | monica wilkinson
Get to know your CMteam! We are so often asked what we shoot with, what’s “in our bag”, what bag we carry and so on and so forth. So we’re giving you all a little peek behind the scenes to get to know your CMteam better. A couple of times a month throughout this year and into 2013 we’ll feature a different CMteam member and give you “a peek inside” – a peek inside their bag, their workspace and a peek into their personality with five little things you may not know about them – so FUN!
First up is CMmentor,(…)
cmpro | picture plays we love
There are so many different ways to process an image and no one way is the “right” way. While all of our CMpros are extremely talented, they all have a very unique and distinct style. Who wouldn’t love to see the many different plays that they would have on a single image?! We sure do!
CMpro | Picture Plays We Love
This week our SOOC image comes from member Heather/bellamontana:
Our CMpro Edits:
Elle Walker
CM Paparazzi Preset – ‘Rosy Good News’ (for warmth)
export to PS
levels adjustment
color balance layer – added some blue to shadows
warm gradient fill layer set to soft light at 20% opacity
curves(…)
sara seeton | a day in the life
How many of you find yourselves slacking from time to time in taking pictures of your own family? My hand is raised high! Then I often get a reminder as to how fleeting time can be and it jolts me back into picking up my camera to capture moments my family can look back on for years to come long after the moment fades. CMmentor, Sara Seeton recently did this herself by capturing ‘a day in the life’ of her gorgeous family and turned the ordinary into extraordinary.
sara seeton | a day in the life
When you’re a photographer, sometimes the(…)
5 great tips to effectively marketing your photography studio
One topic that comes up a lot on the CMforums is marketing. What strategies are most effective? How to best market yourself? How do I market on a slim budget? Our friend Emily Potts from Moms With Cameras is guest blogging for us today with 5 quick and easy tips to help effectively market your studio. Thanks, Emily!!
5 great tips to effectively marketing your photography studio
I remember desperately waiting to hear my phone ring when I started my business. I knew I needed to market my studio to make that happen, but my budget was small…well, almost non-existent! Today, some(…)
ask a cmpro | how do you keep organized for tax time?
CMmentor, April Nienhuis has been gathering some questions for our CMpros from the CM community. It’s so interesting to see the different responses and the thought processes that go into the choices they make. Being that tax time is fast approaching, this week we asked the question “What are your methods for keeping your business income, receipts, etc. in order throughout the year?”
Jaclyn Michele
I could never quite get the hang of Quickbooks, so I use the BizBooks Excel spreadsheet from Tenille King. I keep it open and minimized in my dock at all times to remind me and every time(…)
Imaging USA 2012 wrap up
The CMteam got their Imaging on last week! Imaging 2012, that is! We had a blast hosting our booth there – we met so many wonderful ClickinMoms members and fabulous vendors, attended some inspiring classes and interacted with some amazing photographers. Not to mention getting the chance to take in the awesome that is New Orleans. We even got to meet some celebs! What’s not to love?!
the booth
the party
On Tuesday evening, CM joined with Adorama, Canon, Think Tank Photo, Black River Imaging, Drop it Modern, and Pixel 2 Canvas to host a a wine bar and private gallery(…)
eleven top cmblog posts from 2011
2011 was a fantastic year here on the cmblog. We were inspired by so many and can’t wait to see what the coming year brings! We’ve compiled our 11 most popular posts from 2011 – did you miss any?
eleven top cmblog posts from 2011
11. Choosing Your Lens | What’s the Difference by Leah Cook
See a visual comparison of an 85mm, 50mm, and 24-70mm lenses and how choosing a lens will effect your final image.
10. Full Portrait Retouching in Lightroom by Sarah Wilkerson
Sarah takes the time to take you step by step on how she fully retouches a portrait in Lightroom.
No(…)
An Interview with Michelle Moore
Today is a crazy exciting day here at CM! Not only did we just return from Imaging in New Orleans where we met so many wonderful people but we get to come back and announce our breakout session with the amazing Michelle Moore! AND we have an insightful, candid interview with Michelle to share with you on the blog today. We know you’ll find her interview alone so inspiring that you’ll head on over to register for her breakout session which starts TODAY!
An Interview with Michelle Moore
How and why did you decide to become a photographer?
It was pretty much by(…)
tutorial | processing black and white images
CMpro Amy Beth McMaster is blogging on the CM blog today with her secrets on getting her beautiful black and white images. Love this!
Tutorial | Processing Black and White Images
by Amy Beth McMaster
I get asked a lot how I do my black and whites. And honestly I have a few presets I made that I use so I rarely have to do it manually very often. I’d love to share my methods with you all. I have a huge soft spot for black and white photographs. They are so timeless. A colorless image, if done right forces the observer(…)
cmpro | picture plays we love
There are so many different ways to process an image and no one way is the “right” way. While all of our CMpros are extremely talented, they all have a very unique and distinct style. Who wouldn’t love to see the many different plays that they would have on a single image?! We sure do!
CMpro | Picture Plays We Love
This week our SOOC image comes from Amanda/littlesprouts:
Our CMpro Edits:
Lora Swinson
decreased contrast in ACR
used spot healing tool to remove flaked skin and dirt on face
increased the blue in the shadow to +6 using the color balance layer
lightened the midtones using levels
used(…)
Playing With Paparazzi Presets
We often get asked for examples of our presets in action so CMmentor, Lisa Tichané, has put together this little tribute to her love of the CM Paparazzi Presets. If she hooks you in with her gorgeous images then make sure you read to the end for a special offer just for you!
Playing With Paparazzi Presets
When it comes to post-processing, I used to pride myself on NOT using actions or presets.
I love to control my editing process and you can’t control what you don’t understand, so I learnt how to achieve the looks I want all by myself. And I(…)
Contest | Best 11 of 2011
Best Eleven of 2011
With 2012 well underway, we wanted to pause and take a moment to remember some of the greatest photographic successes of 2011 at ClickinMoms. CMmentor, Jenna Stoller ran a wonderful contest on the forum for members to showcase their best images of the year. After many, many gorgeous entries into our “Best of 2011” contest, the list was narrowed down to the best 11 of 2011. We loved so many entries and the voting was very close so congratulations to you top 11 photographers!
1. Amy Lucy
2. Bre Thurston
3. Shannon Heimsoth
4. Allison Zercher
5. Elle Walker
6. Gigi McGill
7. Kristen(…)
Confessions of a Natural Light Photographer
Does the thought of using anything but available light make you twitchy? If so, CMmember Amy Drucker, can relate. It wasn’t long ago that she considered herself strictly a natural light photographer. She has recently delved into using alternative lighting sources and couldn’t be happier! She’s blogging today about stepping out of her comfort zone.
Confessions of a Natural Light Photographer
by Amy Drucker
When people first find out you’re a photographer there are a few questions they inevitably ask: “Nikon or Canon?”; “Film or digital?”; “Studio or natural light?” And while it’s certainly true that photographers develop niches and exhibit preferences, I’ve never(…)
Ask a CMpro | What Personal Projects Are Pushing You Creatively?
CMadmin, April Nienhuis has been gathering some questions for our CMpros from the CM community. It’s so interesting to see the different responses and the thought processes that go into the choices they make. This week we asked the question “What kind of personal projects have you done or plan to do in order to challenge yourself and push your creativity?”
Image courtesy of April Nienhuis
Ask a CMpro | What Personal Projects Are Pushing You Creatively?
Emma Wood
Apart from posting in the CMpro Daily, I do have a few other personal projects to try to continue to think creatively. I plan(…)
Tutorial | Lightroom Spot Removal Tool
Do you ever have an image that you love, love, love…..except for that one little thing that detracts from your image and drives you nuts? Never fear! The always inspiring Ashley Spaulding, CMmentor and teaching assistant in CM’s Lightroom workshop, is blogging today with some tips on using Lightroom’s spot removal tool. Thanks, Ashley!
Tutorial | Lightroom Spot Removal Tool
by Ashley Spaulding
In an ideal world, we would never have anything in our images that we don’t want to be there. In the real world, however, we often have unwanted items in our images. We can likely all relate to having a(…)
Photoshop Friday | Rule of Thirds Grid
We’re back! First Photoshop Friday of 2012!! Lisa Harrison has been showcasing different little tips and tricks, picture plays, photo fixes, tutorials and so much more Fridays here on the blog. Our members are able to submit questions for her and she may choose their question to answer in her post – so fun and a great way to get answers to your Photoshop questions. Blog readers are also welcome to submit questions in the comments section if there’s a topic you would like Lisa to cover. You’ll have to keep checking back to see what she does next!
For(…)
Refreshing Your Love of Photography in 2012
Are you feeling in a bit of a rut? Feeling a little ho-hum about your photography? CMmentor Melissa Koehler is blogging today with some ways to get refocused and energized for this brand new year. Thanks, Melissa!
Refreshing Your Love of Photography in 2012
by Melissa Koehler
Happy New Year!
As 2011 rolls to an end and 2012 is quickly upon us, it’s easy to get stuck in a rut after the hustle and bustle of the holidays. Especially if that also meant that on top of getting your family ready for the holidays you were also busy photographing other people’s families.
I know for(…)
An Interview with Bobbi Sheridan
Today is a super fun awesome day on the CMblog! Our members have been asking for this for a very, very long time – we will likely be able to hear the collective squeal of delight when they see what’s in store today. CMadmin, April Nienhuis, was downright giddy when she got the chance to interview the amazing Bobbi Sheridan, one half of the photography dynamic duo Bobbi + Mike. We’re so happy to share this fun, candid interview with you – make sure you read right to the very end for a special treat from Bobbi herself!
An Interview with(…)
Get Organized | Stay Ahead of Your Blog Posts and Tweets
Is one of your New Year’s resolutions to get better organized? One thing you can check off your to-do list is your blogging and tweeting. Get those posts together ahead of time when it’s convenient and then schedule them to post when it makes the most sense. CMmentor Courtney Keim is here to show you how!
Get Organized | Stay Ahead of Your Blog Posts and Tweets
by Courtney Keim
If you are anything like me, that little alarm on your phone constantly sounds and reminds me of my upcoming appointments each day. I am horrible with remembering things. I’m unsure if I(…)
January CMpro of the Month | Stacie Turner
Happy 2012! This year is going to bring many exciting changes for ClickinMoms and we hope the same is true for you all too! We are starting the year off right with a brand new CMpro of the month and for January we are bringing you the fabulous Stacie Turner. Thank you for sharing your time and talent with us, Stacie!
January CMpro of the Month | Stacie Turner
If you could take only three pieces of gear on a shoot, what would they be?
That’s MEAN! If I were shooting film I’d say the bronica, my cell phone which I use(…)
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