Photo Gallery: Taking A Family Portrait Outdoors

© Duchess O’Blunt, 2011; all rights reserved.
© All photographs in this hub are the property of the Duchess O'Blunt.

It is so easy to take pictures today. Digital cameras of all shapes and sizes, and of all different capabilities are floating around all over the place. If you don't have one yourself, it's often as simple as asking a friend or family member if you can borrow one for a bit to take pictures of your family or while on vacation.

Every once in awhile you might even get lucky and take a great shot that you would be proud to hang on your wall.

Many people go to professional photographers to get their "family portraits" done. The reason? It's not that easy to take great shots, and they are very good at it. While you might get one good one in 100, they will likely get 80 good ones in 100.

So, unless you have an endless supply of time and patience, a professional photographer might be the route for you to go.

That's me, an amateur to the core. But I so love to take pictures. So much that I went out and spent a wee fortune on a great DSLR camera.

Was it necessary? Nope.

Was it worth it? Oh ya.

Why? Because I am having so much fun!

It's probably a good thing that I have developed a thick skin over the years, because most of the shots I take really stink. And most people are not afraid to tell me so. But, with practice I am getting better (I think).

None of that really matters - because this is something that I totally love to do. When I am not busy with something - or even when I should be busy with something - you will find me out and about with the camera or playing with the pictures I have already taken on several different software programs.

You won't find me apologizing for it though. And I do plan on taking some courses so that a larger portion of the pictures I do take don't stink.

I'm pretty lucky in my family, because they put up with my "I wanna's". Here's a perfect example. I'm trying to learn how to take portrait shots. No, I'm not any good at it, but you can't get there from here without taking those first few steps.

As I am a tactile learner, I need the hands on practice in order for things to stick with me. That means the camera comes with me everywhere. Even if I haven't learned how to use all the knobs and fobs on the thing.

And since learning how to take portraits involves people, well, I need people to take pictures of.

The shots on this entire hub are taken in a singe day as I attempt to take that "one" that my sister can use as this year's family portrait. Lucky for her it doesn't cost her a thing. Lucky for me, they were patient enough to put up with some of my more insane suggestions.

It was a brisk October morning and the wind was blowing, so it wasn't all easy.

The camera used for this hub was a Nikon D7000.

The Lens used was a Nikon AF-S Nikkor 70-300 mmm (VR).

Our timing options were pretty limited given our busy schedules, so the morning chosen wasn't the very best. I opted for the morning, thinking the sunshine would be best for outdoor pictures. October is so unpredictable here in Ontario and it wasn't very sunny at all. The rain held off, but the wind played havoc.

My nephews, God bless them, got cold as soon as they stopped moving, so we tried to get it done quickly.

You will notice the family came dressed for the occasion in somewhat matching outfits of jeans and black tops. Together, it looked like it was planned. And it was, by my sister not me. Her engagement photo had her and the hubby in jeans and a black shirt, so she wanted these similar so that they can go up beside that picture and not look out of place.

It's a good tip for me to remember in the future, and I hope she finds one in the hundred or so pictures taken that won't look ridiculous hanging beside a professional portrait.

Not having a lot of experience, I was rather anxious that at least one or two would turn out nice.

My idea behind taking these shots was to get a picture with the boys watching their parents on the swing instead of the parents watching the kids.

I even brought a book for them to read, but alas, their fingers were too cold. It's a good job mom and dad thought ahead and brought that blanket.

Plus, the angle just didn't work well. I figured, since the players were already in their positions, it wouldn't hurt to take the shots anyway. Besides, it looked like they needed a little bit of fun.

All was not lost. I was using a zoom lens, and the camera has a pretty good sensor so I was able to crop some of the pictures down. Assuredly, not portrait material, but fun ones to keep non-the-less.

At this point I was seriously hoping for some inspiration. I hand picked this spot. Now I needed to figure out just why I had.

Sad to say, the inspiration for several of the next set of shots did not come to me.

Thankfully there was an artist in our midst, inspiration did come to him.

He chose the tree, the rocks, the bleachers and the gully where we took the following group of shots. Some of them turned out very nicely indeed. You get a sample of each.

I just kept snapping the little knobby things on the camera, twisting the little fobby things every possible direction, and crossing my fingers that we got something we could use.

This was hard work!

Again, the zoom lens was used because at first I thought some natural background would be nice. It's amazing how quickly the focus is lost with too much in the background.

I have a pretty good idea when something stinks. I have taken more than my fair share of those types of shots.

That's why they invented software. So that you can play with them once they are taken, and sometimes, make them worth keeping. That is of course, if you have the time.

Real photographers can actually use the camera and get the shot. Me - I really need photoshop. To be truthful, photoshop and other software programs too!

Playing around with digital photos can be fun. Time consuming, but lots of fun. I could spend hours. Actually - I do.

Here are some of the shots that were altered. Just because I could.

Chop chop, crop crop,
Thank God for photoshop!

For watermarks and other muse,
Adobe is the one to use.

To find the ones clear and sure,
Use the loupe in Aperture.

To other amateurs I say,
Photo software saves the day!

I know which one I would choose if I wanted to give one of these to my mother for Christmas. However, the choice is for them to make.

My guess is they won't agree. You see, he's an artist in the true sense of the word. Not like me who just knows what I like when I see it. I'm guessing his choice wouldn't be my choice.

Whatever choices they make, I sure hope when they are printed, matted and framed, that they do justice for the family who gave me so much of their time and patience as I played at being a photographer for the day.

All in all, I think this little project did provide a modicum of success. By that I mean, I had a blast and learned a few tricks with the knobs and fobs.

I think my sister will be able to find at least one shot that she will be pleased to paste up on her wall, and perhaps even one to give our mom for Christmas - since that's all she has asked for from each of us.

Many thanks to the entire family for their patience. The whole thing took about an hour, but with the cold and the wind, they were happy to be going home.

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