I adore photographing children in their natural state, in their natural habitat. Sort of like a wildlife photographer. haha. While I love to see those perfectly posed, perfectly dressed, perfectly lit portraits, they always leave me without any sense of the child’s personality. Dont get me wrong, there’s a place and time for those types of images, but my own preference is for images that capture more than a perfect child. My work focuses on creating images that capture someone’s true self. With children, this means doing what they do, messy hair, dirty hands and feet (and sometimes faces), where they are not focusing on the camera and giving that oh-so-cheesey-smile. While I create the image, I dont create the moment. I interact with whoever I’m photographing and allow them to react and create their own moment. it allows me to photograph who they are, not just what they look like.

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2012 Leigh Ann Hines

Cascading chaos
Traffic jams, airport delays.
Accept disorder

Sometimes I fight against the chaos that is my home, and other times I just accept it. I crawl over the piles of matchbox cars, clear away the toy airplanes and runways, step around the trucks, and find a quiet spot where I can relax and clear the clutter from my mind. It’s just life.

In an attempt to get in front of the camera once in awhile I broke out my tripod, my Pocket Wizards that I use for both my camera shutter remote as well as remote triggers for lighting. I waited until my son was in bed, and looked around, and realized, I didn’t have the energy to clean up before taking my self portrait, so I embraced the chaos around me and dug in to relax for a few minutes while the house was quiet. Sadly, I didn’t need to stage the mess or toys. That’s my life, messy, tired, sweaty, scrubby, but still able to chill out.

I am back home for a couple days before I head off to Chicago to photograph Pitchfork Music Festival. It’s my favorite festival in the USA so I always look forward to it. As an added bonus, I get a chance to meet up with a couple photography friends in Chicago for pizza, adult beverages, and photography talk.

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2011 Leigh Ann Hines

This week I’m in the Seattle rea and had the unique pleasure to spend some time on Whidbey Island. What a beautiful place (when it’s sunny) and wonderful area to photograph just about anyone, but especially children. I was able to photograph these three lovely little ladies on Useless Bay.

Conceptual Contrast: The sky, clouds, and water. That wood structure in the water, which w refer to as the oil rig, was built by a 14 yr old. Pretty inpressive, considering those uprights are large logs and the platform is about 8 feet of the sand.

16mm    |    f/22    |    1/160

70mm    |    f/4.5    |    1/300

I love this image. It’s not perfect, its a bit soft, but it captures this girl perfectly. I love the contrast between the girl and the natural wild grass.

This image was just a single frame  taken while watching this sweetie play in the sand. I had to keep hidden or she wold have posed the most perfect pose with the most perfect smile and been the most perfect princess, instead of the natural beauty that she is when nobody is watching.

200mm    |    f/2.8    |    1/1250

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2011 Leigh Ann Hines

2011 summer | one image | no words | every wednesday

Be sure to check out last weeks entry as well, featuring bubbles!

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2012 Leigh Ann Hines

This weeks exercise is varying one’s point of view. This was a bit of a challenge as I chose to photograph Fisher the spotted dog. It became an exercise in patience and letting go. Fisher was a bit nervous in front of the camera, as most people are, so I helped him relax and find his happy place. When he could forget the camera was around, he acted happy, but as son as he noticed the camera, or heard the shutter click, he would get upset. So the goal was to photograph from various points of view.

This is Fisher. We call him Fish. He’s afraid of water.

He’s not thrilled by the camera, as you can tell. His days as a spokemodel dog are over and he tries to act all aloof.

Fish thinks he’s too cool for photographs

Fisher is big. He has big feet.

LESS IS MORE

an exercise in reduction. Telling the story in only a few frames.

Introducing the new playhouse. Its now part of the whole playhouse resort, complete with adirondack chair, umbrella, pool. What more could a child want?

Since moving to the south 13 years ago, I’ve learned to hate the summer. Growing up in Seattle, we spent all year dreaming of summer. Of course, in Seattle, summer weather consisted of 70 degree days, and only lasted about a month. Plus I always lived on the water, so I was usually in the water. Sigh. here in the south, its hot, sticky, buggy, and miserable. I try to find ways to enjoy the outdoors during these hot muggy months. My suggestion: a nice swimming pool and cold drinks. But if that isn’t on the agenda, then bubbles will certainly do.

Bubbles bring out the joy in all of us. In this session, I love how this guy had a goal: to pop as many bubbles as possible using the tried and true method of the pointed index finger. Sometimes he even worked two-handed. The amount of concentration, aim, effort, and joy he exhibited made me smile, and made the session a joy to photograph.

Don’t you just love the concentration and determination going on here?! Apparently, sticking out the tongue gives extra special superhero powers

Your assignment, should you choose to accept, is to go play with bubbles! Do something silly and fun.
If you are curious about the bubble machine that can produce so much awesomeness, its the Gazillion Typhoon Ultimate Bubble Fountain, available at ToysRus and Amazon and other retailers.

****In answer to =questions asked about my camera settings:
My settings vary for the images. All of these images were shot with my Canon 1DmarkIV.
Some of the images were shot in dark shade as the sun was going down, so they were much different settings than the ones shot in the sun, and that is reflected in the camera settings. Also, some images I wanted a bit more depth of feild to have the more bubbles in focus while others I wanted to isolate the subject and few bubbles. Foor some images I wanted to compact the image and background so I use a longer lens/focal length. I used the wide angle to expand the image front to back and get the opposite type of distortion. So the lighting and my creative decision determined what type of settings I wanted to use and my lens choice.
Image#1: (canon 70-200L 2.8 IS) ISO1250 155mm f/2.8 1/400
Image#2: (canon 70-200L 2.8 IS) ISO1250 200mm f/2.8 1/400
Image#3: (canon 70-200L 2.8 IS) ISO250 200mm f/2.8 1/400
Image#4: (canon 70-200L 2.8 IS) ISO1250 70mm f/2.8 1/400
Image#5: (canon 16-35L 2.8) ISO320 30mm f/4.0 1/800
Image#6: (canon 16-35L 2.8) ISO320 32mm f/3.2 1/1000

Raleigh Durham NC Lifestyle Photographer
Raleigh Durham North Carolina Music Photographer

London is all ready for the big day. barriers are ready to be placed. media center is in full swing, and worldwide media is everywhere. Theres lots of energy and excitement about the wedding, or at least about the bank holiday that everyone gets. hey, nobody complains about an extra day off.

Media center outside Buckingham Palace

Media is everywhere.

If you missed it, be sure to check out the rest of my London adventure featuring music, shopping, and a royal wedding.

London Bound

An American In London

Hammer No More The Fingers @ Notting Hill Arts Club

Strummerville and Frank Turner’s 1000th gig

The Airborne Toxic Event @ Koko London

Superhero band Justice Force 5 in Camden Town

Portabello Market and Sangria

Kensington gardens and Afternoon tea at the Orangery

The Royal Wedding

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2011 Leigh Ann Hines

The Orangery at Kensington Palace

It wouldnt be a trip to London without a leisurely afternoon tea. There are many great spots for afternoon tea around London, but one that I’ve always fancied is The Orangery at Kensington Palace. I love srtolling through the Kensington Gardens, which is a giant beautiful park surrounding Kensigton Palace.

The Orangery is a beautiful historic building adjacent to Kensington palace. Its a wonderful place to have afternoon tea while out walking in kensington Gardens. Casual attire.

The Orangery offers delicious scones and pasteries, finger sandwiches, and even regular meals. I’m in love with their Rooibos Breakfast Tea (Newby of London). The tea sandwichs are nicely done and you cant beat such a beautiful setting. And, if all that wasn’t enough, its one of the few places to get afternoon tea where casual attire is suitable. You can come in wearing sneakers and jeans, so its perfect for us casual (sloppy?) Americans

After you’ve had your fill of finger sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and jam, cakes and pastries, then head outside and have a walk around the gardens. The garden immediately adjacent to the palace is sunken and beautiful when in bloom. I was disappointed that they cut down the tall hedge that used to surround it, but i suppose its more easily enjoyed by everyone now that it is wide open.

The palace and he grounds are currently undergoing some renovation and redesign, so parts are walled off and not open for viewing. The Gates of the palace are nice, but I am always reminded of the time when I was visiting on the anniversary of Princess Diana’s death, and seeing all the cards, flowers, and stuffed toys piled all around the fence. It was heart breaking and moving to see those and read them. Now it looks empty and bare. Its hard not to think about Princess Diana while being here for the royal wedding. 

If you missed it, be sure to check out the rest of my London adventure featuring music, shopping, and a royal wedding.

London Bound

An American In London

Hammer No More The Fingers @ Notting Hill Arts Club

Strummerville and Frank Turner’s 1000th gig

The Airborne Toxic Event @ Koko London

Superhero band Justice Force 5 in Camden Town

Portabello Market and Sangria

London and Royal Wedding Souvenirs

The Royal Wedding

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2011-2013 Leigh Ann Hines

It’s how he rolls. With his vintage trike that weighs more than he does, he taking on the competition. Just try to out-pedal this tyke on his trike. He’ll talk about cars and trucks and can name all the different vehicles that service airplanes, but most of all, he wants to race on his new (to him) vintage trike. I caught up to him (just barely) in Durham North Carolina before he left me in the dust.

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2012 Leigh Ann Hines

We had a bit of fun with chalk today. You’d think this little fugitive enjoyed being captured and processed by the look on his face. It must have been that chocolate chip cookie (CCC) high. Kids do crazy things when under the CCC influence.

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