Many TWiP family guests have talked about how important it is to get photos off your hard drive and into the physical world. In this interview with Lauren Lim we talk about making photo books. Lauren wrote a fantastic post on the topic and she shares her tips for making photo books with us.

Lauren and Rob Lim are behind the photography education website, Photography Concentrate. Rob was on TWiP Family on episode 27 talking about backing up family photos. On that episode, we talked about how important it is to back up photos but also to print them. And, who doesn’t prefer looking through a book of family photos to scrolling through them on a phone or tablet? (Not me.)

How to Start: Lauren recommends looking through and choosing photos for your book as soon as possible after the trip or event you are planning to make a book about. That way the stories are still fresh in your mind. As a first step, pick your favorites. You won’t use them all in your book, but it is a good starting point. Lauren doesn’t take time at this point to edit her photos.

Where to Print: You can spend a lot of time searching for the best place to print your photo books or you can make your book. Don’t get hung up on this step. Spend your time making the book. The perfect paper, layout options and cover doesn’t matter as much as getting the book made. Lauren uses Blurb for her family albums. They are not the cheapest option but they are not nearly as expensive as albums people usually order for weddings. Blurb has an archival paper quality option and extra pages don’t add too much to the cost. The book I made for my son that I talk about in the episode was from Apple. I’ve also ordered from KISS Books. (The KISS book is beautiful but it’s a more expensive option with photo paper more like a wedding album.)

Designing the Book: Lauren uses InDesign and loves it. She’s written a tutorial about how to use InDesign. That said, she doesn’t recommend learning it for designing family photo albums.

Don’t Forget to Write: After the book is designed, either in the Lightroom Book module, InDesign or on a photo printing website, take time to write a few words. It’s worth it. You’ll forget the funny or adorable things your kid said when they first saw the ocean. (Trust me. You’ll forget.)

Remember, done is better than perfect. Don’t worry that every little thing is just right or you may never get the book made.

More about Lauren Lim: Website, Instagram, Facebook

I’m doing a 365 Project this year along with a talented, funny and friendly group of TWiP Family listeners. It’s never to late to start. Looking through the photos in the group is a highlight of my day. Join us in the TWiP Family 365 Project 2016 group on Flickr.

After talking with Zalmy Berkowitz, I wanted to practice shooting wide. I don’t own a wide lens that I love. In episode 20,

In this question and answer episode, we talk about cropping, photography at theme parks and how to simply light indoor family events.

First, Vickie asks why she always has to crop her photos when she gets them printed. We talk about different aspect ratios and paper sizes. I recommend she leave some space around her subjects if she thinks the photo will be a print someday.

Then Erika Thornes answers a question from Christina about what camera, if any, she should take to Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida. Erika recommends using a smaller DSLR like a Canon Rebel with a 40mm pancake lens. Better yet, she says, get a little mirrorless camera like her Sony A6000.

I talked to Christina after her trip to Harry Potter’s World of Wizardry and asked her what she ended up doing. She didn’t have time to get a new camera. It was a spur of the moment trip. She took her Canon 5D Mark II and two lenses. She took her DSLR the first day she was at the park with her family. She found it hard to get photos because there are so many people everywhere. It’s hard to get a photo of your kids without also getting some guy in a bright orange shirt eating pizza. On the second and third day she was at the park, she only had her camera phone and loved it.

Our listener tip is from Roger Dallman. Roger uses photo bulbs in his home for occasions like Christmas when family will be gathering in his home. He wrote a great post about his lighting.

If you have a family photography question for the next q and a show, a favorite photographer you’d like to hear on TWiP family or a topic you’d like to hear about email me. I’m at [email protected]

I’m doing a 365 Project this year. That’s taking and posting a photo every day all year long. A talented and friendly group of TWiP family listeners are also doing the project along with me. (I love them for it.) You can see the photos in our Flickr group: TWiP Family 365 Project 2016. Join us!

This week I’m sharing my interview with Zalmy Berkowitz. Zalmy documents the messy reality of life with five children.

“If you really want to take good pictures of family, you’ve got to really love family and be into families.”

On his website Zalmy writes: I love my life. yeah it’s hard as heck, I’m exhausted, and sometimes feel as if I’m a referee surviving on a steady diet of coffee and grilled cheese sandwiches. my nerves are frazzled, my house is a mess. but it’s my mess. it’s a mess of choice. it’s a magical mess. filled with the love and shouts and cries. laughter and life. I want to remember this life. not tomorrow, not yesterday. I want to remember the now. I don’t need nor want some idealized version of myself or my family. the dirty faces, torn pants, mismatched socks. this is my life and I love it.

At first Zalmy was looking for the perfect camera to take stock photos of dreidels to use in graphic design. For months, he researched to find which camera was the best camera. (We talk about how everyone does this but no one needs to.) He never got around to the dreidel photos. He had three kids around and found them easier and more interesting subjects to photograph. On a whim, he bought a Hasselblad, found out that it didn’t take 35mm film, got the right film and fell in love with using old cameras and film. Zalmy used film for years and we talk about what he loves about film cameras, film itself and the process of making photographs on film. And, we also discuss why Zalmy is giving digital another try. (I’ll give you a hint: $$$)

When Zalmy first started making photos, he was drawn to the pretty photos he saw from people like Jon Canlas and Jose Villa. He used the lenses they used on the cameras they used. As time went by, he began to be more interested in documentary photography and looked to photographers who used wide lenses, stopped down, to tell their story. The photos relied less on visual tricks, like shallow depth of field, and the viewer was drawn into the story of the photo with less awareness of the photo itself. We talk about the challenges and rewards of using a wide lens.

More from Zalmy: Website, Instagram and Facebook.

Do you have a family photography question, someone you’d love to hear from on this family photography podcast or a suggestion for the a topic we could cover on TWiP Family? Email me: [email protected]

In the episode, I talked about my 365 Project. Check out photographs from your fellow TWiP Family listeners who were crazy enough to start a 365 project with me in the TWiP Family 365 Project 2016 Flickr group. It’s not to late to join us. We’re having an amazing time together.

Today I’m sharing an interview with Brian Powers.

When his daughter was young, he hired a photographer to get photos of her. He loved the clarity of her eyes in the photos. He was inspired to learn how to take photos like that himself to document their life together. I loved talking with Brian about how he gets into photos with his daughter.

 

 

Brian has been raising his daughter on his own since she was eighteen months old. We talk about his experience as a young, single father and how he uses his photography to support other fathers who are raising their children on their own.

In the past year, Brian has started to work more with video. He tells us about why he likes video and what he finds challenging about it. He mentions this stabilizer he uses for his cinematography to get the kind of motion he wants.

We also talk about how Brian thinks about sharing photos of his family online, the photo project he’s working on and using window light to get the sharp, sparkling eyes you can see in many of his portraits.

Connect with Brian Powers: Website, Instagram, Facebook

Do you have a question about family photography? Is there something you’d love to hear about on TWiP Family? Maybe you have a favorite photographer you’d like to hear on the podcast? Email me: [email protected]

Along with a fantastic group of TWiP Family listeners, I’m posting photos daily on Flickr. You can see the photos in the TWiP Family 365 Project 2016 group and if you are inspired – join us. It’s never too late to start. You can also find this family photography podcast on Facebook and join the Facebook group to share photos and connect with other listeners.

In this interview with Tara Whitney, we start by talking about a recent photo session she did in her pajamas. (She was taking photos of her brand new niece for her brother.)

When Tara had three small children, her husband bought her a camera and said, “You’ve got to do something for yourself.” (What a guy.) Tara started sharing her photos on a blog for her family. The blog grew and people asked her if she’d photograph their families the way she photographed her own. I ask Tara how she felt then and feels now about sharing photos of her kids online. She talks about what precautions she has taken, and how sharing about her family has changed as the kids have gotten older.

We talk about why Tara enjoys using film and what it was like having Jon Canlas photograph her family. (Jon talked about photographing Tara’s family on episode 13.) We talk about the fine line between being inspired when looking at other photographers’ work and feeling discouraged by comparison. And we talk about the times when the emotion of a photo trumps technical perfection.

Connect with Tara Whitney: website, instagram, facebook

Do you have a question about family photography? Is there something you’d love to hear about on TWiP Family? Maybe you have a favorite photographer you’d like to hear on the podcast? Email me: [email protected]

Along with a fantastic group of TWiP Family listeners, I’m posting photos daily on Flickr. You can see the photos in the TWiP Family 365 Project 2016 group and if you are inspired – join us. It’s never too late to start. You can also find this family photography podcast on Facebook and join the Facebook group to share photos and connect with other listeners.

How many times have you told your child to be patient? How many times have you run out of patience with your child? As parents, we know a thing or two about patience. Today I share my conversation with Seshu. He is a family photographer, runs the website Tiffinbox.org, and is the father of two rambunctious boys. Seshu talks about how patience helps him get photos of his own family and families he photographs, and how patience helps him sell photos to clients as well.

Many guests on TWiP Family have said when it comes to their own families, their kids are like the cobbler’s children who have no shoes. Not Seshu’s kids. He photographs his boys in their many activities and recently had his own family photographed. We talk about the balance between a posed family photo and moments that happen when the photographer is patient. Both kinds of photos have their place. (I mention these photos that poke fun at the perfect looking photos that show up on social media.)

Seshu tells us the story of this photograph. Who wouldn’t love to have a photo like this now and even more in ten or twenty years?

Seshu talks about how he starts his day looking at a family photo that hangs in his bedroom. He looks at it and thinks, “What am I doing today and who am I doing it for?”

Seshu’s Simple Tip for Parents

Lose the lens cap! Get a filter or simply be mindful of your camera. Be ready. And of course, bend your knees! Don’t stand at you full height all the time while photographing kids. They’ll feel more comfortable if you get on their level and the photos will be more interesting.

Connect with Seshu: Family Photography, Connecticut Headshots, Tiffinbox, Facebook

Do you have a question about family photography? Maybe there’s a photographer you’d love to hear on the show? Email me: [email protected]

On January 1, I started a 365 Project along with a growing number of TWiP Family listeners. You can see the inspiring work of fellow listeners in the Flickr 365 Project group. It’s not too late to start your own personal photo project. Join us on Flickr.

Today I’m sharing my conversation with celebrity photographer, teacher, founder of Help Portrait and father of four: Jeremy Cowart.

We talk about how his parents encouraged his creativity and how you’re not alone if you’re uncomfortable having your photo taken. Jeremy started See University to share everything he knows about photography. See U is an online collection of videos which cover many photography topics from simple to complex.

In 2008, Jeremy and Kyle Chowning founded Help Portrait. The organization uses the talents of volunteer photographers, hairstylists and make up artists to create beautiful portraits for people in need. We talk about Help Portrait on the show, and you can hear even more about it in Jeremy’s TEDx talk.

We talk about this video during the interview:

Jeremy’s Simple Tip For Parents

Capture your kids doing something they love doing instead of posing. They’ll have more fun and the photos will be more meaningful.

Connect with Jeremy: Website, Twitter

Find out more about Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep in Episode 007 of TWiP Family and on their website.

Send your questions, guest and show topic ideas for this family photography podcast to me – [email protected]

If you are interested in starting a personal project in the new year, join me and a group of TWiP listeners in our TWiP Family 365 Project 2016 group on Flickr. You can also connect with me and your fellow TWiP Family listeners in the Facebook group.

Over the first six months of this family photography podcast, many of my guests talked about their 365 projects. I did one in 2010. When I knew a guest had done a 365, I asked about it. All the talk about 365 projects inspired me to start another one. You are invited to start one too.

Today I’m sharing a conversation with one of my favorite people in the world: my brother Joe. Six years ago, my brother Joe started a 365 project. A few days into it, he called me and we talked about it. When I got off the phone, I was doing a 365 project too.

This episode is about that year of photos.

Connections made during Joe’s 365 led to his work on the feature film Bokeh.

Joe’s Steadicam Reel:

The year we did our 365 projects, Joe made this film while our family was vacationing at the ocean.

Join the TWiP Family 365 Project 2016 group on Flickr.

The new year is almost here. On the first of the year, I’m starting a 365 project along with a growing number of TWiP Family listneners. What is a 365 project? Taking at least one photo a day for all of 2016. Why would anyone do such a thing? Here to answer that question is Erika Ray. Erika is done her share of 365 projects. She’s working on one right now.

We talk about how Erika’s first 365 project made her love of photography public. Now, her friends and family expect her to take photos of daily life. Her son said, “It’s who Mom is.”

Does Erika love her 365 Project every day of the year? No. She wrote about her feelings in this blog post. Erika says all she promises to do in her project is show up every day and take one photo. It doesn’t have to be a good photo. But, by taking the camera out every day, she’s ready for the moments that make great photos.

I asked Erika to be on TWiP Family to talk about her 365 projects but she is also a birth photographer. I love birth photography and couldn’t resist talking to Erika about her birth work too.

Connect with Erika: Website, Tumblr, Facebook

I’ll be sharing my first photo in the TWiP Family 365 Project 2016 Flickr group on Friday. Will you? I’d love to have you join me for a year of photos.

Coming up on Friday: A special episode of TWiP Family with my dear brother, Joe Lindsay. He is the reason I did a 365 project a few years back. We talk about what it was like to do our projects together and how sharing a year of photos changed us.

Today I’m sharing my interview with Lena Hyde. Lena is a photographer, creator of Design Aglow, author of two photography books and mother of two boys. We talk about the first rolls of film she took of her new baby and how she began photographing families. We also talk about why she created Design Aglow and how it helps photographers with their businesses.

These days Lena photographs babies, children and families. Before she had kids, she shot for the San Francisco Chronicle and exhibited in museums. She didn’t take photos of people until her son was born. Her photography business took off quickly at a time when most family photography was either snapshots or studio portraits.

Lena created Design Aglow to help photographers. Design Aglow started in 2006, making templates for photographers and expanded into education for photographers. Design Aglow is expanding all the time and in January is putting out a magazine, Aglow.

We talk about how important Lena’s photos are to her and she reminds us of to print our family photos. You can see how she displays photos in her home here.

Episode 12 with Kristen Kalp, is about answering the question, “Should I go into business as a photographer?” I asked Lena the same question. Her advice: ask people besides your immediate family and friends to give you feedback on your work. Lena feels strongly about people going into business the right way. Design Aglow has many resources for photographers who are starting out.

Lena’s Camera

Canon 5D MarkII

Lena’s favorite lenses: 70-200 f2.8, 24-70 f2.8 and 16-35 f2.8

Lena’s Simple Tip for Parents

Give the composition and background a extra minute of thought. Scan the background and keep your horizon straight.

 

Connect

Lena: Website, Design Aglow, Twitter

Jenny: Flickr, Facebook, Website

Keep the family photography questions coming! If you have a suggestion for a topic or guest you’d like to hear on this family photography podcast, write to me and tell me all about it. My email is [email protected].

As the new year begins, I’m starting a 365 Project. I will take a photo every day for a year and share it. Some days it’ll be fun. Some days it’ll be hard. Some days it might just be boring. But, over the course of a year, it means I’ll make many photos that I wouldn’t otherwise. Does a 365 Project appeal to you? Join me! TWiP Family: 365 Project 2016

You can also find TWiP Family on Facebook and join our Facebook group there to share photos and connect with listeners.

Next week it’s all about 365 Projects with Erika Ray.