My Review of Manfrotto 732YB M-Y Compact Tripod Kit with Ball Head and Backpack/Gear Bag

Originally submitted at Adorama

Manfrotto 732YB M-Y Compact Tripod Kit with Ball Head and Backpack/Gear Bag

Manfrotto 732YB M-Y Compact Tripod Kit with Ball Head and Backpack/Gear Bag

Waaaay better than I expected!

By oldmamadognewtricks.blogspot.com from Southern California on 1/12/2011

 

5out of 5

Pros: Camera bag holds alot, Folds Small, Easy to carry around, Unfolds Quickly, Good Stability, Lightweight

Best Uses: Travel, Portraits, Newborn Photography, Landscape/Scenery, Weddings/Events, Home

Describe Yourself: Semi-pro Photographer

Was this a gift?: No

The backpack was a surprise, it can be used cross body while your working and everything is handy (if you don't overload it) for weddings and street photography or travel AND it holds a laptop. The tripod is perfect for travel.

(legalese)

...so smile!

One last look at Gina"s maternity shoot and the incredible joy shining through her beautiful smile for .iheartfaces.com/ smile challenge this week.  See more smiles...

So I'm portfolio building with Samantha, our maternity shoot.

too cutesie, really...but it's about babies, CUTE  BABIES!

A new life, to carry a baby is such a gift.  It was always a favorite part of my life...pregnancy and babies.  I felt loved and beautiful.  I think that is why I look forward to photographing mama's and their babies, I know how fast that time goes by...how precious those memories are.  I am portfolio building with my daughter Samantha and we are asking friends to let us photograph their special moments as images showcasing our work.  Our friend Gina is expecting her first baby and she is so beautiful with her cute dimples, beautiful pregnancy glow and her sweet, in love hubby.  We did a practice shoot at 7 months along to prepare for her full pregnancy shoot at 8 1/2 months.  We don't want to mess up the important full belly photos and she will enjoy seeing the changes that happen in the last trimester...the silhouette shot will really show those changes since the baby does the most growing in the last 6 weeks. 

we started out with her barefoot but she loves her heels!

Because my camera is being repaired, I set up the shots and held props (the clothesline and some fabric draping) so Samantha could captured the images.  I jumped in when I thought my old camera could handle it...it's an entry level DSLR, 4 years old...a digital dinosaur.  The last three images are from Samantha.  I have to say, a full frame camera really captures the light and detail so much better.  I have camera envy.  It's interesting that Gina noticed that maybe Samantha was not as into it as I was.  I get way too excited with the poses, the cuteness of the belly, the beauty of a new mama...Samantha gets in a zone, hyperfocused... looking for the light, looking for her inspiration and the right angles...looking for the real emotions to show in the image.  That's why she is such an amazing photographer, Gina and her husband absolutely loved the pictures and the results show how much Samantha gets into it.  


Here are Gina's favorites from Samantha...and since it's also wednesday, these are todays

In our portfolio building, we give the clients a few 4x6 prints of our best shots in a mini album along with a price list for prints and enlargements.  They view the best shots on our 17" macbook pro laptop although we are looking to project them larger with the completion of our studio. We can't wait til the 8 1/2 months along shoot AND my camera will be back from repair!  It is all just so exciting!

A blast from the past from Samantha on...

I'm a day late...(and definitely a dollar short!)...but here is this weeks hump day happiness to get you through the week from my daughter's flickrstream...

Her most current and personal photograph brought me back to a photoshoot she created with her sister years ago.  Samantha is very serious about her photography but her modeling days go way back.  Who knew that an afternoon of rainy day fun would lead to her career behind the camera?  (...or her creativity with self portraits.)
  

...so 2010 was a year of learning important stuff!

My grandson Dominic...taken manually, tritone processed in Photoshop

I finally learned how to use my camera manually!  This was a huge step for me.  I am embarassed to say that I took a weeklong photography workshop in Aspen, Colorado 31 years ago where I learned how to use my SLR manually as well as how to develop black and white film.  Those lessons were forgotten over the years as my camera gathered dust because it was either diapers or developing film...4 kids later, the diapers always came first.

I feel like I am starting my creative life all over, overcoming some of life's big obstacles so that now I can focus on my photography along with my family.  I used the beginning of 2010 to research equipment, techniques, start my blog and joined some fun groups.  One of the groups I joined was Clickin' Moms where I could learn and ask questions of other mom photographers, although I love flickr...the alpha male photographers could get a little overbearing in the discussion groups.  I took a paid workshop called "Rock Your Camera 101" for 4 weeks and I learned so much about using my camera manually! 

I learned a great technique for black and white conversions that I love!  I was researching how to create sepia images but the technique works even better for black and white.  I think it is an old way of refining black and white images from film days.  Here is the link for the tutorial, I have had lots of fun playing around with it...the image I have posted of my grandson uses this technique.

Another fun group I joined was Iheartfaces.  They have challenges every week with different themes.  It gives me something to work on regularly to improve my skills.  I also joined the group for a fun Photo Walk (along with a close friend) at the Dana Point Harbour in Southern California.  I was the old lady of the group but most of the young women were helpful and supportive.  I learned about using a loupe that hangs around your neck to look at my screen in the back of my camera to quickly preview my images.  That has been very helpful.  They also have a group you can join where you can ask questions, post images and find support.  

There you have it, the biggest things I have learned and all summed up in the image I have posted...there have been so many other little things.  I am determined to keep up with my blogging and share them with you (did you notice the redesign?).  I look forward to portfolio building in the next few months and setting up my studio along with my talented daughter.  I hope you join me along the way and share your ideas, links and photography with me as well.  We can all learn from each other!

12.27.2010

I have added links to my free copyrighted textures for you to use!  Please use them as you please, just don't redistribute them...it would be a bonus if you shared your creations under the texture images and gave vintagedesignsmith credit.  :)

Learn from some others in the Iheart faces group...