She likes jumping in muddy puddles

I will say, up front, this wasn't easy.

Mud, everywhere. On her clothes, in her hair.

But I did it! I let her get into the mud and I sat back and watched her have fun. This was definitely a lesson in 'letting go' for me.

Oozing between fingers and toes, stirring, piling up and singing as she went.
Making mud pies, jumping up and down like Peppa Pig in muddy puddles ... giggling as she went.

 She had a most fabulous time and this Mumma learnt to take a breath and just let it be.

 

In a previous guest post over at Capture That Kid! I explored some handy tips for taking photographs of children. Capturing them in a natural, un-posed way will make for great photos.

The advantage of taking photos whilst playing in the mud, finger painting etc is that they are also less likely to run away - which is usually one of the biggest challenges in trying to take photos of them.

These are wonderful keepsakes - so I encourage to let your children get down and dirty, and you stand back with a camera and clean towel!

Photographing fireworks on New Years' Eve

I must admit, I really do love a fireworks' display.

Fireworks are usually used to celebrate and mark a special occasion, and what better way really - with stunning fizzes, pops and splashes of colour across the sky.

I don't know about you, but whenever I see something that looks pretty spectacular, my trigger finger gets itchy and I need to grab my camera and try and capture the beauty that is before me.

Creating spectacular fireworks photos is easier than you might imagine, and with these following tips, you too will be able to capture some stunning fireworks photos for New Years' Eve.


1. Manual settings are a must
If you haven't had much of a play with your manual settings, New Years' Eve is YOUR night to shine! What a fun way to explore the possibilities of your camera and take control over your shots.

Here are some basic settings to try, and please feel free to test them out and work out what best works for the situation you are shooting in.

Aperture - f/8 - f/11

ISO settings - keep this low. An ISO of 100 will create images with great crispness.

Using 'bulb mode' will allow you to keep the shutter open as long as you're holding down the shutter button - hit the shutter button when the firework is launching and release once the burst has faded.

Oh, and no flash! Just because it is dark outside, please don't think you need to use your flash. Using your manual camera settings will allow you to control the pop-up flash.

2. Remote control
If this is an option for you, I would suggest using a remote for your camera to release the shutter button and to eliminate any movement you may create on your camera. If you don't have a remote, the self-timer button would be my next preferred option.

3. Use a tripod
To allow you to capture the movement and colours of the fireworks with great clarity, you will need to use long exposure camera settings, and therefore, fixing your camera in a still position is a must.

4. Plan ahead ... and be ready
Getting to the fireworks venue early, and knowing where the fireworks will be booming and fizzing in the sky is important.

Consider what you want to include in your image and the perspective you are after - encorporating local features can add to the attraction of the image.

Once you have picked your vantage spot have a play around with your camera settings, and manually focus your camera before the sky becomes too dark.

It pays to keep in mind that the early fireworks are likely to have less smoke in the air, and therefore less haze in the photos. So get there early, set your camera settings, take a few test shots, and be ready to fire away when the first firework is lit.

Have the confidence to try some different looks and styles, and capture the different effects that fireworks have as they blaze across the sky.

 

 

 

As 2012 draws to a close, I wish you all a New Year that dawns with the promise of new and wonderful things, lots of love and special experiences. And if you do head out tonight with your camera (and tripod) in hand to capture some fireworks photos, please post a comment below and let me know how you went.