Blooming technology

I've had an issue with technology today and I thought I would share as a gentle way of getting me back into blogging.

 

I often have trouble getting out of Derby - I invariably get lost - but today was a first as I got lost getting in!

 

It's a new year and so I have decided to try out some new networking groups. As some of you know I have moved myself, and the business, to Burton and so I am looking to networking in a nice comfortable radius of Burton. I decided to visit Firm Support networking in Derby. I had hoped to join last year but it clashed with other networking I was already doing 60 miles in the opposite direction.

 

This morning was to be my first visit and I put the address into the phone's sat nav, I checked that the destination the phone had chosen matched with where I thought I was going, it did, and I hit ... GO.

 

Yep - this is where I need to be heading

I admit I had left it until the last minute to set off - I wanted to avoid all the rush hour traffic and thought giving myself 30 mins for an 13 mile trip was fine and dandy. I have to say the route chosen was a bit off the beaten track, taking me through villages I had only ever seen on signposts, but I was confident I would arrive on time.

 

I had ten minutes left to arrive as I approached a roundabout with a sign for SinFin Community Centre - I thought hang on this is not quite as near to Pride Park as I thought I was going to be. Then the sat nav said: "At the roundabout, park and walk to your final destination". Now just a cotton picking minute my final destination is the all the way up there. Why have I got to walk?

Red pin = where I should be
Purple pin = where it took me

I pulled over and checked where I was supposed to be going and as you can see above it was a good few miles to go. The sat nav was saying it would take me another 20 minutes to get there. I do not like arriving late for meetings so I sent a text and said: 'sat nav failure, see you next month'. Apologies to all the lovely ladies at Firm Support I promise to be there next month.

 

This isn't the first time my phone has intervened and caused me an issue. One morning I sent an early morning text to my handsome fellar saying good morning. In gently placing my phone back onto the bedside cabinet I somehow managed to touch the screen in such a way that it cancelled my meeting at 10am that morning and sent an email to the lady I was meeting to tell her it was cancelled and she never showed up!

Are we in control or is the technology?

 

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Tips for you when being photographed

You will see many posts about how to take good portrait photos - I know I offer them myself when training people. Any good photographer will absorb and learn from these tips to develop their own style. However it occurred to me the other day that there are never any tips for what to do when you are the subject. You need to get the very best out of your session and have confidence as you meet with your photographer. They should be considering and planning for all of these things - but it is worth having them in your head - that way you will go home with some great images from your shoot.

If these are a bit too much for you then let me take the hassle away and come to me. I always consider all of these points and I will definitely put you at your ease.

If you are using a different photographer then please take with you my top tips for things to do, look out for and ask about during your head and shoulder portrait shoot:

Top tips for Great Portraits

And getting the best out of your photographer

 

Stand with your feet at 45 degree angle to the camera and turn at the waist towards the camera. This gives a more flattering body shape – for men and women. Even if you are just doing head and shoulder shots. 

Do not stand close to the backdrop/background/wall stand at least 1 metre away - more if possible. This will avoid nasty shadows being cast particularly if your photographer is using flash. 

Don't look down at the photographer. If they are shorter than you then you need to sit or get them to stand on a chair or ladder or up some steps - whatever is available.

Back lighting is very flattering so if you can position yourself with the main source of light being behind you that always looks good and provides a highlight on your hair.

Find out how they like to shoot – do they prefer shallow depth of field using a large aperture – ask them because if they do then this will nicely blur out the background and make sure the focus is all on you. Your eyes, or the leading eye, must be in focus. The danger with large aperture and extremely shallow depth of field is that your nose might be in focus but the 2cm to get to your eyes and they are out of focus. So if they are showing you images as they work always check the focus on your eyes is sharp and crisp.

Don't let them use on-camera flash pointing straight at you – there-in lies red eye – not a good look. Make sure they have a swivel head flash and bounce it off wall or ceiling or they are using an alternate light source.

Look at the camera but look just above the lens not straight down the barrel of the lens.

Try some shots where you are looking off camera - perhaps laughing or chatting with someone standing to the side of the photographer. Some candid shots can be really quite lovely.

Remember to get some where you are smiling: teeth showing. And some where you are being approachable but not with a toothy smile. Also have a couple of different jackets or scarves so that you can have different looks. This way you get more out of your shoot.

Ask if you can have your images processed in colour and black and white – this way you can have many different looks and styles all from one shoot. 

If you are sitting remember to lean forward slightly so that your chest is over your belt buckle. Don't overdo the movement just make subtle adjustments.

It's always better to have a slight double chin rather than look down your nose. That way you look snooty. Looking up through your eyelashes is must nicer, glamorous and quite sexy. This is why your photographer needs to have their camera at least at your eye level, if not higher.

Make sure your photographer cares you want someone who will straighten a tie, adjust a jacket, flick dandruff off your shoulder or smooth down your hair. It shows they are bothered about how you are going to look and it will put you at your ease. The more time they spend with the camera away from their face the more you will relax.

Make sure you like your photographer. If you love your images make sure you tell everyone who captured them for you.  

 

. . . o O o . . . 

 

 

Can a car really be this dismal

I was just looking at some of my old blog posts and reading about my 'Van Plan' story that resulted in me buying a Fiat Punto. Well I have to say this has not been a match made in heaven, it is very dull to drive, it makes a whole cacophony of noises that are too expensive to fix and worst of all - the technology. It has many lights on the dashboard - all are useless. For example when I switch the engine on a flashing baby in a baby seat appears - WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

I don't have a baby in a baby seat, flashing or otherwise. And here's the really annoying thing. As every other car it has a petrol gauge which also has a really bright light which illuminates when I am down to a quarter tank left - WHY IS IT THERE? I am quite capable of being able to see the gauge and, wait for it, gauge when I need to fill up. I am contemplating investing in a small piece of duct tape to cover up the light.

What this, and most other cars, could really do with on the whole gauge front is one that shows me the fullness/emptiness of something that helps ensure I can see where I am going. It would help me if the windscreen washer bottle had a gauge on the dashboard. It would be more useful, and I'd appreciate more, than two ways of showing me how much petrol is left and something to remind me not to forget my flashing baby.

Nothing better

There is nothing better than sharing your passion with someone.

 

I love photography and I love helping people get to grips with their camera. I do this on a 121 basis this means I can tailor the training to suit your needs, your camera, your abilities, your ideas and your requirements.

 

This is one of the best bits about my job. I was asked by Lisa to show her how to get the best out of her camera and lighting to enable her to photograph her beautiful bespoke jewellery pieces. Her plan was to keep her website up-to-date with all her new creations. Of course I said yes.

 

I have already helped Lisa by capturing some of her work for her website home page and also her portrait for her about me page and now she wanted help in making the hard working part of her site - the shop - be up-to-the-minute with all of her creations.

 

No matter what the equipment or the product I can find a way help you achieve what you are after.

You can make any camera work for you with a little knowledge

Here we are experimenting with her point and shoot camera on a mini tripod using lights. This camera had all sorts of little problems - including sensor blobs - but we found a way to work around them. This means Lisa can start capturing her work without having to purchase a new camera or any expensive equipment.

 

Lisa's jewellery is lovely and I love finding out where her inspiration comes from and seeing the results. If you want to see more of her work have a look here.

 

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I have a plan, a plan for a van

I have a plan, a plan for a van. I have been working to achieve this 5 year goal. I am 3 years into this plan but as my work has increased my need to be able transport kit and an assistant has also increased. The space in a two seater sports car has not been helping me with that so I decided it was time to implement the van plan now.

 

First step was to go and look at potential vans and I have to say that even the smallest of vans was too big for my needs. I also found out that insurance would be higher on a van as it would be seen as commercial and charged accordingly. I therefore had to think about cars. An estate car was far too big and impractical, a salon did not offer flexibility on space - so I hatched a plan for a hatchback.

 

I used to own a Peugeot 306 and that was like a tardis. I decided that I needed something similar. A couple of weekends ago I popped along to a local garage and found a hatchback within my budget with the lowest mileage I could imagine on a 12 year old car (45,000 crazy).

 

I am now the (un)lucky owner of a FIAT Punto and finally waved goodbye to my MX5. I have been driving a sports car for 10 years and I have to say a 1.2litre engine has been an awful shock. However 2014 is the year of being practical and I know that my bank balance will love this car even if I never do.

 

I have already been out with the car fully loaded with kit and it was easy to convert and load. Think I need to make some further adjustments - but I think I can safely say that now I can take full kit and an assistant without any trouble.

 

The Van story in Pictures:

 

This is what I really wanted - but could not find it

 

This is what I went out to look at and realised a van
offered far too much space for my needs

Time to say goodbye to the Mazda Igloo ...

 

... and hello to the Fiat D"ismal hatchback

Bonus: I can fit all the kit in after playing with
 the 60/40 split rear seats.
Result: I still have two seats left

 

Note to Self:

Remember this is for practical reasons and you can always get something more exciting in the future.

 

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