Heather Rivlin Photography -

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The camera doesn't matter

Good photography isn't about fancy equipment, the latest gadgets, or the best lenses.  It is about seeing great light.  It is about being able to see how light shapes a face, or accents a feature, or conversely, how shadow masks an unwanted feature or element.  Taking that light and then using your camera to capture its effects is what makes a photograph special. 

The comments on the blog about sharing photography tips has been positive!  A recent comment about how a reader has only a point and shoot made me want to post tonight and mention again that equipment has little to do with a great image - you can get wonderful images from a point and shoot, and even from a disposable camera - if you can harness the right light, and use great composition to enhance your images.

Now, I won't say that a great camera WON'T make you love your images more - it probably will!  Not because your images will suddenly be improved (how can a new camera make the existing light work better for you!?), but because you will have greater resolution (if you are digital), or perhaps a faster lens (which will allow you to capture action better and avoid some blur), and because you will have more functions available to you on a higher-end camera...functions that, once mastered, can allow you to work creatively with your images in a way that an older point and shoot simply can't.

Professional-grade cameras are typically SLR's (Single Lens Reflex) cameras.  Simply put, they are the cameras that can interchange lenses.  Point and shoot cameras have one lens that does not come off, and typically have a digital zoom instead of being a true zoom lens, where you can adjust zoom on the lens barrel itself.  SLR cameras have greater functionality in that they have a greater number of shooting modes to allow you to shoot in AUTO (never recommended and I will share why in another post) in MANUAL modes, and in the assisted modes as well. 

The other benefit of the SLR camera is that there is no shutter lag. Clients often ask me why their camera is slow to respond, and why their camera always takes a picture seconds after they depress the shutter - missing the moment.  Point and shoot cameras aren't terribly sophisticated, and need to "think things through" before the shot can be taken.  Those micro seconds translate into missed moments.  With an SLR camera, there is no lag.  It takes the image when you tell it to - let's just say the SLR camera has a bigger brain, and doesn't need to think so much - it processes a little faster than those point and shoots do.

Do I have a point and shoot?  You bet!  I can't lug around my professional camera to sporting events, family picnics, and vacations.  Iused to...but it became cumbersome.  I have several P&S cameras, one which is in my purse at all times, to capture those little moments that no parent wants to miss.

Stay tuned as I start the professional photography tips this week, and remember...these tips are intended for the very beginner to learn more about light, their camera and how to take better pictures!

Professional Photography Tips!

I've decided that one of the things that I would like to do on this blog, is to offer visitors photography tips like a mini-tutorial.  I get a lot of technical questions asked of me during sessions, where clients say things like

"How is it that you are able to capture a child's expression when it is so fleeting?  My camera has such a time lag between when I depress the shutter button to when the camera actually takes the picture that I miss it every time". 

Other clients want to know what camera I shoot with, what lenses I use, and what equipment I work with.  For some, they feel that it must be the equipment that makes an image professional looking, and that if they had the same equipment, they too would be shooting the same quality of images.  Well the camera made the portrait no more than the pan made the dinner or the typerwriter made the novel.  It is merely a tool, but these questions are asked of me nonetheless, and so I thought

"Why not create a weekly photography tip that I can share on the blog to assist people who are interested in learning more about the technical side of photography?"

So, what do you think?  I would love it if you would comment on this entry and let me know if this is something you would like to see!  If so, what topics would you like covered?  You can also email me if that is easier.

I will try to post image samples of the different topics as well, so that those visual learners can really sink their teeth in.

Other topics will include tips on how to photograph children, how to photograph babies, how to capture and keep a child's attention for photographs, how and when to use props, etc.

So....what do you think?

Reprint orders for the Holidays

If memories are on your list of things to purchase for family this year, you are in luck! 

I am taking reprint orders for the holidays, and will be able to get Christmas orders back and in your hands if ordered by November 30th!

Orders for Chanukah will not be ready in time if they have not already been ordered.  Thank you to those who have been conscientious in placing their orders ahead of time!

If you are looking to order a canvas for Christmas, the deadline for that has passed, although if we place a rush order, it would be possible if ordered by the 25th which is this Sunday.

Please contact me by email to place any reprint orders, and have your contact sheet handy to be able to provide me with pose numbers, quantities and sizing.  As always, if you need a guiding hand at selecting which size would work best, or which images would work well together in a story board or wall grouping, I am here to help!

Wishing you a happy holiday shopping month!

Documentary film update

I've had a lot of people approach me this fall, asking about the documentary film that I am appearing in for CBC detailing the work that I do as a photographer with the charitable organization "Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep".  Originally, we were under the impression that the documentary would air this autumn on CBC, but as with all things, unexpected events cropped up, and the air date has been postponed until likely next year.

We had lots of footage from families willing to speak retrospectively about their use of the NILMDTS service, and how it assisted them in their journey, but we didn't yet have a family who would allow us to have their NILMDTS session filmed for the documentary.  This is understandable, as most families who learn that they are losing a child find it hard enough to consider getting professional images taken of them and their children, let alone have a film crew document them in their grief as the session takes place.

In June 2007, we were fortunate to find a special family who were not only wanting NILMDTS service, but were also wanting to share their story with other families, and thought that having their session filmed, and participating in the documentary would provide for them some sense of healing, and would allow their daughter's life and their situation to assist other families in the future, thereby giving her life and her eventual death a purpose to help others heal.

Finding this family took some time, and delayed the production of the documentary, but was a beautiful addition to an already beautiful piece of work.

I will update the blog and the website's "NEWS" section when a date is known, and if I can gain permission, I will upload a small segment to the website to share a little about what the documentary is about, and the work that we do with grieving families.

I look forward to sharing more as it becomes available, and I wish to thank those who are busy working tirelessly to get this film ready to air.

Candy coated me

OK I have some time on my hands, and it shows!  I was browsing the M&Ms site because at this time last year, I was looking for a unique product to give clients along with their portrait orders, and I discovered that you can now personalize M&M candies with your logo and message, and I really wanted a bunch of "Heather Rivlin Photography" M&M's!  The problem was that they would not send to Canada and so I came online this evening to see if that had changed in the last year.

What I discovered whilst I checked into the candy situation, was that you can create yourself as an M&M character!  Add your personal features to an M&M character and see how you look as an M&M candy.

Here I am:

Do you dig the camera accessory? 

Those who know me know that I live in sandals, and these were the closest I could find to the real thing. 

No, I don't wear white gloves, but they were not an option, but rather a default :)

This is what happens when you are sleep deprived with a newborn, and you have a few moments on your hands before you go back into parenting for the next round of feeding, changing and rocking to sleep :)

Try not to laugh at me too hard ;)

Baby Rivlin's first photographs

eWith all of the pressure I was feeling from emails asking when I would update the blog with images of Ryan, I decided I would take some time today and process the images that we've taken over the last 2 weeks.  Yes, it took me 2 weeks to share images, but I am a mother of three now, and frankly overtired from being up at night and then getting one off to school in the mornings, and trying to acclimate my two year old to this new little creature in our midst!

This is Ryan!

Some of these were taken at the hospital, and others were taken today at home, and over the last two weeks.  Most of you are used to seeing me work in a studio with newborns, but since my studio was dismantled back in August, these are all natural light images taken throughout our home using good old fashioned sunlight :)

More to follow....this is me just getting started :) 

Welcoming Baby Rivlin

He is here!  Our third baby was born on Tuesday, October 9th at 6:00pm!  The family is all doing well, and big brothers Aidan and Adam are both so excited about their new little brother, who has been named Ryan Anderson Rivlin, born at 8 pounds, 8 ounces and 22 inches long.  So, while he was the lightest of the three boys, he was the longest in length.

My goal this week is to capture some images of him while he is still small, and post them to the blog, as well as create a birth announcement slideshow and formal birth announcement card.  Big intentions for someone who is sleep deprived, but it is a road I've traveled before, and I know this time is short, so my opportunity is now. 

I will post an update with some images, but simply wanted to let everyone know that Ryan has arrived safely, and is truly wonderful.

Thank you for all of the well wishes!

The pregnancy update!

With all of the people asking me to keep them updated as to the arrival of "Baby Rivlin #3", I promised I would update the blog with new information, so here goes!

Baby Rivlin is not yet here, but mommy is anxiously waiting.  It is getting a little uncomfortable, but really, this pregnancy has been good to me, and the aches and pains are minimal.  Really, it is just shortness of breath and the fact that my youngest decided to share his most recent acquisition from his first week of preschool with mommy - a cold.  So, while everyone is telling me to rest up in preparation for this baby, it is hard when you feel congested and can't breathe.  We are doing our best!

All that aside, the good news is that we have a light at the end of the tunnel, and may have an induction date scheduled for next week, should my obstetrician agree!  I get the question "why are you being induced?" a lot, so I figured I could cast some light on the subject for those who are curious.  Firstly, have you seen my two children?? They are big boys!  They started out that way too; the first was 9 pounds, 7 ozs, at birth, and the second was 9 pounds, 3 ozs even though he was induced 10 days before his due date (he would have approached 11 lbs had we not gone in to get him!)  So, due to the large size of the babies that I carry, we monitor the growth charts of the boys as they develop, and once again this is expected to be a large baby (9 pounds at least), so if we can induce labour 1 week  before our actual due date, we will hopefully shave a pound off this little man, and guarantee that mommy will walk again :)

So, keep us in your thoughts as we welcome baby #3 into our home, and I will update the blog with pictures and the news once we are home!

The studio is officially closed!

Well now that felt odd actually typing that out....the studio is officially closed, albeit temporarily, because as of today, I am on maternity leave!

I have decided to take some time to nurture my own newborn son, due this September, and also spend some quality family time.  Although maternity leave is typically a year, I will be reopening the studio April 1, 2008 for sessions, and will be taking session bookings as of March 1, 2008, one month before the reopening.

Please note that date in your calendars and be sure to contact me early should you want one of the first sessions once the studio reopens.

There is a good chance I will be relocating the studio come April, so stay tuned for that exciting news once a suitable location is found and arranged!  I am excited for what our new "home" will look like!

If you need to contact me during the maternity leave, please do not call, as the studio line will not be answered and voicemails will not be retrieved.  Instead, please contact me via email.

I will not be replying to emails about:

1. Scheduling a session
2. Inquiring about studio products and services
3. Purchasing gift certificates

I will however be able to respond to emails from clients who are interested in placing reprint orders or those individuals seeking a photographer to capture their child's images through the "Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep" program.

Given the volume of emails that I receive, I simply need to reply only to those listed above. All others, please re-contact me again after April 1st!

All the best for a healthy and happy few months, and I will continue to update the blog!