Self-Portrait | October 2011

October's self-portrait was taken in the kitchen of our rental house in Phoenix.  As you can plainly see, I've photographed myself sitting on the kitchen counter.  Assuming this pose while chatting in the kitchen has been a habit of mine for as long as I can remember.  I'm not sure why I find it so comfortable, but I'd much rather sit on the counter than on a chair at the kitchen table.  Perhaps I long to feel like a kid again, with my feet dangling, and it is one of the few places where I can still do that.

It took me a while to begin the habit, but now that I feel at home here it has resumed in full force.  I decided on this as October's pose earlier in the month when I realized just how often I've been hopping up there during evening conversations with Kevin.

Usually I don't sit up there unless someone else is in the kitchen with me and I am talking with them, so for the photo I wasn't sure exactly how I wanted to compose it or where I wanted to be looking.  Luckily, Lexi is rarely more than a few feet away so she presented herself as the perfect target to direct my attention towards for the photo.

I suspect that the kitchen probably won't be the setting for too many more photos!  It is one of the very few places in the house that doesn't have any natural lighting.  I kept hoping that I would eventually find a time of day where there was enough light filtering in from the dining room and living room, but it never happened.  So, I had to settle for taking the photo with the overhead light on, and I didn't love the effect which is why I opted for a black and white photo.

Did you miss some of my past self-portraits?  Clicking here will take you to all of my self-portrait blog posts. Clicking here will take you to my self-portrait Facebook album.

Michele Whitacre is a portrait photographer serving Phoenix, Arizona and the surrounding area. Visit Michele's website at michelewhitacrephotography.com. Become a fan of Michele's work on Facebook. Follow Michele's updates on Twitter.

Tips + Tricks | Photographing Your Dog's Personality

In my first Tips + Tricks post about photographing dogs, I shared some helpful hints about how to take better portraits of dogs.  But sometimes you want more than just a standard portrait of your pet, so now I'd like to share some ideas to help you capture a dog's personality on camera.

1. Most importantly, the dog must be comfortable in their surroundings, and around you and your camera before their personality will shine through.  So, give them plenty of time to get used to their environment, and allow them to come up to you and greet you in their own time. Once they seem like they are comfortable turn on your camera, and see how they react to the noises it makes. Then, only after they seem completely at ease, should you begin taking photos.

2. Give the dog some space. When I want to get photos of my dogs playing, I will attach my longest zoom lens to my camera. By staying farther back, and zooming in, it helps to keep the dogs from constantly wanting to interact with me instead of their toys or each other.  It allows them to act more natural while being photographed.  (This is especially important with my dogs because they know camera = treats, so as soon as they see my camera they are at my feet waiting for their goodies.)

Lexi is a very inquisitive dog, who at almost 4 years old thinks she's still a puppy and rarely stays focused on any one thing for more than a few minutes. But, you'd never guess that from seeing most of the photos I post, where she is focused on the camera and the treats she knows are coming. Without a zoom lens, I could never capture a photo like this of Lexi, where she has her attention directed towards something that she hears in her environment...

3.  Engage the dog in activities that it enjoys.  Find out what the dog likes to do, and photograph it doing those activities.

Does the dog like playing with other dogs? If so, maybe you would want to take photos of the dog playing with some furry friends at a dog park or else invite another dog over for a puppy play date...

Does your dog like to run? fetch? swim?

Lexi LOVES to run, and she is CRAZY FAST! I've only seen two other dogs keep up with her when she starts sprinting as fast as she can. Her favorite thing to do at the dog park is to goad the other dogs into chasing her, so she can take off and leave them all in the dust...

Lexi also loves to play her own version of fetch, which is basically chase a toy and then run around in circles with it in her mouth until she gets tired. At which point she will lay down with it, and will chase it again if you walk over and pick it up and throw it again...

This is classic Lexi. (She's a bit crazy!)...

Lexi loves to swim!  She wasn't being very co-operative about letting me take her photo while she was in her pool, but I got lots of fun photos of her shaking off once she got out...

4.  Figure out what makes the dog you are photographing unique and capture it.  Does the animal have a particular way it sits or lays, or a particular behavior it does?  If so, engage the animal in a manner that usually results in the behavior and photograph it.

Lexi, does this pose pretty often when she is playing, especially when she is trying to get Zoe to play with her...

Lexi is VERY curious and fearless.  No matter what we are doing, her nose is right there in the middle of things.  Here she is sniffing at the water that she splashed out of her pool while she was playing in it...

5.  Every dog has those annoying habits, that drive you nuts, but at the same time you just can't imagine your furry friend without them!  Consider capturing them on film, and allow them to bring a smile to your face for a change.

Lexi is the queen of destroying toys!  This frisbee lasted for approximately 20 minutes before she had it torn into a million pieces...

If there's something to roll in, it's a given that Lexi will find it and cover herself in it....

Lexi is also a bit of a barker when she hears strange sounds or other dogs...

But, she just wouldn't be the Lexi Lou that we know and love without all of her insane crazy habits.

As always, thanks for reading and I hope you find some of my tips helpful.  If you have any questions, or other ideas for capturing a dog's personality on camera, feel free to share them in the comments!

Michele Whitacre is a portrait photographer serving Phoenix, Arizona and the surrounding area. Visit Michele's website at michelewhitacrephotography.com. Become a fan of Michele's work on Facebook. Follow Michele's updates on Twitter.

BBL 2011-2012 | Try a New Form of Exercise

#8 TRY A NEW SPORT OR FORM OF EXERCISE

Why did I include this on my Bucket List?

I used to be a runner. Back in 2006, I ran the Indianapolis Half-Marathon, and was training to run the Chicago Marathon. Sadly, I never made it. My right knee started giving me problems, and I was diagnosed with an over-use injury. I kept at it for a while, but wasn't able to do the distances that I used to do. The last race I ever ran was a 10K in May 2007, which ironically enough was the best race I ever ran.

Training for distance races was literally the hardest thing I have ever done, but also the most rewarding. Nothing in my life has ever brought me the pride that I used to feel when I'd complete a long run, or cross a race finish line. Having to give that up had a huge impact on my life, and I mourned the loss for a very long time. Perhaps in a way, I still do.

The pain in my knee that started back in 2006 has kept me constant company every day since. Some days are worse than others, but it is almost always there. Every doctor and specialist under the sun has been unable to explain the cause of it, and by now I'm so used to it that I notice more when it's not there than when it is.

Unfortunately, whenever I have tried another sport, such as biking or walking, my knee pain kicks back up into the intolerable range and I don't last very long. I know how important exercise is but thus far I've been unable to find one that allows my knee pain to stay in a functional range so that I can continue to do the basic things I need to do every day. I decided to include this on my Bucket List hoping that if I try out enough activities I will eventually find one that I enjoy and am able to do on a regular basis.

Was the experience what I had hoped it would be?

The experience actually turned out better than I had hoped! I found a new form of exercise that did temporarily increase my knee pain, but it hasn't had a lasting effect. Meaning, my knee hurt worse for several hours after completing the exercise, but by the following day it was back to the normal pain level. But even better, I managed to stumble upon a form of exercise that I think could actually take the place of running in my life on many levels. Not in the same way of course, but I think it could bring the same sense of accomplishment and pride when I reached a new milestone.

The details...

So, what is this form of exercise? Bikram Yoga!! If you're not familiar with Bikram Yoga, it is a 90 minute class consisting of a series of 26 postures and 2 breathing exercises, practiced in a room heated to 105°F and 40% humidity.

Kevin and I took a handful of classes back at the beginning of the month before I started work at my new day job.  It takes a while to get used to the heat, and 90 minutes lasts forever! Several of the poses are balancing poses that I can't even come close to doing! But, that's the challenge of it, and what gives me such a sense of pride when I've completed a class and was able to do something that I couldn't do the week before.  I definitely see more Bikram Yoga in my future as soon as I find a studio that has class times that are more compatible with my schedule.

Do you want to see my entire 2011-2012 Bucket List? You can find it here.

Michele Whitacre is a portrait photographer serving Phoenix, Arizona and the surrounding area. Visit Michele's website at michelewhitacrephotography.com. Become a fan of Michele's work on Facebook. Follow Michele's updates on Twitter.

BBL 2011-2012 | Find a New Music Artist

#3 FIND A NEW MUSIC ARTIST/BAND THAT I LOVE

Why did I included this on my Bucket List?

I've never been a huge music buff. A handful of my favorite artists are ones that I found on my own, but most of the music that I listen to is because of the influence of others. I can look back over my favorites and pinpoint the time in my life where I became a fan of the music, and who got me into it.

Because I've never spent a lot of time seeking out music to fit my tastes, it has never been a big part of my life. Usually the only time I listen to music is while driving.  Yet, every time I do take the time to play music during a boring task, like cleaning the house, I think how much better it made the experience.  So, I figure the more artists/band that I enjoy, the more likely I will be to begin to incorporate music into my life.

Was the experience what I had hoped it would be?

Looking for a new artist was what I hoped it would be, yet at the same time it wasn't.  I enjoyed the process of listening to new bands, and getting to decide for myself if I wanted to keep listening to them or not.  During the process I even found a few artists that I enjoyed enough to add to the music collection on my ipod.  However, I didn't find THE ARTIST that I felt like I couldn't live without hearing, or that I would rush right out and see in concert, like I was hoping to find.  Maybe I just need to keep searching.

The details...

Since I really wasn't sure where to start looking for artists to listen to, I decided to ask for suggestions on facebook.  I created a fun little contest asking the fans on my business page to suggest artists/bands for me to check out.  The winner would get a $25 iTunes gift card sent to them.  Not a bad deal, right?

In order to give the artists a fair chance, I decided to listen to at least three of their songs.  In some cases the person gave me songs to check out, and in other instances I simply listened to the ones that grabbed my attention when I searched for the artist on YouTube.  With some of the artists, I really liked one of their songs and really disliked another, so in those instances I decided to add in another song to help me make my decision.  Almost every artist had at least one song that I enjoyed, which was nice!

Here is a list of the suggested artists along with the songs from each that I listened to:

Foo Fighters
Learn to Fly
All My Life
My Hero

Plug In Stereo
Oh Darling
But I Can't
A Love Like Mine

The Band Perry
If I Die Young
You Lie
Hip To My Heart
All Your Life

Alexandra Burke
Hallelujah
Start Without You
Bad Boy
Broken Heels

Kate Voegele
Monday Rain
You Can't Break a Broken Heart
Kindly Unspoken

Adele
Someone Like You
Rolling in the Deep
Set Fire to the Rain
Make You Feel My Love

Point of Grace
Circle of Friends
King of the World
Bless the Broken Road

Jason Mraz
Lucky
I'm Yours
You and I Both
A Beautiful Mess

JTX
Love in America
(I'm Gonna) Party Like a Rockstar
Nothing Matters
Sunshines Black
23

Dethklok
Murmaider
Awaken
Briefcase Full of Guts

JET
Cold Hard Bitch
Look What You've Done
Are You Gonna Be My Girl

Death Cab for Cutie
Home is a Fire
Codes and Keys
You Are a Tourist
Your New Twin Sized Bed

Audioslave
What You Are
Heavens Dead
Broken City

EastonAshe
Days Like These
Only in My Head
Venture to the Sun

Andy Davis
Brown Eyes
I Never See You
Believable Doubt

Griffin House
I Remember
Better Than Love
Live to be Free

The Prodigy
Smack My Bitch Up
Breathe
Phoenix

The Misfits
Last Caress
Teenagers From Mars
Horror Business
Attitude
Hollywood Babylon
Bullet
We are 138

Screeching Weasel
I Wanna Be a Homosexual
Cool Kids
Stupid Girl

Kings of Leon
Red Morning Light
Arizona
Soft
On Call

It was a tough choice, coming down to a decision between JTX and The Misfits!  I ultimately decided on JTX as my favorite artist from all of the suggestions!

There were also a few other artists that I wanted to check out because I'd liked their songs from the radio.  So, I also listened to the following artists, both of which I really liked!

Hot Chelle Rae
Tonight Tonight
Never Have I Ever
Bushes
Let Down
I Like to Dance
Bleed

The Killers
Jenny Was a Friend of Mine
Mr. Brightside
Smile Like You Mean It
Somebody Told Me
All These Things That I've Done
Andy, You're a Star

I ended up finding four artists, and several songs to add to my collection of music!  Not bad.  Not bad at all.

Do you want to see my entire 2011-2012 Bucket List? You can find it here.

Michele Whitacre is a portrait photographer serving Phoenix, Arizona and the surrounding area. Visit Michele's website at michelewhitacrephotography.com. Become a fan of Michele's work on Facebook. Follow Michele's updates on Twitter.

Tips + Tricks | 5 Helpful Hints to Improve Your Snapshots

Have you ever looked at a photographer's personal snapshots of their vacation or their children, and thought to yourself, "Wow! How do they do that?"

I'm not going to lie to you. A lot of how its done has to do with the camera body and lenses that the photographer is using to take the photos, and the software being used to edit the photos. However, there are several things that you can do to take better snapshots, regardless of the camera that you are using. I'd like to share with you 5 simple things you can do to improve your snapshots.

In an attempt to make the examples as real as possible, I tried to use photos similar to the ones that you might be taking on vacation or around your home (except I don't have kids, so my dogs and husband are my subjects).

1. Always be aware of what is in your frame

You want the focus to be on the intended subject of your photo, not on oddball random things off to the side of your frame. Nothing ruins a photo faster than something in the background that you didn't realize was there!

Take a look at this photo of Kevin in front of a rock formation in Sedona.  The random tourist on the right side of the photo is a distraction, and obviously the photo would be better without her there...

By taking a step or two to the side, turning my body slightly, and zooming in a little bit, I was able to remove the tourist from the frame, so that the focus of the photo remains on Kevin and the scenery behind him. I also could have asked Kevin to reposition himself, but since Kevin doesn't really like posing for photos, I try to take my shots as quickly as possible. It's easier for me to move than to redirect him into a new position...

2. Watch out for distracting backgrounds (or foregrounds)

Sometimes the background for your image is an important part of what you are photographing (like in the photos above), other times all it does is distract from the subject you are trying to take a photo of, like in the image below.  The viewer could probably guess that Zoe is my intended subject because she is what is in focus, while the other objects aren't, but this photo would be much better without all of the clutter in the frame...

For this image, all I did was zoom in as far as my lens would let me and snap another photo...

And here I got up off the couch where I was sitting to take the two photos above, and reposition myself so that I was on the other side of the coffee table and zoomed in even more...

How tight to crop your photo is personal preference, but I think it is easy to see that Zoe stands out as the subject of the photo much more in the second two images!

3. Look out for lamps, poles, trees, etc. coming out of people's heads

This photo of Kevin was taken in our office, which is fairly crowded.   For the photo below I positioned Kevin so that he was partially in front of the bookcases, with the lamp pole directly behind him.  You can see how the background is a bit distracting and the lamp looks like it is growing out of Kevin's head...

This next photo is a little better, but not great. The lamp is no longer coming out of his head, but instead the bulletin board (that we really need to hang up!) looks like it is coming out of his neck...

Using my advice from above, one solution would have been to crop the image to eliminate some of the distracting background. To improve the image even more, I also changed it into black and white. It some instances black and white can help eliminate distractions...

However, the easiest solution would have simply been to have Kevin move a bit to change the background so that he didn't have the lamp pole, or other items behind him.

4. Avoid taking photos of your subjects from below

Occasionally there may be a circumstance where you want to emphasise the size of your subject, or perhaps show them in a particular intimidating type of manner, but in general people look much better when photographed from slightly above (or at least eye level).

For this photo I got below Kevin and shot a photo of him. Kevin has a very thin face, so this photo of him isn't too bad. If he would have taken a photo like this of me, I'd look like I have five chins!...

This photo, taken from slightly above, with him looking up at me, is much more flattering...

This can be tough if you are photographing a subject that is a lot taller than you are and you are both standing. If at all possible, try to have subjects sitting down, or else try to find some place where you can stand to elevate yourself above your subject.

5. Position your subjects so that natural light is in front of them, not behind them

Sometimes you can use this type of set up if you are taking creative silhouettes, but in general you should never position your subject in front of a window...

Instead, simply turn around so that your back is to the window and the natural light from the window is shining on your subject...

And there you have it... Five simple tips to improve your snapshots. If you have any questions, I'm happy to answer them in the comments section.

Michele Whitacre is a portrait photographer serving Phoenix, Arizona and the surrounding area. Visit Michele's website at michelewhitacrephotography.com. Become a fan of Michele's work on Facebook. Follow Michele's updates on Twitter.