A Tired Mom's Secret to Looking Well-Rested

I had a lovely morning in the salon this week (love you Patty, Doug and Jamie!).  While I was there, I ran into a very sweet client and she said to me, "Stacey, you look so well-rested!"  You'd better believe I hugged her.  Her compliment has stayed with me for three days now, and I feel good about myself every time I remember her words. Granted, I had just had risen from my salon chair, so I was pretty darn relaxed and refreshed at that moment.  But let's be honest.  If you've ever visited my blog before, you'll know that I am the mother of three young children.  One of those children is still a baby.  Her older sister slips into our bed in the middle of the night, five out of seven nights a week.  I am a perpetual night owl, and my husband wakes extremely early.   I don't believe I've slept a solid night through in almost two years.  Suffice it to say that I am never, ever, EVER well-rested.

My client is not the only person to mention that to me recently, though; I have to believe that there is something to this "well-rested" look after all.

Of course there is.  Wanna know my secret.....?

best concealer for tired momsIt's Chanel Correcteur Perfection Concealer in Beige Clair #10.

I have used it for years.  I love it and never feel guilty about paying for it.  It's worth every penny.  Granted, I am perfectly happy with inexpensive, drugstore-brand nail polish and mascara.  But I absolutely refuse to compromise on my concealer.  Chanel is the clear winner.  This product is so light-weight, and it holds up well to the humidity here in Florida.  My dark under-eye circles are hereditary, allergy-induced, and a result of chronic sleep-deprivation (like most mamas I know).   But this?  This is the very best I've tried.  Other than sleeping a solid 8 hours every night, of course.  ;)

I would highly recommend this concealer to any mama who is preparing for a photo shoot.  Especially if you have long days and short nights like I do!

Happy Saturday, friends.  Enjoy your weekend, and stay up late if you want.  Use a little of this magic under your eyes on Monday morning and regret nothing.

You are most welcome.

Photography Questions and Answers, and Some Learning Opportunities

I often receive emails and messages from other photographers, asking how I do what I do or what equipment I use in my photography work.  So, I decided that today would be a tell-all day.  Pull up a chair.  :) - - - - -

What camera and lenses do you use?

For clients, I shoot with a full-frame Nikon D700 with a D200 backup.  For photos of my family, I use the D700 as well, or more frequently... my iPhone + Instagram.  Truth.

My favorite lenses are the Nikkor 85 mm f/1.8, Nikkor 50mm f/1.4, Nikkor 60mm f/2.8 macro, and a Lensbaby Composer Pro.  I shoot in RAW + manual mode 100% of the time.  Yep, even for personal photos.

My personal goal for a long time has been to spread my wings and shoot more film.  My favorite film cameras are my Nikon F100, a beautiful Polaroid SX-70, and my dad's old Minolta Hi-Matic G.  (It captured all of my childhood memories and still works beautifully.)  I dream and long for a medium format Contax 645.  Someday.  Until I get an extra $2,500 (and really, who has an "extra" couple of grand when you have three kids?!), then I will be perfectly delighted with the lovely array of cameras I do have.

 

What camera bag do you recommend?

I have a Crumpler 7-Million-Dollar-Home that I use basically for storage here at home.  When I'm at a client session and think I'll need to change lenses often or quickly, or if I'm shooting at the beach and think my bag may get wet (it's a common occurrence!), then I'll use my faithful Shootsac + a favorite cover.  When I'm out and about with my kids and I want to bring the camera along, I use my beautiful Ketti handbag.  It keeps my camera safely padded and separate from my phone and keys, Charlotte's baby things, etc., and it assures me that I'll be able to grab my camera easily to capture their sweet faces.

 

Do you only shoot in black and white?  How do you edit your photos?

I actually shoot all my client work in color, and digitally convert it to black and white in Adobe Camera Raw.  I do all of my basic post-processing in ACR and then finish up with minor retouching in Photoshop CS5.  When I edit an image in color, I want it to be warm and natural, not too trendy with the possibility of becoming dated and out of style on my client's wall any time soon.  I personally feel that most of my work looks better in black and white.  I guess it's mostly because of my perspective, and the way I prefer to photograph real emotions and interaction.  I also find that black and white helps to bring attention to a particular detail of the photo, rather than the entire scene.  Sometimes black and white images feel more peaceful to me, or more dramatic, or more classic... but I always feel that black and white processing gives my images a more timeless feel.  You can read my thoughts on what makes a good black and white photograph if you'd like to.

 

How long have you been a professional photographer?  Did you attend college for it or hold a degree in photography?

I have no "formal" training.  I learned everything I could by eating, sleeping and breathing photography for years.  I read, I shot, I asked questions, I practiced, I took workshops and local classes, I bought books, I practiced, I searched and researched online, I tried different techniques, I practiced, I read some more, I experimented, I practiced, I practiced, and I practiced.  (Notice a theme here?) I made wonderful friends in the industry, I joined several amazing photography forums, and I photographed the still and the moving at every opportunity I had.  And my heart still adores it all. I officially opened Stacey Woods Photography in the Fall of 2007.  Prior to that, I photographed friends, family and clients for free until I knew that I could consistently create quality images that I would be proud to have my name on. It took me two years to be confident enough to say "I'm a professional photographer," without cracking a smile, and I continue to find ways to improve every week.  I hope I never stop learning.  It's addicting. And rewarding. And so much fun!

 

Can you help me use my new dSLR?

I sure can.  Sign up for The Creative E-Courses: Photography Chapter One below and let's get to it!

 

Which camera should I buy?

Well, that's a tough question for me to answer.  It all depends on what you intend on photographing and how.  I personally use a full-frame digital SLR camera because I often need to shoot at high ISOs, and fast prime lenses to allow more light into my camera.  I'm a Nikon girl, but Canon makes fine cameras and lenses too.  For portrait photography, I would suggest skipping the largely-useless-indoors kit lens that comes boxed with your camera, and opting for the camera body only.  Grab yourself a 50mm f/1.8 prime lens (either Canon or Nikon) for around $100 and start shooting.  With your pop-up flash turned OFF.  :)

Have any tips and tricks for shooting indoors with natural light, backlight, location-scouting, etc.?

I have been a contributor and co-editor at The Creative Mama for almost three years now.  I've written several informative photography tutorials there, so grab yourself a glass of iced tea and read away the afternoon.

Hazy summer light, backlighting and flare Using window light indoors In-camera metering: Parts One and Two Changing your camera's settings to maximize light How to get beautiful bokeh Making the most of your location My thoughts on what makes a good black and white photograph How I edit a black and white photograph in ACR Arranging your photos in an artful way at home 

 

Could you take a look at my portfolio and let me know where my strengths are and how I might improve?

Absolutely!  I accept limited mentoring appointments, as my time and schedule allows.  Email me with what you'd like to learn, and we can create a custom mentoring program to suit your budget.

 

Do you offer workshops or classes to other photographers?

I do!  And two of them are open for registration TODAY if you'd like to sign up!

the creative ecourses photography class

THE CREATIVE E-COURSES  |  PHOTOGRAPHY: CHAPTER ONE

Bree Hester and I are collaborating on our second presentation of Photography: Chapter One.  It's hosted at The Creative E-Courses, an online learning experience at The Creative Mama.  Photography: Chapter One is first in a series of photography courses that will teach you how to take that fancy DSLR and use it to its fullest potential... and yours.  If you're currently shooting in full-automatic mode (commonly known as "the green square"), and if you're a visual, hands-on learner.... then this course is perfect for you.  We provide simply-written instruction, email prompts, video segments, hands-on assignments, a weekly Q&A, and even a private Facebook group so that you can mingle with and get feedback from the other students.

This course was designed to be taken at your own pace, however the content will be given to you over a span of three weeks.  We want you to be able to digest it easily and to ask questions as they occur to you. Each weekend, Bree or I will answer your most common questions in video format, and leave you with an engaging assignment for the weekend.  By the end of the course, you'll receive the entire program wrapped up in a beautiful e-book that you can take with you on your iPad or other mobile reader.  You're welcome to print it as well, if you're a paper-kind-of-girl (like me).

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stacey woods lifestyle photography workshop

BLOOM FORUM MINI-WORKSHOP  |  LIFESTYLE: YOUR STYLE

This is my fourth time offering this mini-workshop with the girls at Bloom*, and I'm so honored that they have asked me back again.  Lifestyle: Your Style is a two-week online program that will give you an overview of what I love most about lifestyle photography, and help you incorporate it into your own style of shooting.  I teach it from the vantage point of an on-location photographer, where my backgrounds, locations and lighting situations change at every new session.  I continually try to find ways to connect with my clients, get them to relax and be themselves, and connect to one another.  I wholly believe that I am there to document their love for one another, and my goal is to create images that flood them with emotion.  Even years later.

In this mini-workshop, you'll get a ton of information: daily-ish email prompts to get you thinking differently about your approach to photography, two assignments with feedback from me, interaction each weekday within The Bloom Forum, a video showing you how to find and make the most of natural light when on-location, and the whole course laid out in a pretty little e-book at the end of our time together.  This online course is also meant for you to take at your own pace, but if you'd like my feedback on your assignment results, then you'll need to post those within the time constraints of the mini-workshop.  There is also a wonderful little private After-the-Workshop section within Bloom for us to continue the conversation.

Click HERE for a lovely interview with one of my favorite past attendees, and see how her perspective has changed since taking the course.  I love hearing stories like these and feel blessed to do what I do.

If you're convinced that this mini-workshop is for you, then we'd love to have you!  You must be a member of The Bloom Forum first.  To join, go here*, then go to the "Mini-Workshop Information" section and choose the appropriate Paypal button.  I'm accepting only 25 Active Members this time.  If you're not interested in group participation or personal feedback from me, then you can sign up as a Silent Member and simply read along with us!

 

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If you have any more questions for me, ask away in the comments below or send me an email, and I'll be happy to answer them in a future Q&A post.  I hope you're having a wonderful start to your week!

 

*affiliate link

 

What Turning Four Looks Like

I love this part of the month.  I am so thankful to have been asked to join a very talented group of photographers to document "What _____ Looks Like" every month for a year.  It's made me more conscious of photographing my own kids as well. ///

Since we had to make a very last-minute trip to Kentucky earlier this month, it meant we would spend Lila's fourth birthday there as well.  I couldn't pack up birthday supplies, and that was of least importance to us when deciding to make the trip to see my grandma.  But I still wanted my girl's day to be special and remembered.  So we improvised at the last minute with simple decorations and things to make her afternoon special.

Luckily, the weather was absolutely beautiful.  Warm, but breezy... and best of all, no humidity!!  We spread out a quilt, hung balloons in the trees, and enjoyed watermelon and cupcakes on the lawn with the cousins. She couldn't have been happier.  And that's all that mattered.

This is What Turning Four Looks Like for my sweet Lila-bean.

 

She begged me for that pink princess guitar.  It's hideous!  But she loves it.  She carries it all around the house, strumming and grinning.  Maybe she'll be the next Jewel.

Charley brought over her La-La-Loopsies, and we put them to good use as decorations.  We called them "Lila-Loopsies".  (Those oh-so-messy cupcakes were delicious.)

Side note about the inherent differences in girls vs boys: Lila changes her clothes at least four times a day... she bases her decision on which dress is the twirliest, and which one has sleeves, and which shoes are the "clip-cloppiest".  If she spills a drop of milk on her shirt, she changes right away.  It's constant laundry with her.  And this kid?  Parker doesn't care what he wears.  All shirts go with all shorts, according to him.  Spilled milk?  Oh well, it'll dry eventually.  Stains?  Who cares, he's just going to get it dirtier playing outside anyway.  And if he were home, he'd just be wearing cargo shorts and no shirt.  And no shoes.  ;)

Aunt Trish making Charlotte giggle...  I loved this moment!

In the end, Lila told me it was the "betht birthday party ever!!"  Of course, she only has three other birthdays to compare it to, but that's not the point.  Sometimes simple can be the most memorable.

And there you have it.  This is What Turning Four Looks Like.

Has anyone else thrown together a birthday party at the last minute like this?  Did you find it stressful, or did you just relax and have fun with it?  I'd love for you to share your favorite party memories with me!

///

I hope you'll continue the round by visiting the very talented lifestyle photographer, Stephanie Moore | Tucson Family Photographer.  Her beautiful work always makes me swoon.  Coincidentally, her family is celebrating a fourth birthday this month as well!  Happy Birthday to her sweet boy!  ;)

Our Visit with Momaw

The kids and I have been on a little road trip.  We had intended on visiting Kentucky later on this month, but this sweet little lady here wasn't feeling very well... so we moved our mini-vacation forward at the last minute.  Literally, we decided to leave one night and left the next afternoon.  The trip was 930 miles one way, and it took us 15 hours to drive it, not counting stops and one overnight stay in Georgia.  And yes, it was just the kids and me.  Daddy had to work.  But it was truly better than I expected!  My kids were such great travelers, and were so helpful to each other and to me. When we arrived at the hospital, Momaw was still in ICU.  She was moved to a regular room later that afternoon, and last week she improved enough to go home!  She is on dialysis 3 times a week now, and once on the weekend when needed, to reduce the fluid buildup around her heart.  She has suffered from diabetes and congestive heart failure for years, among other health issues, but they seem to be double-teaming her as of late.  She's literally been in the hospital more days than she has been home, since February.  I hope that we are blessed enough to be able to visit her again.  She tells wonderful stories.  I have so many amazing childhood memories that were largely because of her and my Popaw.

She was so excited to see us!  Dad and Popaw think her rather quick recovery from this week's trouble was helped along by her knowledge that we were coming in.  Melts my heart to know that.

My sweet Popaw is her strength.  He does everything for her.  Brings her a toothbrush and a cup, helps get her dressed, organizes and distributes her many medications, monitors her weight, blood sugar, fluid levels, helps her into her wheelchair and down the ramp at their back porch... he even carries her purse while the nurses transfer her from one room to another.  He just completely takes wonderful care of her.  They are so blessed to have each other.

Watching them has always been so inspiring.  The way they never minded us dragging out all of their books and shoes to play library and shoe store when we were kids.... (and always said, "ahh, we'll clean it up later!")  The way they let us help plant wrinkled pink seeds of Silver Queen in the garden, then help the crop grow to harvest and then to prep and freezing -- and eating!  (As long as I live, I will never forget the taste of their fresh garden corn every year.)  I cherish the fact that Popaw always waited to cut his grass until after Easter, so we would have something to hide eggs in.  I like the sweet way he calls her Maw and tells little inside jokes and chuckles alongside her.  The way she depends on him and trusts him wholly.  It's been so encouraging to watch them and be shaped by their example through the years.

***

I'll come back to share more posts and photographs from our trip.  As timing would have it, we spent Father's Day and Lila's birthday there as well.  As much as I will cherish this particular visit, it sure is good to be home this morning.

What Eight Looks Like | Lifestyle Project May 2012

Our big boy turned eight last month.  It was bittersweet for me, as his mama.  Parker had so much influence on me when I was first learning photography.  As a very busy toddler, he pretty much dictated that my shooting style be unposed and loose, on the go, and very much what "lifestyle" feels like to me now.  He is why, to this day, I try not to pose my clients.  He is why I want to just let them be real, and document the way they interact with one another.  He was my first muse. These days, he is not quite so unfazed by my camera.  He's usually giving me bug-eyes or sticking his tongue out when I point my camera his way.  But that's alright with me.  Whatever he gives me, I will document.  And embarrass him someday at his wedding treasure this funny, clever time in his life, while it lasts.

The past few weeks, Parker has let me quietly photograph him, just the way I always do.  He even surrendered and let me photograph him for a class that Bree and I are teaching, to illustrate a technical point for our students.  I savored every moment.

//

Making funny faces, stifling laughs, catching frogs and lizards with the neighbor boys, running around shirtless, playing soccer, showing off, missing teeth, building with legos, and even being sweet to his baby sister... this is What Eight Looks Like.

You are a delight, my love.  I am so glad you made me a Mama.

//

I hope you'll continue the blog carousel and visit my sweet friend, Deb.  I always look forward to seeing what beautiful bits of life she's documented of her children.  Enjoy the journey, xo.  Deb Schwedhelm  |  Tampa Child Photographer

 

Amy's Maternity Session: Strength and Grace

I had the pleasure of meeting Amy and Chris recently for a maternity session at their gorgeous home.  The house was full of light, love and laughs, and I cannot wait to go back to photograph their sweet baby girl.

 

Doesn't she look fabulous??  Amy just radiated such a peaceful strength the entire evening, and I was so impressed by her confidence.

This little fluffy sweetheart was just begging me to photograph him too.  I still wonder if he has any idea what he's in for, in just a few short weeks.  ;)  Oh how life will change.

The most difficult part about this photo shoot, to be honest, was just narrowing down the final images for the gallery.  It was so hard to choose!  There are so many dramatic and wonderful images from our evening together.  I am once again so grateful to be able to do this work, and for the opportunity to work with such amazing families time and time again.

Chris and Amy, big hugs to you!  I am looking so forward to meeting your sweet girl in the coming weeks.

xo, Stacey

The Girls' Amber Teething Necklaces

I get asked all the time about my girls' "pretty necklaces".  When Lila wore hers, we would be stopped almost every time we were out, and now we're asked about Charlotte's too.  I thought I'd share a few photos of these wonderful "jewels", since my article about them is on The Creative Mama today.

They are Baltic Amber Teething Necklaces, meant to alleviate the constant pain and symptoms of teething.  These natural resin beads release succinic acids, oils that when worn against the skin, act as an anti-inflammatory.  They also help with other teething symptoms, like drooling, restlessness and the general fussiness that comes along with those new chompers.  Lila wore her necklace when she was about eight or nine months old, up until she got her two-year molars.  After that, we passed the beads on to my nephew, Finn, during his visit to Florida (below).  My sister says his constant drooling has all but stopped.  Hooray for that!

Charlotte is seven months old now, and although she hasn't cut any teeth just yet, she has been drooling and whining and gnawing on everything since she was about four months old.  We put an amber necklace on her back in January, and have noticed a great improvement to her symptoms already!  She never drools, and only fusses a little about her gums.

Our necklaces have both come from Amberizon, and they were only around $13-18 each.  Hazelaid also has them for around $22 for a 12" strand, if you'd like to purchase one for your own little love.

If you're at the end of your rope like we were with Lila's teething pain, have a peek over at The Creative Mama today and read up on these necklaces for yourself.  I've recommended them to countless friends and family members, and I hope they work for your babies as well!

And let's be honest.  They're really pretty too.  :)