Diana 12/2/18 Diana 12/2/18

What to wear at a couple shoot

The question I get every time before a couple or engagement shoot is: What to wear? In this post I will try to talk about the do's and don'ts when thinking of clothes, coordination and awesome images while still trying to be comfortable and portray your personality. I am hoping this will make everything easier on the day, so none of you is stuck surrounded by piles of clothes 2 hours before a shoot wondering what the heck should I wear?!?! It's definitely best to think of the clothes for the shoot day ahead of time so you know your favourite pair of shoes is already polished and your cute dress is ironed and ready to shine.

Be yourself

The photoshoot is about the two of you and who you are, don't go to formal if you're the active type. Choose clothes you feel comfortable moving in, hugging in and even dancing in. These images should be fun and relaxed without the pressure of an event. Your outfit should also make you feel confident, so wear pieces that feel like "you" and the better you feel the better the images will turn out. I want to see your personalities as you relax in front of the camera and become more aware of each other and less of me :)

Coordinate

You are in love, you are a team and you want to celebrate your relationship and your similarities but it's best if the clothes aren't too matchy-matchy. So what's the best way to coordinate without going for the same colours? A few ideas are: go for the same colour family or choose accents of the same colour in your outfits. Don't shy away from vibrant colours as long as the other's outfit is more neutral. Or choose contrasting colours that accentuate each-other: like yellow and blue, or green and red. What's even more important is to keep the style similar so it looks like you are both going to the same place and have the same vibe.

Keep it simple

I always ask for simple colours and prints. As much as patterns can be fun they can distract from the true subject of the image: the two of you. Also simple, classic clothes are a better idea to new trends, bold prints or questionable graphics. Pastels and neutrals can look great on anyone more so than neon hues. These images will be shown to your family and shared with friends for, hopefully, many years to come so why not go for something that is timeless? If you want to stand out add some of your favourite accessories (a colourful brooch? a bright set of shoes or maybe the latest hat in your collection?) don't hesitate to highlight your quirky style!

Location matters

Think of your surroundings when picking out colours for your outfit. You two are the subject of the image so it is best to try and stand out. If you're in a park don't wear green and you won't blend in with the trees. This location will also work better for active wear or smart casual than a restaurant or a busy street will; In the city the clothes can be more formal and vibrant colours can make you stand out from the crowd and the grey buildings.

Make-up

The engagement shoot objective is to enhance your natural beauty and being pampered and feeling confident in how you look is a great idea before a photoshoot. The camera can sometimes flatten the features, show every detail and enhance uneven tones so going for a neutral accent on the eyes (for example mascara can enhance the eye's shape and define the lashes) or some foundation and lipgloss may highlight your attributes.

Other details

Details like an interesting neckline or back, an interesting belt or tie, can bring the entire look together. I like focusing on the details and I sometimes crop really close to see smiles and hugs and interlaced fingers so why not show off your engagement ring, your pretty manicure or that new scarf or hat? An idea that can bring more variety to the shoot without changing your entire outfit is layering: a cardigan, a scarf, a vest.

Diana 9/23/18 Diana 9/23/18

Emotional mindsets in business

This weekend, in my pursue for personal development I decided to register to a webinar run by Zoltan Veres from Refleqt about emotional mindsets in business. He talked about emotional intelligence, about balance and how to reach a fulfilling career life by using your own strengths and discovering the potential hidden behind many years of unhelpful habits and routines. I've been listening to his podcasts also and if you know Romanian I would definitely recommend them. (sorry my English speaking friends)During the webinar I've been taking notes mostly for myself but want to share some here, by enumerating the 3 main typologies with their strengths, weaknesses and tips to help improve each.

The Employee

The Employee mindset has at its base the need for security and as humans this is an understandable requirement but brings with it inertia and a fear of change. This type of person is great at getting things done, at having deadlines and seeing them through, at keeping a steady pace. Any task will need this mindset to succeed. The issues may arise when any small change might impact the job because the Employee profile is so averse to shifts in the environment.This is definitely something that is familiar to me, change is scary and being comfortable can be easy and safe. Nowadays there is a certain tendency to believe that you made it in your career if you're a Freelancer and work for yourself or have your own big business but if you don't have the mentality of an Employee you can't carry out the tasks to their end and achieve the results. This typology has real advantages, it is needed in most jobs and if you want to grow in your career it is important to understand how to channel these benefits and even cultivate them if they are not part of your mindset.Zoltan recommends a couple of things that should become part of a routine:

Set deadlines, don't put off the little things, wash those dishes, answer that email tonight, finish that blog post by Monday ;)
Finish what you started
Build healthy habits by including them in your life little by little, give 5 minutes after a meeting to read over the notes and you will be better prepared and more aware for the next day.
Push the limits of comfort and remember just by doing something for a weekend won't make a big difference so try and remain constant in your pursue. (your current routines have been trained for year and years so you need time to improve or remove the ones you are not happy with).

The Self-employed

The second mindset is the one of the Self-employed (or Freelancer/Expert), it seems like these are the go getters, the people who embrace risk, are motivated by their work and like to be the best. They also strive for personal development and feel the need to evolve by continuously learning. Some of their weaknesses are the need to demonstrate their expertise by competing with others and by giving advice because they consider themselves to be better than anyone else. Another negative side of the Self-employed typology is the constant need to observe and emphasise that others aren't doing their tasks as well as they could.Don't forget, the way we are at our jobs we bring home. There is no separation and the strengths of the Self-employed can become very stressful for others in their personal life. Constant competitivity with your partner, your child is not healthy, just like it's not healthy to bring a superiority complex into your home. The need to develop and grow can become a nuisance when you are interested in anything and everything and expecting everyone else to be the same.This emotional typology has some great strengths, especially when trying to build a business, as this is when risk is inevitable. If this side of you is not yet developed there are some things you could do:

Assume some risks and get out of your comfort zone - try placing yourself in contexts that you are uncomfortable in, things that might not make sense to you will open your eyes to different views and experiences and prepare you for the unexpected. It's great that you can jump out of a plane and say you faced your fears but if you can't take a critique without getting defensive or aggressive it means there are still things you can work at. Remember "A comfort zone is a beautiful place but nothing really grows there"
Decide what you want to develop and do it constantly - choose an area you love and improve your knowledge and understanding of it.
Learn from the best in your area of interest - don't stick to only one person as no one has the absolute truth about everything, do your research by checking different views on the subject of choice.

The Entrepreneur

As an emotional profile the Entrepreneur is the person who notices systems and can build future proof frameworks. They are valuable at the top of the business as they can see what things need to happen to get the results. Besides that they are the real leaders, that can understand humans and their variety of personalities and needs, and can organise them accordingly to get the best performance. Aristotle said "Anybody can become angry - that is easy, but to be angry with the right person and to the right degree and at the right time and for the right purpose, and in the right way - that is not within everybody's power and is not easy."It is about working with people, removing your own ambitions, managing your emotional baggage and guiding them to succeed. Leaders bring growth in everyones life because that's their strength to see how anything can develop into something better and inspire. Because they have this capacity they can also end up seeing people as systems and trying to micromanage them both at work and outside. This leads to another weakness: over correcting as they can always find something to change and transform so they can tend to push people's buttons.If your lacking some of the qualities of an Entrepreneur or feel like you want to be better don't forget it's all about being emphatic and understanding people and systems:

Nothing is black and white. Notice the details, analyse your decisions and be sure to understand what each really mean and how the tasks really work from what resources are needed, to the procedures and results we can expect. Do not choose to assume the first and most simplest conclusion is the correct one.
Develop the people around you, encourage and raise them up. Who doesn't like to be praised or thanked for their help?!
Appreciate the performance and the effort, accept that you need to communicate your gratitude with them even if it might seem uncomfortable or if the job hasn't yet been completed. Acknowledge that a percentage of it has been done, that effort has been put into it and that recognition is deserved by all involved.

The Conclusion

These emotional typologies are important when choosing our jobs and they are not related to the position we hold at this moment. You might be lead at work by a person with an Employee profile that is struggling to get the results because their Entrepreneur mindset hasn't been yet developed. Learning these new ways of dealing with your emotions, your environment and relationships will help you understand your emotional capacity. This might be the way to succeeding in eliminating the unhelpful behaviours and leading a more fulfilled life and career.I'm excited to be on this path :)

Diana 8/30/18 Diana 8/30/18

Warren Mill Farm Park

This bank holiday I decided to visit the Warren Mill Farm Park for a quick day out. I've been recommended it by a couple I had a photoshoot with the week prior and I'm so grateful to them for telling me about it. I love animals so having the opportunity to feed and pet them was awesome.There were green open fields and a variety of animals happy for visitors. For only £4 per adult (£3 for children) you can meander around and discover the farm park. I definitely recommend getting some animal feed too! (50p per bag!). Make sure you have cash on you for this (card payment didn't seem to be available at the farm entrance).My favourite were the Alpacas, and this one above was definitely having a good hair day :PDon't forget to wear comfy footwear that you don't mind getting a bit dirty as you will be walking on the mud, through the grass (that might be wet, cause it's in Wales!)I tried feeding most of the animals. The piglet was adorable but didn't liked him much after he tried to munch my palm too in his excitement.The white ducks were so gracious and tall and could reach my palm easily, rewarding me with a very unusual massage while getting the seeds out of my hand.The ponies and donkeys were funny and friendly and followed us around while walking along the paths. Some even nice enough to take some selfies with the guests :PThis place reminded me of home, maybe we didn't had this many animals or a big farm but my grandparents used to work the land and taught me how to feed the chicken, pigs, ducks, cow when I was little. It was quite nostalgic to walk through baby chicks and hear them peeping and chirping. We used to spend weeks at my nan's when the little ones were hatching in an incubator and held into one of my grandad's old wool hats. It was a pretty awesome thing to be apart of as a child.This is why I think this place is so awesome for families too! And they even have Accommodation facilities as they are running a B&B

Diana 6/5/18 Diana 6/5/18

A couple photoshoot

On my holiday I had the amazing chance to shoot with Alina and Mircea on the streets of Cluj Napoca. I was contacted by them on social media about a quick 2 hours shoot and was happy to comply. I used to know them back when I was a student in Cluj and this was a great opportunity to catch up!The discussion about the photoshoot was short and sweet, they didn't know what they wanted and I didn't know what to expect. But we did start with the idea of urban portraits.When I asked whether they want romantic portraits the reply was that they're not romantic anymore. But I have to disagree completely! Maybe it's not candles and flowers and loving eye gazing but the connection between them is palpable.And even after 10 years together there is a feeling of closeness, of knowing and of partnership with all the quirkiness and vulnerability that it comes with :)Happy to see that, though more grown up, they are still the fun people with great style I remember from back in university. If you're interested in a pre-wedding or couple shoot please take a look at my website and get in touch :)

Diana 8/18/17 Diana 8/18/17

How I chose my first film SLR

I'm a digital photographer. It's easy to shoot, once, twice, check later, tweak the exposure, shoot again. But I was always fascinated by film photography, nothing compares to the colours and the grain of a 35mm print. So a couple of months ago I went on a search for my first film SLR.We're talking about vintage cameras ok? So like 50-60 years old! Older than me cameras! Buying second hand was the only choice really and this works best if you're patient and do the research.

First film SLR: The Budget

I went to the website I thought had the best chances on: Ebay. After looking at prices for vintage SLRs, I decided on £70 as the maximum budget.I already have two vintage cameras which I got really cheap (£10) but film SLR cameras are a bit more pricey. In the same time, I know myself, and I know I can get bored quite easily so I couldn't invest too much and get a newer model.

First film SLR: The Research

I think I knew the style even before I knew the budget. I knew the look I liked, and there seem to be a large pool of cameras to choose from. There were many brands on offer from that period and each brand had many other versions. This was getting complicated .. the sleepless nights begun. (Did I tell you I hate too many choices?! I'm so indecisive!)There were a few things I went through to make sure I'm taking the best decision.

Talking to friends

My friend was Google, I asked it a lot of questions: Best film camera? Best budget film camera? 35mm SLR cameras? etc etc etc. I also asked some people I know ;) they recommended a 35mm first: "Disregard the medium format cameras until you are serious about film as they are more expensive".

Reading forums and reviews

After making a list of brands and versions I started to look more in depth into it by searching for samples images (Flickr is a great resource for this). Here's a list of my favourite articles on the subject:Camera guide from Curating Cuteness (she also has a great film guide with samples images)I still shoot film (what a great resource of articles!)Japan Camer Hunter From a long list of brands and versions such as: Nikon, Canon(I must admit my strong loyalty to Nikon didn't let me look at these much), Olympus, Minolta, Pentax, Nikkormat. I ended up with just a few that still tempted me: Minolta (SR-T, XD11/7 or X-700 series), Pentax (K1000 or MX), Olympus (OM1), Nikon (Fm2n).

Asking people online

After reading all I could read online I decided to post my own question on a Flickr group and a Facebook group. My list was shorter and shorter and my heart was in between Pentax and Minolta. I needed help to finally decide. I must admit the answers there weren't different to what I've seen during my days of research .. but it was more for reassurance that I'm going in the right direction.

First film SLR: The Conclusion

Tips I gathered along the way:

Get the camera brand you own as you might be able to use the same lenses

Great advice ..but in my case my Nikon camera is a cropped sensor and you can only use full frame lenses on 35mm film cameras. Also the vintage Nikon bodies have a different lens mount to the current ones.

Make sure you get a bright viewfinder (there is no screen on the back)
Make sure the batteries used for the light meter are still readily available in shops. Some vintage cameras use mercury batteries that are more tricky to find.
Get a camera that is working even without batteries especially if these are difficult to get hold of or replace.
Go for a prime lens, preferably from the same manufacturer. This was something I decided from my own experience with digital cameras. Wide aperture prime lenses offer a sharper image and faster shutter speeds.
Try to get a metal body instead of a plastic one - they tend to last longer.
Be patient and persistent, you can find new listings every day and you will find the perfect camera for you. I waited for a long time to find mine while searching each day: Minolta XD11/7 or Pentax MX on Ebay.

I know £70 sounds like nothing compared to the prices of the DSLRs these days, but these cameras are build to last and take great pictures, plus I can bet my children will inherit it and it will be just as good.I present to you my new baby: The Pentax MX (just arrived and can't wait to test it!*)*Review in a future post

Diana 8/8/17 Diana 8/8/17

Details of The Ethnographic Park - Cluj Napoca

During my last stay in Cluj I visited the National Ethnographic Park.

This time I looked beyond the old buildings representing Romanian architectural history. I mostly focused on the little details. Like this little piece of a bee hive ..looking like part of the furniture.

I was also fascinated by the round shapes in the leafless trees that offered an interesting horizon and background for the old buildings. The so called chocolate box houses with the thatched roof have a different feel here, with their shabby, cracked look - they have real character.

The church towers are impressive and you can see the importance of christianity in the details and workmanship. Most of the households and farms still kept the workshops and tools used for working the land.

My favourite thing was to look inside, through the window, at the old traditional decor. It reminded me of the crackling fire and the holidays spent with my grandparents.

I recommend taking a stroll through the Ethnographic Park on a summer day to experience the rural feel of old Romanian villages and the smell of fresh cut grass and old wood.

Diana 4/7/17 Diana 4/7/17

Family portrait sessions

Family portrait sessions are a new venture for me but one that I have been interested in getting into for a while. Compared to the portrait and couple photoshoots they are more exciting, funny and even a little bit chaotic.Here are some of the lessons I had to learn when it comes to outdoor family portraits.

What's your name?

This might not be as important but if you are like me, you might want to ask the names of everyone and memorise them before the shoot. This way it would be easier to prompt different people and get everyone to be involved when needed. I must admit I am not great at remembering names when I first meet someone.

Location, location, location

Make sure you check the photoshoot location beforehand. Think about lighting and shadows and what would be best to set as background. Think of the poses and where would they go better. Make a list in your mind (or on paper/phone) and don't forget to have ideas for both an overcast day and a bright sunny day! I can't stress enough how important it is to know where the shoot will take place. When there are children involved is best to be prepared in all the areas you can. And don't forget they like to run around so keep safety in mind!

Timing is everything

When I want to talk about timing I don't mean being punctual: you should be there before anyway! I am referring to choosing the right hour for the shoot! The right time of the day can depend on weather, sun light, clouds, season and even events.Makes sure the light is not too harsh - it's not easy to always find the right tree or building to shoot under and direct sunlight may cause unflattering shadows in portraits.If you already know the location (which you should) check if there are any events going on or construction sites open when you are shooting - we don't want people staring or ruining the background.If it's not an overcast day, and sun is shining bright then think about the famous Golden Hour (right before the sunset) or shoot from a lower angle so the sun is behind the people and expose for shadows. (and don't forget a lens hood)

Focus on what is important

When there are many people around and you are switching between shooting kids with dad and then kids with mum and so on, focus on what's in front of the camera. It's easy to get distracted by the cute child running behind you while you are shooting the parents, but it's best to notice the lens flare or the bin at the right of the frame, or that the camera didn't focus the first time.I recommend using the Continuous Shooting Mode to get at least one shoot with everyone's eyes open. And use a higher aperture than the 1.8-2.8 of a standard portrait session :)

Diana 9/9/16 Diana 9/9/16

The photography tag

Today's post is a bit different, I discovered this Photography Tag on youtube and thought to give it a try in writing.

How did you first get into photography?

I always was fascinated by how people can transform and capture what is in front of their eyes and evoke a feeling to any viewer. When I was 14 I got a cheap film camera as a present but didn't quite understand how it all worked, I also kept borrowing my sister's point and shoot. Later, in university, was when everything started. My parents, after some convincing, decided to buy me my first DSLR camera. I didn't know which one to get so I joined a photography club in Cluj-Napoca where I met these amazing people that advised me and became my friends.

What was your first camera?

My first camera was a Nikon D40. It was a decision based on budget, available options and one advice from the photography club members: "Nikon is the best!" ... just joking !! What they said was: "Get the camera brand your friends photographers have. This will allow you to borrow lenses and try different gear before investing"

Who are your photography heroes and inspirations?

Oh such a difficult question. I keep listening to this great podcast: Be Inspired Photography Podcast and all the guests get asked this question: "What is your favourite photographer of all time?" I always wonder do I even have one?! .. I'm inspired by so many of them, and they don't even have to be big names .. actually if I'm honest I don't even know most of the big names (which I'm a bit embarrassed by). I will mention a few:Jessica Kobeissi - she's such a strong funny hardworking person! My vision of editing might be different from hers but I just really like what type of person she is.Lara Jade - beautiful fashion photography I wish I had her success and courage to take risksLaura Makabresku - Her style is unforgettable, and I would like to have that impact.

What does photography mean to you?

I find this also difficult to answer. When I'm behind the camera ..it's more like a feeling. And feelings are difficult to put into words. Words feel limiting so I tend to avoid questions like this. What I know is that when I am taking photos I'm like in a bubble of joy and calm, I can't feel the cold or the rain (Unless the camera is getting wet then I get a bit concerned). And another thing I noticed is that I see photo opportunities everywhere, I see framed images everywhere and I think I am more aware of what surrounds me.

How do you overcome photographers block?

I need some alone time, time to breath, to just lay down somewhere and think. My motivation comes also from seeing other photographers showcase their work, share their behind the scenes. I recommend creative live website as it has great workshops with great artists that can remind you why you love photography and kick your behind into gear.Besides that I get inspired by other images, browsing through Instagram, seeing beautiful photos, or any type of art can spark an idea.

Tips for noob photographers?

Go out and shoot, anything, everything, decide which gives you more pleasure, what do you have an eye for.
Read the camera manual and understand camera manual settings.
Always shoot raw
Copy images to learn techniques but don't claim them as your own, or at least link to the original artist.
Ask questions

If you had to shoot just one genre, what would that be?

Oh such a difficult choice .. I will have to say people, beauty portraits, fashion photography. But it's also quite a difficult type of photography to shoot for due to my nervousness around new people. I am aware of it and push myself .. it gets better every time. Repetition teaches your body and mind how to succeed.

Any photography pet hates?

Too much retouching - you know when you are just slide the saturation or contrast too much?! Or think that blurring and removing all skin texture and all shadows will make a portrait look better? That!
Copying - I just don't like people copying someone else is work. Or my work, my ideas, my words and I don't know what to do about it. It takes a lot to calm myself when things like that happen especially when someone you know is doing it.

Any photography faux pas?

I am not sure if I understand this question very well but here are some examples of what I think is photography faux pas:

I had this amazing shoot with my beautiful aunt, on a beach but the day was quite dull and the light was not great, and I shot all of it in jpeg. This was 5 years ago and I still regret it but it taught me a valuable lesson: Raw is best!
After a first shoot with a model I never met before, while editing the images I realised my SD card was corrupted and a lot of the images where unusable. After the initial scare I realised the thumbnails looked ok meaning a jpeg version of the file could be recovered with some command line coding magic (thanks Software engineering degree).
When I was younger I used to edit too much, I was learning photoshop and had a crazy obsession with changing eye colours, lip colour, and backgrounds .. most of times leaving the image look very fake and unappealing.

Diana 5/24/16 Diana 5/24/16

Life thoughts

Since I was little I loved quotes and words of wisdom but I always preferred to learn things on my own. Now, when reading through life lessons and quotes, found on different articles, I feel a small nudge at my heart considering how right they were.

Don't buy the things you don't need

While growing up we didn't have a lot of money, a lot of choice, a lot of toys. We did have a lot of other things though: a lot of love, and fun, and friends, and sunny days.Since growing old and moving to UK many things changed, I might even say things turned around. There is so much choice here ('Should I get that or that?', 'What if that is better', 'I must have it!') and there is so much being produced. Everyone wants to be on top with the latest trends, latest technology, and we're so busy with making choices renewing the things we own that we forget to make time for the old things we used to love as kids.How do we break out of that? It's not only about us .. but about the whole world. Buy something that lasts, you will have to repurchase less. Buy eco and local, it will grow the businesses around you, keep people employed. Respect the work others do, it's easy to get the affordable things, but remember these come from someone's work.

Don't let your past ruin your future

Many times we hold on to experiences in the past, things we wished we would have done differently, things we wished didn't happen to us. It's interesting how we remember the difficult/sad times more than we remember the good. What are you doing now? How is your day? Did you smiled today? Did someone smiled at you? Embrace the little things, leave in the present, let go of the things that hold you down. Day dream about your dreams. Make a list of what you're grateful for and what you love doing and see how you can do more of it.

Don't compare your life to others

Since the internet, and especially since social media everyone is in everyone's business. I know what they do, they know what I do, it's all out there for everyone to see! It's inevitable to admire(or be jealous) of what others have and want it without considering what surrounds us, without thinking that we don't see the real picture (overlooking our life and romanticising other's).We're all connected now ... but in the same time we're all hiding who we really are behind a mask of optimism, happy images, pretty clothes and amazing activities. Because most of the times we're scared to share what is really behind this mask - ourselves.Don't be scared, we all cry and feel down once in a while, we are all scared of something, we all have a bad hair day. It's ok - the image we portray doesn't represent the person we are. You have to get to know us.. we have to let ourself get known.

Time heals almost everything. Give Time time.

What I learned while dealing with anxiety, moments of depression and disappointment is that it always gets better (and they always repeat - but that's another story).What my dad keeps bugging me with: "Observe the moment" remember it and then observe the following. It's a life lesson you learn by observing that all these moments are changing, growing with you, and the way you react to them make a day either bad or good. So think of it this way .. would this really matter in 5 years? Doesn't life always proved to us that there are days when you smile, and when people smile at you?! Hold on, these days always come back........................................................I'm still learning and still have to listen to some of my own advice :)

Diana 1/1/16 Diana 1/1/16

New year resolutions

Can't believe it's 2016 ..I mean, where did this 2015 go? Can we just slow down a little bit?! new year resolutions I'm getting old but I feel the same really it's just the knowledge that years are passing and wrinkles are threatening. I have a few things I want to achieve this year and hopefully I'll be more organised than the last one. Here are my 2016 resolutions:

Visit 3 new countries
Start a second photo project 52 (a photo session a week) - this needs to be planned in advance
Same as 2 but for blog posts
Drink more water - at least 2l/day
Get fit - gym at least 2 times a week - Year goal: manage to fit in boots by next winter.
Run 2 races for charity :)
Read (most likely listen to) > 40 books (bookmark best/worst bits and write short reviews/opinion/quote posts about them)
Shoot some new models (with the camera) - approach at least 2 new people on Model Mayhem.
Learn 2 more complex pieces on piano (classic + chart music)
Be more organised - Plan week in advance

Here's another post I enjoyed about resolutions for the start of a year:New year resolutionsAlso a quick read to help you stick to your plans for the new year:3 Reasons Resolutions Fail and How to Beat the OddsHappy new year everyone! May it be filled with amazing friendships, great opportunities and happy memories you'll never want to forget!