If you are wanting to step up your Photography game in 2012 – learn how to work with natural light, find the good locations, and edit like me – THIS IS YOUR CHANCE! You’ll be able to download 4 videos and a beautiful PDF (including my 90 minutes Q&A interview with Sarah of CM) to save and keep forever. Really, YOURS FOREVER!

Everyone who has signed up has given it rave reviews (thanks!) and says it applies to ANY portrait photographer working on-location with natural light and/or wanting to work with Professional Makeup. I can’t express enough how amazing this experience has been, and how much I loved putting together all the materials.

Now HURRY – don’t MISS out!! We’ve even started an exclusive private Facebook Group for alumni that you’ll get the link to in the forum! XOXO

Remember… everyone starts somewhere. You never know where someone is on the path of their journey, but it is certainly different than YOUR path. Enjoy your own pace and successes & failures – for we ALL have them in our own time.

Don’t be discouraged – and don’t be afraid to believe in yourself! I have to take a break “from it all” every so often to gain perspective on my OWN journey as an artist. Thank you for reading and please please pass it along. Thank you and have a FABULOUS week!! XOXO

I have spent the last 2 months putting together all the content (outlining, video, writing, speaking, etc) and I am so proud to share with you the final product. It was truly a labor of love and I hope you enjoy it! Please note you do NOT need to be a High School Senior Portrait Photographer to enjoy this information!! While that is my niche, almost 100% of this information can apply to ANY portrait photographer working on location – or a Fashion Photographer, lifestyle Photographer, and anyone wanting to incorporate Professional Makeup Application into their workflow.

Go ahead and [Sign up NOW!] Only $50 – and space is limited. See you there!! XOXO And if you’re on the fence check out what people are already saying -

“I cannot believe how much Michelle shares in the break out session. I am in awe and totally inspired now! The best part is that this breakout session isn’t just for those shooting seniors but any portrait photographer. Not only does Michelle provide a detailed PDF but 3 videos explaining things!! I love being able to watch her work and hear her further explain things. This is a MUST have breakout session! Thank you Michelle for putting this together.” – [Heather N.]

“I just got finished with her material and wow, she is absolutely amazing!!! She held back NOTHING and I can’t wait to incorporate her ideas. If you are wanting to take the breakout session; just do it! It was worth it.” – Michelle C.

“I couldn’t agree more! I cannot even tell you how excited I am to grab my camera and run out there! I’ve only finished part of the material and I’m BLOWN away! The awesome thing is I really feel it applies to more than JUST seniors…you can use it for anything!” – Teran S.

“I wanted to focus my business on seniors this year and when I saw a breakout session with Michelle I was soooo excited!! I took it as a sign that I need to pursue this and focus on senior photos. The breakout session was so good. So informative!! I LOVED it and was very inspired by it! Thanks Michelle for sharing your amazing talent!! LOOOOOOOOOOOVE your work!” – [Sandrine H.]

**UPDATE** Check out this [full review] by Photographer Meredith Sledge over on her blog. Thanks Meredith!

*******
A HUGE shout-out to [Anne Raynor] for creating such a beautiful 45+ page PDF of beautiful content, [Joel Clare] for filming, and the talented [Jenny Bowker] for guest starring – along with [Kate Magee]. Also a MASSIVE thank you to [Ross Laing] and [Michael Cross] for editing together and making my videos look perfect and polished!! And I could not have done this without the amazing support of my fiancé. Thank you!!!

If you’ve ever wanted the chance to learn from me in a very open and candid format, this is going to be your FIRST chance to do so! I’ve been working on all the content (and am putting the final touches on everything) for the forum, and cannot wait to share. All the details about how to sign up, what to do, and more will be available following my interview next week, so MARK YOUR CALENDARS, and put away $50 to take part this awesome opportunity! I’ll make sure to update you with a link directly to sign up when registration goes live on January 19th.

**UPDATE** Be sure to [Register here] for my “Senior Success” Breakout Session January 19th – February 2nd, 2012

*Please note you do NOT have to be a member of CM to take part in this amazing learning opportunity! However, CM has graciously offered all my blog readers and Facebook fans a 20% off for new memberships. You MUST be a NEW member to use this code! This expires January 31st, 2012. Please use code MOORE20 to received your 20% off a new membership!!

I’ll be covering a variety of topics in-depth, on video, in text and more! PLUS you’ll be able to ask me any question you’d like. To name a few I’ll be covering;

* A 30 minute chat with a special guest speaker about how I incorporate professional makeup application in to my sessions, and advice about how you can do the same
* A 45+ page PDF going over working on location with natural lighting with TONS of beautiful images and tricks & tips!
* A behind-the-scenes video of me shooting in a difficult lighting situation with a High School Senior
* My editing process from start to finish
* Ask any question and have it answered in a 45 minute Q&A recorded following the “Breakout Session”
* … and a special BONUS discount on something else coming from me in Spring 2012!

READY FOR THE FUN PART? We are giving away TWO fun prizes – a ONE YEAR Membership** to the [Clickin Moms Forum] – and a FREE SEAT to my “Breakout Session” coming January 19th ($50 value)!

How to enter? Please just follow these instructions:
1 – Leave a comment on this blog post with your 2012 NY resolution! (Please be sure to include your name and a valid email address)
2 – Be sure you “Like” BOTH the [Michelle Moore] & [Clickin Moms] Facebook fan pages
3 – Change your twitter or Facebook status say:
“I’m so excited for the Michelle Moore & Clickin Moms “Senior Success” Breakout coming Jan 19! http://wp.me/pnScL-1mN”

Comments are NOW CLOSED and our [Winners have been announced]. Thank you to everyone who entered!!

(**Only new members can win a FREE ONE YEAR Membership + If you purchase a 20% off a membership above and WIN this prize you will be re-reimbursed!!)

I’m going to walk you through an easy and breezy FAQ about how to get SAUCY black & white images using [TR Actions]. FIRST, look for some good images that will have that WOW factor in B&W. You’ll want to be sure that you are getting started off on the right foot.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A POTENTIAL B&W IMAGE
*Look for really even and good light on your subject’s face
*Good catch-lights are a plus (they will stand out more in your conversion)
*CONTRAST – whether it’s in the clothes, or the background, or your lighting, you’ll want something that will translate to a strong black, and a strong white in your B&W image – otherwise it will be too gray.
*Texture – if you have an interesting background, or your client is wearing something with good texture, it will create a nice contrast for your B&W image. For example, in the image we use below, my client has a dress with a lot of texture and pieces of dark and light which will stand out nicely in our B&W.
*Strong pose/Emotional expression or good “mood”

PREPPING YOUR IMAGE
Here is my image straight out of camera. I chose it for the strong, centered pose. I also looked for good contrast in the image and clothes. The lighting is very good on her face – I was using a reflector to bounce a good amount of light into the shadows, creating nice smooth light across her face, and perfect catch lights.

I then adjusted my image in ACR. To get MORE IN-DEPTH about how to prepare your image in ACR, please read [my article about getting good skin tones]. It goes over my post-processing technique which is quite easy and simple! *NOTE* Here I brought the exposure down a little bit (so I made it a bit darker) because I know the [TR Action] I am using will create a LOT of contrast, so I don’t want to lose detail in the highlights. I also made the image a bit “cooler” (i.e. brought the color temperature down) so it’s just a slight blue shade. This gives really strong B&W tones!

Once in [Photoshop] I created a new Layer to adjust any small re-touching needs. I fixed a small hair on her cheek, and softened the under-eye area. I also did minor dodging and burning to make sure the image was just-right before the next step!

With my new layer selected I ran the [TR Action] “Milk & Cookies (B&W)” from their TRA2 – the Revenge set. This makes sure the action runs on top of your newest layer. Better yet, you can always flatten and then run this action.

BUT – STOP HERE. I did not like how the action looked straight out of the box, so I want to do some adjustments before finishing up!! For this image the “tone curve” made the image look too bright (or blown out in the highlights) so I made a quick minor adjustment.

ADJUSTMENTS
*Click on the “milk & cookies” layer to open the different pieces of the layer
*Click on “tone-curve”
*I adjusted the tone-curve to about 60% here
*Then using an s-curve as described in my [post-processing article] I created the amount of contrast I wanted.
*I made sure the “curves” layer was in between my image layer and the “milk & cookies” layer
*I adjusted the s-curves layer to about 60% to create the perfect amount of contrast I needed.

You can go in and play with the layers depending on your image, and shooting style. It only takes a minute and will allow you to get the perfect image!

Viola! I prepared my image for the web [as described in my "web-ready" tutorial] and the uploaded to my FTP! “Web-Sharpen” is another action from the [TR Action set] and can be found in TRA1 – The Original

More questions? Please feel free to comment below! Spread the word about the super-special discount and HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

Check out our favorite [Gear]. This session shot with a Canon 1Ds MK II, + [85mm 1.2L]

Seriously, [Thirst Relief] is an amazing organization. You can check our their [Vision & Mission Statement] while learning about how they provide clean drinking water to those in need. Think about it, $5 can provide 25 YEARS of clean drinking water to ONE person. 100% of the money you bid on any one mentor auction goes directly to Thirst Relief and can bring clean drinking water to HUNDREDS of people. Get ready to make a difference, and get your learn on!

The [Mentor Session Bidding] starts on eBay on Monday November 14th. Feel free to check out all the Mentors donating their time, as there will be a lot of people from all areas of expertise donating!!

UPDATED NOVEMBER 14th – [bid on my Mentor Session Auction] now until November 17th!!

ABOUT MY MENTOR AUCTION:
90 minute lunch or coffee date on me (SEATTLE only) or Skype/Phone chat to go over your most pressing photography questions! I’d love to chat with you about your photography business and questions you may have about your work, growing your business and anything else fun and involving fashion (like how much I love [pinterest]!). My principle areas of expertise fall into three categories: breaking into the fashion industry, leveraging social media for your business, and working with your clients or models to get natural looking poses. I’m looking forward to meeting you!

THE “GOODIE” BAG:
A set of Photoshop actions from [Formula Actions for Photoshop]
A brand-spanking new camera bag from [Kelly Moore Bags] (I shoot with the Mimi Bag – it’s my favorite!!)
A ProPhoto 4 Blog template from [ProPhoto Blogs] (I have been using ProPhoto since version 1 for my blog and I LOVE them!)
A gift certificate for an Album from [Asukabook] (Asukabook is my official Album company for my High School Senior Portrait clients)

I’m so excited to be a part of this AMAZING Mentor Auction again in 2012, and thrilled about all our amazing sponsors!! The goodie bag alone is well worth over $600!! Please be sure to spread the word, and BID on my auction. I’m looking forward to meeting you :)

Photo by [Kristen Marie Photography]

When I first started my interest in photography, I photographed a wide range of things. Bands, children, portraits, families – anything to give it a try! Eventually I focused more on specific work; Weddings, Model Testing, High School Senior Portraits, and Headshots. Even though I now focus solely on Commercial and Lifestyle Editorial and High School Senior Portrait work, I do truly believe many of my strengths as a portrait and fashion photographer come from all my experience across a wide variety of photography in the early days of my career.

Think of the ways Wedding and Event photography can help you – they can give you skills to work in low-lighting situations, help you think on your feet in seconds, give you great client management skills, and so on. Working with new models helps give me skills to pose my teens, and working with shy teens helps me to work in any situation with someone who is uncomfortable in front of the camera. Sometimes it is good to step outside of your comfort zone and add a new tool to your skill set. If you have been wanting to try something new, but lack the experience, see if you can assist for another photographer. There are so many opportunities that await you, and as you grow as a photographer it is great to try EVERYTHING before you can truly know what you love and are best at. Many of those learning experiences along the way will help you be a stronger shooter in your eventual area of expertise.

That’s just a start! Don’t be afraid of trying new things. When we step outside our safety nets we are given amazing opportunities to learn. When you feel like you don’t know the answer, or want to seek advice, look for great resources close to you; books, online learning, workshops, mentors, or fellow photographers in your community.

UNDRESSED Event Photos by, [Michelle Moore]
Shoes by, [Report Shoes]
Hair by, the wonderful team at [7 Salon]
Makeup by, a team of local artists for [MAC Cosmetics]
Models for, [TCM]

Please feel free to discuss/weigh in down in the comment section. This is something I wrote a few months ago, and I was unsure of publishing, but I wanted to share my thoughts with my readers so we can chat more about it!! Happy FRIDAY!!!

Model, Kara for [SMG]
Hair & Makeup, [Jenny Bowker]

Why Instagram?!
*FREE
*Make your photos into Polaroids
*Simple and easy integration with facebook, twitter, tumblr, and more!
*Follow your friends + other cool companies/magazines/bands, etc.
*It saves a copy of your Polaroid art into your photo album. Easy-peasey!

Ways WE use Instagram,
*Behind-the-Scenes Photos
*Peeks into our shoots
*Images from the daily life of Michelle!
*Plus you can download the images by following us on [Twitter]

Why YOU should get it!
*FREE (did I mention this yet?)
*FUN!
*Get your friends to join too – you could take pictures of your potential senior portrait outfits and share with your friends for their opinions!!
*Follow us at moorephoto and other cool companies (like TeenVogue) for other cool pics!

Top left to right: Senior Rep Kaylee, Flowers at Oddfellows Cafe, Senior Rep Shannon
Center left to right: Roses on the 4th of July, Senior Rep Christine & Pup Benny, BTS at Kaki’s Model Test
Bottom left to right: BTS at Kaki’s Model Test, Make-up Artist Jenny Bowker, Jenny’s Make-up Kit

I spent years shooting everything from bands, to weddings to learn what I really wanted to do was Fashion & High School Senior Portrait Photography. We are all human, and we reach our goals, miss others, learn along the way, and come to a crossroads time and time again. Sometimes all it takes is a good conversation (or twenty), a good cry, a few dozen “nos” and then maybe something clicks. Don’t give up! Keep experimenting, trying, shooting, loving, talking, networking and repeat.

PS, [Committed People rule out Excuses], get [Used to hearing no] and [Do the work]. The rest will follow!
Be inspired, don’t be discouraged, and have a good weekend! Happy July!! Check out a little sneak peek below. SUMMER is here!!