February's Photography Lesson! Rhode Island and Massachusetts photography newsletter, camera advice, photography tips.

Thank you everyone for your recent newsletter subscriptions. March's newsletter is in the works and there is a great deal for April sessions only for our newsletter readers! You can subscribe to the newsletter by entering your email address on the right hand side of the blog and be the first to hear Heidi Hope news and promotions! Here is February's camera lesson from the newsletter for those of you who recently signed up:

Taking Pictures Outdoors in Snow

Photographing your children outdoors in the snow can be tricky. You may find that your kids come out too dark against a background that is too bright, or that they are blurry when in action. Here are some helpful hints to ensure you get that snowflake caught on the tongue, sled cruise down the hill, snowman being made.... or tea party!




1) Set your camera on beach/snow scene to ensure proper exposure. This setting can be found in your special scenes menu. Check your camera manual to locate this feature.

2) Increase your aperture 2 stops if you have manual settings. This will compensate for the bright background and correct your kids turning into 'silhouettes'.

3) Set your camera on action mode if kids are moving. Otherwise they might be blurred. This setting may also be found in your special scenes menu under kids and pets mode.

4) Turn on your flash to balance the light reflecting off the snow as well as to lighten kids’ faces that might be in shadow.

5) Set your white balance. You may have a manual setting on your camera that allows you to point it at something white and then press the white balance button or setting on your menu. Setting your white balance will get rid of that bluish tint and will also rectify photos that are too light or too dark.

6) Don’t leave your camera out in the cold; your rechargeable batteries will drain more quickly in cold temperatures.

7) Have fun! Smiling yourself, singing, clapping, and playing peek-a-boo are all great ways to get your kids to smile if they aren’t already!

Another adorable baby boy! Baby C 7 months old. Rhode Island and Massachusetts baby photographer creates baby's first year portraits.

The under one crowd has been keeping me busy this month and I swear every session is my new favorite. This little 7 month old was an absolute joy to photograph. He was so sweet and smiley. I just adore his two front teeth! 7 months is such a perfect age to photograph. Babies are usually sitting up well by then, love smiling at my horrible singing skills, but they also still look like "babies"! Enjoy your preview mom and dad. Can't wait to see you again soon!

Baby A's 1 year old session. Another baby's first year graduate! Rhode Island and Massachusetts photographer creates in home baby portraits in Ma

What a way to get through this long winter! I have had so much fun over the past weeks celebrating the first birthdays of many of my Baby's First Year clients from 2009. Last week I traveled to Baby A's house for a fun and relaxed 1 year old session. You may remember A from his last 2 previews at 6 months and 9 months. At this shoot I also wanted to capture some of the special details of A as a baby before his baby days are too soon past. It is always sad to say good bye to a baby's first year client at their one year shoot, but I hope to continue creating memories for these families as they grow and I feel so blessed to have been a part of capturing the special moments of their year past. Thank you and enjoy your preview mom and dad.

Happy birthday baby R! Rhode Island baby photographer creates studio baby's first year portraits and baby's first birthday cake smash portraits

You might recognize this adorable face. The lashes to die for. The pouty lips. I have loved photographing this baby over the past year and had a ball photographing her cake smash last week. She wasn't much in the mood for my camera, but she LOVED the cake! It's odd, I find many babies are actually scared of the cake. I think they aren't quite sure what to make of it. Not R! She barely gave me a shot before digging in! Enjoy the preview mom and dad. Thanks for choosing me to capture baby R in the past months :0)

Simply sweet baby girl. Rhode Island newborn baby photographer creates studio newborn portraits in Warwick RI portrait photography studio.

This sweet baby girl came to visit the studio last week. We actually had to reschedule our original session date because I had come down with the stomach flu that, judging by everyone's facebook profiles, has now traveled through the whole state of Rhode Island. The next day we were hit with some more snow (is everyone around here as ready for the summer as I am?!?!). Mom and dad were traveling a long way from North of Boston so we postponed another day. Finally our session worked out and this little girl didn't want to miss a moment of it. She was the most alert newborn I've photographed in some time. I think you have a smarty pants on your hands mom and dad. She looked straight into my lens with fantastic eye control. We finally did get a few sleepy shots and thankfully mom and dad preferred simplicity so we didn't need to try any crazy posing! Enjoy your preview mom and dad. She is simply beautiful!

Rhode Island Newborn Photographer giving away 1 free Newborn Portrait Photography Session!

This is the last week to enter the newborn session giveaway from Heidi Hope Photography! The newborn session is COMPLETELY FREE for one lucky facebook fan to celebrate our facebook page's popularity and fantastic followers!

The Heidi Hope Newborn Session Giveaway includes the following:

• 1 complimentary 3-hour Weekday Studio Newborn session during baby’s first 2 weeks of life.
• Portrait preview and image sharing on facebook at your request.
• Password protected online gallery of approximately 30 fully edited newborn portraits.
• 2 complimentary 8x10 portraits of your choice.
• 48 wallets of your favorite pose.

The session giveaway only includes the items above. The giveaway does not include any other prints, digital images, or products. Anything in addition to the above is available for purchase separately at the prices current during the gallery posting. There is absolutely no purchase necessary to enter and win the contest!

You can read more about the newborn session experience, along with all of the sessions we offer on HeidiHope.com

Rules for Entry

Entrants must be due between March 1^st 2010 and September 1^st 2010. Entrants must also be a fan of Heidi Hope Photography on facebook. The winner must sign the standard Heidi Hope Photography portrait agreement along with a contract agreeing to the above terms. The session will be held at the Heidi Hope Studio in Warwick, RI and parents must arrange to travel to the studio on their scheduled session date. There are no substitutions or exchanges and no cash value to the give away items. Fathers may enter for their partners, but please only one entry per expecting couple.

To enter the drawing, please email heidi@heidihope.com with ONLY the following information:

Full Name

Due Date

Email Address

Facebook Name

Phone Number

Please make the subject of the email: Newborn Contest Entry

Please only one entry per expecting mother/couple.

Email addresses that have been submitted with the above information will be entered into a drawing on February 28^th. The drawing will take place using a third party draw system, random.org and all entrants will receive a confirmation email prior to the drawing on February 28th. Entries must be received between February 1^st 2010, and February 27^th 2010. The winner will be notified on facebook on March 1st, so keep an eye out there!

Please do not enter a friend or family member. Entries must be received by the expecting parents, so go tell everyone you know that has a baby on the way!

Already booked a Heidi Hope Newborn session for the spring?? If your newborn session has been booked and your due dates is between March 1st 2010 and September 1st 2010, you can still win! Please follow the entry directions above, and if you win, you will be credited the above items!

Baby on the way! Rhode Island and Massachusetts maternity photographer creates studio pregnancy portraits.

This adorable couple came to visit the studio last weekend for their maternity portraits. They will be visiting again in a few short weeks for their newborn session as well! I can't wait to meet their sweet little addition. Enjoy your preview mom and dad-to-be!

Birthday Boy S. Rhode Island and Massachusetts baby photographer creates first birthday cake smash portraits.

This little man came to visit the studio last week to celebrate his first birthday with a cake smash. He was the first baby who genuinely loved digging into their birthday cake! Most babies are a little weary of what to do with the cake when we place it in front of them, but not this guy. He crawled right up and had a ball! Enjoy your preview mom and dad.

I'm about to have another niece! Rhode Island and Massachusetts maternity portrait photographer for on location outdoor and studio pregnancy portrait

I am so thrilled to share this preview with you. This gorgeous couple is very dear to me, and inside that beautiful belly is my soon-to-be-born niece! With less than a month to go, I figured I better get going on this preview and gallery. Mom and dad-to-be have been patiently waiting for it to go up. That's what happens when you are family... I know you'll still love me even if I'm horribly late posting your preview! This couple wasn't crazy about the standard maternity portraiture so I got to have lots of fun trying out new stuff. We even headed outdoors and they braved the FREEZING cold for the end of the session. Enjoy your preview G and K. I can't wait to welcome this baby girl into the world :0)

Baby D, a little doll! Rhode Island and Massachusetts newborn baby photographer creates fine art newborn portraits in natural light studio

Last week was full of babies and this sweet little girl was another one to make my heart melt. She looked like a little doll with cherry red lips and dark skin and lashes. She required almost no editing her skin was so perfect! Mom and dad brought along a blanket that was a family heirloom and I just so happened to buy a yellow pot a few weeks back that matched it perfectly. I love the challenge of creatively incorporating keepsakes into the sets we think up, and I adore the results here! I also had the chance to use a brand new wrap that I recently ordered. We tried it on baby C earlier in the week but he was just a bit to long to curl into it. Baby D turned out to be just the right size. Add a flower and it was just perfection! Enjoy your preview mom and dad!

Baby C Studio Newborn Portraits. Rhode Island and Massachusetts newborn baby portrait photographer creates newborn baby portraits in Warwick RI

This adorable little man came to the studio to visit last week. You may remember mom and dad from their maternity shoot. The whole family braved the blizzard that never was to come into the studio early last Wednesday morning. Because of the impending storm, it was a bit darker than I prefer in the studio, but we managed to get some adorable portraits just the same! Baby C slept for us in the beginning and by the end was up and ready to join the party. I used to shoot families of newborns all in black, but lately have been asking parents to bring white shirts as well for a fresh and light look. I'm really happy with the results on white! Enjoy your preview mom and dad.

Happy Valentines Day!

Babies G and P. Twin Newborn Portraits. Rhode Island and Massachusetts newborn multiples photographer creates studio newborn twin photographs.

One last preview today and then it is off to prep some galleries and mail out some orders! These adorable baby boys came to the studio this week. They were actually 6 weeks old at our session and I think the oldest newborns I have photographed to date! They did amazing for their age and I had fun working with their family. In person I could hardly tell them apart (although they aren't identical) but when editing I always knew who was who. This was also my first shoot with my assistant Christina. I can't begin to tell you how much easier a twin shoot is with an extra set of hands. Being a mommy to twin girls herself, she was a natural! Enjoy your preview mom and dad.