Category: headshots

A Photo a Week Challenge: She’s Got The Look

My sister’s son asked me to take some professional photos for him. He has to put together a business website for his careers advancement class. It was a lot of fun. My sister’s home is a wonderful place to take photos. This great shot of her was taken in their living room (yes, they really do have some stone walls like this inside their home). My sister’s a blast to hang out with and to photograph. We were waiting for my nephew to change his shirt for the more formal headshots when I grabbed this one of my sister. I was testing lighting and focus, and she gave me this look. It really does say almost everything about her personality: fun, sarcastic, open. I love her dearly (though growing up, my parents might not have thought that was possible). I’m so glad that we have become such good friends as adults.

IN A NEW POST CREATED FOR THIS CHALLENGE, SHARE A PHOTO OR TWO (OR MORE) THAT REALLY CAPTURES SOMEONE’S PERSONALITY.

Everyone is welcome to participate, even if your blog isn’t about photography.

Here’s how it works:

  1. Each week, I’ll come up with a theme and post a photo that I think fits. You take photographs based on your interpretation of the theme, and post them on your blog (a new post!) anytime before the following Thursday, when the next photo theme will be announced.
  2. To make it easy for others to check out your photos, title your blog post “A Photo a Week Challenge: (theme of the week)” and be sure to use the “postaday″ tag.
  3. Come back here and post a link to your image in the comments for this challenge.
  4. Follow nancy merrill photography so that you don’t miss out on weekly challenge announcements.
Advertisement

A Photo a Week Challenge: Hats Off

This little guy was so much fun to photograph. His mommy and daddy had wonderful ideas for his shoot. This little hat was for a doll, but it fit him perfectly. His great-grandpa wore a very similar hat, so it was perfect for him to wear it. When shooting portraits, accessories can be great. They also can be a huge distraction. It can take trial and error to figure out if something works or not. This hat worked.

IN A NEW POST CREATED FOR THIS CHALLENGE, SHARE A PHOTO OR TWO FEATURING ACCESSORIES, LIKE HATS.

Everyone is welcome to participate, even if your blog isn’t about photography.

Here’s how it works:

  1. Each week, I’ll come up with a theme and post a photo that I think fits. You take photographs based on your interpretation of the theme, and post them on your blog (a new post!) anytime before the following Thursday, when the next photo theme will be announced.
  2. To make it easy for others to check out your photos, title your blog post “A Photo a Week Challenge: (theme of the week)” and be sure to use the “postaday″ and “Photo a Week” tags.
  3. Come back here and post a link to your image in the comments for this challenge.
  4. Follow nancy merrill photography so that you don’t miss out on weekly challenge announcements.

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Eyes

I just can’t get enough of these eyes. I’m also including a slideshow of previously posted eye images.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

For more from this challenge, visit Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Eyes.

A Photo a Week Challenge: Girl Power

girl_power_nmp

While it might seem a bit cliche, literally none of us would be here without women. All of our lives have been touched by women: mothers, grandmothers, aunts, cousins, sisters. I was fortunately enough to take family photos for this wonderful group of women (and the men in their lives). What a great legacy.

Also, I could not do a challenge honoring women without including a photo of my own amazing mom. She is loving, supportive, intelligent, caring, and an amazing example of all that a woman can and should be. I love you, Mom.

girl_power2_nmp

IN A NEW POST CREATED FOR THIS CHALLENGE, SHARE A NEW PHOTO OR TWO (OR MORE) OF THE WOMEN IN YOUR LIFE.

Everyone is welcome to participate, even if your blog isn’t about photography.

Here’s how it works:

  1. Each week, I’ll come up with a theme and post a photo that I think fits. You take photographs based on your interpretation of the theme, and post them on your blog (a new post!) anytime before the following Thursday, when the next photo theme will be announced.
  2. To make it easy for others to check out your photos, title your blog post “A Photo a Week Challenge: (theme of the week)” and be sure to use the “postaday″ tag.
  3. Come back here and post a link to your image in the comments for this challenge.
  4. Follow nancy merrill photography so that you don’t miss out on weekly challenge announcements.

A Photo a Week Challenge: Props

Lost in a good book
Baby D

When doing a shoot for a child or high school senior, I tell my clients to bring things they are interested in. For small children, I suggest parents bring favorite toys. Having something familiar can help them relax and brings out really fun things in their personalities. Too many props can get in the way, but a few well-selected ones really help to make the portrait shoot more memorable and more fun for your clients.

IN A NEW POST CREATED FOR THIS CHALLENGE, SHARE ONE OR TWO OR MORE PHOTOS FEATURING PEOPLE WITH PROPS.

Everyone is welcome to participate, even if your blog isn’t about photography.

Here’s how it works:

  1. Each week, I’ll come up with a theme and post a photo that I think fits. You take photographs based on your interpretation of the theme, and post them on your blog (a new post!) anytime before the following Thursday, when the next photo theme will be announced.
  2. To make it easy for others to check out your photos, title your blog post “A Photo a Week Challenge: (theme of the week)” and be sure to use the “postaday″ tag.
  3. Come back here and post a link to your image in the comments for this challenge.
  4. Follow nancy merrill photography so that you don’t miss out on weekly challenge announcements.

A Photo A Week: Thankfulness

thanks_nmp

Today, the United States celebrates Thanksgiving, and so I’ve been thinking of what I’m thankful for. I post a lot of pictures of my husband, who I am very thankful for every day. I post a lot of pictures of the beautiful state of Utah, where I live. I post a lot of pictures of the amazing places we’ve been able to see as we travel this amazing world we live in. But today, I have to thank the amazing woman who raised me. Thanks, Mom. You are my hero. You have shown grace and strength in very difficult times. You have demonstrated true, unconditional love to your family and others, even strangers. You have been the best example of what it means to mother. I know you’re not perfect, but you are the perfect mother for me. I love you, Mom.

IN A NEW POST CREATED FOR THIS CHALLENGE, SHARE ONE OR TWO OR MORE PHOTOS OF WHAT YOU ARE THANKFUL FOR.

Everyone is welcome to participate, even if your blog isn’t about photography.

Here’s how it works:

  1. Each week, I’ll come up with a theme and post a photo that I think fits. You take photographs based on your interpretation of the theme, and post them on your blog (a new post!) anytime before the following Thursday, when the next photo theme will be announced.
  2. To make it easy for others to check out your photos, title your blog post “A Photo a Week Challenge: (theme of the week)” and be sure to use the “postaday″ tag.
  3. Come back here and post a link to your image in the comments for this challenge.
  4. Follow nancy merrill photography so that you don’t miss out on weekly challenge announcements.

A Photo a Week Challenge: Cropping

Cropping is a very important tool in any photographer’s arsenal. Cropping can take a picture from okay to interesting. It can change the feeling or perspective of a shot. Cropping a shot from landscape to portrait (or vise versa) can help change the focus of your image. Cropping helps you tell your story in exactly the way you want. This week, have fun playing around with the cropping tools in whatever photo editing software you prefer.

IN A NEW POST CREATED FOR THIS CHALLENGE, SHARE BEFORE AND AFTER CROPPING FUN.

Everyone is welcome to participate, even if your blog isn’t about photography.

Here’s how it works:

  1. Each week, I’ll come up with a theme and post a photo that I think fits. You take photographs based on your interpretation of the theme, and post them on your blog (a new post!) anytime before the following Thursday, when the next photo theme will be announced.
  2. To make it easy for others to check out your photos, title your blog post “A Photo a Week Challenge: (theme of the week)” and be sure to use the “postaday″ tag.
  3. Come back here and post a link to your image in the comments for this challenge.
  4. Follow nancy merrill photography so that you don’t miss out on weekly challenge announcements.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Eye Spy

What a happy marriage looks like
Riley
Baby C
Beautiful Aubrey
Heather
So pretty
Playing with the new lens
Jen
Sisters!
Big yawn from Baby O
Up close and personal
Baby C is crawling!
Pausing
C in the rye
What are you doing?
Russell & Don
Squishy Ri
Trapped
Taylor
Happy Baby R
Hello there!
Why, hello!
Waiting for the wedding
Elisabeth
Focus

As a portrait and wedding photographer, I try to pay extra attention to people’s eyes. Here are some old and new photos for this challenge.

For more entries, visit Weekly Photo Challenge: Eye Spy.

After Before Week 51

Life has become a bit hectic lately, so for this week’s challenge, I have only the after and before to show you, but I can tell you what I did to get from point A to point B.

First, here’s the after:

Nancy Merrill After 51

Now the before:

Nancy Merrill Before 51

As you can see, the image was almost completely black and really useless. I used the RAW converter in Photoshop to gently lighten the image, then I used a layer to removed a couple of blemishes and another layer to add an iris blur to focus on her profile.

To see more examples from this challenge, visit After-Before Week 51 Challenge.

After-Before logo

Click the image above for rules on joining the fun!