Tag: self-portrait

Spring Daydreams | Pink Nymph Fantasy Photoshoot

pink fantasy makeup of a spring nymph

pink fantasy


Step into the Shadows and shop creations and join our OnlyFans~

Couture Horns and Antler Necklace: Blessed Shadows
Makeup features Physicians Formula, Wet n Wild, and CoverGirl.

 

This fantasy photoshoot was such a blast, with the bed of flowers (literally), distressed thrifted book, handmade couture, thrifted lace and butterflies in the hair…

A dream come true!

 

Spring is here, and hopefully we’re all working hard to be safe.

Whether we’re still working or have been quarantined, let’s keep safe, stay hydrated, and make time to enjoy the start of spring as much as we can.

It’s the beauty of the little things in nature that matter, our chosen families that are at our sides.

Be safe, stay hydrated, enjoy nature.

 

by romanleaf

Portrait Photography Must-Haves| Best Additions to the Photography Studio

In this list you’re going to find my favorite additions to the photography studio over the last ten years, big and small.

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Before I get started on my favorite photography equipment, I highly encourage you to start small! You get get started with some basic photography equipment listed here!

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Everyone’s favorite tools and equipment and accessories for their work are personal, here’s mine:

Photography Equipment

  • DSLR body: Start out with a basic body. I still love my kit camera from 10 years ago, it’s a Nikon D3100 with my upgrade being a D3300.
  • Glass: I’ve become a sucker for fast prime lenses in this small studio. My favorites are 85mm f/1.8 and my 50mm lens.
  • Ring light: Perfect for smaller studio spaces.
  • Continuous Lighting: I love lightweight floor lamps with daylight LED bulbs.
  • Flashguns and umbrellas: These have given me my most luscious lighting, but not my favorite option in a cramped studio.
  • Remote Trigger Release: This has been indispensable. I almost always use this one but I also have a few other versions depending on the shooting situation. It prevents a LOT of running back and forth.
  • Polarizing Filters: Remember to choose quality so you’re not degrading the quality of your images. Not only will these handy filters boost colors and reduce glare, they’ll help keep your lenses safe from scratches.
  • Rechargeable Batteries: Extra points if you use a solar panel to charge these.
  • PS and Lightroom: I bought PS CS5 for my computer back when Adobe wasn’t subscription based. I use the free Lightroom app on my IPod to edit my mobile shots.
  • Computer: Editing photography on a laptop isn’t ideal (depending who you ask) but it frees up a lot of space in the studio. If buying a computer, research ahead to see if it’s a good option for photography.
  • Monitor Color Calibrator: Calibrate your monitor and, in your editing program, use the best color space when editing and saving. Plenty of great tutorials for this online.
  • Backdrops: aka: Blankets, curtains, etc outfitted with safety pins to hang from nails on the wall. Check out your local thrift shop to see what colors, textures, patterns and prints you can find.
  • Mobile Camera: Gorgeous shots are absolutely possible on a smartphone and other devices. Many of my portraits have been taken with my iPod, and I now almost exclusively take photos with my camera phone. It’s a great way to experiment and get different shots before shooting the same look with a DSLR, or to do an entire shoot.
  • Mobile Camera Accessories: Tripods, selfie sticks, and clip on polarizing filters/lenses and other accessories are available for mobile devices.
  • Flash Drives: You’ve worked hard to create your work, be sure to save copies somewhere off your computer.

There you have it!

My favorite tools and equipment that I’ve adored the most over the past decade in the photography studio.

What are your own favorite tools and pieces of equipment?

Share with your friends and trade your own list of must-haves!

by romanleaf

Getting Started in Self Portrait Photography | What I Would do if I was Starting Over

What advice would I give to those starting self portrait photography?

What would I do different if I was starting over today?

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Advice for New Photographers

  • You don’t need the newest DSLR. In fact, the best camera to start with is a camera phone. You don’t need to spend hundreds of dollars on a DSLR and different portrait lenses to get great portraits. Most of my self portraits these days are taken on my smartphone.
  • If you want to experiment with different lenses, you can buy inexpensive clip-on lenses for your smartphone camera.
  • You don’t need fancy lights or flashguns either. Cheap room lights work well, as well as inexpensive ring lights. Experiment with different angles and distance in relation to you.
  • You don’t need a backdrop rig with expensive backdrops. Easy backdrops can be made by lying on a blanket on the floor of tacking a blanket/curtain to your studio wall.
  • Invest in a selfie stick, tripod, and Bluetooth camera release remote. These tools will get you far.
  • Focus on building your skills, not spending money on equipment. There’s no shortcut to great portraits.
  • Get comfortable in front of the camera by practicing a LOT. Get comfortable doing your own hair, makeup, and wardrobe styling by practicing a LOT.
  • Source backdrops (blankets/curtains), wardrobe and props from thrift shops. You’ll find something unique and save money.
  • Find a solid group of apps to use. My most essential apps for editing self portraits are Lightroom and Facetune with occasional use of Mextures and Procreate Pocket.
  • Get your own website to share your art. If you do more risqué portraits, upload teasers on Facebook and IG so you don’t get reported. You want a portfolio where people can find your work where YOU are in control.
  • Back up your portraits. Get yourself a thumb drive that attaches to your phone. Then backup your photography work both on a computer and a hard drive.

If I Was Starting my Photography Career Over

Honestly, if I was starting over I would do it more from a financial perspective.

I spent so much money on DSLR bodies, different lenses, backdrops, umbrellas, lighting and more to try and be more professional, but all this equipment ran up my credit card bill and slowed down my creation process.

And when it’s harder to create, the less we create.

The more time it takes to create, the less we can create.

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I would keep down to the basics:

  • Camera phone will cheap plan
  • Selfie stick
  • Clip on portrait lens
  • Tripod
  • Bluetooth remote
  • Thrifted wardrobe and blankets for backdrops

We truly don’t need to spend so much money to look professional.

We need to spend our time creating, practicing, and upgrading our equipment when necessary instead of when we think we can get a shortcut.

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I hope this helps!

Self portrait photography is one of my greatest passions in life!

Let’s get creative and make some art.

by romanleaf

Alt Makeup Tutorial | BlessedShadows on YouTube

Subscribe to BlessedShadows on YouTube!

New Fantasy Makeup Tutorial

Join BlessedShadows on YouTube for fantasy and boudoir makeup tutorials!

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Come get ready for your next photoshoot with me!

Like and subscribe, and if there’s a fantasy look you’d love to see, drop it in the comments!

♥️Happy holidays from Blessed Shadows!♥️

by romanleaf

Simple Editing | Phone Portrait Photography

I don’t know about you, but I don’t have as much time or space in the photography studio as I used to.

Gone are the days of using a DSLR, desktop/laptop editing, swapping out lenses and dressing a set.

(For now, at least)

As space and time get constricted, and camera phone quality continues to improve, the transition to shooting and editing portraits on a cellphone came naturally.

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Editing doesn’t have to be complicated, especially on your phone.

So follow me as I do a quick, routine portrait edit for a flapper-themed boudoir photoshoot, shot and edited on an iPhone 6s.

This is the original, straight out of camera shot.

We’re going to run this through the convenient (and free) Lightroom app so that we have a consistent look throughout the rest of the shoot.

Boost the colors and contrast.

You can see where the backdrop ends and the studio wall is showing, so right in the photo gallery editing section we’re going to use the marker tool to fix that.

For the last step, we’re going to smooth skin, boost select details, and add some blur, reminiscent of a shallower depth of field given by DSLR lenses. For this, I use Facetune.

And here’s the finished portrait, shot and edited on a phone with simple tools.

We can get more complex later, but we don’t need to go all out when we shoot and edit portraits.

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When we lack the space, time, and even finances to do shoots with a DSLR,

camera phone photography and self portraits are a great way to make some beautiful work.

What are your favorite editing apps for selfies and portraits?

Would you like a more in depth tutorial on flow and editing apps?

Like and leave a comment!

by romanleaf