Fall Favorites | Get To Know Your Photographer | Personal

As Fall is here, here are a couple of things I enjoy the months before the first snowfall. Autumn makes me want to cuddle up in one of my micro fleece blankets with a cup of hot apple cider. In the fall season everything is apple flavored. If you were to give me a choice of what food I would choose to eat everyday for the rest of my life, it would be Granny's apples! I don't know where this love affair started but It is definitely a staple in my life! So as the leaves start changing colors, my family goes to an apple orchard to pick apples. In Stores, apple flavored everything hits the shelves and most of them ended up in my shopping cart. Tip: For those Caribou Lovers out there you have to try : Hot Apple Blast. Trust me in this one, it is Heaven in your MOUTH!

 I love having bonfires, smores, wearing comfy clothes, and cute boots. All these things just make you feel cozy! Just this past weekend I was able to snuggle up with my hubby at our small backyard bonfire and talk about what we want to happen in the next couple of months. I don't know why but fall and summer beaches are really the only times bonfires are appropriate to me. 

 There has also been new TV series I have really started to love which is Scream Queens on FOX. Scream Queens is basically Glee humour and American Horror Story's horror. It keeps me laughing and asking...Who is the Red Devil!? #Stillwaitingformychaneloween

 

A couple of details that I love about my 2015 fall - I finally got the Brownlee Kelly moore bag! I am so in love with it that I am just excited for my next photo shoot so that I can use it!
Lastly this fall marked my one year anniversary with my hubby. I got to say I love being married to him. This year's anniversary ended up being a two day celebration with good food, funs cards, and us finding our dream couch that we cannot afford. And the whole time an am thinking I am so grateful that this man is mine.

“There is no such thing as a bad cozy”

— Marcus Ray

What's In My Bag?

Nikon 50 1.4g

First off, we will start with the lens my bag started with - my trusted Nikon 50mm 1.4G. This lens ha been on of my staples; the wide aperture allows me to shoot wide open, which I have found tends to fit more my style. I use mostly for my portraits, because of how well it handles.

Tips and Tricks: With the 1.4 I can use this in darker areas without any problem!

Sigma 24-70mm 2.8

My second "must have" is the Sigma 24-70mm 2.8. i purchased this lens from Sigma because of the dramatic price difference compared to the Nikon.   This lens is my workhorse!!! for a wedding day; It does so much I would buy it a ribbon of excellence if it wouldn't get in the way of my shooting when I put it on the lens. It is so versatile compared to any of the other lenses I possess.  This is the second lens I purchased for my full frame; now I cannot imagine shooting a wedding day without it.

Tips and Tricks: This lens does a beautiful and playful sun flare that I really love!

Nikon 70-200mm 2.8 VR I

With this lens, events are less daunting. It is awesome for getting candid moments while being inconspicuous or right in their face. The 2.8f/stop is perfect for lower light situations, which any photographer knows is a must.

Tips and Tricks: Never bring your shutter speed lower than your focal length. It has a larger tendency of not being sharp. Also make sure you get a good arm strength for this lens because it is heavy!

Nikon 85mm 1.8G

This baby is the newest member of the MW family. A GREAT portrait lens, it fits really well to my personal style.  the body of the lens was a little bigger than I anticipated, but it is not as heavy a the Nikon 85 1.4.

Tips and Tricks: Be careful of shooting in bright sun while shooting wide open. This lens has a tendency to have  chromatic aberration in those conditions. I also tried the 85 1.8D, I have found the 1.8G is sharper.

Nikon 60mm

This lens I actually inherited from my father; he too used it from his old wedding photographer days. This lens is the little one that helps me capture little details!

Tips and Tricks: I always manually focus for my ring shots. This helps that I can be 100% certain that those diamonds are in breathtaking focus.

Nikon D610

As I was just starting out, It was important for my to upgrade to a full frame. I didn't feel it was right for me to ask people to pay me if I did not inturn have the best I can give.  I wanted  a Full Frame that could be a workhorse,but still affordable. I found exactly that in my 610! I think it will be quiet a while before I upgrade this secret love of my life! :)

 Flashes help when natural light is not available, which as ever wedding photographer knows happens a lot on a wedding day. You want something reliable; I have put my trust of brightening up dark situations in my YONGNUO YN560 IV and Nikon S600.

Tips and Tricks: Practice with your flashes before using them at your venue!! I played with my settings enough that I know what my equipment will do before it does it.

Wireless transceiver and receiver

Last & smallest in my bag is my flash triggers by Yongnuo. They have yet to fail me and are amazing! I use these for anything to do with my flashes. mostly for reception shots!

Tips and Tricks: Always make sure that you have backup batteries to your backup batteries! Better to be over prepared than not prepared at all!

I am so grateful for all that I have been able to gather for my little army.  And I am proud that I am able to hold my hard work in my hands. It is a feeling I always relish. 

There is still a couple of members on my with list: Nikon 135mm 2D, 35mm, 105mm. But it think it will be a lot more saving for those lovelies =) 

What's in your bag that you love?!

St. Paul Portraits | Katrina Shiri

Katrina is a mother of 2 blonde haired/ blue eyed young boys and a wife to her very tall husband.

She cares for her boys, while also starting a new journey with Origami Owl, a growing jewelry company that uses lockets to tell a story. Even though she is just starting out , I can already tell she loves it. (I bought these BEAUTIFUL earrings from her!) 

Katrina Shiri was a fast friend I made in middle school.  Even though I always thought of her as one of the "cool kids," we ended up bonding over a mutual love of manga. (Japanese comic books) From there it was reading books like Twilight that further strengthened and forever bonded us together.  I will never forget sitting in her room and reading New Moon together. We are states apart now, but our friendship is one that no matter how much time passes or how far apart we are, we still can pick up right were we left off.  In my humble opinion it is one of the best relationships a girl can have.

I am so grateful for such a beautiful friend both inside and out! (And pretty sassy too ;) )

Happy Monday!