Here - Clickin Moms

Winter 2011
The official magazine of ClickinMoms
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“I knew I wanted to throw my hat in
on this contest. So I racked my brain
about what to do. I thought about
the way CM made me feel when I
first knew I wanted to learn everything
I could about photography.
The gals here were so welcoming
and knowledgeable. It was like a
warm cup of coco on a cold winter
morning with a little girlie chit chat
on the side.
For those who do have to shoot in
the cold (like me), I cut the finger off
of the pointer finger in my glove so I
can move quickly. You all probably
already know that....but I thought
I’d just leave a little tip.”
Home
Blog
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editor’s note
Here it is, the inaugural issue of Click, the quarterly
eMagazine for Clickinmoms.com. Most of you reading
this are members or have been members of CM and
know what we’re all about, but if this magazine is your first
introduction to ClickinMoms, then I’ll give you a little back
story.
Clickin Moms was founded in March 2008 by Kendra
Okolita after she saw a trend on another forum of moms
getting dSLR cameras. She wanted the board to be
supportive and kind for women photographers at all
stages of their journey. The board has grown by leaps and
bounds in three short years. We currently have over 8000
active members, a kick butt blog and we have recently
implemented CMPro, a store and amazing workshops.
And even more is in the works!
This magazine is an extension of the forum. A little about
shooting, a little about editing, lots of inspiration and some
fun along the way.
Nearly every photo credit and byline here is clickable,
so be sure to check out our contributors. I also want to
take the time right now to profusely thank everyone who
wrote articles, allowed their images to be featured and
helped me pull this thing together. A big thank you to
Sarah Wilkerson and Kendra who had faith in my abilities
to actually do this and Ashley Spaulding for fixing all my
foibles.
So go grab yourself a cup of coffee (or a diet Coke with
lime, if you’re like me) and sit back and enjoy our first issue!
Lynne Lynne Rigby
Editor
lynne@clickinmoms.com
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click
c ntents
shoot
Snowflake Macro
{a how to}
p.6
Rock What You’ve Got
{turn off that flash and rock
your point and shoot!}
Cut the Cheese
{10 tips to getting real
smiles}
p.12
p.14
Meet Your Meter
{a new photographer’s
guide to your meter}
365
{surviving the challenge}
Speedlite 101
{how to get started with
that bad boy!}
Flickr Challenge
{unusual perspective}
p.39
p.44
p.48
p.57
4

p.52
PhotoshopTutorial
{smart filters and why
they’re awesome}
edit
p.58
Lightroom Tutorial
{soft, hazy cross processing}
p.24
be inspired
Photographer Spotlight
{Sarah Cornish of My 4 Hens}
p.60
Winter
{featuring ClickinMoms talent}
features
5
p.20
p.21
p.34
p.40
p.51
Click ‘n’ Cook
{yummy asparagus}
Clickin’ Quiz
{are you a CM rockstar}
Technology
{A photographer’s guide to
buying a computer}
Gear
{kit Lens vs. the nifty fifty}
Business
{are you really ready}

Bring
on
Snow
the
Days
by Kara Roberts
Seattle, WA
Snow
A lot of us think that winter brings fewer opportunities to get out and shoot. But actually,
winter is one of my favorite times to get unconventional shots, including my favorite -
macro.
Snowflakes are difficult to capture. The three keys to successful snowflake macro are:
light, focus and the right kind of snow.
6

Here are a few tips on how to capture snowflake
macros:
• Start with newly fallen, DRY snow. Wet heavy
snow will not work
• Find well-defined flakes
• Try to find flakes that are either “standing up”
(and therefore have some sort of background
other than more snow) or snow on a dark
background.
The shots here were shot on my BBQ grill cover
and my patio chairs!
Unlike portrait photography, macro is typically
more successful the more shut down your aperture
is. Since you are dealing with small detail, a higher
f/stop is required to have enough of the object in
focus. I would start at f/5.6 and go up from there.
Watch your shutter speed. My 100mm macro is
a heavy lens; I try to keep it at 1/80 or above to
reduce camera shake. Higher is better. You are
working with tiny objects - the slightest move can
cause you to miss focus.
A tripod can be helpful but a bit tricky to maneuver
with the snow. If you are not using a tripod, breathe
out as you are pushing the shutter to reduce shake.
Use manual focus. Focus in as close as the lens
will go, and move your body slightly forward and
back until you get the focus you want. It’s tough
for auto focus to successfully lock - especially on
a snowflake. When you are controlling focus, you
can be sure it’ll fall where you intend.
Protect your gear! If you’re shooting when it’s
actively snowing, make sure your camera body
and lens are covered.
Lastly, go inside, and have a cup of hot chocolate
and revel in your accomplishment!
9

Photos Courtesy of:
Top:
Shannon Bjorgaard of Basic
Beauty Photography
Middle: Kara Roberts
10
Bottom: Lynn Burton

Rock
2.
So, you have your flash turned
off, right What do you do now
Find a window in your home that
gets bright light. Here is a pull
back shot of the room I used.
what you’ve
Got!
Natural Light 101 Instructor
You don’t have to have pro equipment
to take great pictures of your children.
You just need to know a few basic things.
let’s work on where to position
your child. You are prob-
Perhaps the most basic of all, the key to a
great picture is great light. Without light,
ably thinking that you need the
you have no picture. Let’s look at some
ways you can make your snapshots look
window light shining directly on
more like portraits just using a point and 3.Now
them, right
shoot and
.
great light.
Turn off your flash!!! Nothing kills a
portrait faster than direct flash.
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YIKES!!! Flat light, harsh shadows, pin
lights, OH MY! Can you say snapshot
You don’t need that flash at all if you
know how to find the right light.
Wrong! See how half his face is
overexposed and the other half is
underexposed Harsh sun spots like this
will make it impossible to get a good
exposure with a nice balance of light
and shadows.

Point & Shoot
You want to move your child just beyond
any bright patches of light. That way
you will get diffused light bouncing up
on them and not shining directly on
them.
So, you have your child sitting in diffused
light. What’s next You face them with
the window directly in front of them,
right Go right ahead if you want a flat
lit picture like this with ZERO dimension.
I much prefer to position my child at a
45 degree angle towards the window to
give some soft shadows and depth to the
picture. Here are some pull backs to show
where I positioned my subject.
Final Image:
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That wasn’t so hard, was it Now
go and have fun ROCKIN’ your
Point & Shoot!!!

Cut the
Cheese!
Photographing Children:
8 easy steps to getting
real smiles
When you’re photographing children,
whether you’re a professional
photographer in the middle of a session,
or a Mom trying to capture memories,
getting smiles on camera is one of your
goals.
But real, genuine smiles are not always
easy to provoke.
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If you’re photograhing a 2-3 year-old
and he or she understands that you
actually WANT a smile, you’ll most likely
not get it. And with an older child, who
is aware of his or her self-image, you’ll
probably get the lamest cheesy smile.

So, how do you get GENUINE smiles
The easiest answer would be: wait for them!
Children smile, children laugh, you don’t
have to make them do it. You just need to
be patient, let them forget you, and catch
it when it comes. But if you don’t have time,
or if you want it right now… here are a few
tricks that can help you.
1. Ask them NOT to smile
That’s the oldest trick in the world when you
want children to do something: reverse psychology.
Tell them it’s forbidden.
“OK, now I want a very serious face. NO smile,
all right Are you ready Wait!!! Be careful, I
think I saw the beginning of a smile here. No!!
Stop!! You’re going to smile! Nooooooooo!!!
Don’t smiiiiiiiiile!!”
2. Play hide and seek
Tell them to hide themselves. And find them.
And express your surprise as loudly as you
can!!
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Cut the Cheese
3. Make them yell
Easy, and effective. Yelling leads
to laughter. Especially if you make
them yell repeatedly (Louder!! I
didn’t hear anything! I said louder!!)
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4. Make them jump
Jumping is like yelling. If you jump repeatedly, you
can’t help but laugh. So ask them to show you how
high they can jump. Click. “Amazing! But I didn’t
see it well...can you show me again Fantastic!
Again! And again! Higher now!!” Don’t forget to
snap in the meantime! In the end the child will just
give up and collapse with laughter.

Cut the Cheese
5. Bribe them
Yes. I said it. Once in a while, you can
cheat and bribe. But not the bribe that
will lead to cheesy smiles. Like, “give me
a smile, I’ll give you a candy.” NO. Make
them WIN the candy. Or the apple, in
my example. And make them feel that
they did something quite extraordinary to
win this. The moment you give them their
“prize” must be a moment of pride and
joy.
6. Give them a role to play
In the example below, I said: “OK, you like rugby right Show me what a strong, fierce player
would look like. Mmm, not bad, but it wasn’t fierce enough. I want to be scared. Eeeeeeeek!!!
So scary!!!”
17

Cut the Cheese
7. Bring an imaginary friend
That’s my favorite trick.
Your “friend” can be a toy, a lens
pet, whatever. Bring an assistant.
When I use a lens pet (I have the
cutest crab and snake), I always
tell a little story. About how my
friend is the sweetest monster ever,
unless he’s hungry. “He can get
REALLY mad when his stomach
is empty. And I’m a bit scared
about what he might do right now
because he hasn’t eaten yet.
Would you pleaaaaaaase help
me Would you find something
to eat for him”
(you ask for whatever is available
around, like “his favorite meal is a
niiiiice wood stick”).
When the child brings the “food”
(I use my hand as a “mouth”
between the child and my lens),
grunt really loud with pleasure,
chew noisily…whatever gross
noise you can do, and you’ll get
this (that’s when you don’t forget
to SNAP!!)
8. Have fun!!!
Children have a
radar… They know
when we fake it.
If you’re forcing
yourself, if you’re not
truly enjoying the
moment, they will feel
it and start to fake too
(or even completely
refuse to cooperate).
So if none of the 7
previous steps really
speak to you, don’t
force it! Just find YOUR
way to have genuine
fun, and you’ll get
genuine smiles.
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HAPPY SMILING!!!

Click ‘n’
Cook
by Monica Wilkinson
Seattle
1 bundle of asparagus (the smaller the diameter
the better)
Dash of fresh squeezed lemon
Dash of onion salt
~1/8 cup of diced sun dried tomatoes
~2 T of finely diced garlic (from jar, if you’re using
fresh garlic, use 1 clove)
~1/8 cup of water
Cut ~1/2 inch off stock end of asparagus (not the
tip).
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Toss all the ingredients into a non-stick pan
Cover.
Saute over medium heat for about 8 minutes or so
(tossing frequently to assure an even cook).
Asparagus should be crisp when done not mushy.

Are you a
Rockstar
Clickin’
Quiz
Kentucky
21

Quiz Answers:
Mostly A’s
You are The Official CM Rock-star!!
WOOT WOOT! You may have just found your forte! With your expertise and talent, the newbies
swoon at your feet. Your dedication to photography has paid off, and you should be proud.
Understanding what it takes to develop talent and keep growing are what make you such a
valuable part of the ClickinMoms community. We couldn’t do it without you!
Mostly B’s
Junior Rockstar
You have definitely earned your Jr. Rockstar status. There are countless people who grab a camera
and set it on auto. They then proceed to imagine themselves a bona fide photographer just
because they sport a strap that says ‘DSLR’. You, however, are working your way down Aperture
Avenue and learning the ropes. You have found a general understanding of photography, and
you are learning more everyday. Keep up the great work and keep enjoying the journey! Be sure
(if you aren’t already) to contribute your knowledge on the ClickinMoms board as well! Sometimes
we learn the most when teaching!
Mostly C’s
A CM Rockette
If you are a newbie, don’t fret! We were all there at one time or another. You have so much
room to grow and develop your own personal style! It’s great you have found a place such as
ClickinMoms so early in your journey! Be sure to ask for help and try to remain open to critique.
Don’t let impatience get the best of you. People aren’t holding out on some magical secret. With
all the resources posted on ClickinMoms you can learn to get excellent exposures and creative
compositions! Don’t be shy about joining the fun on CM! It is one of the most welcoming forums
around. We love our new members just as much as our veterans! If you aren’t a newbie and
things just aren’t clicking (pun intended) don’t give up! It doesn’t come easily and sometimes we
need a little help and some organized guidance. ……… Stop, take a breath and sign up for the
next round of RYC 101- The basics !!!
22

Featured
Photographer
24
VoiceSarah
Cornish
of
My Four Hens

25
by Megan Moore
Boston
If there is one topic that comes up frequently among
photographers it’s finding our style...defining our voice,
making our name and our work shine among so many
other amazingly talented artists.
Sarah Cornish of My Four Hens Photography in Connecticut
is one of those supremely talented photographers
whose personal style resonates, both in her photography
and in her action sets.

She has an incredible eye for artistic processing and capturing real moments in her sessions, and
she has one of the biggest hearts I’ve ever come across. Her sincerity and passion for her work are
obvious in her images, as you will see! Sarah is an active member at CM, and a member of CMPro.
She is one of the most supportive and helpful people we have on the board, and her energy and
enthusiasm are contagious.
I am beyond honored to have gotten the chance to chat with Sarah, and so excited to share with
you all!
26
How long have
you been into
photography, and
what made you
decide to go into
business
I started years back without quite realizing that this was the path
I would formally choose for not only a career I suppose you
could call it but a lifestyle. Anyone that is into photography or
calls themselves a photographer, whether it be as a hobbyist or
a professional, knows that photography envelops you. At some
point the lines blur and its something you dream of, even in your
waking moments. It is incredibly obsessive. Especially for me.
I honestly cannot get enough! I started as a little girl wanting a
Polaroid camera. I was totally fascinated with the fact that you
could take a picture and see it right then! When I was 15 I had the
opportunity to take a trip across the United States with my aunt
,who happens to be a nature photographer and it changed my
life! It sparked something in me that I can’t quite explain. As I got
older and began having children that spark was reignited and
by the time I could afford my first digital camera I was well on
my way! It’s only snowballed from there! I finally got to that point
where people started to acknowledge my work and ask me

to take photos and I got a ton of affirmation
from friends and family. I was already
a part of a couple popular photography
communities and knew that was only more
reason to stay the course and work more
on my business and craft more before fully
committing to a business. In 2009 I took first
steps to making it legal and official, and
inearly 2010 I began building my portfolio!
I am now a full-fledged business and even
taking on a partner in 2011 to branch into
weddings as well!
27
What is your best tip for
getting genuine expressions
from your clients
How about your kids
To get genuine expressions from my clients I talk a lot (yeah, just like in real life I suppose!). I get
them thinking. I get them talking and chatting. I get them to relax, and we take it from there. I
think as a general rule, most people are nervous to start out and if they are like me, they don’t
love having their photo taken, so it’s an uphill battle. Once they get comfy with you though its so
much easier! You just kind of have to give the session time (I usually have a 15 minute warm up
period) and keep your clients chatty! For kids, I ask a ton of questions. I act like a total goofball,
we sing songs, we act silly. I try to keep them interested in me because kids don’t have the longest
attention spans. And of course sometimes the best photos made are the ones when a family
isn’t paying attention! Its great to remember to break some rules or think outside the box because
those in between moments produce the most gorgeous images!

What three words would you use to
describe your photography style
Oy, three, thats tough!!
Emotive, organic and unique, I would say. It’s so hard to
choose the three right words but I really try to not only stay
true to my own “style” but also take the mundane and
make it special!
If you could
choose one
famous person
or family (celebrity
or otherwise)
to photograph,
who
would it be,
and why
It’s so funny, I get all the celebrity
gossip magazines, and I always
see photos of little Suri Cruise.
(the daughter of Katie Holmes
and Tom Cruise). I love her style
and that they let her express herself
through her wardrobe and
I think she would be a blast to
photograph! Not to mention she
is completely gorgeous!
28

What is one thing
we don’t know
about you
Another tough one! I am a very
“wear your heart on your sleeve”
type of person, so you might just
know everything there is to know
about me! Hmm... I would say one
thing people don’t know about
me is I come from a ton of different
nationalities and backgrounds.
My mother is Filipino, German,
and Irish, and my father is mostly
Italian and some Portuguese!
My husband is Caucasian and
African American, and I am
naturally blonde with green eyes
and my kids have big blue eyes
and blonde hair. Yeah I haven’t
figured that one out myself!
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Describe a Dream Shoot. Something
you have on your “Photography
Bucket List” (think as big as you
want!).
A dream shoot for me would be pure lifestyle! I would love
to be a fly on the wall for a day. I am trying so hard to find a
market for this in my area because I love connections, and
families are my absolute favorite to shoot! I would also LOVE
to be a birth photographer! It is such an amazing, once in
a lifetime event! To be able to give a family photos that I
know they will cherish and be able to pass down forever of
such an momentous occasion is something I cannot even
describe as special, because it’s way more than that!
What do you listen to while you are
working
I put Pandora on and then put in Ingrid Michaelson and it
works its magic for me!!! I also love any kind of Christmas
Music! I could listen to it in July!

What type of equipment do
you use
I am a Canon girl! I shoot with the Canon 5d
and recently upgraded to the 85mm 1.2L. I
also own the 50mm 1.4, the 50mm 2.5 macro, a
24mm 2.8 and a Lensbaby composer! My goal
is to upgrade to all L versions of the lenses that
I don’t have as of yet and maybe get myself
something fun like a tilt shift and a fish eye!! I also
have a 580ex II speedlite that I am trying to use
more often but is kind of collecting dust at the
moment. I would LOVE to learn off camera flash!
If you could only take one
lens with you on your next
shoot, what would it be, and
why
The Canon 85mm 1.2L hands down! I am worried
it’s never going to leave my camera! Its
new but I rented it for a few weeks during the
summer and it’s to die for!
30

on my processing style. I figured I would take the leap and was
so excited to see that people were interested enough to invest in
them!! It’s going on a year and a half now and getting bigger than
ever and I am SO excited with the way things have come along!
I am going to be opening a bigger shop because I can’t hold
everything anymore! My favorite action right now is Just Love from
Hippy Dippy Trippy! I use it a ton! I am sure that will change though!
I swear I have ADD because I can never commit to one action too
long!!
What inspires you (Can be other photographers,
art, nature, anything!)
I am inspired by everything! Just by life in general! By nature, by
photographers, by TV commercials LOL! My kids, other people’s kids.
Its crazy. I see something and it just takes off. I think photographywise
though, what really inspires me is LIGHT! I am always looking for
it, looking at it. If we are in the car and the sun is setting behind the
trees or there is an amazing sky. I am all over it. My husband always
says he thinks I see the world in a different way than most people !
Name three non-photography related
things (no people!) that you love.
This is easy! Chocolate covered pretzels, tea or coffee, and digital
scrap-booking!
What made you
start designing actions,
and what
would you say is
your favorite, that
you use the most
I started designing actions shortly
after my first failed attempt at
my project 365 in August of 2009!
I am also a digital scrapbooker
and used to get a lot of questions
31
Quick Answers!
Favorite song Hallelujah by Jeff Buckley
Favorite food Lumpia
Favorite time of day to shoot The Golden
Hour
What would you be doing if you weren’t a
photographer Graphic Design
Dream vacation Ireland
Mac or PC PC
Editing software Cs3 or Cs5
Favorite photographer Katie of Claire Alyse

Secret Sales Weaponry
It's proven than Chocolate elevates the mood, and when clients are
a good mood it does two key things for you. First, prospects make a
subconscious association between the elevated mood they're in and being around you and your
photography. Second, an elevated mood makes them much more receptive to sales presentations.
Overall, it's a small part of delivering a great experience that will help sway clients in your
favor.
Go with wrapped chocolates of an expensive variety. Don't be cheap, Hershey's Pot Of Gold
doesn't make the same statement as Ghiradelli or another expensive brand. And let's be honest,
you'll probably end up having a bit of chocolate yourself. If you really want to impress, a box of
fine truffles from a local chocolatier is the ultimate.
Also have on hand some bottled water. Don't ask if clients want one, many people will decline.
Go ahead and hand them a cold bottle of expensive water and make a friendly statement. It's
not being pushy when it's done genuinely and with a smile. This is helpful for two reasons. One
of the most basic sales techniques, is getting people to agree with you and building upon that.
Handing someone a bottle of water (which they accept to not be rude) starts this, in a very small
but significant way. Second, it is a friendly and considerate gesture. Everyone appreciates a kind
gesture, whether or not they're thirsty.
I've heard of other photographers serving freshly roasted coffee or espresso or fresh baked cookies
for clients when they arrive. Feel free to get creative and try things that might work well for you.
Affiliates
When your photo-lovin’ friends use
your affiliate code to purchase a CM
membership, you earn 20% on their initial
purchase and every time their subscription
renews! It couldn’t be easier!! Spread the
word - make some cash!
You must be a member to participate in the
affiliate program; more information about
the program is available on the CM board.
Not a member Use the code: ClickMag for
20% off your membership!
32

Purchasing a C
The Smart Photogr
ACC Instructor
34
We
photographers are diligent about our research
and enthusiastic about our equipment
purchases when it comes to filling our camera
bags … so why is it that buying a new computer seems like
such a chore Those pictures don’t go straight from the camera
to the lab. In fact, most of us spend more than half of our
photography related time in front of the computer, but too
many photographers cut corners or don’t make conscientious
decisions when purchasing computer equipment. You
don’t just need “a computer” – you need a system that will
maximize your productivity and deliver great performance
and image rendition – and you want to make sure you get
the most bang for your buck. With that in mind, let’s take a
look at some general rules for purchasing a new computer
system …

apher’s Guide to
omputer
Rule #1: Get Your Game On
A wonderfully reliable shortcut – especially when
choosing among PCs – is to get a “gaming”
computer. Computer technology changes
rapidly, so it’s hard to stay on top of the differences
between current
models or
components, like
the difference
between i3, i5, and
i7 Intel processors.
However, the same
components that
make a computer
great for gamers
also make it wellsuited
for graphic
designers and
photographers.
A gaming system
generally includes
components
designed for
graphics intensive computer use, resulting
in better performance when working with
resource-hogging programs such as Lightroom,
Photoshop, and others. Pick the best gaming
system rated by PC Magazine or PC World.
For example, the December 2010 issue of PC
Magazine recommends the Acer Aspire Predator
AG7750-U2222 ($1,999), Lenovo ThinkStation E20
($1,163), and the Cyberpower Gamer Dragon
($1,099).
35
Rule #2: Get a Desktop
If you only want one computer system – and
unless you have to travel frequently – get a
desktop. Desktops tend to be more reliable, and
you’ll get more
power per dollar
spent. Furthermore,
laptops are subject
to viewing angle
inconsistency,
which can make
it difficult to
gauge brightness,
contrast, and color
reliably; they also
afford you the least
control over your
hardware controls
when calibrating
your monitor. Of
course, it is nice to
be able to do work
(other than photoediting!) from the comfort of
your couch or when you’re on the road, so if you
can afford it, adding a great laptop to your wish
list certainly isn’t a bad idea.
Rule #3: OS Matters
Mac OS X Snow Leopard, Windows 7, and
Windows XP (yes, you can still buy it) are operating
systems with good reputations and high marks for
user satisfaction. Stay away from Windows Vista,
which has notorious stability issues.

Rule #4: Pay Attention to
Critical Components
Faster processors (higher GHz; more cores),
more RAM (8 GB or more), and faster hard drives
(higher RPM) will yield noticeable improvements
in performance. Greater hard drive space
is also important and can be used by your
computer as “virtual memory” to improve system
performance; however, you can always store
archived images on an external hard drive and/
or DVDs to free up hard drive space. Also keep
in mind that you can usually add RAM pretty
easily to most laptops and desktops, and you
can often add additional hard drives to your
desktop. You should also pay attention to the
memory included in your video/graphics card
(512MB or more), whether it supports OpenGL,
and whether the card is dual head (which can
support two monitors).
Rule #5: Educate Yourself
If you’re deciding between a couple of models,
consider the reliability ratings released by
Consumer Reports. For February 2010, the 5 most
reliable manufacturers were: 1) Apple, 2) Asus, 3)
IBM/Lenovo, 4) Toshiba, and 5) HP/Compaq.
You can also find some useful information by
searching for your preferred models on Amazon.
com, CNET.com, and Newegg.com – all of which
are great resources for consumer and
36
expert opinions on various products. You can
even search for individual components if you are
trying to decide between specific options (such
as different graphics cards or processors).
Rule #6: Don’t Rush Into Your
Purchase
Don’t buy a computer just before the new model is
released. For Macs, watch for upcoming models at
MacRumors. For example, the recommendation
for purchasing a Mac Pro is “neutral – mid
product cycle” since the last release was July
27, 2010 and the average product cycle is 258
days. For PCs, search for news of the company’s
upcoming product announcements. With that
said, don’t paralyze yourself as a purchaser;
when it comes to technology, there is always
going to be something better right around the
corner, so unless you find a reliable report that a
new release is imminent, go ahead and buy now
– just buy smart.
Rule #7: Timing is Everything
If your need for a new computer is not immediate,
you can save money by buying in August or
September. Some states have tax free holidays;
some manufacturers have back-to-school
discounts. Apple’s back-to-school promotion is
usually a free iPod. Keep in mind that very high
end / “professional” systems are often not subject
to the major back-to-school discounts.

Rule #8: Score a Discount Code
Become a follower of the manufacturer’s Twitter
feed and a fan/friend on Facebook before
you purchase; you might land a nice socialmedia
coupon. Also, search coupon sites like
retailmenot.com or Google for coupon codes,
promotion codes, or the like.
Check with manufacturers to see if you are
eligible for a discount directly through your
employer or educational institution; if you or an
immediate family member is a student, teacher,
government employee (including military), or
member of another such group, you may also
be eligible for a significant discount. If you’re
looking at a Mac, for example, use one of
Apple’s discount codes through a participating
institution (education, military/government,
NAPP, etc); the best discount at the Apple Store
is usually 5-10%.
Military members and their families can also save
money by shopping for deals through AAFES.
Rule #9: DIY to Save Money
For the brave, consider building your own PC.
Bear in mind that this is a fairly complicated (and
often frustrating) process, and you’ll have no
support during the build or if something goes
wrong down the road. Nonetheless, building
your own PC is an extremely cost-effective way
to get yourself a blazing fast, high performing
computer, especially for systems over $1,000.
Read general guides from Lifehacker and Tom’s
Hardware to get a sense of the build process; for
example, Tom’s Hardware guide from September
2010 profiles 3 different price points - $400, $1,000,
and $2,000.
Rule #10: Display is Key
What good is a great computer if you can’t rely
on what you see on the screen Getting yourself
a calibration device (I recommend X-Rite’s i1D2)
is a necessary first step, but if you’re serious
about your color, you probably want to invest
in a wide gamut monitor, which will allow you
to take advantage of more of the image data
produced by your RAW files. You’re looking for
an S-IPS or (preferably) H-IPS panel monitor for
superior image quality, wider viewing angles,
better contrast ratios, and high color accuracy.
While you’re at it, consider a 26” inch or larger
monitor and/or dual display, which will really
maximize your photoediting and proofing
productivity. Recommended brands: Dell (great
budget IPS panel monitor), NEC, LaCie, or Eizo
(top-of-the-line).
37

Rule #11: Don’t be Afraid to
Ask Questions!
Buying a computer system is a momentous (and
expensive) decision! Don’t forget what a great
resource you have on the Clickin Moms board
– with over 8000 active members, you better
believe that there are tons of us who have asked
ourselves the same questions, who have the
same needs, who have had to make the same
decisions that you are making right now. Find
out what has worked well for different people –
and what may not have worked so well. As for
me…well, after staying faithful to PCs for years,
I finally made the big jump to Mac in October
2010, and love my current system, which is listed
below. Happy Shopping!!
My computer system:
Mac Pro
Processor: Two 2.40GHz Quad-Core Intel Xe
Memory: 16GB (8x2GB)
Graphics Card: ATI Radeon HD 5870 1GB
Hard Drives: Two 2TB 7200-rpm Serial ATA 3Gb/s
NEC 3090WQXi wide gamut 30” monitor
Wacom Cintiq21UX wide gamut tablet monitor
Eye One Display 2 calibration unit by X-Rite
MacBook Pro (15”)
Processor: 2.66GHz Intel Core i7
Memory: 8GB 1066MHz DDR3 SDRAM - 2x4GB
Hard Drive: 500GB Serial ATA Drive @ 7200 rpm
Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M with
512MB
Display: 15-inch Hi-Res Antiglare Widescreen
38

The
First
A-ha!
Rock Your Camera 101:
Photography Basics
Rock Your Camera 101 Instructor
So you were a really good girl last year and Santa
left you a brand spankin’ new DSLR under your
tree! Yay!! You need to put that bad boy to use.
Sure you can use like your point and shoot, but
don’t you want to be better than that Don’t
you really want to get kick butt pictures all the
time
The first step is making friends with your meter.
“My what I don’t think mine came with one...”
Move it off the green box! Be crazy! Try P, or Tv/
Shutter Speed priority, or Av/Aperture Priority!
This is your meter, you have it in at least 2 places
on your camera.
On your LCD:
What is it telling you
and through the
viewfinder
Your in camera meter is reading tones, from
white to black. I’m going to assume you’re
shooting in evaluative/matrix/pattern metering.
That is the default metering mode of DSLRs.
Your camera evaluates the whole scene, does
some fancy math on the fly and spits out a meter
reading.
39
A negative reading means that your camera is
seeing everything dark and that it’s darker than
the middle gray that it sees at 0. Middle gray
Think elephant gray. Some cameras see wet elephant
gray at 0, others see dry elephants and
others see in between. That is why some cameras
expose differently.
If you are taking a picture of a black car, then
you want your meter reading to be on the negative
side. If you’re taking a picture of those elephants,
then you’d want your meter at zero.
An image of your blonde haired, blue eyed 5
year old will need to be on the positive side.
Making it work for you
If you are shooting in the automatic modes, you
won’t even see your meter. In the semi-automatic
modes, like P, aperture priority or shutter
speed priority, you can adjust your meter using
exposure compensation. And if you’re feeling
exceptionally wild, move that dial to M and let
the fun begin! You adjust the meter by adjusting
your ISO, shutter speed and/or aperture. Figuring
out that equation of goodness is more than
I can explain here.
More Information on shooting in
manual:
Rock Your Camera 101: The Basics
Tutorials on CM
Understanding Exposure by Brian Peterson

Awesome Album Design
Strong Start & Finish. The first shot should make a strong statement and set the album’s
tone. For a wedding, you might use a shot of the venue, or a detail with the bride and
groom’s date. For portraits, a playful shot is a great way to start.
You don’t want the first shot to be the best one. It should pique interest then the pictures
should heighten as the album goes. Your final image ends the story. This can be a shot of
the bride and groom’s car decorated, or for family portraits a picture of your subjects walking
away, or something else!
Variety. A great way to keep the album interesting page to page, is to make sure the
layouts feature some variety. If your last spread was a large image with three smaller ones,
try mixing the next spread up a bit.
Picking. A general rule of thumb I use for the number of images, is 2.5 pictures per page.
I also try to keep my selections so they follow the chronology of the shoot, and I pick groups
of images that are related to one another. Some photographers have their clients make the
selections, which might save you some time but could delay the album (and your final payment
on it) for a long time.
Spread Grouping. Of course, your album won’t have exactly 2.5 pictures on every
page. A half image would look stupid and some spreads will have lots of images and others
might only have one image. Start by grouping your images into spreads. With a 20 page
album, you’ll have 9 spreads plus a first and last page. This may vary depending on your
vendor, but finding out what you need to design is as easy as asking them.
Simplicity. Now that you have your images grouped into spreads and know where they
will appear in your album, it’s time to start the layout. This is a part where many photographers
get a little worried. There’s good news for you, the most elegant albums today are
super simple. The focus is on the photography, not on the design. When you’re laying out
your albums you don’t need anything extra, though you might prefer it.
Showcasing. One of the easiest ways to make your albums look great, is by showcasing
images. This means one large shot, and a group of small shots that support the overall
design. So, for example you’d have one full shot of the cake from top to bottom. Then you
would also have closeup shots showing the cake flowers, decorations and other accompanying
details.
Shoot For It. Think in groups, shots that go together well. This can be a series of action
shots like the bride walking down the aisle, or the bride and groom going in for their first kiss.
When you’re doing portraits, you can shoot things in a similar style to keep the album flowing
when you’re doing portraits.
For more great tips and sample album designs, visit
www.FundySoftware.com
40

41
Sample Album Design by Ann Hamilton

Gear
Report
Kit Lens: Skip or Buy
Rock Your Camera 101 Instructor
42
When buying your new DSLR, you are faced with the option
of buying the body only or buying a package inclusive with
a lens or two. The “kit lenses” are a great buy if you are planning
to leave your camera on the automatic modes and
use it the same as you use your point and shoot. Kit lenses
do have a few advantages. They have a wide range of focal
lengths, they’re generally inexpensive and are also lightweight.
However, if you plan on really learning your camera
and how to shoot in manual modes or semi automatic
modes like aperture priority or shutter speed priority, you will
quickly learn the limits of the kit lens.

Kit lens drawbacks:
Small, variable apertures
What it means: The lens doesn’t allow a lot of light in, causing you to have to use flash (yucky light),
a slow shutter speed (causing motion blur), or a high ISO (causing digital noise). Small apertures also
give you a wide focal plane which can make it more difficult to get creamy, blurred backgrounds.
Attempting a shot of my 18 month old daughter playing inside near an indirect sun window. My
aperture is as wide as it will go to allow the most light possible (f/5.6), my ISO is as high as it will go at
1600 (again letting in the most light possible), and I know I need a shutter speed of 1/125+ to prevent
motion blur. This is what I get:
These images were taken with my 18-55 kit lens and a Canon xti:
Yep, that’s
nearly pure
black.
My only option is to slow down my
shutter speed to 1/5 to get proper
exposure, and that leaves me with
massive motion blur:
Isn’t she
pretty
43

Background clutter is prominent
because the aperture is small. It is
more difficult to isolate your subject.
Don’t judge me
by the Christmas
mess! Five kids =
a long Christmas
clean up!
A kit lens is usually a variable aperture lens. That means the aperture will close up and let
less light in as you zoom in and more light as you zoom out.
So if you set your ISO, aperture and shutter speed so that your image is properly exposed
at 18mm and then decide you want to zoom into 55mm and forget to change your settings,
you get something like this.
My aperture changed from f/3.5 to f/5.6 and therefore left the 55mm image
1 and 1/3 stop underexposed.
44

“If I don’t buy the kit lens,
then what should I buy”
The usual answer to this question is the ‘nifty
fifty,’ Aafixed focal length lens that has a nice
wide aperture to let light pour into your camera.
The kit lens can add about $100 to $250
to the price of your new DSLR and seems to
be a good deal when you compare it with
the price of buying them separately.
A 50mm lens can run between $90 and $450.
You do get what you pay for, so if you can
afford the more expensive lens, do it. There is
a learning curve with a prime lens. You can’t
zoom. You are going to have to “zoom with
your feet” meaning physically move toward
and away from your subject.
The payoff is worth it,
however.
Same settings, kit lens is
on the left, my 50mm/1.4
is on the right.
Look at the difference of
the digital noise.
Because I can open up
my aperture, I can lower
my ISO which gives me less
digital noise and greater
clarity. On the right, the
kit lens at 50mm, f/5.6,
1/80, ISO 1600 on the left,
f/1.4, 1/80. You can also
see the improvement in
color with the prime lens.
The kit lens is capable of taking amazing images... just be
aware of its limitations.
45

365
Surviving the Challenge
Photographer and mom to four
Shannon Heimsoth, recorded life in
2010 and improved her photography
along the way.
46

47
“My 365 Simple Joys have blessed
my life in so many ways. I am
documenting my life as a wife,
mom, daughter, sister, and friend.
I am capturing the growth and
constant change in my children.
I am practicing and improving
my photography skills. I have
met great peopleand built great
friendships. I am seeing the positive
in my everyday life. I am capturing
the Simple Joys of my life.”

Where did you
find the
inspiration
How did you
keep it
going
48
I am inspired by my children reading
a book, a sunset, birthday candles,
bare feet, my husband napping
with one of our children, blue skies,
reflections, messy faces, sunflare,
folded laundry, dew on the grass,
laughter, tears, runny noses, and toys
scattered everywhere. I am inspired
by the everyday simple joys of my life.
I feel that it is important to capture and
document life. To me, documenting
life isn’t about capturing just the big
events (birthdays, trips to the zoo,
Christmas, etc.). It’s about capturing
every day… no matter how simple
the day may be. I wanted to focus
on the “joy” of each day that God
has given me. My simple joys do
include sickness and sadness. I have
somehow found joy in those times as
well.

How did your
skills improve
I have picked up my camera every
single day in 2010. There were days
that I used my point and shoot or
my phone but I was still paying
attention to the lighting and the right
moment to press the shutter button.
Photographing every single day is
a perfect way make you a better
photographer. It forces you to build a
strong relationship with your camera
gear and to get creative.
How did you
get past the
road blocks
The thing that has surprised me the
most about my project is how others
have noticed it. It seems that my
daily Simple Joys have inspired others
to notice the simple joys in their life as
well. I have received countless emails
and comments about my Simple
Joys, andI have truly appreciated
those comments and that support.
49

Speedlite
101
50

When
I
affected setting exposure actually hurt my brain. My first
got my speedlite all I knew was that it went on top of my
camera and that I could now bounce my flash. I had no
idea which mode to put it in and thinking about how it
few test shots were completely blown so I blindly fiddled with the settings until I got the
exposure right. Then I bounced it off of every surface and angle imaginable. Once in
a while I would luck out and get a shot that I thought looked like it should, but there was
no rhyme or reason to it. I’m usually good at figuring out how things work, but flash was a
mystery to me and I gave up on it pretty quickly and deemed myself a photographer who
“shoots exclusively with natural light.” Sound familiar
One of my resolutions for 2010 was to master
my flash. While I’m far from that lofty goal,
I did make a lot of progress. Using flash no
longer terrifies me and I would even say that
I am very comfortable with it. Getting to this
point involved a lot of head banging, talking
to myself, countless hours of learning by trial
and error and more a-ha moments than I
can count. Here are a few things that I wish
I’d known when I took my speedlite out of
the box for the first time.
Put your camera in manual and your
flash in TTL.
While it’s true that manual flash is more
consistent than TTL, it’s not practical for
on-camera flash and situations where the
photographer and subject are moving.
Manual flash gives off a set amount of light
each time it’s fired. That means, if you move
closer or farther away from your subject and
don’t change your settings, your shot will be
over or underexposed.
In TTL mode, your camera’s metering system
measures the reflectivity and average
tonal values of a scene and determines
the amount of flash needed to produce a
correct exposure. However, because it is
exposing for average tones, the exposure
will not always be perfect. It should be close
though and flash exposure compensation
(FEC) allows you to tweak it until it’s perfect.
The rules for manual flash and TTL
flash are different
With manual flash, aperture controls the
exposure of the area being lit by the flash
and shutter speed controls the ambient light
exposure of the background. With TTL flash,
you are not limited to using shutter speed to
control the amount of ambient light in the
exposure. Aperture, ISO and shutter speed
can all be used control ambient light. This
creates endless possibilities and gives you
almost complete control over the way the
ambient light appears in your image.
Your camera settings do matter.
I discovered pretty quickly that with TTL
flash and FEC, you can pick any camera
settings (as long as you stay under the
maximum shutter sync speed) and get a
properly exposed photo. Unfortunately,
when using flash, properly exposed photos
are not necessarily good photos. A good
rule of thumb is to meter for the location, use
FEC to set flash exposure and then change
the camera settings to underexpose the
background a stop or two. This will separate
your subject from the background and make
your photo pop.
Bounced flash is not the secret to good
flash photography.
51

While bouncing the light from your flash
effectively is important, it’s only part of the
equation. More often than not, on camera,
non studio flash looks best when some
ambient light is part of the exposure.
Settings Do Matter
Pointing the flash straight up at the
ceiling isn’t a good idea.
When you do this, the light falls down and
lights the subject from above which creates
dark eye sockets and generally unflattering
light. Bounce it behind you, over your
shoulder or 90 degrees to your left or right. Try
different angles and different surfaces (I love
windows). Just don’t point it straight up in the
air unless you are using a flash modifier that is
designed to be used that way.
f/2.5, ss 1/80, ISO 1250.
Flash modifiers are great but your pics
won’t look like the ones on the product’s
website if you don’t know how to
use your flash.
I have a ridiculous number of commercial
and home made diffusers that I once thought
didn’t work. Turns out, with the exception of
the one I made out of the bottom of a soda
bottle, they all work pretty well.
Neil van Niekerk and David Ziser are
wonderful teachers.
f/2.5, ss 1/250, ISO 1250.
I got a D700 and 24-70 2.8 in 2010 but van
Niekerk’s book On-Camera Flash and
Ziser’s Captured by the Light were the best
photography investments that I made this
year. If you’re interested in learning to use
your flash in 2011, I encourage you to buy their
books and check out their websites, www.
planetneil.com and www.digitalprotalk.com
and then practice! Your speedlite isn’t nearly
as scary as you think it is. I hope these tips
give you a head start (and save you some
head banging) and that 2011 is the year that
you and your flash become friends.
52
f/10, ss 1/80, ISO 1250.

So You Want to Own a
Photography Business
53
Owning a business is TOUGH. Balancing
a home business and life at home is even
tougher. Having small children and trying to
work from home can seem nearly impossible
at times. But it can be done! It can even be
profitable and fun! I wouldn’t give up this job
for anything, and I feel incredibly blessed that
it has worked out for me like it has. Having a
job that I love and being able to be my own
boss is incredibly fulfilling.
If you’re at the point where you feel you
are ready to jump into business. . .stop. Take
a step back and make sure you are really
ready. If you don’t want to
be one of the thousands of
photographers failing the
business side, make sure you
have done all you can to be
successful in a market that is
clearly over-saturated.
So first things first, make sure
your skills are at a place where
you feel confident in yourself
and know you can deliver a
quality product. Second, get
your “ducks” in a row. You’ll
most likely need a business
license, which can be
obtained through your city office. You may
also need to file for a Fictitious Business Name,
which allows you to do business as a particular
name at a minimal cost. Another thing you will
need is a Seller’s Permit (aka, Resellers License,
Wholesale License, Resale Id #). This will allow
you to buy wholesale (i.e., prints from your lab
without paying sales tax) and will also allow
you to sell retail to your clients. This will also
enable you to collect sales tax on the items
you sell so you can pay your state what it is
owed. Another thing you’ll need to decide is
your business’s legal structure (Sole Proprietor,
LLC, SCorp, etc.). This is important for tax filing
purposes and a lot of information on what
each one is can be found online or by asking
your accountant or finance advisor.
of Kristin Rachelle Photography
Business 101 Instructor
If you are already charging money for your
services and are selling cd’s of images for $100
(or even $300 for that matter), you are selling
yourself short. First of all, if you are working
legally and charging that amount, you aren’t
making any money. I highly suggest everyone
does a break-even analysis to give them a
general idea on where to price themselves. A
photography business is not just about taking
pictures that is only a small fraction of it and sooo
much more goes into it than
the picture-taking part. There
are equipment costs,
license costs, taxes, permits,
insurance, packaging, props,
websites, web hosting, gas,
cell phone bills, classes, books,
etc., etc., etc. Then there
is the time factor. Booking
a client, emailing back and
forth, prepping before a
session, travel to the session,
doing the session, travel home
from the session, uploading,
editing, re-sizing for web,
uploading to a gallery, more
emails/phone calls to the client, prepping
an order for the lab, ordering, packaging,
and shipping/delivering an order. Then you
also have hours you spend on book-keeping
(or costs accrued with having someone do it
for you), time you spend updating your blog,
website, or developing your skills further.
As you can see, starting a business (and running
one!) is a bit complicated. It’s not as easy or
as glamorous as one may think. However, if
done the right way, you can be successful
with it and even have fun in the process. Just
be careful not to kill your love for something
that may have been a wonderful hobby for
you to begin with. I wish you all the best of
luck in your photography journey!

Photoshop
Using Smart
Filters in CS 5
Photoshop 101 Instructor
This feature allows you to apply filters in a
non destructive way, meaning you are not
destroying or damaging any of the pixels in
your image. Normally, when you choose a
filter, it is applied to the chosen layer in the
layers panel and permanently alters those
pixels. However, when you use a smart filter,
a full copy of that layer is embedded into the
Photoshop file so that you never damage or
lose pixels
54

Open Photoshop and your photo. Go to “Filter” in the Photoshop menu bar.
Choose “Convert for Smart Filters.”
Once you’ve done that,
your background layer
will look like this:
55

Now, let’s choose a filter. We go to Filter and
choose any of the filters that are not grayed out.
I chose “Add Noise” and when I do so, the “Add
Noise” dialog box pops up. I make my adjustments
and choose “OK.”
56

And if you look in the layers panel, you will
see that the “Add Noise” filter has been
added below the layer. It tells us the filter
name. It gives us an eyeball and it gives
us the icon with 2 arrows.
If we click on the icon with the arrows (in the red box) we can get our “Add
Noise” blending options box where we can change the blending mode and
opacity of the filter.
57

If we click on the filter name,
in this case “Add Noise” we
get the filter menu to come
back up, where we can adjust
our original settings.
You can use the eyeballs
to toggle the visibility of
the filter on and off.
You can even apply
more than one filter. Each
filter can be turned on
and off individually. Each
filters opacity and blend
modes can be changed
individually. You can also
change the stacking
order of the filters at any
time by clicking and
dragging them.
58
So, what are you waiting for Start using those smart filters today. You’ll have total
control over visibility, blend mode, opacity, as well as stacking order on each filter.
The best part of all Non destructive editing. That, my friends, is what Photoshop is
all about.
If you’re a visual learner like I am, you can watch the video tutorial HERE.

59
is proud to announce our first CLICK Magazine
Flickr group challenge. You will be given a
theme/idea for each challenge. You will then
submit your photos to the Click Magazine Flickr
Pool. The pool will be open for 30 days and you
are allowed to submit 2 photos per week. All
photos must be taken within those 30 days. The
top 10 photos chosen will be featured in CLICK,
the ClickinMoms magazine. You do not need
to be a ClickinMoms member to enter.
Our first challenge will be Unusual Perspective.
So lets get out there and look at the world from
a different angle.

Lightroom
by Lynne Rigby
Orlando
Lightroom 101 Instructor
{Soft and Dreamy}
using split toning and the tone curve
lightroom kind of girl. I don’t have time or the patience to take every photo
into photoshop. Admittedly, I learned to do a lot in lightroom because photo-
I am
a
shop shuts my wireless keyboard down and then I’d have to turn my computer
off for it to function again. It’s been like that for a year, and I did finally buy a regular keyboard,
but I digress. Lightroom is underrated by so many photographers. I read about so many people
just using it for white balance and importing, but there’s so much more!
I’m also a girly girl. I love haze actions and the soft, low contrast look that they give my images. I
don’t love taking every image into photoshop to run and tweak an action, so after a lot of playing,
I’ve learned how to give my photos that look in lightroom.
Here is my beginning
edit: I import using the
default lightroom settings.
It gives me a
good starting point.
It was underexposed
SOOC, so I added exposure
until my histogram
spanned the
graph without blowouts.
Proper brightness
and exposure is key to
achieving a good soft
edit; otherwise you’re
going to have a muddy
mess.
60

Next, I head on down to
the tone curve. I clicked the
little square to take me to
a point curve. I pulled the
top right point down which
essentially adds recovery
to highlights and I lifted the
curve until I had this look.
The contrast and softness
looked how I wanted it,
but it’s now too bright, so I
went back to exposure and
took it down a few notches.
Onto the split toning panel.
Since this image is very girly
- ruffles, bows, polkadots
and sparkly shoes, I pick
some girly colors, but this is
where you can experiment.
Here, I’ve decided I’d like to
add a warm yellow to the
highlights at a low saturation
and pink in the shadows. I
moved the balance slider
toward the right so that the
effect was greater within the
highlights than the shadows.
And the before and after.
Here is a video of the
tutorial. All CM members
can download this preset
for free in the lightroom
tutorial section of the forum.
61

62Winter

When I put an all call out for a “winter” image on ClickinMoms
for a cover image for our first magazine, I quicklly realized that
more than one person deserved to be featured. I am always
blown away by the talent on our little board and this challenge
was no exception. Here are a few of my favorites.
Almost all the photo credits are clickable if you’d like to take a
look at more of the photographer’s work.
63

photo by Merisa Coertze
64

photo by Katrina Gotschall
66

68
photo by Katrina Gotschall

72
photo by Carrie Small

73
photo by Megan Moore

74
photo by Lynne Rigby