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How to Photograph Military Homecomings
As a military wife myself, I’ve experienced deployments and so I love photographing the homecomings for other military members. It’s the culmination of a long, often difficult process and the emotion is so raw at them. I often have new photographers (or new to photographing this type of event) ask for tips on capturing homecomings and below are a few that I have learned through photographing them.
1. Be educated.
Our military members travel in a variety of ways now-some travel in huge groups, some travel individually, some come back in small groups. I am usually working one on one with a client and get this information well ahead of time. I find out how they are traveling, how many will arrive, and where they will arrive. I’ve photographed lots of scenarios–hundreds coming off a plane at once and into a hangar, a dozen arriving on the flight line of the base in the fighter jets, and individuals flying back on a commercial jet and arriving at a civilian airport. Know where they will arrive and secure any necessary paperwork well before the arrival time. Your client will know who you need to contact in the military member’s line of command to make sure you have the paperwork required. You may need access to enter a base, access to take photographs on the flight line, or a pass to enter part of the airport with the military spouse. If you are photographing members arriving on a military base, they will have people directing you as to where you can or cannot stand or what lines you need to stay behind as you photograph.
2. Be safe.
There is an acronym called OPSEC that you may hear often. It stands for “Operations Security” and reminds us that we need to keep our military members safe. This means that you shouldn’t tweet things like “I’m headed to the Boise airport to photograph a military homecoming” until OPSEC has been lifted. Mentioning who is arriving, where they are arriving, etc is a security manner and can put the military members at danger. Your client will be notified when OPSEC is lifted and can pass that information on to you, usually occurring just before the military members land. I remember that when my husband was arriving home after his 7 months in Afghanistan, I wanted to scream to the world that he was on his way! I instead had to remember security and wait until he was safe at home to post the news on Facebook.
3. Be prepared.
Depending on your situation and where you are shooting, be prepared with the proper gear. If I photograph a homecoming in an airport, I make sure I have a lens with a lower f-stop to let in lots of light. In outdoor homecomings, I love to use my 24-70L or 70-200L so I can get both wide and close up shots. In large homecomings, there can be quite a crowd of people, well into the hundreds. It’s easy to get pushed out of the way but using a nice zoom lens ensures that I get some beautiful closeups of my clients reuniting. You’ll be amazed at how many shots you want to take! Make sure you have plenty of memory cards and extra batteries on hand.
4. Be a storyteller.
Homecomings are beautiful and I never get bored with them. Every family has a different story and it’s an opportunity for you to tell that story. Before that day, I’ve already gotten acquainted with my client and know a little of their story and their family. I’ve photographed several homecomings where dad is meeting his baby for the first time so I know that is a key moment to photograph. I keep a little of a distance so I am not intruding on their experience and follow my client around while we wait. They are often asked to get there an hour or two early so everyone is in place before the military members arrive. I capture photos of their faces as they await their spouse, photos of the homemade signs, wide shots of the hangar or location, and nervous laughter as they wait with friends. The most important shot most of them want is that moment when they reunite and are in one another’s arms! It’s an emotional thing to watch and makes it all worthwhile. You’ll be amazed at how you wait and anticipate the actual homecoming and then it flies by in seconds! Be ready and focused on your client so you don’t miss those little moments! I often set my camera to take quick bursts of photos because it happens SO quickly! Don’t forget to capture shots of them finding their bags, a nice posed shot together, walking away, and other final shots of the day.
5. Be flexible.
This is a major part of photographing homecomings, especially when the military member is part of a large group arriving back home. When my own husband was deployed, the return date was changed 4 or 5 different times. Be flexible and know that your client will keep you notified of the most recent arrival date and time but that it may change several times after that!
Homecomings are an amazing event to photograph and are one of my favorites. After you photograph military homecomings, you’ll leave feeling so proud, patriotic, and blessed to have the talent to give back to others through the gift of photography.
Melissa Gephardt is a military wife and mom of 3 who specializes in children’s portraiture. Currently residing in Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, she looks forward to their next adventure in life as they move to another military base this summer! Her work can be found at www.melissagphotography.com or on Facebook at Melissa Gephardt Photography .
During the last challenge, the MCP Shoot Me Group asked you to get down and dirty to capture an original photo from a new vantage point. This week we asked that you sit back, relax, enjoy the action around you and capture it. This week’s challenge is to snap a photo that stops or illustrates motion.
Join the photography challenge. You can use these challenges as a way to help you grow as a photographer. Go mad, be creative, and try new things. Take a chance and shoot these images for yourself. You have the support of a large group of photographers who can assist you and give you feedback as you work on specific themes and skills.
We loved seeing your take on this theme. Here are a few we wanted to feature, but make sure to check the album on the group page for more.
Submitted by Amy MagnetGirl
Submitted by Petra Stanley
Submitted by Susan Monell
The team would like to thank everyone who submitted a photo for the challenge. You have one more week on this theme, so come join our Facebook Group and participate now.
Our photo challenges give you a chance to edit other photographer’s images, share them for critique, and see how others edit the same photographs. Participating allows you to practice editing, learn how to give constructive criticism, and watch what steps or Photoshop actions and Lightroom presets are used in various edits. Join us to edit the bi-weekly photos.
Several of members of the group have shared great edits this week. Here are a few of the many favorites:
Edited by Brenda C Ramos
Edited by Erin Niehenke
Edited by Heather Brantingham
If you have an idea on how you’d edit the image below, or want to see and learn what others did, JOIN US HERE.
Thank you to Sheila Clapperton for allowing us to use this photo. The current challenges are linked at the top of the group. Remember, you can also ask for critique on your edit.
We will have a new edit challenge starting Monday, so come back to see what image you can edit then.
What’s an MCP Social Media Template?
Whether you are sharing before and after images on the MCP Facebook Group , our Facebook Page, or you want to showcase images on your blog or Pinterest, these Lightroom presets make it easy. As shown above, we have a number of layouts and styles from which to choose. And they are fun and quick! Just click and drag, then customize or watermark if you want.
These display presets work in Lightroom’s print module (yes, these are for web though). And are optimized and sharpened for use on Pinterest, Facebook, Google +, your blog, and more.
How can I download the free product?
Our Website: just add “1″ to cart and checkout using the FREE product checkout option (unless you decide to buy something else at the same time). You will need to register.
Our Facebook Page: just like us to download – no registration on our site is required for this method.
How to use them…
Make sure to read the included PDF for instructions on installing and using the presets. Additionally, watch this video to learn more.
To learn more advanced customization, watch the videos linked to for Display It. You can apply the same techniques to our Free Social Media Templates – add watermarks, digital paper and custom color boxes.
Can’t get enough?
If you find yourself saying “I want more,” check out our full sets:
Display It for Web - 154 Web-Sized Presets (whether you have one photo or many, we help you prepare images fast)
Present It for Print - 60 Print-Sized Presets (from 5×7 to 20×30, we have you covered)
Here are a few examples from the free set:
Before and after template
Pinterest collage
We’d love for you to PIN, SHARE and spread the word about these free tools! And don’t forget to join our Facebook group, where MCP customers love to share good before and afters.
Tips to Photograph Landscapes and Scenery from a Car
I love to travel…in fact my whole family loves to travel. And because we typically travel together, we are really big into road trips. I almost prefer road travel to air travel. I love the freedom of seeing the countryside passing by. I am not much of a driver, so I love being the passenger, navigator, and photographer. This gives me the freedom to photograph landscapes and passing scenery as we drive to our destination. For me, these travel pictures help solidify the experience, particularly for my kids who are just as excited and overjoyed at road trips.
As a photographer, I have learnt a few tricks for drive by travel photography as we spend countless hours in the car getting to our next adventure. Disclaimer: these are my personal experiences based on my time spent on the road.
1) Equipment
Fast cameras, like dSLRs, work best for car/drive by photography. DSLRs allow you to manually adjust the settings like shutter speed, aperture, ISO are better so you can actually get the results you envision before you press the shutter. If you have a point and shoot camera, use the motion setting (the one that looks like a person running). It compensates for some for the car movement and motion blur if you want to get a crisp image. In terms of lens, I personally prefer the wide angle lens. I am a Canon user and typically use the 24-70mm f/2.8L USM (I use the older version I) when I am in the car. This is a versatile lens as I can adjust the zoom depending on the scenery I want to photograph. My other go-to lens is the 50mm f/1.2L USM. You can certainly get great results from other wide angle, standard, and telephoto lenses, as long as they focus fast and allow for enough light.
2) Safety
Please don’t drive and take pictures, it is very dangerous and not worth the risk. If you are the driver, hand the camera off to your passenger, give them a quick 10 minute tutorial and trust them to take images from their point of view…you might be pleasantly surprised at the results. At no time, should you put yourself and your car mates in danger in trying to get a shot. This is especially important when you are on highways and expressways where there is a lot of fast moving traffic. Never drive and try to photograph at the same time – Just don’t do it….
3) Traditional “Drive by” photography shots
Most commonly, car photography involves taking images from the passenger side window. This is perhaps one of the most common images we see when we think about “drive by” or “car photography”. At times they can be blurry if your hand is unsteady or the car is moving quickly or a combination of the two. Perhaps that is just the look you are going for. But personally I prefer clean crisp images. So I really bump up my shutter speed (generally in the 2000+ and have a high aperture value (f7+). I want to get as much of the image as I can in focus. Luckily, if the sun is shining brightly, I can bring down the ISO so I get exactly what I want – a clean, crisp image. I don’t use any special equipment to steady my camera – I tuck my arms close to my body and that provides me the stability I need. The one exception is the fog image down below – I had a really slow shutter speed because I wanted to capture the fog through the car headlights. In this case motion blur was completely acceptable and added to the mood of the image.
4) Change your perspective
Think out the box at times. Switch things around – use the front window, side view mirror or even take a picture from the back window. If you get a bit of the car in the image, all the better. It give a perspective of where you are. As always, please practice safety when the vehicle is moving and make sure you and your camera don’t get in the way of the driver.
5) Composition
Rule of thirds lends itself best to drive by photography. You can isolate the subject as well as get the environment when you follow this rule. I tend to use this a lot.
6) Embrace the environment
The great thing about a road trip is experiencing the changing scenery and the outside environment. Embrace it and make it a part of your images. I love sun flare. I find car windows sometimes act as a natural reflector, bouncing the light from the sun and lens back onto the window in odd angles. It gives a really cool effect to your images that can be enhances with some post processing. Also changing weather patterns add an element of mystery and drama to images – incorporate these in your images.
I hope this inspires you to try your hand at drive by photography. Make it a part of your journey to help tell the complete story of your next adventure!
Karthika Gupta, guest blogger for this article is a Lifestyle, Wedding and Travel Photographer based in the Chicagoland area. You can see more of her work on her website Memorable Jaunts and follow her on her Memorable Jaunts Facebook page.
How to Restart a Photography Business
Summer is approaching and for military families, that means it’s moving season! My family has been at our current Air Force base for almost three years and are set to move cross country again (from Idaho to North Carolina) in just a few weeks. Having a photography business and being a military wife is an asset because I can pick up everything and move when Uncle Sam tells us it’s time to go again. However, restarting a business and rebuilding a client base can be challenging to anyone, whether you are military or moving for other reasons. As I start to plan our relocation again, here are some tips that have helped me and other business owners that have relocated our photography businesses.
1. Know the legal requirements in your new area. Research what is required of you for licensing, permits, etc. For example, when we were stationed in Florida, I had to have both a county and city business license and file a fictitious name request. Some counties also had the standard sales tax plus an additional amount to charge clients. Know if your new area allows home-based businesses or not. The Small Business Administration is a great place to start to research requirements if you are moving to another state.
2. Network with other photographers both before and after your move. I knew we were moving to the Boise, Idaho area and emailed back and forth with other local photographers that were on a common photography forum, introducing myself and my business. After I arrived, I joined up with a local photographer group through Facebook and was able to meet many of them through meet ups and shootouts. Being the new person in town can cause hesitation from some people, but when I formed relationships, most realized that I was just another photographer who LOVES to shoot and be creative. When I move soon, I’ll be saddened to leave some of my photographer friends behind.
3. Begin preparing and saving now. Obtaining permits, licenses, etc. can add up in cost. If you know your contact information for your new location, begin ordering business cards and marketing materials. These costs can add up, but it’s also a GREAT advantage for you! As we know, photography is so much more than just shooting and a lot of it is in how well you run the business side. Take time to reflect on what has and has not worked well for you. Revisit your business plan and make any changes in pricing or policies that you have found need improvement. It’s also a great chance to rebrand and to revamp your website. You’ll have a fresh new set of eyes viewing your site and your marketing materials so make sure they really highlight your style and your best work. It’s an amazing way to have a fresh start in your business.
4. After you move and get settled, become acquainted with your new area. Pinpoint your target market and learn where you can find those clients. If you are a wedding photographer, consider visiting local florists and caterers to introduce yourself in person and ask if you can leave business or marketing cards. I focus on children’s photography and had to be a little creative in our small town. With a lack of children’s boutiques and other places my target market usually frequents, I found that my best places to get my name out to other moms of small children were the library and a local playgroup. Becoming the photographer for a local preschool also helped me gain a bigger client base.
5. Consider a “New Kid in Town” special for a short time to get your name out to the community. I created marketing cards advertising myself and offered a limited time discount on sessions. I also put a client referral program into place so they were eager to share my name and information with their friends. Word of mouth has always been my best advertisement and I gained quality clients from the marketing cards. Treating them with respect and delivering a high quality product made my new clients more than eager to share my name with their other friends.
Relocating your business can be daunting! As you start from scratch again, it is hard work to prove yourself and gain respect from the community and other photographers. But it also gives you a fresh start and renewed excitement in your business as you get to watch it grow again.
Melissa Gephardt is a military wife and mom of 3 who specializes in children’s portraiture. Currently residing in Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, she looks forward to their next adventure in life as they move to another military base this summer! Her work can be found at www.melissagphotography.com or on Facebook at Melissa Gephardt Photography .
