Why Hiring a Professional Photographer is a Must For Your Most Special Moments
As we go through life, we experience countless beautiful moments that we will cherish forever… whether it’s a newborn baby, a milestone birthday, or a wedding day, the memories that we capture will stay with us forever. So why not make sure that the photographs of these special moments are the best they can be? There are plenty of benefits to hiring a professional photographer to capture your most special moments. In this article presented by Mandi Lea Photography, we’ll explore why hiring an expert in their field can make all the difference.
Bringing Creativity to Every Shot
Professional photographers are trained in their craft and have a keen eye for detail when it comes to capturing memorable moments. From lighting and framing to posing and backgrounds, they bring their creativity and vision to ensure that your photographs stand out from the rest. They have a passion for photography and are dedicated to creating stunning images that you will treasure forever.
Get More Done in Less Time
Planning an event such as a wedding can be challenging, especially for those who are already juggling a lot of commitments. Hiring a professional photographer means that you can save time and focus on enjoying the moment, rather than worrying about the technicalities of photography. Professional photographers have the experience and knowledge to capture the perfect shots, giving you peace of mind and more time to enjoy the experience.
The Beauty in Unposed Moments
One of the biggest benefits of working with a professional photographer is their ability to capture candid and spontaneous moments. These moments often happen when you least expect them, and a professional photographer has the skill to capture them in a natural and unobtrusive way. They may even have access to a 360-degree camera or photo booth, which can add to the fun. These candid shots can often be the most treasured memories, and a professional photographer can help to bring those precious moments to life.
Passing Down Memories
Photos are one of the few tangible items that we can cherish forever, and investing in a professional photographer is investing in your family’s legacy. Professional photographs will last a lifetime and can be passed down through generations, preserving your family’s memories for years to come. The quality of the images, the emotions they evoke, and the story they tell are all part of what makes professional photography so valuable.
Creative Ways to Display Your Memories
Once you’ve hired a professional photographer and received your photographs, it’s time to share them with the world! One free platform that you can use to enhance your photographs is Adobe Express. This user-friendly platform allows you to crop, adjust the lighting, and add filters to your images, giving them a professional touch. Once you’ve edited your photos, you can share them with your friends and family on social media, create a personal photo album, or even print them and display them in your home. Here are a few tips on what you can do with the photos:
Capturing Personalities: Create a unique and meaningful art piece that showcases the personalities of each of your family members with the Adobe Express Family Collage tool. Select your favorite photos and customize your own layout - perfect for capturing special moments!
Crafting the Perfect Graduation Announcement: Announce and celebrate your graduate’s achievements in style with the Adobe Express Graduation Invitation template. Select your grad’s favorite photos, add in special elements, and create a timeless invitation to cherish.
Sending Meaningful Greetings: Craft a perfectly personalized card with the Adobe Express Photo Card tool. Easily upload your favorite photo and include a few lines of heartfelt dedication. This card is sure to be meaningful for your friends and family.
Creating a Meaningful Home Movie: Capture memories with the Adobe Express Photo Video tool. Upload your most precious photos and add in your favorite music for an expertly crafted movie - perfect for watching with loved ones!
Preserving family memories is a priceless gift for future generations. Professional photographers have the expertise and tools to capture the essence of your family and immortalize it in stunning photographs. These photos can be passed down through generations, reminding your loved ones of their roots and the special moments that they shared with their family. Investing in professional photography is an investment in your family's history, allowing you to hold onto those cherished memories forever. Utilize the talents of Mandi Lea Photography – book now!
(Thank you to Adobe Express for this amazing write up!)
Firefly Music Festival- Sunday 2021
The last time I attended Firefly was in 2016. I was by myself but met up with some friends here and there but was too nervous to really talk to anyone. This year, I was meant to go all four days but had a killer migraine the first three days and could only attend the last day. I went by myself, again, but this time I was just so excited to be out at a festival, enjoying my life. I stayed at the Firefly stage the entire day because I wanted to be sure to have a great seat for Lizzo. I got to see Mt Joy, Sofi Tukker, Portugal. The Man, and Lizzo. They were all incredibly amazing. I didn’t realize how many songs from Sofi Tukker that I knew… they put on such a good show. They may have been my favorite show I’ve seen in a few years. They have a new Las Vegas residency, so if you have a chance to go see them, please do. You absolutely won’t regret it.
During Lizzo’s set, my camera died, which was super upsetting. Being able to take pictures definitely makes the experience so much better for me, but Lizzo put on such a good show, it was hard to be that sad. Her comments about Chris Evans and Drake made the entire audience freak out. It was an absolute blast. She closed out the show with Juice, which was an excellent way to end it.
Glass Animals- Philadelphia, PA
After 18 months of pandemic life, I don’t think I’ll ever get used to being outside, surrounded by people with music filling the air. I found out that I was going to shoot the show as press for NerdsandBeyond.com the morning of the show. Once there, the crowd was moved inside due to a severe thunderstorm warning but once it was let up, everyone made a run for it. It was a packed house, or more aptly, lawn. I was allowed to shoot the first three songs for each set, which sounds like a decent chunk of time but it goes so incredibly fast. The opening act was Blackstarkids, a group that definitely compliments Glass Animals. The set for the Glass Animals show was a neon frenzy of a pool scene complete with a diving board. It made for some amazing photos from the pit, even with me being shorter than the stage. It was so much getting to photograph such a fun set and a fun band. They played some of their big hits (and some of my favorite songs) Gooey, Black Mambo, Pork Soda, and Heat Waves. They also played a brand new song that had never before been heard, Waterfalls Coming Out Your Mouth.
After such a long year and a half, I’m just so thankful that shows are finding a way back into my life. The energy is like nothing else.
Phone Photography for Beginners
So, I had this suggested to me on Twitter and I really Iiked the idea of tips and tricks for cell phone photography. When I travel, I tend to purely take photos with my phone because lugging around a camera and lenses can be a lot, plus the risk of getting my purse stolen with them in it scares me. All of the photos in this post were taken with either an iPhone 8 Plus or an iPhone 10 Plus.
I typically edit my photos using Lightroom, whether they’re taken with my camera or my phone. However, you have to pay for Lightroom, so I edited all of these on the free app Snapseed that can be found on Android and Apple devices. This is a great app I recommend to most people who are just trying to edit their photos a little bit that is user friendly.
Disclaimer: I am terrible at this kind of thing and my advice is probably trivial and common sense. I’m sure there are way better photographers with way better advice for cell phone photography out there, but this is just my two cents.
Ordinary Things
A lot of this post will be out photography while traveling, simply because that is mostly when I take and edit photos from my phone, however, it can be used in every day life and around your own towns.
Before
After
A simple bicycle against the wall while strolling down the street can make for a great photo. In this photo, I used the “Pop” setting in Looks and then went to Tools and clicked Tune Image. I increased Saturation and Contrast in the image, Saturation quite a bit to give it some more pop. I then clicked Details and increased Structure. Structure helps to give buildings and items in photos a bit more clarity and sharpens the image. These options are also available on Instagram and I highly recommend using them on there too if you’d rather not use Snapseed or a separate editing app.
Before
After
Lighting
I think one of the most important things when taking photos no matter what you’re using is lighting. Finding the different ways light hits a window or the water when walking around and working it into your photo is so important. Even working with light and shadows can have a massive impact on the photo.
Before
After
For the photo above: Pop, Saturation Increased, Contrast Increased, Structure Increased.
For the photo below: Accentuate, Saturation Increased, Brightness slightly increased, and Structure Increased.
Before
After
Portait Mode
When you’re taking photos of people, yourself, or food, don’t be afraid to use portrait mode. I like to use it when taking pictures of food or drinks and then pop the colors a bit in Snapseed to add that Influenster look. Lol.
For the photo below: Pop, Saturation Increased, Brightness and Contrast Increased, Structure Increased, Sharpening Increased, Slight Vignette
Before
After
Angles
Last but not least, don’t be scared to play with angles. Kneeling down to shoot up at something to make it seem more grand, angling down when taking selfies, or trying new angles during concerts is always going to add more interest for the photos. This photo was taken kneeling from behind the statues to get the shadows, light, and make the statues appear larger than life.
The photo below: Black and White, Contrast Increased, Structure Increased, Cropped the Image
I think that’s all I’ve got for now. I’ll throw some more examples in here. Most of what I did is similar to the other images above, so I won’t put exact editing details. If you have any questions, feel free to leave them in the comments!
Mandi
Front Porch Project
Day 17 of this quarantine and I haven’t cut my hair, so I feel like that’s a huge win.
I wanted to do a post about the #frontporchproject and how it’s something I think could be a really great creative outlet for anyone out there who takes photos. It’s a really great way to get out and do something, while still remaining at a safe distance to avoid contracting COVID-19.
I set it all up through Facebook, set up a sheets page for folks to add their name and email for a time slot. I drove up and texted the client that I was there. Her and her daughter did some photos on their front porch, just something really quick. We then walked over to a small pond nearby and took photos there. The entire time I was about 20 feet away, using a 70-300mm lens, so basic telephoto lens, and it worked fantastically. Here’s some examples.
Amanda and Jade
It was a really wonderful experience doing the shoot and feeling like I’d accomplished something considering I’ve spent a majority of my time home just bingeing hours and hours of tv (I think Tiger King has lowered my IQ and I’ll never get those hours back). I actually felt calmer after taking photos for a bit and feeling like I had a purpose. I have some more shoots lined up for Thursday and Friday, all free. I wanted to do it free since it’s a rough time right now, and then planned on adding a coupon code for a future session, in hopes to secure a paid session in the future when we are no longer social distancing.
Has anyone else been trying out this project or trying anything new to get through this? I’ve seen some folks doing free paint shows on Twitter (@superinspired67 has been doing some, check them out)! Mel (@robsoldpal on Twitter) is doing a photo a day challenge. Let me know if you have any other activities to keep folks busy during this time!
We’ve got a ton of new stuff over at the Etsy shop, Fandom Fotography Shop, including new necklaces, magnets, charms, keychains, and various types of prints. Check out my twitter for some new pics, @mandileaphotos.
Wash your hands!
Mandi
New Etsy Page and Life
Hey folks!
Figured I’d have this here to announce new photos, new projects, new everything… which is really great during this worldwide pandemic. Don’t really need a page for me to express my thoughts, but here we are.
My lovely friend Anna and I have created an Etsy shop with our photos. We are selling guitar picks, charms, magnets, and will have way more products coming! It’s called Fandom Fotography Shop, and Anna has been amazing and setting so much of it up. Please go check it out and buy things. Lol
As far as the website, I have added new photos from Las Vegas to the convention, portrait, and concert albums. Hopefully you enjoy them!
My life during this pandemic has been buck wild. I was sick for about a week and a half, tested for the Coronavirus, and it was negative, thank goodness. It’s been difficult because I do not have a job currently, so my main source of income for the next few weeks will be selling prints and items on the etsy shop.
Anywho, enjoy these updates!
Mandi