Photography

My Favorite 16 Photos of 2016

Today I’m sharing my favorite 16 photos of 2016. The photos I’m sharing are MY favorite photos. They’re not necessarily the photos that got the most likes on Instagram or Facebook or that performed well here on the blog or on Pinterest. These photos are simply the photos that I’m most proud of from the past year. Enjoy.

4/28/16

Hobbes 4.28.16 | https://www.roseclearfield.com

6/20/16

Lake Michigan at Night 6.20.16 | https://www.roseclearfield.com

6/24/16 (full post)

Boat on Lake Michigan at Golden Hour 6.24.16 | https://www.roseclearfield.com

7/16/16 (full post)

Tall Ship in the Kenosha Harbor 7.16.16 | https://www.roseclearfield.com

7/16/16

Kenosha Lighthouse at Night 7.16.16 | https://www.roseclearfield.com

7/26/16

Back Lit Lily 7.26.16 | https://www.roseclearfield.com

8/18/16

Full Moon Behind North Point Lighthouse, Milwaukee, WI 8.18.16 | https://www.roseclearfield.com

8/30/16 (full post)

Rock Cairn at the Beach 8.30.16 | https://www.roseclearfield.com

9/17/16 (full post)

Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, Doors Open Milwaukee 2016 | https://www.roseclearfield.com

10/10/16 (full post)

Mitchell Park Domes Fall Show | https://www.roseclearfield.com

10/13/16 (full post)

China Lights at the Boerner Botanical Gardens | https://www.roseclearfield.com

10/22/16 (full post)

St. Louis Cathedral, New Orleans, LA | https://www.roseclearfield.com

10/22/16 (full post)

New Orleans Street Musician in the French Quarter | https://www.roseclearfield.com

10/29/16

Grant Park in the Fall 10.29.16 | https://www.roseclearfield.com

12/21/16

Basilica of St. Josaphat at Christmas, Milwaukee, WI | https://www.roseclearfield.com

Finally, the last photo is the photo that I was most proud to take in 2016. You may remember me sharing it back in this post. Our good friend Joe’s son is the fourth generation to be baptized in this church. Joe’s grandma (his son’s great-grandma) passed away less than two months after the baptism. I’m so honored to have been a part of this family moment and to have helped them capture it forever.

Four Generations | https://www.roseclearfield.com

Now that I’ve shared my 16 favorite photos of 2016, I’m sharing some of YOUR favorite photos of mine from the past year.

2016 Best Nine Collage for Instagram | https://www.roseclearfield.com

I really appreciate all of the support for my photos both here and on Instagram! Following me on Instagram is the best way to keep up with my latest photos as well as other random happenings that I share in my Insta stories.

Here’s to a great year of photography in 2017!

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Holiday Gift Guide for Photographers

Holiday Gift Guide for Photographers | https://www.roseclearfield.com

Welcome to my first holiday gift guide of 2016! I’m starting with a holiday gift guide for photographers. Next week, I’ll be sharing non-photography themed gift guides for her and for him. I’ve stayed away from the obvious camera bodies and lenses because most photographers shoot with specific brands (i.e. Canon, Nikon, Sony, etc.) and know what they want. I’ve also avoided most standard accessories, such as camera straps and flashes. You can see all of my general gear recommendations over here. Today I’m sharing a more fun selection of accessories that photographers may not purchase for themselves but will enjoy and other (mostly) practical photography related indulgences.

Artifact Uprising Wood Block + Prints...perfect holiday gift! | https://www.roseclearfield.com

Artifact Uprising’s Wood Block + Prints

Artifact Uprising offers a wide selection of really beautiful photography products including prints, cards, photo books, wall art, and calendars. If you haven’t browsed their site before, please check it out. The wood block + prints makes a great gift for family members and friends to display photos of loved ones and favorite memories. If you aren’t sure which prints to order for a gift, pick up a gift card.

Domke Protective Wrap

I inwardly cringe every time I see a camera stuffed haphazardly in a purse or diaper bag without any protection. I also completely understand that people don’t want to take their camera bags with them every time they want to shoot. (I’m the same way.) The Domke Protective Wrap is the perfect solution for on the go shooting. When you’re at the zoo or walking around Chicago on vacation, most likely you don’t need a ton of gear. Wrap up your camera body and 1-2 lenses and you’re good to go. The Domke is available in multiple sizes and colors.

LensPen

Camera lenses and LCD displays get trashed quickly, with dust and fingerprints everywhere. The LensPen is simpler and more convenient to pull out and use for a quick cleanup than a lens cloth. It also gets into the small crevices more effectively. Keep it handy in a front bag pocket for easy access.

SanDisk Extreme 64GB Card

You can never have too much memory. You never know when you’ll run out of the house without a memory card in the camera or your memory card will decide to fail. Keeping an extra memory card or two in your bag ensures you’ll always have ample memory. SanDisk is a reputable brand, and the Extreme 64GB card is an ideal size for most photographers at a great price point. (And yes, I have covered this topic before. A couple times. It’s really important.)

Adobe Creative Cloud Photography Plan

I’m still a little wary about the transition to renting instead of owning software, but overall, it’s a positive switch. Yes, it does feel like Adobe owns a little bit of your soul. (A great endorsement in a gift guide, I know.) But you get automatic updates and other support, ensuring you always have up to date software, with basically no extra effort on your part. The Adobe Creative Cloud Photography Plan includes Lightroom and Photoshop for $9.99/month. It’s a great gift option for photographers who are using outdated software or who haven’t taken the plunge and invested in professional software yet.

Canon DSLR Camera 24-105mm f/4 Lens Cup...such a fun gift item! | https://www.roseclearfield.com

Camera lens cups

The DSLR camera lens cups are just fun. Someone walks up to your desk and thinks you have a high-end camera lens sitting there…until you pick it up and start drinking coffee out of it. I’m linking a Canon 24-105mm lens cup because I’m a Canon girl, there are also Nikon cups available.

Professional photography website subscription

Professional photography portfolio websites, such as SmugMug and Zenfolio, enable photographers to create professional portfolios and make high-quality prints available for clients. They also allow for comprehensive personal and professional photo backup with folders and keywords so you can find photos again later with ease. Even if you’re not planning to take on clients or sell your prints, having a SmugMug or Zenfolio subscription is worthwhile. I love having another photo backup and frequently print photos for myself and to give as gifts.

A subscription to 500px is also a great gift for a photographer. You can create a 500px account for free, but there isn’t much you can do with the site unless you pay for it. They have three different subscription plans. The highest plan includes the previously mentioned Adobe Creative Cloud Photography plan, which is pretty cool.

Canon AE-1 with kit 50mm f/1.8 lens...great photography holiday gift! | https://www.roseclearfield.com

Vintage Canon AE-1 or Pentax K1000 with film

The Canon AE-1 and Pentax K1000 are two of the most popular film SLR cameras ever made. As a result, there are still lots of working AE-1 and K1000 cameras floating around that you can pick up on eBay for less than $200. Regardless of your photography background and current skill level, shooting with a film SLR camera, especially a classic model like an AE-1 or K1000, is a really neat experience. You appreciate the simplicity and ease of use of the dial controls, and you take time to create each image, manually focusing the lens and carefully composing each shot. Both Amazon and B&H offer 35mm film. Consider Kodak Portra 400 (color film) or Kodak Tri-X 400TX (black and white film).

Fujifilm Instax Mini 70 - Instant Film Camera...so much fun for weddings and family functions! | https://www.roseclearfield.com

FujiFilm Instax Mini Instant Film Camera

On a similar subject, if you love the idea of having tangible photos but aren’t in the market for an SLR film camera, a Fujifilm Instax Mini 70 Instant Film Camera is a great option. It’s really fun to attend a wedding or family holiday function and be able to snap photos of loved ones that you can give them right on the spot. It may seem silly when you can take photos on your smartphone, but there’s something different about having a photo you can put up immediately on the fridge or on your desk. Don’t forget to pick up some Instax film, too.

Alisa Burke's Snap Shot Live, a great gift for the photographer in your life. | https://www.roseclearfield.com

Alisa Burke’s Snap Shot Delight

I love to give experience gifts (i.e. local restaurant gift certificates, flex concert tickets, StubHub cash). Getting new gear is always fun, but learning a new feature of your current gear or taking on a new challenge can be just as, if not even more, rewarding. There are so many photography classes out there, many of which are affordable and convenient, aka local or online with a work-at-your-own-pace format. Alisa’s Snap Shot Delight falls into the latter category. In this class, Alisa shares her favorite tips, tricks, prompts, and more for using a camera as part of the creative process, which is applicable to virtually anyone in a creative field.

50 Do-Able DIY Photo Backdrops from thinkingcloset.com via roseclearfield.com50 Do-Able DIY Photo Backdrops | http://www.thinkingcloset.com

Photography backdrop

Photography backdrops can be a huge asset for almost every type of photography. From a product shoot for an Etsy shop to a studio session for a high school senior, the right backdrop will take your shot from average candid to polished and professional. Vinyl backdrops are fairly affordable and extremely versatile, durable, and portable. A few great Etsy shops that sell vinyl photography backdrops: InkAndElm, PrintSignsQuick, and MyBackdropShop. If you’re crafty, consider making a couple backdrops. There are numerous backdrop tutorials on Pinterest. (I’ve linked a great tutorials roundup above, too.) For photographers who do a lot of smaller shoots, a DIY lightbox is also a great option.

Tenba Photo/Laptop Messenger Bag...durable, versatile, and affordable. | https://www.roseclearfield.com

Photography bags

I know selecting a photography bag is a very personal decision. The two options I’m including here are the Timbuk2 Classic Messenger line (the top four listings under Messenger bags) and Tenba Messengers (check out both the DNA and Photo / Laptop lines). All three bag collections are lightweight and extremely versatile. If they don’t work as photo bags for the recipients, most likely the recipients would be able to find other uses for them.

Of course, I also have to mention the two bags I use right now: the ThinkTank CityWalker 20, which is my around town camera day bag, and the Lowepro Fastpack 250 DSLR Camera Backpack, which is my airplane carry-on and walk around bag on trips. I’ve been using the Lowepro backpack since late 2012 and am so happy with it as a travel bag. I’ve been using the CityWalker messenger since mid-2016. It’s a fantastic bag. In time, I’m confident I’ll figure out how to best use it to fit my specific photography needs. Both Lowepro and Thinktank are staple photography bag brands and have tons of other options if neither of these bags fits the bill for the photographers in your life.

Understanding Exposure, Fourth Edition: How to Shoot Great Photographs with Any Camera by Bryan Peterson

Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson

Photography book

For a new photographer who’s looking for a few technical resources, a how-to book, such as Tony Northrup’s DSLR Book or Pinch of Yum’s Tasty Food Photography, is a great choice. For a more seasoned photographer or someone who is simply looking for inspiration, the options are endless. artbook is a great resource for photography books. I’ve linked their new fall 2016 features. Don’t be afraid to think outside of the box. Many photographers find inspiration from a wide range of imagery, which may not be what they shoot all the time. For example, a family photographer may love The Space Within: Inside Great Chicago Buildings and can learn a lot from the architectural compositions.

[Disclaimer: There are affiliate links in this post. Using affiliate links to shop for photography gifts and any other products of your choosing is a simple way to support my blog without costing you anything extra. Thank you!]

What photography items are on your wish list this year?
Feel free to share links in the comments!

More gift guides!

Holiday Gift Guide: Gift Ideas for Her | https://www.roseclearfield.com

Holiday Gift Guide: Gift Ideas for Her

Holiday Gift Guide: Gift Ideas for Him | https://www.roseclearfield.com

Holiday Gift Guide: Gift Ideas for Him

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Why I Don’t Watermark My Photos

Why I Don't Watermark My Photos | https://www.roseclearfield.com

Watermarking photos is something of a controversial topic, I know. If you’re in the pro-watermark camp, most likely my subject line has already upset you. If so, please don’t leave me a nasty comment, particularly if you don’t even read the post. For many years, I was very indifferent about watermarks. But the more time I spend browsing photos and crafting articles and blog posts, the more they bother me. I have never watermarked my photos and don’t plan to watermark my photos anytime in the foreseeable future. The following reasons explain why I don’t watermark my photos and why you should think twice before you watermark your photos.

Watermarks are distracting.

First and foremost, the vast majority of watermarks are extremely distracting. Occasionally, I do see small, tasteful watermarks that don’t distract from the images. It’s really rare. Most watermarks are too big and too dark and are placed in such a fashion that they get in the way of an image. How are you supposed to focus on a beautiful winding staircase surrounded by wildflowers when there’s a big fat watermark right in the middle of the staircase? If you’re going to watermark your photos, please design a small, tasteful watermark, and place it right in one of the corners of your photos.

Watermarks don’t prevent people from stealing your photos.

First, anyone with some basic photo editing skills can edit out most watermarks in a matter of seconds. I know that most people don’t want to hear that, but it’s the truth. Second, when you put your photos online, you run the risk of them getting stolen. I’m not saying this to discourage you from sharing photos online. It’s simply inevitable that when you share content online, eventually someone will try to steal it. It really stinks. Generally, people aren’t attempting to pass off others’ photos as their own. Instead, they’re sharing them in an improper fashion. A lot of people have no sense of content ownership and make no effort to give credit to the original source. I wish that people didn’t think it was acceptable to post photos to blogs, Tumblr, Pinterest, etc. without linking back to the original sources or giving credit where credit is due. It’s not acceptable. Ever. But it will happen, whether or not you watermark your photos.

Most watermarks are completely unnecessary.

There are a few common scenarios where I see watermarks that simply don’t need watermarks.

  • Low-resolution uploads. When you upload photos to Instagram or Facebook, the resolution quality is really low. Yes, typically, high-quality images still look good in low-resolution when you’re viewing them on a smartphone because the screen is tiny. Most of these images will never get printed or blown up so it doesn’t matter that they’re low-resolution. However, the fact that they’re low-resolution also means no one will steal them to actually try to profit from them. Yes, someone may save an image to use as a background, but there’s really nothing wrong with that. Frankly, I’d be flattered if someone screenshotted a photo I posted on Instagram to use as a phone background. So please stop watermarking your social media share photos, especially on Instagram.
  • Step-by-step recipe and tutorial photos. I see so many blog posts in which the author has watermarked every. single. photo. Again, no one is going to steal a photo of brownie batter or half-finished coasters. Again, someone may use one of these photos online without linking back to the post. If this happens, the watermark may slightly increase the odds of someone tracking down the original post. However, most of the time, people will share the finished photos of the food, craft, etc., as opposed to the in-progress photos. If you’re going to watermark your photos, limit the watermarks to  the finished, styled images.
  • Poor quality images. I know this sounds harsh, but many people create huge, distracting watermarks for photos that are mediocre at best. It’s like worrying about your pen name when you haven’t finished your first novel. Finish the book and see if anyone wants to read it, let alone publish it, before you worry about what happens when you get famous. The same principle holds true for photography. Concentrate on making your images great before you even begin to think about protecting them.

Watermarks may actually hurt your chances of getting your photos shared.

When I’m searching for images to use for articles and blog posts, I don’t want obtrusive watermarks distracting from the content or disrupting the flow. What if I used a header photo for a favorites post with a watermark? Suddenly, you’re thinking, “Oh, Rose is featuring another one of Jason’s photos” instead of, “Wow, that a great image.” Try to imagine this post, this article, or this Pinterest board if all the photos had huge watermarks. (Are you having trouble imagining these types of content with obnoxious watermarks? I wasn’t going to post a lot of examples, but I came across this as I was writing this article.) Yes, plenty of people do share watermarked photos, but plenty of people also significantly limit the number of watermarked photos they share because they detract from the content at hand. Let your images speak for themselves.

~

The only situation that I believe warrants watermarking is professional photography with the intention of sales. When you’re sharing a gallery of images from a wedding or family portrait session, it’s completely appropriate to share small image files with tasteful watermarks that don’t distract from the images. Disabling right-click saving will further discourage people from saving these files, greatly limiting the number of people who avoid paying for the images. Yes, some people will still take screen shots or find other ways to save the images. But most people who have paid for professional photography services are motivated to pay for high-quality prints and photo books.

Do you watermark your photos?
Why or why not?

More photography posts:

5 Tips to Improve Your Photography | https://www.roseclearfield.com5 Tips for Improving Your Photography

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Photography 101: Never Stop Learning - Making an effort to learn new technical, composition, and editing techniques on a regular basis is key for staying current in the field and continuing to improve your skills as a photographer. | https://www.roseclearfield.comPhotography 101: Never Stop Learning

Top 10 Common Photography Mistakes to Avoid | https://www.roseclearfield.comTop 10 Common Photography Mistakes to Avoid

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Top 10 Common Photography Mistakes

Top 10 Common Photography Mistakes to Avoid

When you’re trying to step up your photography game, sometimes it’s hard to know where to start. You know that there’s room to improve, but what elements will take your images to the next level? While there’s no limit to the number of ways you can improve your photography, I’ve selected just a few of the most common photography mistakes photographers make and how you can avoid or fix them.

Top 10 Common Photography Mistakes to Avoid Read More »