Pamela Helme Photography

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Little update!

Thought I’d just post a little update of what’s going on with me!

Weddings are pouring in! If you’re looking to lock down a date with me for 2010, do it soon!
I’ve ordered Pocket Wizard flash triggers after a frustrating year with the Cactus (aka Poverty Wizard) triggers, so I’ll be in my glory come Wednesday!
I’ve got some band shoots coming up, next up is a local band called She Rides. Check em out!
A photographer friend and I are setting up a little “model party” at my place where we’ll be setting up a few different “sets” and having at least a half dozen models/friends/etc dropping by to pose! Stay tuned for lots of photos from that!
My printed 2009 Wedding Portfolio book should be arriving in about 10 days from blurb.com. You can check it out here!
I also have a few kiddo sessions coming up, I’ll be photographing baby Max’s 1st birthday and have another session coming with Finn and his cute self. I’ve also got my first session with a little dude named Gavin soon that should be a blast, he’s one cool kid.
Did you know I offer gift certificates? I’ll be adding that info to my website (hopefully with a handy way to order them!) soon! I’ll also be donating 3 of them to a fundraiser raffle to help open a children’s museum here in Fall River. The fundraiser is being held at the Texas Roadhouse in Dartmouth, MA Tuesday, April 6 from 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm, I will be there with my camera! If you’re on facebook, head here for more info or just contact me!
In other erase-bad-karma efforts, you may have noticed the new button on the sidebar. I’ve been accepted to participate in the Littlest Heroes Project, which provides free portrait photography to families with children who live with serious illness or life-altering disabilities. It’s a wonderful project and I’m proud to join their cause. If you know anyone who may be interested in this program, head over to http://www.littlestheroesproject.org/ or contact me for info!
I have taken over the Hideout Magazine section at The Hideout photography forum, so I’ll be writing lots of tutorials this year! These will be available on the new Hideout blog when it’s launched and of course on the forum. The Hideout is a wonderful forum, full of tips and freebies and wonderful photographers (no egos here!) so if you’ve never been, check it out!

Feb 08, 2010 | Categories: Blogging | 1 Comment »

I’ve been slacking on blog updates lately! Between wedding inquiries, bride meetings, email piles and my surprise! abdominal surgery, I am just now catching up from my recovery time. I have also been shooting! I’ve lost all use of my Cactus V4 triggers. They both died within a few months of getting them (the 2nd one died a few WEEKS after I got them) so am just miserable over losing my wireless flash ability.

HOWEVER, I’m going to suck it up and buy a couple Pocket Wizards this month, whether I can afford them or not…because I am just dying with being tethered to a flash.

As for 2010 weddings I’ve got about 15 inquiries pending and a few confirmed dates already. I get inquiries every week so I’m hoping to have lots of work this year! This is my 2nd year and I feel really confident about my ability to improve this year and really push myself. Thanks to all the couples who are trusting me with such an important job!

Now, onto some photos! Here’s a sample of my last few projects.

Last night my friend and photographic muse Hope stopped by with the lovely Adrienne on their way to a club to see their friend spin. We had an awesome hour long session just goofing around. I spent a couple of hours figuring out how to set up high-key (white backdrop, bright) lighting with one slaved flash and one attached to a sync cord. I manged it with the assistance of flags and reflectors and some stretching of muscles I probably shouldn’t have stretch. Anything for the photos, right?

And a few nights ago I did a last-minute session with some friends for their new band, Sauriel. We didn’t have a lot to work with (again, this no wireless flash this is obnoxious) but we got some good shots to start with and will be shooting again after I get my PWs.

I also shot some self portraits just screwing around and finally got some I like so I could update my website photo and whatnot. One light, shoot through umbrella camera right, black side of a zip disc for backdrop.

Alright, I’ve got to get back to editing! Thanks for reading!

Jan 28, 2010 | Categories: Bands & Concerts, Blogging, People, Portraits, Studio | Leave A Comment »

Mara: Finally finished!

Much like Hope and Missi’s shoots, because Mara’s was partly for school I found myself putting finishing them off…for like a month. Oops. But motivation is finally finding me and I finished editing (very tediously- these were noisy as hell…how I lust after the 7D and it’s better high ISO performance) her best shots today. If I were to do these again I would DEFINITELY bring my flash into the net and shoot ISO 800 rather than 1600.

By the way, if Mara looks familiar it is because I shot her wedding last fall at the Springstep Dance Studio.

But I had a lot of fun, learned how to exit a trapeze net (the more you know) and got some pretty cool shots. Here’s four favorites. Full set here.

Thanks for letting me tag along, Mara!

Jan 06, 2010 | Categories: People, Sports & Action | Leave A Comment »

Links!

Here’s a long overdue link round up!! (All open in new tab/window)

First of all, end the first week of 2009 looking back on 2009 and setting some goals for 2010:

This post from Digital Photography School has 30 GREAT goals to set for 2010, most of which were on the list I made the other night.
Photojojo encourages you to do the same, maybe with a picture a day project!
They also have a list of the best photo round ups on the web!
If selling prints is one of your goals this year, look into Print Society…I am!
Strobist has kicked off 2010 with a new feature: Archives!
Here’s some photo round ups for 2009 from The Big Picture (3 parts), The Australian, The Wall Street Journal, and TIME.
DPS has listed it’s most popular posts of 2009.

And here’s the rest of the links piling up in my “to post on blog” folder!

I’ve got wedding work on the brain this week prepping for the 2010 season. Here’s an amazingly cool site for inspiration, Rock’n'Roll Bride. Here’s where my nerd love for photography and design collide at Design Sponge: Our Wedding.
Here’s a great article on lighting.
This is a great Strobist post on pre-planning (aka “worrying”) shoots. A must read!
Nikon has posted two videos starring Joe McNally demonstrating color control with Nikon flashes. You don’t have to be a Nikon shooter to get something from these videos as the information applies to any hot shoe flash! Part One, Part Two. And if you’re feeling snubbed, go here and see some videos with Canon flashes!
It’s bloody cold here in New England, if it’s bloody cold where you are this article on shooting in cold weather conditions should be helpful!
Here’s 4 DIY projects for boxes from DIY Photography.
New to photography? Here’s 101 tips for new photogs from Stephen Sidlo.
Lucky enough to live somewhere that ISN’T a frozen tundra? Shoot some cool bugs in your own backyard studio.
If you’re doing some indoor shooting these days to avoid the cold, here’s a handy article on lightening backgrounds in LR

Jan 06, 2010 | Categories: Links | Leave A Comment »

YIP Tuesday #1

I am dubbing Tuesdays Year In Pictures Tuesday on this blog. Every Tuesday I will post the last week’s Project 365/Year in Pictures photos. Here’s installment #1. I’ve been into self portraits (cause hey, I’m always around) lately, in case that isn’t apparent.

365.1

365.2

365.3

365.4

Jan 05, 2010 | Categories: Project 365 | Leave A Comment »

Fun with color temperature.

In an effort to keep up with my project 365 this year, I’m leaving my camera and 1 off camera flash on a stand set up at all times. This sparked a random selfie session this afternoon.

I just hung these sheer panel curtains in my room and I just love how soft the light that comes through them is. I wanted to play around with it and started messing around. I decided to throw the white balance to tungsten (the light bulb) to change the neutral daylight to blue. I under exposed the background to enhance the blue, and figured out the right aperture to balance my 1/8 power flash. I put a full cut of CTO (though I wish I’d doubled it now) over my flash and stuck the flash in my shoot through umbrella. I added a reflector just under the camera to fill some shadows and went with it!

Camera:Canon EOS 40D
Exposure:0.01 sec (1/100)
Aperture:f/5.6
Focal Length:24 mm
ISO Speed:800

Here’s a lighting diagram of the set up:

If you’ve never played with flash gels, head over to Strobist and meet your next obsession.

Jan 02, 2010 | Categories: Self Portraits, Tutorial | Leave A Comment »

A new year, a new chapter and a new project 365.

You may have noticed I’ve been a bit absent lately. My last semester at school pretty much crushed my love of photography for a few months, but I’m happy to report that all it took was one semester-long leave of absence to bring me right back. My break from school was a hard decision, but considering that my marriage have dissolved and I will need to focus fully on supporting myself and kids alone for the first time…I think it was the best decision. Things are changing for me, but I’m not afraid of change.

I’ve found the best way (for me, anyway) to keep moving forward is to start new projects and set new goals. Among these for 2010 is a new Project 365 project. I’ve failed this not once, but twice now! This year I have the added motivation of knowing what a life-changing year this will be for me, so the end product of 365 photos seems so much more important now. If you’ve never heard of Project 365, check out this Photojojo article and see what all the hype is about.

Another cool thing I’ve started is I signed up for Photojojo’s Time Capsule, which is a 2x/month email that shows photos from your flickr from that time last year. I’ve read a lot of articles mentioning reviewing old work from time to time to improve your photography, and this is a nice lazylady way about it!

So to celebrate 2010, I’ve decided to back in time and pull some of my favorite photos from 2009 together and slideshow them here. They’re in order from Jan 09 to Dec 09. Enjoy and I hope you have a wonderful, healthy and fulfilling 2010.

(there is a middle finger in one pic for those watching at home with small children.)

Jan 01, 2010 | Categories: Blogging, Project 365, Self Portraits | 2 Comments »

Missi and her hoop!

Four faves from my session with Missi hoop dancing!

Dec 21, 2009 | Categories: People, Sports & Action | Leave A Comment »

From mine, to yours.

Dec 20, 2009 | Categories: Blogging | 1 Comment »

Long time, no post!

Why? School and life are pretty rough right now, I’m pretty down about it all but I’m still shooting! Here is proof! I have TWO shoots with Missi and one with Mara (you may remember her, formally a bride on this little blog). I did some studio time with Missi and she was kind enough to hoop for me while I took her picture. If you don’t know what hooping is, check this video out. It is a new obsession of mine and I wanted to do my final project on unconventional dancers and performers. I’m hoping to get some belly and burlesque dancers soon!

Mara is another one of my kind friends who are helping with the performers project. Mara does aerial silks. If you don’t know what that is, watch this video! I can’t do that stuff but I did manage to get in and out of the trapeze net without injuring myself or anyone else. Not bad.

Here’s a couple peeks, many more coming!

Mara: