Vivian Killin Photography

Colorado Couples & Family Photography

  • Home
  • Info
    • About Vivian
    • Services
    • The Experience
    • FAQ
    • Client Portal
  • Portfolio
    • Blog
      • Couples
      • Families
      • Wedding
    • Client Galleries
  • Inquire

Palo Alto Family Session

Families November 29, 2018

Austin used to live with these girls and seeing them all grown up is so weird and exciting. Hearing the younger one speak full sentences is so bizarre!

I’ve been loving all my family sessions lately!

Shooting: My card would jam when I tried to take photos really quickly — come to find out the write speeds of my memory cards weren’t fast enough! When I originally bought these cards, I thought I had gotten good ones because I did my research. I have 5 or 6 memory cards right now and when I realized that they’re all the “slow” ones, I was frustrated at myself but Austin reminded me that I had to learn somehow. Plus since they’re the “slow” ones, they weren’t expensive at all. And I can still use them on my crop sensor camera with no issue. I think when I shot the wedding I didn’t have this issue because I was using a 5d Mark IV so I had a CF card that gave me extra write speed.

I switched from AI Servo to One Shot halfway through because the Servo focus wasn’t changing fast enough to catch up with the girls (but isn’t that the point of Servo)? And at one point they were jumping off a table so I knew where I wanted them to be in focus so I used One Shot. I need to read more about the focus modes to decide what works for me. Also I’m trying to use back button focus but I’ve read that a lens that needs microcalibration sometimes doesn’t work well with back button focus. So much to learn and read about! Also I think I should use a 35mm for family sessions because I like walking pictures, and I need a slightly wider angle, even though I LOVE a 50mm on a full frame and there’s much less distortion.

I also need to start shooting at a MUCH faster shutter speed! So I captured a bunch of somewhat blurry pictures that I really wish had turned out perfect because the expressions are so great, but also sometimes blurry pictures are fun because they capture movement?

Also I think for moving pictures I should start out farther away and then crop so I don’t end up quickly missing the bottom of a shoe or missing the top part of someone’s head.

Austin was there with me to entertain the girls and make them laugh so that was helpful!

Editing: I had Austin pose in different spots so I could take test shots. The place that had the most beautiful light had cars/houses in the background though! And I tried to clone out the cars but it was a huge struggle so I only did it for one picture. I also find it much easier to edit in the style I like when there’s sun. Even though this was a sunset session, the trees did shade quite a lot. I do think it’s better to do family sessions where there’s shade though, since there are kids who don’t want to run around chasing light. Or I can start a session earlier if I know there’s going to be shade so that we can then move to a sunny location once the sun has set more.

This was the most challenging session to edit thus far because of my own fault but I learned so much!!

Here are some slightly blurry ones that I still love! Blurriness makes it look more like film right??

I struggled with white balance here and also really didn’t want to edit out the cars (you can see that I tried in the very first photo in this blog, and the light was really interesting because of how the sun filtered through the trees) because I tried and failed miserably.

Looking for a family photographer? Inquire!

SHARE:
Redwood City Family Session »
« Bay Area Food Photography – Ramen 101

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE

  • Reunion Colorado Family Session
  • Byers Newborn + Family Session | Coltin + Phawn
  • Holyoke Colorado Family Photos | Sara and Logan
  • Brighton Family Photo Session

Trackbacks

  1. Menlo Park Family Session | Vivian Killin Photography says:
    December 19, 2020 at 2:00 PM

    […] asked me what my favorite type of session is, and as I wrote in my recap blog a couple weeks ago, family sessions are so fun for me because I get to capture authentic joy, chaos, and love. Seeing their son hold […]

WELCOME TO THE BLOG!

I’m so glad you’re here! I hope you’re filled with joy as you look at pictures of strangers.

POPULAR POSTS

Denver Mount Falcon Engagement Session | Kendall + Spencer

2020 Year in Review

Reunion Colorado Family Session

CATEGORIES

  • City
  • Couples
  • Engagement
  • Families
  • Film
  • In-Home
  • Outdoor
  • Personal
  • Wedding

ARCHIVES

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube
Part 2 of 2: Maddi and I went to the lake and this Part 2 of 2: Maddi and I went to the lake and this is my photo dump before I delete Instagram again 😉

2021 is the year of trying to be more creative and evoking more mood. 🆒

*note that I’ll still take all the normal pictures too for your couples/family/wedding shots, but sometimes I’ll throw in experimental ones 🙌
Part 1 of 2: Maddi and I went to the lake. So so Part 1 of 2: Maddi and I went to the lake.

So so sooooo so thankful for Maddi for many reasons, but today I’m grateful for friends that stand in the cold wind with me. 

The second to last photo is tswift lover-esque and the last photo is like hunger games Star Wars-esque 🤪 WE CAN DO IT ALL!
Happy new year!! Congrats Kendall and Spencer on y Happy new year!! Congrats Kendall and Spencer on your engagement!! 🎉 for the first photo session of the year we went for some red rock and mountain views! I can’t wait for your coffeehouse wedding later this year 🥰

I deleted Instagram and am trying to stay off social media (I check my messages on desktop though because I love the grumpy Bernie memes my friends send me), so here’s a whole bunch of my favorites since I’m going to delete the app again 😂

There are even more in my stories and on my blog (link in bio 👆)!!! I couldn’t help myself. With two locations there were too many to choose from!
Goodbye 2020! May 2021 be full of health and grati Goodbye 2020! May 2021 be full of health and gratitude for the things you still have. 

My 2020 year in review blog is up (link in bio)! I’ve posted the majority of my 2020 blogs in the last 2 weeks 🙃 so the content may not seem too new, but I love recaps and reviewing what I did/learned. Also if you missed all those blogs you can just read this one 🤣

Spoiler: I did a LOT of photo education on nights and weekends this year. 

I have some 2021 photo goals (some vague ones) in my blog that I hope to achieve/pick away at next year 🤓. I try to keep most of my goals creative rather than financial because I’m trying to keep this fun for myself!

📣 And sign up for my email list!!
More of being inside because that’s what 2020 wa More of being inside because that’s what 2020 was 🏠. Trapped inside but make it fun

Look out for my 2020 in review post tomorrow and dont forget to sign up for my email list at the bottom of my website 🤓. 

Happy almost end of 2020!
Find me on Instagram!

Sign up for my email newsletter!

© 2021 vivian killin photography, llc

THEME BY ECLAIR DESIGNS