About Emma

Origins

I’ve always found huge pleasure in visually beautifully things – of course images, but also textiles, crockery, the bare branches of trees silhouetted against a winter sky, the sharp clarity and detail in a child’s iris. In my early 20s I discovered that photography, a skill I’d previously assumed belonged to my siblings and spouse but not me, was something I seemed to ‘have an eye for’. The joy of sighting something beautiful or unusual through the camera lens was surprisingly addictive. I have never really looked back. I find photography the most wonderful creative outlet, and an incredibly expressive way to tell stories or share important moments.

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Focus

Although I like to capture the beauty in objects I see – the texture of the knotted wood in a signpost, the way the paint peels around an elaborate door-knocker – my true passion lies in photographing people. I take some posed shots, but truly love to try and capture more natural moments. For me photography has this wonderful capacity to capture, in a split second, important moments and relationships. It’s challenging to catch the fierce joy of a toddler pulling a kite along a beach, or the tenderness of mother stroking a baby’s head, but it’s so worthwhile.

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Interests

Along with photography, one of my big passions is babywearing. What began as simply a way to hold my baby close to me and give me free hands for making lunch has turned into so much more. I love the carriers themselves – the beautiful patterns, colours and textures of woven wraps are endlessly fascinating. I am part of worldwide community and have made wonderful, close friends. I am also very lucky to have the privilege of regularly hosting ‘tester’ wraps. This is where I have found my two hobbies intersect nicely, as I have worked on the challenge of capturing the beauty of woven wraps and the closeness this brings to parents and babies. I  Initially I worked primarily with myself and my children as the models, using a tripod and IR remote to shoot.  More recently I have branched out into using models, and I’m enjoying the extra creative opportunities this affords me. My reviews and photos are published on my blog, Adventure Woven in.

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Equipment

Currently I shoot with a Nikon D40X and either a Nikkor 50mm 1.4 AF-S or Nikkor 35mm 1.8 AF-S lens. I enjoy shooting with these prime lenses, which give great quality images. I’m hoping to upgrade my D40X soon as I shoot primarily outdoors and would like greater flexibility for shooting in low-light situations.

Introduction

Greetings and welcome to a new section of the site which is being written for those of you who are interested in taking control of your camera so that you can take beautiful photographs of your subject. Once the core principles of using a camera have been established, we will be focusing on photographing children who can be the most difficult yet rewarding subjects to work with. There will be a few examples of working with adults as well for those of you that want to concentrate on that particular discipline. If you are serious about photography, even as an amateur, you will need to invest in some kit to get the best results.

Throughout the articles to follow, we assume that you have a DSLR (Digital Single-Lens Reflex) camera, a basic understanding of the buttons or access to the manual for reference so that you can follow the articles and a copy of lightroom.

The information we provide will range from basic principles through to understanding how each control impacts upon the photo taken, tips on composition, lighting, clothing, posing and locations and instructions detailing how to process your images for the best results.

More Fun in the Sun!

Good afternoon folks, the temperature is soaring and things are good.

I have just been notified by the charity LEAF (Linking Environment and Farming) that I have won their photography competition, further to my previous post.

It was said that my winning entry …’captured the essence of Open Farm Sunday brilliantly. As an image they thought the focus and composition was excellent. They also liked the way the fence leads the eye into the image. Congratulations, Shaun, a fantastic winner!’

The image they are referring to:

LEAF do very important work (as described in the following extract) and are a worthy cause:

‘LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming) is a national charity that helps farmers improve the way they farm by encouraging them to take up Integrated Farming. LEAF also helps to create a better public understanding of farming through our national network of Demonstration Farms, Innovation Centres and initiatives like Open Farm Sunday. We bring farmers and consumers together to raise awareness of how farmers are working in harmony with nature to produce good food with environmental care. To find out more about LEAF’s activities, becoming a member and supporting our work visit our website by clicking here.’