tutorial Archives - Kim Smith-Miller: Portland Wedding Photographer

Bokeh Panorama Tutorial, Pt. 2

March 4, 2012 / Tips & Tutorials

Last week I gave a brief introduction to the bokeh panorama -- aka the "Brenizer Method" -- for those who weren't already familiar. This week I'm going to dig into the actual shooting method and how to piece it all together. [...]

Intro to Bokeh Panoramas

February 26, 2012 / Tips & Tutorials

Though I've blogged on the subject before, I never really got deep down in the nitty gritty of bokeh panoramas. My passion for the technique has seen a comeback, so this will be the first of a small series documenting how to [...]

15 Ways To Jumpstart Your Passion

January 16, 2012 / Tips & Tutorials

Slumps are nothing new to me. In fact, just yesterday morning it was snowing here in Portland and Chris stood in shock as I passively watched the fluffy flakes fall, not even glancing towards my camera. Sometimes it's nic [...]

How I Quit My Job

January 1, 2012 / Personal

How I Quit My Job To Be A Full-Time Photographer Please bear in mind that not everything in this post may be what's right for you. One of the biggest lessons I continually have to face in being self-employed is figurin [...]

The Myth of the Extraordinary

December 16, 2011 / Film

It may surprise some to learn that one of my favorite books doesn't have magic, dragons or talking fruit bats named Roberto. It's a short read called Art & Fear: Observations on the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking. I read [...]

The Dim Haze of Mystery

October 20, 2011 / Film

Sometimes, all it takes to get you back in the game are a few words from a dead guy. In this case, Antoine Rivarol. I came across this quote of his while poking around the web during the wee hours one morning, and it hit me [...]

5 Ways to Improve Your Pet Photos

March 7, 2011 / Animals

Animals (okay, cats!) are among my favorite things to photograph. I grew up with cats and each era of my life is accounted for based on what cat was in my life at the time.* So, naturally, as soon as I started picking up the [...]

The Poor Man’s Fill Light

January 5, 2011 / Tips & Tutorials

Reflectors are one of the best tools in a photographer's camera bag, but if you can't afford one or are working with limited resources, aluminum foil makes a great stand-in. In the photo above I just have a piece of foi [...]

Data Entry

December 12, 2010 / Lists

A couple posts back I mentioned that I carry a notebook around with me to record data on photos that were shot with film. I got a few questions about it and figured a post might be helpful for anyone else who may want to do [...]

And I’m Free (Freelensing!)

November 9, 2010 / Not My Photos

I've recently become aware of the photographic technique known as "freelensing." This is done in lieu of owning a $2,000 tilt-shift lens for your dSLR and it's pretty effective if you can get the hang of it. In theory, it [...]

Digital Darkroom (Part I)

August 11, 2010 / Animals

Having recently graduated from college and moving away, I thought I'd never shoot film again. But with recommendation from a checker at Whole Foods, I've learned that Blue Moon Camera in St. John's is a great place to get my [...]

Double Exposures in Photoshop

August 2, 2010 / Tips & Tutorials

If you're anything like me, there's a certain level of wariness that comes with the commitment of a double exposure. It's bad enough that I hoard frames on film until months go by before I finish a roll. You don't even wa [...]