Pumpkin Patch Revised

It's Fall, ya'll.  You know what that means.  Photo ops with your kids and pumpkins.  Come on.  Everybody's doing it.

 Because I'm the bossy type, I thought I'd give a few photo tips to my cousins.  For photographing my little cousins in piles of pumpkins.  (If you are one of the three readers who are not actually my cousin, it's cool.  You just go ahead and keep on reading.)  

You don't have to have a fancy camera to capture beautiful moments.  In fact, all of these little tips could be applied to your iPhone.  So there ya go.  Ta-da.

You may be tempted to go to that great big bustling pumpkin patch.  That's okay, nothing wrong with that.  I tried it this weekend too.  We were there five minutes.  It was about noonish, honestly the worst time of day to try and take photos.  The sun is directly overhead, creating harsh shadows.  See???  Not the best.  It's okay...  but a bit harsh.

So we went under the tent.  Worse.  Ewww...  Yucky light.  (which could have been better, had this photographer had a better grasp on the concept of white balance.  But I don't.  Sometimes I do have to do laundry.  But it's on my short to do list.)

So we left.  I just wasn't feelin' it.  It was crowded as all get out.  The light wasn't very good.  Bleh.  Then we went to the grocery store.  I really just brought my camera because I didn't want to leave it in the car.  But then, glory glory...  A pumpkin display.  Just like the one in front of your grocery store.  In nice shade.  Who'd a thought it.

 As it turned out, the front of the grocery store was the perfect place for a tiny fall photo shootin'.   I didn't have to worry about strangers getting in my shot, or harsh light.  And they even sold big old pretty lollypops inside!  Double score!

 Still be conscious of your surroundings, and what is getting into your shot.  I had to pay attention to the signs, the glare of the store windows right behind the pumpkin display, and the sidewalk we were standing on.  All of which would have given away our double super secret spy location.  Your camera, the pumpkin display at your local grocery store...  woo-hoo!  Fall magic, Gentle Reader.

 And that's my big secret.

Which...  Isn't so secret anymore.

Happy Monday.