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Chic Critique is THE elite magazine, community, & resource for women who love photography (yes, we’re biased!)
Our mission: critique | confidence | community
Get your CHIC on with our Celebrity Photographers who inspire, teach, and critique to help increase confidence and improve your images!
CHIC OF THE WEEK | Trinity Baldonado
O ur Chic of the Week is Trinity Baldonado from Treebird Photography.
Tell us a little bit about yourself:
I am a natural light photographer in Wilmington, North Carolina. I have an awesome boyfriend and son who are the reason I ever got my hands on my first DSLR. The rest is history.
I started my business a little over a year ago, and I mostly shoot families and seniors, and have done a few weddings. Seniors are definitely my passion, so I hope to continue to grow my business in that direction.
Image of the week:
Image stats:
This image was shot with a Sony a850 and 50mm f1.4. The settings were ISO 100, f/2.2 at 1/160sec. It was shot in natural light about an hour and a half before sunset. I edited in Lightroom 3 and did minor skin smoothing and eye brightening. I also used a MCP action “Rum Raison” and a vignette for the finish.
The senior is actually my beautiful niece Robyn, and I flew out to New Mexico to visit her and shoot her senior photos. It was a great experience for the both of us.
After sharing this image in the Chic Critique Forum, what critique did you find helpful?
I didn’t get any critique on this exact image; however, I did get a lot of great feedback from this set. I love feeling like a part of a photography community. It really feels good to be supported and encouraged with my work. 
Congratulations Trinity! You’ve been awarded a gift certificate from one of our vendors for being selected as Chic of the Week!
Are you interested in being the Chic of the Week? Just become a member of the forum, submit an image for peer critique and each week someone will be chosen and featured on the blog!
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Glimpses Week 39
Welcome to week 39 of our Glimpses 52 Project!
Read all the details for the Glimpses project here.
Check out this Glimpse from Heather of Heather Bybee Photography
ENTER YOUR “GLIMPSE” FOR THIS WEEK BY CLICKING ON THE FROG BELOW:
Don’t forget to leave a comment on the other entries because that is half the fun! Also, submit your photo early since those seem to be the ones who receive the most comments.
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2 responses to “Glimpses Week 39”
ChicTV – What Heidi Hope has learned from doing Baby Plans
It’s Forum Freebie Friday! Chic Members, watch this exclusive ChicTV video to find out:
- What Heidi Hope has learned from doing Baby Plans
- Why Heidi got into baby photography
- How Heidi has expanded
- Heidi’s twist on Cake Smash sessions
BONUS: Watch it all the way to end! Hint: it has to with Heidi + hula hoops
WATCH IT NOW (must be logged into the forum)
Participate in Heidi’s Inspired By Series HERE
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SewTamz Designs | Vendor Spotlight
Today’s Vendor Spotlight is from one of our fabulous Vogue Vendors, TAMMY ZU HONE, owner of SEWTAMS DESIGNS!
After leaving the corporate world as a techie; Tammy on a whim began designing camera straps and covers for photographer friends, adding embroidery for a personal touch. Thus SewTamz was born and now products are distributed world-wide. Tammy enjoys creating new products that are functional and fun.
Items are handmade and can be customized. Cross-body and wrist straps can be made with neoprene core.
The original dual lens cap sleeve holds the lens cap, iphone, business cards, sd cards and other gadgets/goodies.
Wanna be a Vogue Vendor? We spoil our vendors with content marketing, giveaways, magazine and event advertising, a special section in the forum, and MORE! Advertise with us to get your business noticed.
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INTERVIEW WITH TIFFANY BENDER | CELEBRITY PHOTOGRAPHER
Whether it be the smell of your newborn or the look that your five year old gives you that makes you remember that they are still your baby- that is what I try to capture. It is hard for me to think just how fast time moves. I want to capture those details for you. I have always taken pictures—lots of them! I think it came from my mom. No, I KNOW it came from my mom. Back in the days of film she would have boxes and boxes of images all over our house. I could piece a decent part of my life with just those images, actually you could probably feel like you lived my life just from those pictures. So, I guess history repeats itself. With the birth of my son the obsession began. I took thousands of pictures his first year- I have even filled two computers with those shots. With the birth of our second child it only became more pronounced. Not only did I want to capture the moments, but I want to do it beautifully. That is were it began. I have shot and shot and shot some more until I could replicate what was in my head. I dream about photography. It has not only become my career, but my love, my passion. In fact- I think about photography probably more than I should! I LOVE what I do and feel so blessed that I have the opportunity to live this life.
Tiffany, what camera do you use and what is your favorite lens?
Nikon D700 and 70-200 2.8mm
Why do you think honest critique on your images is important?
Honest critique forces you to look at something that you may not have seen. It helps you open your eyes to areas of improvement. Sometimes it’s hard to see past the tip of your nose.
What has been the most helpful critique you ever got on an image?
Some critique I received while early on in business was to make sure that your subject is always tied into your environment? How that translated into my everyday shooting was that I began to create images that told a story. If you can pull your subject out of the image and not know where they were then you didn’t do your job.
What 3 words would you use to describe your style?
Sundrenched, vibrant, and classic
Where do you pull your inspiration from?
Everywhere! It can be a moment or a feeling that just happens to come over me. That one moment can end up being the inspiration for an entire session.
What is one specific way that you balance work and family?
Family always comes first! Scheduling one session a week helps keep my workload manageable, which allows me to spend time with hubby and the littles. Also delegate, do what you are good at and delegate the rest.
Best biz/photo advice?
Always stay true to yourself. If you shoot what you love, that passion will translate into success.
What have you learned the hard way?
Set limits! Do not allow your clients and your business to over-run your life.
How does your business deal with the rise in photographers. What have you done to standout and compete?
I don’t think about my competition at all! I have created an experience that you cannot get anywhere else. By doing this, you eliminate your competition. I try to live by one of my favorite quotes, “Be yourself, everyone else is already taken.”
Where have most of your 2012 clients come from (besides WOM)?
We have a great online presence and with the use of facebook and active blogging we have been able to reach a broad audience.
What has been the best workshop or convention you’ve attended so far?
I haven’t attended any other workshops, however PPA’s Imaging is always great to touch and feel products. Networking is always key too.
What is your most popular product?
Custom framed wall galleries
Check out Tiffany’s lesson on how to create a compelling image in the forum here!
Not a member of the forum yet? Read tons more juicy Celebrity tutorials like Rachel’s as well as others by joining here.
Want Tiffany Bender of Munchkins and Mohawks Photography to critique your images or your business? Her full critique is sold out but there are still Chic Peek seats available!
[...] This week’s Glimpse actually doesn’t even have any pictures of my kids in it! It does, however, have several pictures of my family members that I love, love, love!!! My young cousin passed away last week. He had struggled through his life with many limitations and difficulties, but he and his pure, loving spirit had been an incredible gift to everyone in his life. Although he is free of his limitations now, he will be greatly missed. Jared and I quickly decided to take the kids to his memorial in Burns, Oregon. I adore that family and just couldn’t imagine not being there. After the funeral service we all went back to my cousins’ home to be together for just a few hours before getting ready for the trip back home. It was a powerful reminder about loving those close to me. About enjoying as much time as possible with my loved ones- which means, making more trips to get together more often!! We don’t see each other enough! Here are just a few images from that afternoon…it was pretty dark, so a lot of these are pretty grainy..but I sure love these people!! For more of the Glimpses project, click HERE. [...]
October 2, 2012 at 1:50 pm[...] year, I’ve decided to join in the 52 Glimpses project over in the Chic Critique forum. The goal is to photograph a glimpse from your life each week and [...]
October 4, 2012 at 6:47 pm