Monday, June 16, 2014

Ralph Pink Hareem Pants #2 (Silk edition!) and a New Toy!

Ooooh, folks. I finally bought a real camera - the kind that has settings and buttons and lenses instead of the point-click one's I've always used.

I spent a little time last weekend being tutored on the ABC's and 123's (thanks, Kelli!!) and then this weekend actually snapping away and making Phin snap away, too. It's a little intimidating; technology and I have a very mixed relationship.

Canon Rebel SL1


Here's the results of our first new camera photo shoot.  These are my second version of the Ralph Pink Hareem Pants.  I don't have much to add to my post about the first pair I sewed. These pants are dead easy to sew.




This pair is made from stretch silk charmeuse that I bought at Chic Fabrics.  Since the fabric is not as stretchy as the modal I used for my first ones, I made the waistband out of black ribbed knit, which I'm just realizing that I didn't catch in any photographs.




I have to confess that vanity is probably to blame. I've always been convinced that my hair just does not photograph particularly well.  So, I was really thrilled and probably a bit distracted by how much like my actual hair my hair looks in these photos.




Anyway, this is how I would wear these pants for dinner or drinks out - with a black silk cami, sparkly jacket and pumps. 




As fun and chic as I think these pants look, they are still just a comfy as wearing pajama bottoms. I love when clothing is so comfy you just want to curl up in bed fully dressed!





Another great thing about my new camera is that it doesn't have to stop and think between photos. So, I just twirled and turned while Phin snapped away. It was much less uncomfortable and awkward for me to do a blog shoot this way instead of having to pose for each photo - I was not born to be a model.

Although we didn't do any photos of the little details - and to be honest, there really aren't any on these easy pants - here is a picture from this weekend. My mom shot this one. She's an avid shutterbug and helped show me some additional features. She's also lent me a tripod so I no longer have to bother Phin if he is not in a picture taking mood.

"Battle Dragons" 

This is me and my nephew Linus (age 8). He build the blue dragon before I arrived and then we built the red and green ones together. They served as a Father's Day table centerpiece. We were going for a nice crisp image of the dragons and a soft image of us. It sorta worked.

Anyway, I hope this means that you can expect better photos here in the future. And if you have any tried and true tips for photos, please let me know! I, um, need all the help I can get in this department! 

16 comments:

Clio said...

stop giving oona ammunition against me ;-)

Clio said...

Great photos! I have a decent camera but only six year old taking them for me so there are some limitations. I have to pay her now (with reward chart ticks or a coin - yep she's pretty cheap until she figures out the real value of money!). I pretty much look for a plain backdrop in good light, and she tries to keep her hand steady. I think she does a fab job. I've discovered the best light here is early in the morning when it is bright but there is not direct sunlight on me. I love your last shot of the dragons. Those pants are pretty cool. I'm sure my hubby would be aghast though if I made them...although that's never stopped me before!

Clio said...

Ha ha ha - but look at the drapey goodness of these pictures! My old camera could never take pictures like these. Seriously, I didn't even have to edit for color or brightness or crop out weird faces because I'm trying to give Phin instructions while he's shooting... lol

Clio said...

Yes, I'll definitely have to try a few times of day to see when I like the light. And a reward chart for Phin might be a good idea, too. LOL He hasn't really weighed in on the pants so I'm not sure what he thinks of them. Hmmm...


The dragons were very cool - I'm not sure who had more fun putting them together.

Clio said...

Purple harem pants!!!!!!!!! The photos look great, and your hair, as always, is awesome!

Clio said...

Great look Clio!

Clio said...

They look awesome! I think the fabric choice makes a big difference in how this sort of style looks.

Clio said...

Purple! Charmeuse! *squeeee* What a great set of photos. Amazing what some new dratted piece of technology can do. And I'm totally envious of your hair. My DD1 has gorgeous currrrrly long hair like yours - the only one in the family blessed with it. No fair. :p

Clio said...

Yeah, now I'm wondering why I waited so long for that dratted technology.


Your daughter and I should compare notes on humid days!

Clio said...

Yeah, I agree - I definitely wanted a fabric that was flowey but not so thin that it would cling in icky ways...

Clio said...

Why did I think the camera was named Pink Hareem?! Great photo shoot- I could never wear those great pants though!

Clio said...

Fun! Both the pants and the new toy!

Clio said...

your hair DOES look brilliant, you DID nail the focus, and look at that, after one weekend of training. IMAGINE WHAT SOMEONE WHO KNOWS HOW TO USE A CAMERA COULD DO COUGHDEVRACOUGH


also, awesome silky drapey pants.

Clio said...

The pants are super-glam! Congratulations on the camera -- I think you're really going to enjoy it. You'll always do better out of the direct sun, which you probably already know.

Clio said...

Sure! Right! Of course I knew that. (Note to self: stay out of direct sun during photo shoots...) ;-)

Clio said...

But where's your flying carpet Clio? ;-)

Photo tips...I love ones with either very simple background (eg textured walls), especially ones that contrast with the outfit (so the outfit stands out), and/or blurred background / shallow field of depth (I've never manage to get that to work, poo). Can't wait to see you go all editorial on us!