WIW - 2 days in a row! - YouLookFab Forum

This is definitely a record. I have never posted twice in a row before!

Today I attempted to set the camera up alone and the result was ok, but not as good as when I had my coach. I did actually take notes in a notebook yesterday, though.

To answer a few of yesterday's questions:

I am using a Canon EOS Rebel SL1 with an 85mm lens
I set the shutter speed and the aperture, but it is on auto focus
I used a wired remote, programmed with 10 second delay to hit my mark, and 6 shots in a row with 3 seconds between. You press "go", hustle to the spot, and it makes a beep just before it takes each shot.
I am standing about 25 feet from the camera
The camera is on a tripod
The time of day is 3:30 p.m. today and I am actually shooting into the setting sun. I am going to try this same spot in the morning.

I will get suggestions from DS for where to buy the tripod and the wired remote (he gave me an old one of his) and share with all.

Today I drove to Harrisburg, PA for a meeting, about 95 miles each way. This is after the drive because I could not get the camera working at 7:45 a.m. and was in a hurry. Hence, the wrinkles on the pink jacket.

I wore the pink jacket, but I had tried on the white last night and was really torn between the 2, so showed them both. I was disappointed when I first got the Zara jacket - I couldn't figure out how to style it at all. It is also not great quality. There is a hole in the lining of one pocket and many threads were hanging. But, when I paired it with the black dress, I think it worked well. I really like the silhouette.

The clutch, while so cute, is so not functional! I could not even fit my license and AAA card, 1 credit card, 1 lipstick, phone and glasses without struggling to clasp.

Dress: Loft (from Christmas Eve)
Pink jacket: Zara
White jacket: H&M
Coat - Chicos
Scarf - BR
Clutch - BR
Boots- Frye
Tights - Vera Wang

Thanks for looking and all the nice feedback yesterday. I have so many clothes in my closet you've never seen...

PS Deb - I challenge you to go outside! How about a spring shoot in Williamsburg together?

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9 years ago

Staysfit

Veteran

Wow, the pics look great! I think you are getting the hang of using your camera! I need to learn how to do that instead of my pathetic selfie's with my pink camera! Love the pink Zara jacket.

columbine(erin)

Ooh I love the proportions of the pink jacket outfit! Love the way the jacket draped in the back. Good for you figuring out camera solutions, too.

rachylou

Looking very smart, Laurie!

Jaime

(website)

The pink jacket looks terrific - I know what you mean about the flaky quality, but the look works! I can set my camera for times shots, but then it focuses on the empty space and I come out a blur. Which has its advantages :-)!

merwoman

Your outfits are lovely Laurie, and thanks for posting more details on your brilliant photo technique! I love clutches - but more so for use outside of work. My wallet and phone are very slim, so I have no 'storage' issues.

Suz

I sympathize with your frustrations about the quality of the Zara jacket, but it doesn't show from here and the outfit looks great. I have a bit of a Zara jacket addiction -- my fast fashion fix. But I agree that quality is really wonky. Sometimes better than you expect, and sometimes...well. Less said the better.

You are doing great with the photos!

I am no expert. I just set mine on auto and use the self-timer and put it on the tripod and stand there. I have not mastered the outdoor shot particularly well. Or at least the flattering outdoor shot.

kellygirl

You are getting awfully good with the camera! You must be a quick study. Love the white jacket on you. The Zara one is a great color and fun style too. YLF!

Firecracker (Sharan)

These are great outfits on you! I really like that pink jacket with the back pleat. Fun style. The outdoor photos are nice, too.

Anonymous

Oh, wow! Your photos are stunning! I'm favouriting this post to take notes for my camera Your top coat scarf and boots are fabulous, but also what a great little pink jacket! Shame about the snags and hole, but if only on the inside, you can't tell. The white jacket is lovely too and definitely gives a different feel to the outfit. Great clutch btw...even if you can't get much in it

Karie

You are showing us some gorgeous and stylish outfits! The pink jacket is beautiful, but I hear you on the inconsistency of Zara's clothing. I love the black tall boots/leggings/skirt combo, it is one I wear often this time of year.

If you don't mind my asking, what do you set the shutter speed and aperture to? I have a Cannon Rebel T3i and use it all the time, but never for outfit photos - I use a very old Cannon point-and-shoot. I need to re-think that!

kkards

1st, the photography, wow, outdoor shots, movement! I'm so impressed. i can barely manage phone photo's in front of the mirror!

l really like the pink jacket, especially from the back, but with this dress, i think i actually like white jacket better. for me, the length of the white jacket works better.

Laurie

Thanks everyone - and interesting to hear that I'm not the only one with the Zara quality disapppointment. I think I've mentioned before that I am quite turned off by our local Zara store (messy, disorganized, surly help, teenage vibe), but when I order online the experience is completely different. They package and ship their products beautifully. Truly a disconnect. The other thing I don't like about this jacket are the snaps - very cheap, and gold. When snapped to the top, no problem but if you leave one or two open, it definitely downgrades the garment and the look. The color is beautiful, the drape and swing is great and I like the sleeve length. It makes me feel elegant.

so, at the risk of insulting the real photographers amongst us, here is what I've learned so far:

ISO - this is the sensitivity of the sensor (used to be of the film) to light. Lower the number, less sensitive and potentially darker print, but sharper image. Use 100 or 200 for outside -definitely below 800. 800 or 1600 for inside. Higher the ISO, more grainy the image. My photos are at ISO 200.

Aperature - size of the opening. The smaller the number the wider the opening. Wide aperature is best for portraits. My son likes a very wide ap, but I feel like it potentially washes out the shot. He recommends 1.8 to 3.2 for these outside shots - I find myself tending to adjust to let slightly less light in - so yesterday's pictures were at 3.5.

Shutter speed - measures how long the shutter is open and how much light is let in. Measured in portions of a second - fast speed is 1/200 to 1/1000 of a second. Slow shutter is 1/30, 1/2, 1 second. My son's quick rule of thumb is that the shutter should equal or be no slower than the focal length of the lens. Since my lens is 85mm, his rule of thumb would be no slower than 1/100 (closest speed on camera to 85). Yesterday I set the shutter at 1/320 (the shots with the black coat and the pink jacket) or 1/200 (the white jacket) which is slightly slower, allowing more light and resulted in more of a washed photo.

My only edit to the photos was to crop them. I can do basic editing but have no skills with Photoshop.

Hope this is helpful. It's good for me to repeat this to you - ingraining it in my head. I have tons of experimentation to do. These cameras are amazing devices. I am just not one to ever read a manual!

@kkards -you get the movement in the photos because the remote is set to take 6 (or more or less) pictures in a row, with a few seconds in between. I did not intend the movement, it just caught me as I was turning in some of the shots. I like it too!

Angie

Fashion Stylist

The outfit with the pink is FABULOUS. Fun trapeze style jacket.

Are you using your clutches, Laurie?

Angie, Thank you!
I am clutch-challenged. This one is particularly small. I am also challenged by changing handbags, and used to have only one handbag for years on end. I love having a collection now, and I need to figure out a whole new system -

Right now I have an old Coach leather clutch-style wallet that is one of the many items I carry in a large purse - you know I'm a fan of the large BR satchels, for instance. I am nervous to be pulling my license and credit cards in and out of this wallet, terrified I'll show up at the airport with an empty space where my ID usually lives, because I used a clutch the day before! I also have a small zipped bag containing my phone charger, phone earplugs, my car key, minimal makeup items. This I can easily lift from one purse to the other, but it is not small. To use a clutch, I have to take my car key out of this bag.

I also carry a tote to meetings, which contains my laptop, notebook, umbrella. I think I can make a clutch + tote bag work for business travel.

I am really open to suggestions - maybe this is the topic for a blog entry or a separate thread? How to be organized and fashionable, how to utilize many accessories with minimal forgetting of essential items?

Ginkgo

You look so stylish in every photo, Laurie. The pink jacket is worth it as fast fashion.

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