We loved our visit to Al-Balad, Jeddah in Saudi Arabia.  We fondly remember our time meandering through the old streets and admiring the beautiful architecture.

Al-Balad, founded in the 7th century,  is the historical center of Jeddah. Some buildings that remain in the town are made from corals from the nearby Red Sea, reinforced with limestone, and intricately decorated with teal, mahogany, and shisham brought from India and Africa as ships passed the port. Some of the old buildings in Al-Balad are more than 500 years old and have been preserved as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

When we visited, the streets were relatively barren which made for open spaces to walk and capture photos.  But in the evening, the streets began to fill as the market doors opened.

There's nothing quite like a desert sunset. 

As many photos as I took of the sun setting while we were in Saudi Arabia, I was never able to fully capture the magnitude and beauty of it.  The large golden sun slowly drifting down behind the red sand dunes--one of my favorite things to witness. 

During the hardest times of COVID lockdown--in the blazing hot summer days--we would venture out in the evenings.  We would often climb on the top of a hill and watch the sun drift away in the distance. So beautiful; so calm & peaceful. It was like therapy for my soul.  And then our desert fox 'hunt' would commence. 

Oh yes, we would spend some time walking trails and looking for the elusive desert foxes that lived nearby.  They were easier to spot in the evening and when there weren't as many people around. We spotted them a few times!  These were some of the highlights that kept us going during some hard times.  God's creations.

One of our last trips in Saudi Arabia was to Tabuk--I'm kind of working my way backwards as I share photos from our time there.  We drove all over the region as we explored and this may have been one of our favorite moments on our drive.  The scenery was amazing and types rock formations changed every few miles.  We were coming around a bend on a windy road and suddenly caught a glimpse of a herd of camels making their way up a hill.  I grabbed my camera and captured the following images:

We lived in Saudi Arabia for a few years and camel sightings never got old for me.  Would you stop to photograph camels?

Happy 2023!  It's hard to believe it's 2023.  I remember a moment in time in middle school, looking at a calendar on a text book and seeing my high school graduation year: 2001.  At that time, 2001 felt like such a far away date.  And now, we're 22 years past 2001.  My mind is boggled with how quickly time goes. 
I'm now living in Hawaii with my family after almost 3 years in Saudi Arabia--which is also equally mind boggling. What a change in climate and scenery, though both have lots of sand and palms.  We really enjoyed our time in Saudi Arabia and I took a lot of pictures. Mostly unshared..  As I reflect on our time there and on what our time will look like here, I'm inspired to share more photos from Saudi Arabia and our travels while we lived there. 
I will confess, moves can be hard for me.  Especially when it comes to photography.  I'll snap many phone pictures, but it tends to take me a couple of months to pull out my camera.  Well, my camera is now out and in use here in Hawaii.  I've not restarted my portrait business..yet, but I'm inspired to share photos from our time here.
I'm looking forward to all 2023 has to offer.  I hope you are too!

Anyone who knows me or has seen my portrait work, knows that I love a good posed photograph.  The subject seated a certain way, making eye-contact with a smile (or not) can make for a powerful and moving photograph.  But, I also adore a candid photograph.  I love them when the subject has no clue you're photographing them.  Like you're hiding in the bushes in a non-stalker/non-creeper kind of way, of course.  But, I also love a candid photograph where the subject knows you're there with a camera, but you (as the photographer) just let them do what they want.  And my favorite subjects to photograph this way are children! 

Not everyone likes this, I understand. I think some parents are afraid of what their child might do.  Maybe they're afraid of capturing an image of them with a grimace, scowl...or even in a full-on tantrum.  But oh the joy of all of those things--yes, even the tantrum.  Why joy in a tantrum?  Because there's so much beauty in the normal & natural things of life.  The times that are fleeting.  The images that can only be recalled in the mind's eye of memories or in photographs.  If you're all in favor of a posed photograph, I'm with you...I love them!  But, let's see if I can encourage you to try a candid photo or two of your little one.  Here are 3 reasons you should get candid photos of your kiddo: 

1.  Capture your child's personality as it is today.  Any parent knows that time with your child flies by.  One minute, they're born, and the next minute, they're driving.  I'm in the stages between born and driving, but time is flying by, nonetheless.  As children grow and develop, their personalities do too.  Capturing candid photos of my son now at 6 is much different than candid photos of him when he was 2 or three.  I look at the photos of when he was a toddler and remember how focused he was on the details of toys.  Yes, he's still focused now, but it's different--he's changing, and photographs have helped me capture these changes to relive and remember them.

2.  Have fun and memorable photos to adorn your walls. 
Okay, I'm just gonna say it.  Photos can get a little boring and old if everyone looks the same in ALL of them.  You know what I'm talking about!  "Everyone look at the camera and smile!!!"...times 100.  Again, I love a posed photograph, I take posed photographs, I have these photos hanging on my wall.  But those candid photographs can really spice up a wall with personality and the unique flare that is your child.  And, they make for more entertaining and provoke conversation with your children as they recall the moments and with guests who enter your home.

3.  They will amaze you.  Without direction or guidance, you'll be amazed at how your child responds to photographs.  Will they smile?  Will they cry? Will they stare?  Who knows.  My favorite thing to do is just photograph a child for a few shots without saying anything to them.  To just see what they say or do or what they don't say or don't do.  To see where they'll look or what they'll find interest in.  It's fascinating and makes  for more natural feeling photographs.  After some time, I'll give direction an get some posed photos.  But, I've found that parents are fascinated by the expressions their little ones give on their own...without my guidance and direction. 

So, are you ready to get out there and capture some candid photos of your children?  I hope so!  Or maybe you already do?  Share what you're photographing with me below in the comments.  I'd love to connect!

-Kirsten

To all the mamas of new babies, here's a beautiful idea for you.  Capture your little one's growth from newborn to 12 months in two classic black and white photographs.  Your photographs will be an heirloom you can pass on for generations.  And you know the bonus of taking photos like this?  YOU will be in the photo too!  

   

{Source:  Munchkins & Mohawks}

{Source: Kirsten A. Harr Photography}

Do you remember the "old days" when you'd take a photograph and you'd have NO clue what it looked like until you had your roll of film developed?  There was some excitement and anticipation about the photos you captured through your camera.  Like:  "were they any good?" Hahaha.     Back in the day, you HAD to have the photo developed/printed to know what it looked like.  And with a printed image, we were way more inclined to to put in an album or a frame. 

Today is much different.  We get instant results.  Digital cameras certainly help us to cut down on clutter and thousands of 4x6 printed photos stored in keepsake boxes.  But, I have a question for you.... 

When's the last time you took a photograph, printed it off, and displayed it in your home? 

Sure, digital cameras are awesome, but if we're honest, digital cameras also make it easy for us to take photos and leave them stored in our phones, computers, or cameras never to be seen or enjoyed ever again. We no longer have to print photos to know what they look like or to share them with loved ones.  

​I'm a culprit of "failing to print" as well. I have thousands of photos captured in my phone, on my computer, and on memory cards, but now I'm finding ways to get them printed and displayed so my family can enjoy them now, and for years to come.  

Here are 4 fun ways you can display photographs in your home.  

1.  A Giant Framed Collage
Take a bunch of your photos and turn them into a giant poster collage and frame it.  It's a clean look to display a bunch of photos in on place.  You can have a theme for your collage--or not.  It's all up to you!  {Photo Credit:  Pinterest}

2.  Frames Multiplied 
Individually frame your photos and layer them on floating shelves.  Want a little tip on how to get lots of frames at a great price?  Check your local thrift stores.  Some frames come with images in them, take them out and put yours in--this way you can get lots of frames at a low price!  {Photo Credit:  Lenore-Nevermore}

3.  Swappable Clipboard Displays
Hang up a few clipboards (or as many as you want) to display your photos.  This is pretty clever--the photos can be swapped in and out really quick!  {Photo Credit:  Danielle Hatcher}

4.  Customized Photo Book
This is a great way to get a lot of photos off of your digital devices.  We have our books on a coffee table in our living room so they can be enjoyed at any time.  We often find guests perusing through the albums.  It's a fun way to relive and remember our experiences.  {Photo Credit:  Artifact Uprising}

Let's let our pictures see the light of day & get them printed and displayed. This list is obviously not exhaustive.  There are way more than 4 fun ways to display photographs in your home.  Do you do something I haven't listed?  Please share in the comments--I'd love to hear from you!

You get beautiful images from portrait sessions or you capture your own photos and post them on social media.  The photos get a bunch of likes and comments, and they pop back up in your feed once a year when you're reminded you shared the image "on this day 5 years ago."  But, maybe there's more you can do with those gorgeous photographs... 

Quick question for you.  How many empty walls do you have in your home?  Okay, one more question.  Are the walls empty by choice, or are they empty because you're not sure what to hang on them?  If you're just not sure what to hang on your walls, I want to take some time to encourage you decorate those babies with photos of the ones you love.  

Art can be expensive & tastes change, but one style that can and will stand the test of time are photographs of the ones you love.  Maybe you're interested in having one large portrait of your family beautifully framed to accent the wall in your living room.  Or maybe you'd prefer to have a collection of framed images  (as pictured above).  There's no right or wrong answer there.  Just have fun, capture those memories, and use them to decorate your home.  

Seeing your family's portraits on the wall every morning while you get ready for the day will bring you so much joy.  It's worth it!

If you're in need of updated portraits for your family to adorn your walls, click here to schedule a complimentary consultation.  I'm here for you!  

Until Next Time, 

Traveling with photography gear can be tricky.  With a camera (or two), a few lenses, a flash, filters, batteries, memory cards, and a handful of other peripherals, you end up walking around with a bag full of fragile items that are at an increased risk of getting bumped or dropped. Sadly, even minor bumps and drops can negatively affect the performance of lenses and create all kinds of problems which includes a very common problem:  the decentering of lens elements. 
 
A decentered lens occurs when one or more optical lens elements move or tilt away from the principal axis of the lens.  This kind of movement can cause a shift in light rays which reduces sharpness and blurs parts of the image.  If your lens is severely decentered, it could blur the entire image. 
 
So, what do you do if you suspect you have a decentered lens?  The easiest, and most cost effective way of testing your lens for decentering is to shoot very fine detail at infinity by following these steps:
 
Step 1:  Make sure that both the front and the rear lens elements are clean.
Step 2:  Find some trees or anything with very fine detail located relatively far away from you so you can focus at infinity.
Step 3:  Frame your camera so that the details cover the entire frame or at least cover from bottom left to bottom right of the frame.
Step 4:  Set your lens to maximum aperture (around f/1.4).
Step 5:  Focus on the center of the area that contains the fine detail using live view. 
Step 6:  Take a picture.
Step 7:  If the fine detail does not cover the entire frame (or the bottom two corners at a minimum), then reframe your shot and take another picture.
Step 8:  Analyze images at 100% on your computer. Focused at infinity, the area that you focused on is going to be sharp. Now look at the fine details from the left to the right side of the frame. The extreme corners should be very similar on both sides (either similarly sharp or similarly blurry). If one side is sharp and the other is noticeably blurry, you have a decentered lens.
 
If you don’t have a decentered lens, commence celebration by gently placing your lens back in its protective case. 

If you do have a decentered lens, it’s not the end of the world--but whatever you do, don’t try to open the lens and fix it on your own, as it may void the warranty and you could actually make it much worse. If the decentering issue is minor (you can only see a slight blur), you may not want or need to worry about it.  But if the decentering is severe (you see a heavy blur), you may want to repeat the test with apertures you’re more likely to use.  If the blur is still noticeable with different apertures, you probably want to return the lens (if possible) or get it serviced by an accredited professional. 

Happy Snapping!
Kirsten

​If you’ve ever considered traveling to Iceland to photograph aurora borealis (also known as the Northern Lights), there is one crucial thing you should know before going: aurora borealis is quite elusive and unpredictable—even in Iceland.  Even if you visit Iceland between September and April, when your chances of catching a glimpse the lights is drastically higher, it’s truly a hunt to find the Northern Lights.  Aurora borealis is sporadic and completely dependent on the frequency and strength of solar flares that come in contact with the Earth.  What does that mean?  It means you can’t truly plan the exact moment you’ll see the lights—so, it’s crucial to be fully prepared to capture your photographs at any moment.
 
To ensure you’re ready to capture star-studded images of the Northern Lights through your lens when you happen upon the right place at the right time, make sure you’re equipped with the right gear.
 
Let’s start with the camera.  I recommend using a full frame DSLR with manual mode that can handle an ISO of 3200 to 6400.  To capture the perfect pictures of the Northern Lights, you’ll want to be in very low light, avoiding man-made light sources and away from highly populated areas that produce light pollution.   Consequently, you’ll want to have your aperture between f/2.8 and f/5.6 and your shutter speed between 15 seconds and 30 seconds.  The lights dance in the sky, so the faster the lights are moving, the shorter the shutter speed should be. Because the intensity of the lights and amount of movement is constantly changing, experimenting with settings is important; you will definitely want to have your camera in full manual mode.  Depending on the light conditions on the night you’re shooting, be prepared to make adjustments to your settings if your images end up slightly overexposed or underexposed. 
 
And let’s not forget about your lens.  You’ll want to have something fast with a relatively wide angle.  A focal length of 16mm is great, but a 24mm prime lens will work just as well.  You will also want a lens that will give you the ability to incorporate the dark night sky for contrast and scale.  To get a nice crisp image, remember to take all filters off of your lenses before shooting--including your UV filter.
 
Additional but necessary pieces of equipment to have with you are: a tripod, a remote, and extra batteries.  A sturdy tripod and remote will let you shoot long exposures without risk of the camera shaking.  I recommend having two to three extra camera batteries. The cold temperatures in Iceland will cause your batteries to drain faster, and you’ll want extra battery life on hand as you wait patiently for the lights to appear.  You may also want to consider bringing a headlamp with a red light so you can make adjustments to our camera settings without ruining your night vision. 
 
Remember, every interaction with the Northern Lights is unique, which means there’s no “perfect camera setting” to capture them.  So, the best way to prepare for your quest to capture the Northern Lights is to practice and hone your nighttime photography skills.  A great way to practice is to check out the weather forecast in your local area, pick a clear night, grab your gear, drive to a dark, unlit space (a wide open field will work well), snap pictures of the nighttime sky and prepare for your meeting with the Northern Lights. 

Happy Snapping!
​Kirsten