My name is Tracy Norred and I am an Orange County Photographer. I specialize in capturing real moments between families. I absolutely love getting to know my families, and watching children grow over time. It is a joy to capture happy moments.

I'm a mom myself, and the best way to get information is to contact me by email. I'd love to give you more information & find out if I'm the right fit for your family!
Follow Me!

Sunday, December 27, 2009

Torrance & Palos Verdes Engagement Session: Wendolyn + Dustin

I photographed Wendolyn and Dustin's engagement session this morning.  We got started in Torrance, outside at the store where they both worked together.  They met as co-workers, and spent long hours talking on the purple bench in front of the store.  I love that they wanted to start their engagement session at the place where their romance started!  We included their sweet rescue dog, Franklin, in the session.  Franklin was outstanding - he totally posed for me! ;)  After starting the engagement session in Torrance, we continued down the road to a fabulous field in the Palos Verdes Estates.  I just love the rustic glamour of shooting in a field, and rocking a little sun flare! :)

Wendolyn & Dustin - I had a great time with you this morning!  I can't wait to share your wedding day with you next month! :)











Friday, December 25, 2009

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Santa Monica Engagement Session : Katy + Ryan

Right after the recent heavy rains, I met up with Katy and Ryan in Santa Monica for their engagement session. We got really lucky because after several days of rain, the weather was perfect!  It was cool and windy, and the clouds often diffused the light beautifully!  My couples sometimes ask me if their photographs will come out okay on an overcast day, and I love shooting on overcast day - it diffuses the light to help prevent shadows or squinting into the sun! :)

Katy and Ryan - Thank you for a fun engagement session! I had a blast with you guys, and absolutely can not wait to photograph your "Destiny" wedding in April! Have a wonderful Christmas with your families! :)







Doesn't Katy have AMAZING eyes?



Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Tuesday Tip #4-5

I've been a bad blogger over the last few weeks.  It's been a crazy month, and I can hardly believe that Christmas is only a few days away.  Here's a taste of what I've been up to: yesterday I did my hospital baby photography side-job, hit up Borders for their closing sale (at the Costa Mesa location), pleaded with Santa for this and that, went to my in-laws house, watched "New Moon," and picked up my sister-in-law from LAX.  LAX traffic, by the way, was ridiculous!  Now I know why I never travel during the holidays, well that and because all of our immediate family lives locally! :)  Oh, and if you're wondering, I'm Team Jakeward.  I used to be Team Edward, but partially defected during "New Moon," and am now on both teams (thanks to my cousin Cyndi for the new team name!).

Since Christmas is coming in a few days, I'm going to double up on tips this week:

Tuesday Tip #4: Photograph candid moments (or moment that look candid)

On Saturday, we were at a family Christmas party, and my mom made a suggestion for my next Tuesday Tip.  She suggested - and I agree - that you photograph people when they are doing something, or at least when they are pretending to do something.  Many adults freeze up in front of the camera and end up with a forced smile that does not look natural.  Kids, on the other hand, tend to give a GIANT smile when the camera comes out.  If you can photograph people without them knowing, or at least while they pretend to do something (stir cookie batter, read a book, whatever), it will look much more natural.

My mom is one of the 'freeze when you smile for the camera' people, and here is a picture I took of her pretending to listen to the UN translator earpiece during our trip to New York last June.


Tuesday Tip #5: Turn off your flash

Flash has it's purpose.  It can be important for illuminating people or objects in a dark room, or for illuminating a person against a bright sky.  The problem is that the flash on "point and shoot" cameras is small and shoots straight forward.  I can't tell you how many times I've seen someone try to photograph a person behind a bouquet of flowers, and the flowers look white because they've been blown out by the flash, while the person is still dark.  I often bounce my flash off the ceiling or walls, but since this isn't something you can do with a compact camera, I suggest learning how to turn your flash off. 

If you're turning your flash off, you'll probably want to lower your shutter speed or increase the ISO of your camera (if your camera offers that).  ISO determines how sensitive your camera is to light; the larger the number, the more light it lets in, but also the grainier your picture gets.  The lower your shutter speed, the more light will get in, but the more blurry your picture can get from your or your subject's movement.  You'll want to make sure you you hold really still if you lower the shutter speed; sometimes you can brace yourself or your camera against a wall, tree, or table when you're taking pictures at slow shutter speeds.

Sometimes using flash is your best option, but your result can be much more natural and artistic without it. Without the flash, the picture can have more depth because the shadowing and natural/ambient light help to shape the person.  Turning the flash off also helps prevents that nasty red-eye effect!

Please please please don't try this for the first time on an important shot!  It will probably take a lot of practice and understanding of exposure to get good at this! :)

Here's an example from Sharon and Jake's wedding reception.  Using a flash would have absolutely ruined this picture.  It would have made the people standing closest to me be really bright.  The bright guests in the foreground would have distracting from the boys making shadow animals in front of the slideshow, if the slideshow was visible at all!

(This image was take at f/1.4, 1/40th of a second, ISO 800)


Happy Shooting! :)


Friday, December 11, 2009

Orange County Baby Photography: Brooklyn

I was so fortunate to photograph my friend's baby girl, Brooklyn, yesterday.  I saw Brooklyn as a newborn, and the transformation from newborn to alert, smiling 2 1/2 month old was amazing.  She was full of smiles, and seemed to love blowing bubbles for us.  I wonder what blowing bubbles means?  I'd like to think it translates to "This is fun!  I love having you taking my picture!"  It was such a pleasure to photograph Brooklyn, and catch up with Anna after Brooklyn went down for her nap. Doesn't Brooklyn have the sweetest little face? :) 

Seriously, would you look at this smile?


I just love these snowman jammies!

She showed off by blowing bubbles for us!


Dad couldn't be there, be we got a few pictures with mom! :)



Orange County Family Photography

My favorite thing winter is scarves.  I have a drawer full of scarves and wraps, ranging from cashmere to knitted, from white to turquoise to black.  They come out as soon as the temperature drops, before a jacket or even closed-toed shoes.  Yes, I'm that Californian rocking a three-quarter sleeved shirt & flip-flops with a scarf.  Hey, at least my neck is warm, right?  There is something cozy and nurturing about feeling bundled up.  What's your favorite thing about winter?

I have also photographed quite a few holiday sessions recently.  Here's a peek at some of my families:








 

Don't I have a bunch of cute families?  :)


Thursday, December 10, 2009

Orange County Baby Photography: Jakson

Couples and babies are my favorite things to photograph.  I love the interaction between couples, and I love the fresh newness of babies.  I also love that babies are, well, the end product of the couple, so they're the perfect extension of people in love. ;)  While it's the slow season for wedding photography, I've been photographing a lot of holiday family sessions and several friends' babies.  As we get into 2010, I'll have more and more engagement and wedding photography back up on my blog!  Stay tuned! ;)

I had my camera out for a few minutes last "Football Sunday," and I caught this darling shot of Jakson looking at his mom.  I can't tell you how much I love this picture!  I love, love, love it! :)



Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Tuesday Tip #3

Boy does a week roll around quickly!  I hope you've been enjoying my tips so far.  While I think every family should be professional photographed, you should also be able to take the best possible pictures when you don't have a photographer with you! :)

Tracy's Tuesday Tip #3: Off-center is okay!

You don't have to center the subject of your picture.   In fact, your picture will probably be a lot more interesting if your subjects are off-center.  Imagine a grid of nine equal parts over your picture.  You generally want your objects of interest to lie on or near the cross points on the grid, because it creates more energy and interest.  Here's an example of what I'm talking about.  Notice that her body and the sand-line are along the lines of the grid, with her face falling near one of the grid intersections. 





Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Tuesday Tip #2

Tracy's Tuesday Tip: Find back-lighting

One way you can make your pictures look studio quality is by finding back-lighting.  Back-lighting gives a person dimension & helps separate them from the background.  You can create back-lighting by using the sun, an actual light, or light bouncing off a light object. 

I look this picture of my cousins on Thanksgiving.  The sun was bouncing of the second story of my parents' house, giving both girls a beautiful glow.  I was so surprised and impressed by how gorgeous it turned out ... my parents backyard just might be "Plan C" for photoshoots that get too dark! ;)






The images on this blog are the sole property of Tracy Norred and may not be printed without permission. However, you are welcome to include them on your own personal web sites (ie. MySpace, Facebook, or blogs) as long as you keep the Serendipity Images logo on the image. Please also provide a link back to SerendipityImages.net. Thank you for your cooperation!

Wedding Photography


© 2008-2012 Tracy Norred