Do you recall that I mentioned this book the other day? It’s in the article about my favorite photography resources. The mention was very brief and I felt it might be a good idea to go a little more into detail about The Unexpected Everyday and how you might benefit from it. You may be wondering if the book is for you, especially if your child isn’t little anymore. As a mom of a teenage gentle giant, I can attest that the concepts shared in this book can be used for a child of any age. Perhaps even fur children.
I was pleasantly surprised to see that this book is included in the Ultimate Photography Bundle sale. I only recently became an affiliate of the program. I found out about this bundle sale by clicking the link on a friend’s website in order to get a free book about Lightroom. I originally picked up my copy of The Unexpected Everyday about a year or so ago. Upon seeing it in the bundle, I cracked it open to refresh myself of its contents. I am so glad that I did!
What the book is:
- It’s a tool to help you improve your photography.
- It is meant to help you focus on small details so that you can capture photos filled with emotion.
- It will show you how to compose photos of your child for a better shot, all for the sake of telling a better story.
- It is designed to be used at your own pace. You can practice a new concept a day or over the course of several weeks. You choose.
- You will get tips for going off of manual mode. That being said, the content will work whether you have a point and shoot, analog camera or a DSLR. (I shoot with analog cameras and a point and shoot.)
Each tip focuses on a specific way in which to use your camera. The idea being that you focus your energy to learn one concept at a time. These concepts include the use of dramatic lighting, framing your subject and utilizing negative space. I personally find I grow the most as a photographer when I operate in this manner. With each tip comes a prompt. While helping you document your child, each prompt is designed to coordinate with the photography tip you should practice. Though Courtney focuses her efforts on a younger child, the prompts can easily fit an older child. For example, document your child at their favorite restaurant. This prompt is designed to work with the tip for capturing multiple photos to tell a story. Another tip teaches you about back lighting, then asks you to practice the concept by photographing your child while they read. In all, there are 30 tips/prompts to practice and work on in this book.
What the book is not:
- It will not teach you how to edit the photos BUT it will give you a peek into Courtney’s Photo Work Flow.
I personally believe the book can be used for any age range or subject. The Unexpected Everyday really focuses on how to use your camera. While many of the photos include Courtney’s young children, it would be easy to slip in another subject such as a teen, your spouse or even the family pet. Not all of the prompts would work with a pet, but they can guide you for ideas in practicing the photography concepts. I have had this book for a few years now. I pull it out from time to time to practice a bit. I love that many of the prompts can be used over and over again to help me document how my son has changed over several years.
My son is growing up so fast and I an anxious to catch every moment that I can. Despite my need to photograph him, the opportunities don’t present themselves as often as they did when he was small. There are times in which he is present and happy to accommodate me taking his photo. When these moments occur, I want the best photos I can take. I am sad to say that doesn’t always happen. I get in a rush(aka busy mom mode).In my push to get a photo(any photo) the quality of the shot misses it’s mark. I consider myself an amateur photographer and sometimes I get tired or lazy. It is so easy to just click that button versus playing with the camera settings. Yes, I have some bad camera habits. Rereading The Unexpected Everyday has given me pause to slow down and recompose my thoughts so that I can once again compose better photos.
Overall, the book is a quick read.Don’t mistake my saying this to mean that this book lacks depth. Read through it once, then go back and begin addressing each section of the book practicing the techniques at your own pace. That second read through it where you will realize the value of the rich content within each section.