• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Tutorials
  • Shop
    • Cheat Sheets
  • About
  • Contact

Snap Happy Mom logo

menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Tutorials
  • Shop
  • About
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Published: Oct 4, 2017 · Leave a Comment · This post may contain affiliate links.

    2021 Class Resources

    • Facebook
    • Twitter

    Hey friends! Glad you came over to get some more resources.

    TAKING YOUR OWN PICTURES CLASS

    TRIPODS

    I don't think you can go wrong with Vanguard or Manfrotto. You get what you pay for!

    Vanguard Alta Pro 263AP Aluminum Tripod with PH-32 Panhead for Sony, Nikon, Canon DSLR Cameras, Black
    $149.95
    Vanguard Alta Pro 263AP Aluminum Tripod with PH-32 Panhead for Sony, Nikon, Canon DSLR Cameras, Black
    Buy Now
    We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
    02/18/2024 05:14 pm GMT
    Manfrotto Compact Action Aluminum 5-Section Tripod Kit with Hybrid Head, Black (MKCOMPACTACN-BK)
    Manfrotto Compact Action Aluminum 5-Section Tripod Kit with Hybrid Head, Black (MKCOMPACTACN-BK)
    Buy Now
    We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
    SwitchPod DSLR Tripod for Smart Phone Camera Stand Holder for iPhone, Android, Aluminum, Lightweight, Indestructible, Great for Selfies, Vlogging, Photography Switch Pod
    $99.00
    SwitchPod DSLR Tripod for Smart Phone Camera Stand Holder for iPhone, Android, Aluminum, Lightweight, Indestructible, Great for Selfies, Vlogging, Photography Switch Pod
    Buy Now
    We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
    02/18/2024 08:19 am GMT
    Amazon Basics 50-inch Lightweight Camera Mount Tripod Stand With Bag
    Amazon Basics 50-inch Lightweight Camera Mount Tripod Stand With Bag
    Buy Now
    We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

    Remote Links:

    This one is my favorite, but click the right connector for your camera. Can do EVERYTHING: single shooting, burst shooting, delays, timers.

    Pixel TW-283 DC2 Wireless Shutter Remote Release Control Intervalometer FSK 2.4GHz Compatible for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras D5000 D5100 D5200 D5300 D5500 D90 D7000 D7100 D7200
    $39.99
    Pixel TW-283 DC2 Wireless Shutter Remote Release Control Intervalometer FSK 2.4GHz Compatible for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras D5000 D5100 D5200 D5300 D5500 D90 D7000 D7100 D7200
    Buy Now
    We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
    02/18/2024 02:25 am GMT

    Infared Remotes: This one or a similar one: it won't matter which brand

    Amazon Basics Wireless Remote Control Shutter Release For Nikon Digital SLR Camera, Black
    $15.23
    Amazon Basics Wireless Remote Control Shutter Release For Nikon Digital SLR Camera, Black
    Buy Now
    We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
    02/18/2024 03:54 pm GMT

    Shutter Huggers For Little Kids (or DIY your own)

    Shutter Huggers Giraffe Shutter Hugger GIR001
    £69.01
    Shutter Huggers Giraffe Shutter Hugger GIR001
    Buy Now
    We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
    02/17/2024 08:15 pm GMT
    Shutter Huggers Monkey Shutter Hugger MON001
    $19.99
    Shutter Huggers Monkey Shutter Hugger MON001
    Buy Now
    We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
    02/18/2024 04:40 pm GMT
    Shutter Huggers Dalmatian Shutter Hugger DAL001
    $20.70
    Shutter Huggers Dalmatian Shutter Hugger DAL001
    Buy Now
    We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
    02/18/2024 04:37 pm GMT
    Shutter Huggers BUN001 Camera Lens Stand (Brown)
    $409.98
    Shutter Huggers BUN001 Camera Lens Stand (Brown)
    Buy Now
    We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
    02/17/2024 08:26 pm GMT

    LENS RECOMMENDATIONS

    Most moms start with the kit lens that came with your camera - but it's woefully inadequate for wide f-stops or shooting indoors... both of things moms want to do!

    Here's what I recommend instead. You need a "fast" lens - meaning - it needs to go down to at least f/2.8 or f/1.8. A f/1.8 lens will let in 4x the amount of light the kit lens does.

    There are plenty of lenses that are fast, but the best bang for your buck is a fixed prime lens. This means it will NOT zoom- but you can work around that by learning to be more intentional about "zooming" with your feet.

    There are also fast zoom lenses out available, but they are in the $1000+ range, so my guess is you're not ready for that.

    CANON - BEST "BANG FOR YOUR BUCK" LENS

    You should get this 50 mm f/1.8 prime lens.

    Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens
    $21.99
    Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens
    Buy Now
    We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
    02/17/2024 09:54 pm GMT

    If you are ready to spend a bit more and invest in your photography, then I love this lens too (it goes down to f/1.4!)

    If you have a very small house, you might be frustrated with how far you have to step back to use the above lens, since it's a 50 mm.

    This 35 mm lens gives you a bit more room indoors, and this 24mm lens gives you even more space. However, these lenses are definitely on the more "wide angle" spectrum, which is great for lifestyle shots in a house, but will definitely cause distortion if you shoot portraits up close. You can compensate for this in post-processing, but if you're not a regular editor then you might be unhappy with a wide angle lens.

    NIKON - BEST "BANG FOR YOUR BUCK" LENS

    I recommend this 35 mm f/1.8 lens because the focal length makes it easier to use indoors on a crop sensor camera.

    Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G Lens with Auto Focus for Nikon DSLR Cameras, 2183, Black
    $196.95
    Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G Lens with Auto Focus for Nikon DSLR Cameras, 2183, Black
    Buy Now
    We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
    02/18/2024 03:40 pm GMT

    This 50 mm f/18 lens is good too, but it will feel more "zoomed in" so if you have a smaller house, you might be frustrated.

    Nikon AF-S FX NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8G Lens with Auto Focus for Nikon DSLR Cameras
    $216.95
    Nikon AF-S FX NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8G Lens with Auto Focus for Nikon DSLR Cameras
    Buy Now
    We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
    02/18/2024 04:11 pm GMT

    These two lenses are a CRAZY STEAL for their low prices. They will make a huge difference in your photography, especially if you're trying to shoot portraits with a blurry background, or need to get brighter pictures indoors.


    If you don't have any camera at all (like you're just using a camera phone) then I recommend checking out this link for my DSLR Buying Guide.

    If you'd like to purchase additional photography cheat sheets, they are available at this link: dashboard.snaphappymom.com/shop/

    SURVEY LINK: Click here to go to the google forms survey.


    iPhone Editing Class

    Sample Editing Photos:

    How to download presets:

    This is the preset file. Download

    The file should automatically start downloading. It is large so it might take a minute.

    iPhones: The presets will end up in the Files app. If you can't find it, try checking the down arrow in the upper right-hand corner of Safari.

    The file needs to be unzipped. If this doesn't happen automatically, tap to unzip it.

    Android: I recommend downloading the Files by Google app.

    Every Android app is different - The Files app above provides a place for your downloaded files to land, and can unzip the folder to let you access the individual presets.

    How To Install Presets in Lightroom

    You should see 6 files names SHM-LightAiryWarm, etc. in your file area.

    *You must repeat this for each preset, so six times total. *

    Click a file, then tap the up arrow in the lower right-hand corner.

    Open the file in Lightroom. If this doesn't show up in the bar of recommended apps, scroll all the way to the right to see "more", then find it on the suggested list.

    The preset picture will open in Lightroom. If you don't see it immediately, check the Recently Added section of your library for a picture with a white border.

    Tap to open the picture in the editing area. Take note of what the preset is called along the bottom of the picture!

    Tap the three dots in the upper right-hand corner, then Create Preset.

    This opens the preset menu. There are three things you need to do here:

    1. Type the name you noted for that preset, so you can identify what it does in the future.
    2. Put it in a Preset Group. If this is the first one you're installing, you'll need to make a folder group. Tap the dropdown then Create New Preset Group on the bottom. Type in "Snap Happy Mom Presets" so that all these can be grouped together.
    3. In the last section, tap the arrow next to Light (not the check box). Uncheck" Exposure" from the list, so the preset does not override your chosen brightness. Then tap the back arrow at the top.

    Tap the checkbox in the top right corner to finish the process.

    Tada! It's not as hard as it sounds. 🙂 Repeat for the other presets, nothing the name of each. You won't need Snap Happy Mom in the dropdown area to put them all in one folder.

    When you want to use a preset, just scroll over to the preset area. Your most recent presets should show up, or you could find Snap Happy Mom in the dropdown area.

    • Facebook
    • Twitter

    Filed Under: Real Life

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi I'm Meg! I believe you can master your camera and confidently capture beautiful moments.

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About Me
    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclosure
    • Contact

    Connect With Me

    • I believe you don't have to know everything about your camera to take great pictures of your kids.

    Copyright

    • Copyright © 2024 - Snap Happy Mom, LLC. All content and photos are property of Snap Happy Mom, and are protected by copyright laws.

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. I may receive a small commission if you click through affiliate links.

    Copyright © 2024 Brunch Pro on the Brunch Pro Theme