styleberryFAQs | Photography & some randomness…

This marks the END of the FAQs! Hopefully you all have found these useful. I’ll add them all to the treasury so they are easy to find & reference when needed! As always, you can best continue to ask me questions in the comments section of ANY post! Old or new–they come to me instantly. ;) Happy Thursday!

What equipment are you using?

I shoot with a Canon 5DMKII. 95% of the time I use the 24-70L & the other 2% I use the 50mm or Lensbaby Composer. (this was Halloween)

What is a good walk around lens?

If I had to choose ONE lens, it would be my 24-70L.

What camera do you suggest for a photog novice, who’s also very frugal?

I would suggest a Canon Rebel. & if things are really tight, go to B&H & shop their used section. I would completely trust their used equipment & I recently saw a used rebeb for $350. Can’t beat that!

How do you take pictures at night?

Haha…I don’t??! No really. I don’t own a flash. I’ll shoot up to 6400 ISO then use available light & color balance the heck out of it, if necessary. But I almost always shoot in natural light.

I was wondering if you have a trick for taking photos on super-sunny days.

Yes. Go in the shade. Not kidding. Open shade is some of the most beautiful light to shoot in! This was shot with high sun, in the shade:


What is your editing workflow?

I wrote about that in my big huge photography post, which also expands on the above questions: Photography for Beginners & Beyond. ;)

Where did “styleberry” come from?

Good question. It’s kind of unique, no? You’ll find the answer here. :)

How did you come up with the styleberry logo?

Well, I wanted something simple & in my favorite colors. I discussed all the specifics in the article on my brand journey. The berry design concept just came to me–like most of my good creative ideas. ;) I worked with a graphic designer who put all the pieces together, but I picked the colors, the fonts & provided the berry design guidance. This brand was originally styleberryHOME, but I eventually modified the logo and the rest of the styleberryPHOTO branding I have done myself.

How you have gone about marketing the blog?

Hmm. My blog growth has really been a result of positive energy, nice people & good karma. I love to support people & businesses I love & in return they support me back.  That is really all I have done. I believe you get what you give, so I try to give as much as I can & it sure does come right back at ya! :)

 & the random tidbits left over…

Is your newborn schedule book still in the works?!

YES YES YES!!! & thanks to ALL of you who are still interested! This is something I am VERY excited about. I am nearing production & have been figuring out the details of e-commerce, copyrights, legal stuff & all that goes with selling a product online. It’s not as simple as it seems, but I am also an overachiever. So…it will be available by the end of 2011!! YAY!

Did you vacation when Caroline was a baby & if so, how did you manage that?

Well, I don’t know if “vacation” is technically the right word, but we did go on a roadtrip for my husband’s big family reunion when caroline was 11 months old. & we drove. 1200 miles & 20 hours. Each way. Crazy? Yes. But she was GREAT. & after our year of really not spending any time together (thanks to the hardest year of residency) being in the car together for that long was really just what we needed.

this was last year: a few toys & lots of homemade baby food in a cooler

& this was a few months ago: 12 hours of driving each way. With a 20 month old. OOf. Challenging! But again, she is such a good little traveler! Lots of toys, books & snacks.

What magazines and online sites do you enjoy?

ohhhh. magazines. a lovely little indulgence of my past. I just recycled 40 unread magazines this week. Finally. I just don’t have the time to read them anymore. :( When I did, I loved Real Simple, InStyle, Marie Claire, House Beautiful, Oxygen. Now I am lucky if I get a minute to read Kiwi or Parents. I read a lot online now.

Favorite online sites include Babble, the wealth of linked articles in my FB newsfeed, and a few blogs. Inspiring: Jones Design Company, Under the Sycamore, Joy’s Hope, Deb’s photoblog, YHL, FITori, Baked Bree, Beyond the Call of Beauty & Ordinary Courage. AND pinterest. Which introduces me to all kinds of talent every day.

What are some of your favorite books?

Oh, mostly parenting books right now. Babywise, Baby Whisperer, Love & Logic. I am a self-help reader. Not a “recreational” reader. I did just finish Tina Fey’s Bossy Pants. Thought is was “eh.” I like to learn when I read & when I don’t learn anything, I feel like it’s a waste of time. Probably why I thought it was just “eh.” Though she is pretty witty.

Do you take any vitamins/supplements?

Just prenatals. Nothin’ fancy.

What kind of music do you enjoy?

Everything from acoustic on Sirius Coffee House to dirty rap to work out to. (seriously!) I will try it all. Mostly, I listen to Sirius Alt Nation, but my husband has music ADD so when he is in charge of iTunes in our office, it’s anything goes. EXCEPT heavy metal and country. No thanks!

What do you keep in your purse on a daily basis?

You’d think a girl with a thing for handbags would carry a purse, but ever since I had caroline I rarely carry a bag! I always have my Hobo Lauren clutch & in it (other than plastic) is my lip stuff, my iPhone & my business cards. ;) I’m a minimalist!

I’m sure you have a ton of photos of Caroline – how do you suggest to best share them with family who live far away?

Since we don’t live near any family, I have come to rely on facebook as our one stop shop for family photo sharing. I feel like it’s nice & private & anyone who wants to see what we’ve been up to can check out our albums there. I used to have a family blog & family photosite, but they were too public for my liking. My hubs is very private, so I like to maintain some boundaries & facebook helps. Each of our parents also bought a copy of my yearly family album, too. More on that can be found here.

& that wraps it up! :) Hope you all are having a great week!

Hi! Hello! I am Shawna, the founder of Styleberry Blog. This creative corner of the internet has become a learning haven for moms and creatives, offering a warm and encouraging nudge to those who wish to be better and do better, but often don't know where to start. From Decorating to DIY to Diapers and Paleo-ish Dishes, I strive to make the complicated simple and empower women to take action beyond their personal comfort zone. I subscribe to the Shine Theory & so strongly believe that we shine when the women around us shine and mutual support—lifting up instead of tearing down--will always be the culture here. Are you in? I hope so! Beyond the computer, I run Styleberry Creative where I work with clients to create low fuss, high function spaces that are pretty and practical in San Antonio, Texas and beyond. I LOVE making a house a home. My own studs out renovation is now complete and I am now back to working with clients. Please don't hesitate to drop me a line if you'd like to work together! I hope you’ll join me on this fun new adventure! Xo.

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