Photography Lesson: Day 2

PHOTOGRAPHY LESSON: DAY 2 WITH MY SON

by: Shannon Kathleen Photography

Today marked the 2nd day of Art Class, Homeschooling Style.  This student of mine is incredibly eager to learn!!  This eagerness of his is more soul filling than I could ever imagine!

We hopped in the car with our cameras and drove down to Keller Lake Park in Maplewood, MN.  Our lesson today was more about noticing the little things… searching for and finding beauty. 

What we focused on:

1. Walking around and looking for beauty.
2. I instructed him again on watching his Shutter Speed and Aperture for taking in and taking out light in his images (keeping it very basic for him).
3. He also learned how to turn his lens off auto focus and switch to manual focus… he has become a lover of manual focus!!!
4. Working on different angles: from above, low to the ground, and shooting through objects.
5. Different lighting situations: dappled light, full sun with the sun behind the subject, and full sun with the sun facing the subject. Then adjusting Shutter Speed and/or Aperture for each situation.
6. Shooting on Blurpose — taking a blurry image on purpose.
7. Having fun. This is the most important element 😉

All images shot by Camden using a Nikon D5100 and a Nikon 50mm 1.4 lens; all in Manual Mode.

The following image my son took of me in some dappled light. Prior to taking the image we talked about including part of the bridge railing to use as a leading line to me, his subject. 

In this next Diptych image, the one on the left I took of him and the one on the right he took at that exact moment! 🙂 I love how he kept in mind our lesson about shooting through objects.. he purposefully included some of the flowers in the foreground to create layering in the image.

Here are a few more shots he took as we walked along. I thoroughly enjoyed watching him find a little flower, dandelion, and whatever he deemed beautiful to photograph 🙂

For these last few images he worked in harsh full sun light behind his subjects and how it creates a haze as well as taking images on Blurpose 😉

Thank you for following along! 🙂  When I asked him what he learned today he said, “shooting in different light and learning to shoot in different angles”.

At his dental appointment today the dentist asked him what his favorite subject is thus far in Home School …. he said, “Photography” 🙂 🙂 🙂 My life is complete ;

Shannon OMalley

Oh hey there, nice to meet you!

I’m Shannon, a Twin Cities-based photographer specializing in online dating portraits, personal branding, business headshots, and senior portraits. Whether you’re looking to elevate your dating profile, refresh your LinkedIn headshot, capture your personality for graduation, or build a standout personal brand, I’m here to create natural, confidence-boosting images that make an impact.

With over a decade of experience—and a personal journey as a single mom turned entrepreneur—I know the power of an image in telling your story. I create authentic, relaxed portraits that help you connect with the right people, whether in love, business, or celebrating a milestone.

Beyond photography, I’m passionate about mentoring fellow photographers through my Empowered Evolution Mentorship Program. From mastering SEO to building a profitable business, I help creatives turn their passion into success.

When I’m not behind the camera, you’ll find me soaking up moments with my son and husband, embracing the chaos of our beautifully blended family.

📸 Let’s create photos you’ll love! Whether it’s for dating, your career, or a milestone moment, I’ll guide you every step of the way to make sure you feel confident and relaxed. Spots fill fast—let’s book your session today!

www.shannonkathleenphotography.com