Lana Robison PhotographyDid you get a new camera for Christmas and don’t know what all those buttons and dials are for?
Posted on January 25, 2019
Do all those buttons and dials intimidate you?
Take control of your camera and master those buttons and dials while learning how to shoot in manual. You’ll be surprised at how much clearer and sharper you photos can be!
This DSLR camera workshop is designed to take you from auto to manual and help you understand exposure, metering, and composition. There are 4 hours of instruction, hands-on practice, a workbook to take home, and a light lunch. By the end of the day you will have the tools needed to take creative control of photos, eliminate blurry photos, and use your DSLR camera with confidence.
All you need is a DSLR camera that changes lens.
“Learn to Click DSLR class was terrific! Lana, You truly have a wonderful gift- Thank You for sharing your time, knowledge, guidance, teaching, patience, and experiences. The teaching material was very well prepared and easy to follow. I am so excited to practice all that I leaned. THANK you!! – Angie G.
The next class is February 9!
Class size is limited so register today!
$125
To register, email lana@lanarobison.com
A Fall Afternoon on the River
Posted on October 31, 2016
There’s no better place in the fall to take family photographs than down by the river. You’re probably asking which river. A lot of cities have a river, but this one is the granddaddy of them all…the mighty Mississippi…ol’ man river…the big muddy. Whatever you call it, it’s a great place to capture memories. This sweet family has two little boys who were fascinated by the barges and throwing sticks into the water. We were lucky—we got a barge heading upstream in their family photo!
This Senior Graduate has the Beat…
Posted on April 3, 2015
Musical talent exudes from this ambitious graduate. I was honored to capture this young man’s senior portraits. We went to downtown Memphis and roamed the South Main district and the backstreets to find the perfect surroundings to capture his personality and style. One his favorite images is him walking down the trolley tracks with the confidence to tackle what’s ahead! (For the safety conscious – the trolleys were not running and the tracks were abandoned). Congratulations, Logan! Can’t wait to see where life and your talent takes you!
Sisters…
Posted on August 10, 2014
If you don’t understand how a woman could both love her sister dearly and want to wring her neck at the same time, then you were probably an only child.
~Linda Sunshine
Having two sisters myself I can attest to this statement by author Linda Sunshine! Having a sister gives you a forever best friend, she knows you better than you know yourself, and when the chips are down, will come to your rescue without a second thought. They are your biggest admirer… and your greatest nemesis!
When you watch these two sisters interact together you can tell they are each others biggest fan. When the eldest goes off to college in just a few short weeks, there will definitely be a void in the younger one’s life. And even though they might be miles apart, they will always and forever be best friends!
“When you have a sister, you have a friend forever.” ~ Anonymous
Bolton High School 2014 Senior…
Posted on July 11, 2014
This amazing young woman graduated from high school, worked during the summer as a counselor at a youth camp, and is now headed to her first year at college! You can see her quiet and gentle spirit in her big blue eyes, but give her just a little spark and she comes alive with fun! We wish this Bolton High School senior all the best as she begins her journey to become the woman God has designed her to be!
Welcome Sweet Little Baby A… (Bartlett TN Children’s Photographer)
Posted on May 30, 2014
This little cutie was so sweet the morning we “played” together! She was wide eyed most of the time, except for about five minutes when we were able to capture some sleeping baby images. She didn’t cry though, mostly just looked around with the biggest blue eyes and stretched her little legs. Thank you, mom, for letting me photograph your precious baby!
The Little Cowboy…
Posted on March 5, 2014
This little cowboy was so excited to visit the barn and see the horses. He had everything he needed to look like a real-live cowboy…a flannel shirt, a pair of boots, and a real cowboy hat! The only thing he was lacking was a little bit of courage. You see this cowboy had never been this close to a horse before, and this horse was so-o-o much bigger than he was. But the cowboy’s newly found friend was so gentle that he eventually won the little cowboy over. They spent the morning getting to know each other and at times taking turns leading. After some guidance from the trainer the little cowboy got the hang of it and began to lead his new best bud around the ring with confidence. By the end of the day the little cowboy and the horse had become friends indeed!
I am so proud of this young 6 year old boy for taking the challenge to try something new and conquering his fears! Thank you to Oakland Stables in Oakland, TN for the use of their indoor riding area and providing the horse used in these images.
Rolling on the River…
Posted on November 12, 2013
The Mississippi River is an awesome backdrop for a photography session – especially in the afternoon with the soft golden glow of the setting sun washing over everything. This family was so much fun to be with. The brother and sister truly love each other and absolutely adore their mom! When we headed downtown to the river, we knew exactly what the mom was looking for…a large print of the kids looking out over the river with the sun setting. And as an extra bonus we got a barge in the background! It was an amazing afternoon – the weather was slightly crisp, there were some clouds in the sky, and the river flowed lazily south under the bridge.
Never Underestimate…
Posted on September 10, 2019
When a girl is determined and has the spirit of an athlete…never underestimate her!
Hard Work…
Posted on November 12, 2018
This fall has been really busy with traveling with my husband and friends and working with my photography business, but it has been a fun-filled fall.
One of the highlights was photographing the Elmore Park Middle School football players this year – and they were a great bunch of students!
I did have a favorite player on the team – #54, and she played on the line! This girl is one mighty athlete. She gained the respect of her coach and more importantly, the other players by her hard work, perseverance, and determination.
Beautiful You…Andrea
Posted on July 25, 2018
This tall, beautiful young woman is beginning her modeling career and I had the privilege of photographing her. I wanted to try some new lighting equipment and she needed some images for her portfolio. What more could a photographer ask for, a beautiful model and new lights! We were a perfect combination!
Big Sky Country…
Posted on July 12, 2018
Big Sky Country… you have to see it to fully grasp the enormous expanse of land and sky. The sky seemed to go forever against the unobstructed horizon. When we were there, a storm was brewing and the clouds were amazing. They billowed and rolled over the landscape and mountains. We headed out from Bozeman traveling the backroads and found what we call in the south farms, but in Montana they’re ranches. Some have been there for generations. Big Sky Country…breathtaking in every direction!
No Words for the Beauty of Yellowstone…
Posted on July 6, 2018
I’ve been very blessed to have been able to travel , both nationally and internationally…Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Hungary, The Czech Republic, Slovakia, Turkey, Greece, The Netherlands and 25 states here in the US. Each has their own characteristics from beautiful beaches to majestic mountain ranges to pastoral farmlands. But I have to say that Yellowstone National Park has the most varied landscape I think I’ve ever seen. There aren’t enough words to describe the beauty and majesty of this park.
You can go to one part of the park and see bison grazing, drive 20 minutes and find the most bizarre, barren landscape this side of the moon. You can hike forests with mountain streams and waterfalls, watch geysers spraying high into the sky, and feel the warmth of boiling pots of liquid sending mounds of steam into the air.
Now onto the next adventure…South Dakota and the Badlands.
Motivation and determination…
Posted on May 9, 2018
This young man graduates from high school this month and is already planning for his future. He’s earned the rank of Eagle Scout with the Boy Scouts of America, and with that distinction you know he has the motivation and determination to accomplish whatever he sets out to do. Congratulations! Job well done!
The Tetons…
Posted on May 8, 2018
The smoke from the fires burning in Washington and Montana in the fall of 2017 obscured the peak of the majestic Grand Teton. In fact, we could scarcely see the top of any of the other mountains. Although the haze prevented us from viewing high peaks of the Tetons, we toured and hiked the park taking it all it had to offer before heading to Yellowstone.
One morning during our visit, we got up very earlier and drove over the pass from Idaho, where we were staying, to photograph the Moulton Barn with the mountains behind it. The sky was so thick with smoke that the usually bright morning sun was almost hidden from view. Unfortunately, the mountains behind the barn were covered in haze and smoke. I photographed the famous barn and when I turned to walk back to the car, the scene behind me was bathed in a beautiful, early morning light. This was a great reminder to always look completely around a subject when you’re photographing, you never know when the more interesting view turns out to be behind you!
We’ll go back to the Tetons one day to view all the majesty and beauty of that National Park. Maybe then the peaks won’t be covered in smoke and I’ll get that famous photo of Moulton’s Barn! If not, there’s so much more to see!
Personal Branding for Young Entrepreneur…
Posted on March 6, 2018
We had this talented and energetic young entrepreneur in the studio for some personal branding photographs. She needed two different styles for her various enterprises…a professional, business look and a more causal one for her skincare business.
The Cockroft Family…
Posted on February 27, 2018
It felt like one of the coldest days ever, but when all the kids are home for Christmas, you bundle up (at least the photographer does), brave the cold, and take outdoor family photographs. I love this family and was honored they asked me to capture “this moment in time” for them.
Sunset on the River
Posted on December 11, 2017
I never tire of photographing the Mississippi River at sunset. It’s so mesmorizing, watching the water roll by and waiting for the sun to color the sky. And if you wait for just a little while, you’ll see one of the many barges that go up and down the river.
We’re fortunate in Memphis to have two bridges that cross the river, the Hernando DeSoto Bridge and the “old” bridge (which is actually three bridges just feet apart from each other). The bridges in this photo are the old Harahan Bridge, Memphis & Arkansas Bridge, and the Frisco Bridge.
Woven together by choice…
Posted on December 4, 2017
What more could a photographer ask for than a client who loves your work, values your artistic ability, and has family portraits done every two years! What made this year special was the inclusion of the mom’s fiancé and his family – a total of 8!
I found a phrase online (I couldn’t find the author to credit) that describes this family perfectly, “Woven together by choice, strengthened by love.”
The Old Bridge Across Ol’ Man River…
Posted on December 1, 2017
Before heading to the Mississippi River to photograph a family, I already knew what the mom was wanting – another large, framed wall print of her two kids. I had already photographed these two with the Hernando De Soto Bridge in the background. This time the three “old” bridges that span Ol’ Man River to the south would be the background. It started off a bit windy, but by the time the sun was setting the wind had calmed down a little and the sky was gorgeous!
Kids grow and change so fast. When I first photographed this family in 2013, the kids were in elementary school. Now one is in high school and driving, and the other one is a confident young teen. These two have so much fun together and it’s always a blast to photograph them and their shenanigans!
Ducklings…
Posted on July 21, 2017
About a month ago, my neighbor had a mama duck nest in her backyard, right next to her swimming pool. Apparently, it takes twenty-eight days after the eggs are laid for the ducklings to hatch…and, sure enough, these babies came right on schedule!
The morning of the twenty-eighth day, eleven eggs started hatching. By that evening, the nine surviving ducklings were swimming around in my neighbor’s pool! (I guess they thought it was their own private cement pond.) Mama duck waddled back and forth along the side of the pool and her babies followed her, paddling as fast as they could to stay up with her.
My neighbor made a makeshift ramp out of a thin float and pool noodles so the ducklings could waddle out of the pool. They tried climbing the ladder, but couldn’t quite make that first step! It was funny watching them try to figure out the ramp. They weren’t sure what it was at first or how to utilize it, but when the first little duckling climbed on, the rest quickly followed.
By the next morning, mama duck had the ducklings in the creek that runs behind our houses. Apparently, she had decided it was time to live in the real world!
Who Can Resist…
Posted on July 7, 2017
After photographing fireworks for about 5 years, I decided this year I would enjoy them – from start to finish – without looking through a camera lens…or maybe skip them altogether!
Usually, I attend about three different firework displays each Fourth of July. I love the booms and the sudden bursts of light. It’s like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get. It’s a surprise with each explosion!
On the afternoon of the first one, my fireworks photographing friend called and asked if I was going. She and her two girls were going to watch them, without her camera. I think we both we’re over photographing fireworks for a while.
I actually met my friend at a fireworks display. I had found a perfect spot to photograph the fireworks. I sat up my tripod and camera, double checked my settings, and sat back waiting for it to get dark. I noticed, out of the corner of my eye (because who wants to be caught oogling another photographer’s equipment), that there was a tripod and camera just like mine set up next to me.
Being a new photographer, I couldn’t help but wonder what her settings were on. Should I ask her? Would she tell me? Finally, we struck up a conversation, found out we were both fairly new photographers, and shared our limited knowledge of photographing fireworks with each other. The rest, as they say, is history. We became great friends and have photographed many fireworks displays together.
I made it through the first show of the season without my camera. I met my friend and her girls, sat back, and relaxed. We chatted, watched the girls laugh and act silly, and oohed and awed over the bright explosions.
The night of the second fireworks display, I wasn’t even going to go watch, until about twenty minutes before they were set to go off. I just couldn’t resist! I jumped in my car and road around for a few minutes trying to find a spot to watch. I heard the first boom, saw the sparks fly, and, literally, pulled into the first parking lot I came to. It turned out to be a perfect spot, and the bonus was no traffic! Still no camera in hand. Just sat back and marveled at the spontaneous explosions!
I had one more chance to resist the urge to photograph fireworks. The last one was scheduled to go off at 9:15 p.m. It had rained off and on all day, and I thought they might cancel the display. Then just after dusk, it stopped raining. I could hear the pre-show music from my house. The urge was building! This would be the last chance this year to photograph Fourth of July fireworks! Did I really want to miss it? Did I want to look back next year and not find any images of this year’s brightly exploding lights! I could resist no longer!!!
I headed as fast as I could, with my husband in tow, to my favorite spot. I sat up my tripod and camera, checked my settings, and waited for the light show to start! From the beginning, it was thrilling! Listening for the booms, anticipating the location of the explosions, and discovering the array of patterns the bright lights revealed!
I don’t know if it’s the fireworks I love or photography…or maybe, it’s a lot of both. All I know, as hard as I tried, I just couldn’t resist! But who can?
This year I focused on using a couple of different techniques to photograph fireworks. I twisted the focus ring, moved the camera from side to side, and used a black piece of cardboard to capture several explosions while the shutter was open (multiple exposures).
Bright Future Ahead…
Posted on November 19, 2016
One of the milestones in a young man’s life is graduating from high school and looking forward t0 the bright future that lies ahead. When I have a senior session I incorporate their personality as well as their hobbies and interests in their images. The day is all about them. We headed downtown for the first part of his session and got some great shots around the South Main district. Then we went to Shelby Farms to capture what he loves…wake boarding! And, of course, we had to get some photos of him with his truck!
Birthday wishes…
Posted on November 9, 2016
When you’re twelve your future consists of what’s happening in the next two minutes…what you’re going to wear…what you’re going to eat…who’s posting on instagram or snapchat. For this birthday girl, turning twelve is all about fun, giggles, birthday cake, and presents! Happy birthday, Sweetie!
Celebrating Families…
Posted on November 7, 2016
Being a family photographer is a like being the proverbial fly on the wall. Once a family gets comfortable with the whole process of being photographed, they tend to forget you’re there and you get to witness first-hand the interaction between family members. Siblings start to tease and play with each other…little ones let go of their death grip on mom…even dads relax! Here are a few of the amazing families I’ve had the pleasure of photographing over the years. Celebrating families!
