In a previous article, I promised that I’d write on my bargain hunting tips, so I thought I’d finally divulge the secrets to my penny-pinching ways!

My hubby and I are known by friends and family as serious bargain hunters. Is it because we’re as cheap as starving college students? Close… but not exactly. We do it for the lure of the hunt. The satisfaction of knowing that we got the best deal out there and to save us from upset stomachs after finding a better deal than the one we got. Yes, we are practicing misers and proud of it!

So here’s the skinny on getting a good deal:

• Keep tabs on deal sites like dealnews.com for those in the U.S. and RedFlagDeals.com for Canadians and stay on top of hot deals on products you want to buy.
• Once you find a hot deal, see if you can get another store to match the price if they have other freebies like free shipping or better customer service.
• If you purchase from a store located outside your province, you don’t have to pay the PST. For example, I’m in BC and would normally pay 7% PST on top of the GST. However, if I purchase from a store, say, in Ontario, I only have to pay the GST! The same applies for out-of-state purchases in the U.S.
• Try to find a store that will ship to you for free.
• Some stores have a points system (eg. Best Buy) so take advantage of those when you’re buying those big-ticket items.
• Price Beating - Some stores (eg. Future Shop, Best Buy) have a price beat guarantee. For example, you might be able to get an extra savings of 10% of the price difference on top of getting a price match.

Taking the time to do some research can pay off in the end, saving you big bucks… so you can buy your next camera accessory! Good luck in your hunt!

Laura is a Vancouver wedding and portrait photographer. Visit laurahana.com.

focal length: 50 mm
shutter speed: 1/80
aperture: f/1.8
ISO: 200
flash: none

A good rule of thumb when shooting kids, is to focus on an eye. I usually choose the eye that is closer to the camera. This will ensure that you have a sharp looking picture even though, due to the narrow depth of field and close range, most of your subject’s face is blurred. I like this effect for close ups as it draws more attention to the eye rather than to other facial features. With this particular shot, I wish I had framed her better but there is only so much you can do with a moving child!

Who can resist those imploring eyes?? I’m a sucker for my child’s demands!

Laura is a Vancouver wedding and portrait photographer. Visit laurahana.com.

focal length: 50 mm
shutter speed: 1/60
aperture: f/1.8
ISO: 1600
flash: none

Shooting low is something you’ll learn to do when you photograph children. Try to see the world at their angle and at their height and you may notice that your photos look a lot more intimate.

Daddy captured this moment of Sophie and me reading together. It was a rare occasion that Daddy held the camera because I’m usually the one hogging it!

Laura is a Vancouver wedding and portrait photographer. Visit laurahana.com.

focal length: 50 mm
shutter speed: 1/250
aperture: f/1.8
ISO: 200
flash: none

Could you tell this picture was taken at a food court in a mall? I chose to cut out the busy background by filling the frame and shot in portrait mode to keep in with the Rule of Thirds. I positioned my camera so that her eyes would be at the top third of the frame for a more pleasing composition. I promise to elaborate on the Rule of Thirds in a future post!

Sophie’s been stealing my food for months now!

Laura is a Vancouver wedding and portrait photographer. Visit laurahana.com.

focal length: 50 mm
shutter speed: 1/250
aperture: f/1.8
ISO: 200
flash: none

I’ll admit it. Sometimes I throw my camera into my diaper bag so I can capture moments like this. It was Sophie’s first ride in one of those strollers we can borrow at the mall. Usually I just carry my little point and shoot but I’m glad I lugged the DSLR out on this shopping trip!

She had a fun time watching herself in the mirror. I had a fun time not having to carry her around for a couple hours. I left our stroller in the car. Oops!

Laura is a Vancouver wedding and portrait photographer. Visit laurahana.com.