Refuse to Say Cheese: Capture the Story and Beyond the Green Box: Understanding Your Digital Camera 2-DVD Set, Me Ra Koh Photography, Inc., 2007; $29.99 individually or $49.99 set; www.refusetosaycheese.com.

Prominent photographer Me Ra Koh offers great visuals and easy-to-follow exercises in her DVD series for parents, Documenting a Child’s Life. The first DVD, Refuse to Say Cheese: Capture the Story, explains how to use photography to say more than fake smiles and stiff poses ever could. One of our testers loved the idea of taking a number of photos using Koh’s insights about conflict, storytelling, details and setting, and then taking one where you just point the camera at your child and tell him or her to say cheese. When you look at the results, you’ll see why Koh calls her DVD Refuse to Say Cheese.



The second DVD, Beyond the Green Box: Understanding Your Digital Camera, shows users of digital, single lens reflex cameras how to turn off the “auto” button and use manual settings to create mood, depict action and more.



“I love the way Koh has made me think about capturing stories with my kids and setting pictures with things my kids love. She gives great ideas and ways to practice taking and capturing wonderful pictures. I will forever think differently.”

– Tester Mom



“These DVDs are awesome! The concepts are explained in an easy-to-understand way and there is always an example. It has been priceless for me to learn to reflect on parenting and on everyday life, and use that perspective to document the parts of life that are most important.”

– Tester Mom