Photo Magic

Ordinary to Extraordinary

2009-09-03T21:59:00.006-05:00

There are so many truly wonderful aspects of photography - one of those being your own personal passion and imagination. Almost any ordinary picture can be made into an extraordinary photo, with just a few simple editing techniques. Each photographer has his or her favorites, and below are some examples of my favorites...

Original Wedding Photo Below

Levels Adjusted and More

Obviously the color is brighter, but if you look closely, the sky is an entirely different color. I selected only the skyline with the magnetic lasso tool and used the hue/saturation tool (with colorize selected) to brighten up the entire scene.

Cropped

And that personal touch came with the cropping. In any other picture, I woudn't have dared to take such a very small portion of the original. But it was for a slide-show and quality wasn't of vast importance.
Lesson: inspiration often comes unexpectedly;
don't knock it til you try it.

Original Photo Below

A grandfather went on and on about how his "little angel" seemed to only be an angel in his eyes... Never cooperating for pictures, not even allowing her hair to be professionally done.

A stubborn little girl & her refusal to look at the camera was actually a blessing in disguise...

As she looks so sweet & innocent - almost angelic - after editing.

The levels were adjusted & the photo cropped. Then a sepia effect was added, and the edges were burned. What a difference those quick changes made.

More to come soon on turning ordinary into extraordinary...!

Replacing Backgrounds

2008-08-08T07:57:00.000-05:00

In yesterday's post, I showed some green screen shots & how the background can be replaced. But I'm about to show you that it can be just as easy to replace the backgrounds of other pictures as well - sometimes it's even easier.

**To make it interesting, I'll be placing before & after pictures throughout this post of backgrounds I've edited or replaced.**

Cloning out parts of a background for wedding photos...

This was done by cloning out the distractions in the background, cropping, & putting a vignette around the photo.

When replacing the background of any picture (like the ones above and below), it's important to remember that the first step is always to duplicate your image in Photoshop. This will allow you to easily slip a background in behind the photo, and you can even go back & erase parts of the background to show parts of the original picture you may not have realized you needed.

Replacing a background for a kids photo...

By lassoing & deleting the background, I was able to replace it with a very festive background and border.

The next step is to select your subject(s) that you want to remain in the photo. I typically do this by using a combination of the magnetic lasso tool (shortcut L) and the regular lasso tool. The magnetic lasso will "stick" to the outer edge of a person/object. The only stipulation to this tool is that I usually have to zoom in pretty close to get an accurate selection.

After I've gotten most of what I want selected, I simply hold down the shift key while continuing to lasso parts that I missed, or parts that I couldn't get with just one grab. If there happens to be a portion that I lassoed & didn't mean to, I simply hold down the option key and it will deselect the portion I didn't need.

Just replacing part of a background - like the window...

The magnetic lasso tool makes photos like this a breeze.
This photo has also been brightened by using levels in Photoshop.

This may sound just a bit backwards thus far... We're cutting out the background, right? Why are we selecting what we want to keep in the picture? Because for me, it's always been easier to select the subject(s) rather than the background. That is simply my personal preference. And after all the selecting is said & done, we then go to the "select" tab and "deselect" (or Apple + D if you like the shortcuts) then simply delete your background.

Backgrounds can also simply be blurred...

Use the lasso to select the couple, deselect for the background then Gaussian blur to your liking.

There is another trick to editing backgrounds of photos, and that is by selecting & Gaussian blurring them to your liking, or simply cloning small pieces out. A few photos above & below show what pictures look like when these techniques are used.

Some photos are so versatile that almost anything can be done to them...

Background selected & Gaussian blurred and the photo was brightened by using levels.

The eyes were also popped by using the magnetic lasso to select just the eye and sharpening with the unsharp mask tool.

The photo was cropped, then taken a step further by replacing the background - no green screen needed!

The most important thing when replacing a background is to take your time. At first it can be quite tricky - and frustrating. It seems especially hard if you only have a lap top touch pad... But don't worry! You'll get the hang of it relatively quickly. I still only have a touch pad - no mouse, so don't think it takes any special equipment other than a steady hand to get a similar effect of these pictures.

This is a great technique for getting rid of a busy background...

A really great photo after a few simple edits.
It was cropped, brightened with levels, background selected & Gaussian blurred.

Finally, don't be afraid to combine techniques you've already learned with the new stuff... You should still correct the brightness & color of your photo by manually adjusting the levels in Photoshop. You can also still get rid of the shadows by using the clone tool - you can even extend parts of clothing or add hair with the clone tool.

Cloning out the background - among other edits...

Makes a professional shot look even more so.

Don't hesitate to let me know if you have any questions about replacing or fixing backgrounds. If there's something you just can't seem to get yourself, send it to me & let me have a crack at it. I'm always more than glad to help in any way I possibly can.

I hope this information has been useful, and please let me know if there's anything you'd like to learn more about. Whether it be Photoshop or any other aspect of picture editing, I'd love to know what you want to know!

Green Screen - What's it mean???

2008-08-07T07:46:00.000-05:00

I'm sure many of you out there have heard the term "Green screen" if not in a photography sense, then definitely in the world of videography. (You may have even heard it called a Blue screen or Chroma key - I'll touch on these terms in a moment)

Weather forecasters have long stood in front of one of these screens while the images of maps, temperatures, and precipitation are magically transmitted to our TV's.

Out of all truthfulness, there's not really much 'magic' to it. Way back in the 1940's films began using these techniques to create special effects and wipes (a way to transition from one scene to another) According to Wikipedia, "Chroma key [also called color keying, colour-separation overlay (CSO; primarily by the BBC), greenscreen, and bluescreen] is a technique for mixing two images or frames together, in which a color (or a small color range) from one image is removed (or made transparent), revealing another image behind it."

What's this mean to you & me? It basically means that if we use a big green or blue backdrop in our pictures, we can replace that background with just about anything. Why green or blue? Since most of us have a reddish skin tone, green and blue are just about the furthest colors from us. And we can end up with some very great pictures - as long we do it correctly.

Pictured below, you can see what a green screen looks like - it's a HUGE piece of brightly colored green canvas, that's typically held up with poles & clamps. It's not easy to set up yourself - especially when you're first starting out. And the sheer size of the canvas makes it a bit cumbersome.

But there are several keys to successful green screen photo shoot...

~ Be aware of what your subject plans on wearing. If the "green screen" thing is something they want, make sure they are fully aware that what they wear is very important. By letting your clients know ahead of time, they can avoid colors in their outerwear that are similar to the color of the background.
~ Make sure the lighting across the green screen is perfectly even along your entire shooting area. The more even you can get your lighting on the background, the easier & faster it will be to cut out, then paste in a new background.
~ Have your subject stay as far away from the backdrop as possible, while still being in/on the green screen. This also ties in to the shadows... Try to avoid them completely if at all possible. Though this isn't a huge crisis, it definitely makes cutting out the green screen background much easier.
~ Use lighting behind on your subject if possible. I believe this is called rim light... It tends to yield better contrast between your subject and the green background. It also prevents a green 'glow' from the backdrop onto your subject.

Below are a couple of examples of green screen photos that have been completely manipulated...

Original shot (SOOC - Straight out of the Camera)

Green screen background selected & cut out.

This layer has been duplicated & placed on white background to what the photo looks like with no background.

Green screen background replaced with butterfly background

Original picture (SOOC)

Green screen background selected & cut out.

This layer has been duplicated & placed on white background to what the photo looks like with no background. The picture has also been placed into a portrait orientation to fit the background chosen...

Background replaced with baseball background

In this picture, the little boy's pants have also been lengthened by using the cloning tool in combo with the bandaid tool.

As you can probably see, there are a few disadvantages I faced with these photos... They were a bit washed out, and there were still hints of green around the kids (especially the little girl since she was actually laying on the green screen), which is why a dark or greenish background was used to replace the green screen.

The reason the kids were so washed out is because I was still shooting my camera entirely on automatic mode when these pictures were taken. Shooting on auto is NOT a bad thing... The only problem here is that the camera 'saw' all that green (which is actually quite dark without using extra lights) and overcompensated for it.

My apologies for not providing many examples of photos manipulated with green screen technology. To be perfectly honest, I tried it - many times - and found that it just wasn't right for me. I have figured out how to replace almost any background, and I've even found that it's sometimes just easier to do it without the green screen. But don't let me steer you one way or the other; try out green/blue screen shooting if you think it's right for you. That's the beauty of photography: everyone has personal likes & dislikes, strengths & weaknesses.

Tomorrow, I'll revisit the replacing of backgrounds without a green screen. And I'll provide many examples of photos with their non-green screen backgrounds replaced.

**NOTE - This was not actually my green screen. A friend of mine was kind enough to let me borrow it, and for that I am very grateful. It seems that I don't really need one. Or at least I don't want one...!

Wordless Wednesday ~ Summer Sunsets

2008-08-06T02:06:00.005-05:00

Just a few of the beautiful summer sunsets I've been very blessed to see - and photograph!

Thank you all SO much for stopping by! I truly appreciate everyone who stops by for a visit. Leave me a comment to let me know you were here, and I will most certainly return the favor. But don't feel obligated, by any means! I do like to know who comes here, but what I love most is getting to see the wonderful work of so many other talented individuals.

I hope that everyone has a very Happy Wordless Wednesday - Take care and may God Bless you all!

**For more Wordless Wednesdays, please visit the Wordless Wednesday headquarters and 5 Minutes for Mom**

Photoshop Techniques: "Liquify"

2008-08-05T02:04:00.004-05:00

Under Photoshop's filters, there is a photo-fixer called "Liquify." Basically it allows you to take a photo and completely manipulate it. This means you can make parts of the picture bigger or smaller, swirl areas of the picture, shift parts of the picture, and so much more.

In the following pictures, I'll be showing a couple of examples of what you can do with the Liquifying technique (plus a few of my other photoshop go-to's I use in many pictures)

In these two pictures, you can see how the arms & waist area of the young woman look smaller in the one below. That was done by liquifying & using the warp tool within that. (There are several tools to choose from when you're in the Liquify screen)
Other adjustments made to the picture include brightening using levels, sharpening parts of the picture, and gaussian blurring the background of the photo.

It takes a lot of time (especially at first) but through Liquifying a picture, you can achieve almost any effect you can imagine...

In the following photos, I'm going to show how even a facial expression can be changed [slightly] and still look real. (The only other photoshopping to the pictures below is that parts of the face have been dodged to make the shaddows less obvious and the levels have been adjusted to make the photo brighter & better colored)

The original

By using the liquify tool, I raised her eyebrows up and widened the eyes. Then I adjusted the curve of her mouth and cheeks to make it appear that she's almost smiling.

I then also took the bandaid tool to erase a couple of her cheek lines. This made her look even closer to happy.

The one thing we must be careful not to do when liquifying is to go too far...

You can see what I mean in this photo:
From a distance it doesn't look too bad, but if you click on it (to see it bigger & up close) it looks completely fake.

There is no "STOP!" signal that photoshop will give us to keep a photo from being overprocessed, so be careful. We'll re-visit overprocessing again soon & touch on other areas where this is easy to do as well.

DPS - Assignment Time!

2008-08-04T08:00:00.000-05:00

I am a very faithful reader & learner from DPS (aka Digital Photography School Blog), and now I'm going to also try to be a faithful participator...

Each week, DPS has a new assignment - a contest of sorts for everyone who wants to participate (and yes, the winner & runners up are always announced) It's always something to get the wheels turning, and also to see how versatile & talented their 'students' are.

If I would have been on the ball, I would have participated in last week's assignment: 10 Minutes Away from Home. The pic submitted had to be within a very specific time frame & within a 10 minute travel distance from your home. Though my location is cutting it a bit close on 10 minutes, it was the closest exit off the interstate from my house in this particular direction.

This is the picture I should have submitted...
Overlooking a wildlife preserve just off Boonville/New Harmony road...

There were SO many wonderful photos I got this day! Though I was only in the area for about a half-hour, I snapped at least a hundred pictures. Some more wonderful shots I got this day were...
Fields & lakes along the rolling countryside...

Sunflower fields with beautiful foliage in the background...

And my cute little niece, Maggie!

I took several of my niece & daughter on this trip - I'll show more of those photos after they're edited. But for now, I'm going to concentrate on this week's assignment in DPS...

Assignment: X-tych

What's that mean? It means that you can pick the number of pictures (up to 7) that you'd like to turn into a mosaic. So that means diptych, triptych or anything up to 7 pictures formed into a single image with multiple panels. Don't worry - if you're still confused, they provide links to some great -tych info & even a mosaic-maker.

So, that's what I'll be doing in the next day or two. Going though all the pictures I've shot since July 23rd & find some great ones to put into a mosaic. I must remember to include all exif info (like camera, lens, date taken, ISO, shutter speed and aperture) and though I'll most likely do a post here on it as well, I'll certainly upload my final product upon Flickr.

Photographing Pets & Kids

2008-08-01T08:06:00.000-05:00

For me, the hardest things about photographing pets & kids are: you can't control them, and they're unpredictable. Yet you - as a photographer - are expected to control the uncontrollable and predict how to get great shots of them.

But how???

Kids and pets are typically very busy, moving targets. Though once in a while you'll come across a gold-mine of a shoot (so easy that you're almost tempted to offer another session for free... almost), most of the time things aren't a cake-walk.

Here are some wonderful tips & hints to make your Photo Session go as smoothly as possible...

If the kiddo is upset/crying, take a break from being a photographer & just be "fun".

Let them show you a favorite toy or a new trick. More importantly, let them forget you're trying to get them to do something they don't want to (even if that's just smiling or sitting still)

Don't worry if they don't want to look at you.

Two words: Stranger Danger. Just let them get comfortable with you & the camera... Just give them time & space. This is one reason it's good to allow plenty of time for these shoots.

You can even make the pictures fun for them by playing 'movie star' or funny ways or saying "Cheese!" With really little ones, as a parent for help on tricks (like helping them 'walk')

They won't sit still

Kids like to be on the go. Don't worry about always having the camera on them, no matter where they are. Instead, be prepared for their next move. I know it's hard (maybe impossible) to anticipate where they'll go... But if you can do that, you'll get a good photo.

Want a sure-fire way to get them to go where you want them to? Bring along a colorful toy, a closed box, or an empty Halloween candy tote. Curiosity almost always gets the best of them, and you know right where they're headed.

You can't get them to look at you

No worries - some of the best pictures are taken without looking directly into the lens. You'll get tons of facial expressions - and maybe even smiles - if you're not constantly saying, "No - Look here!"

They move, you cut off their head

It's called clever cropping - you meant to do that! And you'll probably crop the picture down even further.

They reach for your camera

Some of the best shots are completely unintentional/unplanned. Though you can't get any pictures when your lens is totally covered with a hand or nose, you can get some really cute shots when your camera's just out of reach. When the kiddo (or puppy tries) to go for the camera, roll with it!

Next up are some tips geared for pet-photography...

Give them something to play with.

Though your camera strap isn't necessarily the best idea, it sure makes for a cute shot!

Have the puppy's owner play 'tug' with him/her.

Or just let the puppy chew around on its toy.

Catch him off guard...

Catch him with a zoom lens...

Or catch him getting sleepy.

And finally, the best shot for the pet's 'mom' or 'dad'...

Playing with his owner

Though on the move & tilted, this is one of my favorite shots - it would really be killer cropped/edited!

Finally, don't worry. All your hard work will pay off...

A puppy & the pretty little girl both sitting still, nicely posed...

Photographing the 'impossible' - that shot deserves an award! Kidding.

Although it can be tricky, it's definitely possible to get both a young child and a young pet to cooperate - together - for a picture. It takes some help from a parent (or the like), treats (or the promise of), and possibly some very goofy antics to keep them amused.

Just keep an open mind and time frame, and you're bound to get some wonderful pictures from pets and kids.

(**Note: ALL of the above pictures are SOOC shots. I challenged myself to take photos as if I were using film - no post editing allowed. Though they could be a little brighter/crisper/better cropped with editing, they're not half-bad as they are. Challenge yourself to get better SOOC shots as well!)

How to Put a Border Around Pictures

2008-07-31T07:30:00.000-05:00

Here is a very quick & easy "how to" for you all, inspired by my Photog-mentor...

How to Put a border Around Pictures.

It's something I've always wanted to know how to do, but had no clue how to it without actually cropping the picture. That is until very recently when my mentor told me a quick & easy way to get these wonderful white borders in Photoshop...
Just click Image --> Canvas Size ...
And I always use an actual measurement (not percent, since the borders aren't guaranteed to be the same size with this method.) Simply add the same amount to the width & height of your canvas size.
Voila - you have a professional, polished border around your picture.
And you can always go back and readjust the canvas size to make the border more or less prominent (to your liking)
As you can see, the borders work for a variety of different shots. The white border does work best when there isn't a ton of white in or close to the edges of the photograph. Otherwise, your borders are endless!

Tan ~ Thank you so much for this (along with all the other endless, amazing Photography information) that you've shared with me. I'm now paying it forward because of you.

Wordless Wednesday - Featuring Country Flair

2008-07-30T06:23:00.001-05:00

Some accidental sun-flair while snapping away in the beautiful countryside...

For more Wordless Wednesdays, please visit 5 Minutes for Mom & The Wordless Wednesday Headquarters. Thank you!!! Much love to you all and God Bless.

SOOC & Edited Pics - Engagement Ring Pictures

2008-07-30T06:21:00.000-05:00

SOOC (Straight Out Of the Camera) pictures are perhaps a rarity in day digital day & age. Photoshop and other photo editing software make it so easy to pump up pictures, that sometimes we don't even worry about getting the best picture possible.

The best SOOC shots actually require little-to-no editing. Though they can be edited in many ways, the original pictures by themselves still look fantastic.

Take the following sets of engagement ring photos:

[SOOC]

[Slight brighten, curves adjusted on ring to make even more shiny]

[SOOC]

[Slight brighten, curves adjusted on ring to make even more shiny]

[SOOC]

[Slight brighten & edge burn]

[SOOC]

[Slight brighten, curves adjusted on ring to make even more shiny]

[SOOC]

[Brightened]

[SOOC]

[Brightened]

[SOOC]

[Brightened]

The how-to's on the very simple editing: Every photo brightened was manually adjusted within the levels; every curves adjustment was also done manually with only parts of the ring selected. Edge burn was done by taking dodge/burn tool, adjusting to a large size, and simply going around the edge of the picture.

Though the final products differ slightly from the SOOC shots, they would still hold their own without any editing.

I encourage you all to try to get at least one SOOC shot every time you do a shoot. A shot that you would be happy to show without any editing. And I am challenging myself to do the same.

Scheduling Posts

2008-07-29T08:13:00.000-05:00

One of the hardest things to do when maintaining a Photo Blog is to have regularly written posts over the course of weeks or even months. That was definitely one of my hardest obstacles to overcome once I started my Photo Blog.

Even if you're not interested in attracting a readership - if this blog is totally for yourself - you still need to maintain some type of regular posting. When writing for others, obviously they want fresh, new content on your blog almost every day they stop by.

For yourself, it's more of a matter of holding yourself accountable to see how far you've come. Without any posts in months, it's sometimes hard to see where you've come & if you're headed in the right direction.

A lifesaver for my Photo Blog has been "scheduling posts." When writing or publishing photos, I just click the "Post Options" and place a future date and time as to when I'd like the post to actually go up.

I do my posts about a week in advance (sometimes more or less), but that takes pressure off trying to get a new post published just before bed every night. And if there are days that I have the time to do an extra post, it's just icing on the cake.

Another thing I do is only schedule my posts Monday through Friday. Though sometimes I might sneak in something on the weekend, I know it's not something I hold myself accountable for. I am trying very hard to maintain my Monday through Friday postings though. And scheduling my posts has made this remarkably easy.

Teaming Up

2008-07-28T09:25:00.003-05:00

I once read from a wonderful, inspiring photographer... "This is why photographers hire other photographers to take pictures of their children!" (Referring to the faces her child was making in the photos that followed...)

Being a parent myself, there are times when I too want to hire out another photographer just to get a decent shot of the child! I just hate to fork over the dough... Isn't there a better way?

Of course there is! If I'm a photographer & a parent, I'm surely not the only one. The best thing to do is find someone like yourself and team up with them. "I'll take pictures of your kid if you'll take pics of mine...!"

Here's a perfect example of what I'm talking about: My Aunt is a WONDERFUL photographer. I cannot say enough about her and her work. And as no one always has their camera on them, the few times that we don't have our cameras are the times we seem to need them most. Which was the case this night...

My Aunt & her daughter came over to my sister's jewelry party. Meg was dressed in the cutest little dress... and my sister has one to match! The girls decided it would be so neat to get some photos in their matching outfits; I more than gladly obliged.

Afterward, I gave the memory chip to my Aunt. She downloaded them in a flash & gave the card back before I was even ready to go home... And this is what she did with the photos:

It was so wonderful to have these perfect, edited, wonderful pictures! And best of all, I didn't do any of the work. Let's face it - taking pictures of my sister & cousin is a blast and a blessing. My Aunt did all the hard work!

So even though this team is a bit lopsided (my Aunt's way too sweet in editing them all & sharing), teaming up with another photographer can be so beneficial to the both of you. Not just for a photo session, but for a friend in photography.

Photo Blog Benefits

2008-07-28T07:33:00.007-05:00

Having a Photo Blog is important in so many ways. For work, play, photo shoots, editing techniques, and of course blog posts. I began my Photo Blog after some inspiration & a kick in the pants from one of my most admired photographers: Natalie Norton.

Though it was very tough for me at first, I can now say that it's something I truly enjoy doing.

When I first began this Photo Blog, I didn't know what to write or post about... I didn't know if I should include more pictures or information... All the uncertainty and questions I had found me retreating to the safety of posting nothing (rather than risk putting up something that would be looked down upon)

I soon realized that if I was avoiding posting based upon possible negative responses, I had started this blog for all the wrong reasons. When you start a Photo Blog, never forget why you create it. I created my Photo Blog to help others (by giving advice & ideas) and to challenge and better myself (as a photographer and a person).

To me, one of the most essential parts of a photo blog is that it can help others - and even yourself. By publishing free photography information for others, it also helps me. These posts give me refresher courses on skills that I learned long ago, and I get to learn even more when I do a bit of research on my topics before publishing.

So, what should your Photo Blog contain? Whatever you want it to. Photo Blogs should be as different as each of us are. Though it's nice to take suggestions or ideas from other Photo Blogs you may like, just make sure you make it your own.

Maintaining a Photo Blog is a great way to show off your talents, share information, attain & maintain relationships with other photographers, and much more. Still not sure if you should or how to get started? Take a look on Natalie Norton's Photo Blog for some fantastic inspiration - and even a kick in the pants if you still need it.

Teach a Man to Fish

2008-07-25T08:22:00.000-05:00

As I've come across more and more actions - and become more familiar with how they do what they do, and it's going me thinking...

If someone explains how the actions are done - or give instructions on how to achieve these effects in Photoshop, we can make our own actions or specific adjustments to each picture. Just as we are taught that if you give a man a fish, he'll eat for a day; but if you teach him to fish, he'll eat all his life.

Now, I've done absolutely no research on this. So I'm sure there is someone out there who does explain how to make your own actions to [fill in here with what you'd like to make your pictures look like. ie: brighten] And I've actually learned a few tricks about 'brightening'

There are several actions out there that 'brighten' pictures, but many are very generic and not really specific to different kinds of pictures. Did you know there's a very easy way to do it yourself in each picture?

I've alluded to this before, but I'll explain it again here. By adjusting the levels, you can attain a brightened, more defined picture; and you can do this very specific to each photo. You can also bring out the eye color & crispness by using levels.

My Aunt was the one who actually taught me all this. She just sat down with me in less than 30 minutes and showed me a whole new world of editing - and she was glad to do so.

Which is why I've been thinking... not just that it's nice to know how things are done, but having someone to show you all these wonderful things. A photog-mentor so to say.

Do you know any wise Photoshoppers or photographers in your life? I'm sure they'll be glad to teach you even just a few simple little tricks. For just as Jesus said, "Come, and I will make you fishers of men..." (Mathew 4:19)

Find someone to take you under their picture-taking or photoshoping wing. Surely your photog-mentor will help to make your pictures the wishes of men.

When Tri/Mono pods are a Must-Have

2008-07-24T07:24:00.001-05:00

In the photography industry, there are times when you cannot get around the need for a tripod or monopod.

What are the differences between the two? Besides the obvious difference of the tripod having 3 legs, and the monopod only one, there are several other ways these pods differ.

Monopods cannot be left unattended like the tripods, but monopods are a bit easier to maneuver. Tripods can also be a bit more expensive. But honestly, it's great to have one of each.

For weddings when flying solo, I recommend to always bring an extra camera or two. One of those extra cameras can be set upon a tripod with a slightly different view than my own. By using a remote, you gain another photographer specializing in the wide angle views.

By using a wide-angle lens zoomed out for a great overview, you don't have to worry about cutting a head off or trying to capture just one person. And with a high mega pixel SLR, you will be able to crop in on these pictures as well.

Monopods are great to keep on you at weddings. Some officiants object to flash photography during the ceremony, and the only way to get even half-decent shots inside in this case is with a monopod or tripod. Monopods are just much easier to carry around.

Other uses for mono & tripods include long exposure photography, night-time photos, rain, and snow. Here, I have some examples of night-time snow pictures:
Though brightened up a bit with photoshop, these shots were all taken with a monopod as I walked around our neighborhood one snowy night last winter.

Some turned out better than others...
Even with a monopod, it's impossible to get picture-perfect shots every time.

When pictures are plagued by a bit of shake despite our best efforts, there is still hope for helping them...
Not a bad picture, but not really a good one either...

Adjusting the levels is a very easy quick-fix that can help the imperfections
And turning the photos into black & white (aka - desaturating the images) will mask many imperfections.

For a neat twist, try "fade desaturate" under the edit section after desaturating. You may find that you like the pictures even more with the faded color.

No matter what, your pictures will always stand a much better chance at night - and many other times - with a tripod or monopod.

Wordless Wednesday - Lightning

2008-07-23T01:33:00.003-05:00

More Lightning

2008-07-23T00:53:00.005-05:00

Lightning pictures are sometimes a bit darker than we'd like, but it's a very easy fix in photoshop to adjust the Levels & adjust the picture to the brightness of your liking.

Note: All these pictures were taken without a tripod or monopod (hence the shake effect on some). Though some pictures actually turned out OK, this is proof positive as to why a photographer should always have a tripod or monopod with them.

Check out tomorrow's post for more on when & why tripods/monopods are a must have.

Faux-tographers vs. Pro-tographers

2008-07-22T07:36:00.006-05:00

Nowadays, almost anyone can purchase an SLR digital camera. And as soon as they learn the camera well enough to shoot a half-decent picture, they can market themselves as "professional photographers."

But most of these fake photograpers (what I like to call "faux-tographers") are quickly found out, and they're out of the out of the business before they were ever really in it.

**Note: There is such a term in Internet world as fauxtography - where the images are passed off as real photos but are actually fakes. In this case, I'm referring to a person who markets him or herself as a professional photographer, but in reality is far from it.**

My advice to anyone out there wanting to get in the photo business as quick as they can - don't. Many people are allured to the photo industry when they see how much pro's charge or hear how much can be made. Folks, it's nearly impossible to "get rich quick" in anything [legal]. And that or course includes photography.

If you've never done professional photography before but want to, I'm not saying that you can't. You just can't expect to be great 2 months out of the gate. Learn your camera & lenses, learn your photo editing software, and figure out what kind of photography you'd like to specialize in.

I would like to mention one exception to this rule, and that's anyone who first learned on film SLR cameras & felt comfortable enough to be a Pro-tographer with those. (Or those who even were professionals in film) Even these individuals may need to take some time to learn the digital aspect of their cameras and Photoshop (or other photo editing programs)

I had my first digital SLR for more than 2 years before I even considered going professional. Everyones' learning curves differ though, and I do know of someone who is almost a professional after having their 1st digital SLR for under a year. This person didn't even plan on becoming a pro - they just had amazing natural skills, and a knack for photography.

Bascially, don't rush yourself to become a professional photographer; it's much better to take the time to actually become a pro-tographer than to be known around town as the "faux"-tographer.

Pricing your Photography

2008-07-21T07:48:00.004-05:00

One of the trickiest things to do is actually sit down and "price" your products. When someone books a wedding or portrait session, we have our list of packages & prices easily accessible. What about when someone asks for JUST the session price, and a-la-carte prices on pictures?

Before I actually began thinking about my pricing like that, I had not done the a-la-carte prices on individual pictures. Though I know many photographers who have, I personally hadn't.

Which begged the question for me: What's a reasonable price to ask from my customers, yet still make it worth my while & be able to profit?

Though I did take a look at some of the other photographers' prices around my area, I tried to provide figures that were reasonable for the customers, yet also reflected the high quality of my work & talent.

So what is the right amount to charge for a single 8x10 or 5x7? That is essentially up to you & the area in which you reside.

**Note - if you would like some help coming up with an amount that's right for you, I'll be more than glad to assist in research & give advice.**

What's My Best Photo EVER?

2008-07-20T00:19:00.014-05:00

This question was asked in the Digital Photography School blog - a photography blog that I read quite religiously. At first, I thought picking out my best photo would be one of the easiest things I've ever done in my life...

I was quite wrong.

Before I write on, I'll go ahead and show the photo that I did pick for my Best Photo Ever...

Looking Over Lake of the Woods

I took this photo while on vacation in Canada in 2006. It was one of the very first photographs I snapped upon arriving.

So, how does one choose his or her best photograph? I'll try my best to give suggestions on how to do so, and I'll include other pictures I considered among my best when trying to decide...

Through a Child's Eyes

It's very easy for us to choose our favorite photos - perhaps they are of something or someone special; maybe they invoke a special memory.

May I Have this Dance Forever?

But finding the best photo one has ever taken... Well, that requires us to be objective. You must look at the quality of your picture, if it is pleasing to the eye, even what type of photo is is.

Fireman's Class-A Portrait

When I was going through all my favorite photos, I realized that very few - if any - were of my best photographs.

With This Ring...

Many of the pictures that first came to my mind were some of my little girl. I realized that it is impossible to look at these photos without a bit of prejudice. "Of course they're great pictures - they have my daughter in them!" So no matter how good those pictures were, I knew that I couldn't count any as my BEST.

Striking Beauty

There were several other hurdles to cross when going through all my digital photographs. Though I loved many other photos that included my family & friends, I had to stop & ask myself "Is it the photo or who's in it that I consider great?

Other photos I had in my archive were of film photographs. (Like the one above)

All these elements combined may be why I landed upon the snapshot that I did. It's scenic & beautiful, it's aesthetically pleasing to the eye, and I can say these things with complete objectivity.

Keep all these things in mind while selecting your portfolio pictures as well - don't just pick your favorites; pick your best.

So what do you all think? Did I choose the right photo? I'd love to hear your feedback. I have a poll over at my other blog - Faith, Family, Friends, Photography... Feel free to vote! I'd also like to know, what makes a photo "the best" to you?

Thanks so much for reading though this rather lengthy post. And it's still not quite over! Below are several of my favorite pictures of my daughter that I just love, but couldn't include in the running for "best" photo. Maybe they'll give you all some ideas for little girl/baby photographs!

Much love to you all and God Bless!

Country Kids - Sneak Peek

2008-07-18T00:39:00.004-05:00

A couple of weeks my computer crashed (a perfect example of why backing up my work is so important to me), but now that it's fixed, I've been busy downloading & editing pictures. Some of these pictures were from a photo session I did with my niece & nephews out in the country...

This is one of my favorites by far:

Notice how they're spaced almost the exact same amount apart, going from littlest to biggest, and even in step with each other?

This picture is a perfect example of one that I could have never planned, even if I had tried. Though I did pose the children for some shots, I also let them explore, play, and have fun while I snapped away.

More wonderful photos from this session coming soon, but I just wanted to show how some of the best picture opportunities are often unplanned.

Business Cards - A Must or a Bust?

2008-07-17T07:46:00.004-05:00

We all know that business cards are a must in the typical business world, but what about in the photography business world?

With the Internet & word of mouth, it might seem silly to take on an extra expense of business cards that may never even get used. I mean, everyone in your town knows who the best-of-the-best is, right?

Wrong.

Believe it or not, there are people out there who don't even have the Internet; there are also people who have not lived in [your] town their whole life. Unless you live in a town of less than 50 people - all of whom you're related to - business cards can not only help your business, but they can even launch you into success.

How?

1) Business cards that have a great design - attractive, creative, colorful, memorable, etc. - tend to be looked upon very highly.
2) Good cards will have all your essential information on them. Clear & concise information on your business cards makes you easily-accessible in many ways (web page, email, phone, etc.)
3)Your card can be in the right place at the right time (bulletin boards, tables, desks, even wallets)

Remember: quality is the first & foremost important thing about your cards. Don't just go out & get the cheapest, easiest design for your cards that you can find. And by all means, please - do not print them out yourself just to save a couple of bucks. Getting high quality, attractive business cards at a very reasonable rate isn't hard to do at all.

Not having business cards won't necessarily make or break your Pro endeavours, but having them could make it a whole lot easier to break away from your competition and really make it big.

Adjusting Levels

2008-07-16T07:57:00.000-05:00

One quick, fantastic way I've found to edit pictures in Photoshop is to manually adjust the levels. Under the 'levels' adjustment are RGB, Red, Green, & Blue adjustments. Some pictures may only take a quick tweak with the overall (RGB) others - like the following photo - may take adjusting one or more other colors as well

The original is just a bit hazy, and a little too blue (not enough red in the little girl's skin tone)
After the first 2 fixes, it didn't look as green as it should, so as you can see I also adjusted the green level.

This next photo was just too dark...
Just by changing the RGB levels, we brightened up the whole picture. Adjusting the levels is also a great way to make the eyes 'pop' a bit without doing anything else to them.
Though the little girl's face is still shaded, the bright background evens it out & makes it a fine picture. So, as you can see, adjusting the levels can make a huge difference in some photos.

In the same respect...
Other times the difference is very subtle (click to enlarge pics)
The adjusted levels in this picture made the little girl appear less hazy, and it also made the wheat more defined.

There are so many ways a picture can be adjusted with using only the levels. Though it's SO tempting to just hit 'auto levels' (or auto contrast / color) trust me - it's almost always better in the long-run to manually adjust the levels.

Creativity & Finding Your Niche

2008-07-06T06:50:00.005-05:00

Being creative is definitely one of the most important aspects of being a photographer. There are just so many photographers out there - amateur and professional - that if you want to succeed, you have got to find a creative niche.

That niche can be within the style of the pictures you take, or it can be in the way you edit your pictures. It can even be within the types of pictures you take (wedding, sports, protraits, families, etc.) Though I know it can be very tempting to want to do a bit of everything, most photographers begin their path to success through just a few things that they do really well.

I know of someone who wanted to get in to not just photography, but also videography - for sports, weddings, events, etc. But with only two people trying to get photos and videos, he quickly found that it was extremely overwhelming. To just take on the many different events was hard enough, but it was nearly impossible to do everything. (Much less to do it all well)

And that's what we all need to remember. Don't try to take on too much. Instead, utilize your creativity, and find your niche. Figure out what you do really, really well; hone and market yourself to that particular area. That is your best chance for success.

Backing Up

2008-07-05T06:27:00.003-05:00

Though it's always important to keep looking forward - not constantly looking back - backing up is a very good thing to do. And I do mean "backing up" in more than one way...

As a photographer, writer, or whatever you are, it's very nice to look back upon what you've done, and to see how far you've now come. It's also nice for remembering tricks, information, or techniques you may have forgotten about that are extremely helpful.

Backing up your information is even more important though.

No matter how solid your computer is, no matter how confident you are that it will never crash... ALWAYS back up your data! Whether that be to a portable hard drive, or just backing up on CDs or DVDs, I cannot express enough how important it is to back up your data.

PC's, MAC's - no computer is exempt from something awful happening to it. Trust me, I've had a hard drive go out in one of each.

Picture Settings & Opportunites

2008-07-04T02:09:00.006-05:00

So much of great picture-taking is not just who or what is in your picture, but where you take those pictures, and how far you take them.

It shouldn't be completely surprising that trying to capture more than one child at once can be a bit tough. Especially when they just want to go off and do their own thing, and you just want them to sit still!

I have found out within recent weeks that it can be a true joy to capture children as they are doing their own thing, and also quite possible to get some great pictures.

Just over a week ago, my great friend and sister-in-law, Kendra, was kind enough to bring her kiddos out to the counrty for some fun and pictures. I didn't have a strict plan in mind; in fact, I had only hoped to get some photos of the children experiencing and seeing things that they never had before.

I certainly did that and more!

I wish I could show some proof of the wonderful shots I captured, but my computer has crashed... As soon as it is well again, I shall put up some of the wonderful pictures I got of the kids just having fun.

Til then, here's a great shot of my daughter while she was playing outside:As you can see, she wasn't paying attention to me at all. But that's OK - I just love her expression and the fact that it doesn't look at all posed.

If you're photographing children in a very familiar setting, let them show you things... Their favorite toys, plants, whatever. If the kids are new to their surroundings, it will be a joy for both you and them to experience something new.

Many of the pictures I snapped were so fantastic, yet unplanned. I couldn't have planned pictures to look more amazing.

My point is, that sometimes we may want kids to do something a certain way (pose, stand, look, etc.) but I'm learning that it's even better to just let them have fun (to a limited degree, of course) and you'll often end up with even more fantastic photo opportunities.

Before and After with Actions

2008-05-31T00:04:00.004-05:00

Many of you may be familiar with Photoshop and know there are almost unlimited possibilities when it comes to editing pictures. I have just recently discovered actions and the time-saving amazing ways they can transform photos.

The next couple of pictures have had nothing more done to them than a couple of simple - and FREE actions. Did I just say free actions?! Yes I did. I got them from the WONDERFUL Pioneer Woman's photography section of her website. Feel free to download them for yourself here. I'm sure she won't mind sharing them even more.

Actions can save hours and hours when it comes down to picture-editing time. By reading, learning, and even playing with current actions you may have, you may eventually get brave and creative enough to make your own actions. With following pictures, I used the Fresh & Colorful on both. I also used the Quick Edge Burn

^--Before and After--v

See what a huge difference actions can make? I look forward to sharing more action tips, information, and before & afters.

Making an 'OK' Picture Good

2008-05-12T00:44:00.007-05:00

...Or even Great.

Definitely not impossible! Want proof? Here's an excellent example of an everyday picture, (much like the ones I'm sure everyone has at home) that can be taken to a whole new level with some simple editing.

The original picture - a very special memory, but a mediocre shot at best.

The background was way too distracting for me, especially with the lady peering at us at the table. So lets blur the background.

By using the magic lasso tool, we can select around the girls then inverse the selection (so everything around the gals is selected). Then go to the filters -->blur -->gaussian blur. You can adjust how much you want the background blurred.

Another perk to blurring the background is that it makes the rest of the picture appear just a bit clearer. Something else we can do to enhance the rest of the picture and make it pop is to desaturate the selected background:

A very nice photo.

But wait! There's still more that we can do.

By using a chocolate action --^ and in combo with parts of color--v ...

The picture almost looks professional.

The original and the edited pic side-by-side

What a dramatic difference, huh?

Now, is anyone ready to be really impressed? This photo was taken with a camera phone. We all know camera phones aren't ideal for picture-taking. But if it's the only thing you have on you at the time (as I did on this occasion), take a chance! Go ahead and take a few pictures. The results can be pretty amazing...

Is Desaturation Always Best?

2008-05-09T17:43:00.004-05:00

With back & white photos really coming back into style, it's very easy to want to hit the 'desaturate' command every one of out snapshots. Is this always the best thing to do for our work though?

Not always.

For instance, take this photograph of the pretty little girl in black & white...

Compared to the same picture in color:

Both are very pretty, but the color looks even better.

Same with the following set:

So why do these photos look so much better in color? One reason is that they were taken outside during what's known as "The Golden Hour." This magical time of day occurs just after the sun has risen in the morning and just before the sun sets in the evening. This is the one kind of picture that rarely looks better in black & white or sepia than in color, though it's still possible to do both well.

Adjusting Brightness/Contrast & Levels

2008-05-08T23:21:00.007-05:00

Some of our fondest memories are of vacations & trips with family and friends. Sometimes our pictures don't exactly depict our wonderful memories... They may be too bright or dark, and they may not even show those in the photo well. There are a few easy ways to fix up these photos though:It's always wonderful to have pictures on the beach, especially with the sunset. But with such a beautiful sunset, the focus is taken off the couple a bit.

By adjusting the Brightness/Contrast and Levels, the photo not only looks clearer but it focuses more upon the couple. Brightness/contrast & levels can be auto or manually adjusted; do whatever yields the best results for you.

This next beach picture is a group of friends on the beach
The brightness of the sky & background made them look especially dark...

Adjusting the brightness/contrast and levels in this one really brought out the subjects of the picture. To pump up their eyes and smiles, I also used the dodge tool. Be careful not to go too bright or they start to look fake, though.Something else that could be done to this photo is to take out the busy area between the two guys. By using a combo of the cloning & bandage tool, it's easy to blend the area so it looks like the distractions were never even there.

*Note - the pictures in this post were taken with a point & shoot digital camera, nothing special. My sis took these pictures while she was on vacation in Florida earlier this year.

Ideas for Infant Photos

2008-05-07T23:42:00.008-05:00

When taking pictures of very small babies (considered infants), it can be a bit of a challenge. This is the one stage of childhood that the little one is unable to do much of anything for him or herself. It's not impossible, though - and I'll offer up some ideas and examples of Infant Photography to show you all.

My good friend Jamie was kind enough to let me use her beautiful 4-week-old daughter for this photo shoot. Jamie, thanks so much for letting me photograph Baby Olivia!

The first thing I did was set up a little area to place little Olivia while I took pictures. This does not require much time or money on your part, especially if you do on-site photography like I do. Almost every baby is well equipped with a swing, boppy, or vibrating seat of some type (maybe all 3). A changing table or bassinet would also work pretty well; if nothing else, they surely have a car seat - that can even work in a pinch. I bought just a few yards of 2 or 3 different fabrics and just draped it over the baby-holder (a boppy in this case) and laid little munchkin right in it.
Unfortunately, this little baby was a very sleepy little baby! Though it's not ideal to only get pictures of a slumbering babe, they'll still be cherished for years to come.
If the baby's a very sound sleeper, you can even position her or her hands/arms in different ways. Adding a simple frame adds a little more spunk to the picture as well.

Luckily for us, baby Olivia did wake up...
Some babies have a particular way they like to lay (right side, left side, or even tummy). Use this to your advantage.

Be sure to mix it up with close-ups and full baby shots.

If baby's playing with her fingers, let her enjoy them. Who doesn't love little dimpled hands?

If you and the parent(s) are up for it, try doing a change of clothes - even no clothes.

I just love little unclothed babies...
even if they don't exactly want to cooperate...

Don't' worry. There are plenty of ways to fix up pictures that you may not initially care much for.

Like cropping them, turning them into black & white and adding in bits of color... I'll explain in an upcoming post in detail how to do the black & white with bits of color.

For now, back to some more baby picture ideas:

Catching the beginning or end of a big yawn is simply adorable...

And if you're super lucky, you'll even get the slightest bit of a grin.

It also works in black & white with bits of color.

Here are just a few other ideas:

Placing baby on his or her tummy with head turned to the side
A close-up of a favorite piece of jewelry (a baby ring, bracelet, or necklace)
Little hair bows or shoes
Hands and feet
Include sibling(s) if possible on just a few shots - giving a kiss on the head or laying down beside baby are a couple of my favorite sibling shots

Finally, try to get some of baby & Mommy and/or Daddy. If they're completely insistent upon keeping their faces out of the photos, see if they'd like some hands & feet pictures...

Something they'll cherish forever...

It's just amazing to see how small that little baby's hands/feet are in comparison to you own - and that little one will grow so quickly. It's great to get these kind of shots when you can.
How it's done: Simply roll up Mom or Dad's sleeves, take baby's bottom half of clothing off (diaper and onesie/top can be left on). Have the parent(s) sit down with baby laying in their lap/on their legs so that the hands are free to place under baby's bare feet. I loosely wrapped some tulle around baby's legs & Mom's wrists - gave the picture a soft look and nice frame.

Luckily, Olivia's Mommy was a willing model:

A pretty good picture, but we can improve it...

By simply desaturating the image (turning it into black & white)

The black & white worked wonders on this picture.

Little Olivia was just a bit upset & was all red from working herself up. You can't tell at all without the color though.

And last but not least, a variation on a gradient fill that I developed into an action:

Mom & Baby - the most beautiful thing in the world.

For a shot like this, just ask Mom to wear a strapless tank top or (if she's comfortable enough) a strapless bra. Let her know that you'll be sure to edit out anything that is the least bit revealing of body parts. Though this picture is a lot of skin, what it shows isn't something risque - all I can see is pure and natural love.

Color Photo Restoration

2008-05-06T06:18:00.003-05:00

Today I'm featuring another photo restoration, but this time we have color involved. This can be a benefit, but sometimes it's also more of a challenge depending on the condition of the picture itself. Luckily with this picture, it was in great shape. (Another FYI - this is a picture of me. Again, no image stealing. I think I was about 1 and a half or 2 at the time this pic was taken)

Really not a bad picture at all

It could be improved with some very simple photoshopping.

After brightness/contrast and levels were adjusted.

Makes it look like a brand new picture. But we can still do more...

Making parts of the picture in color and the rest in black & white can be done on any image - as shown here.

Total time involved: less than 10 minutes. How long this picture will now be around & enjoyed: potentially forever.

Holding myself Accountable...

2008-05-05T04:22:00.005-05:00

What a great idea from Natalie Norton over at Pics & Kicks! This is a great way to (hopefully) make sure I get everything on my to-do list done this week. I'll come back & strike though each one as I accomplish it. I may add more, too. Especially if I happen to get everything done by like Wednesday (HA! If only...!)

Goals & Gotta Do's:
~ Finish editing & burn pics to CD of ice-skating event for my mom's work
~ Laundry! Fold & put away what's already done & keep up on laundry throughout the week
~ ~~Do bills & work up this month's budget~~
~ Print out b-day pics from Livia's party & get out thank you's.
~ Do at least one post/day in my photo blog on photo editing
~ ~~In photo blog, feature at least one post of my photography - not just editing techniques~~
~ Look into the blogs, forums, and workshops an absolutely wonderful photographer recommended to me

Hopefully, I'll be able to knock all this out with absolutely no problems! Much love to you all and God Bless!

Photo Restoration

2008-05-05T01:50:00.003-05:00

Today I'm featuring a very old photo that was scanned in, and I'll show some easy steps I took to restore the image as much as possible...

Just an FYI, the little girl in the picture is either my great-grandmother or my great-great-grandmother (I believe on my father's side of the family). Just so no one will think I'm stealing random images off the Internet!

I first scanned in the picture - the scanner was nothing special, just an all-in-one printer that came with my old computer. (*Note: please click pictures enlarge)

And here is the initial image...

A bit hazy and several small trouble areas, but overall it's really not too bad of a picture.

The first thing I did was adjust the contrast & levels to brighten up the picture a bit...

It's clearer, brighter, and shows a few more details of the picture.

The next step for me was to fix her right hand. See how it's almost totally in the shadows? It almost doesn't look like a hand at all...

This step took quite a bit of time and work, but I was able to use her other hand, duplicate parts of it, transform & move it, and adjust the sizes of the duplicated pieces onto a new layer. I then used a combo of the band aid tool, cloning tool, and eraser to make the entire 'hand' come together and blend it onto the original layer. Which took me to...

This - much better.

But then there were several other little splotches & minor fixes to be made... Like on her boot, her face, dress, and even the back wall - just a few little distractions that I thought the picture could do without.

Voila!

And finally, here are the two images side-by-side:

Before <------ ------> After

A wonderful thing about photo restoration is that you not only have pictures scanned in to keep forever, but the finished product is often something you'll want to have re-printed & placed somewhere special in your home.

Pictures like this can cost tons of money... But for right now, I'm still offering to do them for free! Anyone who has pictures that they would like work done on, I would love to do it for you for free - just as long as I can use the images for my portfolio & show off what I can do. Just e-mail me the image(s) to photoeditmagic@gmail.com

Thanks so much in advance - much love to all & God Bless!

Wonderful Photography Websites

2008-05-03T01:44:00.006-05:00

There are SO many wonderful websites out there for photographers. Whether you're interested in learning about your camera, photo editing techniques, or maybe you're even wanting sell your work - there's something photography-wise out there for just about everyone!

http://www.photoshopmama.net/ - Many things under her products section cost, but there are also FREE photoshop actions and other advice. Really, really useful information & teachings, but unfortunately time consuming... She also has a blog: (http://www.marilynsholin.com/blog/) and I would definitely sign up for her monthly newsletter - SO much useful info packed into it.

http://pifphoto.com/ - Absolutely WONDERFUL website dedicated to paying it forward to other. Lots of actions, templates, and the like on a regular basis, but also great interviews, articles, & advice. This website is what prompted me to create this one. I wanted a way to pay it forward as much as I could as well.

http://mamarazzischool.blogspot.com/ OK, so it's technically aimed at us camera-wielding, picture-obsessed Moms... But there's a lot of great info there for any photographer. Plus, sign up for the newsletter - more monthly tips!

http://digital-photography-school.com/blog/ - My absolute favorite learning blog. It's also the blog that prompted me to offer the Wedding Checklist & Questionnaire in the previous post.

And of course, there are several community-type websites out there that can really be great tools in learning and sharing information.

http://www.redbubble.com/ - Absolutely free website to host your pics, and a place to buy & sell work. More importantly, there's a lot of GREAT advice and many groups on there that may give you great ideas for what you want to focus on. Plus, when you put your own work up, you'll be amazed at the comradery and support you'll get there.

http://photo.net/ - Another website much like RedBubble. It's "a photography community that includes forums, reviews, and galleries for members and casual viewers."

http://www.photography.com/ - At Photography.com, "you can share photos, read articles, participate in forums, browse product reviews, and buy digital cameras, photographic equipment, or stock photography."

There are so many other wonderful communities of the like out and about on the World Wide Web, but you'll want to limit yourself to just a couple, since there are only a certain number of hours in each day!

If I may also make another suggestion, sign up for a service like Bloglines to keep up with all the various blogs you're inevitably accumulating. That's how I keep up on all the blogs I love so much! Many times, I'll just read the most recent post within the Bloglines website itself. I'll still click over to comment and read entire articles if they're not shown in their entirety under Bloglines.

Bloglines is super great, because it tells you when someone has posted something under their blog. It saves countless hours and frustrations on checking for new blogs that aren't even a sure thing. Unfortunately, Bloglines won't really help you keep up with the community-type websites I mentioned.

Finally, as I mentioned in the previous post, PLEASE let me know if I've left something out here. I'll be adding all these links to my sidebar, plus a few more for inspiration & information. Like I said, tell me if there's something you think should be included on the sidebar. Be sure to check out the ones listed! Much love and God Bless

Online Printing

2008-05-03T01:08:00.005-05:00

For all you photographers out there - professional and amateur - I have one question for you: what do you currently use to print your photos? It's all too convenient to just send off your pictures to the nearest drug store or superstore. And some of us even have at-home printers (both for smaller and larger prints) but what about price and quality? With the often high costs of paper & ink, and especially since gas is so outrageously priced right now, it's worth thinking about alternatives.

Have you thought about using an online lab? If not I TOTALLY recommend doing so - very cost effective & great products. I'll link below some of my favorites for pro & SRL use.

www.mpix.com
www.whcc.com
www.mckennapro.com
www.colorincprolab.com

One of my absolute favs - Color Inc. (4th one down on this list) has a sign up for a monthly newsletter. I totally recommend signing up, because you will get an 'in' for sales and specials that they run. plus at the bottom of the newsletter there's a coupon for 50% off your first order! I've personally talked to one of the team members of Color Inc. and they're so very helpful. This translates to, "don't afraid of the online printing thing because of the technology aspect." One of the Color Inc representatives can walk you through anything.

Another website that does a very decent job of printing pictures is Shutterfly. I don't think the quality is quite up to the others listed above, but they do have a bunch of really neat novelty items. It's a great website for those wanting a bit above average, and some really fun stuff to choose from.

Ultimately, the choice is up to you on how you would like to print your photos. Just remember that typically the 2 out of 3 rule will apply: You can usually get two of the following three qualities for printing your pictures, but it's really hard to get all three.
Good quality
Quick service
A decent price

Let me know what you all think - what's important, have I left out your favorite website(s) or ways of printing, and how your or others personal experiences affect your decisions.

Much love to all and God Bless!

Wedding Photography Information

2008-05-02T23:53:00.004-05:00

Though I am definitely not the first & foremost when it comes to wedding photography, I would love to share the information I do have and know...

I recently put up a response in a forum over at Digital Photography School saying that I would love to share a wedding checklist and a short wedding questionnaire. A kind gentlemen actually offered to copy them over to Google Docs for me - I had no idea such a thing was even out there, so I shall be forever grateful to him. For those of you out there who could like to have them as well, feel free! (Just click on each one for the Google Docs link)

Wedding Checklist

Wedding Questionnaire

And here is other wedding photography advice I have that might be of use...

First off, it's great idea is to have an extra [fully charged] battery with you at all times - especially for the wedding, of course. Do you have another digital camera by any chance? Even if it's not a DSLR,it's good have a 'back up' for the big day. Imperfect pictures are still better than no pictures at all! And I'm sure many of you already know this, but 'grainy' pics make a world of difference in black & white or sepia. Plus brides love to have at least a few pictures in this style - I know of those who (by choice!) don't have one color pic from their wedding. If you don't have another digital camera, chances are that a fairly close relative does. Better yet, recruit a slightly-younger family member of yours to help! That awkward-stage niece, nephew, cousin, etc. would be PUMPED that you want his/her help & expertise! Plus you will hopefully have 2 chances for a lot of shots.

It's very important to maintain your own style (even if you're still developing it), while also 'bending a bit' - so to say -for their style. And let's be serious, here - by 'their' style, I mean HER style! As we all know, the wedding is all about the bride! You may already know her 'style' without even realizing it. Is she shy & reserved? Outgoing & talkative? The photographs from her wedding day should reflect pieces of that, as well as the absolute beauty of the day.

Something I really wish my wedding photographer would have focused more on was ME that day. I know that sounds absolutely ridiculous, because I was the center of attention for the whole day! But there weren't any 'little details' from the wedding that I SO dearly wish I had... Pics of the rice packets, each individually hand-wrapped; pics of my bridesmaids doing my hair, makeup, and dressing; a close up of The Kiss & placing the rings on each others hands - Sadly, I didn't get any of those shots. In fact, I didn't even get very many pictures of 'just me'. Never underestimate how important the bride is in her own eyes - even if she'd never admit it to anyone!Be sure to focus on something you know she loves about herself (eyes,lips, hair, back, or legs) in at least a few pics. She'll be very grateful for them in the future.

Be sure in at least several photos that you get FULL frame pics - don't cut off anyone's feet. In fact, take a few random shots OF feet! Whether it's during the vows, or during the dance - get a few tootsies & toes shots.

Another thing I can think to tell you is DO NOT BE AFRAID. Tell everyone where you want them exactly. Tell Bob to point his toes in (Ack! Quit standing like a duck! I hated those shots in my wedding pics!) If your voice doesn't carry, recruit help here! We were lucky to have microphones at my wedding... but if you don't have access to one, get someone [mature - so people will listen] who has a voice that carries well. Anyway, make sure you're very clear on where everyone needs to be, and how posed. Make sure 'little bitties' are all in check too (background stuff/people out of the way, hairs in place - not in face, etc.)

Also consider 'staking out' or doing research on the ceremony & reception locations before the wedding if possible. You'll be able to get a better idea of what will & won't be possible in terms of poses,backgrounds, etc. Plus it's a great way to get yourself familiar & comfortable with where you'll be shooting...

That's all for now, but as I learn more I will in turn share with you all as well - happy shooting! Much love and God Bless!

2008-05-01T05:02:00.000-05:00

To help build up my portfolio on edited pictures, I'm now accepting requests for FREE photo help.

Whether that be a digital photograph you would like enhanced, a scanned-in photo that you would like to have restored, or any other adjustments on a picture.

Simply e-mail the picture or pictures to me at photoeditmagic[at]gmail[dot]com. Tell me what you would like to have done to it, and I'll do my best to fulfill your request. All I ask for in editing your picture(s) is that I be allowed to use it/them in my portfolio.

Thanks so much for helping me out. Much love and God Bless!

Wedding Photo Adjustments

2008-05-01T02:15:00.010-05:00

In this post I'll be showing & discussing some editing techniques I used for some amatuer wedding photography.

The pictures are from my husband's beautiful cousin, Blair's wedding just over 2 years ago. Blair & her high school sweetheart, Adam, were married down in Mississippi - it was totally worth the drive! They're a God-loving couple, joined in His Love and Grace. A beautiful ceremony, followed by an equally gorgeous reception with hor d'oeuvres galore, southern sweet tea, cake, and much more. Enough about how much I enjoyed myself though, how about some photos from the big day, huh?

One of the sweetest shots of the day, but it's a little busy...

So, let's just do a simple cropping & just a little color enhancement.

Much better!

There's so much that can be done with even the simplest picture though - not just cropping. Lets take this next picture a step further:

Crop it...

Blur the background on it...

And turn it into back & white with the bouquet in color...

I faded the color out just a bit more on this next one (fade desaturate) and liked it even more...

Almost looks professional, doesn't it.

Here's another photo that's pretty good, but again can totally be made better.
Replacing the background or even a simple cropping would make a world of difference.

Why not do both?

Cropped with an elegant black vignette.

Little changes can definitely make big differences.

Something else I like to do for wedding shots is to take a photo of the bride's bouquet, blur it, fade the edge...

And it can be used as a background for almost any picture.

Finally, my absolute favorite picture - after editing of course.
Started off with (out of all honesty) a mediocre shot at best. There are too many distractions in the background, and look at the hideous shadow around the groom! But I loved the moment that it captured of the couple.

So I started out by duplicating the layer. On the original layer I used a heavy gaussian blur filter, and on the copied layer I used the magic wand tool to trace around the couple (with a very light feathering... I think 5 - 10?). I then inversed the selection & just deleted the area around them. Which made the picture look like...
A much classier image - but still not the perfection I was seeking. The distracting background is gone, but so is their floor & wall... it looks like they're floating, doesn't it? Not to worry! I still had a trick or two up my sleeve to polish it up some more.

Like this! Not your typical black & white, huh? That's right, it's not. I went to image -> adjustments -> gradient map, and selected the metals option. It should be pretty obvious which one of the metals I used.

I was pretty happy with it at this point, but I decided to add one last little touch...

Now, this type of editing can't be used with just any picture. But with the right ones, the results are just spectacular. Note: the 'metals - black & white' should NEVER be used on big, huge, happy, toothy smiles. The results are often horrific instead of terrific!

Hope this gives you all some ideas of what I can do, and also some things to try for yourselves! Feel free to hit me up with questions, and of coarse pictures of your own that you'd like for me to edit. Much love to all and God Bless!

Black & White pics with Bits of Color

2008-04-30T02:01:00.005-05:00

I have always loved photographs that are in black & white. When I first saw pictures that had little bits of color in with the black & white, I was just amazed. It was love at first sight. I had no clue how easy it really is to do myself until I got Photoshop, and just started playing around...

I love this picture of my daughter holding my Mom's hand, but I thought it might be even more interesting if I did it in black & white except for the dress.

Sure enough! It really 'popped' her dress, and took the focus totally in to her.

How is this done? Super easy:

I just took the original picture and duplicated the layer. I then took the duplicated layer (the one on top) and desaturated it (in other words, turned it into black & white). I then used the magic wand tool to trace around Livia's dress (I feathered it to about 10 px, I believe) Once the dress was all selected, I just hit the delete button - it took away the desaturated layer & I was left with a cute little color dress against the black & white. To finish it up, I flattened the image & saved it as a copy (I always keep all my originals, no matter how silly that is!)

I'm sure there are other ways to do this, but just through playing around, I figured this one out - and I really like it. That's the cool thing about Photoshop: there's rarely just one right way to do something. And 'easiest' to someone can be more difficult for another. To each his or her own
:o)

Adjusting Contrast & Desaturation

2008-04-29T23:58:00.004-05:00

What a huge difference even a couple of quick changes can make...

From the original...

To a classy image

And all I did was adjust the contrast & desaturate the image. (That's Photoshop terminology for turning a picture into black and white)

Granted, this picture still isn't fantastic... But because of sentimental reasons, I wanted to try to salvage something out of it. The key to good photography is to get a great shot to begin with. Learning your camera, its capabilities, and even its limitations are very important to taking pictures. If you have an SLR... learn how to use it in MANUAL! I'm preaching to the choir here, as I'm still learning to do so myself...

I wish you all the best of luck - I'm learning right along with you!