Country Kids - Sneak Peek

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?

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

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

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

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

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

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

^--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

...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?

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

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

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

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...

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

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!