Through Meg's Lens

Black and white conversion

2011-12-14T14:02:00.000-05:00

Clickinmoms.com had a photoshop tutorial on black and white conversions. I muddle through conversions but it's not often I am really excited about how a conversion comes out.

I did something stupid with this effort and started with a photo I wanted to "save" It was a cute expression and I knew mom and dad would like it. But it took cloning and fussing and I couldn't really get it all right.

Start:

So, I did what I could with the back blurred it out a little and just went on with the conversion. The conversion part was simple, but new to me.

1. desaturate the image completely
2. add a "soft light" curve
3. Add a level adjustment ( 20/.80) to darken the midtones/shadows
4. Add a level adjustment (10/1.4) to then brighten the midtones for contrast.

Then because every image is different, I played with the opacity of the layers. Then I did a quick eyeball sharpen. I liked the outcome for this one (at least in terms of the BW conversion. The background is another story.):

Do you have a "go to" process for BW conversions?

Actions

2011-11-29T00:28:00.001-05:00

It's so delicious when skilled folks are willing to share their smarts with people who want to learn. I love it.

I don't know Lidia from Oh So Posh Photography except from what she shares on her facebook page... but she is sooo like that. It's no wonder she's exceeded 20k followers.

Now she's celebrating by giving away a bunch of Photoshop actions. Wanna learn more? Here you go!

More backlighting

2011-11-06T22:46:00.000-05:00

Ok, so the ever patient Lucy was a trooper again today. I should mention that I am really looking at exposure and not composition... Today I really wanted to see what it would look like if I exposed to capture more details in the sun-lit hair. My goal is to love what I get sooc. Then use Photoshop to enhance it.

Here's what I started with...

f/5.6 1/160 ISO 200 My focal length was 130, so maybe if my ss was 1/200 then it would have been sharper. Or maybe there was camera shake. Or maybe the sun flare.

Ok, so what I like about this is that the highlights aren't completely blown. Her messy hair still looks like hair. What I don't like is that its so dark on her face and in her shirt that it's just not working. Her eyes are flat with no catch-lights to speak of.

What could/should I have tried? Maybe a touch of fill flash- or maybe hanging a big white blanket behind me. Or maybe my reflector.

What did I do? I photo-shopped it. Of course my goal is to be way closer to this IN CAMERA, so I don't have to tweak so much to "save" it.

Finished image:

And, the before and after:

Backlighting

2011-11-05T22:17:00.002-04:00

(Annette made my day, so I'm back tonight. I'm easy like that.)

This is a backlit photo of Lucy taken around 430 this afternoon. It's SOOC (straight out of camera with zero editing.)

Pretty girl, and she does not look like she's been coughing nonstop for a week.

Here's the technical data:
Nikon D300s
Nikkor 18-200 mm lens
Focal length 70 mm
1/80
f/5.0
ISO 500
My understanding is that for crispness, technically, my shutter speed should have been at least 100 with a 70 mm focal length, but I can't take the noise of a higher ISO. That's not crispy. It's noisy. Also, I was using my Polarizing filter because I read that it might help in sunny hazy situations. I don't know if it helped. Plenty of the other shots had much more haze. I don't have a hood for this lens. I was blocking the glare with my hand.

So, when I'm getting ready to take a picture like this I'm making sure that I'm metering off her face, but I'm going to set it to under-expose a pinch so that there aren't a ton of blown highlights. If you over-expose a photo, even in camera RAW format, you are capturing sections of the photo that have zero detail. Nothing but white. Look at the bright part of Lucy's hair. Blown out. No matter how closely I zoom in, I can't see strands of hair.

In this shot I used a very slight fill flash so that her face wouldn't be totally and completely under-exposed. We were in the woods. Sure, there was sunlight, but I'm still pretty surprised by just how much light you need in a setting like this. That reminds me. I was supposed to try my 50mm with this today. Ooops. Maybe tomorrow.

So, I popped the open Photoshop and did some popping. Brightened her face a touch, reduced the red in her face, warmed up the haze, sharpened the eyes a bit and here is the final image:

Once more- the before and after:

Back: Proper Exposure

2011-11-04T23:35:00.003-04:00

I joined the Clickin Mom's forums at the suggestion of a hobbyist-gone-pro photographer that I know.

I've been poking around and one thing has become very clear very quickly. I've been technically lazy when it comes to shooting.

So, I'm back. I am going to write here and give examples of what I am working on because I think it'll help me to grow.

The 1st thing I am tackling is in camera exposure. I want the tweaking of light to be minimal in post production. That means really assessing my location and slowing down. It means shooting more and using my histogram to show where I am. It means trying to use my reflector and diffuser more.

Today I dragged the boys out into the yard for the late afternoon light. As luck would have it the glow was gone and for the most part the light was pretty flat. We bounced some light around on my white vest and on my reflector. I got about 10 minutes before they were off doing their thing.

So, I really worked on metering for proper exposure. I worked on playing with focus approaches to get nice sharp eyes. But it was around 4 and not very bright, so I had to punch up my ISO which ruins everything. Next time I'm playing around in the flat light I'll try nailing the fill flash.

Anyway... this is what I came up with, and while they aren't great pictures, I think that technically they are pretty accurate in terms of exposure and focus. Eyes are sharp, no enormous clipped highlights, and the barest bit of blowing the blacks- but that happens with black shirts- and I don't care if the inside of his shirt sleeve is underexposed.

I am hoping for some sun tomorrow so I can practice my back lighting a bit. If not, the flash comes out.

RAW

2010-05-25T12:31:00.000-04:00

After the last PCC meeting I decided to try shooting in RAW again. I need to work on my processes though. Shooting in RAW means that the camera throws away less information than if you shoot in Jpeg. It also means that every image needs to be tweaked a little, but the end result ends up looking more... well... more.

So when we went to the Sea Dog's game the other night, I should have switched out of RAW and shot in Jpeg. They were a few snaps to remember a moment... not an effort to really create a photo. So, jpeg would've been easier to deal with after the fact.

Blogger won't let me upload a RAW or dng file because they are too big. But following is an edited RAW image and an edited jpeg. The advantages of the RAW file as I see them are: a truer color, more detail in the highlights, and a wider color palette which allows for a less "choppy" background.

If I knew my way around CS3 better I feel like I could make the RAW image more distinctive- better than it is.

Twice

2010-05-13T23:08:00.003-04:00

Twice I've taken pictures that made me cry. (I've seen quite a few pictures that have brought a tear to my eye, but twice I've been the one holding the camera.)

The first time was almost 2 years ago and it's one of the moments that planted the passion in me. I immediately saw the story. The story began when he was called to duty and ended when our eyes met through the camera. That story should be written. I connected deeply and immediately to that tiny moment.

Months later I tracked down Mr. Rogers (no, really), gave him a copy of this picture, and he (and his lovely wife) gave me a tour of their home (one of the oldest in our town). He has warm eyes and warm hands. He has stories to tell. I keep thinking of going back. To ask questions I never asked my own grandparents.

Mr Rogers has been in every Memorial Day parade since he returned from the war. Each year he has worn the same uniform.

The picture:

The second one happened today.

I expect it might not make sense to many people. That's ok with me.

From time to time to time to time I get wrapped up in what I'm not doing. What can't be done. What should be done. It tangles me up. Hard. Stupid things start to weigh more in the scale of life. I fret. I remain still (but not in the good way).

So today this picture told me a story of hope and possibility and promise and openness and understanding and forgiveness.

Or I am just nuts.

Oh, and I am reading the manual. It is complicated crap, but this camera can perform exorcisms. I expect.

Creatively Correct Exposure

2010-05-11T23:14:00.000-04:00

Last night Rob and the kids were patient as I climbed hills on our school campus to get this shot. It is unedited. The colors are pretty true to what I saw, which isn't usually the case for me.

Today I watched several Bryan Peterson video clips. The guy has awful hair, but his skills make up for it. He talked a lot about achieving "creatively correct exposure." I played around with some flowers after I watched the videos and I am pretty happy about achieving that creatively correct exposure.

Of course I am a big fan of the shallow depth of field, and I'm pretty consistent with the flowers. Am I as competent with people/portraits?

Goal- read 1 section of the d300s manual.

Fun

2010-05-04T23:07:00.002-04:00

I got the manual for the d300s and I am looking forward to reading through it. In some ways I feel like this camera is so different from the d60. It is, but it's different like Volkswagen:Audi not like pine tree:matchbox car, which is kindof what I've been thinking.
It's hard to know what steps to take to get better. Books. Blogs. Apprenticeship. I think I'd really like to assist a local photographer for some shoots.

I had a long photo walk in Boston on Saturday. Here are a couple shots I'm pretty happy with:

Manual

2010-04-29T22:03:00.000-04:00

I ordered the manual for the D3oos today and I should have it within a week. This is a lot of camera and what I do second nature with my lil D60 is a mystery on this bad boy.

I love bleeding hearts.

I will be in Boston this weekend and am looking forward to bonding with the D300s.

Bokehlicious!

2010-04-26T21:11:00.001-04:00

The depth of field on these is so sweet to me- the soft blur in the back hinting at what's there but not distracting from the main focus. And the hydrangea bud? Tiny itybity dof. Fun to play!

party portraits

2010-04-26T20:55:00.001-04:00

I went to a friend's 8th birthday party over the weekend. When I got back I threw a handful of photos up on Facebook in an album entitled Brady's b'day party. It might have appeared more suitable were it called First Funeral. Look at a few of them:

Don't they all look so sad? But... I like them anyway. They kindof make me wonder about what's causing each expression... atypical birthday shots, though.

These were shot with the Nikon d300s in a high ceilinged school entrance. I used a Nikkor 18-200 3.5-5.6 and a Nissin Di622 speedlight. Post-processing varied but was done in Photoshop CS3.

D300s

2010-04-24T23:12:00.000-04:00

A crazy lunatic of a friend is letting me use his Nikon d300s for awhile. It is a lot of camera and I am really looking forward to falling in love with it... which I fully expect to do. I have so very much to learn.

I love this boy, and I love the bokeh behind him.

Birthday

2010-04-22T22:09:00.000-04:00

Happy 89th Birthday, Memere!

I am really enjoying my flash. I was sad when my batteries died today. I have a lot to learn but I am excited about the new possibilities.

Caught

2010-04-21T21:11:00.000-04:00

Like yesterday, the weight of my camera felt just about right today.

I like finding pictures. This is captured quietly, just a girl laughing with her cousins. It's not choreographed. It was just a moment.

The blurry bangs and sharp face make sense to me in this shot.

Back

2010-04-21T09:32:00.000-04:00

I'll be trying to post photos daily again- even just here- for me. This is from yesterday.

I don't know what kind of flower it is, but it was a lovely sight to see during our hike yesterday.

People

2010-02-01T09:03:00.000-05:00

Last week I decided to do a week of people. I managed to shoot 5 people, one dog and some markers.

This week I am going to do all outdoor shots.

I found my Kelby book and am reading it again.

I've noticed my pictures seem much less sharp then they need to be, and often with a lot of noise. I remember, at some point in the last year, thinking that this camera body would suffice for a good long while, not really feeling its limitations. My biggest complaint is the noise in low light situations (which I am shooting more of in an effort to own them). I am using 2 pictures as an example, but I also want to say that I think noise CAN compliment a photo- I don't hate the effect of it in this example, but I'd rather it was always intentional.

It's a bit inconsistent though. Take this shot of Rob's hands:

The black isn't really black and there's a lot of noise. It was shot at ISO 200, 1/50, f/5.6. I did lighten it a bit, applied a gradient map, and did a slight crop.

Then here's Lucy:

Now this was also shot at ISO 200, 1/50, f/5.6. This is straight out of the camera without editing. much crisper. Much more black. She was closer to the light source.

So, yeah. I need to operate what I've got with greater consistency in low light, but I'd also someday like to have a camera that handles these lighting situations with less fuss.

Grrr...

2010-01-28T11:51:00.000-05:00

I seem to have lost my Kelby book. Grrrr...

I have decided to focus on people for a week of my x365s.

What should I do next week? Here's my list:

vehicles
broken
circles
wet
food
out of place
symmetrical
hot
cold

You'll notice people isn't even on it- but I'd gone about 2 weeks without a person shot. Inanimate things require less of an investment. Especially when I'm not planning anything and am looking around in the evening for something to make interesting. Like spoons. Ahem.

Summer?

2010-01-24T21:55:00.002-05:00

I forgot that I wanted to do an evening shot tonight, and when I remembered I didn't want to shoot anything. Poor planning.

So, entirely uninspired I grabbed the mini-mums I'd picked up earlier in the week and had already shot once. The flowers are boring and I'd already taken one picture of them... but I felt like my choices were the flowers or an egg.

Here's what they look like sitting in the middle of my gross kitchen floor:

And this is my photo of the day from 2 days ago:

So, tonight I blew it out with no flash and got a shot that screams summer to me. I love summer:

Tomorrow is Monday and I'm going to pick a week long topic to focus on... topic: TBA

Container List

2010-01-21T19:44:00.003-05:00

...well, it's not a bucket list, but I've been thinking about project topics...
Here's what I've got:

vehicles
broken
circles
wet
food
out of place
symmetrical
hot
cold

Now... where to begin?

The Beach

2010-01-13T23:04:00.000-05:00

I can only go so long without a visit to the ocean.

Times up.

Update: Capturing

2010-01-12T21:08:00.001-05:00

One of my 2010 words is "capturing," and part of that is to engage more in the online photo community. Over the past 12 days I've made efforts to sink more deeply into the communities on Flickr. I've joined new groups and have expanded my contacts and been more active in leaving comments and checking out what's been happening. It's fun!

At it's best, Flickr provides an opportunity for photographers and aspiring photographers to hang out together and "talk" about what they are trying to accomplish and share their efforts. It's like a meet-up where people can show their work and give and get critiques, support and encouragement. It's also an opportunity to soak in the images of other folks, to learn from them, and immerse in the passion of people who want to learn and grow and share. The best part is that everyone I've "met" so far has been positive- which isn't to say they aren't offering suggestions and opinions, but they do it in a helpful respectful manner.

And that's why I love Flickr.

Lighting: a quarter of an experiment

2010-01-09T08:00:00.001-05:00

Earlier in the week I wrote about some lighting experimentation that I did. I have zero lighting equipment and used regular room lighting, a white reflector, and one of these silver clamp lights with a CFL (which has a color temperature of 3000). How and why the 3000 is relevant I am not sure, because the only information I can find indicates that it creates a spectrum of light which contain both more orange and more blue. So yeah, try correcting that.

Ok so looking at this picture of Clay that I took the other night (untouched):

1/50, f/4.8, white balance set to white flourescent

I did not have time to play with the settings because, well, let's not go there. Suffices to say I could not take the shot with a variety of white balance adjustments. Having thought about and read a little I expect a "cool white" setting might have balanced out the green cast. Hard tellin' not knowin'.

I kind of like the shadows in this shot, but with more time I'd have liked to go for uniform soft lighting, too. I wonder if I'd used 2 of the clamp lights (1 on each side) and reflected light from the front if that would have done it. I also would've liked to have tried fill flash with the compensation notched down. And, thanks to a Flickr friend, it's now impossible to get past the blue cast on his left eye. So I like this one:

So, that's all I've got to say about that (in my best Forrest Gump voice).

On Books

2010-01-08T08:56:00.000-05:00

I am currently reading Scott Kelby's The Digital Photography Book. When I first got this book I flipped through and read some of the pages, but hadn't yet read it from cover to cover.

I really wish I had!

So, Kelby writes in this, I'm-your-buddy-and-we're-just-hanging-out-chatting-about-photography-the-way-some-people-chat-about-football way. I like the straight forwardness, but the banter gets a little tiresome.

That said, it is really nice to read about it in a non-technical manner that is easy to understand. He weaves in pretty easy to understand photoshop tips, too. Even for a photoshop bonehead like me.

The information he's parsing out isn't even new information. I've read/heard/figured out a lot of it already. But it's still really useful to me to have it laid out the way Kelby does. Here's an example: shoot landscapes only at dawn or dusk, really think about composition (include 3 segments- foreground, middle, and background), and stop down for maximum depth of field (which really made me want to play with wide shots with low dof). And if you mess with these guidelines it's likely you'll have some flat photos. (see these for examples of what not to do :).

So, I'm about a 3rd of the way through this book and it's concisely reminding me of general rules of photography.

I'm liking it.

White balance and a Book List

2010-01-07T23:02:00.002-05:00

I didn't get into the snow today, however, I did take some pictures of Teddy (the bear) and saw a big difference in a little adjustment.
White Balance on Auto:

White Balance adjusted for a bright white fluorescent:

Hmmm.... green bear or brown? Pretty cool.

Also wanted to share what looks to be a great book list.

My photo of the day (POTD) is here. And, before you leave, if you'd like you can subscribe to these posts so that they come in through your email or RSS reader. Check out the sidebar.

Frustration

2010-01-06T23:47:00.001-05:00

Today I was frustrated shooting the snow. I tried using my Exposure Bias to make a picture that actually showed white snow. Couldn't get it right and most of my people came out blue, too.

So, I read this article about shooting in the snow. And this one from Compose-Focus-Create.

I'm also bringing my Scott Kelby book to bed.

Tomorrow, I'll try again.

2010: Photography Resolutions Part 1

2010-01-05T14:25:00.001-05:00

This morning I read Lisa Bettany's list of 10 New Years Resolutions Every Photographer Should Make. I left thinking about how the post applied to me as a growing photographer. So here are my reactions to the 1st four of Lisa's resolutions.

1. Learn How to Use Your Camera
I've taken a couple of classes and a couple of thousand photos towards this end goal. So many of my shots are still test runs. I need to read up on how to achieve the end result I am shooting for... pun intended. In addition to participating in online communities, I'm building a reading list. Tell me... what books should be on it?

HOW
a. take pictures every day
b. look at pictures every day- try to figure out how they are made
c. read about taking pictures
d. read my manual again and again
e. ask questions

2. Don't Shoot in Auto
I don't. Ever. Well... except when I get so super frustrated by low light situations. Lighting weaves it's way through all of these goals. I need to work around poor light situations and build up my toolbox for dealing with them.

HOW
a. see #1: read, practice, ask
b. research DIY lighting solutions

3. Don't use on Camera Flash
Low light again... I hate on camera flash and rarely get a photo I'm pleased with when using it. That said I am not in the position to buy a flash. Someone did give me an old flash of theirs, but I'm not sure it's compatible with my camera and have done nothing to determine its usability. Additionally I have a 5 in 1 reflector kit that was kindly given to me. I have enjoyed playing with it but have also been unsure of how to use it when I try to take so many candids. That said, using them often is going to help me learn more about lighting. And it will certainly help when I'm taking portraits. If only it came with an assistant.

HOW
a. determine if external flash is compatable
b. create opportunities to use my reflectors/diffuser

4. Don't be Hindered by Gear I Don't Have.
This is just like the pesky 10th Commandment. I don't have much gear. I have 2 lenses, a few filters, a remote and my reflector. I do have a lots of wishes and wants, but this is a really good reminder that it's not about having the gear- it's about getting better with what I have. It's about learning, pushing, trying and growing with the resources available to me. It's not about remaining stagnant until I get the new tool.

HOW
a. take pictures of everything
b. push beyond comfort level
c. try shoot same object from every imaginable perspective

What goals do you have to improve your skills (photography or any hobby you're passionate about)? Have you thought about how to achieve your goals?

Resolution post to be continued...

2010: Day 4

2010-01-04T23:05:00.000-05:00

I made a detour or 2 on the way home from Portland today. I traipsed through some snow and took a few pictures. I've not been very happy with my efforts towards figuring out the snow thing. I wanted to try some more.

Here's another effort with the low dof. I like the color contrast and the composition with the bridge running diagonal and the water/trees behind. Nothing pops in the photo, though.

Off hte other side of the bridge I also shot the water plant thingies. I like the colors and the circles.

I also tried for some landscape shots of the snow. I went to the golf course and was trying to accurately capture the tones and textures in the snow. I was using an ND filter and wishing my husband had bought me the polarizing filter I wanted for Christmas. Turns out that he did, but I seem to be old and have memory issues and I forgot. forgot.
In any case all of the land/waterscapes I took were boring and flat and not even a little crisp. Proof:

and:

See? Blah, blah blah. Thoughts? Ideas? Suggestions?

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2010: Day 3

2010-01-03T21:52:00.001-05:00

Big day today. I got Flickr all set up for my 2010/365 photo project where I will be posting a photo each day all year long. I added a link in the sidebar which will always bring you to the set of photos.

Creating that Flickr set gives me the flexibility to talk about more of what I'm doing and learning here without feeling like I'm screwing up the 365. I'll still be doing lots of projects in this space, too.

Lucy and I went for a late afternoon snow walk. I always get so frustrated shooting in low light situations. My 400+ ISO settings make for photos that are grainy as hell. I played with my settings trying to get the exposure right and came up with these:

A Streetlight

I didn't play with the white balance settings pre- or post- obviously... but I kind of like the blue tones in contrast to the golden light. This was handheld at 1/10 and clearly would be improved by using my tripod- but I was on a snow walk with my 5 year old.

I like the sparkle in this one, and the active snow falling. The background is ugly and there's no redeeming interest or color to set it off. It was taken under an outdoor spotlight and I worked on the white balance in post.

2010: Day 2

2010-01-03T00:15:00.011-05:00

I had a lovely day today full of laughter and interesting conversations.

Today's shots also focus on depth of field.

I'm partial to this shot- the eyelashes and softness. Sweetness captured. I have a lot of photos from this perspective- a parent's perspective?

2010: Day 1

2010-01-02T01:18:00.005-05:00

This week's goal is to get the camera out and shoot daily- posting a snap or 2 to show for it.

These are (sooc) straight out of the camera (quite obviously), playing with depth of field and light:

Pretty ho-hum, but I do like the composition- the space occupied and the open space.

This was exactly the color of the sky. It was as though something was glowing behind the clouds as sunset approached. I wonder what it was ;)

I was going for the shallowest dof possible. This is close, but I needed a tripod to make it work because of the low light. Also I'd likely apply a landscape crop to this shot.

New Effort

2010-01-02T00:09:00.006-05:00

Some wikked smaht people are sharing their 3 words for 2010. Chris is (he better be, he started it) and Jon is and I'm hoping that Nancy and Emily and Marc will. Despite the fact that I'm late coming to the party, ideas have been rolling around for the past couple of months. Tonight I thought it was the right time to nail them out.

2010 will be about Capturing.

I'll learn more about the Art of photography. What do I love about photos? What photographers do I love and which ones do I hate? Where do I want to go with my camera? What do I want to see and how will I frame it? How can I be useful and how can I learn from the communities I've been on the fringe of?

One way that I will do this is here. I will pull things in and look at them more closely. I will be doing a photo project- a series of them, actually. Some may last a week, some a day, some a month. I have been trouble defining a project, so I'll do many different ones.

Starting today!

2010 will be about Embracing

I will be more productive, more helpful, more balanced if I embrace the way I spend my days. I've had 4 months with the kids back in school (theoretically, anyway). I've been inconsistent with what I need to do to have a balanced life. I have been completely out of sync with... well... everything. Embrace plans, embrace lists, embrace schedules, embrace what I have to do so that I can make room for what I love to do.

I think this will create opportunities to fall in love with new things, too.

2010 will be about Releasing

It will be the year of the Hatch. Our family will make the right choices about how to be together.
I'll let go of what was and accept what is.
I'll engage in developing new and existing relationships that are supportive, engaging, and respectful. I will invest in these relationships.

Capture. Embrace. Release.

2010

2009-12-30T00:13:00.002-05:00

I need to begin a photo project that will help me to focus and play and grow. I'm rolling around some possibilities.

I miss spending time here.

Glad to be back

2009-11-30T15:55:00.004-05:00

I'm glad to be back after the great computer crash of 2009. Here are some things I've been doing:

Lost

2009-11-04T23:39:00.003-05:00

My computer died- but here's what I was posting when I lost it (Nov. 4th):

But I end today remembering, "Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that." MLK

Singing in the Sun

2009-11-02T14:39:00.001-05:00

Create.

2009-10-24T21:55:00.005-04:00

Friday I blew off all of the things I "shoulda" done and took pictures instead. It was the perfect--dramatic pause--perfect fall day and I am so glad that it's how I spent it.

More Photos Here.

Sometimes... sometimes it's good to just walk away for a day. Leave the worries- the things that are bogging you down and making you sad and instead CREATE. It doesn't chase the sadness away for good- but it does offer a needed reprieve.

Thanks for being here.

Dreary Photos

2009-10-22T19:06:00.003-04:00

It was a cold, dark, dreary day in the woods today. But it was better than many days because I got out and took some pictures. I got out. And I took some pictures.

They're dark and dreary and a little boring, but they are pictures, and today that is something to celebrate.

And you? What did you do today?

My 8 year old...

2009-10-21T15:01:00.005-04:00

Clay is 8. Its hard yet easy to believe as it's impossible for me to remember life before him. 8 years ago he was so round and had the longest, softest hair you've ever seen. It stood straight up. They called him Spike.

And when he wasn't screaming like a velociraptor he was a quiet observer. The same holds true today, although today he is angular; long limbed and flexible. His hair is longer. We call him Freak.

Happy Birthday to my boy, and happy anniversary of the day we became 4. 4 with a twinkle in our eye.

Selective coloring

2009-10-18T21:19:00.003-04:00

This sweet little thing was at the hurling match over the weekend. I loved the expression on her face but hated the ugly background. The danger of candids. I had no time to move and needed to capture the shot. I used selective coloring (a technique I am not very fond of ordinarily) to help mask the ugly background which was ruining an otherwise sweet shot.

Her colors? Are hers alone. I did not boost or do any post production on her soft pink sweetness.

I have a blog... and Nancy has a birthday

2009-10-12T20:25:00.004-04:00

My brain had forgotten (about the blog, not about the birthday). Which is a bummer because when I started this photo blog it was in hopes of helping to lift me up when I was down. I forgot. Even when some of you were reminding me. You know I've been blue. Blue, blue. Yuck blue. Yawn blue. A blue quite unlike the photo I'm posting below. That blue brings me a feeling of warmth. I crave that blue.

Speaking of lifting me up, and speaking of warmth, it's my friend Nancy's birthday today. She's the kind of friend who hears you- who hears me when I'm silent and spreads a warm blanket of peace and acceptance when she speaks and when she writes.

Nancy, you are so giving and I am thankful for you today and every other day. Happy birthday.

Lucy

2009-09-01T22:20:00.004-04:00

Ahhh...

Bo*ring

2009-08-27T21:58:00.003-04:00

I took a handful of exceptionally boring pictures today. I brought the kids to the playground at Aidan's new school. I brought my diffuser, but the kids have taken to looking at me with disdain when I try to get them to actually cooperate for a photo.

PROOF:

Most of my photos are candids, so figuring out how to manage the diffuser is proving to be tricky. Tomorrow I am hoping Rob will act as my assistant!

And just because I am a fan of pokadots:

Gifts

2009-08-26T23:25:00.005-04:00

When I reconnected with a high school friend on Facebook I had the good fortune of catching up with a long lost friend, which was and continues to be lovely. I mention it here because it was at that time that I was introduced to the work of a photographer I've come to admire a great deal.

My friend Melissa's little brother is an extremely talented guy who has developed a uniquely recognizable portrait style. In 2007 he began a project wherein he took 365 portraits in as many days. They are spectacular. This one is one of my favorites and I look at it often. This one takes the breath from me. And this one makes me laugh. I love to look at the variety within the project. Then I like to look at his portfolio here, too. Different.

Where was I? My friend showed her brother some of my photos, he thought I needed a diffuser/reflector kit, and so he bought me one. He could've shot me an email suggesting this. He could've passed a message through his sister. But he ordered it for me and sent it. This is one of those moments for me. I feel thankful and inspired. I feel committed to learning to use it- the kit- and inspired to get better.

And to pay it forward.

___ ____ ____

I learned a bit while playing with my new toy today. It's easy to use it to make bad pictures:

And some pictures can show potential- potential to manipulate available light to make a prettier picture:

And some pictures can come out looking kindof pretty:

I am thankful to Bill, albeit slightly intimidated. Which is a little funny because last time I saw Bill he was a high school sophomore. And here I sit just trying to muddle my way through; lucky on occasion to capture a good moment in a pretty way, and wanting to get better.

You Capture: Peace

2009-08-20T01:03:00.001-04:00

This time of year I feel peace with the sand beneath my feet. In the dark of winter, I call upon the memories of the warmth of the sun on my face and the water lapping my toes. I will always live near the water. Always.

Don't forget to visit more PEACE posts. They can only make your day better. Here are the list of participants this week.

Best shots:3 of 1

2009-08-19T22:09:00.002-04:00

Visit more great shots:

Weekends

2009-08-17T00:25:00.007-04:00

Even in (or especially in) busy weekends I am surrounded by the loveliest things:

Cousins

2009-08-10T23:10:00.009-04:00

Walking together...

Posing together...

Building together...

Talking together...

Being together...

Lovely

2009-08-09T23:34:00.004-04:00

We have a few tiny but sweet cherry tomatoes.

And last week we went to a new lake and my neutral density filter pulled out lovely contrast in the clouds.

You Capture Me

2009-08-06T10:01:00.007-04:00

I was pretty lame this week. The You Capture Challenge was self-portraits and I ran out of time. I havent played with the timer on my camera at all, so I put it off. This morning I played a little and came up with these:

Bet you didn't know I had such a tall shadow!

I was really struggling to get the focus AND the timing down without help. Above the timing was right, below I was already landing but the focus was right (or more right at least). My littlest punk came out to join me later, but I was done with the "me" thing by then.

So we went on a photo walk to stalk the neighbors flowers.

Please visit You Capture at (I Should be Folding Laundry) for more self portrait interpretations.

Couple More

2009-08-04T23:53:00.005-04:00

... of the flower. Yesterday I did 1-5 today 6-8. I know which one is my favoreite- but what's yours?

6.

7.

8.

Jumping off

2009-08-04T00:31:00.004-04:00

This photo is straight out of the camera and will be the launching pad for the Kat inspired post/series on various editing styles and outcomes:

Edit #1:

#2

#3

#4

#5

Thoughts? More to come tomorrow! Thanks for the inspiration, Kat.

You Capture: Friends

2009-07-30T11:41:00.007-04:00

I guess I was premature this week. Yesterday's post would have been pretty perfect for "friends," but here are a couple more anyway.

The girls are cousins... and friends. I love the photo because of the colors and because it shows their colorful personalities.

These kids are cousins, too. And I like this picture because it shows their personalities pretty accurately.

While you're here, why not subscribe? I am a beginner, but I love to talk with people about learning photography.

Please visit I Should Be Folding Laundry for more of this week's You Capture.

Kids on the Beach

2009-07-28T22:00:00.005-04:00

I certainly did NOT nail this photo... but I'll be working on it some more, and the sentiment is here:

We met 4 other families at Sebago lake today and had a long fairly lazy day. The kids* enjoyed one another, the sun was high and the water was just cool enough to refresh.

*one friend is missing from the photo.

We have to...

2009-07-26T23:47:00.002-04:00

......find ways to find time for ourselves but also time to support each other...

Today...

2009-07-26T01:04:00.003-04:00

We were on the beach with some friends... lovely.

Subscribe?

2009-07-24T00:24:00.002-04:00

Didja know you could subscribe to this blog? Yup- look on the sidebar- you can enter your email or subscribe in a reader. Subscribers only get an email when I update, so no worries about spam.

Speaking of spam, my sister went to the Spam museum the other day. No lie.

I can see people are coming by, feel free to say hi. I'd love to chat.

You Capture: Black and White

2009-07-23T00:15:00.007-04:00

This week afforded me the opportunity to sink into something I've been putting off. It was an excellent opportunity for me to play with Photoshop (I am a complete novice). Who knew there was so much you could do with a black and white image? Oh right, you did... Please, constructive comments encouraged.

Stop by I Should be Folding Laundry for more You Capture fun.

Privileged

2009-07-22T19:29:00.003-04:00

In the winter I often wonder why I have to live in Maine.

But in July... in July I have the honor and privilege of living in Maine.

Swimming

2009-07-21T09:02:00.003-04:00

It is a beautiful thing to swim with my kids. Watching them fall more and deeply in love with the water. Witnessing the memories, not small specific memories, but more a memory compilation of day after day after day of playing and swimming in the water.

With me.

blooming

2009-07-18T01:49:00.003-04:00

When kids first meet, and quickly assess their compatibility, and begin to build a friendship, it's beautiful.

When adults meet in effort to establish friendship and begin to know each other, it can be beautiful.

When the flowers are in bloom, it's beautiful.

Reminders:

You Capture: Shapes

2009-07-16T22:03:00.013-04:00

Oooh, you know I've been sorting through the thousand+ photos I took over our 4 day beach vacation. I had some good snaps last year, but this year was a whole new beast shooting in manual. I was very disappointed when I screwed up a shot and missed a moment, but overall I think I got some pictures that captured the spirit of the annual "reunion." The Flickr set can be found here if you missed it. Don't worry, there arent a thousand.

So, over at I Should Be Folding Laundry this week's You Capture topic is shapes. Here are my contributions. They aren't all perfect by any stretch, but I like some things about each of them. I am not great at pruning.

My niece's impression of a star:

The corner posts of a log cabin:

Bocce is a near constant during low tide:

More bocce:

Lobster traps at rest:

And a pretty neat trapezoid:

The moon over Damariscotta lake:

And this little peace sign- made (literally) by the light of the moon with a longish exposure:

I hope you're doing well and your summer's swell.

Vacation: Part 1

2009-07-08T23:25:00.007-04:00

There were a lot of beautiful moments during our vacation. Here are 3 that I am happy to have captured:

Babies

2009-07-02T22:04:00.002-04:00

Does it really need an explanation?

Sweetness

2009-07-01T15:05:00.004-04:00

Clay, Lucy and I made banana bread, banana muffins, and blueberry banana muffins this morning. They are great and it was a nice activity for us to do. Usually when I bake the boys are at school and it's just me and Luce. Clay's good to have around.

We thought the process and the product were quite lovely:

And from tallasiandude on Flickr, the before picture:

Hers and Mine

2009-06-30T08:43:00.006-04:00

Last night I thought about the site and what my hopes are, and today I'm deciding to share a picture of mine (or 2) and a picture from Flickr.

I have a thing for poppies. I don't know why I don't grow them, but I love them. What I love about Laura Mary's photo is the softness of the yellow/green/blueish-purple/white bokeh behind the soft red poppy and also the clarity of the stem.

This one has a depth of field that I like pretty well. The sharp of the flower and soft spotty blur behind- made of daisies and more primrose. I look forward to sun for lighter lovely blur.

And one of mine that I know I can do better. A couple of small flowers hidden among ripening blueberries behind our church. Aidan found it while he was scoping out some early berries and asked me to take a picture of it. It was a gray day, but I like the contrast of the pink against the green and the shapes of the bokeh in the back. If the sun ever comes out again then I would like to go back and get some blue in the background.

A Week With a View

2009-06-29T16:02:00.005-04:00

Rob sent me a link to Christopher S. Penn's post A Week With a View. I love the concept- the idea of looking into other people's perceptions of beauty. I am looking forward to following along and seeing what other people see.

I've decided to modify it a bit here, though. I am keenly aware of the fact that I don't appreciate the bounty of beauty that presents itself to me daily. I allow it to be overshadowed by stresses and worries and melancholia.

So, in effort to key into the beauty around me, my adaptation will involve posting a photo from my own Flickr photostream here.

So, it's about thankfulness and awareness and appreciation. I think I'll try to post a person and non-person each time.

#1

Lucy covered in sand is summer to me. As an adult the idea of being covered in sand makes me squirmy and itchy- but look at the light in her smile.

#2

Good enough to eat, right? So red and shiny and succulent.

Thanks, Chris, for the inspiration. Any photos I post will link through to my Flickr page.

Shift

2009-06-29T15:02:00.003-04:00

By starting this new blog I'm responding to a shift. Over the past months my creative calories have shifted away from writing and into learning to take better pictures. I have been struggling with that shift but have decided to let it flow and see what's next. So I am.

It's about being creative and positive!

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