Well, just in under the wire. It is still Saturday though, and I still want to post my snapshot, so here goes…
Anyone who knows me also knows that I pretty much live in these bad boys all summer long. In fact, I’d say I live in them eight or nine months out of the year. These puppies, do not however, get to experience sand on even an infrequent basis. I don’t mean desert sand like the kind we have in the wash behind our house. I mean like silky fine beach sand. So this was a moment worth documenting ;)
Oh, and if you’ve never treated your tootsies to a pair of Reefs…you’re missing out. Buy some now. Your feet will thank you if you are a flip flop lover. BUT…they have to be the “Sandy” (no pun intended) make. Yes indeed. Reefs are the only way to flip flop.
I have a friend who needed some shots done for promotional purposes, and she asked me if I would like to practice on her. Um, hello! Heck yeah!! We went to a nearby park yesterday, and our light was so nice, as it had been fairly overcast most of the day.
I want to share some of the photos we got. I think I am mostly excited that I got them all edited and on a disc for her already…so unlike me and my procrastinating ways ;)
What a difference it makes when you have a ready and willing subject. I’ll say this for certain…my kids are the best sort of practice. No easy task capturing my unruly little offspring.
As luck would have it, she got herself some fairly decent photographs at the rock bottom price of…NADA!
I recently put together a new website for my photography. I love it...mostly. However, there are a few things that don't sit 100% well with me. I can't quite pinpoint what they are, only that there is something...off.
It would be wonderful to have some feedback! Actually, I'd appreciate feedback both on my site, and my blog. What's great? What could be better?
My website is here: Shannon K. Photography and my blog is here Shannon K. Photography Blog.
After looking at each, maybe you could leave the feedback on the blog?? Thank you!
I sometimes wonder about what makes one person more successful than another. In anything. Given the same talent and the same work ethic...why does one seem to soar while the other seems to never really take off? It would be easy to say something trite like "eh, it was just meant to be for that person," but I honestly think that's a cop-out. There IS a real reason. It's like all the pieces of a puzzle come together to make the whole...and magic happens.
Constantly I tell myself that I will get where I want to be. Even when I am feeling discouraged (which happens more frequently than I care to admit), I somehow redirect my thoughts. I have a passion for photography that rivals my passion for being a mom. It honestly and truly fills my soul in a way that nothing else does. I don't mean it fills me more than my children do...it's just different. It's something that comes from me...my heart...the way I see the world. And I get to share it with the world. Or at least a very small part of it.
There are days I feel consumed with the uncertainty that surrounds it. Will I really reach the potential within me? When? How can I help it along? What more can I be doing? On these days, my confidence wanes, recedes, allowing my fear and insecurity to come forth. On these days it takes all that I am to dig deep enough to believe. Believe in myself and my own ability to make this dream real.
I'm in the trenches. I'm battling it out. Fighting my way. Putting in the effort and the work. So that the answer to my "when?" Is...soon.
Tomorrow I am doing a photo session for a friend. Well, "friend" isn't really the term I should use. I am doing a photo shoot for Drew's (my stepson) mom with her boyfriend, his three boys and Drew. Strange? Probably seems so...but we are amicable enough, and I am looking forward to the practice. However, I am nervous! Big time. I've done one actual practice session for another friend after she had her baby. The pictures turned out well, but a baby is easy. Shooting a family of six is something of which I have zero experience.
Fortunately, I am doing it for free (my payment is simply the experience). I also have made it clear that I am no professional. She is still eager to have me do this. It was actually her request.
I have some fun ideas for some of the pictures, but could use some tips for more. If you have any suggestions for fun/unique photo ideas, I would love to see them. Any additional tips would be great too.
I'll be sure to post some photos from the session. Cross your fingers for me!
Sami at Sailor and Company does this really fun photography themed meme each week. All you have to do is post a picture of something having to do with her weekly theme, and link up. BUT…most important part is that your photograph can not be edited in any way! Not even cropping. Nothing. Nada. Got it? Good. Here’s mine…
Because I know it is only a matter of a few brief moments before his little shoes are as big as his Daddy's.
Well, it was bound to happen, I suppose. I have not dedicated much time at all in the past several months to posting on this blog. Is it any wonder with all the endeavors I seem to pile on?
Writing is certainly an outlet which I enjoy immensely, so I am not giving it up entirely. I am simply shifting focus. I have dived head long into photography, and of my free time, it occupies about 90%. Part of this will be a blog centered around my journey in the photography world.
All are welcome to come and join me as I wander (sometimes aimlessly) down this path. You'll find my blog here.
For all of my family and friends (all like 3 of you!) who like to read about the every day happenings, I will still be updating on our life there as well. So please...be sure to bookmark the new site address!
For the rest of you I've "met" along the way, I certainly would like to hear from you on the new blog, but I won't have a "follow" widget, because frankly, Scarlett, I don't give a damn! :)
This week Sailor and Company gave us our mission, and it's chocolate! Who doesn't love chocolate? Well, make no mistake...my son sure does. So when I saw this moment I figured it was perfect for this week's assignment.
Here it is...my untouched photograph. That's part of the deal, you are not allowed to edit, in any way shape or form, the photo. It's a fun task for all of us budding photographers. Have you played along? Why not do it now? You have to link up by Friday (I think). Be sure to check out her blog for the complete details. By the way, for all of you who take the time to check out my little space...thank you! Please leave me a comment so I know you were here...I always repay the visit with a visit in return.
…maybe. Trying anyway. However, every time I try to list out my goals, and where I see this thing going, I end up in a state of disarray. I’m finding quickly that maybe there is no formula. No playbook. There is only do or do not. Yes, call me Yoda. In this case, that little green weirdo is right on.
I will only get where I want to be by taking that first step. Walk. Stumble and trip along the way. Recognize that the journey is as equally important as the destination. Struggle so that I can dig deep to persevere. Shove aside that little voice inside that is crying out for someone to take my hand and show me the way. Someone to impart all their vast knowledge so that I, like them, may be brilliant too.
Most of all I am digging deep to have the faith that I will persevere. I will make it. I will one day be standing at the pinnacle, looking back at the path I paved in order to be there. Faith. -Shannon
No, not you. I would never call any of my blog readers knobs...well, not most of you ;) I like Heather from Traveling Down the Tracks with D and H. She's easy to read, and she participates in a lot of picture stuff. If you have been reading my blog for any length of time, you might know that I love photography. I am an amateur photographer (I inwardly cringe at even calling myself a photographer at all) at best. I soak up all I can from everyone I come across like an Arizona Desert parched sponge. Anyway, Heather participated in this photography link up on Sailor and Company. The theme this week is door knobs, and the idea is that you can not edit, in any way at all, your photo. So here it is...my knob.
I had asked whether someone would step up and give some tutorials on Photoshop Elements. Kelly from Letters from the Loony Bin agreed. I am ever thankful for the expertise she has offered, and this post is entirely her work. If she helps you out even a tiny bit...please go give her a big kiss. Or you could simply say "thank you."
Photoshop 411
Layers and Other Basic Operations
Mamma recently asked in her BlogFrog Community whether someone would be willing to put together a Photoshop tutorial, and I was happy and excited to oblige. This tutorial should be helpful across the board; no matter if you are using Photoshop Elements, Photoshop CS3 or CS4. Just for the record I am using Photoshop CS3.
Layers are without a doubt the single most important feature of Photoshop, so important that they have their own layers palette in the lower right hand corner of the screen. Layers also have their own menu at the top of the screen. You can add layers, delete layers, duplicate layers, add effects to layers, and other infinite possibilities that I can’t even wrap my mind around. To put it simply, layers are objects (photos, shapes, text, brushstrokes) stacked one on top of another. Let’s get started by opening a new document. Under the file menu select New .
OK , your screen should look like this.
A box will pop up for you to choose the dimensions of your document. For our purposes here today I have chosen a standard 8.5x11 size. Note: My resolution is set to a very high 600. It is not necessary to create all documents with this high of a resolution, 200 to 300 in adequate in most situations, but that is just how I roll!
After choosing your document size and clicking
To the right is layers palette, which you will begin to see is indispensable. At the top is the layers menu. I will admit that I don’t use the layers menu too often. I am more likely to use keyboard shortcuts and the commands on the layers palette to accomplish the same tasks that are available under the layers menu. The background layer is automatically added upon creation of your document.
Now let’s add a photo to the document. Under the file menu select Place and select the photo you wish to use in the document.
As you can see in the layers palette a new layer, your photo, has been added and is highlighted because it is the active layer. Use the handlebars to resize you photo as desired.
How about some text? Why not?! Click on the T button on the left hand tool bar to create a text box. Drag box to desired size and type in text. Again a layer has been added to the layer palette. fx button on the bottom of the layers palette, choose drop shadow and click OK.
The document now has a background layer and two other layers. I am a slave to layer effects, so let’s add a drop shadow to our text layer. Make sure your text layer is highlighted and click on the
The order that your layers are listed on your layers palette is important. Whatever layer listed first, is the top layer and so on. Look what happens when I switch around my text layer and photo layer. A layer also is not active if it is not highlighted, meaning it can’t be moved or modified. To activate a layer simply click on it in the layers palette.
Which I’ll now switch back because it wouldn’t make any sense to keep it that way!
There you have it, the 411 on Photoshop layers. I am from the school that believes every element in your design should have it’s own layer. It makes for much easier modification down the road. Too many layers? Never! Once you learn to use them, you’ll see that layers are your friends!
Thank you Kelly for such an informative post! I can't wait to give it a try. Kelly has mentioned that she will be doing some more tutorials in the future, so be sure to head her way and check out her blog.
Sunday I had the anxiety pleasure of photographing a wedding. Yikes! Who the heck do I think I am? Well, to be fair, I did tell her I wasn’t so sure I was the right person for the job, but she wanted me to do it. Careful what you wish for?
It was an amazing experience, and the whole thing was very relaxed. Truly a great “getting your feet wet” sort of experience. However, there were some very specific challenges. For one, the ceremony was at 1:10pm in bright sun, with no shade. Not exactly a recipe for photographic success.
Now for the fun task of sorting through over one thousand pictures, painstakingly trying to weed out the losers, editing the keepers (and I am a novice at best with editing), and getting them to the bride. Sigh. Here might be a fun place to mention that after spending at least 6 hours on editing these babies, I was looking at a couple today when Addyson yanked the power on my Mac. Gone. All the editing, poof…just gone. It corrupted that particular catalog in my Lightroom. I have all the originals, but all that work. **tears running down face…bald patches on head…fifty lashes on Addyson’s (oh, right…that last one is not true at all)** I think I lacked the energy to really be mad about it.
Okay…moving on. I’m sure a few pictures are in order. So without anymore fanfare, here they are…
I think I have done this once before, but with my lack of editing skills, I am rather intimidated by it all. Today I am throwing caution to the wind in true rebel style, and sharing a photo of my cousin’s son for Pixel Perfect's Before and After. Head over there if you want to share one as well.
I took this with my Rebel Xsi, and my Canon 50mm 1.8. I used both Photoshop Elements and Lightroom to process it.
Here is the untouched before…
and the after…
I love taking this kid’s picture. He never smiles for my camera, but those eyes are killing me.
Last weekend we loaded up the car and made the trek to San Diego. Of course, I use the term trek loosely. It’s not an incredibly long drive, though with screaming kids in the car, 5 minutes can seem like an eternity.
We spent one day at Sea World and the next at the beach. Wouldn’t it figure that I (a mother of kids in ARIZONA) managed to let my little ones get a wee bit too much sun? I actually felt a little mom fail on that one. Nobody got badly burned, but Addyson had a little too much on her back and her nose. Colton his cheeks and nose, and Drew the same. My face was completely red, as was Andy’s. I did lather sunscreen onto everyone, and I even had the kids in protective sun-wear the day of the beach. Alas, the sun still found the creamy white flesh that adorns my children and left its mark. Mom fail.
Anyway, thought I’d share some photos from our little escapade.
Nothing says Sea World like Abby’s Sea Star Spin!
Drew was foolish brave enough to sit down in the soak zone…and let me tell you, they are not kidding when they use the word “soak.”
Ugh…the blanket. We couldn’t leave the blanket in the car. There it is nestled under her sweet little cheek.
See that? Overcast skies at the beach…and still too much sun.
Now that I have sufficiently bogged down the blogger system with my photo overload…I bid you adieu. Or adios. Or пока.
