2008

First day 0f 2008 and I don't have a hangover from last night (yeah). My first post of 2008 is a streetgirl that I had met. posting here more to discuss a technique that I use to process some of my photos. It is simple and I like the way it works some of the time.

In photoshop, I first duplicate the layer. Next, I change the mode to multiply (the drop down box). I change the name of the layer to multiply. Next step is to make sure you have the multiply layer active and go image-adjustments-hue/saturation and turn down the saturation (drag the saturation bar to the left) almost all the way (this photo was at -85). Click ok. Next step is to make sure your background layer is selected (the bottom layer) and duplicate that layer. Change that layer name to "minor" (you can actually name them whatever you want, it just makes it easier to keep track if you name the layers). OK, now you have (from bottom to top) the following layers; 'background' - 'minor' - multiply (total of three layers).

Select the multiply layer again (the top layer) and go to image-adjustments-shadow highlights. Make sure the show more options box is checked at the bottom. Now, I generally only play with the "shadows" box at the top. It has amount, tonal width and radius. Goof around with these until you get something you like. For this photo it was amount (50%) tonal width (50%) and radius (50%). Click ok.

I normally will collapse the layers at this point (layer-flatten image). Then apply some sharpening to taste.

Now I generally find that this technique works best if you do this right when you open up the image (before you play around with curves and levels) but again goof around and see what you like.

Hope you found this useful.

Happy New Year

Well, it will be a New Year in a couple of hours here (already New Years in most places) so time to make the resolutions. I have three. First is to lose the extra pounds I have put on (this must be the most common resolution for most of us), second is to really concentrate on my photography and third (which kind of ties in with the first) is to cut down on the beer (but not tonight). Hopefully I will stick to the plan. But tonight I will drink too much beer and spend time with my family. I don't go out on New Years Eve because I like to spend it with my kids and there are too many drunk drivers on the road. Better to stay home and party.

Been a real interesting year for me here. Job kind of sucks and the typical girl problems. But end of year started to look much better with my girlfriend and I getting back together and her getting pregnant. I'm looking forward to being a Dad again.

Well, I hope everyone enjoys their New Year. Thanks for visiting my blog.

Day after Christmas

Hope everyone had a great Christmas. If eating too much turkey counts then I had a great Christmas. The kids liked their presents and actually didn't fight all day so my day was complete.

I'm still working on learning how to convert my photos to black and white. If you check out some of my favorite links, many of the photos are in Black and White. Granted, they are light years ahead of my photos and many are shooting film, but I really like the look of a nude photo in Black and White.

Great body and a great smile, what more can I say. Just another girl I was lucky to know.

relationships

Yes, I kind of like the retro lomo look (if that is what you call it). Another girl met through a friend of a friend (you know how it is). It is amazing how in the Pacific, if they know you are single then they are trying to land you. It becomes almost like a contest here. Look, I'm not crazy and I know that for the most part a young beautiful woman going for an older man is looking primarily for either (a) money or (b) security. But I also found that many of these girls are truly looking for a long lasting relationship. I am lucky that I finally found that person. At dinner last night, my boss was telling me how can I settle down with one girl when I have a lot of options and played the field so much. I told him that you need to dig through a lot of rock until you find that diamond in the rough. Not that any of these women are in the rough, it is just you have to look until you find someone you are truly compatible with. I played the other game where I jumped right into a marriage with a woman I know for only a couple of months. Things changed almost from the beginning and I stuck it out for 10-years. Now, after playing the field and being with the girl for more than 3-years, I hope I found my soul mate. Of course, only time will tell.

Tomorrow will be the kids Christmas party at school so I am looking forward to taking some photos of them and having a good time. I try my best to spend time with them on the weekends even though my work keeps me quite busy. At least this year it is inside so no problem if it rains.

Soft Light

Raining hard tonight and I was once again out all day with the boss. Had a nice dinner but after eating breakfast lunch and dinner (all out) for three nights, I'm looking forward to him going home tommorrow night.

This was a simple one light setup using a grid to control the light. The background is black fabric placed about 10 feet in front of the model. To keep the light from hitting the background, the light was placed very close to the model (the closer the light, the faster the light falloff). Simple portrait and post processing was very minimal (curves adjustment and I ran an action called Kodak Digital Gem Airbrush Professional - allows for some automatic skin smoothing). This plug in costs a little more than $100 but I like the results which require minimal effort.

Flash

Just got home from being out with the boss all day long on client calls, which ended in a dinner with another client. Come home and get the kids lunch ready for their school tommorrow, clean some dishes and I'm beat. It's not easy being a single parent at times. I wasn't going to post but since this is a new blog and I'm trying to build up some content I decided to post something.

What can I say? I love asian women and find them very attractive. I met her one day just walking around and we struck up a conversation, which soon led to her coming back to my room where I got this photo. I sometimes like the look of direct flash, with the harsh shadows it creates. Mix that in with a little bit of tungsten lights and you can get a look I like. Now the processing on this photo included a photoshop action called professional retro. I thought it gave the photo and interesting look and feel.

Two more days until the boss leaves.....