One Month

Well, Looks like I have been posting for one month now. Time sure goes by fast and I appreciate those who stop by to have a look. Please feel free to leave a comment on the blog.

So far work has taken 100% of my time. I have a big audit coming up later this month and getting ready has meant working 12-14 hour days. Not fun, but work pays for my trips and camera equipment and puts the food on the table.

So just a short post before I get back to work....

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.

Glamour

Okay, not a nude shot, but one that I like alot. The lighting was just two 550 speedlights. One of the flashes was bounced into an umbrella and the other was bare flash against the white wall. I put the flashes close to the model to control the fall off as I wanted the bottom of the stairs to go dark and impart some mystery. I trigger my flash using pocketwizards (those things are great) and just look at the histogram until I get what I like. I have a flashmeter but don't use it all that often.

Post processing was some curves etc. Nothing special here

Christmas is almost here (as if you didn't know). It's always hard for me to get in the Christmas spirit. Maybe it's because in my whole life I have never seen snow. Yep, you read correctly I have never seen snow. I have spent my entire life in the Pacific. Mostly in Micronesia and more recently in the South Pacific. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy living here and being able to go to the beach and even throw a fishing line in the water right outside my house and catch dinner. But without snow I just have always felt something is missing.

Of course there are some unique and wonderful things here also. Song and dance is huge here and all the people put on shows where they sing and dance. It is great and everyone takes great pride in their group and they are very competitive. For two nights they get together and perform.

Now buying Christmas presents can be a challenge, with no big malls to shop at. However, given the recent tragedy with the mall shooting, that is okay by me. Through the magic of online shopping I can normally get what I need to get in regards to christmas presents.

I guess that brings me to one of the best things about living out here in the middle of the ocean. Violent crime is very very low. I don't worry about someone getting crazy. The kids (yes I have kids) go to school and I don't worry about them either.

I'm going to leave you with a photo of one of the dancers that will be dancing at the Christmas performances going on. I liked the photo as it shows the carefree and happy nature of the people here. I guess this is actually better than going to some of the Christmas shows on the mainland. At least we don't have to wrap up in winter coats here.

Well one last comment, I wanted the other photo down here but ended up at the top. Trying to figure out how to fix it but give up for now.

1st Post

A while back I suffered through some difficult times and was very shy. A friend of mine suggested I pick up a camera and use it as a way to get over my shyness and to express myself more. I have since become hooked on photography and everything about it. This is my journey as an amateur photographer.

Monica was the first woman to agree to pose nude for me. So many things wrong from a technical sense, but I ended up getting what are to me, some very memorable photos. This is a photo that I have come to know and love. She was also a great girlfriend at the time and we have since moved on but remain friends (i'm 15 years older so it was expected not to last).

Processing was done in photoshop using two actions combined. One is called professional retro. I then mesed with the saturation until I got something I liked. Next, I ran an action called Midnight Black. Now I'm the first to admit I don't have great photoshop skills but I liked the artistic mood of the photo.