Project 52: Express Yourself

With a film grain look added

Project 52: Express Yourself-- fail

I didn't really feel like working on this..but pushed myself.  I had this idea for this theme of a colorful close up of art supplies but really rustic and texturey.  I think I just don't have the right equipment..needing a  lens with stronger magnification.  A macro lens.  Someday..  Here's the failure attempt:

8th grade

I got to do a photo shoot for a graduating 8th grader today-- one sweet boy whose birth I celebrated with so much joy.  It is an honor to get to provide a picture for the 8th grade graduation slide show/invitation, etc.  He was so patient with me and so much easier than a toddler or sibling group!

After edit

Straight Out of Camera

Edited lightly

AJ

Wish the eyes were a little sharper

grr. editing.

I honestly don't know if I like this or if I make it better or worse!

Consistent Color

I think I may have found a consistent color/lighting/edit for these photos.  I have had such a hard time.  I want nice, clean light.  But, I also don't want cool, drab tones, nor overly warm tones!  :) I see what I want in others' photos but don't know how to achieve it in mine.  For Wendy's shoot- I wanted to give bright color pop to the Easter dresses, highlight those gorgeous blondes, and also in some, give an airy, fairytale, girlhood feel.  Still have a ways to go.. but for her printing and hanging images together on a wall, a certain level of consistency needs to be there- which is why I did the BW images similarly.  Here's a few with color.  (If they look grainy-- I exported with "Sharpening for Print" rather than for screen because I don't want to spend the time exporting again if I don't have to.  Just know, that they aren't grainy, or going to be (so "they" tell me-- in my books.)

Whaatttttt???? Why is her dress so minty?! Grrrrrrrr! Guess I will be re-doing that one!

Peachy

I like the coloring of this one-- I sampled a neutral value area in her bow to set the white balance.  ( I know that's confusing to others--) I used some peach and creamy tones and I wish I had written down what I did because I like the coloring and I seem to have such struggles in that area.

I like this one of her because it is a natural smile and not "CHEESE!"

Project 52: Darks and Lights

This week was supposed to be "Express Yourself" and "Darks and Lights" in a couple of weeks.  But, I have had other priorities and thought this one from yesterday fit the bill..I did some editing and cropping.  Usually, on Project 52 I keep working until I LOVE it.  This one might grow on me, but I am  feeling a little slackerish for not pursuing it until I love it-- and for cheating. :)  I have issues. Anyway, here is my Project 52 offering for this week.

couple more BW and a group shot

Wisteria

This isn't this week's photo challenge! :) But, remember last year when I wished I had stopped to photography the wisteria and I didn't do it and then it was gone? Well, I did it this morning.  As the focus falls off, you probably can't see- but down below is a hilly vineyard just showered in warm sunlight.  So amazingly gorgeous.
 I might skip around on the Project 52 and do a different theme with another image from this shoot.  (hey, it's cheating a little, but I'm busy and I have to be resourceful.)

Overflowing,delicate beauty,
 Upheld and protected by steady, solid lines of strength,
 Bathed in rays of grace.

If only wishes were B&W

Better?

Oh, I wish I knew what I was doing!  There was definitely too much red in the previous skin tone and I had some kind of weird halo thing going on around the fingers.  But honestly, don't know if I am making any progress with the new edit! Grr!

Last time

New edit

Understanding Light

I was able to watch an hour of great training on Creative LIVE on Thursday while my son was in an art class.  It was presented by Mark Wallace as part of a 3-day training.  He is such an excellent teacher.  I wish I could have tuned in and watched the whole thing.  I think I would have come away with so much valuable information.  He really explains the scientific side of things and I firmly believe that success in this is going to be understanding how and why things work or don't work.  I just got snippets of information- but it was helpful.  He also hinted about a Color Theory class that  I think would be invaluable.

I am still working little by little on editing Wendy's photos.  I know I need to be patient. But, I am so incredibly frustrated that I didn't nail those photos like I wanted.  The editing is leaving me more frustrated.  I think I might have figured out my problem ( at least part of it) and that is that the lens can have a front or back focusing issue that needs to be adjusted.  There are some diagnostic type test to do-- I need to find the time to do them.  Additionally, with some of this training- I was again reminded of the importance of the technical side of things.  There is a Depth of Field calculation that should be considered-- I was trying to get a shot of the girls walking down a row of trees.  I was thinking that I only needed to make sure the exposure was right with a fast enough shutter speed to freeze their movement, and high enough aperture to have them all in focus.  But the length of the lens matters as does the distance of the camera from the subject-- all those things need to be plugged into an equation that would tell me where my focal range would be.  8 ft - 15 ft from the camera would be what is in focus (for example.)  Also..when shooting at a distance, more pixels are spread out over more area.  So, their faces will not have such fine detail as when shooting close up.  In a close up you have more concentrated pixels so it makes sense, I suppose, that some of the shots look more grainy that I would like them.  I still have so much more to learn to figure out everything I did wrong..but there's a start.  Here's one that I have edited a little but am still just not satisfied with

Weekly challenge

I'm not doing a weekly challenge this week. I'm trying to salvage the bad phoyography from last week's shoot. Additionally, several extra appointments, taxes, church event, dance, Tae Kwan do, and helping the kids with school projects-- are taking up extra time this week. My goal, I guess, will be post-poned until next week. The theme is "Express Yourself." I only have one idea so far.

Big, fat, sad, POUT

I am so disappointed in my photo shoot from Saturday.  My friend asked me to take pics of her girls in an orchard..matching dresses, very girly.. They were one of my very first families to shoot and the previous pics so horrible.  I was determined to do a better job.  I knew on location I was struggling- but thought I got some that I liked.  But, on my computer there isn't the clarity that I was hoping for.  I am so sad about it. I posted an image on my fb group to get feedback about the clarity issue and got a little slammed :) Grrrrr.....  just so bummed.  I thought for sure I would have sharp focus with a smaller aperture.  I don't know if it's me or my lens.  But, I do know-  I'm super bummed.  It wasn't easy anyway, with shifting light, mosquitos, sibling squabbles, and a 3 year old who was DONE :) Here's one-- it's ok.. but just not as good as I thought it was in-camera. Not sure if I like better with vignette or not.

Project 52: The View From Here (final choice :))

3 more "views"

The view-- for starters

This is all I have time for right now- my barn edits are not going well. I don't love these, and I have 2 other contenders for this week's topic that I want to edit before I make my final selection.  But, here's a sneak preview:

Thanks for the barn idea, Susan! Is this what you had in mind?

"The OCD Farmer" ;)

I'm excited to see the images on my computer to see what I have-- things took a different direction. :) however, another bad night of "sleep" has me dragging this morning. I'm going to go snuggle my coffee cup instead of edit.  Then, a family Friday at the school and I promised I would work in the classroom for a bit- so I'm going to have to wait!

Looks like sunrise won't work well for the family..so I'm going to try sunset this evening. Somehow sunset with 3 kiddos in tow has a different feel to it than solitude at sunrise! ;) Let's see how this turns  out..... Only my commitment to this timeline and this project is propelling me forward this time!

View

I feel a little stuck with this theme. I'm just not sure where to go with it, or if I have the equipment to implement what's in my head. Each week I have enjoyed these projects but not so much this week..just not too motivated with photography. I guess that's bound to happen from time to time. Hopefully I will feel differently behind the camera tomorrow morning at sunrise.

This week's theme is "The View From Here." I have an idea or two but I'm not sure about finding the timing.. Plus, fog and rain. I'm going to try to be done with it by Friday.  I'm enjoying how each time I learn a little more- either with the camera or the edit.  Last week I grew in understanding in composition with the use of triangles and leading lines, and also controlling the light source. In the editing process I grew in understanding in the use of a gradient filter. Little steps..but I'm glad to be going somewhere.