Newborn Session

I had the pleasure of photographing a nine day old little boy. I am stunned at how beautiful he is and not the typical puffy red newness I am used to seeing and have to fix drastically in post processing.

Makes me yearn for another:)

Before & After Tuesday

Editing is just as key as taking a good picture to begin with. And I didn't really know that up until a few years ago. I worked really hard to get it just right in camera (good practice!) and then that is how I left it.

Once I discovered the beautiful world of editing tools, I found a creative side to myself I didn't know I had. It's art.

For this photo, I pumped up the contrast, and highlights.

Then I added a matte finish to the background...a few times. (I painted this on)

I added some purples in and increased the saturation on those.

That is pretty much it.

When I edit a photo, I am really indecisive and play with it a lot before I find what I am looking for.

So much fun.

Also linking up with:

New Blog Design

Just making some changes from my previous blog to this one. I wanted to be cohesive with my photography site and haven't updated in some time, since recent shoots and upcoming holidays have slowed me down with it lately. I promise to share some ideas, shoots, and maybe some tutorials soon:) Til then, Happy Thanksgiving! 

I would love for you to follow if you haven't already. Tis a humble blog here, but its growth inspires me to share:)

Little Fish in A Big Pond

I had a challenging time with my last shoot.

The kids were sick, the light was not my ideal (parents couldn't do later) and later in editing, my computer suddenly refused to cooperate and stopped saving files...

And the worst part? I didn't know until later when I went to reopen them and there was nothing there.

I had to start from scratch editing them entirely.

I edited boogers, red eyes, harsh lighting....it took me a good 30 mins per photo the first time, and the second time was less, but I couldn't achieve all the same looks since I forgot a lot of what I did.

I am almost ready to halt all future shoots until I get my computer more reliable and clear it out so that this never happens again...because crying at 1am over lost photos isn't something I want to experience again.

And I miss my own photos. I miss sitting with my cup of coffee and snapping my everyday...and editing on my own time constraints.

That is the hardest part, the time constraints.

I love the snapping, hate the editing, and love the reaction from happy families over their cherished keepsakes...

But, man, it is so much more different than I imagined.

Very little time snapping photos, tons of time editing, networking, ordering prints...it all just has really left me a little sad.

I think I need to make time for the reason I have always loved it so...just simple (no pressure) photography...

 In this one I edited out mom's arm and body. I replaced it with the trees and leaves by using the cloning tool. 

Best. Tool. Ever.

Do you have a business? What are your thoughts?

Click it Up A Notch- August Favorite

I honestly wish I had taken more personal photos for the month of August. But I have been a bit bogged down with starting a new business and editing client's photos.

One of my recent shoots was for a family with two small daughters. The amount of time I had to capture their photos was seconds. They just couldn't sit still. And then when the parents coerced them into it, there were a few grumpy serious shots. Nightmare. But I made it work, and still pulled out amazing shots. Sometimes the serious poses have a power about them...

Here is my favorite from that shoot.

Improving Pictures In Blogger

Lately, I have been really having issues getting my photos to look as good as they do in the editing software when I upload to blogger, and I am still trying to resolve this with facebook! 

I did a little browsing, and stumbled on this...I thought I would share for those who may have the same issues.

What happens to me is that the picture looks out of focus, or grainy...or just blah! 

Very disappointing when you spend all that time editing and trying to get it right!

The top picture is without any changes....just regular old blogger. And then the one beneath is with this formatting...

 And again, just to emphasize...

Huge difference, right?!

So, follow THIS linky and then the directions when you upload your pictures!

I'm Not A Fan Of B&W (all the time)

I'm not a big fan of B & W, it's true.

 Maybe because in high school I took photography as an elective and we were given manual (old) cameras that only held film and shot in black and white. I would find the greatest light and colors for photos, but it didn't matter...it would be in black and white anyhow. 

I didn't like the inevitable shadows that it cast and the almost "dreary" look it gave my photos.

I rarely edit my photos into Black and White because of this...I guess I was scarred ;)

But there are times when Black and white can create an ambiance or mood to a photograph that would not normally be there. And times when it can "recover" a blown out photo or take ordinary into extraordinary.

I personally get sort of peeved when I see photos taken into black and white just because...as if switching it will somehow make every photo better. I don't think that is the case. I think some photos look better b&w, and others definitely not.

So, when is it right to switch?

1. When lighting overpowers a photo rendering it unusable...but maybe just the right b&w can recover it.

2. To get rid of background distractions and put focus on the subject intended.

3. When you want to accentuate shadows.

4. When colors or backgrounds do not coincide with each other...ex:. unplanned family photos where everyone is wearing something different and the background is not ideal.

5.To create a "moment" that needs a touch of whimsy...when the right black and white is done it can transform a photograph into something much more.

Of course these are just my opinions...

Some of my very favorite photos are black and white...but they were not just switched over just because...

So what do you think? Do you like black and white? Have something to add or take away from my reasons?

I'd love to hear!

Tip* 

I love Photoshop...but for some reason, when it comes to black and white, I prefer Lightroom. There is just such quickness to creating the right effect...because for me, I add, remove and add remove until I get the right tone I am looking for. The black and white here was created by me, with split toning to help reduce the black and white and add a touch of coloring.

Show & Tell | Home

"Home" is when I can kick my bare feet up, grab a good book, a cup of tea...maybe a little dessert ( lemon bar with strawberries in this case)...
And enjoy the peace and quiet of nap time, birds chirping and a summer storm rolling over.

What's home to you? Share over Here...

Sweet 16 Shoot

Shoot after shoot this week. I feel like one lucky gal. The word is spreading and it feels good. 

I will say this though, taking pictures of others is way more stress than I thought. I have this need to create perfection and I put a lot of pressure on myself.

I keep saying though, these are the worst pictures I will take---I can only go up from here!

These were from a Sweet 16 shoot and I was thrilled when I got home, dumped the pictures into the computer to find that the SOOC was amazing. I had very little editing to do. 

I went for a soft look in these and have to say I am a little proud:)

Beauty During a Thunderstorm

I decided to get outdoors a little more to show my love for nature and that when I take the time for it...I can get some creative shots. I adore the bee one. To edit this I adjusted the hues and sharpened it slightly.

I had a million shots of a pond we visited during today's thunderstorms...so it was hard to choose my favorites. This was the only white duck among the others.

I think it can be tricky to create an ambience when the sky is washed out. That is why it was important for me to capture the reflection on the water against such greenery...and well, editing helps too:)