Candle Light

My amazing, beautiful friend sara was kind enough to pose for me while we were in the process of a painting with light session.

I believe we had just under 100 candles burning. Shooting got warm very quickly, so I removed my camera from overhead tripod to avoid "cooking" my lens.

 There was also the spilling of wax & slight burning of fingers. All in all, I would say minus a few singes we managed to get a few "candle-lit" images that we are both pleased with.

I processed the image to push red tones in the shadows, it is Christmas after all. Enjoy the season & light a few candles!

Christmas Lights

The Christmas lights are all a-glow on Main street in down town Ann Arbor, so I drug my ever-faithful model/ best friend Erin out in the cold. I shot with my Canon lens 70-200 2.8 IS USM. I wanted to see just how far I could push that puppy (the lens, not Erin) in low light and freezing weather conditions.

The lens performed like a champ. Being able to shoot in low light with out flash allowed me to capture the ambiance of the scene. The lens weighs in at a hefty 3.3 pounds, how-ever my tripod weighs 5 pounds. You can do the math. For capturing moving subjects, easy transitions between backgrounds and low light, this baby gets it done.

This image was inspired by "The sunday Creative" weekly photo project- Frozen.

Gratitude note*Many thanks to Erin. My photographic Guinea Pig, who is insane enough to think my ideas are brilliant.

Update- I have added snow thanks to Photoshop Universe for the video tutorial

Finding The Perfect Wedding Gown

After all there is something about a wedding-gown prettier than in any other gowns in the world.  ~Douglas William Jerrold


On my quest to cracking the code on finding the perfect wedding gown, I have found the most popular recommendation: Know your body shape.


When I searched for body shapes and types, I found everything from fruits to letters analogies. Now, I don't know if I'm an "Apple" or an "H". I would guess hardly anyone else knows either.


 So, here's my 2 cents on choosing a gown. 
1. Take an honest friend with you, one who will tell it like it is.  
2. Ask the sales clerk, "Which type of dress will flatter my figure the best"?
3. Pay attention to where the waistline is on the dresses you like.
4. Different cuts will emphasize different parts of the body, so emphasize your favorite feature.


Good luck and happy hunting.
Now get out there and find something that will make his knees buckle!

My Personal Artist Custom Invitations Studio Blog: ABOUT

Just ran across this blog and I think it's the cats meow.

The artist, Michelle hand-paints invitations. Always in search of unique products for my brides, this artist wowed me with the beauty of her watercolors. There is a tab for wedding ideals. Even if you've already had your wedding invitations made, consider Thank-You cards. Any thing handmade lends a personal touch of gratitude. Best of luck in planning your big day!

See link below for artist's Blog

My Personal Artist Custom Invitations Studio Blog: ABOUT: "Michelle Mospens is a fine artist and graphic designer. In 1998, she started My Personal Artist from a small sunroom in her home so she coul..."

The End of the Season

Fall is one of those seasons to savor.
I just love this time of year. Pumpkin patches, hay rides, farmers markets, and oh those delicious pumpkin doughnuts.
The leaves are  falling and there is a crackling sound every time the wind blows. There is a soft chill in the air which is perfectly complimented by hot cider.

I have a sweet little girl who cries when the last leaf has fallen from the trees in the yard. She says, with a tear in her eye,"That means fall is over".

Fall in Michigan

I can't help but to want to photograph every tree I see, but there are so many trees and only one of me. It is just amazing that a tree you have seen 110 times during the summer can take on such a beautiful spectrum of colors in the fall.
 I always think the trees look so naked after all the leaves fall off. I sometimes wonder if the trees feel naked too?

On Which Hand Does A Bride Wear The Ring?

The right hand is the traditional hand for vows or oaths. It is raised when such an oath is given, so the wedding ring would here show the sincerety of the oath. A traditional reason to wear the wedding ring on the right hand stems from Roman custom and biblical references. The Latin word for left is "sinister", which in addition to this sense also has the same senses as the English word. The Latin word for right is "dexter", a word that evolved into "dexterity". Hence, the left hand had a negative connotation and the right a good one. (Source Wiki)

The finger is always the ring finger, but there are cultural differences whether the wedding ring is worn on the left hand or the right hand.

I was previously under the assumption that the wedding ring was always worn on the left hand.
Which just goes to show you, you learn something every day if you pay attention. . 
The ring shot is one of my favorite things to photograph. It is one of the few images where you, as the photographer get to completely design the composition of the shot. I prefer to juxtapose the rings with contrasting textures, shapes and colors.

Happy Halloween

Photojojo tutorial: Wanna make one?

Gridlock

I have been stuck in a gridlock for the last 24 hours. My Lightroom catalog decided it had.. had enough of my wicked ways.
So, there I sat in bewilderment staring at a little dialog box telling me my library was corrupt. Corrupt? Like politicians, pharmaceuticals and corporate America? What a shame.

I pillaged the web looking for other poor souls whose library had become corrupt. Amazingly enough doing a keyword search with "corrupt" did bring up some political news.
Finally on an O´Reilly´s Digital Media Blogs I did manage to find another victim of corruption. I followed his lead and 12 long hours later I am glad to say I am back on track and running smoothly.

Technology can be used for the advancement of productivity, but when it doesn't work properly it can also become the chains that bind you.

About the photo: This was taken at Gallop park in Ann Arbor. I was out shooting birds and noticed the lovely texture if the grill handle. I thought it was very interesting the way the metal had corroded from the fire. The grill and the box were welded together giving it the appearance of one of those clever spatial reasoning puzzles. I do love a good puzzle.

Navy Pier

If you're ever in chicago for the weekend, Navy Pier is lovely at night . In addition to the sweet lights of the rides, there is a fireworks show. All of this is set against the backdrop of Lake Michigan.
 There is a mixture of sounds from people screaming, laughing and booms from the nightly fireworks show. I would suggest perhaps an Ipod or earplugs if you have sensitive ears (like mine). I would also suggest that you buy a ticket for the ferris wheel and ride it just as the fireworks begin. Oh and (most importantly) take a camera!

About this photo: tripod required.

October Baby

It is my birthday today. I looked in the mirror and wondered who was that person looking back at me?
Was she older, wiser?
Intellectually I was the same person I had been the day before but something was different. Perhaps emotionally, it was the fact that I must now say I am one year older.
I just stared....
wondering what the next year would bring that the last 33 years somehow hadn't.

Extraordinary Ashley

Ashley is one of my friends and she just happens to be classically beautiful. She has sweet delicate feminine features. Her hair changes with the season but her face remains always the same, always beautiful.  I shot this picture one fall day on my front porch. She had a relaxed grace about her as she leaned back on the porch railing.

About the photo: this image had a bit of motion blur to begin with, so I decided to just take it in the direction the image lent itself to.

The streets in Florence are hundreds of years old. So old in-fact that in most places where the concrete is worn away, you can see the cobblestone.
 It just so happened that this particular piece of concrete was in the shape of a heart. Never having been one to pass up on love, I had to take a picture of the heart. I am always searching for heart shapes found in nature (usually rocks). Thought it was a nice abstract shot.
That's amore'.

About the photo: Vignette added, increased clarity on the concrete, boosted the blue saturation in the cobblestone.

A cup of warm tea anyone?

history of tea from stash tea: According to the legend, skilled early emperor Shen Nung — a scientist and arts patron — dictated that all drinking water be boiled as a hygienic precaution. One summer day while visiting a distant province, his servants began boiling the water. Dried leaves from a nearby bush fell into the pot, and a brown liquid was infused.


About the photo: In a small cafe in Florence there sits a small wooden tea box in the window. I couldn't help but notice the beautiful package design. I also couldn't help thinking I would like a cup of tea. So i went in and had a # 19, taking a photo to preserve the memory. Here's to you # 19 and all your sweet peachy goodness.

Autumn

Is it that time of year all ready?  The leaves in michigan would certainly say so.
This is going to involve a lot of raking and bagging. But first some colorful pictures. I have often wondered if the trees feel naked after their leaves fall off? hmmm

A Very Vintage Baby

How do you turn an absolutely adorable baby picture into a timeless keep-sake?
Very easily my friends, you just do a sepia (brown) toning and add a vintage frame.

When in Rome.. be generous

A lesson in generosity.

While walking back from the market I happened to notice this little old man sitting in an alley way. I was particularly fond of photographing pigeons that week, so I considered my self very lucky to find someone feeding them. I saw his bags and thought how sweet he went to the market and bought some extra bread just to feed the birds. Upon closer inspection I noticed that all his worldly belongings were actually stuffed into the bags.
 How is it that this poor man who had no place to call home could share his meager lunch with these birds? Easily, they ate and slept in the same placed, he knew their hardships, they were neighbors.
A lesson in generosity: even when you feel you have nothing to give, there is always someone with less then you.

Removing the "Not"

Let us not be bound by our memories, by things that didn't go our way. Because today (and everyday after this) anything is possible.
 We create the future through small steps that we take each day. Don't let yesterdays path deter you from trying again or trying something new. There really is no such thing as a failed attempt. Every attempt is just an experience, practice or lesson learned for the next time.
The words "I can't" are quite possibly the biggest killer of the human spirit.
We create barriers for ourselves by saying "I can't" or worrying about what others would think of our decisions or failures.
From our infancy to teenage years we have this invincible attitude that we can do anything we want to. Then, somewhere in adult hood we get gridlocked into this role of complacency. We feel trapped in our roles of who we have become (all those small choices adding up over the years).
What if we aren't really 'stuck' with our lives?
What if we went after our dreams?
Starting tomorrow Turn an I can't into I can.
 After all tomorrow is a new day and anything is possible, if you believe that it is.

The Beach

The best time to shoot at the beach is early morning or late evening/ sunset, that's when you get the sweet light.
 But sometimes your schedule works out differently and you can't go until mid-day. If you want the photo to truly speak of the landscape it's self, then you have the option of cloning out any beach-goers.
Which is exactly what I did in this photo, removing 6 out of 7 people. So who is the person standing in the surf? Another photographer. I just couldn't bring myself to clone him out, after all he was there doing the same thing I was.

Photo tip- Sand is a camera's mortal enemy. It can cause all sorts of havoc. So opt for a disposable water camera from the drug store. If your really have your heart set on taking your camera, place it in a clear ziplock baggy and rubber band the body and lens of the camera so the bag is tightly against it. Then, go ahead and get your feet wet.

Examples of Architecture

 What is the first thing that comes to mind when I say Architectural photography? 

If BORING...zzzzzz, was the first thing that popped into your head then wake up because I'm here to tell you it is actually fun. My eyes glazed over the first time my instructor gave me an architecture assignment.

 I have never been drawn to squares or rectangles, they are just to tidy and fixed. If I could, I would round every corner in my room into a gentle curve. 

Contrary to my previously held bias against squares, what I found was that I could concentrate on architectural details and place them in juxtaposition to organic, details (such as the clouds). In doing this I found a way to balance the strong geometrical lines with soft natural lines. 

I won't be calling my self a square lover any time in the near future but I'm glad to say I have found a way to enjoy architectural photography, so I hope you will give it a try too. Sometimes when we try something we think we wouldn't like, we are pleasantly surprised to find the contrary. Never be afraid to try new things, you just may surprise yourself.

A beautiful summer moment.

Children have an amazing way of examining the world around them. They still look at the world in awe, taking time to genuinely look at something.
When we grow up we assume we know what any given flower looks like. We forget that once we examined the petals one by one with wonder, then reveled in the symmetry of nature.
About the photo: desaturated color with sepia toning added. Strong vertical vignette added. High pass bleach filter

An ode to summer

Can't help but to rejoice that the weather is warm in Michigan. It is that season for flip-flops. My claustrophobic feet are so happy to finally be free to breathe again. The blues in this photograph are so refreshing. I sat down on a railroad trestle to watch the water pass by, and could not resist hanging my flip-flops over the edge. ( I'm such a risk taking rebel)

How to take a great portrait of kids

When I am hired to make a children's portrait the result is all about capturing their personalities. Often times, the parents have specific ideas about wardrobe (which is usually something fancy & starched). Realistically the picture is not  about the clothing , it's about the person in them. So here are a few tips on how to get a really great shot. Hope these are helpful!

1. Let the child wear something they are comfortable in.

2. Let them play. Kids don't want to sit for long periods so follow them through a play activity. Plan to sit on the ground so you can shoot at their eye level.

3. Shoot later in the day. This will avoid harsh shadows and the infamous squinting.

4. Start a conversation with your camera in front of your face. This way they will look into the camera to talk to you.

5. Tell a funny kid joke, start shooting at the punch-line.

About this photo: This picture was taken at Ludington state park. A shade tree provided diffused (soft) lighting. Suckers made a great prop because they last a long time and kids love them. Have you ever seen an angry kid eating a sucker? It's just not possible.
 I also bribe children with animal crackers when shooting in studio. This works well because they are non-staining. I have them hold the cracker in their hands closed. I tell them"I want you to hold the cracker in your hand until it flashes as many years as you are old (pointing to my light-box). I have found this to be a fun game for younger children who are anxious in a studio setting.

Going from A to Z

Here is a classic example of post processing, which is photography lingo for improving the overall quality of a picture.
Step 1. Remove distracting elements (such as people in the background)
Step 2. Make the sky blue-er ( if that's a word)
Step 3. Use a special plug-in (on-one skintune) to soften the skin and give it a glow.
Step 4. Perform a color and contrast shift on the sand to bring out texture.
Step 5. Put your logo on it so people can hire you to take great portraits of them!
(Click on picture to see larger version)

About the photo: This picture was taken on the shores of an Indiana state park (yes I was surprised to learn that Indian has shoreline on Lake Michigan too). The model Erin has great skin to begin with, which saves me a lot of time on re-touching. Erin has always wanted to go to the ocean, for the time being she settled on lake michigan. I felt this was a successful shoot in that showcased her natural unkempt beauty.

The Overlay Logo

This photograph is of an adorable little flower girl at the Lafleur wedding. She was waiting patiently in the hallway while the attendees took their seats. This is a test image for my business logo. My great friend, graphic designer extraordinaire , Ashley Sako designed this logo for me.