Here are some of my people photos.
And some more!
It is always interesting to wander around downtown LA! We ended up on the bridges as usual...so here are a few night shots!
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In July, I had the opportunity to head down to Huntington Beach with some friends from Lancaster Photography Association to enjoy the beach and surfing competition going on. We had a great time and I thought I would use Adobe Spark to put together a little video of a few of my pictures. Enjoy!
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I thought I would share my recent fun wandering around downtown Los Angeles.
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My set-up was supposed to be two speedlights with modifiers and radio transmitters. I also brought along an old metal garage lamp just to help give some dramatic light for some of the images. Well, my plans went out the window... I forgot one of my speedlights was not in my camera bag, so I only brought one. Then my radio transmitters were acting up and not working with most people's camera. So, most of the images taken at my set-up were taken with one garage light (no modifier) and one or two white foam core reflectors. Fortunately, I was able to get some pretty great images with just that one light, and I have seen a couple of images from other people that turned out well. It was a lesson in adapting to your surroundings and making great images with what you have. At least, I hope that was the lesson! My set-up was the most hacked one there, but that's okay!
Here are a few of the images I took. I was so busy being the reflector holder for the other photographers, that I did not really get much of a chance to shoot, and certainly did not get to check out the other set-ups. But I did get to spend a little time shooting Carol, Andrew and Desiree. Two of these were done with my speedlight and the other three were done with the garage light.
Rattlesnake Rose
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I wrote the above nine months ago - life intervened in the form of my dad's health problems, and a huge increase in work at my day job. I came back to my blog and found it just sitting in my blog folder. I am still very hungry to do this - I have been in a workshop to learn the ins and outs of running my own business doing women's portraits - if you are young, 30 and thriving, 40 and fabulous, 50 and fantastic, super 60 and above, I need ten women who would like to be pampered for a few hours and end up with two beautiful matted 7x10 prints from your session. I want you to feel beautiful, elegant, empowered, confident, and strong. You don't have to worry about posing - I will guide you through the entire photo session. Call me at 661.317-1884 and we can set up a consultation. If there is anyone you would like to be photographed with, we can discuss that as well.
Here are some of my favorite images from the past year:
Andrea - HMUA - Andrea
Suzey - MUA Julia Carvalho
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Portrait-7
Andrea 2 - HMUA Andrea Rangel
Andrea 3 - HMUA - Andrea Rangel
Tabitha - MUA - Tabitha
I have the honor of taking pictures for the Palmdale Playhouse's three dance performances each year that their dance classes put on (run by Heather Benes and Eric Hvegholm). This last December they performed Hansel and Gretel and a number of other ballet, jazz and tap pieces. I just wanted to share a few of my favorites from the show, and to let you know that if your child was in the show, there are images available to purchase here on my website. There are two private galleries, one for the dress rehearsal and one for the show. Just contact me for the password.
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PP-1000
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Fair SkiesFerris wheel at sunset
One thing about living up here in the Antelope Valley is that we have big sky! And our sunrises and sunsets are to die for! I love taking pictures of our sky when it decides to be beautiful, and I thought I would share some of my favorite sky overlays with you. They are free to download from Flickr and can be used for commercial/noncommercial projects with no attribution. I want to make it easy for you to use them.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/knphotophinish/sets/72157653295261835
]]>I have also been turning some of them into abstract kaleidoscope images, which I love as well. If any of these appeal to you, they would make some great abstract wall art! Let me know if you are interested! I can do them in various colors to match your decor. I ordered a 30x30 canvas of one of them just to see how amazing it looks. I can't wait for it to arrive!
As a photographer, I am jealous of all those people who live in amazingly beautiful places or get to travel to interesting places. I, unfortunately, live in a dry, brown, flat, dusty desert. People here complain constantly about how ugly it is. And on the surface, it is! But…for some reason, the closer I look, the more beautiful it gets. Our sunsets are amazing! We have interesting Joshua trees that no one else in the world has. We have gorgeous fields of poppies and other wildflowers in the spring (when we have rain). There are old abandoned buildings and rustic fences, and mountains in the distance.
Think about where you live. Are you bored with your surroundings? I think that as photographers, we are always looking for the beautiful picture, the amazing shot. But sometimes, those pictures are right in front of our noses and we don't see them because we aren't looking with the right perspective. When you are out and about, look for interesting colors, textures, details, perspectives. They are all around you. Find an interesting person and strike up a conversation before taking their picture. Or if that is too scary, do it from a distance. Attend local events - find the lights, the colors, the action. Try looking with different eyes as you go through the day at the mundane world around you and see the beauty. Challenge yourself with new techniques! The wide angle, the macro details, the long shutter speed can produce the most interesting images.
Then the fun part begins! I love bringing those image files back home, loading them onto my computer and bringing out the details even more using Lightroom and Photoshop. Sometimes the image right out of the camera does not convey what you saw. That is the limitation of the camera sensors versus our amazing eyes. But you can bring a lot of what you saw back to life with some digital enhancement. The vivid colors, the shadow details…To me, taking the picture is just the beginning!
People say to stop and smell the roses. I say, stop and take their picture!
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Continuing on the theme of my blog yesterday -
Recognizing that I seem to be afraid of success made me look closer at what exactly makes success a scary thing. And my conclusion is, it is change. Maybe more change than I was ready to have happen last year.
The changes that occurred over the past year were already quite substantial on their own.
Being a mom for 20 years and now not having to worry about anyone except my husband (who does NOT want me to worry about him) is a big difference for me. I would not call myself a helicopter mom, but I am interested in what's going on in my kids' lives and I spent time driving them where they needed to go.
I was starting to notice my weight loss more and so were other people...did I really want that attention?
My mom has been sick with stupid ovarian cancer...watching her deal with that has been hard.
Jumping into photography seemed right at the time...interest was building and I had some extra time and money.
Maybe it was just all a little overwhelming when it was all put together. So I just backed away a little from everything.
But I am getting more comfortable with the whole empty nest thing, and I am getting more and more confident with my photography skills. I think I could handle a little more change.
I think it is just time to regather myself and move forward...set some goals, break them into smaller goals, and just do it!
Thanks for reading! And if you are wanting to check out my pictures, please do so! My blog is attached to my website with a lot of my best pictures for sale.
So, I'm sure none of you are ever fearful...never concerned with the "what ifs", ...fearful of failure... or even fearful of success?
Well, I have been at an impasse lately in my forward momentum. Lots of changes this past year - empty nest, being in Weight Watchers, and deciding to pursue photography more aggressively and everything that comes with that. But it just seems like everything has stalled for the past few months, and I have been trying to figure out why. I have gained weight in the past few months despite attending Weight Watchers regularly. I have had very few photo sessions or sales. I am learning Photoshop and Lightroom, but not as aggressively as early on. And I procrastinate as much as is humanly possible in my other work.
Several different things over the week-end have lit up the light-bulb in my brain. I am afraid. Now those of you who know me personally know that I do not come across as a fearful person. I speak in front of others with no problems, and I'm not afraid to speak my mind. But for some reason, I am afraid of success. Who knew? Certainly not me!
SO...now that I am aware of the issue, I can deal with it. And I am. I actually posted pricing on my FB page, which has been a huge deal for me, to actually have real prices. I am dealing with finalizing the paperwork to be a real business, which has been procrastinated on for far too long. I will be ordering new business cards - that I actually like! And handing them out...! I will figure out how to balance my focus between everything, including my eating...I really want to be able to hike to the tops of mountains (or at least big hills) without having a heart attack, and take amazing pictures from up there! So...I might still be afraid, but I will not let it stand in the way of me doing what I like! My daughter posted a little movie short this morning with the message - Scared is scared of what you like. So, I will focus on what I LIKE, not what I am scared of.
And now that you know... feel free to ask about it!
]]>I'm getting back into focus after the holidays. It has been a whirlwind of activity and fitting a blog into the mix apparently did not work very well.
Looking back over last year has been encouraging. A year ago, I would never have thought I could have come so far... having my own business and website (even though it is very small), real growth in my photography skills and knowledge, learning Lightroom and Photoshop and putting them to good use, and actually earning some money from doing what I really love to do.
This coming year, I hope to expand upon that and build up my portrait and wedding clientele. I love taking pictures of you guys! So, if you are in need of some great family pictures, senior pictures, engagement pictures, or event photography, let me know! My schedule needs to get filled up!
I am in the middle of adjusting my price schedule, so call me and I can give you a quote.
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I spent over four hours today helping paint sets at the Palmdale Playhouse for the Cinderella ballet coming up in December. I didn't take any set pictures, but I did take a picture of unfocused glitter on the floor, and paint I was mixing to make gray.
On my way home even though I was wet from rinsing out the paint roller and brushes, I stopped to grab some shots of the snow on the distant mountains.
When I got home, I was cold, so I started to make coffee. As I was rinsing out my cup, I decided to try some water drop pictures....
Which then led me to wonder what a clear glass and food coloring would do....
Then I sat down at the computer with my coffee, and was going through the posts on the PS & LR group I am part of. One really cool picture had some clock gears in it and it made me wonder if I had an old watch I could take apart. Lo and behold, I found one.... happy me!
Then I worked for a bit, had dinner, got the music list together for church tomorrow, and thought perhaps I should restart this whole blogging thing.
So there you have it. If anyone tells me I am ADD, I will deny it vehemently, but some days, I really wonder....
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As a postscript, I started this particular blog August 5. It is now September 24. I have no idea where two months went...well, actually I do... I have sent two kids off to college, one of them in Buffalo, NY, and went to a wedding in Oregon. Along with playing catch up in-between, I just haven't gotten to the whole blogging thing. Now things have settled down a bit, and you will hopefully be hearing from me more often.
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Well, here it is, the first of August. Since my last blog, I have done the dance portraits for the Playhouse, took pictures for two recitals, and did engagement pictures for a lovely young couple in my church.
The dance portraits were harder than I thought they would be. Finding dance-oriented poses that didn't look too awkward for the little girls and keeping them engaged during the shoot took a lot of energy. Also my lighting was not as good as it could have been. If I do that again, I will have to definitely upgrade my lighting equipment. Overall, however, the girls' pictures turned out adorable, and I hope the parents were happy with them. I only have gotten feedback from one, and it was positive.
Recital pictures are a lot of work! I volunteer my time for that because I love it, and my daughter is involved. I took over 1000 pictures for each one and then I go through and pick the best ones and edit them for cropping and exposure. I have only gotten one of them done. My goal is to get the other one done very soon!.
The engagement photos were a lot of fun. They wanted to go to the Falls, and I was very excited about doing that since I have been wanting to do a photo shoot there ever since I went the first time. I had fun researching various possible ideas for posing and then putting them into action. I edited those quickly and got the photos to them in a few days. They needed them for their engagement party, and the fiancé is leaving soon for basic training. They were adventurous enough to try all sorts of things, so we got some really fun shots. I will share one with you here, and also will be putting some in my wedding/engagement portfolio. They will get their own blog post!
I did learn that I need to make sure I take everything with me when I leave a location, though. I left my tripod there on accident, and it was not there when I went back the next day. I feel like a part of me is missing! I will have to get a couple of more photo shoots to pay for that!
I am also having a lot of fun learning more about Photoshop Elements 11. I recently joined a Facebook Group for Lightroom and Photoshop users and there are so many knowledgeable, talented people in there! I am challenged on a daily basis by what people ask and the answers that are given, as well as the gorgeous pictures they post. I like it when what I know about Lightroom (and even the little bit I know about PSE11) can be helpful to someone else. I really enjoy sharing my knowledge with others, because I figure if it is helpful to me, it will be helpful for someone else. There are so many levels of knowledge in the group that even a newbie like me can find someone to help. And I am hopeful that the hints others give and links they share for tutorials will help me continue to grow in my knowledge of these programs. I have been having fun trying new things with layering, filters, composites, and lighting effects. I thought I was excited when I learned how to apply textures, but that is just the tip of the iceberg!
This one I added in butterflies just for fun !!
My goal is to take pictures every day and do something different in Lightroom and/or PSE11 every day. That way I am getting more and more familiar with everything, and the more familiar I get, the better my products will be!
Well, at least I have gotten you all up to date with where I am for the moment. The next month is going to be a whirlwind of activity with getting my kids off to college and actually taking one of them to Buffalo (Niagara Falls!!!). So if I get another blog in during that time, you will be fortunate. I probably should stop making them so long and just do daily snippets.... we shall see...
Au revoir!
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I am like that. I love taking pictures. I love what I can do to them with editing. I love people's reactions to them. But the idea that people would actually pay me adequately for the time I put into them and the skill level that I have is hard to put down on paper in the form of a price list. Plus, this workshop had so many options for kinds of pricing. Packages, A la carte, digital only, prints only, bonuses...the list goes on and on. Making those choices is tough.
I realize that I am providing not just a piece of paper or canvas with ink on it, but memories and warmth to a home through portraits on the wall, even heirlooms for generations to come. How much do we value those old pictures we find of relatives from bygone years? Nowadays we just have them on a computer or a disc and only see them there. Nobody comes into your house and says, "Wow, amazing CD you have there!", but if there are actual pictures on the wall, people love looking at them. I want my clients to be those kinds of people, the ones who value the product and the warmth it brings to their home.
But I am still stuck with no official price list as yet. I lack confidence. I know what I should charge. I take some d--- fine pictures! But I am afraid to actually put it on paper and get it out there so people will book me. I am dying to take more portraits. I have so many fun ideas and locations that I want to try out, but no one to do it with.
I did get to do the art shoot this week. It went great for the most part. A couple of the pictures gave me some trouble with uneven light, but overall I am really happy with the finished product. I am editing and organizing those today. This is one of my favorites.
In a couple of weeks, I will be doing dance recital portraits. That will be a whole new adventure, because I have not worked that much with an actual studio kind of setting, with a backdrop and lighting. I'm sure it will go fine, but I will probably be stressing about it until it is over. I am much more comfortable with natural light portraiture.
Last night I tried to get outside to get the 'supermoon', but I didn't get it just as it was coming over the horizon. That is when it looks the biggest. I will probably try again tonight and plan my timing a little better. I did get a couple of decent shots, though.
So here it is, Memorial Day Week-end. The beach is not supposed to be too warm, so I made my own in the backyard - ENJOY!
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Don't we all love fire? Sitting in front of a fireplace on a cold winter's night, roasting marshmallows over the campfire, barbequing, firepits at the beach with guitar strumming in the background, candles on a birthday cake? Good stuff...
Until it gets a little out of control...This week has been a bad week for wildfires in Southern California. Several days we have had overcast skies due to the smoke. Burning eyes, ash on the cars, hazy horizons...not the best side of fire. And that doesn't even include people's home burned or how much acreage is barren now due to the flames. But even in the midst of the smoke, there was beauty - we had one of the best sunsets!
I am a fan of fire... and smoke. I remember as a kid loving to burn incense, not for the smell, but so I could watch the smoke curl up and make interesting patterns in the breeze. It was relaxing, sort of like watching fish in an aquarium. But when my son decided to light a couple of candles on the floor in his room when he was three, I was not such a big fan of that!
Just like fire, there are things in my life that are good in small amounts, but when they overrun it, it is no longer okay. I am working on balancing everything out, so I feel I am doing an acceptable job in all areas. This would include being a wife and mom (and homemaker), Christian, transcriptionist, photographer, musician, and Weight Watchers member. I am not there yet. I am having to work really hard to not let photography overwhelm my life, because I really need to do my best in all the other areas as well. Right now, the part that has been suffering the most is Weight Watchers. I am significantly overweight and since I am turning 50 in a month, I really need to be getting my body and health under control now, so things don't start spiraling downward. I have lost 25 pounds, which is a good start, but it has taken me far longer than it should have because I am not good at balancing everything.
So...all things in moderation, right? I am tweaking my environment a bit to try to help me remember to track my food intake. I have started using my phone calendar to keep everything organized, and hopefully, I will let the less important things (that being TV time and internet surfing) take up less of my time.
And as for photography this week, the art shoot had to be rescheduled but it is upcoming. I learned how to make a panorama out of several pictures in PSE11 (see above). I am taking a workshop in developing a critical eye in editing. I finished editing all the wedding pictures and got the gallery on-line as well as the flashdrive ready to deliver. There is a vague opportunity to bid on doing the Senior Portraits for RHS, but I don't know if I am equipped or prepared for that endeavor at this point. I am praying about it. Busy, busy, busy!
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I, on the other hand, feel like I have enrolled in school recently. I have been realizing my need for increased knowledge in the use of the programs I have related to editing my pictures and all the ins and outs of starting my own business. So I have been spending my free time reading magazines, on-line, and books; watching videos about various aspects of editing and organizing my pictures; going through tutorials from magazines that show me how to create a layout in Photoshop Elements and researching things like marketing, how to get a DBA, contracts, forms, etc. I totally am back in school, but I get to set my own curriculum and hours (which is kind of a plus).
I also am winding down my editing and organization of the wedding photos. I have learned a lot in the past couple of weeks, and I think my work flow for the next one will go much smoother. I am excited to upload the pictures to the gallery soon and get them their digital photos. I didn't end putting as much fancy stuff in as I had hoped, but the pictures themselves are really good and I didn't want to detract from them.
This week, I get to do an art photo shoot. A guy I know is trying to set up possible showings in a gallery in LA, and wants me to photograph his artwork. So, I did some research on the best lighting for art and am ready to do that. It was interesting to find out the things you need to take into account. I did a few test shots; this is one of them. We will have better lighting
In June I get to do dance portraits! I made a flyer for Palmdale Playhouse and will have a set-up with a backdrop and lighting to take pictures of the kids in their recital costumes. The sign-up sheets are up! I am excited to try this out, even though it will be a goodly amount of work to edit and make CDs for them all in about a week.
Apparently I have not settled yet on what kind of photographer I want to be. I am just taking the opportunities as they come, and doing my best each time. As things proceed, I think I will find my niche and be able to focus more on specific areas, rather than the wide variety of photo shoots I am doing right now.
And in the meantime, I always have my sunsets and Joshua trees, the one true constant....(oh, and windmills...and kittens...and flowers...and...I might be slightly ADD?) All these pictures are from this last week...yikes!
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This week has been very sleep-deprived, even more so than normal. I have to get my paying work done, plus I have been sorting through and editing the pictures from the wedding this last Friday. I'm so glad I gave them a 3-week window for me to get the pictures up on a gallery, because I don't have to be quite as rushed. I did post some semi-edited pictures on Facebook, so they can enjoy those. I'm not sure if I'm really supposed to do that, based on what some photographers say, but I really wanted them to be able to enjoy them, even if they were totally done being processed. I really like this one. I was going around the rocks at the front to get to the other side and took it through the bushes.
The decision aspect of all this is how do I want to edit the best pictures. There are so many options regarding styles, lighting, B&W and sepia, textures, etc. I love doing that part, but it gets a little daunting to do the decision-making. I know they were going for a vintage feel at the wedding, so I think I will continue that for the photo editing.
In the meantime, my kittens are adorable and getting bigger every day. They are exploring the whole house now, upstairs and down, and have decided the stairs and my piano are a wonderful jungle gym. This morning they fell asleep on the scratching post! This is Luna in-between the piano and the stairs.
I have been getting inspired by some wonderful photographers on-line who do very vintage-looking photos of flowers, lots of light and pastels. They are beautiful, but it is hard to get my pictures to look that way. I am working on it, though, because they are really beautiful.
As most of you know, I have never really done a wedding on my own. Even today there was another photographer there, but this time I was on equal footing rather than an unpaid second shooter. I had a blast. I took pictures for eight hours and took close to 1800 pictures. We will see how sore and tired I am tomorrow, but tonight I wanted to get at least a few of them up for you all to see! Congratulations Steve and Jillian! Best wishes for your new life together!
This week is absolutely insane. I have a bunch of work I need to get done for my transcription job.
Plus I am busy making sure I have everything covered for my first official wedding booking this Friday. I am so excited to be able to do this, so I am making sure that I have every contingency covered.
I got my extra batteries and memory cards.
My business cards came in yesterday.
I have been looking on-line for more creative ideas for the pictures and have found some fun things I might try if I get the chance - I'm hitting up Goodwill today!
There are still some things up in the air. I still haven't even met with the bride and her mom yet to sign the contract. That is supposed to happen tomorrow. I also want to talk to them to make sure I incorporate any of their ideas into my planning, so that they get what they want out of this. Anyways, I am definitely an over-planner, ask anyone I know. I like to have all my ducks in a row. Then I can relax and have fun.
I also had to look up what photographers wear to a wedding. I have never really paid attention. So I am going with that, something unobtrusive, but will fit in with an evening wedding. I might have to go shopping (bummer!) since I have lost some weight and my other stuff doesn't really fit anymore.
Yesterday, I started looking up how to make my own textures for Photoshop...boy, does that sound like fun, but I have absolutely no time to try it right now...I am putting it on my To-Do list, though. I also got some new presets and brushes for Lightroom - it will help me in post-production editing to make the pictures really special. I am excited to try them out. Here is a picture of my daughter with one of them.
I have also learned more about using the details in Lightroom. I am having fun as I learn more and more about it and what I can do. Check out the color and softness of this edit. So pretty!
The week is barely started, but my list is long and I have much to do, so I'd better wrap this up and get back to the many tasks at hand. I am enjoying this venture I have started! I just wish the days were about 4 hours longer!
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I have watched several hours of tutorial videos on photo editing, just to make sure I am very familiar with my editing programs. I usually do this at the local McD's while my daughter is in dance class. I'm so glad I can sit there in my corner with my non-fat, sugar-free French Vanilla latte and watch video's online. Woo-hoo! (This is the view from my spot in McD's)
I also got business cards ordered. I made two different mock-ups to pick from. One was blue with a lake and mountains reflected in the water (I like blue). The other was black/dark green with smoke drifting up on one side. I picked the smoke. Ever since I was young, I have loved to watch smoke make cool designs in the air. When I lived in Africa, I remember burning incense just so I could watch the smoke. No, I do not smoke anything... I just like watching it (grin). I also like taking pictures of smoke. I even have one in my black & white gallery. I just hope it doesn't give the wrong impression...
I also had to buy a couple of extra things for the upcoming wedding I am doing. I ordered another larger memory card and another battery. I cannot take the chance that I won't have enough room on my camera or power to take pictures. Sooo. there goes money before I even made it yet. I figure that just means that next time, I will be prepared.
I put together a general wedding contract tonight. That was fun. I have a lot of examples to draw from, and I am pretty good about that stuff. I still have to tweak it a bit. Once I have more of them put together, I should probably have someone look them over just to make sure I am doing everything right.
I also added some portraits to my Facebook page, and hopefully will do that on here as well, for examples of my work. I do have to get real work for my real job done as well, so I can't devote all my time to getting this started. Slowly but surely... I will get there.
I even organized all my papers - which are many - and various receipts into file folders, and printed out more photography release forms. Before I can post any of the many (and I mean, many) pictures I have taken of ballets/dance, I need to get permission. I feel like I am getting a handle on things...as long as I keep doing something every day, it will eventually mostly all be done, at least the start-up stuff.
Tonight I also got Chicken and Waffles Potato Chips. My friend is always voting for them on-line, so I thought I would give them a taste. I suppose they are okay if you like that sort of thing, but it is not a flavor that I will be eating until they are gone without thinking.
So that is my week - I haven't gotten to take a lot of pictures, since I have been dealing with the business aspects of things. The ones above were with my phone. So I will leave you with one of my favs from Santa Cruz - wish I was there!
I really needed my coffee this morning! I'm not quite sure why I was so tired, but it may have had something to do with the late bedtime and not-so-great food choices I made yesterday. YIKES!
It is really fun coming downstairs to the cute faces of our kitties, Luna and Tonks. Luna especially has made the back of my neck her favorite sleeping place while I work on the computer. It feels good when it's 41 degrees outside, but when it warms up, I may not appreciate it so much!
Today I really have to get busy on my "day-job". I have lots to do and it's already 7:30. Plus I have a list of things to do for my photography (and writing the blog wasn't really on that list, but oh well!). I took my daughter to school and came home and took this picture of dandelion stems in the morning sun... I think I'm a little nuts! BTW, I love morning sun. A lot of my best pictures are taken then. Try it...you might like it!
Off to the daily grind! Glad it started with some strong coffee!
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Do you ever get tired of the same old scenery? That's how I felt today. Open vistas and joshua trees? Blech! So I dragged my husband with me on a hunt to find Bouquet Canyon Falls. I didn't want to go by myself in case I got bit by a rattlesnake or fell in a bush of poison oak.
Shorter shutter speed - rough water
Off we went. It was farther than I thought it was, but ended up being pretty easy to find due to the cars pulled off on the side of the road ...and the sign that said "The Falls". We grabbed my camera gear and climbed down into the little canyon with the stream.
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| Longer shutter speed = smoother water |
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| He even has teal spots - I'm all about the teal! |
And I got some pretty decent pictures! Next time, I need to go when the sun is not directly overhead, so I won't have all the light-and-shadow problems, but at least I know that now.
| This is only half a puff-ball, but I picked the right angle! |
Focusing is killer, though, because the slightest movement changes the focus drastically. I heard that a bean bag is a photographer's friend, so I made one with some left over pinto beans (dry, of course) and a ziploc gallon bag. Sure enough! I can lay that on the ground and position my camera on it, use my remote to trigger the shutter and voila! Better focus!
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| The calm (relative calm) before the dust storm on Monday |
This week I have been able to do several things in my photography journey. My business's Facebook page is almost ready to launch. I actually do have a job doing photography for a wedding at the end of the month. I have explored on-line galleries/website hosting and have made a decision on that. So I feel like I am proceeding forward rather well. I still have to get my business card done and printed. I want to have that done before the wedding, so I will have them if I need them.
| My daughter's famous picture |
Besides that, we had the worst dust storm I can remember in a while on Monday. I got a few shots of that. But my daughter was the most proud, because she took a picture of it while I was driving and after I posted it on Facebook, it got over 120 shares - I never have had that many!
| Even dust can make a great picture! |
The storm went on all day. This picture was from late afternoon. The newspaper said there were 37 accidents due to dust - I am not surprised at all!
| Luna (left) and Tonks (right) |
On Tuesday, we got two new kittens. I will announce their names here since I haven't done that yet. They are Tonks and Luna. All our animals have names from the Harry Potter series, so these will fit right in. They are quite adorable and spend all day on my desk sleeping while I work, unless they are playing or climbing. The puppies love them, but our cat, Tom (Riddle) has yet to warm up to them. At least he isn't hissing as much!
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| My steering wheel cover |
Yesterday and today have been spent playing catch up at my real job (which is at home, so I get distracted easily by things like kittens and/or dust storms). Not much in the way of photo-taking except for in the late afternoon while my daughter was in dance. I was sitting in my car and noticed that there was a serious sun-flare hitting my camera at certain angles.
| The flare off my camera lens |
I played with the angles, settings and focus and got some really interesting shots. Some of my favorites were the sun bouncing off the knobs on my steering wheel cover. Who knew I could get such fun pictures sitting in my car?
We had a mallard couple live in our front yard for a while last Spring, and they are here again, so I took some pictures of them this afternoon. They like to hang out on our lawn in the shade.
Certainly, I cannot complain about this week being boring! And I did get some interesting pictures out of it. So... all's well that ends well, right? (except the week isn't over yet...)
Well, today I didn't have any work to do, so I decided to go visit my family 'down below'. I took the opportunity to stop and do some hiking at Vasquez Rocks (combining my need for exercise with my love of photography). It is so easy to drive by on the freeway and just kind of notice, but it is a lot of fun to hike around in the area, because there are so many rock outcroppings and trails. I think I found a new cover photo for FB!
I also learned that to have blue sky, I need the sun behind me. They probably learn that in Photography 101. Oh well, now I know!
Here are several other shots.
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| The yuccas have not started their Spring growth yet. |
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| Notice me pointing into the sun and the sky color - not blue! |
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| I fixed my position for this shot - looking good! |
In the photography business-developing department, I got a couple of computer programs I have been needing (wanting) to help me to a better job with post-production tasks. I will have to spend a little time getting up to speed, since I had older versions, but they will help me keep everything under control.
I also began to research how to set pricing - YIKES! It is quite complicated and I no longer wonder why photographers charge as much as they do, taking into account equipment, post-production, travel, time, subscriptions, printing, etc, it is quite obvious that I will have to spend some serious time figuring this out, so that I don't lose money.
But, hey, one or two steps at a time! I am more knowledgeable than I was yesterday, and that's a good thing!
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| Willow Springs Filming location - I found it on accident! |
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| The beginnings of a Joshua tree bloom |
ENJOY!!!
