Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Veins of Fine Art Existence

Working with a little a post experimentation. These photos were shot like this on purpose... so please don't accuse me of trying to make use of an "accident". The difference between experimentation and accident is that an experiment can be easily replicated and an accident takes time to discover the "How the hell did I do that" element.

This is experimentation on visual elements.


Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Post Christmas Photo Escape

This post is offering a collection of miscellaneous shots... a little something of a boredom shoot. Enjoy...

Here is to all that nik-nak collectors out there....







Here is to the fans of my dog...


Here is to the fans a spirits...



Saturday, December 25, 2010

Bring Christmas in Right

Friends, wife and my dog... the three things that love me unconditionally. That is who I spent my Christmas Eve and first three hours of Christmas with...






Merry Christmas to everyone.

Friday, December 24, 2010

Inside the Insanity of the Mind of a Modern Day Scrooge Sharing the Holiday Love

Being that I am in a very depressed state, I was actually going to post a post about how much I hate the holidays and why. I actually just wrote a 20 page rave about my loathing for the holidays, but rather than vent my holiday humdrums on the few readers that frequent this blog, I thought that I would simply share some love and give some stuff away and I deleted the 20 page rave.

So now to spread the joy of love of the season.


Presets....
 In many cases the light of the scene may actually reduce the saturation of the lips of your subject. As you can see from the photograph on the left, this is exactly what happened to my model.
This is where the CMS-Lipstick brushes come in handy. You can now add back a natural pink or red color to the lips of your subject.


The first of the two presents is CMS-Lipstick – Pink. This creates a natural looking tone to the surface that it is applied to.
In the photograph on the right, her lips just pop a little more than in the before photograph above. It is subtle, but it works amazingly.
In the application process, I zoomed in at a 3:1 ratio and then used a brush size of 8.9 with a feather setting of 52 to create a soft line around the edges. I also did not use the Auto Mask because that can create holes in the application due to the texture and color shifts that happen around the mouth.

The first of the two presents is CMS-Lipstick – Red. This creates a less natural looking tone to the surface that it is applied to.

In the photograph on the right, her lips jump right out as compared to the results of the Pink preset photograph above and to the right. It is subtle, but it works amazingly.
In the application process, I zoomed in at a 3:1 ratio and then used a brush size of 8.9 with a feather setting of 52 to create a soft line around the edges. I also did not use the Auto Mask because that can create holes in the application due to the texture and color shifts that happen around the mouth.


To install the preset, copy the file in the zip (xxx.lrtemplate) to your Local Adjustment Presets folder on your computer. If you don't know where to find this folder, open Lightroom. Click on Edit menu and select Preferences. Click on the Presets tab and click the Show Lightroom Presets Folder... button.

And now a little photo love...




MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE

Monday, December 20, 2010

Coming to Terms with the Inevitable

The State of Oregon Unemployment system sucks. The State of Oregon Child Support Services (Department of Justice branch) sucks even more. I am becoming a firm believer that the State of Oregon (at least the governmental agencies) sucks period. But enough with how bad Oregon, as a state sucks. How about them Ducks; also from Oregon. How about On The Rocks, also from Oregon (even the same University as the ducks). How about them Blazers... oh that's right, they suck to. Trying to stay positive.

After several weeks of shooting various cool things, like Help Portrait, the Cascade Mountains (which do not suck) and even the Mission Mill Museum, I took an evening to lament about where I am going with my photography. I learned that what I want to shoot, which everything under the sun and then a few things as not under the sun, is quite different from what people are willing to pay me to shoot, which happens to be absolutely nothing thus far.

I am so damn tired of shooting for free and having a butt-load of expectations from these recipients of free services. How much is a butt-load you may ask. I have that unit of measure nailed down and defined. While helping a friend move, a dresser drawer opened and spilled some screws on the ground. I said, "Hey a butt-load of screws fell on the ground." When my friend asked how many were in a butt-load, I didn't know. So I went on a mission to find out. I picked up each screw, one at a time. One... two... three... four... five... six... seven... eight. Eight is the official count for a butt-load. So now you know.

In lieu of doing anything free again for some time, I have spent the last few days studying glasses at my favorite hangout, Freddies. I studied the rim, the outside, and occasionally the inside bottoms... okay I lied. I studied the inside bottoms a lot.

Now these glasses aren't the glasses used to improve one's vision, although the contents have been known to particularly ugly people look better. I have been using my Droid to photograph various drinking glasses and I have found a particularly keen interest in the subject of glassware. I guess that glassware might be too definitive of a term, as most of my subjects have actually been made of plastic. Here is my six favorites from the last couple of days... take a look and let me know what you think.








 Iceland is looking real good this time of year.

Friday, December 17, 2010

2010 Photos in Review

So, I am using this post to close out the year by displaying a progression of my work throughout the year. In some cases my art improved and other cases I came around full circle. It was a year of firsts as well as a year of repeats.

At times 2010 was hard, yet at times it was easy.

Sometimes 2010 was bad yet sometimes it was good.

Some of 2010 I felt alone, other times I felt smothered.

A lot of 2010 was spent depressed and I was manic a lot.

In 2010, I lost some important relationships, but then again some too.

Much of 2010 was uncreative and uninspired, and still I was able to create some works that made me proud.

2010 is closing now, and I feel a sense of relief mixed with a sense of despair.

2010 has left the future uncertain, yet opportunity abounds.

As I get ready to welcome in 2011, I want to say goodbye to 2010 by celebrating my accomplishments. So here is the 2010 year in picture as seen through my eyes.

January - I didn't shoot a damn thing. My camera took a tumble rendering it all but useless and required me to purchase a new body, much to disdain of my wife.

February -
Foggy Morning in the Park

Abandoned Slide
March -
A bad day at the beach is better than the best day at work

My day in the rain... seems that I did that a lot this year. My camera got wet more than once.
April -
Learning to see differently. This is what happens when I stop letting the camera think for me.

A cold spring morning and my daughter is not happy to be at the Tulip Festival in Woodburn

Rain makes thing more beautiful. It is miserable to shoot in, but beautiful none-the-less.
May -
The excitement of battle

My new ride in 2010, although not alive and well right now. I did love it from April through the end of August.

My photo group loves shooting at this bridge

Trying something different
June -
Stricken by a creative block most of the month of June, this shot at the end of June jump started my July
July -
Back to the battle front

Fourth of July - How can fireworks not excite the creative spark

Mt. Angel Abby organ. This place is amazing.

My lovely wife cooperating for a portrait session with me.
August -
Bob Olin  posing by a dumpster for a shoot I did with him.

I did some time at the beach in August. It was very therapeutic.

A change of perspective proved to be very enlightening

Ocean waves are a special thing to me, like each one I get to see is a unique gift from God. Each created for me.
September -
September brought my first exposure to the public arena of teaching at the State Fair; I am officially hooked.

I went with Nathan to shoot a senior portrait, while I was supposed to be a mobile light stand, I sneaked a few shots in.

Another bridge shoot with my photo group.

My inner artist screams out to be expressed, and I listened.

Another senior shoot with Nathan, me sneaking some shots in while he messes with gear
October -
My first wedding - October proved to be my most productive month thanks to being laid off

This is before being laid off, and expressed exactly how I felt creatively in my job

I was busting at the seams to create, and this was a great month for me

My youngest daughter playing along for a Halloween themed shoot

Two days after I was laid off, I was actually feeling pretty good

Options are open and the skies the limit and all those other cliches. 

Things could be worse... I am loving the freedom.

I definitely felt some desolation during my first few weeks unemployed

I love the feel of this shot.... a life-long dream to capture it

More of the foggy love. This was the feel I was trying to capture at the playground in February

A little treasure at a friend's house

From the Halloween wedding I shot. This is one of my favorite shots.
November -
November brought so many blessings, such as spending the day with Kevin Kubota, Doug Gordon, Joy and Jules Bianchi and so many other working pros sharing their knowledge of the industry.

My creative juices flowing on the way back from Bend

More from the trip home from Bend

Another Mt. Angel shoot with my photo group, St. Mary's Parrish

The bell tower at the Abby

Playing with Movement

An odd result from my camera phone that I fell in love with
December -
It is amazing what can be done with some social finesse, like getting access to the Fairview Training Center

A recent road trip with my friend Terry, beautiful area

Standard shot of running water

A new view on running water and lichen.

Nope, not part of Silver or Multnomath Falls

Just below the snow line. This water was scary fast

My friend Terry who was kind enough to drag my ass out of the house,  yup that is know and only a 40 minute drive

A view of God's Country

Another waterfall.... I fell in love with this place
While 2010 is not quite over, I am about done with it. I am ready to move on. I am ready to put the past behind me and move into the future. It is late... and I am ready for bed now. So good night everyone.