Today's photo of the day was inspired by the wind. I was taking my lunch break and it got windy all of a sudden. I looked outside and noticed my desert willow tree whipping around, and looked kinda cool, so I set up my tri-pod and took a slow shutter speed image to capture the movement. The photo itself needed something, so I decided to add a sketch effect using photoshop for a zen-like image of the tree. So here it is (along with how to do the sketch effect on your own images):
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Here is the "Before" image:
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Sketch Effect:
1. Desaturate background
2. Copy background
3. On copy, invert so it looks like a negative (Image - Adjust - Invert)
4. In blend mode go to color dodge (image will disappear, but have no fear... go to next step)
5. Filter - Blur -Gausian Blur to taste (to create sketch)
6. Flatten (play with curves and other effects if you want).
Have fun, and play around with this technique on a variety of images to see what works.
Categorized In:
arizona
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photography
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photoshop
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scottsdale photographer
Every holiday season brings memories of the past as well as wishes for the future. In these moments of thoughtful reflection we learn acceptance for life’s trials while we give thanks for the beauty that surrounds us.
It can also be a time of stress and frantic activity. This is especially true at time of year for most portrait photographers, as we rush to meet the holiday deadlines of our clients. But even amid the hustle and stress I think it is important to go out of our way to extend random acts of kindness toward strangers whenever possible. It could be something as simple as holding the door for someone, or a smile and a kind word. Even just taking the time to say THANKS to someone for something they have done for you.
So at this time of year I give thanks to all of my clients for the trust they have given me to capture their memories. I hope all of you enjoy this time with friends and family, and take a moment to extend a random act of kindness toward a stranger today. Thanks again to all my wonderful clients, friends and family. Have a Happy Thanksgiving.
Categorized In:
arizona
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family
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photography
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portraits
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scottsdale
Photographing children can be both a joy and a challenge (especially if they are your OWN kids!). So for the times that you can’t hire someone like me to capture the memories for you, here are just a few hints for better portraits. Once you find the right light for photographing your child (that will be a whole other blog topic!) keep the child occupied doing something fun. Some of my favorite images show the child engaged in activity and not even looking at the camera, but for a few images looking at the camera you can still do something to get them to look up at you with a pleasant expression (silly noises, talking to them about something silly, puppets, songs… ) without making them “pose” for the image. Fill your frame with more of your subject and less background, but be sure to leave enough “breathing room” around them. If you are able to control depth of field on your camera, use a larger aperture to blur the background. Most importantly, have fun!
Playing... not posing.
Window light is my favorite!
The sister of the girl above... can you tell!
More window light... transformed into a watercolor image for the client's wall.
"The soul is healed by being with children." Dostoevsky
Categorized In:
arizona
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child
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childre's portraits
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photography
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scottsdale
Wow, what a great way to start a Saturday. I went to the Cynosport and Agility Dog event at Westworld in Scottsdale to photograph my neighbor's Golden Retriever (a future Splash Dog in training?), and spent a few hours watching all these wonderful, athletic, and happy dogs doing what they do best. Here are a few of the images from the morning... I hope you enjoy them. Dogs are the most amazing creatures!
A Perfect Day...
Jumping Hurdles...
Waiting his turn...
Pure Joy...
Watching the Dock Jumpers...
Splash Dogs... Dock Jumper in training...
Just Chillin...
"Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole." Roger Caras
Categorized In:
arizona
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dog
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pet
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photographer
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photography
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scottsdale
