On to the use of Photoshop.

       So none of these pictures are fairly new as in recently taken but rather they have been neglected for show-n-tell. At the end of the entry is my first picture successfully using photoshop. Take your time and scroll through my neglected photos.

The first set of pictures are significant to me because I had to leave the shutter open allowing me to capture the fire in the way it appears in the photo. Keeping the shutter open leaves room for much blur/error. So for these pictures I had to set the camera on the tripod, set the self timer (just pushing the button causes a blur in the picture) and hope the cat did not move.

Well this picture is just plain cute, brother and sister or a.k.a Ozzy and Sharon.

This picture has been cross-processed. I obsessed with this affect, and will be probably overuse it. I also added a slight fading black frame around it.

FINALLY, I successfully used photoshop. When I had this desire to do photography, it was because I would see things, and wish I could capture it in way that I thought was beautiful or eye catching. After receiving my DSLR as a gift I had no idea that this picture taking was a two-fold skill. Not only do I have to have the ability to capture the picture correctly but I have to know how to edit. I found this WEBSITE and I am starting to learn step-by-step on how to edit pictures while navigating around photoshop. With this picture I outlined the frog, enhanced its features, than inverted the picture allowing me to edit everything but the frog, thus making a black and white background to the frog. Feel free to click on the picture of the frog to make it larger and see in greater detail the editing that was done.

Jess and Justin's Renewal of Vows

I feel so uncommitted to my photography so it is time to be honest. I FINALLY....did you read that correctly? FINALLY, finished with dotting my "i's" and crossing my "t's" for my big girl career. Now I put fancy letters behind my name that I am sure only few know what they stand for. So with this my friends "my adventure in photography," will move forward at more increasing and interesting rate. Also I still struggle with my editing. I now have adobe photoshop, so do I want to abandon GIMP and start a new relationship with photoshop? The reason I say, "yes" is because there are a lot more tutorials, and presets for photoshop. Like they say if you can't beat'em, join'em.

So to the meat of this post. I got to photograph a renewal of vows of a couple that are close friends with my husband and I. My anxiety level was through the roof, running rapid with thoughts and ideas for shots. I will say this, is this experience helped me ten-fold in understanding settings, flash and lighting when taking pictures. Overall Jess made a beautiful bride to photograph and oh yah that one guy, Justin looked like her perfect prince. Enjoy my loves!

Click here to view these pictures larger

Jessica's Bridal Shower

So where did I go? I have been here all along. So here is the game plan folks, and I hope you are willing to stay along for the ride. I have now been asked to do pictures for various people. What does this mean? I am looking to see if I can use my hobby as a little side job, and with this I must have my photos available for access to the general public. Well, it does not take a rocket scientist but Blogger is not the place for this. So, now I am going between Shutterfly and Blogger and will be linking the two sites together. Allowing you to see my massive amount of pictures for others and also the ones from my personal shooting, that I can still blog about. Make sense? I hope so! So here is my first set of pictures for a friend, at her bridal shower. Well the first few pictures are just preview, at the bottom it will take you to the entire selection of pictures.

Click here to view these pictures larger

Ocean City

   I wanted to at least make a post once a month while in school but as you can see I missed that by a day. The good news.......I am done!!!! **HaPpY DaNcE* I have finished my my Masters in Social Work. I truly forgot about the joy of having the choice of how you spend your time when not working. My time was so wrapped up in the next deadline for a paper or exam that even for those moments I was not doing school work, in class or working that I did not truly enjoy those simple moments. So here I am loving the joys of life again, I just hope I don't forget the preciousness of it.
  So on to the topic of "My Adventure in Photography." The Thursday before Memorial day weekend (for some Thursday is the start of that weekend) I get a text from my friend Leigh, asking if my husband and I would like to join them on a trip down to Ocean City. As you can see we made that trip. Those pictured below are Leigh and her soon to be hubby, Dave.
  One more thing, I am realizing, that I sometimes over-edit my pictures causing the colors to be too bright. I thought about re-editing them and re-posting some of those pictures. Then I thought, this would not be a blog about my progress in photography, so I will embrace my flaws! My father has talked to me about some tools I can get to make sure my colors our adjusted correctly on the computer screen, I just have yet to invest. Yes, I am blaming my flaws on the computer. As humans we must rationalize! ;)

+Epiphany+

When I am learning something new (that I am interested in), I incur much anxiety to know all about this "something new." I must know all possibilities and options this something new has to offer me. After this is done I want know how to use is it to its optimal performance. I guess this is what you call perfectionism. This quality I dispose has been a double edge sword for me. While this quality has served positive purposes, aka, furthering my education and now my photography, it makes me high-strung while mastering my new skills. If my husband is reading this he is probably shaking his head. I will admit I was becoming a little pessimistic about my ability to grasp these intertwining concepts to produce a picture that is held in my imagination.While I have received many compliments, I had yet to really, I mean really wow myself.

So my husband and I ventured to Rock State Park and hiked up to this waterfall. First barrier, was I going to take the chance to walk on the few SLIPPERY rocks available to get the angle needed, with my equipment. Well, I made it across the rocks. So I am setting up for my shoot. During this time there had been a family to my right playing in the water. Soon as I get everything set up the family decides to play in the waterfall. Really? Well I will just take odd angled pictures that will not include the family. As I was taking my initial pictures I kept overexposing (too much light). So I am trying to remember my "exposure triangle" and thinking what needed to be adjusted. I did move to one more place for another angel. After sometime I was starting to become frustrated. Oh wait, the family is leaving. This was my last shot I took before I left (the first one).

Anywho, I wowed myself!!! This was a much needed picture for me. The rest of the pictures are of my husband and his other wife. Enjoy!!! (See perfectionism pays off!)