Outfits with perfect color combinations!!
Mixing Blazers and Dresses!!
Open back tops!!
Rockin out the horizontal stripe!!
....and a little beach motivation!!
Well there you have it!! Are you ready for Spring?? What is on your wardrobe wishlist??
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Goodbye Winter....Hello Spring!!
It's officially day 2 of Spring.....oh, and did I mention it's 85 degrees!! Mother nature what are you thinking??? Where are my nice cool mornings and warm afternoons? Was I supposed to enjoy that in January?? What kind of weather should I expect come June?? I'm afraid to even ask!!! Needless to say, your timing seems a little off this year!!! So that's it ladies.....the Queen Bee has spoken....there are no "in between" seasons this year! It's time to pack up the scarves and boots and dive straight into the summer dresses and flip flops..... I have thus put together my Spring Wardrobe Wishlist....
Friday, March 16, 2012
Photo Friday #8......
This is one of those "lucky" shots. You know, when you turn around and see your subject in the perfect spot, with the perfect light, with the perfect composition all around! It's also the moment when you are thankful your camera is in arm's reach! There are so many things I love about this photo! For starters, it's the true essence of a little girl, getting dirty, playing in her back yard! I love her little sunburned face, and her dirty mouth! I love how her blonde hair is glowing in the sun, and how that one little curl is perfectly surrounding her left eye! I love how she is hiding under the staircase, but peeking through to see if mom is watching! This one image tells a whole story, and that is my number one goal behind each of my photos!!
I have decided to take this one photo and see how it can be transformed in Lightroom! Side note: I am a firm believer in NOT using post processing to "fix" a picture, you should ALWAYS try to get the picture "right" in the camera first!!...... However.... I have a slight obsession with photo editing! Maybe it's my art background, maybe it's that i'm still new to LR and LOVE tinkering with the sliders. There is just something about taking a photo and seeing how many looks I can create with it!
So that is our project for today......Transforming a photo through Lightoom! I am going to take advantage of the presets that are available and show you how your image can totally change!! Are you ready? Let's play!!....
Straight out of the camera....
ISO 320, 1/100sec at f/2.8, 50mm 1.4 lens
This is 100% my edit! I tinkered with all of the sliders....Brightness, Exposure, Blacks, Highlighting, Lumaniance, Sharpness, Hues.....you get the point.....No presets were used for this image......
Preset: Black and White Look 4.....Lightroom offers a TON of BW presets. Please note: The preset was only my starting point! I always adjust certain things after I choose a look. I guess I have to have my hand on every picture!! :)
Preset: Antique....One of my favorite presets! The shadow on her face is a little darker than I would like, however she is hiding under a staircase!
Preset: Sepia....Stunning!! The tone is soft, while keeping the image sharp!! And look at those catchlights!!
Preset: Aged Photo.... My Absolute Favorite!!! Now this is the look I was going for!! and how about that backlighting!!! I think i'm getting better at "finding the light"
Now it's your turn!! Find one of your favorite photos and start transforming!! If you don't currently have Lightroom, just download the 30 day free trial!! You will fall in LOVE!!
Sharing with.....Sweet Shot Tuesday, Show off your Shot, Tuesday Tips and Pics
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Mirror, Mirror on the Wall......
Looking Glass Paint....I've heard about it, I've seen it on Pinterest, I've decided to try it out myself! The word is, it creates a reflective, mirror-like, antiqued, aged surface! Sounds pretty fantastic to me.....let's give it a try!! I'm testing it out on a few vases I got as a wedding present! I love thier shape, but am tired of their green hue... looking glass here we come.....
Before....
After....
Super impressed!! It not only has a super reflective surface, it also leaves a nice crackle finish!! I lightly sprayed a few coats, not too heavy!! I wanted to still be able to see a few of the vertical lines running down each vase!
Well, what do you think?? I do believe I will be using this on many more objects in my house that deperately need updating!!
To see the parties I'm linking to go HERE!!
Friday, March 9, 2012
Photo Friday #7......
Mastering the Silhouette
Silhouettes are striking, they are full of mystery, they beg for you to take a second look. They convey a simplistic beauty that draws the curious eye right in. They typically tell a story, but because you cannot clearly see the foreground images, it's up to you, the viewer, to use your imagination to figure out the emotion and mood of the photo! Here are a few tips on taking great Silhouette photos:
1. Choose a defined subject. You want your viewer to recognize the shape that they are looking at, whether it is a body, a profile, a tree, etc....
2. Do not use your flash. If you do, the foreground image will be lit, and you will no longer have a silhouette.
3. Shoot against the sun. You want your subject lit from behind. Typically the best time to take these type shots is at sunrise or sunset.
4. Make sure the background is uncluttered. If you have a lot of stuff to look at in the background the definition of your silhouette will not be as clear. You want the viewers eye to go directly to the silhouette, no distractions!
5. Keep the focus point on your desired silhouette. You want the silhouette image to be super sharp, so make sure to keep the focus on that spot!
Okay, with these tips in mind, lets play!! All of the below pictures were taken around 6:45, right at sunset. They were also all taken at our neighborhood playground. Remember, you do not have to go to a "special" place like the beach or a mountain top to get a beautiful silhouette photo! Just step right outside your door and look at your surroundings......
Julia on her swing! I literally had to lay on the ground and shoot up to get this shot! The clouds add so much interest without being distracting! I love how you can see her tiny profile in this shot!
ISO 640, 1/400sec at f/11, 50mm 1.4 lens
I have a small obsession with trees. It's something about their shape and movement! Trees are very easy to make a silhouette out of!
ISO 640, 1/1600sec at f/14, 50mm 1.4 lens
Here is the typical silhouette pose...Daddy and baby....I love how she is bending her knees to create a shape with her body! And again....look at the clouds!!
ISO 640, 1/1640sec at f/13, 50mm 1.4 lens
On the ground again....I think some of the best shots are taken from there!
ISO 640, 1/1640sec at f/11, 50mm 1.4 lens
Daddy K working on his pull-ups! Show off!! Again, I love how his profile is clear and sharp!
ISO 640, 1/400sec at f/11, 50mm 1.4 lens
On all of the above pictures I used the sky as my "uncluttered" background. And to do that I got down low, and shot up! With this picture, I used the water as my "uncluttered" background. To do that, I had to be higher than my silhouetted subjects! I love how this one turned out. Look at the texture in that water! So beautiful!!
ISO 640, 1/500sec at f/11, 50mm 1.4 lens
Tip for the day:
If your camera has a special setting for "silhouettes," use it!! That's the setting I used for all of the above images! I have also recorded the manual settings, so when I do attempt this type of photography in the "M" setting, I can study each of my photos, and learn how to set the camera appropriately for each shot! I hope you enjoyed today's exercise!! See ya next Friday!!
Sharing with Sweet Shot Tuesday, Show off your Shot, and Tuesday Tips and Picks!!
Thursday, March 8, 2012
I Heart Faces - Beautiful Black and White
I Heart Faces is hosting a "Beautiful Black and White" photo challenge this month! I have decided to submit the below picture into the contest! Go check out their site, there are a ton of talented photographers participating! Meet a few friends, learn a few tips!!
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
The "Big Girl" Room.....
I've accepted it....Julia is no longer a tiny little baby. She is now TWO!! She is now INDEPENDENT!! She is now a BIG GIRL!! Therefore, as I shed a small tear, I've decided it's time to convert her room from a cute little pink nursery to a big girl toddler room! As ideas are flying in and out of my head, my best friend Pinterest is here to help.....
What a great way to re-use her wagon. I'm not quite ready to let hers go yet, maybe I could find an old one at a thrift store....
Love this idea!!! Old drawers and decorative knobs! I'm all over it!! I can see purses, necklaces, scarves all hanging from these!!
Shelves on the wall to organize her 1000 books!!! Daddy K, I may need your help with this one....
And of course you need a place to read all of those books......
okay, okay....this is a little more realistic for a reading nook..... What kid wouldn't want a tent in their room!
Super cute idea for shelving.....
A drawing station.....What a great way to re-cycle the crib!! Julia would be ALL over this!!!
And finally, ( Julia don't look....this will NOT be happening in your room) for those of you who have carpenters for husbands, and LOTS of patience......
FOR THE GIRLS......
FOR THE BOYS.......
Nice to dream about....Not quite reality!!
To see the parties I'm linking to go HERE!!
Friday, March 2, 2012
Photo Friday #6
Creating a dynamic black and white photo! That's our challenge for today! Many people turn to black and whites as their "cop out" for making a bad picture 'okay.' Don't worry, I will be the first to admit it!! However, creating an interesting, dynamic Black and White photo is more than just pressing the BW button in Lightroom, it's about creating depth in your photo. A one dimensional picture is just boring but when you add the layers of shadows and light, that is when the magic happens.
Let's take a look! Each of my "before" pictures are straight out of the camera. The only thing I did was import them into Lightroom and press the BW button....
After.....
Before.....
Let's take a look! Each of my "before" pictures are straight out of the camera. The only thing I did was import them into Lightroom and press the BW button....
Before.....
After.....
See the difference?! By enhacing the shadows and the light you have a much more defined picture!
ISO 200, 1/3200sec at f/1.4, 50mm 1.4 lens
Before.....
After....
I love how you can see the dimension throught each curl!! Stunning.....
ISO 200, 1/1250sec at f/1.4, 50mm 1.4 lens
Before.....
After.....
Max wishes he could have a bite!! And yes that is our dirty table!! Don't judge! We have a 2 year old for goodness sake!!!
ISO 200, 1/200sec at f/2.8, 50mm 1.4 lens
Before.....
After....
ISO 2000, 1/400sec at f/1.4, 50mm 1.4 lens
Before....
After...
Here, I played with the differnt hues. You can really alter the look of a BW photo by doing that!
ISO 200, 1/3200sec at f/1.4, 50mm 1.4 lens
Before.....
After.....
I love the Sepia, "golden" look here.....
ISO 800, 1/160sec at f/2.8, 50mm 1.4 lens
Before....
After.....
Love the expression, Love how the coloring enhances her eyes....
ISO 1000, 1/200sec at f/1.4, 50mm 1.4 lens
To edit the "after" pictures I started with the Lightroom BW presets!! There are a TON to choose from! Once I found one that I was happy with, I then altered the exposure, brightness, blacks, luminance, and hues. It really makes a difference if you take a few minutes to create depth in your photo!
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