Slowly but Surely

Yes its true. I have difficulty with white. I think its a horrible and miserable color. So what do I do? I finally take a real, honest to goodness still life shot and I PhotoShop it so that the white is overtaken! Just because my apartment happens to have white walls. Oh well... at least I am slowly working my way towards a real still life photo. Not to say that those last two days weren't, they were just not as good as this one.

Now as I was photoing today, I find it is important to off center your main point just a bit because well... its just not truly artsy until you get that thing out of frame. Heh. Also you need to frame it with a pastel color. I myself am a big fan of my enigmatic boyfriend's mom's still life shots. She has a way with color that I envy. At least in a particular shot of her's that I find... maybe one of the only still life pictures that I honestly like. I mean lets be honest here. Still life is boring!!! But at least she makes it look fanciful. If you are interested in the piece I'm talking about, TADA!

http://camaem.deviantart.com/art/Balance-125863583

Yeah, I mean she's good with all that stuff. Sadly, I simply can't find the space to take a picture like that. On top of that the wall color. I could certainly use a good wall to have colored something like... GREEN! Do you have any idea how boring a picture with a huge white wall behind it looks? Do yourself a favor and go find out. Its like a winter wonderland of annoying frames before you find one that is even possible to photoshop.

Anyway. over the weekend I might try and find some time to create a nice Still life of my plants. That might be good. The trowel, pot, and some dirt... sounds like a good idea. Now if only I could find a Green gorgeous wall somewhere...

I lead a Still Life...

My goodness could I have dropped the ball any closer to the ground?

Don't answer that! I know I've been a terrible person in not sticking to the plan, but I plan and have great intentions to get the train back on the tracks. The first of those stations being Still Life! Yeah I know I lead a rather boring life myself, and how I could have fallen behind is inexcusable, so I'm not even going to waste my own time in explaining on how bothersome it is because it doesn't matter. What matters is we are back on track and no one can stop me! Even it it means in order to take my next shots I must remain perfectly still....

Now here's what to do! We are going to start of with something exciting! Gather up a whole bunch of random objects from around the house. Right now! Run, run!

Got um? Good. Put them on your coffee table, or kitchen table, or the floor. Whatever is best for you. Now before you get too comfortable with this arrangement, close your eyes and mix them up!! Make a great mess of the whole bunch and just start shooting. Still life is the capturing of usually a ton of little things. A lot of archeologists use this technique to make their exhibits look pretty, but I'm tellin' ya it works for anyone. Now that you've taken the photos of the mess... arrange those puppies however you want. And not that does not mean use puppies, because honestly those don't sit still at all!!!

We want composition now that we've gotten out our creative side and make it... make it mean something without any kind of movement at all. Use some creative lighting and make sure there isn't anything behind your photos when you are taking them because it makes it cluttered and sometimes they reflect light awkwardly, unless of course that's what you are going for. Now upload those lovely photos without a second thought and lets see our masterpieces.


Mine... still and capturing my rolling perfume bottles at the same time. Though I think I need to back out more next time. But we'll cross that bridge when we come to it, tomorrow!!!

Shiney

There is something about metal that is fantastic for taking photos. The reflective surface allows for that nice contrast we were talking about yesterday. This particular piece of metal is a lovely necklace that my amazingly understanding boyfriend gave to me. It is suppose to be a guardian angel. Particularly nice for this photo session because the light and dark play against the metal enough to give that sense of protection already.

Wood, metal, and glass are all very good reflective surfaces, so when it comes to pictures in black and white, when you find something you want in black and white, but you need some way to get light into part of the picture, put something reflective beside your subject matter. They are very interesting shots. Now for the most part contrast is what black and white is all about, but for tomorrow and the day after I think we should try taking some soft pictures, using the black and white to cut out depth. Skin, fabrics, and random objects are what its all about.

Black and white is simple ^.^

Sorry for keeping these so short, but as far as black and white is concerned it isn't tooo difficult. Tomorrow though I'll talk about something interesting, and if there is anything in particular my wonder fans have to say, or ask for... Ears are open!
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baggybunny

In the Beginning...

there was black and white photography. The mother and father of contrast between light and dark, good and evil, happy and sad. Yes friends here we are, together entering a world that has been explored billions of times before us and probably most assuredly will be explored long after my useless blog. There is something just so enchanting about the battle in these photos that brings a rather bright smile to my face, because of this I thought today we go over the simple stuff I learned today while at work.

Its the first of all the photo types that man was ever plagued to practice. And for of any of you who are younger than me by a good deal, we use to have these really hideous old school cameras that resembled a box with the siding of an accordion. You also had to hold these things over your head... well lets say watch Lady and the Tramp, the end scene shows one of those hideous things. I would hate to ever use one let alone see one again, so lets just say I am very grateful for the invention of the digital camera.

Most the time black and white photos, from what I have seen, are now used for abstract photos and portraits. Its a very beautiful thing that people can do with these images, heightening the contrast between bright white and black, attracting you to the space between the subject, delivering the message and in the case of portraits, bringing to light the details of the soft or sharp features of that individual.

This week is going to be one of my favorites of all time because there is no dictation on any subject. Hey you could photograph a gallon of water, or pictures of a pair of shoes. That's right, complete artistic freedom has been granted to us in its entirety, lets explore!
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baggybunny

Knock, knock!

Who's there? My neighbors!

Hahaha. Yes that's right, today's photo shoot was one of whoever I could take pictures of. I spent forever trying to get pictures of my buddy and all around nice guy, Josh. We did a few good ones, but then when we got home from the day I was simply inspired! My neighbor was just sitting there, waiting for a ride in the hallway and POW! He just had the look. So I manned up like a photographer does and asked if he wouldn't mind being today's subject matter. To my great surprise he thought I was funny as hell instead of all around funky and weird and did a good ol' pose for me. He looked great!

Now as you may have noticed I also have used Photoshop on this piece. I created put a background (not of my own photography), and paint daubed it. I was very pleased over all. Now I was suggested to use the white wall that he was against, but as my mother, the over lord of all, walked by, she suggested this.

Now as far as all the mistakes made today, I can tell you now, it is NO FUN trying to take a low light portrait. All I kept getting was the shaking of my hands and otherwise. Here we go for today's learning! Do NOT! I repeat, do not try and take photos in a bathroom without washing the mirrors first. EW! Secondly, moving car pictures... kind of difficult if you are trying to take a backseat photo of the front seat driver. What you'll need, is a super high speed shutter setting, so that motion isn't an issue, but you need to absorb light, soooo high lighting as well. Josh was a great subject, but unfortunately these factors are things I did not discover until seated here at home and after meeting my wonderful neighbor.

Now as far as how I added such a background to my portrait of my neighbor? First I picked a picture and made sure it matched mine size wise. Secondly, I dragged that photo on top of mine, clicking layers and multiply. After multiplying, click the background photo (the one you have added), and erase around your photo so that it comes out clear. Tada! Then lock the layers and you have glory!!!! I learned this after 800 times of finding that everything I tried became something like... mutated from erasing everything and using one click at a time.

This is an art, and not to be rushed!
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baggybunny