Head Shot

So people have been telling me FOREVER that I need to get my son into modeling. I thought so as well but it just wasnt high on my list. Well randomly the other day I was thinking that maybe I should try to make good use of my camera and try taking some pictures to send it to see how they would come out. Man did I discover photoshops wonders.



So here's my original. SOOC (straight out of camera). Definitely not a bad picture at all but doesnt stand out too much and if I'm gonna send them in I want it to catch someone's eye. Particularly good considering he was crying before this and I couldnt get him to smile at all so happy I caught this while he was happy.

Well I used photoshop to try and enhance his features. Of course I used my favorite "PERFECT PORTRAIT" action from CoffeeShop to soften his skin, bring out his eyes, and give the overall picture just a vibrant color. I added his name to the bottom to give it more of a professional look. To me, this literally looks like it could be a professional type headshot. I mean of course besides that fact that I cut the top of his head off, but I couldnt get him to smile again after this so I had to work with what I had. Now to the printer to print them out and start sending 'em in.

Wish him luck!

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New Class

So i started this new photography class. on my way to becoming a professional. haha really i jsut want to know how to operate my SLR camera manually. I mean I thought my pictures on automatic were pretty good until I started seeing other more professional pictures that gave me motivation to learn my camera better. I mean automatic is suppose to do everything for you right? except we forget it can't read your imagination and creativity so if you want a picture to look a specific way..sucks but you gotta create it yourself.

I took a photography class back in 2001 but as I can remember I dont think my camera had many manual settings at the time, it was just a point and shoot, so I dont remember really paying too much attention on all the key points. I think back then too I just thought the dark room was cool and developing pictures. Now that I am older and wise I appreciate the art of photography at its fullest. I'm happy to be able to share my growth with you as well.

My first assignment is due on Tuesday night. I have to take 16 different pictures working with Shutter speed and Aperture. Of course I will post my work so don't beg. :)

Off to shoot.

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Real Random ;)

So the same day I went to Santa Cruz, the first day I got to buse my camera, as I mentioned in the previous blog I was taking pictures of any and everything. Well I took this random picture of this family walking back from the water. For some reason I really like this picture. Not only is it completely candid but I would love a picture like this of my family and I just walking on the beach. The only thing I would change would be for the mother to be walking a little closer to the husband and son. [[at least I assume they are a couple]].

Maybe there is a future business idea behind this. hmmmm?

ps: do you like my new watermark I created. After I made the new banner for the blog I decided I need to start branding my pictures. I think it makes the picture look even more professional. what do you think?

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Photo Challenge: Contemplative

So the Theme this week over at I Heart Faces was "Contemplative".

So I have kinda been waiting for this theme because I love this picture of Justin. This was the very first day I ever used my DSLR camera. It was two days after Christmas and Justin hadn't seen our son and I for about a month [we had previously broken up and I had moved across the state]. We took a family trip to Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. I was sooo excited about my camera that I was taking pictures of any and everything. We had always discussed moving back in together and before this picture I had made the decision to move back to LA in a few months [i moved back in March of '09]and although I don't know what Justin was thinking, I imagine he was thinking about being back in each other's lives.

As you can see by the none clarity of the picture, I didn't know how to use my camera very well [still dont--i finally start my photography class on Tuesday] but I still like the light circle around him and one of the reasons I loved this camera versus my digital cameras in the past is I love how it blurs the background. I'm not too good with photoshop yet, as far as just instinctly knowing what to do to make a picture look awesome but after hours of doing and re-doing this picture, I had to make myself just be fine with this final product!!!

Catch some more entries over at http://www.iheartfaces.com/

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Kush La Ad

Here is an example of a magazine ad I made for my teh store 4ever20 that will be in the September edition of KUSH LA magazine. It is a medical marijuana dispensary in Sherman Oaks. Where my graphic design skills come to life. I didn't know too much about graphic design before the store opened. I started learning stuff on photoshop shortly before they opened and was since then disgnated artist for the store as far as ads and stuff go. I mean it's free for them [for now] so of course they'd use me. And I get to start creating a portfolio with my work. Let me just say, it is so rewarding to see something I made into flyers that are being passed out, or IN A MAGAZINE [[even if the magazine is only seen by pot lovers]]. They even used something I made as a sticker for the store window and the sign hanging above the shop. It's really neat. Since then I have been asked by my friend to make flyers for the company she works for and my friend has bragged about me to others to make their ads for magazines. Hopefully I'll get to start making money off of all of this soon which is obviously my goal. Gotta learn a lot more so I can get faster at it now. Man the computer needs to start paying me for all the attention I give it. :)

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Fix it Friday: Angel Eyes

So being that today is Friday there was a Fix-It-Friday over at I Heart Faces. It is a picture of a precious little girl named Addie.

BEFORE.

When I saw the Before picture I immediately was focused on her gorgeous eyes. I knew I had to make them stand out and that would be the focus point.

AFTER.

I created a new layer and selected her eyes and changed the curve balance slightly up on the RGB and the B and G seperately. This alone gave her eyes this stunning crystal blue look. I also changed the brightness/contrast a little. I then flattened the image and used the healing brush tool on her cheek and under her eyes a little. I guess she had a black eye in this picture according to the blog but you could hardly tell. I then used the "Picture Perfect" action [my FAVORITE if u can't tell] to soften her skin a little and color pop her eyes. The action also made her skin lighter and brighter.

This picture was not named and after I edited it I thought she looked like a little angel so I named it angel eyes myself. I just love her crystal eyes.

Head on over to I Heart Faces and check out all of the other contributions.

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Photo of the Week: Jayden

This is a picture of my friend's daughter Jayden. She is almost two years old. I think she is just absolutely adorable. This is the very first time I got to see her in person. My friend lives in San Diego and I recently was living in Northern California so I never got to see her. Only pictures online which she never updated often. She looks just like my friend did when she was a little girl, except Jayden has these beautiful green eyes.

I took this picture in my friends backyard. Jayden was probably annoyed with me because I kept following her around with my camera. This picture is one of my favorties of her. Just so innocent looking.

I used the action "Perfect Portrait" from CoffeeShop to soften her skin adn bring out her eyes and of course write her name down the side. If you click on the picture you can enlarge it and see it better.

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