Before and After

So today I thought I would take a little time out and talk about my editing process. What? you ask? Yes, my editing process.  People are often shocked to find out how long it actually takes me to edit just one picture. Depending on the picture and the place and the people - one single photo can take up to an hour or more for me to just get it right. I am really picky and I like what I like. Sometimes I will edit a picture in many different ways and I will have to pick one. Thats really hard. With my current editing software it really makes things speedy and I am getting faster the more I get to know my style but all the same it takes TIME to do these things! I wanted to show you today a couple images that I am very proud of not only because I love them but also because they are good examples of how images start out and then how they end. The image labeled SOOC stands for Straight Out of the Camera. Then the final image is directly after.

So this image wasn't actually that hard to make look good because it started out so nice (if I do say so myself) but I still love it and its a recent favorite of mine. Now lets take a look at another one that I love so much from that same day.

So editing images is one of my favorite things to do! Sitting at the computer and listening to my favorite iTunes selections! Peace and quiet from family...well sometimes :)

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Soul Searching

Many years ago I came across this website called ClickinMoms. It was a place where moms with cameras could go and learn from each other and share their work. I immediately wanted to become a part of this but after doing a little research on the site I wasn't actually all that impressed and thinking I was "better" then that I quickly moved on. Plus to be a member it required money that I didn't have so, again, I quickly moved on and forgot all about it.
     The other day I came across a facebook comment from a fellow photographer that I admire. I do not know her personally but she said something that hit me in the heart. She said not to look at other photographers work so as to not compare it to your own and get down on yourself. Liking someone else's work is what I do best. Admiring others and wishing that I could be "as good" as them is really easy to do. It is really depressing when you then compare their work to your own work and you don't feel the same about yours! Well I am humble about my work and for that reason I have a hard time advertising myself and getting more business prospects because I have become afraid that I just won't match up to the others that are so great around me. Many people commented on this photographer's statement. After reading those I have come to the conclusion that you just can't get down on yourself for your own work because you are always growing and learning your craft. As long as you continue to grow you should be able to make better images each time. I still do a lot of research on my craft and I continue to learn new things every day. New inspirations and new loves :)
     Well after seeing this post on facebook I took a long look at my work and what I like about it and what I don't. The conclusion I came up with is that I don't like that I haven't had photo shoots with that many people to practice! This is no excuse though because I have two beautiful children at home and lovely family members that will allow me to take pictures of them anytime- right? Yeah right... :) Now back to ClickinMoms. I stumbled across the site again and I tell you its the same idea. It has the same offerings of membership and getting to know your craft better- forums and all that. The difference now is that they have another level of membership called CMPro. CMPro is a group of "professional" photographer moms that do this for a living. Wow. Just like me! But the membership is not guaranteed. You have to apply and actually be accepted by a panel of professionals. Hmmm. A $50 nonrefundable fee to apply and $100 per year to stay in the group?? Yeah I wish...Not only that it makes you second guess each and every picture that you would use to apply. Professionals looking at MY work?? Critiquing ME?? That would be awesome but because I don't have the funds to apply just yet I guess it will have to wait. Maybe one day. But that thought just gave me a little more inspiration today to take some photos that I wouldn't may have thought about doing before. I am trying to spread my wings and try new things. Soul searching really makes you think about your goals. Who-da thunk it?

The power of a photograph

It doesn't matter where its taken. It doesn't matter who it is of. Absolutely of no importance if you know the people or if you have been to the place. Sometimes a photo will just hit you as "special". It can be a landscape, a portrait, an animal. Doesn't matter. Sometimes you see a photo and you can't stop looking at it. I have a few of these in my collection. I love them. They mean something to me and I hope they invoke feeling in someone else too. Maybe I will share a few. Recently, by chance, I have come across a few articles on the web that talk about the power of a picture. Each article talked about a different feeling from each photo in question.  One man was excited to have pictures at all because he lost his wife in 9-11 2weeks after they got married. Wow. The pictures of his wife in their wedding meant a lot to him now. Another article I read was from a famous photographer that took pictures of his kids and how much it meant to him to take a particular photo of them in a special moment. Unbelievable. All it takes is one picture to remember what you were doing exactly at that moment and who you were with. Photos mean so much to so many people. We tend to forget that sometimes. It doesn't matter if the picture is "edited" or "developed" right. If it is important to you then it is important. Lets take a little time to remember that having photos taken aren't that "nagging thing you do at family functions" or that "annoying thing you do every year (if you're lucky) with your family so you have a new picture to hang up in your hallway. Each picture is a moment in time and I wish I could document every single one of them in my life. Ok...maybe not EVERY one- but close. How many times have you seen something and wish you could have "gotten a picture of that"? I do that at least ten times a day. Unfortunately I tend to never have my camera at those moments. I try to cherish the moments I do get on film and just try to do it as often as I can. What about you? When was the last time you had your photo taken? When was the last time you took a photo of someone you loved? Don't worry if it is not a great photo, don't stress over composition or location. The importance of the photo means more then just what you see...