Photoshop Elements is mine!

My birthday was yesterday and my Sister graciously purchased Photoshop Elements 9.0 for me.  I spent most of the day playing with my new toy.  I enhanced some photos of my good friend Carie and her son.  I think the ones I've modified turned out pretty good.  The only way to really find out is to print them!

A photography workshop with Val Westover

On Saturday I took a photography class with Val Westover.  For those interested this is his website - http://www.valwestoverphotography.com/.  The workshop included 4 hours of lecturing and 2 hours of actual practicing.  Both were fantastic.  I learned how to adjust the light meter so people don't appear blurry.  I learned how to really utilize my camera properly.  And, if I'm feeling really ballsy I can put my camera on Manual mode and control ALL aspects of the camera!  I am including some shots I took from the workshop.  None have been touched up, but I think these look pretty good without it!

We took photos at the La Hacienda, a beautiful park at The Buttes.

I was trying to make the color exact.  I think it turned out really well.

I love it when the background is blurry.

A farmhouse... look how blue the sky is in this photo.

Val Westover running like the wind

My first action shot that actually turned out.

Run Stephanie run!

Stephanie Adriana running slow enough that I could capture her.  Unfortunately the background isn't blurry. 

Val Westover and Stephanie Adriana 

The goal was to make my skin tone NOT look pasty white.  I think I accomplished it!

Look how blue the sky is!!!

What I want to be when I grow up...

I've been trying to figure out what type of photographer I am or want to be.  This morning I think I finally figured it out.  I like to photograph life as it happens. I don't want to add extra elements that didn't already exist to a photograph using Photoshop.  The only thing I want to do is enhance the natural lighting so the photo looks even more beautiful.  I don't want my clients taking photos where they look unnatural.  Why would they want to keep those?  I want them in the moment doing whatever it is they were doing at that time. Now that I know that, taking photographs should be even more fun.  My models just have to act natural and do whatever they would be doing normally.  Sometime that's hard.  I know when my husband and I too our engagement photos it was weird and awkward because we knew someone was watching.  Eventually we got the hang of it and my favorite photo from that session was one of the very last ones taken.  Below is a photo that Justine Miller took of us at the Boojum Tree in North Phoenix.  That is one of the greatest places to take photographs because each part of the building is different... oh and it's outside!!!

In any case, we blew up this photograph to an 8x10 and it sits in our bedroom.  This is what I want to be able to do.  Capture real moments by real people while they're happening. Hopefully I'll be able to make that dream come true!

Portrait Session with Mrs. Briggs

I was honored to be asked by my good friend Jacquie if I would take some photos of her Mom and some of them together. I haven't had much practice with sit-down sessions, so I said YES immediately! Her Mom just got a new haircut... and looked SMOKIN' if I do say so myself... and she wanted to take some updated photos. I think she might be using one of them for an article she writes in the local paper... or maybe I made that up. We took some gorgeous photos at Discovery Park in Gilbert. Unfortunately, my Photoshop program isn't behaving, so I will have to wait to enhance the photos. (Fingers crossed Santa brings me Photoshop Elements under the Christmas tree!)

First actual photo shoot... a success!!!

I can't believe it.  I scheduled a photo shoot and it actually happened.  No one canceled on me and Mother Nature tried to interfere, but didn't succeed.  On Wednesday I drove up to North Phoenix to visit my girlfriend and her newborn.  It rained most of the day, but the clouds parted just in time for us to start taking pictures.  We had a great time and I'm pretty sure her son is going to grow up to be a model.  He knew just what to do each time the camera clicked!  I haven't had a chance to enhance the photos...rather... attempt to enhance the photos, so that is this weekends fun.  Just for giggles, these are some of the best un-touched photos that I took.  Enjoy!

Photos from North Carolina

Ok, I really need to do a better job of updating my photo blog.  How else am I going to get better if I don't constantly take photos and post them?  Over Labor Day Weekend I was in North Carolina visiting my best friend and her family.  We had a great time relaxing and enjoying each other's company.  We don't get to see each other often so this trip was much needed (many thanks to my husband for buying the ticket!). These are some photos I took while vacationing with them for a few days.

It's been a while since my last posting.  We went to Wisconsin to see my family-in-law and had a great time.  Mother Nature kept us there an extra day so at least we got to relax before coming home.  I was supposed to take engagement photos of my future sister-in-law and my brother-in-law but plans fell through and it never happened.  I was able to capture my nephew's 4th birthday and we got some great shots out of it.  Thanks for looking!

My big practice session for photographing people was cancelled so I had to practice taking action shots of my husband, sister, and her boyfriend while they swam.  My first big engagement photo session takes place next week in Wisconsin.  My brother-in-law and fiancé have asked me to give my camera a whirl and take some photos of them.  I am nervous and excited about it.  Hopefully they turn out well!  Here are some photos of my family swimming in the pool with our puppies.

My sister and Herc

Colby diving into the pool

Brinkley stealing a sip of Brad's beer

The rock waterfall

My sister twisting off of the diving board

Colby flipping off the edge

Sisters

An artistic photo of my husband