Saturday, December 10, 2011

Editing

Today's post is meant to be informative and educational, and not just a bunch of pretty pictures!!

I wanted to let you in on a little behind the scenes activity that goes on after the camera shutter has snapped.
If you have been reading here at all you will have already heard me say many times that I am in the business of creating works of art...not just snapshots! 

Each and every final image presented to my customers for purchase has gone through a rigorous set of adjustments to get the look just where my artistic eye says it belongs.  

Some images are intrinsically harder than others. 
I have an example for ya! 

This is a shot I took at a wedding a few weeks ago. (I bet you recognize this beautiful couple don't ya?)

That image is SOOC (remember that is our photo lingo for straight out of camera).  It isn't cropped, adjusted, pushed, pulled...nothing!! 
Now you might look at it and be thinking...okaaaaay, so what is wrong with it? 

Well it isn't so much that there is something wrong with it, but more that there could be things that could be more right with it!



I knew right away how I wanted the final image to look, and knew just as quickly that I was going to have to outsource this one to make it happen.  It is good to know your limitations, but even better to know just the right person to help.

I got in touch with my amazing friend over at Sweet Tea Enhancements and asked for her professional help on one part of this image...the iron scroll work just behind the couple.
It is distracting and busy, and I just didn't want it in there taking away from their faces.
(People say all the time...hey can't you just photoshop that out?  Well, yes you can if you happen to have that program, I don't!!)
Here is what she sent back to me...
...which is exactly what I'd asked for.  She knew I would want to work on the rest of the image myself!! 
Thanks Rachel, for your work! 

I was pretty excited at this point to finish out my vision for this piece.






 








Sharpen here, highlight there, brush, vignette, soften, enhance...I almost feel like a santa's helper working so hard this time of year.



Then, just for kicks I made it a square!  Ohhhh, ahhhh who doesn't love a 5x5???

Well, there you have it! 
Just a little peek into my edit process.


Blessings to you,
Jennifer

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Family of Four

We went into this session with a ton of different goals in mind, and I am pretty sure that we accomplished them all. Woohoo!! 




It is amazing what you can do in an hours time, even with a very busy, little guy in the mix. 



Songs were sung, 

sticks were wrangled,
 
and kisses were given. 


















 All a part of just how this family relates to each other, and the world.




This is my ultimate favorite from our whole time together...big deep sigh, seeing all that love in one place!!



















  



Makes me melt a bit...how about you??

 Blessings to you,
Jennifer