Ode to Pomegranate

I know I've slacked off recently in posting. The fall semester is over and the holidays came way too soon. So when I haven't been running around like a chicken, I've been sleeping like a bear. With the new year only about a day away, I will most defiantly intend to add "keep up with blog" to my ever-growing list of resolutions. 

This was a photo of a lovely pomegranate from my final shoot in my studio lighting class. I have a small obsession with pomegranates. Oh how I love thee. 

Until next time...

Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year!

Twinkle, Twinkle

Even though I'm still struggling with whether I would consider myself a portrait photographer, every once in awhile I do take up the opportunity to take a portrait or two. And I find myself enjoying photographing babies the most. They are so sweet and pure and easy to work with (in my opinion anyways). I've always been a socially awkward person and with babies I don't have to worry about making small talk or being a "people person". Its easy just to say a few goo-goos and ga-gas and be a total fool around these babies who will only in return give you a big bright smile that's priceless. Not to mention it's pretty rewarding to be able to give the gift of capturing these moments that will last forever, to the proud parents of these children.

Little Star, Oh So Bright.

Displays of Affection

The end of the semester is near and I've been running around going crazy finishing my final projects. Here is one of my fairly recent photos from my studio lighting class. The assignment was to work with a shiny object. Using what I have and trying to be clever, I decided to empty out my kitchen drawer and bring forks.

With this image I shot on a light table with a light tent over head. Using multiple hot lights coming from the left, right, behind and under. Not to mention all the little reflectors that helped make these forks look extra shiny and spiffy. As well as using a gobo to create definition and to outline the curves of the forks. 

This was definitely one of my favorite shoots and I loved working with the light table. It amazes me how much work I put into such a simple composition. 

Oh the loveliness of forks.

Spoon Full of Sugar

Back in the studio again working with strobes, this time using hard lighting. I wanted a simple composition, with some help from my photo assistants I wanted to capture grains of sugar pouring into a silver spoon. I am relatively happy with this photo. The composition reminds me a bit of an umbrella with rain drops trickling down and bouncing off it's roof. And of course any mentioning of a spoon and some sugar reminds of dear o' miss Mary Poppins. 

Makes the medicine go down.

Daguerreotype

Just a few more of my favorite shots from my last shoot with Nataly. With this shoot I wanted to play with different poses and props. I used strobes. While editing I was really inspired by daguerreotypes (as if it wasn't obvious haha).   

Spooky 

99 luftballons

Recently I've been learning all about strobe lighting. It's such an amazing type of lighting to work with but oh so complicated at times! I'm still trying to get the hang of it. For my first shoot with using strobes, I wanted to play with capturing motion. 

With these images I wanted to have a bit of a dark whimsy in my model's appearance, her movements and poses, as well as the balloons themselves. 
In the first image, while mainly trying to capture just the pop of a balloon (and oh how this was harder to achieve than I could have ever imagined), I wanted the image to have a mischievous character. It's amazing that out of the 20+ balloon shots I attempted, only two actually captured the balloon pop. Despite the results, I had so much fun with this shoot and definitely would attempt this again. 
With the second image (with a little help from my friends) I had the balloons trickle down on to a dreary like miss N. I had a sort of "black celebration" in mind. 
The last image might be my favorite. I find it to be so delicate and beautiful with her body language and the single red floating balloon. 

The girl with the red balloon.      
 

A Wedding Story

Kind of recently (Okay like two months ago) I was a second shooter at a wedding. I'm still indifferent about how I feel about wedding photography. But I have to say as far as experience goes in general, no matter what, I always try to take up the opportunity when it presents itself. It has taken me so long to actually post some photos because frankly there was just too many to go through! (and I haven't had much time for editing or updating this abandoned blog of mine).  Heres just a few shots from the wedding, I have to say unfortunately I wasn't too please from my results and it's shame considering it was such a beautiful wedding. Photographing a wedding is definitely a whole 'nother ball game and I'm not sure I can keep up. All those people, the different shifts in pace, all those beautiful moments to catch! It can be quite overwhelming, oh the pressure! haha But with all rants aside wedding photography is a beautiful thing and kudos to those skilled photographers who are so successful at it. Possibly maybe one day I'll be able to be comfortable enough for wedding photography. 

Congrats to the Mr. & Mrs.