Out of my Comfort Zone

Some people love adventure, the thrill of the unknown, going into uncharted territories, exploration.....yeah, not me.  I've noticed that I tend to be a homebody by nature, love routine, and the comfort of consistency.  However, routine does not an interesting photographer make, nor does it force you to think out of the box, explore composition and angles, and basically, just shoot outside of the backyard.

As part of my work to further my photography skills, take great and interesting images, and get out and meet new photographers, I participate regularly in "Meetups" from Meetups.com.  It's free to join, and you can connect with all sorts of different types of groups, in a variety of topics - everything from cooking to photography to Scrabble groups.  You name it, someone out there is probably running a group for it.  Once you connect with groups in your interests, you can participate in lively discussions, and attend meetups.  Some are free, some are a nominal charge, and some a little more for more structured type learning experiences.  I have met so many interesting photographers, from all walks of life.  Some less experienced than me, and some that I literally could worship for their knowledge and expertise.

These meetups aren't easy for me - my anxiety level is high at the start of every one.  What if they are all professionals, talking over my head?  What if they are all "weird?"  I'm happy to say, every experience I've had thus far has been extremely positive.  I LOVE the fact that attending these meetups forces me out of the box, both in meeting new people, and in photography location and composition.  For instance, a little while ago, I went on a meetup where the photographers (there were 7-8 of us) met at the Rosemont "L" station, and rode the blue line downtown, getting off at various stations to take pictures before hopping back on the train.  The day finished with a crossover to the red line, lunch in Chinatown, and then back to the blue line and home.  Despite being the only woman at the meetup, I felt quite safe & secure with the "guys" and had a great time learning from all.  It's really something to watch other photographers working at their craft - sometimes, I would watch someone kneeling, bending over, twisting sideways to get that perfect shot, and it forces me to "see" what they are seeing from a compositional standpoint, and really step back and pay attention.

Okay, enough of my blabbing - on to the images!

During the day, we crossed paths with a couple of "performers" at some of the underground stations.  I had the most fun photographing them.  I am thinking I may start hunting the subway regularly for others and start creating a personal collection, maybe call it "Subway Singers" or something like that.

 A few more favorites..........

As always, you can see more of my photography work on my website: www.mtsphotography.zenfolio.com

Time to Show Off (a little bit)

Ah, my friend Photoshop.  How I love thee!
I know I've blogged before about Photoshop, and how although it is a great tool, it shouldn't be a substitute for taking correctly exposed and balanced images in the first place.  It is, however, the most awesome platform for an artist to play with some fun images.  I have been taking online Photoshop classes to learn more about what is possible, and how to go about making just an average image into art.
Take the below image, for example.  I recently attended a concept photo shoot entitled "The Miserable Moulin Rouge Dancer."  Kasia, the model, is just drop-dead gorgeous (oh those legs!) and she is talented, too - she even made her own dress!  This was such an exciting photo shoot - we had two models, and even an MUA (photographer speak for "make-up artist" and hairstylist).  Her name was Christin Connell, and she is such an artist with her make-up talent.  Check out more of her work on her Facebook fan page HERE
The original image is rough to start with.  Off kilter, the wall, stool, and stand from the spotlight are all revealed on the left.  It's not a bad exposure, it's in focus, and well-lit.  Problem with that is, this is supposed to be a "dark" feeling type of image, and this just isn't going to cut it.

 What's a photographer to do?  I want a dark, dramatic piece of artwork highlighting Kasia's expression.  So I start with a good "crop" of the image, cut out all that junk on the left, and then clone, brush, and transfer some of the background to cover that exposed yellow wall.
Do you see that errant gold pump by her right foot? Yeah, I do too, and it's a big distractor to the image, so that's gotta go.  Then the whole image needs some heavy "burn and dodge" as we say in photographer speak, which is a fancy way of saying "lighten and darken" the image to make it feel more dramatic, and control where the light brings the viewer's eye.  Then I sharpen that photo up, add a nice canvas border, stamp it with my signaure, and VOILA!  You get the below piece of art - it's not just an image anymore!

 I hope you all enjoy a glimpse into my artwork! Give me a call or email me at mtsphotography1@gmail.com and let's talk about making a work of art with your family and/or pets for your wall at home!  Check out more of my images on my website at www.mtsphotography.zenfolio.com