Lens Flare Love

Oh, Lens Flare - how I love thee.

Sometimes called "light flare" or just "flare", it's a technique I learned in the very beginning because I was falling in love with every picture I found that displayed it. I started realizing that this was not an accidental, rainbows-and-unicorns type capture - this was actually a deliberate effect. And it was something that made every picture magical and warm... exude ambiance and presence. Like a warm hug overlaid onto the scene.

As I mentioned yesterday, I am in love with Carla Ten Eyck. :) She is one of those photographers that just gives me goosebumps and knocks my socks off with every session she posts. I just love the way she sees the scene before her, the way she uses the camera, her flash, the ambient light. She is a rock star in my world (ok, not just mine - she's a rock star to many people in this world!) and she has so much fun doing it. It's not just a job - it's a lifestyle to her! And it shows so magically in her work. :) She has taught me so many things about perspective... and using - no, rocking - what you have, that I am sure I have much of her influence in my work. (Side note: Mike gave me a mentoring session with her for Christmas - woooot! I am beeeyond psyched to work with her! Dream present, seriously!)

A few years ago, when starting to learn my mother's camera, I was online most of my kids' naptime, basically doing what I do now on Pinterest - looking for visual inspiration. Trying to find my style. Seeing what pictures moved me and trying to recreate what I really liked. Getting inspired, practicing, learning, getting inspired, practicing, learning. Lather, rinse, repeat.

And the day I found a picture with the phenomenon known as light flare, I was smitten. Probably not even the right word - immediately obsessed might cover it more accurately. This picture - again that I do not have! - was a profile shot of a bride and groom, enveloped in this warm glow that just elevated the picture from sweet to incredible. It was taken by Stephen Maloman, a Florida photographer whose work I love too - his is very masculine and modern. Even though I would probably not choose him for my own wedding photographer only because I think his more striking and minimal work would not fit my romantic, rustic and soft ideals (for a wedding), I love ogling his stuff anyway. Back then, he posted this picture I mention on his blog, and I immediately commented, like a crazy girl - something to the effect of... "HOW?" And he answered, "I honestly don't really know - I just do it." :) He did tell me that the effect was called "flair" (notice the spelling!) and it brought to mind the movie Office Space - the Friday's kind of restaurant that Jennifer Aniston worked for - how she needed "15 pieces of flair!" and it threw me for a loop. But it sounded somewhat plausible... you're certainly adding flair to the picture by capturing that light! LOL, I am such a dork... (which also reminds me of my sister, who at a very young age, who heard "Wind Chill Effect" - and thought it was "Windshield Effect", the temperature it feels like if you were out on your windshield, in the wind... Sorry, Beth - I figured if I was throwing myself under the bus, I wanted company! I love you. :))

Anyway, after a few weeks of finding this effect (not the windshield, the flare, lol) in many places from many different photographers who all did not know how they did it - I realized, 1. It's flare, not flair - so it basically means the way the light is flaring into your lens and dominating your picture. 2. It's not always desirable - that's why they sell "flare hoods" for your lenses, so the light cannot enter your lens in that way 3. I needed to know how to do this... I had it bad.

I also have to mention that many of these photographers lived in sunny and warm climates, and I started thinking that maybe, just maybe they were able to do it because the quality of light in Florida, say, is just so much warmer and present than here in often-gloomy Buffalo. I almost gave up!

So, one day, I just thought to myself and entered "lens flare tutorial" into Google, and I was presented with the gift of my biggest future inspiration, Miss Carla Ten Eyck. Because like the generous teacher that she is, she had just recently posted the exactly titled post, Lens Flare Tutorial on her old blog. How freaky is that? So, I clicked. And I learned. And I experimented, and I finally found out how to accomplish this feat of unimaginable beauty, thanks to Carla.

At the time, I tried to use my kids as models - but they weren't really good at staying still yet. :) So, my obliging and patient Golden Retriever, Cody, fit the bill nicely. And here are some of my early experiments with him. I would go out everyday at the famous "magic hour", the hour right before sunset, and snap away until the sun sunk below the horizon. It was late fall, so the magic hour was about 2:30/3:00, right about when the kids were still napping. This is like, Fall of 2008. :)

Here are some of my favorite examples of other photographer's work with light flare. Let me mention again, that some people do not like this - my husband thinks it washes a photo out sometimes and takes away from the vibrancy of the picture, others think it adds wonky color casts. I still adore it, and I love trying to capture layers of light when I do sessions or when I am just walking around the yard.

Maloman Photographers (he does an amazingly great job of keeping the crispness and the vibrancy with the warm flare):

   

 Visit Carla's tutorial above and also her site/portfolio for some great flare images! Here's one of hers I really liked:

Her tips from her tutorial:
"SO….

Time of day to me seems like the biggest overall connector: I don’t think I have gotten lens flare in the morning, or maybe I’m just not up that early shooting, is more like it!! So:
LATE AFTERNOON
LOW ISO
PRETTY OPEN LENS FOR THE BIG LORD OF THE RINGS FLARE
STOP DOWN FOR CRAZY TIME SHAPES
DIFFERENT LENSES YIELD DIFFERENT FLARE

AND MOST IMPORTANTLY…. SEE THE FLARE IN YOUR LENS!!"

ISO is the 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600 on the back of your camera - so you want something low, like 1 or 200. "Open lens" is referring to a low f/stop. The "f 4.0" on your display is your f/stop. Go as low as your particular lens will allow. At the time, I had my kit lens on my camera, so f/3.5 was the lowest I could go. I was experimenting with trying to get shapes to my bokeh (my light blur!), so when she says "stop down", that means increase your "f-stop" value. I was working in the f 18.0/f20.0 range for my hexagonal shapes! The lens I have on my camera right now goes down to an f/1.8. This low will give you that all-encompassing glow you see in so many of the examples above. Totally my favorite!

But! If you want the sun to look like a star... then you have to stop down to 18 or 20... or more, keeping your ISO low (1 or 200). Sometimes a very cool effect:

(you've seen this one recently!)

Have fun experimenting! I know I did... and still do! Every shoot, if the sun is out, I try to incorporate some flare somewhere.

Another very cool fact: lens flare is starting to become quite popular - if you look around, you just might see it in movies, ads, tv shows - I know JJ Abrams likes to use it! The new Star Trek movie is loaded with it, and just recently, seeing Super 8, I noticed he peppered it in there too... love!

Since I have learned how to capture it, I now know that light is one of the biggest reasons I love to photograph. Emotion is such a close second for me, but light is everywhere, all around us, in different qualities and colors, casting shadows and highlighting, shining through and glistening off - when you learn to see the light and how it plays with our surroundings, it's quite enchanting. The way it sets the red leaves on a fall tree on fire when you see the light through it, the way snow can twinkle like a million diamonds after a fresh snowfall, the way it casts a shadow of your son onto the ground next to him, simultaneously setting his hair aglow - light makes everything more dynamic, more ethereal, more exciting! And playing with light is so incredibly challenging and satisfying when you realize that you can manipulate it too!

The Raspberry

Texture is a very trendy thing to add to a photograph nowadays. I do know it is a very controversial tool in the photographer's bag of tricks! Some use it well, some overdo it, others think it is absolutely unnecessary. And everyone out there has a different opinion!

Me, I just like to play around with it! I love that it can take any picture and give it a completely different feel, depending on what you choose, if anything...and you can use several on one picture. It's an art form, and one I enjoy seeing others display and one I really enjoy working with. You can take up-close pictures of trees, concrete, the clouds, your hair, wood grain, basket weave, water, paper...do I need to go on? Everything around you has some kind of texture - so it's neat to overlay any kind of texture picture over an existing picture in Photoshop to see what happens. Plus, there are tons of free high resolution pictures on the internet from people all over the world that have offered them up for free use. Cool, huh?

I can see how some people don't like it at all...and I shied away from using more of it in the past based on some opinions...but since this is a learning journey, fun...and a picture of my kid...I figured I couldn't go wrong! :) I especially love what it can do to a mediocre picture, even though sometimes it can be way overdone.

This picture is of Cole....and Spaceballs lovers unite...he's giving me the raspberry. :) (I HATE raspberry!) hahaha, I just love that movie. :)

Here is the original picture...one I was practicing on him with the flash - it came out a little too bright, - it's still cute, but I thought I would play with it - and I think the added overlay texture (a high resolution picture of a blue leather couch, by the way!) gives the picture such an old-time kind of Polaroid feel - I'm liking how different it is from the original. But they will both go in his baby book for sure!

Tell me what you think! Love it or hate it, why? I would love to know your feelings on what it does to you. Texture is so controversial! Of course, I wouldn't do every picture like this, and most not even this obvious, but some just call out for...something to highlight the focus of each picture. Discuss!

Sunset, Sunrise

The new year is always bittersweet for me, one that gives me simultaneous hopes and regrets, a push to the future and a wistful look back at yet another year gone.

Thus my dilemma.

I have come to a crossroads in my life journey - one that will be displayed here as photography is one of those very roads. What to do? What to do? Soul-searching has been a constant "state of mind" for me lately.

I have stumbled upon this photography part of my life, just as I had onto motherhood - pure, sheer luck or.... fate - as one would have it. The triplets were certainly a surprise and an instant dive into the dirty deep end of parenting! Mike and I have fumbled and struggled (we still are!) but realize that this is our only chance at creating a life for the only children we will have (if we can control that one - the last time I said that, God laughed at me.... and then threw three kids into my uterus).

We want it to be the best it can be for them, an amazing childhood, a loving home, fond memories for the start of their story. I want to teach them the world, not have someone else do it for me! I want to be an integral part of that, for me and for them. I realize that home schooling their entire curriculum through high school would be a disservice to them, since I am not a certified teacher and they deserve to be social with others than just their frumpy old mom. But, I think...no, I know, that I want to home school their preschool years - I want to be the one that opens their little eyes and minds to the world outside our door - to learning the basics and beyond - together. Here. With me. While I can get it!

I have often thought I would make a good teacher of early elementary kids...now I know I can be a good teacher of my own kids for this time. That is why I was given the ability to interact with young children well, but why I never chose to use it as a career? I can see why God has given me this ability, and I plan to use it full force on my children...God help them. :)

But, I can also see my limitations will begin just as kindergarten starts, so I will take these next two years to mold my kids into learning, loving readers and artists and mathematicians (right) who will want to soak up all there is to learn about the world, about people, about themselves - about what the world could do for them and what they can do for the world someday. I want to guide and shape their senses in a way that they keep them open and know that learning never ends, that there is always more than one perspective and that humility is the key to making the world a better place. All that and more!

My kids are my world right now, and I need to focus on that world for the next two years with the most ferocity that I can muster. It is all I will get and I intend to make the most of it.

That's where the crossroads comes in....

A year and half ago, when we lost our German Shepherd Ruger, my first baby (truly), one morning I woke up, almost with a start, seemingly with a message delivered through the mourning of his loss, from him (or Him), or both - that my purpose other than being a good wife, mother and family member was to make a passionate career out of photographing animals just like him. To spend time with the people that loved those animals as much as I loved Ruger - to make the most of the time I had on this Earth mean something, and that meant capturing the spirit and love and connection of these people and their beloved pets. It was so clear! I loved to take pictures, to see the extraordinary in the ordinary and I loved animals so much I had been constantly searching for a career immersing myself in their presences. That morning was incredible - finding out in an instant what you were meant to do is humbling to say the least.

Exhilarated, I realized I had a lot of work ahead of me. I still had to learn how to take those pictures. Technically, I had never used a complicated camera - and logistically - I didn't HAVE a complicated camera. But I knew that I could do it, if I set my mind to it. Somehow.

The triplets were about a year and a half old at the time, I was a full-time stay at home momma, and so we were shy one half of our income, and running at 3 times our normal (pre-kid) expenses. Hmm.... Luckily, my mother had a complicated camera she was willing to let me borrow (hijack) for a very long time...and I devoted all my free time to scouring the internet for resources, how-tos, inspirations...and then applying them to the awesome said camera. It took a lot of time to master the basics, but I think I did - always learning, though! Throughout the year, I had a few willing (shy!) participants step in front of the camera for me to practice and that practice was invaluable - since I realized that part of the reason I loved to photograph was to photograph people as well...

I realized I loved to photograph emotion. Emotion is so awesome to see and even more wonderful for others to see it in a photograph I took. It makes me smile and giggle with glee and sometimes even cry every time I know I have captured the essence of a person, of a relationship, of an animal - and to give that to someone is my best reward.

I also learned that I love light.

Light to me is a presence in a photograph. I love capturing the sun/other lights in ways that make the picture take on a new dimension. It enhances, it helps characterize, it stands on its own - it warms, it sparkles, it glows, it twinkles...so many different qualities to impart. But it is a presence to me! It may seem silly or New Age-y, but I like to think that when I capture light in a photograph of someone, that it is the spirit of Ruger, letting me know he is there, and that he approves of my new venture. That he is there is all I need to know, and another reason for me to never stop including it.

Emotion and Light! That about sums it up. I have learned a lot in the last year - and even though I had hoped to have a standing, functional business by now (it was a goal for me last year), I am glad about the way things are shaping up. I need to learn more before I am comfortable charging money for what I do - I am solid and firm about this, regardless of what my wonderful supporters are telling me (I love you guys).

And now that I know I am solid in my desire to home school preschool for the next two years, I am at a crossroads between family and business - isn't it always the way?! :)

I know that I want to do both now, but now is the time to teach my kids - and in two years that time will be over. The photography will still be there, conveniently at the time I would need to go out and get my day-job back. :) Sweet.

So, the plan - after much soul searching - is to continue on this path - of technique and form learning and continually searching out my "style", of becoming more comfortable with the idea of calling myself a photographer. Of photographing "Ruger's light" in the most beautiful way possible... But also of learning about what I love to capture and trying to give people that gift, if only I can.

Teach my kids and be the best momma ever...first. Then photography world...look out!

So, to the title of my post: the opposite of the supremely depressing song I hear at every funeral... I took these pictures in the late summer across the street in a beautiful field watching the deer go by, sitting on the quad, sucking up the warm late summer air....I am such a country bumpkin...and I LOVE it. These are my faves, symbolic and serene.

I want this end to 2009 to be a beautiful sunset followed by a glorious sunrise of 2010. Both years equally great and the light from both to be my guiding force. Thanks again, Ruger - I miss you, babe.

Just a note: I have really thought about this, and since I have so much I want to concentrate on to make myself whole and ready in/for the next few years, I will not be taking on any new shoots this year. I have some learning opportunities already set up and so much to do - so if you are looking for a pet photographer or a portrait photographer, I can recommend a few whom I really love in the area! Hopefully next year, I will have the time available to make myself available - and that will really be great. :)

Please feel free to leave comments on my learning selections over the year, in fact, I would be honored to hear your voice! I will still be posting as I learn, and I still have a backlog of sessions done in the fall, so I will be here - I hope you keep along with me on the journey!

Holy Crow!

I had no idea that it has almost been a MONTH since my last post....

I have been so incredibly busy working shoots, post-processing them and being a full time mommy that I hardly noticed the passage of so much time...

Thanks to all for being so patient! "Clients", readers, whoever you are and why you are here, you deserve a teaser! So, I will try to do just that tonight after the day's end... Teasers from all my latest projects and some insight to what I am loving about what I am learning - about photography, about myself, lots of learning.... :) Stay tuned!

Here are three, just for making the journey - and check back tonight for more! Happy Day!

Little E, a beautiful tiny little dancer.... so sweet. :)

A Few New Things

Well, if you haven't noticed the new blog header, I have been playing around with a few needed upgrades around here! I guess upgrades, in my opinion, means "prettier"... ;)

Though, I have been wanting to create a logo for the business, so this was my first attempt - yet another way to play around in photoshop! I do like this one and am thinking of keeping it - let me know if you like it! It's a logo for printing onto all of my paperwork, cards, business paraphernalia, etc...but it's also a way to watermark my web/blog/portfolio pictures. So, it should make a statement! Here's a little put-together of Riley and that red door again, one in color and one in black and white, both with the new logo.  I thought I'd showcase both because they are so different, and they also display the logo a bit differently as well. What do you think?!

Favorites

Going back through all of my pictures over the last few months, my learning period before the snow hit and the lucky few I have gotten inside recently, I wanted to share some of my favorites that have never made a post.  

I separated them into categories, grouping them into themes to make them visually more appealing..and because I'm a nut.

What else have I been up to?

I have been revamping some wedding pictures of a friend of a friend, trying to give her a different and fresh take on her existing pictures.  I am learning a ton, thanks to her, in photoshop - which is right where I should be in my learning phases! Hopefully, I will get to share some of the storyboards and my interpretations of her pics with you here sometime this week. 

My most recent goal is to learn the flash inside and out and decide on the best gear to purchase when the time comes to purchase.  The web is seriously my right hand man, my cliff-notes in this learning journey...how did people ever learn an iota without it? ;)

Plus, I have been seriously thinking about possibly maybe someday getting into couples shoots. There is something in the love of a couple, capturing the special moments, the snuggling, an engagement ring, the thing that connects them, whatever it is...that keeps me up at night. Seriously.  I need to get a life.  I can't sleep because I am thinking about taking pictures of couples?  Yikes.  I've got it bad.  I keep thinking about my garden out back and the barn and the different kinds of shots I could get - and it makes me shiver with excitement.  Grow, plants, grow!  I can't wait. ;)

Anyway, enjoy...and let me know if one jumps out at ya.

Light Show

Ok, so this was a lesson I really wanted to learn. It's called "Lens Flare." It's usually not a desired effect and most camera blogs will tell you how to avoid it. But, as much as any other "rule" of photography, it can be broken...and beautifully.

I came across this beautiful picture from Stephan Maloman and that was it... I fell in love with the lens flare effect. I asked him how he did it and, as most photographers will agree, he didn't really know how to tell me...it's just by "feel". I struggled trying to imitate it and flopped miserably.

Then, I came across Carla Ten Eyck's blog about Lens Flare, an actual tutorial! She is the best. She tried to identify a common denominator when it comes to getting lens flare (she loves it and captures it all the time!) and that was the beginning of my new obsession. I went out that day to play in the sun. I also found another tutorial on how to make the sun (or any light for that matter) look like a starburst, and I combined this effect with the lens flare. Here are my picks for the best shots I have gotten so far in the learning process.... I divided the posts into groups, since there are so many. I had so much fun with this and hope to incorporate it into future client sessions!

Phase 2 - Post Processing

Hi everyone!

I know it's been a while since I have posted any learning...B landed in the hospital for a few days and all three have been sick forever! I have a few more lesson pics I need to get up, but I really think I am ready to move on... I have learned and have been practicing the camera in manual mode, and I think I am pretty comfortable with it. I have been able to play with some very cool creative techniques as well. It's time! Cross Phase 1 off my list!

Now, on to Phase 2!! Learn everything there is to know about Photoshop and its Actions. Basically, learn how to fix, enhance, change and save photos with any kind of post processing out there. This is going to take a while...

Adding textures is my first self-imposed lesson, and as you can see by the new textural header pic, I am a work in progress. I plan to add other pics to the sides, to cover some of it up, maybe add a few paw prints, etc... so it will get better as I get better...I hope. ;) I added a mossy tree bark texture behind Cody, but I'm not sure it was the best one to pick. Oh, well. I have to start somewhere...Stay with me!

By the way, some of the phases will overlap...such as Phase 3. I will be embarking on that this week, long before Phase 2 is complete. Just FYI, in case you were wondering. ;) I have two pretty horses lined up, a grouchy, yet sweet cat with attitude, and two very rambunctious black dogs. All challenges I am hoping to overcome; black dogs are tough to capture, being so dark their features get lost easily, two active dogs is a challenge, a cat with attitude - any explanation needed?, and horses intimidate the heck outta me. I love them, I think they are the most gorgeous creatures on this Earth...but wow, they are big...and I never know what they are thinking. All very good lessons and practice sessions for me. I'm excited!

Later today, I will post some of the pics I have been promising...the Light! The Action!