Dude Shoot

It's a relief to have these done! I took some pictures of my friend downtown at the library a week or so ago. I haven't really been able to get that much practice taking pictures of men by themselves. It's different when they're with a woman. A man automatically looks more manly standing next to a girl. He's the rock. He's the thing that compliments the woman's beauty. He makes it okay for her to be as pretty as she can be. And when you're taking pictures of a couple, there's sort of a story going on. As the photographer, you're sort of telling the story of their love, or something like that. But when you're taking pictures of an individual--at least, when I take pictures of an individual--there's something else to it. You have to come up with the story all on your own. And I've done that with girls... but a guy? Ugh. It was hard. Let's be honest. I was nervous, and excited, and and worried that none of the pictures would turn out. And let's be even more honest--a lot of them didn't. But I think enough turned out :) And no one has to see the bad ones, right? That's what counts, haha.

Link to the album in case you can't view the slide show:

Elijah Finals

In the last two weeks, I've discovered some cool features on Photoshop that have really helped at depth to my pictures. I started adjusting the exposure and color levels on the person and the background together, and then on the background separately. I've always messed with the background on its own, but never the levels, and I've been very happy with my discovery :) I'm sure lots of people already know about that and LOTS more things that I DON'T know about. But I like that I found it. It has let me find the right skin color, and really make the person pop--and then make the background the colors that I want it to be. Most of the time.

Editing for me is interesting and engrossing. I always get caught up and spend way too much time. It sort of makes it so I actually don't want to get started a lot of times because I know I'll lose track of time. Two of my sessions I had scheduled for last weekend had to be rescheduled because of the rain and snow--which sucked, but is also probably good so I have more time to do normal things. I haven't been spending as much time with my family, and doing normal things around the house as I would want to. So this week it's probably a good thing I only have 1 session I'm editing. And I'm taking a break next weekend so I have lots of time to get ready for my brother-in-law and sister-in-law's baby shower.