Bree's Critique

Long Hair. Beanie.

2012-01-05T15:42:00.000-07:00

Meet Dan. He has long hair (or used to, anyway). And a grey beanie that goes well with his shirt.

I created some portraits of Dan to commemorate his long locks before they hit the salon floor.

One more shot, in black and white.

Do you have an event, a hobby, or favorite hat that you want to immortalize? Contact me and we'll throw our hair to the wind.

A Little Gift from Me to You in 2011

2011-12-18T22:34:00.000-07:00

This December has turned out to be a month of renewed excitement for me. Every time I watch my 16-month-old son's awed face as he experiences the sights and sounds and wonders of the holiday season, my love for the holiday season reaches new heights. It is so cool to see Christmas through his eyes.

In that same spirit of joy and love, I want to give my readers a little holiday gift: your choice of a custom-sized wallpaper/screensaver - photo by me - for your computer. Choose one of the four options below, and then leave a comment with your screen resolution and email address and I will send you some digital holiday beauty!

Merry Christmas, and best wishes for a happy New Year!

Kristi. Firefighter. Bride.

2011-07-09T12:35:00.000-06:00

I had the opportunity to do the bridal photos for Kristi, a firefighter/paramedic, a month before her wedding. The photo shoot had everything that I could have asked for - beautiful weather, a beautiful bride who was up for trying anything, and killer locations. I shot in a fire station and on a runway at a commercial airport! Still giddy about that. (I guess the only thing that we could have added would have been to have some actual fire on the set, but I've heard that wedding gowns and flames don't typically get along.)

Here are the results from her bridal session:

People in the Parking Lot

2011-07-05T22:20:00.000-06:00

As I mentioned in my previous post, the other photo subject that you can usually find in an otherwise barren parking lot is people. Because I was at a photo workshop, the other participants were easily accessible for portraits (read: they couldn't really run away) and they were a little more tolerant of my camera aimed at them than a random passerby or visitor to the coffee shop might have been.

It started with Mr. Blue Eyes....

I was going to call him Ol' Blue Eyes (a nod to Frank Sinatra), but he might not appreciate the "old" reference and he might hate to sing. I don't know. But his eyes were definitely the focal point of this photo.

In a similar way, Eleanor's quirky glasses and the layers and texture of her scarf were what inspired me to create a portrait of her.

If I hadn't mentioned it, I'm guessing that you wouldn't have thought that this photo was taken in a parking lot with dead trees and trash and possibly Sasquatch in the background.

Anyway, as this portrait of the super-friendly Dan shows, a shallow depth of field and precise focus on a person's face can create great portraits in environments that are *ahem* less than ideal.

So, don't be discouraged if a photo-creating opportunity doesn't happen in the perfect place, or with a breathtaking backdrop, or during the most perfect light of the day. Sure, that is what photographers aim for, but if there aren't any other options, shoot anyway! Use your brain, move your feet, and see what you can come up with.'Tis better to shoot and practice then go home with an empty CF card, I say.

Interesting Things in the Parking Lot

2011-03-15T09:36:00.001-06:00

On Saturday I attended a photography workshop and was quite surprised to learn that the promised photo safari to an "undisclosed breath-taking location" meant walking out into a parking lot. We safari-ed about 30 feet. It looked like this:

Perhaps when the brochure said "breath-taking location" it was referring to the cigarette smoke from the patrons outside of the coffee shop.

Nevertheless, I had committed to be there and my son's babysitter was scheduled for 4 hours, so I figured I might as well try to make the best of a disappointing situation. I made the parking lot my creative challenge - how could I get great photos out of an area that at first glance held nothing but wire fences, cars, cigarette butts, and dead vegetation? What can you do if you're in a similar situation, stuck somewhere that feels like a photographic dead end?

Well, you can search for color....

Or you can play around with depth of field:

Or you can look for a scene that would convert well to black and white:

You might want to keep an eye out for texture and pattern...

I liked these canvas umbrellas so much that I decided they needed the macro treatment.

Perhaps by keeping your eyes open, you'll get a shot that combines lines AND color AND texture AND pattern:

What do you think? Do my photographs indicate victory over the parking lot?

Coming up, I'll share some more photos from that day of the other subject available in a parking lot: people.

Before & After - Thanksgiving Evening on the Beach

2011-02-23T09:17:00.002-07:00

What initially drew me to this picture was its wonderful "rule of thirds" composition - horizon line along the top third, kids on the bottom third. And the casual arrangement of the three kids on the beach was nicely balanced. But overall it was too dark and too uniform in blue tones throughout the picture, and subsequently felt a bit flat. I really wanted to bring out the feel of a sunset on the beach and the pleasant happiness of the kids.

My first step was to check the white balance of the photo, and by doing so the picture took a big step toward the warmth that I was looking for. Next, I adjusted the S-curve of the photograph to create the right balance of highlights, midtones, and shadows in the photo and I increased the contrast to a nice level. I then masked off the upper 1/2 of the photo from these tonal adjustments (I wanted it to look a little more "washed out") so that I could keep the focus on the kids and sand on the bottom half.

Next I ran a warming filter action and reduced the opacity until it represented what I felt was a nice, waning fall sunset at the beach. Lastly, I applied selective sharpening to the bottom third of the photo and it really helped accent the kids and the sand on the beach.

Here's what it looked like when I was done:

And a lovely side-by-side for your viewing pleasure.

Do you want your pictures to change from "How??" to "WOW!"? I do post-processing work to help give your photos the impact you were looking for. Contact me through my website for info and pricing.

Vultures vs. Squatters - UVU Parking Video

2011-02-20T11:02:00.007-07:00

From the sports-announcer-style narration to the simple yet quirky animation, I love, love, LOVE this video! It's the result of a graphics design class assignment (produced by Utah Valley University students Lauren Casper, William McCrery, and Audrey Moore) that gives both an enlightening and humorous take on a big problem on their campus.

UVU Parking Classic from Ray Elder on Vimeo.

Although the video was obviously intended for an audience of fellow UVU students who could relate to the parking lot drama (as well as the class instructor and ultimately, university administrators), viewers far removed from college life can enjoy this too. Like sports play-by-play? You'll like the video. Enjoy line drawing and graphic animation? You'll like it. Ever had to hunt for/wait for/fight for a parking spot in a crowded lot? You'll like it. Ever lost a spot to an *#%@ driver who won't look you in the eye while they steal the prize? You'll...well, you might not love the video, but you might have an ironic laugh or two, and you'll understand the message.

Bree's Critique: Terrific writing, good voiceovers, clear and effective animation, and a perfect mix of humor and commentary on a big issue. Bonus points for the creative and humorous "sideline commentary" on Vultures vs. Squatters, and the dangers of the Stalker strategy.

"Purse" Commerical - Foundation for a Better Life

2011-02-18T10:42:00.000-07:00

I've seen this commercial a few times recently, and I think it's terrific....until the last 4 seconds. It has interesting characters, a quick mystery, a happy ending with an important lesson, and looks cool visually. But the cops offering the kid a doughnut?? Seriously?!? The commercial is awesome without that tired old joke.

Check out the video here and see if you agree with me.

Bree's Critique: Terrific casting, great camera work, nice editing and color toning, good story and message, but the overused "cops and doughnuts" element at the end throws a sour note on the ad and should have been left out.

Before & After: Bubbles in the Sand

2011-02-07T19:36:00.006-07:00

Oh, what charm this photo had, just waiting to be uncovered!

At first glance, the bubbles caused by an outgoing wave seem to be the star of the photo, and they certainly deserve the attention... but look a little more closely and you'll realize that there just might be a co-star in this scene. Paging Bev Doolittle!

I decided that I wanted to lighten the overall picture and warm it up a bit not only to increase clarity for the viewer but also to help better portray the pleasant evening light that this photo was taken in. I started with a white balance fix, then tweaked the tonal levels in the photo. Next I increased the saturation of the orange colors.

I really liked the natural vignetting and decided to keep it intact. I finished off with a custom sharpening pass in Photoshop that really made the bubbles pop (pun intended) and emphasized the hidden visitor. Can YOU tell what it is?

The effects of my work:

And the side-by-side that you've been waiting for:

Do you want your pictures to change from "How??" to "WOW!"? I do post-processing work to help give your photos the impact you were looking for. Contact me through my website for info and pricing.

Before & After: Giggly Girl in Leaves

2011-02-03T20:11:00.012-07:00

When I first saw this picture, I knew right away that it was a great candidate for some post-processing work. The pattern of the leaves and the girl's plaid shirt, the detail in the grass, her wonderful gap-tooth grin and sense of enjoyment in the picture were great foundational elements. They just needed a little "oomph" and some directed focus to be all that they could be and make a bigger emotional impact on the viewer. With permission from the cute little model's mom (who took the picture), I got to work.

The first thing that I worked on was the blue color cast (a result of the picture being taken during the daytime and in the shade). I knew that by removing the blue and warming up the scene, the leaves would really stand out and overall there would be a better sense of the coziness of autumn.

Next I tweaked my saturation sliders to really bring out the color of the leaves without making them look fake.

I noticed that the overall appearance of the photo was a little dark, and so I increased the brightness a bit and then tweaked the S curve to further increase the highlights, particularly in the girl's face. I wanted her skin to have a nearly "blown out" look so that viewers would immediately focus on her cute grin. I used a layer mask to cover areas that I didn't want brightened as much as her face.

Then I ran a quick tinting action on the photo that reminds me a bit of the look of 70s film. The end result was a terrific green in the grass and removal of the remainder of blue in the girl's plaid shirt which I thought was too much of a distraction from her beautiful face.

Lastly, I increased the vignetting present in the original photo and did a custom sharpening pass on the photo to help define the leaves and give the photo a wonderful finish. Here's the end result:

And a look at the gap-toothed cutie, before and after:

Do you want your pictures to change from "How??" to "WOW!"? I do post-processing work to help give your photos the impact you were looking for. Contact me through my website for info and pricing.

Portraits of A.

2010-06-02T17:41:00.007-06:00

It's been a while, dear readers! An explanation might take too long to write and I already chastise myself daily for not blogging more regularly, so let's just move forward...

Here are a couple shots I created during a portrait session with A., who is cute and sassy and outgoing. I love both pictures...

Thanks for not being afraid to make faces at the camera, A! It was fun to work with you.

How to become a better photographer...

2010-03-08T16:22:00.003-07:00

whattheduck.net

Photographers CAN be fashionable!

2010-03-06T14:22:00.009-07:00

How do you recognize a professional photographer out on the street? By the khaki pants, multi-pocket cargo vest, casual t-shirt and a very big lens hanging around his/her neck, right? Oh, and how about the large black camera bag stuffed with equipment causing Igor-like posture?

For many years, that has been The Standard Uniform of Professional Photographers. Add a press pass and a monopod, and you've got a sports photographer. Add a floppy hat and a walking stick, and you've got a nature photographer. Add an assistant and a bunch of strobes, and voila! Commercial photographers.

This is probably still the standard dress for many photographers, and I'm not knocking that. But one-size-fits-all or one-style-fits-all doesn't work for everyone. Petite women like me do NOT look good in large cargo vests and I certainly don't want to leave my sundress, or my fashion sense, behind when I strap a camera on.

Fortunately, there have been some great improvements in both the functional and artistic design of photographic equipment, and more photographers are willing to break the code of black and khaki. Today I want to share my excitement for the growth of great design ideas for camera bags.... particularly camera bags for female photographers.

Wouldn't you know it? It took the women out there to look at your average camera bag and say, "We can really do something more with this!"

One new company, Epiphanie, shows great potential for providing camera bags specifically tailored to female photographers. Right now, creator Maile Wilson has three bags showcased on her website that could compete with any high-fashion bag or purse out there (minus the Paris Hilton-type pricetag). Plus, they have super-functionality! I think I like the Ginger bag the best. Although the Lola strikes my fancy for those days when I feel super-sassy...

This posting will serve as an official hint to my husband for a great anniversary gift.

Check out Epiphanie bags for yourself here.

Indoor Spring

2010-03-01T10:36:00.008-07:00

I am obsessed with thoughts of spring and summer. Seriously. It's as bad as a six-year-old waiting for Christmas. Visions of warm sunniness torture my days and makes me cry myself to sleep at night (kidding). Unfortunately, neither of these seasons has arrived yet in the area where I live, so I've had to find ways to bring green and flowering beauty into my life while the snow refuses to melt outside and temperatures stubbornly remain at 40 degrees.

About two weeks ago, I received a calla lily plant and I put it on my dining room table (good light there) so I could enjoy the beautiful pink flowers. Then, a few days ago, a strange thing happened. A white calla lily flower began to grow in the midst of the pink ones and then shot up Michael Jordan-esque heights in a very short period of time. Leader? Over-achiever? Vanity? Purity? It was an irresistible image full of fun metaphors, and I knew I had to shoot it.

I've made a series of images from that calla lily plant on the table in my house. Which is your favorite?

"Brothers don't shake hands, brothers gotta hug!"

2010-01-29T13:57:00.009-07:00

(Name the awesome movie that line came from.)

I am sharing the latest bit of humor from Aaron Johnson, my favorite photography cartoonist, that illustrates the negative experiences I was talking about in my last post.

Aaron is another person that I give credit to for helping me in my photography profession progression, because his oh-so-accurate comic strips have brought me much-needed laughs and relief from the stress of it all. It really helps that someone truly understands the daily struggles of the professional photographer, the creative blocks, and the, uh, quirks of potential clients.

So, a shout-out today to Aaron Johnson! Check out more of his awesome comic, "What the Duck", here.

I like nice photographers...

2010-01-21T18:38:00.010-07:00

I had the opportunity today to meet Kiera, a photographer in my area whose blog I have been following for quite a while because I like her work. If you check it out, you'll immediately see why. Kiera does great portraits that have a warm, funky feel to them (and I mean warm in the best possible way) and her kid shots are truly real.

Here is one my FAVORITE pictures that Kiera made (of her daughter at Halloween):

Awesome.

Anyway, what made meeting Kiera so great today was that she was nice, friendly, and open - a gal willing to talk and share about photography with another photographer. It is actually a rare quality, I've found. Many photographers out there are so scared that you'll take business away from them that they are as friendly as a porcupine with allergies. (It is an odd thing that I hadn't expected at all when I first got into the professional photography business.)

But Kiera wasn't a porcupine. And neither is Jen. Or Justin. (They totally rock, and I'll talk about them soon.)

Kick-butt vehicles....in fog

2010-01-07T21:05:00.004-07:00

Kick-butt vehicles in fog = gorgeousness! Awesome. Stunning, even. (I just love tossing vocabulary together in unexpected ways, like using "gorgeous" and "kick-butt" and "vehicles" all in the same sentence. It's fun.)

Those of you who know me well know that I'm a big supporter of the good men and women in law enforcement and public safety. As one of my service projects during the holidays, I shot one of the local "Shop With a Cop" events for free. It was a terrific experience, and one that probably would have brought tears to my eyes had I not needed them to be blur-free so that I could see through my viewfinder. ;-)

Even though I was shooting on assignment for a "client", I made sure to look out for personal work/fine art print opportunities. And I found a great opportunity as I watched a very long line of law enforcement vehicles drive through the early morning fog to the store where the kids and cops would shop. I've shared three of those prints on my website. (Here's a little preview, too.)

Officers! Deputies! Chiefs! These prints would look KICK-BUTT in your office! They'd look AWESOME! They'd look GORGEOUS! Contact me if you want a picture that will make you the envy of the department...

It's a new year and a new decade!

2010-01-01T17:05:00.004-07:00

Happy New Year 2010 to all my friends and readers!

I've been having fun reviewing various "Best Photos of 2009" lists and online galleries. There are WAY too many to share here (and I'm sure you've already found many on your own), so I thought that I would share one specific photo and then let you get back to your celebrations.

I actually hadn't seen this one published during the past year, and I'm bummed I didn't see it earlier because it is pretty awesome!! I love the colors and the contrast between them, the terrific dusting patterns, the shape of the toes and feet, and the subtle vignette. Any photo that can tell a great story using only the bottom 6" of a person's body gets two thumbs up in my book!

You can see more great photojournalism pictures here or do a Google search using the phrase "Best of 2009 Photos" or "Best Photos of 2009." Happy surfing!

Rose Print - Fine Art and Inspiration

2009-12-29T11:54:00.006-07:00

I've been looking forward to sharing my latest fine art print design with you, but I had to wait until after Christmas had passed because it was created specifically as a gift and I didn't want to ruin the surprise! But the 25th has come and gone, and the print was unwrapped and well-received, so here we go...

The quote (by President Abraham Lincoln) reads: "Die when I may, I want it said by those who knew me best that I always plucked a thistle and planted a flower where I thought a flower could grow." It was chosen because it was a very relevant and meaningful quote for the recipient.

Do you want a beautiful, custom-designed fine art print like this for your office or home? Choose your favorite photos from my portfolio and let's talk! If you want custom photography of your favorite place or subject, I can take care of that, too.

Toddler Birthday Card Design

2009-12-24T10:55:00.004-07:00

C. was so happy with the portrait photos that I took of her family earlier this month that she wanted to use one of the pictures of her son to send out as a 1st birthday invitation. I said, "Let's take the photo print idea one step further and make this really classy and fun!" And so I designed a custom invitation for C. that incorporated the picture that she was interested in using.

Here is my design (with personal information removed for privacy):

The best part? C. loved it, and she had some really cool, scrapbook-worthy invitations to send to family and friends!

B.&C. Christmas Portraits - Part II

2009-12-03T12:59:00.009-07:00

B & C's family Christmas portraits are now up on my website! You can view the images here. Warning: looking at these photos may cause an increase in holiday joy and involuntary audible exclamations of "Awwwwwww!" at your computer desk.

Still trying to figure out how I can get C's perfect skin and teeth....

B.&C. Family Christmas Portraits - Part I

2009-11-30T18:23:00.008-07:00

On the day after Thanksgiving, I had the opportunity to do a portrait shoot of a gorgeous couple and their baby boy, who is a clear contender for Gerber's Next Top Model. The shoot was inside of a historic mansion (think gorgeous architecture, but very, very dark inside) and had its share of adventurous moments, but I think the pictures turned out well. Both stunning AND adorable.

I will be posting these pictures on my website in the next day or two, so check back soon for Christmas family gorgeousness. In the meantime, here is a sneak peek:

New blog look coming soon...

2009-11-24T10:05:00.004-07:00

My apologies to anyone who may have come to my blog in the last few days. I hadn't visited myself in a while because I've been sick with a bad cold. So imagine my shock and horror when I checked in last night and saw this:

I can't say which hurts worse - my eyes from looking at that mess, or my sense of professionalism.

This episode was, unfortunately, out of my control. The designer who created the template I was using didn't renew her PhotoBucket account, from which all the graphics and pictures in my template came. And then PhotoBucket got its revenge. On ME.

Ugh.

Shiver.

So sorry about that. Come back soon and I'll have something fresh and interesting and non-sinister to look at. :-)

Shetland Ponies and Thursday Morning

2009-11-12T08:56:00.008-07:00

I thought we could all enjoy a few laughs this morning. Because it's Thursday. And it's 9:10 a.m.

Here's a blooper reel from my favorite Photoshop guys - Matt, Scott, and Dave.

Teen portrait fun!

2009-10-25T15:15:00.007-06:00

My new teen portraits are now up on my website! It was incredibly fun working with these girls, and I found each of them to be unique and beautiful. There was definitely no stuffiness or formal-ness allowed on our shoot, and I think that came through on camera. Thanks, girls, for letting me work on this project with you! :-)

Readers... check out the new pictures using the link above and then let me know what you think!