A bit about Operation Smile from their website:

It is one of the oldest and largest volunteer-based organizations dedicated to improving the health and lives of children worldwide through access to surgical care. Since 1982, Operation Smile has developed expertise in mobilizing volunteer medical teams to conduct surgical missions in resource-poor environments while adhering to the highest standards of care and safety. Operation Smile helps to fill the gap in providing access to safe, well-timed surgeries by partnering with hospitals, governments and ministries of health, training local medical personnel, and donating much-needed supplies and equipment to surgical sites around the world. Founded and based in Virginia, U.S., Operation Smile has extended its global reach to more than 60 countries through its network of credentialed surgeons, pediatricians, doctors, nurses, and student volunteers.

The Westwood School in Dallas is kind enough to let us setup on their campus every year and we provide free portraits of the kids, in exchange for a $24 donation to the cause.  For every 10 portraits we create, we raise enough money for one child’s surgery.

This year, we raised $2600 – enough to pay for almost 11 surgeries!  Definitely something to smile about!

Big, big thanks to everyone in the Westwood community who helped support us in this effort.  Looking forward to next year!

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Every year, we do free portraits to support Operation Smile.  For a donation of merely $25, we photograph you and give you the digital file.  No strings attached.  For every 10 we do, enough money is raised ($250) to pay for a child to have surgery.  What a deal!

Find out more here:  Celebration of Smiles

I guarantee you can’t watch the video and not want to help out.  Go on… I dare ya!

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If you’ve never entered photographic competitions, you are missing out on one of the best educational opportunities available.  It truly forces you to hone your craft and take your photography skills to the next level.

As a judge, it is also a great learning experience because I’m exposed to so many fantastic images over the course of the weekend.

You can learn more about image competition at PPA Competition Info.

Texans don’t get to see snow all that often!

While I was there, I had a chance to visit a little bit of Washington – including a beautiful drive from Seattle to Yakima.

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Several years ago, I started a YouTube channel to share tips on photography, Photoshop, etc.  It started out as just a fun project and just continued to grow.  Recently, the channel reached a crazy milestone – ONE MILLION VIEWS!

So hard to believe.  That’s over 2.5 million minutes of viewing time.

As I try to wrap my head around those numbers, it occurred to me that I need to post some new content.

If you’ve got some things you would like to see, post them in the comments and I will try to get to them when I have a free minute or two.  Gotta start pushing for the 2 million mark now!  

If you would like to check it out for yourself, be my guest!:  Lourcey Photography YouTube Channel

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WHAT IS IT?

Operation Smile provides free surgeries to repair cleft lip, cleft palate and other facial deformities for children around the globe. It is a wonderful charity that is able to make a HUGE difference in a child’s life. The Professional Photographers of America have teamed up with Operation Smile to present the Celebration of Smiles.

Since 1982, Operation Smile — through the help of dedicated medical volunteers — has provided 200,000 free surgeries for children and young adults born with facial deformities. Our work creates a lasting global impact. We train local doctors in developing countries and strengthen healthcare systems so more children in some of the poorest areas in the world can be treated.

But don’t take MY word for it.  I DARE you to watch this video and not want to help.  Really… I dare you!

HERE’S WHERE YOU COME IN!

$240 can help provide a cleft lip or cleft palate surgery. This surgery can change a child’s life forever and can take as few as 45 minutes. We will be offering mini portrait sessions at The Westwood School in Dallas on Tuesday, April 26 for a special price of $24 plus tax. We will take all the proceeds from the day and donate them to Operation Smile. For every 10 sessions we do, one child’s life will be forever changed! To show our appreciation, you will get a retouched digital file to print or share online!

If you will be in the Dallas area on April 26nd, be sure to stop by The Westwood School at 14340 Proton – just off Spring Valley and Midway.

DONATE ONLINE!

If you are not in Dallas- or you are busy on Tuesday – you are still in luck! We setup this page for people who couldn’t make it to the event- but still wanted to help. You can contribute in two ways: First off, we would appreciate any donation you can make toward our goal.  If you are just making a donation, there is no sales tax involved, you just make a donation:

$25 –  A portion of a smile
$125 – Half a smile
$250 – I’ll fix a WHOLE smile by myself!
$500 – Call me Superman – I’m saving TWO kids!!!

(we are just rounding up to  $25/250 to cover the Paypal fees and make sure all the money goes to the surgeries)

Also, if you can share this page with your friends and help us spread the word- that would be awesome as well!

Over the past few years we’ve raised enough money to fix dozens and dozens of smiles! This year, we have set our sights on 21 smiles. Its my senior year and I want to go out with a BANG!

I realize it is a very high goal, but we are hoping you will help us reach it. That would definitely make ME smile!

Thanks for your support!

Dean Lourcey
The Westwood School
Class of 2016

CLICK HERE to HELP

https://www.youcaring.com/ppa-charities-operation-smile-557737

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I’ll be doing a presentation tomorrow for the 2016 Digital Art Summit.  My program is on “Growing as an Artist” and there are plenty of other presenters doing some amazing programs as well.  You have the option of just purchasing my program or they have some packages that include multiple programs.

It is quite an educational bargain- considering the people who are offering the webinars.

If you are in the mood for some education, you might want to check it out!

Click here: DIGITAL ARTS SUMMIT

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world” -Nelson Mandela

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A few weeks ago, I was introduced to a new learning community called The Arcanum.   This thing is unlike anything you’ve ever experienced.  It is based on the Master/Apprentice concept where people sign up to be apprentices and are chosen by a Master to join their community.  The interaction and educational potential is incredible.  What you have is a group of like-minded people who are pushing each other creatively while supporting each other through the learning process.

According to their website:

Our Mission is to unlock the Creative Awesomeness within every individual

Art and creativity has a profound affect on our lives. We have more fun when we’re creating and sharing art. Life simply tastes better. We want to enrich the world by bringing more art and artists into it.

How cool is that???

You get one on one critiques from your master, in addition to constant feedback from your fellow apprentices.  On top of that, they have a fantastic library that is growing exponentially every day.  It contains tutorials, critiques and all kinds of other things.  More than your brain could even absorb!

I just completed the Master training process and have just started inviting apprentices to my group.  If any of you think that it sounds like something you would like to do, please send me a message on G+ or Twitter and let me know so I can look for your application.  I would love to include some of you in my community.  We are just starting out so it is a great chance to get in on the ground floor and shape the direction of the group.

Check it out and let me know what you think…

THE ARCANUM

Prepare to take your photography to the next level!

******IMPORTANT******

If you are interested in signing up, please contact me first so we can figure out if you are a good fit for my group and I can guide you through the process.

twitter:  @larryphoto or via Google+

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I just returned from Altanta after spending the week at Gwinett Technical College judging at PPA’s International Photographic Competition.  Every year, judges from around the country get together for a week to judge the best photography from around the world.  It is truly an exciting and inspiring week.

Over the course of the week, we judged over 5,200 images – then judged the top images again for the PPA Loan Collection.

There was live streaming of the judging and even an internet TV show – IPCLive.  In case you missed my appearances on there, I’ll see if I can find a link!  

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For those who don’t know, ImagingUSA is the once-a-year photography extravaganza, hosted by the Professional Photographers of America. This thing is HUGE with loads of great educational programs and a mind-blowing trade show.  If you are anywhere near Nashville, this is can’t-miss.  If you aren’t near Nashville, you should GET to Nashville.  It is THAT cool!

Senior Program

As if things weren’t exciting enough, I will have the great honor of being on of the speakers at this year’s convention.  I’m doing a program on Senior Portraits (program details) and can’t wait to talk shop with so many great photographers.  I will talk about how I approach senior portraits – and portraits in genera, for that matter – and walk you through my process.  I assure you, it will be educational AND entertaining.

Hope to see you there!

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This one has been in the work for months!  I’ve been photographing Skyler her whole life and wanted to include her in the series, we just kept running into obstacles.  We couldn’t decide on a cover, then couldn’t locate the right dress.  Finally, the stars aligned and we were able to recreate the cover of the Mamma Mia broadway soundtrack.  The album itself isn’t super well-known, but the fact that the image has loomed over Times Square for so many years certainly inches it closer to iconic status.

The Original

The original album cover is pretty simple.  The bride-to-be is in her wedding dress with a huge, laughing smile on her face.  The bride has a painted/texture type look to her, but the rest of the cover is a very clean, hi-key design.  The only thing needed is a model with the right look, a wedding dress and getting the same pose/feeling of the subject.  So here we go…

Our Take

For our recreation, the plan was pretty simple.  Skyler managed to borrow the dress and we photographed the scene on a high key background.  We played around with the posing a bit, but she pretty much nailed it!  From there, it was a matter of taking the image from a clean, photographic image, to a processed, painterly look.  After some basic tweaks in Photoshop, I applied some Topaz filters to get that softer, impressionistic type look.  I also cooled the overall image a bit to bring it more in line with the look and feel of the original.

All in all, I’d say we got pretty close.  It certainly retains the spirit of the original- which is what I’m shooting for with a lot of these covers.  Without question, it is going to be a stunning addition to the show in January.  Can’t wait!

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