Do you have sometimes this idea starting in your head, very vague and not well formed. And you let it grow, you think about it from time to time, maybe even draw it or try to work on it in photoshop?

I had this never really fully satisfying feeling about my logo. I liked it, it sort of showed the soft feminine side of my photography along with hard technical part of it (which I love too!).

And finally last night I had opened the above file, looked at it and started moving things around.

Cropped that,removed something else, put it back on, re sized it, replaced it, changed the font…

Creative process for me is all about trying  and checking if it works.

And after all these tests- I came up with this version:

So?

What do you think?
Any feedback?

I will appreciate ALL comments on that!

Related posts:

1. New Design!
2. Music photography- Night Prowler, local ACDC tribute band

DaWanda is online shopping venue, with handmade products. Its headquarters is in Berlin, Germany.
Couple of years ago I had set up an account with DaWanda, but never really got involved pass that.

Until now.

Recently I re-opened my shop on European handmade selling website: DaWanda. My shop is still small and I am adding new prints to it- as we speak!

It’s a little bit different platform, a little bit different shopping experience and- the prices are in Euros!

Take a look! Maybe European arts and crafts are going to suit you?

Related posts:

1. Get Ready for SparkCon!
2. Too hot for outdoors show

This past Saturday, amid triple digit high temperature few of us crazy photographers gathered on NC state campus to enjoy the photo walk, part of action initiated by Scott Kelby and happening as a Worldwide Photo Walk.

For me that was first time participation and I am happy I was able to participate! Gained not only some extra suntan, but also I was able to discover some nice sites around the NC State University campus. Like the tunnel with crazy painted wall, or the strange structure that even though it’s parts are set far away it can enable sound to go with some enhanced strength or something. Very cool! My husband explained that a little bit to me, but I am still behaving like it’s magic and not physics

There is already a flickr group for our shots. Mine are going to be added soon, as I am still working on them- and after that of course just keep your fingers crossed, so maybe I can win the contest?

Anyway- more to come on that!

And if you, my dear reader, was hesitating about joining nice meetup like the photo walk- don’t hesitate anymore and discover the fun of sharing, networking etc!

Related posts:

1. Saturday walk with my lensbaby
2. Presenting: 2010 Photo Desk Calendar
3. Photo a day- Project 365 for 2010.

Last week, against the hot weather I met with Ms Jennifer and her sons: Eric and Brett at small playground in Cary NC.

Eric, who is going to be soon well known actor, was my main model for photos you can see below. So remember his face- one day you will him in one of those great and very popular movies and you will remember you have seen him before!
We had fun photographing (me) posing (Eric) and talking about summer vacation, acting plans (both of us).
It was fun and hot weather did not keep us from enjoying the shoot!
More photos can be seen on my portfolio page!

Related posts:

1. Portraits at JC Raulston Arboretum!
2. Updated Portfolio
3. Photo a day- Project 365 for 2010.

Recently I was asked by my friend to recommend for her digital SLR.
Until now she was using compact Canon Powershot A720, I think. And it’s been working fine for her and her husband.
But just recently their family got bigger- new cute member is the reason they are looking towards upgrading. They are looking for something, that can offer better quality and of course the speed, that can keep up with their little son’s adventures in near future.

Following the same thought process, as I described not long ago in my post about choosing the right camera for your needs and skills I recommended couple of models for them to take a look at: Nikon D5000 and Canon T2i.

Now, I specifically left the Nikon d3000 out of the question for one reason- I got asked about live view and the question carried the stress on- maybe it is important feature?

That question has made me think about- how important is the live view in dSLR camera?
And I can already answer to myself- well, that depends from the user!

Myself- I have been using dSLR camera offering live view for a little above year and a half. How many times I have used it? For shooting (composing frame etc)- twice!  The first time, when I first got the camera, got it out of the box and wanted to check out almost every setting and option it offers. Second time I used it past winter, when taking low angle shot. I would be able to take that show without using live view, but I will admit- I didn’t want to lay down in col, wet sand.
So myself I am not really excited about this feature to use for shooting. The fact, that it is making my camera much slower in focusing time (unless focusing manually…)  and overall response time doesn’t really make this feature of advantage for me.
The only useful thing live view brings to my shooting is the convenience of previewing the white balance setting.
It works very well on Nikons-not sure about other brands. I have learned it from the DTowntv.com show- and few times found it really helpful.
How to do it? Set your camera in live view mode and than hold the shortcut button for WB (on the back next to the screen on D90 or on top button on higher models) and than rotate the dial located on the top back of the camera. Instant preview of the color of light! Awesome, right?

Now- my camera doesn’t shoot video, so I don’t have that extra feature to utilize the live view with. And well, that’s really the only way to record video with video enabled dSLR camera

So who is the live view user? Who likes the most that feature?

My best guess would be:

• user upgrading from compact camera, used to using the live view as main way of previewing and composing the shot. There is less and less compact cameras featuring viewfinder and so it’s pretty much the only way to use small cameras.
• avid video shooter, using their video enabled dSLR to record video clips. I have seen quite few of those- some wedding photographers like to make those beautiful few minutes videos- o, lovely! Here is an example of one really nice video I had found on Digital Wedding Forum Blog:

NYC Coming Soon trailer from Robert Balasko on Vimeo.

Link to the video,if the player won’t work for you

• users, who like to check white balance before the shoot

Who else?

So now- I wonder how often and in what situations do you use the live view in your dSLR camera?
Any tips and tricks for taking best use out of this relatively new feature on dSLR’s ?

Related posts:

1. Maybe, you don’t need an expensive camera?
2. Lens Simulator from Nikon
3. My Camera Had A Secret

Last night, while browsing through Etsy forum I have come across this promotional thread for the Item of The Day.

The idea is very simple- The Item of The Day is selected and announced as such at 11pm EST.  The sale lasts for 24hrs, until the next day 11pm EST.
Item of the day has to be listed in shop announcements and also added to the forum thread, where admins create a list with all items being promoted on certain date.

I think it’s really nice idea! So I decided to join!
My promos might be different from day to day. And I will keep updated information about current item of the day in the right hand side menu, including the preview of print on sale, as well as detailed information, what is the special for that specific photograph.

Stay tuned!

Current item of the day: The Guardian Angel.
8×12 print
Regularly: $28.00
Currently: $14.00 (until 11pm EST 7.11.2010)

Guardian Angel

Fine Print:
This promotion is valid only in my Etsy store.
All prices will adjusted for correct, discounted rate the moment of announcement of the sale.
Please, contact me in case of any questions: joannasphotography[!at]gmail.com

Related posts:

1. Buy Fine Art Prints & Save
2. New Poppy Prints!
3. New Industrial Prints

After long consideration and choosing and picking I finally posted few photographs from the Imaginary Florals series in my Etsy store.

The series was created a bit randomly.
Well, I had purchased a little bouquet with variety of different flowers. Sometimes I just like to add a little bit of spring to my kitchen decor and use fresh flowers to do so. I hardly ever go with specific type of flowers, the more casual the bouquet looks- the more I seem to like it.

Looking at these flowers, sitting on my kitchen table I got the idea of some very, very soft and photographed at the macro distance arrangements. And since the bouquet was aging and soon it would be it’s time to be thrown away- I decided to play a little bit with it and see what will come out!
So I set up my light tent, lights, reflector… got my macro lens…
And had fun! And I like the final look of them. It was exactly what I had in mind when I came up with the idea in the first place!
What do you think about these photographs?

All photographs from this series are formatted into square sizes. I feel, this way the perspective is more attracted to the flower itself and in some cases the flowers being almost perfectly round- it gives nice feeling of symmetry!

Hardly There

Siblings

Trio

Related posts:

1. Finally! Presenting Long Grass Series
2. Industrial Photography
3. Feeling Loved on Etsy

Another week of Miss & Match from Female Photographers!
I admit- I skipped couple of weeks, but they are all posted on the main website for the project, which can be always visited and all great submission are posted there weekly!

Last week the theme I was chosen for was Comedy.
And I got the pleasure of working on our diptych with Laura Evans again!
Her work is so inspiring!

It was a little bit challenging theme for me. I had few ideas, but it seemed hard to get them to the point where I can capture it for the project.
At first I was thinking about some kind of theatrical representation. And than consider something lighter and more casual.
Each photo submitted into Miss & Match should be new, not published before- which of course makes us work harder and wake up the creative process!

Comedy

top Laura, bottom- moi

Comedy

Related posts:

1. Miss and Match- collaboration between Female Photographers of Etsy
2. Diary 2010 Project.
3. Updating Project 365.

Since I got my lensbaby I have been discovering more different options lenses can offer.
I love experimenting with equipment and techniques- so it’s been giving me a lot of fun and satisfaction.

Recently I decided to try out another type of lens, I haven’t had chance to use before. The 28mm PC f/3.5 ED from Nikon.
It’s so nice to have the option to rent the lens, if you want to try it out (courtesy of Southeastern Camera in Raleigh).
I have used their rental service in the past for some other adventures, with fisheye lens.

Well, take a look at few photos I took with the PC lens, while strolling through downtown Raleigh:

Here a SimpleViewer Flash gallery should be displayed. Click here to open the post in your browser to see the gallery.

Related posts:

1. Lens Simulator from Nikon
2. Curved Perspective
3. Would you like to win lensbaby?

Friday just started great for me- and I wanted to share this with all of you!

My print from Long Grass Series is included in Etsy treasury, which was chosen for Front Page this morning!

The lucky print:

No 10- Long Grass Series

Related posts:

1. What I need is some coffee!
2. Front Page on Etsy
3. Featured on Etsy!