You Capture - Autumn

The second week in a row that I can join the You Capture Challenge. It was a lovely one this week, FALL photos. At one of the offices I work fall is so obvious, there are yellow leaves every where. At the end of the day I have to clean them off my car, you don't see a brick on the ground anymore and it rains yellow leaves so you enter the building with leaves in your hair. It really is an amazing season.

Portrait Photography Course - Neutral Portrait Series

I had my second Portrait Photography Class this Tuesday. Again it was much fun, mostly because I go home with more good baggage. It's really exciting and I experience much joy because of it.

It was time to show the results of our first shoot to the class and teacher. We are to do 4 shoots, and we're supposed to use the same model for all shoots which is quit challenging. Find a model that will fit in all the different assignments?!

This week we were to deliver our Neutral Portrait. I choose to photograph a farmer that I "picked up" from the street. I did it this way due to lack of time, but as you all know, I do love farmers and the live they have. He was great for my Neutral Portrait shoot, the 3 other's shoots I wonder about :)

Taking a neutral portrait is quite challenging as well. What is a neutral portrait anyways? The photo is not to communicate a whole lot. So I had to watch his facial expression, I needed low neutral light (no sun glare in his face) and of course the neutral background. Hard to find.

I was excited to hear my teacher say that the first shot was right on the mark, exactly what she meant for us to do. Here's my series, all SOOC:

What I learned during the shoot was who I am as a photographer. I wondered how I was to give my model directions and give him confidence. I realized I do that by knowing when to talk and when to just be quiet. I also spoke a lot about what I was doing and explaining things. This model had no clue about camera's and such so it was a good way to get him to give me his time. As I said, I lacked time to really prepare for this shoot. I walked up to his house instead of driving so I could just calm down from the crazy work schedule. I knew if I'd arrive in a rush he would notice and it would have an effect on my shoot. I tried hard to just breath and stay calm and decrease the adrenaline I had been living on for the past weeks. When you do a shoot as a matter of fact, it's doomed and I really had to watch my focus. At least I was aware of my state and thus need to keep an eye on the details. Since I needed a neutral background and it was hard to find around his house, I had to play a lot with my aperture and speed, causing the background to be neutral. It's awesome to see a shiny green door turn into a dark background by adjusting settings and no use of editing programs. So overall it was a great experience and it boosted my self esteem as a photographer.

Suspence

I won't keep you longer...... Yes, it is a radiator!

You Capture - Technology

I Should Be Folding Laundry did not make it easy this week. You Capture is about Technology. When you have little time like me it's hard to come up with something interesting. Technology????? Well, it's all over the place so it really shouldn't be that hard. I think I came up with something.

IHeartFaces - Pink Week

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and i♥Faces pays attention to it with their photography challenge, we are to show photo's with a face and some pink. Which girl does not like pink, this little one does.... or maybe her mom simply loves pink. Unfortunately I have lots of people with cancer around me, and also breast cancer. So this one is for you, Christa and for you grandma.

Photos to shoot

One of my Fledging Photographer Friends Michelle had put out a challenge to herself, she made a list of things to capture while the seasons change rather quickly for her. She lives in this amazing place, Homer Alaska and it shouldn't be too hard for her. I thought it'd be fun to join her in her challenge but I have to say, it's not that easy for me. I am not that fond of my country so I am really going to have to search to get this accomplished. Besides, she wondered if there were other people that wanted to try and capture the same things she would, well that is really out of the question because Dutch people generally will not decorate their house for Christmas so there goes that one, it's very unlikely snow will fall, and moose? are you kidding me, I only wish. So on a serious note, here is my list of things to capture this winter.

1. A beautiful Fall Photo (I have to be quick though, it's quickly passing)

2. I will take on the Christmas tree challenge and try to come up with some uniqueness, playing with the lights

3. Snow if there is any

4. Ice skating on the ponds if there will be any of this going on, if it is.... it sure promises amazing photos. We hadn't skated for years and years but last year there was a lot of frost and we got lucky. I was lucky but in a different way.... I was in the States for a big shoot most of the winter and missed the ice skating completely

5. A wintery sunset

6. Morning fog or frost in the fields (the cows will be inside but it will still be beautiful)

I might expand this list as I will think it over some more.

I'd like to put a challenge out: If there is anything YOU want me to shoot..... let me know and I will try and give you my best. You know my surroundings so .... please let me know what you'd like to see!

It's time

The babies are 9 weeks old. It's time to let them go, which is hard.

This is the last time them drinking from their mom, 2 of them left our home tonight.

Cat weekend - Part 2

Cat weekend

I have these 5 babies in the house. They are 7 weeks old and they are probably not that much longer with me. Oh, how I loved having them. I hate having to give them away, but 2 adult cats and 5 babies is a little too much, especially when the babies aren't babies anymore. And even now, it's A LOT of work, they brake down the house completely, it's a wild bunch. But it is SO MUCH FUN! This weekend will be about them and trying to capture their cuteness. Mom is exhausted as you may be able to tell, she still lets the babies drink milk from her. This series is taken with my 50 mm 1.4 and are all SOOC (I am still not big on editing.)

Hopefully more to come later......

Concert

I had a concert tonight, all work for me, but I was able to take out my camera now and then.

First night's class

The class was really good on Tuesday. I enjoyed it. First of all because I am taking it with a friend. My social life has been really down due to crazy work schedule so this in and of itself is such a JOY. And I love growing in the area of photography. But I didn't know what to expect: it's not a really expensive course, there were people that had done little to nothing with photography and the institution is new to me.... so I didn't know if it would be good. But it was. I have so much to learn about portrait photography and it's good to hear some one's insights, especially if that some one has really earned her credits in this area. We have really cool assignments that will be very challenging. And she challenges my creativity and my reasons behind a photo, she makes me think about the story I want to tell. I have a need to hear about directing your model and we do talk about that a lot. It's a lot of fun to get to know my own style even better. My first thing to accomplish is choosing a model. For all 4 assignments we are supposed to use the same model. There are so many options..... what do I want? Do I want male of female? Do I want adult, child or elderly? Who is available during this entire course? Do I want some one I know or some one I don't know very well? It be cool to do this with my sister, but her brother in law would be really good to, how about my cousin, or my friends baby? On and on the list goes. I will try and decide this weekend. I am looking forward to this course.