12 hours ago
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Friday, January 29, 2010
What'd that last...3 weeks?
I'm officially done with my self portrait project. I really wanted to do this to begin with but after almost a month in it has turned into a chore and taken the fun out of getting a cool shot out of it. Instead I think i'll try and turn it into just a 52 photo project where I will post my favorite photo I took during that week. I'm also trying to work on some more photoshop skills....keep a look out for some more selective color shots coming this weekend.
Noxolo
Noxolo
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Selective color
After seeing a handful of pictures online/on flickr processed for selective color I decided to give it a shot. Here is my final shot:
I'm really happy with how it turned out and you can see the original in my flickr stream/Silvermine Set. So far everyone has said, "wow, cool, how do you do that!?" So here's how I did it:
First you need an editing software...and I use Photoshop CS4.
1. Import your picture to CS4
2. Create an adjustment layer for hue/saturation
3. On the new level decrease the saturation to -100 on the right slider, making it a black and white shot
4. Select a soft round brush with an opacity of 50-75 and a color of black (with this essentially cut through your top black and white layer and reveal the original color version below.
Tips: Zoom in/out and change your brush size according to how detailed you want your final image to be. You can also change your brush opacity if you want to blend or gradually go from black and white to color in some areas. Most important is that it just takes practice to figure out what you want/what ou like.
Edit: I realize there are a ton of different ways to achieve this effect, but this is the way I did it. It was relatively easy pending your knowledge of your editing software.
Noxolo
Iphone
Since one of my photography goals was to take a camera everywhere I go....I got an iphone! Well, okay that wasn't my reasoning behind getting the phone...more like my other phone went to crap...but it helped none the less. I really just wanted to make another shameless plug for the iphone and all the apps available for it...especially photography related apps! If you get a chance i'd pick one up and give it a shot; I don't know if i'll ever have a phone that isn't a smart phone from here on out!
Monday, January 25, 2010
So it's been a while....
Now I understand why people say it's hard to keep up to date on their blogs! Since my last post I've had a few really good shooting opportunities that I have taken advantage of. First, I went and shot a basketball game at my old high school...kind of wierd being back there! It was a good opportunity to try and shoot some fast action and all in all a good learning experience. I also took the basketball game as an opportunity to work on panning before going to Silvermine for the ski jumping competition. This past Friday I went to Eau Claire to shoot the ski comp with Joel. Again, this was a very good experience and it was difficult to say the least. Personally, I think every single one of the skiers that jumped were insane, but then again, that's just me. To wrap up the weekend I headed up to the cities and went to the U's gymnastic meet, which was good per usual! Here are some of my favorite shots of the past 3 big events...
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Trip to Iowa....Chad's new car
Here are a few shots from the road trip to Iowa. More are up on flickr as well.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Comments on my pictures wierd me out....
I think today is day 4 on flickr and it really wierds me out to get comments on pictures I don't think are any good. At first I thought well maybe since I added them as a contact or commented on some of their work they felt obligated to comment back...but no. Some of the people arn't contacts, not in groups im in...they are just random people. Someone even linked to one of my pictures via google...hmmm. I guess I can't wait to see what happens when I actually have good pictures up!
On another note, i'm heading to Iowa this weekend and Eau Claire the following which should provide some good photo opportunities. Look for some more uploads by the end of the weekend and the oh so anticipated weekly self portrait!
Noxolo
On another note, i'm heading to Iowa this weekend and Eau Claire the following which should provide some good photo opportunities. Look for some more uploads by the end of the weekend and the oh so anticipated weekly self portrait!
Noxolo
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Picasa vs Flickr...and the winner is...
Although there are quite a few different ways to get your pictures up on the interwebs, Google's Picasa and Yahoo's Flickr are hands down the two most well known and most used sites. This will be my 2 cents since I have now used them both.
I initially started out using Picasa simply because it is a google product and I love my gmail/gcal/any google app. It's pretty easy to use, comes with a photo editing software built in which is nice, and uploads were quick and easy as well. Flickr on the other hand has no actual editing software built in...well I guess picnik but that doesn't count. I found flickr just as easy to use as picasa, yet I found flickr had a more seamless upload process in my opinion. In all reality both of these sites are very similar if you don't plan on uploading a ton of photos/vid. Yet, if you do plan on uploading gigs upon gigs of information then choose wisely. You will need to upgrade to a pro account for either site...$25 for both I believe...and thus increasing your space. On flickr this ups your limit to 2gig per month, or on picasa, 6 gigs per year! Clearly Flickr has a LOT more room for you! Also, the big reason I choose to put my pictures up on a photo site is for exposure and the community. Although my time on Picasa was short, I felt there was NO community at all. On the other hand, Flickr is FULL of photo enthusiasts always uploading, commenting, and sharing ideas.
Although on the surface both apps are very similar, in the end, there really is no comparison. Flickr dominates due to the number of people who use it, its ease of use, and the amount of information you can upload.
Noxolo
I initially started out using Picasa simply because it is a google product and I love my gmail/gcal/any google app. It's pretty easy to use, comes with a photo editing software built in which is nice, and uploads were quick and easy as well. Flickr on the other hand has no actual editing software built in...well I guess picnik but that doesn't count. I found flickr just as easy to use as picasa, yet I found flickr had a more seamless upload process in my opinion. In all reality both of these sites are very similar if you don't plan on uploading a ton of photos/vid. Yet, if you do plan on uploading gigs upon gigs of information then choose wisely. You will need to upgrade to a pro account for either site...$25 for both I believe...and thus increasing your space. On flickr this ups your limit to 2gig per month, or on picasa, 6 gigs per year! Clearly Flickr has a LOT more room for you! Also, the big reason I choose to put my pictures up on a photo site is for exposure and the community. Although my time on Picasa was short, I felt there was NO community at all. On the other hand, Flickr is FULL of photo enthusiasts always uploading, commenting, and sharing ideas.
Although on the surface both apps are very similar, in the end, there really is no comparison. Flickr dominates due to the number of people who use it, its ease of use, and the amount of information you can upload.
Noxolo
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Skip the resolutions...20 photographic goals for 2010
Per usual, DPS had a great article about photo goals for 2010, thus leading me to create my own! (Although many if not all will be coming from the article in some way, shape, or form)
Here is the article:
http://digital-photography-school.com/30-photographic-goals-for-2010
My 2010 photography goals:
1. Don’t leave my camera
Bring my camera everywhere I go! I've already realized it can be cumbersome to bring my pack and tripod/monopod but my goal is to bring a camera everywhere...maybe even just my point and shoot if that's all I can manage!
2. Shoot and upload pictures weekly
I already started my 52 week self portrait project, but it will be important to keep this up on a weekly basis. The only way I will get better is to shoot more!
3. Prioritize my goals
Do you want to develop your business practices? Learn a new technique? Save for a lens? Allow your tasks and plans to filter through your long-term goals. It will be important for me to have a set list of goals and follow through.
4. Do something with photography daily
I think it’s important to always stay current on what’s going on in the things you enjoy and learning is the only way you will become better. There are tons of great resources in print and online, but I just need to take the time, even 30min, to learn every day.
5. Shoot with others
I’m lucky to have friends and family who also enjoy photography and I want to include them in my process. Shooting with others is a great way to see a different perspective.
6. Increase the blogs I follow
I already follow a few blogs, but I guess I could never follow too many. There are tons of industry leaders with photo wisdom on their blogs; it’s just a matter of me going and getting it.
7. Compete!
Submitting your photos to competitions is one of the greatest ways to get your photos off your hard drive and into the sights of important judges and industry leaders. Remember, it’s not about who you know, but who knows you!
8. Share online
Facebook, Flickr, my blog…it’s important to get my photo’s out there so others can see and give me some feedback, encouragement, and their point of view.
9. Create a photo book
Instead of just having my photo projects up online it would be great to create 2 photo books at the end of the year; one for each photo project.
10. Build your website
Whether it’s a free template or a friend’s design, take the time to present your work on your own piece of the web. It adds to your credibility, and enables you to easily share your work with others.
11. Challenge yourself with flash lighting
Flash is bad – NOT! Flash may be a bit scary and intimidating, but a little bit of discipline and hard work, and you can become a flash pro. I really want to work with my speedlite...maybe some slow sync flash work to begin with. Also, I want to throw light painting in this goal as well.
12. Get published
These days, being published does not simply mean by paper medium. There are hundreds of blogs relevant to the kind of photography you want to create. Do some investigating. Make a list of a dozen blogs and submit your work. Then – be persistent! Be cordial, but follow through.
13. Take monthly photo walks
Do you take photo’s to relax? Sometimes amid the tension of photographing for business, or photographing for development, it’s easy to forget the enjoyment of photography. Return to the joy by scheduling an afternoon or an hour to walk through a new town, trail, or area and find inspiration. Your eyes will be opened in a new way, and you will remember the euphoria of creative discovery.
14. Follow a regular photo blog-posting schedule
Photo-blogging weekly will develop your skills rapidly. Your readers will force you to be accountable to shooting consistently, and you will be able to see your development by leaps and bounds. I've already seen this help...even though I don't think any reads my blog I still feel the need to follow through if I say I will post pictures!
15. Promote your work in an online Gallery
Can’t afford to print and frame dozens of pieces in a photo collection? Don’t have to. Using a hosting provider such as Zenfolio, Shutterfly, or Pictage, you can bring your work into the homes of others with the click of a mouse. Force yourself to use your photos instead of allowing them to sit on a hard drive, never to be used.
16. Reach a hand
Get involved with HelpPortrait, or offer your services to a Boys and Girls club, or other nonprofit. These organizations are infamous for having low budgets for multimedia, and if you can offer your skills for their cause, it will bring your name out, and give you value and worth that you don’t otherwise have. I think this could be a great way to get involved in the community and build my network.
17. Develop a post processing workflow
Systemizing your work is the best way to a quick development for future work. Even if you are not in the business of photography, deciding on a good workflow for every single shoot will help you save time and energy in post processing.
18. Create a business plan
Want to start a business? Or already have? The best way to get a quick start on competition is to develop a business plan answering questions such as, “where do I want to go?” “What do I want my business to become?” and “who is my ideal client?” Even if you are not sure about starting a photography business, setting a few goals for jobs will help you pay for that new lens. I also want to create some business cards with a picture of mine and simple contact/blog/flickr info. You never know who will love your work and where it may take you.
19. Experiment with new presets
Develop your own editing style by playing with presets. Start here for a good list of presets, and then adapt them to your own style. Your photos will become more cohesive and specific – causing you to have a brand with your images no one else can mimic. I am anxious to start using Topaz adjust and photomatix pro3...both should give me a unique look and help me realize where I want to take my photo niche.
20. Make personal postcards to send friends
Print mail is a rarity these days. Imagine how you would stand out if you sent out monthly postcards to select friends and family? No one can afford an entire Christmas List every month, but you can rotate the list of recipients by month. Your work will get out, you will bless others with your images, and once again, you won’t have images sitting on a hard drive, idle and wasted. Since college has ended it has been hard to stay in contact with everyone that I would like. Facebook only does so much! I think this would be a great way to stay in contact, get my pictures out, and make someones day better!
Here is the article:
http://digital-photography-school.com/30-photographic-goals-for-2010
My 2010 photography goals:
1. Don’t leave my camera
Bring my camera everywhere I go! I've already realized it can be cumbersome to bring my pack and tripod/monopod but my goal is to bring a camera everywhere...maybe even just my point and shoot if that's all I can manage!
2. Shoot and upload pictures weekly
I already started my 52 week self portrait project, but it will be important to keep this up on a weekly basis. The only way I will get better is to shoot more!
3. Prioritize my goals
Do you want to develop your business practices? Learn a new technique? Save for a lens? Allow your tasks and plans to filter through your long-term goals. It will be important for me to have a set list of goals and follow through.
4. Do something with photography daily
I think it’s important to always stay current on what’s going on in the things you enjoy and learning is the only way you will become better. There are tons of great resources in print and online, but I just need to take the time, even 30min, to learn every day.
5. Shoot with others
I’m lucky to have friends and family who also enjoy photography and I want to include them in my process. Shooting with others is a great way to see a different perspective.
6. Increase the blogs I follow
I already follow a few blogs, but I guess I could never follow too many. There are tons of industry leaders with photo wisdom on their blogs; it’s just a matter of me going and getting it.
7. Compete!
Submitting your photos to competitions is one of the greatest ways to get your photos off your hard drive and into the sights of important judges and industry leaders. Remember, it’s not about who you know, but who knows you!
8. Share online
Facebook, Flickr, my blog…it’s important to get my photo’s out there so others can see and give me some feedback, encouragement, and their point of view.
9. Create a photo book
Instead of just having my photo projects up online it would be great to create 2 photo books at the end of the year; one for each photo project.
10. Build your website
Whether it’s a free template or a friend’s design, take the time to present your work on your own piece of the web. It adds to your credibility, and enables you to easily share your work with others.
11. Challenge yourself with flash lighting
Flash is bad – NOT! Flash may be a bit scary and intimidating, but a little bit of discipline and hard work, and you can become a flash pro. I really want to work with my speedlite...maybe some slow sync flash work to begin with. Also, I want to throw light painting in this goal as well.
12. Get published
These days, being published does not simply mean by paper medium. There are hundreds of blogs relevant to the kind of photography you want to create. Do some investigating. Make a list of a dozen blogs and submit your work. Then – be persistent! Be cordial, but follow through.
13. Take monthly photo walks
Do you take photo’s to relax? Sometimes amid the tension of photographing for business, or photographing for development, it’s easy to forget the enjoyment of photography. Return to the joy by scheduling an afternoon or an hour to walk through a new town, trail, or area and find inspiration. Your eyes will be opened in a new way, and you will remember the euphoria of creative discovery.
14. Follow a regular photo blog-posting schedule
Photo-blogging weekly will develop your skills rapidly. Your readers will force you to be accountable to shooting consistently, and you will be able to see your development by leaps and bounds. I've already seen this help...even though I don't think any reads my blog I still feel the need to follow through if I say I will post pictures!
15. Promote your work in an online Gallery
Can’t afford to print and frame dozens of pieces in a photo collection? Don’t have to. Using a hosting provider such as Zenfolio, Shutterfly, or Pictage, you can bring your work into the homes of others with the click of a mouse. Force yourself to use your photos instead of allowing them to sit on a hard drive, never to be used.
16. Reach a hand
Get involved with HelpPortrait, or offer your services to a Boys and Girls club, or other nonprofit. These organizations are infamous for having low budgets for multimedia, and if you can offer your skills for their cause, it will bring your name out, and give you value and worth that you don’t otherwise have. I think this could be a great way to get involved in the community and build my network.
17. Develop a post processing workflow
Systemizing your work is the best way to a quick development for future work. Even if you are not in the business of photography, deciding on a good workflow for every single shoot will help you save time and energy in post processing.
18. Create a business plan
Want to start a business? Or already have? The best way to get a quick start on competition is to develop a business plan answering questions such as, “where do I want to go?” “What do I want my business to become?” and “who is my ideal client?” Even if you are not sure about starting a photography business, setting a few goals for jobs will help you pay for that new lens. I also want to create some business cards with a picture of mine and simple contact/blog/flickr info. You never know who will love your work and where it may take you.
19. Experiment with new presets
Develop your own editing style by playing with presets. Start here for a good list of presets, and then adapt them to your own style. Your photos will become more cohesive and specific – causing you to have a brand with your images no one else can mimic. I am anxious to start using Topaz adjust and photomatix pro3...both should give me a unique look and help me realize where I want to take my photo niche.
20. Make personal postcards to send friends
Print mail is a rarity these days. Imagine how you would stand out if you sent out monthly postcards to select friends and family? No one can afford an entire Christmas List every month, but you can rotate the list of recipients by month. Your work will get out, you will bless others with your images, and once again, you won’t have images sitting on a hard drive, idle and wasted. Since college has ended it has been hard to stay in contact with everyone that I would like. Facebook only does so much! I think this would be a great way to stay in contact, get my pictures out, and make someones day better!
Monday, January 11, 2010
New HDR software
HDR photography is something that at first glance I hated. It looks fake, surreal, and way too edited for my initial liking, however, the more I see GOOD HDR photography the more I love it. Check out Trey Ratcliff's blog for amazing HDR http://www.stuckincustoms.com/. Upon his recommendation I just got Photomatix pro3 and topaz adjust...hopefully noiseware pro will be coming soon. Although I havn't really jumped into these programs yet, at first glance they seem very easy to use and should be very helpful in my HDR progression.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Friday, January 8, 2010
Photo projects
I am in the midst of coming up with a photo project I want to do throught 2010. The whole working 2 jobs thing made me not want to commit to a 365 project, however I think a 52 self portrait project is very attainable. So, it's official, for 2010 I will be doing a 52 self portrait project. Over at iffles.com they are also doing a monthly theme as well...and you know what..I think I will join. Instead of laying out my themes all at once I think I will do it monthly by where my interest lays at the time. My January theme will be texture. I think texture is an aspect that can get over looked so I will try and bring some to you!
I'll try and post a handful of my best images for the theme at the end of the month and then name a new theme for the following month. Also, I will try and add my 52 self portraits weekly...or weekendly most likely!
Noxolo
I'll try and post a handful of my best images for the theme at the end of the month and then name a new theme for the following month. Also, I will try and add my 52 self portraits weekly...or weekendly most likely!
Noxolo
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Finally...
About a month ago now I ordered a new computer and my order has finally been fulfilled! My old lenovo T42 had done the job for going on 5 years now so it was time to upgrade it and it's 32gig hard drive! I ended up gettina new lenovo w500 with windows 64bit..and it's amazing! Along with it I also upgraded to cs4 from cs3! I got my computer right before xmas but my cs4 finally came last night! Hopefully now I can get lightroom 2 reinstalled on the new computer and be all ready to go! Hopefully I will have some new pictures to throw up on picasa this weekend when I finally have some time!
Noxolo
Noxolo
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Resolution #1
So, as the new year begins and my whole double job fiasco comes to an end I can finally get serious about photography. For the past month or so I have built what I would consider a darn good dSLR set up (i'll post my Amazon listmania soon) but I have had no time to really shoot any pictuers!...kind of a big deal, I know! However, I read and learn about photography daily! This will be my first resolution...continue this habbit! I have found that there are a ton of good photography blogs/websites that are updated daily with insight, tips, and tricks of the trade. I really like reading ifflies.com and http://www.digital-photography-school.com/.
More to come
Noxolo
More to come
Noxolo
Sunday, January 3, 2010
My photoblog...
I was planning on having a life/med/photo blog in one but blah to that idea! I will post everything in my life that is photography here! My gear, my new photo's, my favorite photo blogs, and anything useful I can think of!
Noxolo
Noxolo
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