The CoffeeShop Blog, etc.

Just rediscovered an awesome photography blog that I haven't visited in a while.  It's called The CoffeeShop Blog.  The blogger has posted over 100 actions, presets, templates, storyboards, textures, etc. and they're all FREE!!  Good stuff, too.  This one is called Peachy Glow (doesn't include texture background.)  No other editing was done.  I think this is one I'll be using often :)

 Here's another version of the same picture that I edited for a textures tutorial video I was making recently (not using The CoffeeShop actions.)  It's posted on TeacherTube if you want to check it out.  Please forgive the horrible hissing noise in the background.  I have since gotten an actual microphone.

Typographic Portrait II

Here's the one I used to write the tutorial for my advanced class.  Added a little color blocking behind each text layer to help it stand out.  We're going to give this project a go before the art show, so hopefully some of them will end up in the show.  I'm excited!

Typographic Portrait

A test run at creating a typographic portrait. I've watched and read literally dozens of tutorials on this topic trying to find the one that looks the best.  This is the one I used here , and it's ok, but the guy making the video makes a bunch of mistakes and doesn't start his video over, which I don't understand.  After I got the gist of it it only took a couple minutes.  If I were to do it over I think I'd use a white background (mine was mostly dark), I'd burn the important features (like his mouth, which is almost unseen in its current grey tone), and maybe also fill in some of the blank spaces with tiny text.  I'm thinking I'll do this project with my advanced class this year.

Sequoia and Kings Canyon

Sequoia National Park was one of the first places we visited when we moved to California eight years ago.  It was Thanksgiving, and Dustin and I were feeling a little homesick, so, with no turkey dinner plans we headed north to see the big trees.  Armed with a 35mm SLR and an old point and shoot digital (which is now my son's camera) we hiked through the giant forests trying to capture images that could convey the immense size of these trees.  This year we finally got back up to Sequoia and were able to share it with our boys this time.  Here are some images from our trip.  *A couple of them were not taken by me, but helped tell the story of our trip, so they made the cut anyway.  I've also included a few pictures from my phone.*

 Our car by "The Guardsmen" - essentially the first sequoia trees you see.  Dustin hopped out of the car and ran ahead to get this shot as I drove through.

 I adore his freckles!

 My homage to Ansel Adams.  Moro Rock.

 Beetle Galleries in fallen tree

 Vertical Panorama of "The General Sherman" tree-- the largest living thing on the planet!

 "The Fallen Monarch" - fallen tree that you can walk all the way through.  It was used in the 1800s as a home and then a stable for 32 horses!

Not posed! :)

Fish Eye Test

The fish eye I ordered came in today!  Unfortunately I was busy until super late, so by the time I got to take pictures it was dark.  I quickly learned that the fish eye and pop-up flash do not mix well.  I cranked up my ISO and used an index card to bounce my flash as best I could.  I still had to set a relatively slow shutter speed, so I switched the flash into rear curtain.  Then I asked my kids to jump around--easy peasy for them. Excited to get to try this out in full sun tomorrow on our photo walk in advanced photo.

Garage Studio

I was supposed to be shooting headshots a couple weekends ago.  Last time I did headshots (check them out HERE and HERE) I did all natural light and natural or found backgrounds, so this time I wanted to try more of a studio look... but I don't have studio lighting.  So, I came up with the following setup using two queen sized white sheets.  The flat sheet I hung as a backdrop by cliping it to the rafters in my garage.  The fitted sheet I clipped to the garage door opening.  It was a gorgeous sunny Saturday and there was more than enough light.  The sheet in the door opening filtered the light so it wasn't too harsh (and so squinty people like me could keep their eyes open.)  It acted almost like a giant softbox.  I placed a stool just inside the shaded area created by the sheet and took a few test shots.

 

For this first one of Emerson I guess I hadn't hung the backdrop sheet yet, but it's still a keeper. Then, I took a test shot of myself. Both of us so serious! I wish I had smiled a little, but either way I really like how it came out (which is kind of rare--I much prefer to be the photographer and not the subject.)

I ended up not shooting the headshots that day, but I do think this is a setup that I'll use in the future.

Oro Grande Bottle Tree Farm

Oro Grande Bottle Tree Farm... it's hard to comprehend just how much random stuff is crammed onto a tiny little lot in the middle of nowhere.  It was absolutely frigid the day we stopped there, so I didn't spend a lot of time shooting.  Plus, there is a lot of glass and I was visiting with two three year olds, so I had to run a bit of interference.  Here are my favorites from the day.  

 

 

 Of course there's a sink full of bones... why wouldn't there be??

If you're ever interested this place is just 20 minutes north of Hesperia and it's free!