In Class Shoot - Lighting

We played with lighting in class. There are some great ways to get different results depending on the type of lighting and the angle of lighting.

Side Lighting - Edited with Magnetic Lasso and Edited Levels on Background
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Side Lighting with Black Background - Curves Edited
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Backlit - Edited Levels

Exercise 4 - Selection Tools

Magnetic Lasso Tool
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Magic Wand Tool
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Journal 3 - From the Hip......

I loved this assignment. It was really fun to go out and just "point and shoot" without looking. Many of my shots were pretty crappy, but I was able to get seven really decent shots to post. The ice that formed around the trees was beautiful.

Chest Level - Angled Up
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Ground Shot - Straight Up
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Ground Shot - Straight Across
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Chest Level - Angled Down
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Ground Level - Straight Across
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Above Head - Angled Down
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Chest Level - Angled Up

Exercise 3 - Curves - NOT JUST FOR WOMEN!!!

Adjusting curves can take the image and correct it to be the way you want it to be, or you can change the image to be a much harsher looking image. Below is the original image, along with playing with curves.

Original Image

Curves Editing

Bathroom Ceiling

My bathroom is getting a mini makeover due to some major leakage of pipes. There are holes in my ceiling, the floors are covered in dust and grime, and it is generally not the clean feeling place it should be. However, I was able to take several really cool looking photos that I have edited slightly for effect.

Journal 2 - Portrait of an Object

I had a much easier time with this assignment. I chose an object that is important to me. The conch shell belonged to my uncle. He used it as the fog horn on his sailboat and it spent many years at my grandmothers house after his death. When my grandmother finally passed away, it was one of the few items I wanted. It reminds me of my uncle, it reminds me of my grandmother, and I am one of the few people who are able to blow it and get a good sound out of it. I did struggle a bit with the lighting but in the end I am pleased with how they turned out.

Exercise 1 & 2 - Adjusting Images in Photoshop

In PhotoShop, we learned how to resize a photo. This did not seem to affect how the photograph looks in this blog, however, when clicking on the image, it is much smaller when it is opened in the other window.

Original Image

Resized Image

We also learned a bit about using levels, color balance, and hue and saturation. This really can change how the photo looks. If the photo is too dark or too light, it can be changed with the levels. If the colors are not quite right, they can be changed with the color balance. If the image would appear better in black and white, or the brightness of the colors is too dull, that can be changed with the hue and saturation.

Levels Adjustment

Color Balance

Hue & Saturation

Journal 1 - 10 x 10

Assignment: Find an interesting location that is roughly your arm's length by arm's length (about 3x3). Think about the lighting, the shapes, lines, colors, values, and textures within, or that can be seen from that location. Without leaving that location, take 10 images considering how the lighting and the elements of art (line, shape, color/value, texture & space) help create or establish unified compositions. Consider balance, movement, and emphasis when unifying composition.

This assignment was very challenging for me. Every time I took out my camera took take pictures, I felt like what I was looking at wasn't very exciting and wasn't going to meet the requirements for the assignment. Eventually, I decided I need to just choose a spot to stand and do the assignment. The result is a look at my bathroom.

This is the 10 foot square location I chose to take my images of.

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The next three shots are some that I took to help round out the shoot. I know that some of the shots above didn't really work, but some of them really did. I didn't want to completely redo this journal as I really feel it shows where I started and where I am finishing up.

White Balance and ISO

With all the photos I have taken in my life, I have never learned how to use the settings in my camera. There are many things that I know help take a better photo. The digital photography course I am taking this spring is going to be extremely helpful for me. The first class we were taught about using white balance and ISO. Below are some sample photos I took of beginning to understand how to use the different settings and features of my phone.

This photo was taken in my living room with tungsten lighting.
The white balance was taken off of auto, and set to CHECK SETTING.
This photo is much warmer than the actual living room setting. It makes the shot seem very inviting.

This photo was taken in my living room with tungsten lighting.
The white balance was taken off of auto, and set to CHECK SETTING.
This photo is much cooler than the actual living room setting. It makes the shot feel almost snobby.

This photo was taken in my living room with the overhead light on with the ISO set toof 50.
With the ISO set so low, the amount of light that was allowed in was very little, making the shot very dark.

This photo was taken in my living room with the overhead light on with the ISO set to 400.
With the ISO set so high, the photo comes out a tad bright, but a much nicer photograph than with the ISO set low.

White balance can change the whole feel of the shot, it can make it warmer or cooler, it can add life and take it away. Changing up the white balance can be helpful in taking the shot exactly how it is wanted to be taken. The ISO allows pictures to be taken in darker lighting without the use of a flash. A flash can make or break a photo and sometimes it is just to harsh.

I have a feeling I am going to enjoy this class a lot. Especially since we will be doing journal entry assignments that the instructor wants us to post online in a blog format. Not only will this be great for displaying assignments, but also in keeping me using my blog!

Climbing

I have recently gotten back into climbing and have found that between my weight loss, and the previous experiences, I am able to do quite a bit I didn't think I would be able to do before!
When working on bouldering, there are different routes to complete, each marked with its difficulty. When I used to climb, I was never able to complete a single V0, which other than a VFun, is the easiest level in bouldering. I have been very proud of myself for completing not only a V0, but also a V1, and working on a V2. While I am not always able to complete every one I attempt, each day I climb I am able to get just a little bit further, and complete a new move.
Climbing is my winter choice for keeping my weight down until the weather warms up and the roads dry up and I can start biking again.

Taco Mac and Cheese

Homemade macaroni and cheese is one of my favorite comfort foods, but I am always looking for ways to make it a bit different. I have come up with several so far and each is just as comforting, just as tasty, and just as easy to make.

Mac and Cheese


1lb Macaroni (or pasta shape of choice)
Salt
Pepper
2TBS Butter
1 Clove Garlic - minced
2TBS Flour
2 Cups Milk
3 Cups Shredded Cheese

Boil water and salt, add pasta and cook till done, drain and set aside.

Melt butter in bottom of saucepan,add garlic and saute, then add flour and whisking till smooth, 1-2 minutes.
Whisk in milk and salt and pepper.
Slowly add cheese, whisking occasionally. Do not let mixture burn.

Toss with pasta and serve.

Variations
~ Add to the mixture, one box of defrosted frozen chopped broccoli, and 1-2 cups diced ham
~ Add to the cheese mixture, one box of frozen squash, 1-2 cups diced chicken
~ Add browned, ground, taco seasoned beef (add a can of diced tomato's to the beef and taco seasoning and simmer till reduced before adding to the mac and cheese)

Mac and cheese also happens to be one of Jeremy's favorites, so coming up with new ways to make it keeps it from getting to be an old meal.

Urging of Friends

With the urging of friends, I am again going to attempt at keeping this blog updated. I am hoping that with the help of my digital photography class, which is going to be requiring me to keep a journal/blog of my photography assignment, will help me keep this going. Along with photographs, hopefully there will be some great dishes as well. Not all will be my own personal recipe, but dishes I have made from recipes found online or in cookbooks.
There have been many changes in my life as well. I am living in Burlington and have been for several months now. I am in a cute, small, two room studio on Pearl Street, 2 blocks from Church Street. Living with me is my boyfriend, Jeremy, whom I have been with for the last five months. He makes me happy and enjoys life as much as I do. I am no longer working at Capitol Grounds in Montpelier, my commute is about 15 minutes as opposed to the 60 minutes it was before; I am working at Hannaford in the deli department. I am taking classes again, working towards my
bachelors so that I can move forward with life.

Independance Day

So for the first time in my life, I didn't see the fireworks on the 4th of July! Ok, so that is not a complete truth, I was able to catch them out of my window while driving.

Pasta Salad

Deciding on what to make when attending a potluck is always challenging; I can never seem to decide what I want to make. Well, this time I decided to let the farm stand dictate my dish, based on what was fresh, local, and looked yummy.

The Farm Stand in Randolph is where I went looking for fresh food, and found beautiful rainbow chard and spinach, as well as succulent tomatoes. What ensued what a pasta salad with the wilted greens and some crumbled blue cheese.

Pasta Salad
1 pound pasta of choice
1/4 cup olive oil
6 cloves garlic
1 bunch rainbow chard (or dark leafy green)
1/2 pound spinach (or dark leafy green)
3 tomatoes
1/4 cup fresh parsley
1/4 cup fresh basil
1/4 cup blue cheese
salt and pepper

Fill a pot full of water, bring to a boil, salt and add pasta. Cook till done.
Place a large saute pan on the stove with the olive oil in the bottom, do not turn on the heat yet. Mince the garlic and add to the pan, turning the heat onto medium. While the garlic and oil heat up, roughly chop the chard and the spinach, adding to the pan. When all the greens are in the pan, give a toss with the olive oil and garlic, adding salt and pepper to taste, putting a lid on the pan and turning off the heat. Roughly chop the tomatoes and add to the greens.
Drain the pasta and toss with the tomatoes and greens. Chop the basil and parsley; add to the pasta, toss in the blue cheese and serve.
Can be served cold, warm, or hot!

New Tattoo!!!

I finally have the mermaid tattoo I have been wanting to get for 3 years now! She is beautiful.

Mitch from Fast Lane Tattoo exceeded my expectations with this.
I drove 3 hours to get to the party, 4.5 hours to get home (taking a detour to pick up a friend) and it was well worth the time spent.
My next tattoo will hopefully be done by Patsy, the owner of Fast Lane Tattoo, and will be an Olivia Mermaid.
She will be on my left shoulder blade; hopefully she will be the jumping off point to create at least a half sleeve on my left arm as well.
I spent five years looking for the perfect mermaid for tattoo, and one I just got and the Olivia Mermaid are the two I came across. It took me close to five years to find them, and then it has taken me three years to get the first one.
I have tried many times to come up with a specific reason on why mermaids. I have been unable to express in words their meaning to me. They are one of the few things I collect that has no purpose other than to please me. (By that I mean I collect Sydenstricker Glass, but that is as useful as it is beautiful). It is between my draw to the sea and water in general and the urge to always want what I am unable to obtain, that pulls me to them I believe.
When and if I am ever able to put into words the hold mermaids have on me, I will let you know.