meephotosblog

I am so glad that you are here, looking at mee blog, and I know that it has been pretty sporadic but if you can just keep having patience with mee, I know I’ll find a rhythym and pattern and be up here all the time in no time. Since your here, I know that you are probably interested in looking at some photos, and since my whole world is seen in, through and revolves around photos, well I guess this is a great place to be!

I like to look at photos too. And I do, all the time. Day and night, night and day. I get many e-mails and links in my mailbox asking mee to look at a portfolio, check out a photo or see if a photo matches a portfolio. I look at light, composition, editing, filters, all kinds of things.
The computer makes it really fast to do this. In fact I used to do this years ago when there was just film and not too many people used computers. Yes I remember film. I loved it, I loved working with images in the darkroom (and I was there whenever I got a chance believe you mee!) I loved combining exposures to create really unique looking photographs and I loved learning to look at an image and then go back to the camera to add a filter over the lens or add things in front of my lenses to create colors, patterns, texture, well all sorts of things.

When I started to work with Photoshop years ago, I over did every single one of my images (thanks for the careful eye of my friend Dawn who helped me get out of that stage) and went the other extreme where I didn’t do anything to a single image in photoshop. But then I learned a couple of things. For one, the internet really distorts a photo. It can make it out of focus, un-sharp, different shades of color, and if you have a monitor that you are viewing these images on that isn’t color calibrated you will be looking at the image different than I have been looking at it. (Just like watches need to be synced to a world clock, with a correct hour, minute and second, our monitors need to be synced) I also learned that I can edit a photo in photoshop to have an embedded file on it, to tell the internet how to show the image. Sharp, color, Black and White…etc.. So then I started being happy with editing photos in Photoshop once again.
And then I also remembered something. I used to use filters and textures in my photos, on my lenses and in the post-processing process with my film. Why couldn’t I use Photoshop the exact same way?

Now I do need to say that I do draw a line (for photographers, go watch the tutorial by [b]ecker about how far should you go with photoshop for portraits) if something can look different with light or if you are going to change something really soon (like blemishes for example) then those can go. (How I get the eyes to “pop?” I try really hard to use a reflector or use a space that the light is just bouncing in the eyes. Look in the mirror in different kinds of light and see how your eyes change and light up/ or get darker with shadows.) But other than that, I try really hard to work with colors (filters) shadows, lighting, sharpening and things like that. I also aim every time I get my camera out to get the shot BANG! Right in the camera, (by working with my lighting, lenses and shadows) to create the look I am wanting in my camera, not in photoshop.

So the question with Photoshop? I do love editing, and I love the kinds of filters I can put over a photo. These are some examples here of what that can look like. I call it Artist’s eye. You need to be able to trust your photographer to see the scene, live in front of them and have an idea of what they want the shoot to look like, even to the finished product. And hopefully that means a large, SUPER SIZED canvas over the comfortable living room sofa. Yes that’s mee hoping.

For the Client, that is looking for getting photos taken: there are many different ways an image can look after it’s taken. But typically you want to trust the artist (your photographer) to see the best color, lighting, shadow…whatever the filter, or “look” may be. If you want an image a certain way, like for example it is in color and you want to blow it up Black and White, well that is why you order photos through a Photography Studio, hopefully a Custom Boutique Photography Studio that is open to clients like you that will cater to what you are looking for.
For the new photographer in training: Don’t over do it! But at the same time, learn how to do it! If you have more questions, send me an e-mail and I will shoot of some great photographers that have an amazing eye, and also that have great resources to editing photos. This is not a fast process, and should take time to research how to work with photos. I don’t know everything, but the more I learn, the more I learn I need to still learn!

Have any questions? Feel free to use the contact form to send mee a message or contact mee via my facebook page.
Until then hope you have a great evening!
Cheerio
-Melissa E Earle

Art Journalling:  ’A way to record what you are thinking, living and going through with a breath of fresh air that just screams YOU!’

I have been on a new adventure recently and have loved it.

It all started when I felt like I really was supposed to make my New Year’s Resolution to be to Journal more, but alas it is May and I still haven’t done very much.  I found myself getting bored of my own writing and found I didn’t want to make time just to sit down and make un-interesting facts.

Then I had a conversation with my friend, Madison, who is teaching Art Journalling.  It totally caught my attention and I asked her to show me her Journal and maybe teach mee a thing or two.  She told mee that my little kids would be great at it too, and after a lesson and some really excited kids, the adventure has begun!

Madison told us that there is only one rule in Art Journalling: Record the Date, after that there are no rules.  As long as you are creating and painting and adding things to your journal that is all about you and how you feel and how you got to the point you are now, then you are on the right path.

Here is a little video I created about Madison and her Art Journal

I have a feeling this is not the last time you will hear about Art Journalling. I think I am going to see if there are any other people around mee who don’t know they are doing it, but are. Recording things as we see them is all about what THIS VISUAL ARTIST loves to be apart of!
If you have any questions or know of someone who does art journalling if your area, let me know! I would love to hear your comments and stories!
Until next time,
Cheerio
-Melissa E Earle