Beyond Limits
...where I will strive to expand my creative limits with images & more
Friday 7 June 2013
Tuesday 7 May 2013
Beyond Fun!! [2B.14]
I know I have been remiss with my blog posts but
I am juggling so many balls right now that I just don't have the time!
I have managed to post all challenges on the classroom wall and on Flickr
...so far...
Running behind and just getting to last week's class!!
What a treat this class was...and the timing was just perfect because
I have a mass of sequential photos of my adorable niece
and I was not happy with a tryptic or other collage treatment.
So now I can make a million little gifs of the sweetest little one on the planet!
Here was my first attempt, made from a series of photos taken last summer.
She spent a lot of time that day putting on and taking off my sun glasses.
I am thinking I might have to figure out how to slow down the pace...
You'll have to make a trip back to see the animated story of
some of the other fun we had that day.
Or maybe I should make one of myself, juggling all those balls...
NOT!
Promise I will be back when things settle down a bit.
Janet xo
Tuesday 19 February 2013
Beyond Grateful [2B.3]
The challenge in Kim Klassen's third 2B class
is to experiment with different focal points
and to create a collage of the results . . .
I have fallen in love with become totally distracted by Lightroom!
So, in an effort to continue with the class work
while at the same time exploring,
I chose some archived experimental focal point photos . . .
and used the opportunity to practice/develop my culling & rejecting skills
as I explored Lightroom.
I also created my collage template in Lightroom a la Kim's careful instructions.
Have I mentioned that I LOVE Lightroom???
I am so grateful to Kim for suggesting it and,
though I know it is going to take a while for me to go through all my photos,
in the end I will be so much happier and more efficient!
:::
EMBARRASSING CONFESSION TIME
I should point out here, that the lovely young man at the "Genius Bar"
in our Apple Store was STUNNED at how many photos I had on my hard drive,
which he kindly saved for me . . .
It was the talk of the 'backroom' for several days apparently.
I love it when techies revel in sharing stories of my technovirginity.
I am so grateful to the Genius for saving my photos
I am so grateful to the Genius for saving my photos
:::
Even with hundreds of photos strewn about my virtual cutting room floor
I had plenty to put together for my collage.
The photos are all SOOC,
as I am just beginning to experiment with the Lightroom controls . . .
I hope to dive into them as soon as I am caught up with my assignments!
I hope to dive into them as soon as I am caught up with my assignments!
Kim included a little "just for added fun" exercise
which was to experiment with her "Frosted" texture . . .
All this working with photos of flowers
is making me impatient for spring!
I can't wait to get out there and get my hands in the warm dirt!!
The operative word there being WARM . . .
On to 2B.4 and then I shall be all caught up!
Love, Janet xo
Thursday 14 February 2013
Beyond Simple [2B.2]
Day 2 of Kim's Beyond Beyond Class was awesome for me!
Besides great tips and tricks on Aperture settings, Kim took us through the start to finish steps for processing a photo . . . mostly in Lightroom!
By the time I had finished watching her short video tutorials
I HAD to have Lightroom!
I NEEEEEEEEED Lightroom!
I downloaded a 30 day free trial at the Adobe website, and I am thrilled so far (but have much to learn!)
I am in Love!
Challenge 1:
Download sample photo or use your own and give the steps (from tutorial) a go or do your own thing.
I used Kim's photo, not only to got through the steps and to experiment but also to learn a bit about the Lightroom software . . .
I messed around so much that in the end I can't exactly remember what I did!!
I flipped Kim's original photo horizontally and added a warmer tone than she has in her tutorial, just to see how it was different. I used her "- 43 texture" and added a quote by Oscar Wilde.
Next I am going to find a photo of my own to experiment with!
Challenge 2:
Experiment with your camera.
Set up a shot and shoot, bumping the f/stop, one stop at a time.
Move in closer and do it again.
This exercise totally fascinated me!
Perhaps, as someone who once used a Nikon FM SLR back in the day, it shouldn't have . . .
Can you see the difference?
This exercise totally fascinated me!
Perhaps, as someone who once used a Nikon FM SLR back in the day, it shouldn't have . . .
I won't bore you with the gory details . . .
but have chosen two shoots, SOOC, to demonstrate the difference.
f/stop 5 |
f/stop 32 |
Can you see the difference?
I love the dreamier effect one can get with the lower f/stop!
Not that garlic is particularly dreamy . . .
Not exactly the epitome of Valentine's Day wishes either . . .
But wishing you a happy Valentine's Day anyway!
Love, Janet xo
Monday 11 February 2013
Going Beyond [2B.1]
Wow . . . what a learning experience this has been already!! . . . and on so many levels….
. . . this was exactly what Kim was asking us to do!! Arrange ourselves, not our subject
Kim said: "try taking 10 different shots"
P.S. I LOVE Ommwriter!!
This truly was a challenge for me right from the
start . . .
Kim said: “Set up your own scene”?
I have always been a sort of spontaneous shooter - I am rarely without a camera . . .
I see something I like - I shoot it!!
I see something I like - I shoot it!!
Yikes!! I question my ability to actually even ‘set something up’ in a way that is visually appealing . . .
I have always been a proponent of the great photographer Diane Arbus, who said:
I have always been a proponent of the great photographer Diane Arbus, who said:
"I work from awkwardness.By that I mean I don't like to arrange things. If I stand in front
of something, instead of arranging it, I arrange myself."
. . . this was exactly what Kim was asking us to do!! Arrange ourselves, not our subject
. . . and that is why I am here . . . too learn,
to stretch, to grow my creative talents . . .
So I set up my scene. Sort of . . . I added the flowers to the red vase
So I set up my scene. Sort of . . . I added the flowers to the red vase
The Scene |
Kim said: "try taking 10 different shots"
No problem! I have pretty much always used what is
affectionately known as the ‘spray and pray’ approach to photography . . .
I think I took over 100 shots . . .
I think I took over 100 shots . . .
This is likely why I have always found the
next steps to be a huge challenge . . .
Kim said: "Take note of 1 or 2 of your favourites"
Did she say 1 or 2??
Note to Self: Learn step 3 in Kim’s ‘Photo Workflow’ - Cull/Sort
I confess. I find it so hard to delete rejects . . .
I wince, I
hesitate, I rationalize and, when I finally force my hand, I apologize
profusely to the offending photo . . .
Oh yes I definitely need to be here . . . and now . . . I need
this so badly! I am far too embarrassed
to admit to myself tell you how many photos I have saved . . . all over
the place . . . or how much time I spend waste looking for them…
So today I will turn over a new leaf . . .
I inspected, I culled, I deleted (ow, Ow, OW)
I realized that I needed to adjust my idea of ‘the
scene’
I had too many components to it…a bouquet, a stack of cups, a Ball canning jar. . . In my mind
I thought I would use each part in the collage . . . I broke it
down and decided I would make three collages! One for the bouquet, one for the cups and one for the Ball Jar . . .
Then I decided that was rationalizing and made a valiant attempt . . .
et voila
Kim asked: "Did I enjoy the challenge?"
Absolutely!!
Kim asked: "Was it difficult to find time for the exercise, did you feel rushed…"
No, not this time because I set aside the whole day (yes, I am lucky that way)
to get up to speed . . . which didn’t happen but I will get there . . .
I know I can’t spend a whole day on every assignment but I am so
excited to be feeling inspired again!!
Kim suggested: ". . . printing a small version of your fav and . . ."
My fav????? Uh oh . . .
Okay. Okay. I'm working on it . . .
Thank you Kim!!
For allowing me to join late and for igniting the creative spark and kick starting my photo mojo . . .
Love, Janet xo
P.S. I LOVE Ommwriter!!
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