Adding water to images using Photoshop

Up and Coming

I've really been working hard to do a couple of things lately. First, building my portfolio of bridal portraits and second, getting ready to start teaching.

Bridal portraits are fun for me. And I really don't want to do the typical bridal stuff. One of the reasons my step-daughter "hired" me to do her senior pics was because I was different than the typical senior photographer. And I really appreciated that compliment. I told her I wasn't going to charge her because of that!

I think what makes any portrait great is that it's not typical. But that's also the hardest thing to do. I think Olan Mills revolutionized family portraiture, but at the same time, they really got us used to the mass produced-church-directory-photographer-in-the-box portraits. You just get tired of "sit on the stool, dad over here, mom right there holding junior." But again, that's the hardest thing to do is be creative, ESPECIALLY for someone like me who isn't an artist, isn't in tune with the artistic side, isn't at ALL interested in going to Starbucks drinking coffee then hanging out at the G3ni0us B@r at the @pple St0re.

So what kind of bridals am I looking at in the future? Goth! Yep, I had no idea that there are some people who don't want to wear a white wedding dress and would rather wear something like a vampiress getup to get married in. WONDERFUL! Love it!

And I'm also getting ready to start teaching photography. I'm excited and a little terrified. My wife is the teacher. She's phenomenal! Read her amazingly awesome blog. But I need to get out and start sharing. I truly believe in sharing in education. I also believe that as we get more advanced we should teach. I've been paired with some AMAZING photographers to develop a certification program in photography through extended education. What and honor. Scary! Surprising! I'm excited to teach my first class.

So what's on the horizon.

CHARITY! PRO BONO!

I've really been moved to do portraits for segments of the population who do not ever get to have a picture.

I'm a believer in Help Portrait a project to provide free portraits to the disadvantage. Always in December. I want to do something similar to this during the year. I have a special package for those who fit one of these characteristics.

• On WIC
• orphaned
• on free and reduced lunch/breakfast
• single mom with multiple (2+ kids)
• I waive my sitting fee ($100) and they get a free CD with re-touched photos.

See you next time.

Editing Mistakes

Photography Essentials Part 02

Photography Essentials

Workflows and Actions

I've been asked how I get my images to look the way I do. Most of it is in taking the image. It's easier to take an image correctly than it is to try to correct it. Get your white balance, ISO and exposure correct first. Get things the way you want and take the image.

Digital images if not simple snapshots look better processed. They often have a "haze" to them and the colors may not be rich. Processing or "workflow" is what you do to an image to clean it a little. It involves cropping, color correction, skin or item correction (think removing blemishes or leaves or anything distracting) and then any artistic additions.

Here is a video I did for the process.

The Advanced Rule of Thirds or The Fibonacci Ratio

We've spoken a little about the Rule of Thirds and how to use it to make your pictures look better. The rule of thirds, to re-state, says if you divide your image into thirds both horizontally and vertically, you will get 9 equal squares on your image. Placing a subject at the intersection of those lines is pleasing, specifically, the upper right zone is the most pleasing.

There is another rule or ratio that is pleasing to the eye. It's the "God Ratio" or Fibonacci Ratio/Spiral. Whether you are familiar with it or not, you have seen this spiral. The sea shell is an example of this spiral.

It's a spiral of specific proportion. Most people don't like math, so I won't get into it, but that spiral, when applied to a photograph is very pleasing.


Let's take this picture for example. It typifies both the rule of thirds and the Fibonacci Ratio.

When we overlay the Fibonacci Spiral as well as the Rule of thirds, we get the intersections at the subject's face.

What does this have to do with pictures?

When editing an image, try to do a couple of things. First, when shooting try to place the subject in an area of the frame that will accentuate one of the two rules.

Second, when editing, overlay the image with one of these two rules and try to place the subject at the critical points either in the grid or in the spiral. This creates a very pleasing image to your client as well as your art.

I found these images with a simple Google search.

Rule of Thirds
Fibonacci Spiral