Using photo software

Wow, 2 in 1 day.  The severe headache from this morning has subsided to a dull throb.  Love spring time in Ohio.

After I wrote the previous blog, I found an email from a fave wedding photography team.  They shared how to do actions in Lightroom V4, unfortunately, I still use v2.  But I'm a quick study.  As I was looking at the images taken of my daughter, I knew that though they were acceptable right from the camera for the blog post, they needed a little work for print.  Now, I do not mean they needed fixed.  My camera and light meter are apparently not calibrated and I'm sure my monitor needs re-calibrated, I can not remember if it was done this week or not, so probably not.

The image are over exposed slightly, not a lot, but the highlight side is more than I really wanted.  It's over exposed.

Watching the video by the wedding team, It made me take a more objective view of the images I had taken...they are a lot over exposed.  The and my ratio is closer to 4:1 than 3:1.  For portraits I prefer 3:1....I like shadow/highlight and that soft wrap of light I get when I use a lower ratio.

After a few minutes of playing in Lightroom, I had a nice preset for my studio work that put the highlights in place, showing the detail of the face that was getting lost in the over exposure....apparently not much over exposure because the freckles are all there!  I brought the shadow side out a little more without getting funny color looking....seems to happen with underexposed, it's trying to fill in pixel info that does not exist...so shadows weren't overly underexposed.  No funny colors, no pixels filling in lost info, no dayglow highlights.  Just nice.

Then they talked about adding grain!  I LOVE FILM.  I can't add grain with LR2, but I can in CS4.  It was just a matter of playing around.  OMG, that reminds me, I LOVE well exposed black and white images....So with an image that is now ready for print, I can take it to CS4 and change it to black and white.
A correctly exposed black and white with details in the highlight as well as the shadows.  Add a little grain and it's ready for the lab.

I love when I learn something new!

No education required

I'm going to be fair with this blog post.  It wasn't very nice the way it sat in my drafts, but I feel that there are photographers out there really trying....but there is a difference and I'm going to share that today.

This was HARD for me to do...and no, even the professional image is not perfect, but the difference is mega!

So, you think you take nice pictures,? Or so you've been told.  Someone,or you bought a nice expensive camera from Walmart, the $600 camera.  And you bought a few backgrounds off Ebay, bought some of those fancy lights on stands with an umbrella or you are "all natural" light.  You're set!  How hard can it be, you already take nice pictures....

This is where it gets hard for me, maybe me 20 years ago?  Before hours and hours of books, practice, education, more practice and lots of experience.

In ALL fairness, all the equipment, lighting etc is exactly the same in both images.  Same camera, same light (just one in both), same pose - kinda. And exactly the same distance off the background.  I'll explain the differences at the end.  I should mention, I had to learn to use a lightmeter and do not know how to use A or P in the studio, so these are metered using M.

So, you are hiring a photographer or you are ready to go into business, you can have/do this,

Cute, that's my daughter.

"What a cutie, but I could have done that at home in front of the fireplace using my husbands point and shoot" 

Or

You can hire a professional who has experience.  Or learn before you hang out your shingle and start charging or calling yourself a professional photographer or photographer for hire.

What a great tween portrait! 

"OMG, grab the tissue, I'm going to cry...I LOVE it" 

Remember, exact same light, camera, soft box, meter, background, kid, camera setting, etc. Even the crop is the same.  Heck, I didn't even move the tripod (yes, I use one of those)

So, you say "All you did was turn her to the side."
... in a Contra Pose.  I also moved the light to create a loop light form, turned her head to create Short lighting and that Loop.  Put the weight on the correct foot, pulled down her sleeves, created a catchlight in the 11 o'clock position, used a 3:1 ratio to create depth.
AND NO PHOTOSHOP.
 No photoshop was used on this image except to put the logo in the corner.  Is it perfect?  No, her eyes are on the same plane.  She's 12, she's my kid, sometimes you do get what you can, but if you know what you are doing, it's easier to get most of it right....in the camera and camera room.  And present a professional portrait that would look awesome printed 20x24 framed and hanging over the fireplace.

"Why yes, I will take that printed as a 20x24 framed....will you come hang it for me?"

Yes I will!  

And did I mention, no photoshop, no enhancing, no fixing, no making it better and OMG, no fake background pasted in. The focus is dead on (I'd be happy to show you on my 90" projection screen), the expression is great, I'm even good with the perspective.

Oh, what the heck, here's the eyes....

As a professional photographer who can create portraits like the second one you can charge accordingly and actually have time to spend with your family since you didnt' spend all your time in photoshop adding actions, borders or overlays to make it look cool or "fix it".   No need, it already is.

Cool.

And yes, I absolutely use photoshop to enhance a photo, just like I would have in the darkroom on film. Enhance, not fix.

Oh, don't forget in the state of Ohio if you are selling something to someone, even at your cost, you are in business and need a business license and you need to collect sales tax....cheaters suck. (JMO)

Lately I have been accused of not being very couth in how I express my opinions.  But, if it's good enough to do as a hobby and collect some money on the side, isnt' it good enough to do as a legal business and do the right way?  I thought so.

 You can check out her other poses on my Facebook page.