August 01, 2010

How Photography Can Make A Difference - Jen Lemen

I have really been working on my photography (with help from OKStrobist) and feel like I am making progress and getting more comfortable giving direction and how to make what I have work. I am getting stronger in Photoshop, etc, etc, etc. And I do think that becoming a "legit" photographer is still a reality. I may not have a BFA or all of the mastery of other togs, but I love what this message had to say.

May 30, 2010

"Oh, that boy" or "You suck Dad!"

So yesterday I took the kids to the new pool here in town.




Going to the pool, I stopped to get drinks and lunch at Sonic. When we got there, I put the food in my gym bag because it was going to make it easier to carry and we carried in our drinks.

Well, Jackson saw on the wall a rules list that had "No outside food or drink" listed on it. When I went to pay our entry fee, the guy didn't say a word even though I had set my drink plainly in front of him. Well, I never saw the sign.

When we got in and got settled, and I started to had out our lunch. Reid munched along happily. But not Jackson.

I asked Jackson what was wrong, and he didn't answer. I asked him if he was going to eat or not because if the answer was no, lunch will not wait long on in the sun (even though it was chicken strips).

Turns out,  Jackson was so conflicted that he didn't want to eat. I mean, he was sitting practically in the fetal position on deck chair. His response "Dad, I don't want to knowingly break the rule and also turn around and do it in their face." I replied "Jackson, the clerk didn't say anything about it when I set down my drink" He fired back, "Just because he didn't enforce the rule doesn't make it right because it is posted." I was 1/2 way through my sandwich by this point and about choked. Nice.

I didn't make him eat. But an hour later, his tune had changed and he was ready to eat the canopy. You have to give the boy his convictions and principles.

More later...

April 16, 2010

More playing, but completely inspired

This last weekend I was able to attend a workshop in downtown Tulsa, and I was on a high the whole time. The purpose was to learn how to work with studio strobes and other flash units off of camera. I had a great time the whole 5 hours it went. I cannot wait for another one. Here is some of what I took (giddy grin):







Part of why I was so excited is that I have this idea (maybe a dream) of setting up a side photog business. I have been really frustrated and fed up with my job and the lack of opportunities to move. And I have had this idea for a while but have not felt very good about how to go about it and had given up on it because my efforts to get help were coolly rebuffed. I really have been struggling with all of that. 

After this weekend, I learned that what I thought could never happen is still a possibility. I learned where my weaknesses are but that Corey, Richard, and the rest of the group can help me with that. That is what they want to do. I'm going to use this as much as I can. I learned that while natural light is great, flash units and natural light can work together. Very, very well. I need to get through the next month with the children's choir, but then I want to put this into motion. If I can get this going, then I will find a satisfaction that can carry me through my current position until the next opportunity comes along.

March 02, 2010

I got to play...

This last weekend was busy. Jackson had a swim meet and I was able to play with my new toy. Yes, another one. But this one was sanctioned by the wife. Even better. 

What was it? My new camera - a Nikon D300s. This thing is fast; it focuses quickly and shoots 7 frames/second. Perfect for swim meets. I am very happy with it. I should be for that price. 

I have been making myself shoot in manual mode and I have gotten pretty good with it I think. Here are a few images from the meet. I'll post more later.



I have been reading Bryan Peterson's "Understanding Exposure" and tried to put that to use. These were shot using a Nikkor 70-300 f/3.5-5.6 VR lens at f/5.6 & ISO 1600. I made some minor adjustments in Photoshop but very little. I love how clean they are at such a high ISO and have figured out that the lens is really not a bad one (I had gotten to be a little snobbish to any lens that wasn't a f/2.8). Now this pool has huge windows and allowed in a a fair amount of natural light but also had the indoor lighting.  Shooting sports is hard. But I had a good time learning my camera.

More later.

February 11, 2010

Sorry, long time no post

OK. So I'm not good at doing this regularly. January has not been good and we are not out of the woods yet. Let's just say that homeowners insurance has been used, someone else's auto insurance is getting charged (all in 1 weeks time) and we are thankful for health insurance. I was off 2 days this week for part of the health issues and was able to get Reid's and Jackson's valentines made for school.

Reid's are flowers.

I figured out how to use Heather's Cricut to cut out the flowers. The pattern from the design has a hole in the center so we put a Dum Dum through the center. Pretty cute and goes pretty quick.

Jackson's were a little more intensive.

Heather has this pattern that will cut out a little popcorn box. So I cut out 26 of these. Heather felt good enough to glue them together. So this is what he is giving out. Thought it all worked out.

More later. Promise