Smug Mug

I switched to SmugMug yesterday and I must say I LOVE it!  I've been on Flickr for a while now and will remain on it, but SmugMug allows you to create albums and themes for your photos.  This is my November page.

It also will allow me to add private pages for photo shoots we will have in the future where clients (or family) will be able to order quality prints themselves.

I'm also able to export directly from LightRoom through a plug-in, another easy step.

So I've taken it up another notch.  This is a fun journey.  I've learned a few new things this last weekend from speaking and communicating to four professional photographers.

Now to practice practice practice.


note: TheGrammieDiaries is an affiliate of SmugMug.

85mm Goodie Gumdrops

Say Hi !  We have a new kid in the family.  Yeah, him on the top right.  We're going to start giving these names as they are making the rounds in my family.

Welcome 85mm f/1.8 

I've been researching a great lens to use for shooting my niece's volleyball games and soon her track and field meets.  I was happy to use the 24-70mm the last time around ~ but that baby is heavy and there are times when I just want to bring something light with me.  The 50mm was great but Daughter #1 has it and we did not need two of 'em.  So I saved up for our new lens in the family.

I took it for a spin yesterday and then again today.

 

f/1.8 and f/7.1.  Neat, huh! 

click for bigger image 

I shot this today while driving ~ so far, there is no law against that yet *grin*.  Wildflowers!  Since I snapped this from my side of the car and the flowers were on the passenger's side of the car ~ I had to crop a bit from the photo, but otherwise, it's SOOC.  The crop  takes some of the clarity away.

This tree was in full bloom.  I shot this at ISO 100 and at f/1.8 ~ love the blur I get.  I didn't do anything to the picture.  It is straight out of the cam.  I think it'll look much nicer on Flickr so I'll post it there.

I can't wait for the first opportunity to use this lens.  It's not great for inside the house since you've got to be quite a distance away but for outdoor photography and for indoor sports, I think it's going to do great.

I'm only lacking ONE more lens in my life.  I may have to hit the lottery for that one or find me a benefactor. In the meantime ~ my kids and I are going to immensely enjoy our shared hobby.

And spring is just around the corner!  Gotta love that!

I Heart Faces # 44 ~ My Entry

This is the first time I’m participating in Fix It Friday, a blog hop for photography aficionados.  I love playing with my camera and even more so, with my photo editing software of choice, LightRoom 2.  You can visit other participants in I Heart Faces.

Here’s the BEFORE photo for Fix It Friday #44

and my rendition after tweaking the photo on LR2.  The AFTER result.

Now that was fun!  I’m heading on over there to link up with MckLinky now and see how others did.  Have a great weekend!

New LightRoom 2 Presets from X-Equals!

A lot of my photography 'learn' days are from friends I've met online ~ more precisely from Twitter.   I'm blown away but the knowledge I've obtained on hardware AND software technology.
With that in mind, let me introduce you to X-Equals and it's founder, Brandon Oelling.  On Twitter, he is @xequals.

Get to know this logo and avatar on Twitter.  He's the best.  And X-equals just released a Preset for $14.99.  If you visit HERE you'll be able to see some of the presets that will be available on this particular set.  Check out his previous posts too as he always has great artistry featured and you can learn SO MUCH on this site both PhotoShop and LightRoom related.  Mike Grey and Brandon spent weeks putting this set together and honestly, you can't beat the $14.99 price for 75 Presets.  That's NOT a typo.  I did say SEVENTY FIVE.

I just got mine and I can't wait to download them and play.
If you have LR2, you know that there's MUCH more you can do with presets ~ I'm a big fan of them and most of the ones I have were found via X-Equals.
Can you just say I'm a fan?  I'm sure you will be too!
LOVE IT!  See?

SOC

One Click Preset: X-Equals + LIDF - Paper VC-O

One Click Preset:  X-Equals + LIDF - Holga - Kodachrome 25 Curve

It's FUN!  How many times could a woodchuck chop can a puppy be so cute!  SEVENTY FIVE Times !

HDR Photography For Dummies

I am not a professional photographer.  There, I disclosed.  I'm not good at being mediocre, though.  I'm either into something 100% or not into it at all.  Ask my mom..I'm an all or nothing kind of gal.

So since June of this year, I've been enhancing my skilllllz and trying to master this Canon 50D of mine and the four five lenses that I we have.  I say 'we' because my son has taken it up, too.  And just like other things gadget-y, he's much better than me and has mastered it. 

So my kid set my camera up so I can take HDR pictures.  High Dynamic Range if you're not into acronyms.  You can check out Google on the definition, but if you're the lazy kind..then HERE, I'll save you a click.  Basically I have a custom setting (C1 on my Canon) and when I take a photo, it generates 3 photographs in varying luminances like these below.  Yeah click, click, click in rapid fashion.

 

 

Now as you can see..none of these don't look really good by themselves.  Sure you can fix these individually in Lightroom or Photoshop but you want to bring out the color and all the highlights and shadows and make the photo come alive. That's where Photomatix Pro comes in.  You can read all about it in the link.  These three photos I took today are straight out of the camera, unretouched.

I uploaded these three to Photomatix...see the three files on the right. That's the 3 RAW files converted to JPG.

 

 

Then I hit "OK" and "Generate HDR Image" ~  the software crunches all three photographs (pardon my non techie language, the pictures are being cooked).

 

Boiling...let it cook s'more

 

Almost done, finishing touches..I just sit and wait (less than a minute)
Chromatic aberrations..uh huh.  Really? Makes you feel smart.

Initially, this is what you'll see.  Whoa, right?  No prob. Just hit "Tone Mapping"

You'll get controls like this to fix your image

 

 

Now this is where YOU (I) have control.  You move these sliders till you think you have an exquisite image exactly to your liking.  Kind of like Salt and Pepper to taste.

Hit PROCESS and then SAVE the image...voila!! 

 

 

Just like 20/20 Clear Vision!

You may click to enlarge

 

Now, dontcha love it? 

 

And there you go!  My (hideous) first photography tutorial in plain kitchen jargon that any layperson or cook can understand.  Thanks for reading!  This is how I learned it and if I can do it, so can you (and so can your Yay Grammie)!

 

Got questions?  Uhhhhm...okay, leave it here or comment..and I'll have my techie geeky smart patient and cool 23 year old son reply to you.  Cuz me...I'm more hands on than reading instructions.  But I do cookbooks!

 

Love thy camera.

Close Up Photography, Minus The Macro Lens

If you are a new owner of a DSLR camera and love taking pictures up close and personal, as in macro photography ~ but for some reason are holding off on purchasing a macro lens,  here's an option  for you.  I took some pictures   with my 7D Canon and a 50mm f /1.8 lens and a $25.00 Quantaray Close Up Set of filter lenses.
First of all, the filter set comes in this case

inside of which are  three lenses you can attach to the 50mm lens, one by one or altogether.

Now bear in mind that when you're using the 50mm ~this is about as near or far as you can get in order to take a close up photo ~ no zooming in.
Different shot different subject, still with the 50mm lens by itself.  Here's my Benders basketball dude and my collectible Conan KeepaKlip from my store and sample stash.  This is the closest, clearest I can get with just the 50mm.  Not bad.  I love my 50mm.

Now, let me get closer with the +4 lens attached to the 50mm.  Same  Bender dude, with Conan. About 6 inches away.

Now, I really want to close up on Conan since he needs some attention lately ~ and I kind of like the guy.  I attached all three add-on lenses to my 50mm and I'm about a couple inches away with this last shot.

See how easy that was?  And I did NOT spend $600 on a macro lens.  I can go outside and find some cool bug [except that it's winter] and take some cool outdoor photography!  Here are some online reviews of this filter set. Yup, I did my homework and I'll save you the trouble.
Now when you go to a camera store, you must ask for these lenses.  If you talk about close up photography, they'll want to sell you the expensive stuff.  Not many will mention this alternative.  They are available in different diameters.  For $25.00, it will tide you over until you have disposable money to splurge.
Now go on, and have fun with your hobby!  And while you're at it, you even have enough for a cup of coffee!  Cheers!! Say CHEESE!!

My Camera and Me, The Journey

About a couple years ago, I bought my first DSLR, a Canon Rebel xTi.  I shot in green, automatic mode.  That was all I knew and I was too lazy to pick up my reading glasses to read the manual. I don't read manuals well. I'm a hands on learner, albeit a quick learner.

In June of last year, I had a fun conversation with @ShutterBugGeek on Twitter.  I loved some of the pictures she was sharing and I started to chat with her.  She recommended that I read Bryan Peterson's book Understanding Exposure.  It helped me. A lot.  I was photographing flowers in the neighborhood.  I was June and all the roses were blooming.

Then I showed my son what I learned and let him read the book.  Being the techie that he is and a sponge, he quickly started shooting BETTER pictures with his lowly Rebel xT. 

I passed my camera down to him, sold his camera to my sister and purchased a Canon 50D.  I was hooked. And so was my son.

Months later, as our skills progressed we did another fun switcheroo.  This time, with my daughter who wanted in!  She got the Canon xTi,  my son got the Canon 50D and ME?  I am the proud and happy owner of the LAST camera I will buy, a Canon 7D.

I'm learning so much so quickly.  It's a fantastic hobby that anyone can pick up.  I started in June.  It hasn't even been a year.

I've taken MANY floral photos since then!

What a trip!  I'm loving it!

I'll share what I've learned here.  Easy layman's lingo.  No manual required.  I hope you enjoy the journey with me!