Photo Contest Entry: Endurance

"Endure to the End" * 6/3/2011--1:03 PM * Omaha, Nebraska * f/5.6 * 1/60 * Canon E'OS DIGITAL REBEL XT *I put the camera on the floor and listened for the focus "beep" and shot it. It took me a few times but I got a great focus. I took the photo into Camera Raw and increased the blacks and decreased the exposure. I used an adjustment brush on the tears in her shoes.

This submission was for the photography contest in the Photographics Society. I chose to enter this contest because I liked having a theme to the contest. I went on vacation to Nebraska, my mission, and searched to find a picture that would work. I starred at this sisters shoes and knew that it would be a great shot!

Large Format Photo Choice

"The Pace of Nature" * Rexburg, Idaho * 6/12/2011 – 7:23 PM * f/5.6 *1/250 sec *Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XT *

I took this picture during the evening time when there was great light. There were shadows everywhere and the water was moving slowly but had enough movement to show a ripple effect and bring texture into the shot. I took the camera portrait style so I could keep the focal point on the lighting that draws the eye up the river and almost through the bend. The clarity was great when I opened it up on the computer and I was very pleased. After printing it, I realized that I needed to increase the greens which is why I increased my levels even more but masked everything out. It already has great contrast with the shadows that the surrounding trees created. I chose the image because it looked great raw and had to make minor edits. That is the kind of photography I enjoy. Also, I feel like it has great composition and depth and would look great in large photo format.  I decreased exposure and increased saturation in camera raw and then brought it into photo shop to do adjustment layers. Adjusted the levels to increase the exposure of green tree and masked out other areas to keep contrast.

Fine Art



"Bloom" * 6/3/2011--12:40 PM * 1/250 * f 5.6 * Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XT * Brought it into camera raw and filled in the blacks a little and increased the saturation and clarity.



Used the tutorial in the book to complete the fine art template. I placed the picture in and really liked the effect that it gave to the flowers. I don't have a signature stamp, so I just added text at the bottom and matched the color with the flower.




I just took this picture the other day and didn't think that it would be a great prospect for my fine art template, but I really do love it. I saized the photo down to fit in but sill had to configure an arrangement that would look best. I like how it looks like a painting.
**JUST NOTICED THE QUOTE IS WRONG ON HERE! IT SHOULD SAY, "Steam is no stronger than it was a hundred years ago but it is put to better use." **

 

"Steaming" * 6/9/11--8:20 PM * 1/160 * f 5.6 *Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XT * Tripod * This picture was originally meant to be an hdr but didn't want the watermark because I don't have the program yet. I brought it in to camera raw and played with the saturation and colors. Then, brought it into photoshop and cropped the bottom and added a photo filter: film grain.



Night Lights

Camera Motion * 6/9/11--9:16 PM * 4 sec * f 3.5 * Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XT * Instead of moving my camera around to paint with the colors, I just zoomed in and out with my lense to create a blurred effect with the lights. I like how it turned out! I had to use content aware to get rid of a few of the tags that are on the guitars and then rebuild a guitar head using the stamp tool. Then I increased the blues and greens and the overall saturation.

Blurred Lights * 6//9/2011--9:05 PM * 8 sec * f 4.5 * Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XT * Tripod * I set my camera up on a tripod and got this shot after playing with the shutter speed a few times. Then, I cropped it and used content aware to get rid of some of the annoying loud signs in the background. I brought up the saturation and increased the blacks to bring more focus on the streaming line.



Light Sketching * 6/9/2011--9:37 PM * 8 sec * f 3.5 *  Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XT * Tripod * I had my husband go by the large puddle of water in our driveway and draw a fish while I took the picture. You couldn't see him very much but I needed to edit out his white shoes, so I used the stamp and healing tools to do that. Then I turned it black and white and masked out the grass and half of the water that was blue.


 

Light Painting * 6/9/2011--9:44 PM * 10 sec * f 3.5 * Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XT * Tripod * Had my husband paint the wreath and then spell out home. Then, I had to take it into photoshop to create a more even light by painting black over certain parts. Then I increased the saturation and added a warm sepia blending mode over it.



Scannography

"The Guymon's" * 6/7/11--5:25 * Spori Scanner * 800 dpi * Epson v500 * Scanned each item individually with a black foam core poster over them and then took them all into Camera Raw and increased the blacks to have a more defined black edge to make it easier to cut. Then, I cut them all out and placed them on this black background.

"Fabricated" * 6/7/11--5:20 * Spori Scanner * 800 dpi * Epson v500 * This took a few tries on the scanner using preview. I had to figure out how to make sure everything was covered by fabric and that the G was centered. I brought it into Camera Raw and adjusted the exposure, increased the blacks and saturation and even used the adjustment brush on the G. (I sized it at 1000 because it would have been too small at 700.)

Edge Effects

"I'm just a summer girl" * 6/4/2011 – 3:03 PM * Omaha, Nebraska * 1/1250 sec * f/5.0 *  Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XT * Taking pictures outside on a sunny day was rough, however, we did have a roof over this part when I took the picture. I ended up increasing the exposure and then increasing the blacks to detract from the background in Camera Raw. Then, I brought it in photoshop and added a brushed-on effect. I switched between brushes to get the look I wanted and kept the opacity at 100. 

 "Symbols" *  6/4/2011 – 3:00 PM * Omaha, Nebraska * 1/3200 sec * f/5 * Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XT * I had to zoom in really close to get this shot. The bride actually asked me to take a picture of her necklace because it has the diamond from her mothers wedding ring that her deceased dad gave her. I wasn't sure which to focus on more so I focused in the middle of the shot. Then, brought it into camera raw and increased the blacks and contrast. I also took an adjustment brush and touched on the ring and the necklace. When creating the transparent frame, I had to decrease the exposure of the original picture to increase the burned boarder. I wanted it to focus on the ring and the necklace so I made the frame a little thicker.

"Walking on Water" * 6/2/2011 – 1:53 PM * Omaha, Nebraska: Mormon Trail Center * 1/30 sec * f/3.5 * Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XT  * I took this picture at the bronze exhibit at the Mormon Trail Center (my mission). Lighting was difficult but I got this angle and I loved the shot. I added the flexible brushed on effect and alternated my brushes. Also, I reduced the opacity to help blend the edging a little better.