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Background from another canyon taken a month ago.


Background in Same area, taken a month ago.

Original photo taken last week.

Now that everything is dead, but families still need photos taken, it is really hard to find something with any color. I took this family's photo last week, but also had some backgrounds from about a month ago when there was color. I don't make this a habit, but sometimes I find it necessary. The bottom one is the original, the middle one was in the same place but the background was taken a month ago and the top, the background was in another canyon. The photo obviously matches best with the background in the same place, but I was surprised how well it did match with the canyon photo. I still need to do some dodge and burn around the highlighted areas, but there is hope for some color and a better background. All in all, finding a background that doesn't matter what season it is, is better, maybe a cool barn, some great building, anyway, but for now, this is what I did.
In order to do this, I pull the background over the original photo and bring the family back in with a layer mask and the brush tool, toggling back and forth from top to bottom layer. It is like a giant head swap. The thing you have to be most careful with is when the heads are in a highlighted area, like the sky. Digitally, they make "halo's" around the area and that is when it is hard to put them into another background if there are trees and subject matter, this is when it starts to look like- "you put them in". That is when I do the dodge and burn thing to bring shadows and mask the "halloing" (sp?) and make it look as natural as possible. Most people can't even tell when it is printed.

family

Beth is a great photographer and friend of mine and upon returning a background she loaned me, asked if I would snap a few family shots. How cute are they! Just a few photo tips that I should have caught....maybe in viewing this you might catch them when photographing, I know I will watch a little closer next time. The boy on the left, his hand should have been turned coming off of his dad's shoulder. Dad's left hand I should have hid behind his daughter, and the daughter's (top right) arm should have been relaxed, maybe bent at the elbow coming in front of her. Oh, but what a great family. Thanks Beth, all in all a nice photo, just things I have got to watch for better. Check out Beth's website. She has a beautiful indoor studio at her home. Just to have half that space would be heaven!

Baby Danzer

Oh, how I love blister lips on a baby and Danzer had them. Just like his dad. What a great baby. I photographed this couples wedding 4 years ago.Beautiful couple then, beautiful parents now- happy day. These were just a few of my favorites.

Christmas Cards for 2008

Sample 1: Red & Green

Sample 2: Green on Green

Sample 3: Burnt Red


All cards are 4x8.
For those that cannot design the backgrounds, but still are photographers- don't fret! As many as you know, there are still some that don't realize you can still design your own layouts and purchase the backgrounds from companies and put together your own. You need to check with them so make sure you can resale them. I love using Scrapgirls and they do have a commercial use section and they are not that much more in cost.
As soon as this Christmas rush is over, I am going back to designing- since I did it for my whole life- I believe my 2.5 year break is over. I think the bug is back. I don't think back to the painting, but graphic design and stock photography on the side. I believe some may call it- adult ADDDTTT. But I don't call it that- I am just a little wacked out, a change of scene is needed.... something. My daughter took me to a new fabric shop here in town and there went my brain. I designed fabric for 10 years, and wouldn't you know it, the fabric company contacted me just yesterday asking when I would be coming back. Maybe it is time.... Oh, but I did paint my kitchen and living area and got rid of all of the shades of colored walls and went to a beautiful bone color and a gallery of brightly colored photos! Now, that calmed my brains down a bit. So refreshing!