Portraits!!!

I've just finished my first sitting for portraits! I cannot wait to have a few of these pictures up here, or rather on my website. I'll post some here too though.

My studio works really well, the lighting is good, but I can always improve on that for even better pictures. Right now I am concentrating on "old time" look photo's. My model is gorgeous, but I am very biased, she's my daughter. I'd like to do some with my son, but I need way more props. Even with the ones I have for girls, I need more props. Shopping for those will be VERY fun!

I'll have some of the new portraits up this coming week. I am very happy that I finally got this started!!

Chris Keating Photo Course

Saturday I was able to attend a Chris Keating Photo Workshop. He is a local photographer that has a studio in SE Calgary and I found out about the course through dealfind. Of course I bought it - it's not every day that a deal like that comes up. It was also $39 for a whole day course and I was not about to let that one get away. It was held at the University of Calgary and there were about 700 people in attendance.

At first I thought it wouldn't be very good if there was that many people that were all trying to learn all at once. Luckily I was very wrong. The course couldn't have been better! Chris is a very vibrant and excited person. He is very passionate in his work and it shows. He also has the energy of a 2 year old that has just drunk a cup or 3 or espresso. He was amazing - jumping around the stage, just truly excited about what he did and the fact that he was able to share it with us. He also had a bunch of other experts helping us out if we had a problem or question. It was very well done.

He taught us 3 things about photography - and he said that if you are looking for an advanced course, there isn't one. All you need to know are those 3 things and have the desire to take pictures. He also said that if you can't take a good picture, it's not your camera or the other equipment you use - it's you. He was so open and honest - it was very refreshing to be around such an interesting person.

I learned so much about how to utilize my camera better and I can't wait to try it out. I know that I take good pictures and I am only using the presets on my camera. Imagine what I can do once I take the pictures knowing what I know now!

At one point, Chris asked the audience how many people wanted to use this knowledge to make money on our photography. Out of 700 people, myself and 3 others raised their hand. I was astonished. I thought it would be at least half. But I was wrong, and I guess better for me. I'd like to put out a coffee table book at some point, do more work for offices and maybe do portraits for profit, but that's not really where my interests lie. I don't even care at this point, I just want to take pictures. If I make money off it eventually, that would just be a bonus.

It's been a while

I have been really slacking here. I have been getting "my room" or perhaps "my studio" ready. Maybe I will call it my studio - it sounds better.

I have kicked out any house guests I might have had and taken the spare room over for myself. I have painted and redecorated, got new furniture and today I put up my back drops for portraits. I have a few props and I am going to start shooting my first portraits as early as tomorrow! My lovely daughter will be my fist victim...I mean model. I have a few of my photo's up on the walls already and they look good. I have stocked up on frames, I thought I should have some stock just in case!

I have also booked myself into a course, to learn anything that I don't already know about my camera and photography. I am looking forward to that and I hope it's worth my time. My kids go back to school on Monday so I will have some time to get stuff done again. The plan is to get the photo's I already have water marked this week and put up on my website. I have a few very specific goals this year, so I have something to work towards. I find that I work better when I have specific things planned. That way I am not running around doing lots and getting nothing done!

2012 has been a good year so far and I plan on making it the best I've had in years.

It's official

I am now a paid photographer. I finally got those pictures done for the Electrical Company, a mix of pictures that showcase the companies that they have done work for as well as some technical work. The customers loved the prints and I am getting paid!! This has lead to building their company portfolio as well.

I love taking pictures and I am so excited to actually get paid for something that I created. My husband bought me a new zoom lens for my camera and I tried it out in Banff last weekend, what a cool toy!

I am moving on to portraits soon, I've got to clear out my room that is going to be used as my "office", it's currently my craft room or as we like to call it, dumping grounds. I am on a whole house sweep and have done very well at getting rid of crap that we don't need. That room is going to be a lot of fun. I can't wait to get rid of a bunch of things in there and repaint.

I have a bunch of new pictures that I want to put up on my website, but I have to learn how to watermark them on my new computer before they can go up. I've got a new Mac, and I love it, but I have had to relearn almost everything I do because the Mac is so different. It's really user friendly and I love it, but I'm still a bit slow on some things. My overhaul of the house is going really well so I hope to have them up, and taking new shots, within the next month. I can't wait - all of this is really fun and exciting for me. It gives me something to do that I really care about.

It's August!

I am such a bad blogger! So here's why - I was in Hungary, Germany, Austria and Spain this year. I got back a few weeks ago, but along with all my luggage, I brought home a bacterial infection! Yeah that was a lot of fun. I am feeling just fine now, but the summer is so busy - just the way I like it, so I haven't had time to blog much or upload any more photo's. The good news is that I have uploaded them to the computer, and I am sure I will find time to get them on here soon...ish. I just love being busy and having summer fun, and staying inside is just not on my to do list. I also have a job on Tuesday and an order for a bunch of photo's to complete - so that all had to come first. I may just get my first pay check on this business! Until then, have a fun summer!

It's May!!

Yup, it's May and I have barely had the camera out. Everything is in that state of blah - dirty and no color anywhere yet. That's what you get for Calgary in spring, rocks and garbage everywhere. That being said, I went out this morning and took some pictures of an abandoned church - it was really raw and gritty, kind of like everything else in the city right now, so I thought it was fitting. This church is about 100 years old or more, the squatters have been using it, and there have been a few fires set on it and quickly put out. I don't know how they have turned out, but if I get anything good, I will certainly put it up on my website.

I may have a bit of work lined up for some technical pictures, those will not go up on my website, but maybe I'll get paid for them. That would be really nice!

I leave for Europe next month, so when I get back I will have tons of new pictures to post. I can't wait! Until then I will just have to find inspiration here...somewhere!

Things I never thought I would say

It is snowing like crazy outside and I hate, I mean I REALLY hate, to admit this, but it is so pretty and I can't help but want to go out and take some pictures! Scary...because I really can't stand snow! The snow is very heavy and it weighs things down making them seem different. The trees look really nice, and there is a Church that is not used nearby that looks so interesting in the snow.

Another thing I get to say is that I am going to Spain this summer! I am sure there will be a ton of things to take pictures of there. I am also travelling back to Germany, Hungary and Austria. I can't wait to go! Most of the time I carry my camera with me when we are on vacation, except when we are at the beach. Because I always have it with me, I get to take pictures of so many things, not just the tourist things.

My computer is being fixed as we speak - thanks to my husband - so I will be able to post some new pictures soon. I am going to try some new things, do some experimenting with stuff and see how my pictures turn out. Until then, I will just be patient!