Gregory Heisler

Award winning photographer Gregory Heisler is speaking at Gwinnett Tech on Wednesday. He is a renown New York photographer known for his 70 TIME magazine covers. This is an amazing opportunity to pick the brain and hear the experiences of a successful photographers.

New Stuff!

After playing around with the Flip cameras at school, I decided to buy one for myself. Especially since I found out who inexpensive they are. I bought mine through Amazon and it should be here by Wednesday. I am really excited to play around with it.

Desktop or Notebook?

That is the question at hand for me right now. I am in the market for a new computer, because the current home computer is dying a slow and agonizing death. I really love apple products and know that is what I will be getting. However, the question comes from whether or not I get laptop or desktop. I think that since I am not in school anymore, that a desktop will be all that I need. But I do like the convenience and compact design of a laptop. So, I asking if you have any pros or cons for either side. I need some suggestions. Thanks!

Christmas is here....

So, the pumpkins and turkeys are put away for the year, and the ribbons, bows, and lights are out. I do love the fun and spirit of this time of year. I look forward to shooting lots of fun pictures this season; I am defiantly planning some night photography. My family and I did put up our Christmas tree this past weekend and it was so much fun to see the excitement in my daughters eye. I can't wait to see more.

Flash....

The off camera flash is a very important tool in photography, whether it is events, photojournalism, or even impromptu portraits. However, it is a piece of equipment that can be really complicated to figure out. Thankfully, I was given a web site that breaks it down and explains everything. It is a bit wordy, but it has all of the information that you could ever need to use your flash. It is about Canon, and I do love my Canon 580. I don't know where I would without. If you are interested, Click Here.

Right Place at the Right Time

I took this picture this past June when I was in Florida on vacation. My uncle took us out on his boat to show us the view of the city from the water. While out on the water, we saw lots of dolphins swimming and jumping all around us. I didn't stop shooting. I think I took about 300 pictures in about 10 to 15 minutes and this is the only picture I got of a dolphin jumping out of the water. I do though, have about 250 pictures of dolphin tales sticking up out of the water. I do love this picture and so happy that I actually got it.

Central Park

I went on vacation to New York City almost two years ago. It was the first big trip I had taken with my Canon 30D. I was really excited to shoot, even though I was still learning all the bells and whistles of my new camera. Everything pretty much worked out. and I learned a lot about the camera. These are a couple of my favorites from Central Park.

It was an amazingly beautiful, peaceful day in the park. It was almost hard to believe that it was surrounded by the crazy busy city...one of my favorite cities I add.

Studio Fashion with Kaitlin

This was a shoot I had in the studio this summer. In the craziness of draining all of my creativity to create me portfolio, I had a really fun time doing something completely different from my normal. Kaitlin brought her great sense of style and great attitude. I set up the lights with the main light with a soft box to her left and then I set up a fill light to her right with a warming gel. It was very spontaneous and almost accidental. I loved the end result. It almost resembles the warmth and effect of a street light. In the end, this made it into my portfolio. However, it didn't make the cut for the gallery wall. So, I wanted to show it off.

Abandoned Doll

One of my favorite past times it to go on "adventures" or at least that is what my photo friends and I call it. We find abandoned houses and buildings that usual have signs posted saying " No Trespassing." However, that just translates to us as " Come on in, Welcome." This picture of the doll is one of my favorite finds. She was in an abandoned trailer park; and more specific she was on the floor of a trailer with no door. So, when I peaked into the raised trailer with no door, there was the doll starring back at me. I also have some other fun finds on my flickr if you interested in seeing more.

Don't Forget......

Don't forget to vote today in the runoff election. This election is really important and probably has more of a direct impact on your life than the presidential election. You have 2 1/2 hours left before the polls close. So, go do your part. I did!

Brenau Crew Team

Last fall I shot the Brenau University Crew team for my photojournalism photo essay. This started off as a really easy idea. Then, of course, came the reality. I had trouble focusing considering that I was on a boat following the team in a boat on not so smooth water. Manual focus was out of the question, so I prayed that my auto focus would work for me. Then there was the drought. The team had threatened to cancel practice due to lack of water. After, I pleaded they went out for one more practice and I proceeded to get 3 out of the 4 final images. The lighting was even perfect; everything worked out in my favor. It was a really trying experience that I am very thankful for. I learned so much during the shoots and had so much fun. I also found that I am not a photojournalist, but have taken the techniques with me in current and future work.

Getting Business Started!?

I was looking through the PPA (Proffessional Photographers of America) website for some general information and came across this article. It talks about the struggling economy and the even scarier thought of starting your own photography business. I found it really informative and hopeful. Click Here to see the article for yourself.

Pink Sugar

Andrea Hanki is an amazing wedding photographer from Canada. I was turned on to her work by a fellow photographer. I think she has an amazing eye that is fresh and fun. Definitely someone to look up to for inspiration.

Yeah!!

My next wedding shoot has been booked!! The nice thing is that it is sort of a return client. I was referred to the new bride and groom by the groom's sister, Gretchen. I shot Gretchen's wedding last summer and really had fun. I can't wait to shoot this wedding for Nick and Michelle. Click here to see more pictures from Gretchen and Chad's wedding.

Interview of Me

This is an interview of me with Katie Darby, talking about my photography present and future. 

Before and After

This abandoned bus image is the first in my portfolio and absolutely one of my favorites. I do love the black and white, but I also enjoy seeing the original color. They both have completely different moods. 

Happy Early Thanksgiving

This morning, I had a Thanksgiving breakfast with my daughter and her preschool class. It was a lot of fun to see the kids interacting together and I was intrigued by the little conversations between them. 

Smoke Photography

I found this video very informative on shooting smoke. The guy in the video is Terry Watson, his work is really nice. However, I didn't see any of his smoke work on his site. I still really like his dramatic point of view in the images. This is definitely something that I will be trying very soon. I hope this works for you. Enjoy!

Alex Koloskov of Akel Studios

Alex Koloskov is an Atlanta photographer that I look to for commercial inspiration. He has an amazing eye for product and food shots. All of his work is crisp and clean, definitely something I strive for in myself.

My Portfolio

I have also uploaded my entire portfolio into it's own collection on my flickr. It is nice to look at these again, after staring at them for so long working to make them perfect. I am actually quite proud of the finished product.

Old to me, New to you

Now that I have upgraded my new flickr account to pro, I decided to add some more work for you to view. There is a new collection of the handful of weddings that I have shot. Plus, there is plenty more to follow. Enjoy!

White Balance Filters

As a digital photographer, I know the importance of finding a correct white balance for my images. The problem comes to play when a large grey card isn't very convienent to carry around during a wedding. So, I found this article that reviews several different filters, ranging from top of the line expensive filters to cheap coffee filters. I found it informative, so I am passing it on to you. Click here to see the article. Enjoy!

Interview

This is an interview with Mitch Argo, discussing his experiences at Gwinnett Technical College.

Robert Doisneau

This photograph happens to be one of my favorites by French photographer Robert Doisneau. I fell in love with his work while in high school. I love his style of capturing moments. I feel it is still relevant with the trends of the industry today. His work is probably the reason I have a strong love for black and white film, and I miss it dearly. I wouldn't be surprised if I went on a film excursion sometime this week.

Homemade Ring Light...

So, a couple of months ago a friend of mine said that she found an article that gives you instructions on how to build your own ring light. I thought it sounded fun, but I didn't have time to figure it out. Well, now I do. I found the site and I am in process of construction. I know that it looks a little crafty, but it should turn out to be a lot of fun. Click here to try it out yourself.

History in Action!!

It is a very exciting time that we are living in right now. I am very proud to be a part of this very historical election, and to be an American right now. This election has driven so many passionate people to get up and participate in their civic duty. Change is in our future, and while change can be scary, it can definitely be exciting.

Moving Day!!!!

Today we take down the portfolio show at the gallery and move it back to school. This is where it will live for the next year. It is kind of a sad day. This pretty much marks the end of my photography program at school. I am finishing one class for my degree and then I am "released out into the wild." It was a great run while it lasted and I am very thankful for every single painful step in this journey. I will post pictures of the process of the move soon, so stay tuned.

New Profile Pic?

I have been trying to work up some images of myself for a new profile picture. I am not completely happy with them, but they are the best that I have so far. Of course I am my own worse critic. So, let me know if you like any of these or should I stick with the current one.

Look, I got a sticker!!

I got up really early to try and beat the rush. At first glance it looked as if I was too late. However, it was well organized and the line moved quickly. I was in and out in a little over an hour. So, now I have done my civic duty and can go on with my day. Yeah!

Adobe Lightroom 2.0

Adobe has recently released the new Lightroom 2. I was extremely intreged since I was a fan of Lightroom 1. I even downloaded a free 30 day trial to get a look myself. As of right now, I am impressed. The changes are minmal but necissary. The workflow is wonderful and exactly what you need for processing numerous images at a time. I am not sure if it is every photographer's best friend, but it is definintly this photographer's best friend. But didn't just take my word for it..click here to read someone else's review.

A fun new find....

While I was just looking around on the internet, I came across Chris Frampton. He is a photographer based out of Toronto. His work is great, because it is emotional, fun, creative, and he doesn't really take him self that seriously. I would love to be this successful one day. Hey, a girl can dream right?

What?!

I awoke this morning to a quite low temperature in the air. When I went outside, my car even had a little frost. The strange thing is that I found this rose blooming in my front yard. I thought it was odd and completely out of place. But I definitely enjoyed seeing it.

In the Market For....

Now that I am pretty much done with school and don't have lighting equipment at my fingertips, I am in the market for some lights, maybe even a light kit. But of course, it needs to be some what affordable. I have been thinking about some Alien Bees, but still not sure. I would love your feedback and suggestions. Thanks!

Happy Halloween!

We had an amazing time this week with Halloween. We carved pumpkins on Thursday and went trick or treating on Friday. I hope you enjoy the pictures as much as I did.

Last Chance......

There are only a couple of days left, November 1st, to see the Gwinnett Tech 2008 Graduate Portfolio Show at the ART Station. We all worked really hard to make this happen and we are all very proud of the work with have put on display. The show comes down next week and moves to Gwinnett Tech where it will be on display for a year. This is one of my images hanging right now. Enjoy!

Child Portraits

I uploaded some of my favorite child portraits onto my flickr. At this time they are all of my daughter, but I do have some new sessions scheduled soon. I will be sure to let you see those once they are shot.

Some fun pics....

I uploaded some older but still good photos of animals to my new flickr account. Enjoy!

This Sucks!!!

While in school, working your butt off trying so hard to be creative, you think that it must get easier after school. Well, guess what? Not true. I have spent an unknown amount of time trying to get a job. I have even applied for jobs that aren't anything close to what I want to do, but at this point in the game money is money. And the current job of waiting tables is just not enough anymore. So, I will continue on hoping that something will hit. I have to believe that the economy will get better, and the jobs will be out there. So, here I go......

Congratulations....

To Mr. and Mrs. Millwood. They got married Saturday in an outdoor ceramony. Sadly, I was not able to attend, but we do have one picture to view so far. The photographer was Nikki Banik, and I can't wait to see more.

Fall is my favorite season.....

So, I took my daughter to our annual trip to North Georgia to get pumpkins and apples. I used this opportunity to shoot for fun; something I haven't done for a while. It was great playing around and I would definitely recommend going to Burt's Pumpkin Farm. It really makes you feel like a kid again.

Portfolio....

abandoned bus
Originally uploaded by smdphoto05

I currently have my portfolio on display at the ART Station in historic Stone Mountain. This links over to see more of my work, but you should definitely go check out the real thing at the gallery.

Hi!

This my first post! There shall be some fun stuff to follow.