International Print Competition Images (Utah Photography)

I realized that it has been a while since my last blog post. I have been conquering grim tasks. First was the annual filing of my business property taxes which always leaves me depressed and tempted to quit pro photography and become a shoot and burner so that I wouldn't have to slog through a year of paperwork. The next was entering the International Print Competition which I probably shouldn't describe as grim, just plain scary. I am a CPP (certified professional photographer) but I would also like to get my Master of Photography degree. To do this I need 25 merits. Twelve are service/education merits and thirteen need to be print merits. Getting a print merit is brutal hard and one of the few ways to get one is by entering this competition. If you score high enough you get a merit and it ain't easy. I spent weeks staring at these pictures and tweaking then retweaking, then retweaking again to the point where I can't even look at them any more. I wasn't going to post them but in the interest of facing my insecurities I decided to do it anyway. Yay me.

Above is a picture I took of Green Pond trail here in the Valley. The colors were unbelievably beautiful that day. I changed the photograph into a painting using Painter and my Wacom tablet and pen. Every stroke is done by hand not a filter. Yes, it does take awhile. You are judged on the finished product so usually some sort of edge treatment is done.

This is a picture of my son when he was twenty days old. I turned this picture into a painting as well.

The N.Y.C. skyline. I love this picture but it is so darn long that I have no idea what to do with it. I am still trying to figure out how to have it printed. So far it looks like my best bet is to break it up into five or six panels, either gallery or float wraps, to fill the entire wall in my den. I was nervous to enter it for the competition but I saw a picture that had done well reviously that was of the Grand Canyon. It was long and narrow like this one and they also had left the photo with no edging. I decided to just take the plunge because whatever I entered needed to stir me in some way and I couldn't worry to much about what everyone else might think. So I went with my heart and I'm glad though as I look at it I'm not sure if I wouldn't change the crop a little...like I said, I just can't hardly look at them any more.

Below is my favorite wedding picture that I've ever taken. I just love it.

I believe the judging is in June and I paid to have a video review of my images. I wonder how long it will take me to get the nerve to listen to that. I'm not expecting anything, especially since this is my first competition but I'm glad I entered. The only way to accomplish anything is to try, right?

Superheroes and a Whole Lot o' Color

I started out this past weekend totally bummed because the weather messed up a shoot on Friday that I was over the moon excited for and it looked like Saturday was going to be iffy as well. I woke up Saturday and headed for Spanish Fork hoping for the best and was rewarded for my optimism by a smiling universe that proceeded to grant me a truly spectacular day.

First stop the Utah Festival of Colors. I have been wanting to go to this for ages but have never made it before. It is absolutely delightful. My friend Josh and I made it for the 1 p.m. color throwing. I decided to stay up on the balcony because I wanted a shot from above of the colors being thrown in the air. I only took my little point and shoot camera. This year was for scouting, I'll probably take my back-up DSLR next year. If you haven't been you need to go. It is so much fun!
p.s. wear old clothes :)

Josh's head was a total chalk magnet. People loved throwing color at him, it was hysterical.
As we were walking back to the car we kept getting the funniest looks, it took a bit to realize everyone was staring at his head.

Next up was the ProvoCreative Superhero shoot. It was cloudy and cold but oh so fun. Here are just a couple of my favorite shots from the day.

I love hangin' out with fellow photogs. It's so fun to have days like this where you just shoot to play and get the creative juices flowing.





By the time I got home I was so exhausted I could barely move but it was that fantastic good kind of tired. Such a great day!! :)

December 2010's Project

Okay so I know this is March but my photo project for December 2010 was to take still and video of my families Christmas Eve traditions and create a short film. As this involved trying to learn a video editing program it has taken me awhile. So here's the link to the short, it's my very first so please keep that in mind. Loves! :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULntJNbt364

p.s. Thanks to my brother Benjamin Wood for filming the video.

The Froerer Family (Utah Family Photography)

I am SO excited about this session! I love pictures in the snow but find it strangely hard to talk people into doing them, so sad. Luckily my friend Jamie wanted to take her families pictures in the snow so it was a perfect match! We were thinking about doing colorful scarves and hats (which I would still love to do hint hint lovely friends) but I love the colors they chose. We've actually been watching the weather since last fall, literally! We wanted fresh snow and that's harder to coordinate than you might think. So last week when it stormed we threw this session together and I love how it turned out!

This is actually the last photo I took but it represents a triumph for me so I'm starting with it. Yes, there is a little photoshop magic going on but I'm not tellin' what exactly. :) They were all such troopers. By now they are freezing, especially the youngest. I love hand holding to show connection between family members but it's also awfully handy when your little girl is about to cry because her hands are so cold. I'm so sorry sweetheart, you did great!

I love when kids look like themselves in pictures. I absolutely love how she is standing because it's so "her". As soon as she stood like this I was like "DON'T MOVE, you're perfect!" and then I had to happy dance when I saw the shot.

I love this picture because he's in this awesome perfect kid hut place that we found. You can't see as well from the picture but it is the perfect boy spot, heck I wanted to crawl in there and start building a fort. It was just the perfect spot for him. I know they'll most likely pick a different shot for the wall portrait but I had to post this one 'cause it makes me happy.

Hahaha, I probably don't have to explain this one. I've known these kids for ages and they are a riot, I wanted to do a shot of them just being themselves and having fun.

SO cute, look at you two. I'm not sure I've ever been able to get Nick smiling this much, I had to make them laugh and shoot fast. Happy, happy, happy!

And now the greatest triumph shot. There are not words for how much I love this picture. This is my third time photographing this family but I've done the children twice more and I've never been able to get this little cutie to smile like this. She's cold, and tired, and so done but she was patient enough to give me just a couple more shots and it's the best I've ever taken of her. Her Mom and I were both so excited I can't wait for Jamie to see these, I'm over the moon!

I love my job!

FLASH! (Utah Photography)

I love to take classes and workshops to improve/add dimension to my photography. I recently took a clash on incorporating flash into your work. It was a lot of fun and I left feeling pretty confident in my knowledge but realizing that I have to practice more with making flash fit into my style. I like flash for dramatic, fashion, and commercial type images but have struggled with bringing it into my portrait work. I really love the softer look of natural light for families, engagements etc. I'm starting to realize that keeping the two looks separate may be just fine.

This is a just for fun shot, my instructor was letting me test settings on him. I include it to illustrate a point to myself. I told myself to learn to use flash less dramatically on this day yet as soon as I started shooting I went full drama.

Here's what I was trying to do. I am using flash here but you can hardly tell, right? Please say yes. :) Sometimes you find yourself in deep shade and a touch of fill flash cleans things up nicely and can add some warmth. This image makes me happy.

Here we were playing with backlighting. We were supposed to do a silhouette, which I did, but then I wanted to show her face. It's a little mucky because I had to pull a lot out of my camera to work with the available light but I like how the flash illuminated the dust in the air. I want to play with that outside. You know in a movie when the dust motes are lit up and it's all golden and warm and sparkly? I love that look.

Another where I'm trying to use flash but tone down the drama. I'm pleased, especially since this shot is done in a dark studio with just one speedlight and a small umbrella. I can't remember if I had someone holding a reflector, I rather think not, there wasn't time.

All in all I had fun, got the creative juices flowing, and got myself a nice little shot of confidence. Now to play!

Draper Utah Temple (Utah Photography)

For February's project I visited the Draper Utah temple on the way home from a lighting workshop. I think I may want to re-shoot all of my winter temples when the landscapes are a little more aesthetically pleasing. As it was most of my pictures from this day were either boring or had an annoying maintenance contraption in them, grrr. So I'm going with this shot. It isn't your typical temple shot but then I reminded myself that the point of an artistic self-project is total creative freedom and I felt better. I love the sunburst, the near silhouette, and the glint off the angel Moroni.

Chuck Gilmore Press Kit (Utah Photography)

I recently had the opportunity to work with the amazingly talented Chuck Gilmore. I met Chuck while appearing in Evita at Rodgers Memorial Theatre. Chuck is an actor, singer, and vocal coach and he needed press kit pictures for his website http://www.singutah.com and blog http://singamazingly.com.

I like to do at least one horizontal headshot because the verticals are so common that the horizontals tend to stand out. Plus I have found that some social media site avatars can be weird sizes so sometimes a horizontal is easier to fit.

I usually have an aversion to random stuff in the background of headshots, especially if they are used for theater programs but I just really liked this one and since these are for press kit as well I'm hoping he can use it.

We wanted an edgy, urban like feel for this shoot. I'm hoping he will be pleased with how they turned out! :)