September Challenge

Update…..

So far there has been no update on this whole back problem. I am doing physical therapy multiple times a week. I have an upcoming nerve induction, which I am not looking forward to. Hopefully we will find out what is going on with the nerves back there. All of this is rather frustrating, I really want to be able to shoot and not have insane pain or be laid up in bed the entire next day. Other than that there has been no new updates for my back and not being able to go out and shoot.

5 Steps

I recommend that anyone in photography keep this in mind. Sometimes it is easy to forget some of the simple things. Sometimes upcoming photogs need a little info. Sometimes we just need an awesome come back to the ill informed clients that think it is just the camera that makes the image. The image was found here. I give all credit to Shoot FLY Shoot.

August Photo a Day

Inspiration

Even though this blog is in a different language the images are inspiring and I want to do some images like them. http://photorat.pblogs.gr/2012/01/levitation-photography-aiwroymenh-fwtografia.html

Levitation is something that is awe amazing when it comes to photographey. It is something that I have always wanted to do with my work. I think that it would be amazing to achieve for me.

Templates For Photographers and Designers!

There is this wonderful site that I do recommend for every photographer and designer that is out there. The subscription every month is 5 bucks with a coupon that can be found online. Squijoo is super amazing, I have found many things that can be totally useful for everything that I use and need for my photography business. I check the site every few days to see if they have anything new and if they do I download it so that I have it for a later time when I need it.

If anyone feels uncomfortable signing up off the bat, they do have some freebies that anyone can get. From what I have seen the freebies do change up randomly. Which is amazing you can get different ones. My favorite when it comes to this site, is the overlays and the word art. The overlays range from animals all the way to super hero stuff. I have used the reindeer and Santa over Christmas.

So check the site out. It can be found here: http://squijoo.com/

Q & A With Missy Norman of Missy Norman Photography

Q. When you go in one of your travels, what all you take with you? Why?

Traveling, oh this is a good one. I have been dying to cover this question in a blog. When it comes to my bag, the things that are always in it would be my camera body, three lenses, two hoods, and two batteries. Depending on what I go to shoot would help me define the extras. Another thing that I do not leave with is my smartphone.

I have learned that in the winter to make sure I have gloves in my bag, in the summer a bottle of water and bug spray.

Q. Whose work has influenced you most?

People that have influenced me would be:

1. Philippe Halsman
2. Abeldro Morell
3. Sue Bryce
4. Steve Bronstein
5. Meg Bittion

All of these photographers have strived for more and have achieved it, when it comes to their work it is so different from each other, but they have each mastered their craft. Different aspects of their work have influenced me in mine, down from ideas to post production.

Q. Among your works, which one is your favorite? Why?

I have learned that it is hard to choose a favorite image when it comes to my work. If I have them printed or shared or blogged, the images are my favorite. If I have to choose my absolute favorite comes down to a light painting with headphones and an iPod that I have done. In doing this image, I learned how to light paint, create art with light painting, and my undying passion for light painting. This work has opened a whole new world for me.

Mr. M and a Composite

Composites are an ever learning process. There is just something about doing them that you constantly learn from. I have done a fair share of them. In each one I continue to get better and better. I have to say it is about the practice when it comes to the composites. It is easy to destroy the image. Adding in can make it or break it. For this image, I had a look I was going for then I lost the look I was going for. I then had to come up with something else and started brain storming again on what I wanted to achieve with the composite, with this precious curious child. I then found it. This image compiled together speaks so many things of his for curiousness.

Q & A With Missy Norman Of Missy Norman Photography

Q. What are your career goals for Photography?

My goals are to have my own business, selling stock images, and have my work in a magazine. Since I am a commercial/advertisement photographer, I feel that my career goals are reasonable.

Q. What are top 3 knowledge/top 3 skills for Photographer position?A photographer must know virtually all skills when it comes to photography. The top skills that I would have to say would be the camera, the light, and post processing.

Q. What kind of tools do you use for post processing? Explain your work flow.

Post processing is on the top of the list when it comes to shooting, if not more. When it comes to post processing I mainly use Lightroom. Depending on the work I will go and work in Photoshop. My workflow:

• Export images from memory card onto my external drive.
• Import images from my external to Lightroom then keyword.
• Cull through the images getting rid of the definite not, then another go through again.
• After a couple rounds of getting rid of images, I pick to top images.
• I then start editing the top images in Lightroom, if something needs more work than light room I take it to Photoshop.
• Finally when all editing is done I take to Photoshop to watermark and resize the image for the internet.

Jewelry Sneak Peaks.

I have been working with this amazing woman. She is a seller on Esty, she makes jewelry. She has ventured out to have me shoot her jewelry. This is now the third set I have shot for her. It is such an amazing experience working for and with her. I get to come up with new shooting ideas and think outside the box and I get to rattle her box as well. I would say not the typical employee/employer experience. That is what we get for being out own CREATIVE BOSSES!

Her work is unique to her. Some say it is the same and you can find it anywhere. I have to say that is far from the truth. You cannot, she makes it and it is her designs and each piece is made by her. I sometimes have to wait a while for a piece that she wants me to shoot because she has to make it. That is the beautiful thing about handcrafted jewelry. No two pieces are exact.

Her shop can be found here: Toad’s Lily Pond

My fan page can be found here: MissyNormanPhotography