Lights, Camera, Action?

I bought a set of LED lights that are power and temperature adjustable and have been trying them out.  I like the fact they are continuous and I can see how the light is impacting my image but now I need to get a couple soft boxes instead of the umbrella to contain the spillage.

Seeing Red

The red ranunculus looked so very pretty in the containers as I rifled through them looking for the perfect bunch to take home.  Finally found the prefect bunch and away we went. They were so lovely with their different stages of opening buds, some tight just daring to start to peak at the world while others had full skirts that were twirling in the slightest breeze.  Little cups to captures droplets of water, beautiful rows of patterns and curly ques.  Just a lovely day of photographing these sweet beauties.  Then I uploaded the images to my computer and the hidden, evil, dark split personality was revealed!  The dreaded editing of RED, they all looked like they were on a trip in the 1960's with their acid pinkish, magenta, red whatever, it was a nightmare to get them looking like the original, thank goodness that once I was able to get one color corrected I was able to copy and paste my settings.  I will stick with my sweet, soft pastel flowers for awhile I do believe! 

Ranunculus Orange

Gift of Ranunculus

When your daughter brings you flowers that you have been waiting/looking to come into season you spend the day playing!!!  I love Ranunculus and have been wanting to find some but they are so expensive at the florist but Nikky found some for me and I am in love.  They remind me of a cross between a rose and a miniature peony, there are layers and layers of petals and as they start to unfold they just keep getting more and more beautiful.

Want to Borrow a Cup of Flower?

  One of our inspiration points this month was Cup Full of________!  I had a completely different idea I wanted to go with but it just didn't come together so decided on a play on the borrowed cup of

sugar concept...and this was just as sweet an arrangement as any sugar. 

Heartfelt

  I am off to a slow start for 2017, there is a lot going on but decided to take time out for a little
stillness which I needed.   I enjoy when I can just place and maneuver pieces and float fabrics until they speak to me and then when the light wraps itself around and caresses them, well it just does my heart good! 

Feeling Like A Third Wheel

  Somehow I neglected to post this image to my blog last fall even though it is probably one of my favorites from 2016.  I had way too much fun coming up with stories and scenarios with these three pears but it made for a great afternoon of photography.
 

Christmas Cranberries

  Photo forum lesson was on food photography and Kris shared about having it in context so was practicing that concept.   I am still not sure if I succeed or if the first one is too busy but I do like how there are layers to the image.  My pallet board table top and barn door backdrop is getting lots of use for these still life set ups!

There Is A Candle

Our song this month for photo forum is one of my favorites but by an artist not known by a lot of people, Susie is Reba McIntire's sister and has several gospel albums.  The words speak volumes and hold a lesson I need to apply daily.

There is a candle in every soul
Some brightly burnin', some dark and cold
There is a spirit who brings the fire
Ignites a candle and makes His home

Carry your candle, run to the darkness
Seek out the hopeless, confused and torn
Hold out your candle for all to see it
Take your candle and go light your world

Frustrated brother, see how he's tried to
Light his own candle some other way
See now our sister, she's been robbed and lied to
And still holds a candle without a flame

Carry your candle, run to the darkness
Seek out the lonely, the tired and worn
Hold out your candle for all to see it
Take your candle and go light your world

We are a family whose hearts are blazing
We raise our candles and light up the sky
Prayin' to our Father in the name of Jesus
Make us a beacon in darkest hours

Carry your candle, run to the darkness
Seek out the helpless, deceived and poor
Hold out your candle for all to see it
Take your candle and go light your world
Take your candle and go light your world

  Susie Luchsinger - There Is A Candle Lyrics 

Frosty Blueberries

  Usually it is frost on the pumpkins this time of year but I had frost on my blue berries after I took them out of the freezer.  I found a great little store in Stromsburg that sells primitive décor and purchased some pieces to use for flooring and/or backdrops for my smaller still life arrangements. Pam one of the co-owners was even nicer than the store, it is probably a good thing they are an hour and half away or I might need an intervention.

 

Honey Crisp Time

Honey Crisp apple season is as great as Pumpkin Spice season to this girl!

 

Honey

  I was up to the challenge of photographing with one arm once I got the camera on the tripod but it was a bit more time consuming.  Basic adjustments, slight tone curve and one texture.

Proverbs ~ Recipe for Life

Dan and I were part of a Worship Arts project the last 12 months, the project has been completed and all the art is on display at church.   We were to interpret the 7 core values of the church, this was mine for Biblical Instruction.

Proverbs ~ Recipe for Life

Savor ~ Marinate ~ Rest ~ Massage ~ Flour ~ Spices ~ Rise

Leven ~ Simmer ~  Taste ~  Organic ~ Process ~ Oil

All words we have heard or read many time while cooking or watching our favorite chef’s on popular tv shows but they even have a place in the ultimate recipe book.

Our recipes start with our basic ingredients or staples that are always in the pantry, our core values that that keep us grounded.

Some recipes are quick, simple easy to learn, while other are more complicated, need time to soak overnight and simmer for hours, remember patience is a virtue.

Sometimes the ingredients are not right or in the correct proportions or never rise.   

Tweaking the recipe (life lessons) is where things get interesting, complicated and sometimes discouraging and let’s face it there are some that have to be trashed and you better have your go to pizza place on speed dial! P.R.A.Y.E.R.

Some recipes call for a mixture of ingredients that you would never dream of mixing together it just doesn’t make sense or they are opposite flavors, it is a lot like people but God has way of making it all work.

You don’t have to make everything from scratch, you just need to trust the recipe giver!

New Camera with Flippy Dippy Screen

 I have been using the Canon 7DMkii for about a year and a half but I always shoot in manual and when they moved the exposure level meter to the side instead of at the bottom it was darn near impossible to see, especially in daylight.   It was a struggle just couldn't live with so when the 80D came out I made the decision to actually go down a step in cameras but am so much happier with the features on the Canon 80D.   One of the most helpful features is an articulating screen, I think I will really find it useful for still life photos, especially the top down.

Speaks to me

On our photo walk we walked by this coffee shop and I decided to go in and see if it was ok to take a few photos inside.  I was in love with how the light was playing off the chairs and the beautiful shadows that were being cast. On my black and white conversions I added a little split toning but other than that everything is pretty straight forward.

Tulips & Textures

  I have finally had some time to play with an image using textures, I love my 2LO textures, they are my go to textures out of the thousands I have collected.  I also am finding that I really like the square crop, I think since I started following Instagram I have been drawn to that format.  I never really paid much attention to tulips when I was younger but the last few years I have fallen in love with them, I think because they represent new beginnings and fresh hope.

Props and Repurpose

  Our assignment was props and repurpose and with all the things I have been collecting for my still life work my image was pretty lame.  I have been out of town but was determined to participate and complete the assignment.  My back drop is repurposed wooden pallets, the vase an old found jar.  I have had the figurine for years and the tea cup is one from Dan's grandmother.
 

Flat Lay Stil Life

It seems that the new style is flat lay still life's and so I wanted to give it a try.  It was not quite as simple as it looked but definitely is a style I want to work on.  Getting the composition right while looking straight down on it was more of a challenge than I thought it would be.

 

Spring Tulips

The flowers from Trader Joe's are such a great bargain and are always very fresh and last a long time so when I was there the other day they had some really gorgeous tulips and they made it in my cart and home with me.  I really like the top down photo shots and was practicing that angle with my nifty fifty lens.  I still just am not in love with that lens but do think it is because I am on a crop sensor camera.  All my edits are in lightroom and I am loving the dehaze slider and split toning.

Florals & Flash

  Still trying to learn how to use my flash off camera, we have been going over it photo forum and I wanted to try some of the things they have covered.  I am able to get the look I want sometimes but nothing consistently and I never know exactly what I am doing for sure.  It has been more enjoyable this go around and I haven't felt like I was going to hyperventilate yet so that is progress.