Where's Wendy

Shooting in Low Light!

2011-11-18T14:34:00.000-05:00

Shooting in low light situations is a challenge for almost any photographer. I happen to be one who loves to experiment with low lighting. I love to get out and do night shots… capturing just the ambient light from streetlights, skyscrapers, automobiles, etc. Ambient light… or available light is light that is not supplied by the photographer. It is basically the light that is already there… and the light you have to work with in any given situations.

In most cases for shooting low light situations you should use a tri-pod and a remote or cable release (if you have one) so you don’t cause any unnecessary movement of your camera. By using a tri-pod you stabilize your equipment resulting in better photo quality, by reducing blur or shake that is very prominent in low light situations. With a tri-pod you will also eliminate any grain from higher ISO’s (film speed). Now that’s not to say you cant do it without these extra items, but you should be very sure you become stable before you take your shot, and you will probably still experience some shake or movement.

In really low light situations a flash isn’t going to do you any good either. In most instances the flash wont even reach your subject, or you will have nothing to bounce off of. The sky is too far up when you are shooting outdoors, and even in a theater the ceilings are high and the walls are generally dark. If you can use a flash you will probably end up with those ugly harsh shadows behind your subject anyway. So best not to even attempt the flash.

Speaking of theaters… now you not only have low light, but also moving objects. A tri-pod is not going to work well in this environment. Your subjects are moving… you will have a hard time focusing on them, and they will be blurred… however, blurring is ok sometimes if that is what you are looking for, and can make some really cool captures. When working in a theater or event hall however you need to learn to use your camera settings. By bumping your ISO (or using faster film) and using a larger aperture you can begin to capture ambient light. Even though technology is a wonderful thing, remember by bumping your ISO you take the chance of getting a lot of grain in your images, so play with your settings and use the lowest ISO possible and the largest aperture possible. A large aperture is the lowest setting on your lens… if you can take it down to 1.8 then your shutter speed will be pretty fast. If you don’t have that low of an aperture then just get as low as you can. It can take some practice, and every lighting situation will be different so if you are going to shoot an event… get there early and work on camera settings as quickly as possible so you don’t miss any of the action.

Another good idea is to set your camera to continuous focus. That way when the lights go down your camera will continually refocus on your moving subject. Once you have all these things in order it should be pretty easy to photograph a play, a dance, or a concert. Also if you get a lot of grain from a higher ISO you can use a noise reduction process in post editing. There are a lot of good programs out there for this.

Every camera is different, so read your manual to find your custom settings. Take the challenge…go out doors and do some night shooting, or go to a local event where the lights are low or ever changing. If you’re strange like me… you might just enjoy the experiment and the outcome.

The image above was shot at 1/30^th of a second with an F-stop of 3.0, and my ISO speed was at 400… pretty cool huh?

Love, Laughs, and Photographs,

Wendy

Photographing Another Wonderful Couple!

2011-11-17T09:57:00.000-05:00

Tatiana and Gene chose the courthouse for a small wedding with a few good friends. The courthouse has in it, a tiny chapel, and I’m talking tiny. Squeezing 10 friends into this box of a room was a chore, but we pulled it off nicely with the help of my wide angle/zoom. The ceremony was short and sweet (as most are), with the exchange of vows and rings. Tatiana was beautiful, and Gene handsome. When we finished up in the chapel, we headed outside for a few shots in front of the courthouse, and along side of the courthouse, which boasts some beautiful pillars.

We had planned on hitting the beach for some fun formals, but they wanted to do some shots on the staircase of the beautiful work of architecture across the street. The Super Power building that is adjacent to the Fort Harrison Hotel… just refinished and a spectacular work of art. I try very hard to accommodate my clients so I said, “sure… we can do anything you want to do!” We headed across to what seems to be a public building in downtown Clearwater, got off a few shots, only to have security personnel come out and tell us it was private property and we would have to leave. I would like to know why we have to be so paranoid in our own city? That’s another story… not for this blog.

After that disturbing and aggravating encounter the bride and groom shuffled their friends off to the reception and the three of us headed for the North end of Clearwater beach. We spent about 45 minutes doing some very cool shots. Other than the encounter with several sand spurs in the dunes (not sure where they came from), Gene and Tatiana weren’t shy, and we had a great time getting some awesomely different shots! They were the kind of people that I always hope to get during a wedding shoot; especially on the beach… they didn’t mind getting a little sandy, sweaty, or wet. As you can see we had a great time!

Love, Laughs, and Photographs,

Wendy

Sharing a Little Insight on Wedding Photography

2011-11-12T23:59:00.000-05:00

First of all, Photographing weddings can be fun, and rewarding. Not only do you get to share in the excitement of someone’s special day, you also get to do a bit of networking and meet some new clients. What's more important is you get to present your clients with the memories of their special occasion that will last a lifetime! Every click of the shutter is an important moment frozen in time. Wedding photography can also grueling; long hours, no breaks, constant moving (in and out, around, and through people), relentless lighting situations, and dealing with all sorts of people.

Some of you may think I’m crazy, but for the most part I photograph a wedding by myself. That means I normally do it without the help of an assistant. And because I’m sometimes a one man band… I try to work with as little equipment as feasibly possible. Lets face it, trying to drag around a bunch of gear would only get in the way and make it impossible to capture every detail of the event. Other photographers might argue that by doing so I’m not capturing the affair under the best conditions, with the best light (off camera). I would like to share my thoughts on that… I do get my lighting off camera as much as possible. I have a bracket for my flash unit that brings it out to the side, or… I simply bounce off walls, ceilings, or someone’s white shirt/dress. A little trick I learned from David Ziser (a great wedding photographer in my opinion). When photographing a beach wedding, I simply use a lot of fill flash for those nasty shadows. Because for some reason people always want to get married in the midst of the brightest sunlight of the day. :/

While we are on the subject of lighting, let’s talk about how quickly it changes and how fast you have to think about adjusting your camera settings to accommodate those changes. When photographing beach weddings there is the issue of sun and clouds (they can change rapidly here in Florida and you have to think quick to make the changes in your camera). Lighting also changes from the outdoor ceremony to the indoor reception, or even from daylight, to dusk, to night. Lighting also changes during an inside reception… lights are normally up to start the introductions of the bridal party, turned down for the first dances, and then up again for dinner, and down again for the remainder of the reception while everyone is dancing and having a grand time. The only advice I can give you here is; be aware of all these changes and make your adjustments accordingly before it’s too late.

Weddings also require a lot of group shots, the couple, the bridal party, families, and extended families. Sometimes small groups will request a shot because they are all there, and dressed nicely. Take their photo… it will almost always give you another sale. However, don’t spend too much time on these, as you are there to capture the day for two special people. I usually set up “a go to person” on my first meeting with the bride and groom. Someone who knows the families, and can help gather them after the ceremony for the group shots. Try to make sure it’s not someone that is in the wedding party, as they will already be busy enough, and in a lot of your shots.

If your bride and groom already have children, be sure to include them in your shots, especially if they are not part of the wedding party. These will not only be treasured memories for the parents, but also the children in years to come. I usually try to capture them during the getting ready shots, and the formals, then again during the reception, making sure they know that they play an important role in what may seem a bunch of chaos to them. Kids aren’t really as enthused as the adults about this whole hullabaloo with dressing up, and the duties they may have to perform for the day, and sometimes they just seem to get lost in the crowd or pushed aside. I try to make sure they feel like it’s their day too!

A little more on the getting ready… sometimes this is a first time event for everyone, and getting ready turns out to be a nightmare. I’m not sure if it’s because I’ve done this so many times, or it’s just the kind of person I am, but I have been known to put down my camera and help with a veil, a necklace, a boutonniere (cause guys always have a hard time with those), or the buckling of shoes. Even though it is not your job, and you can just stand there and watch them suffer… in the end (if you lend a hand), it can make your images much better. Who wants to photograph a bride whose veil is a mess, or a groom whose boutonniere is hanging off his jacket like someone just mugged him in the parking lot? You get the idea…

Post editing wedding photographs will also take some time. Don’t promise them their photos will be done in a few days, take your time to go through each and everyone and clean them up before presenting them to anyone. Make them wait for a nicely finished product, no matter how much they push you. My biggest problem when editing weddings is always the bride’s room. There is always so much stuff scattered in that room! Discarded towels, shoes, bras, hair accessories, etc… You get the picture! As much as you try to remove these things before you take the shot, someone else comes back to drop something there, and it ends up back in your frame. You could spend all day just picking up the stuff that others lay down. So in the end, no matter how much I physically try to remove clutter, I always end up having to clone out something in the getting ready shots! Sometimes I can’t get rid of everything, but if it’s a shot worthy of an oooo or an ahhhh, I take the time to clone away clutter.

Those are my thoughts for now on photographing weddings… I hope in some little way they help you think about what goes on in the mind of a wedding photographer, and help’s you prepare for your next event.

Love, Laughs, and Photographs,

Wendy

Capturing a Beautiful New York Wedding!

2011-11-05T10:01:00.000-04:00

Things have been so backed up here… between school, kids, traveling, working, and volunteering, I haven’t found much time to blog. I did however get caught up on some slide shows before I took off for my last trip to DC. With all that said and out of the way… In August I photographed my own daughters wedding in upstate NY. She started planning her wedding two years in advance, and it turned out to be her dream come true.

Have you ever tried to photograph an event while crying, or fighting back tears? She cried… then she cried… then they cried… then I cried! Actually I cried right after she cried, but you couldn’t tell with my face behind the camera.

The day was perfect… perfect weather, perfect ceremony, perfect kids, perfect reception, perfect family… that can only mean a perfect relationship right?

Congrats to Nikki and Chris, my beautiful daughter, an awesome son in law, and a Great Couple!

Love each other honestly, and with no conditions.

Love each other strongly, openly, and faithfully.

Love each other respectfully, completely, and endlessly.

Enjoy your lives together!

Love, Laughs, and Photographs,

Wendy

More thoughts on photographing weddings coming soon!

Photographing Our Nations Capital! Part 5

2011-10-28T13:32:00.001-04:00

The last day of my trip was spent at Great Falls, and Falls Church, Virginia.

Great Falls is a beautiful National Park that has 3 over looks to the Falls of the Potomac River. With it’s jagged rocks, and gushing water that flows into the narrow Mather gorge; this park has a lot of natural history. At only 15 miles from the capital, this is a must see if you’re in the area. This is definitely not a swimming hole; it’s more about the beauty of nature, and the history of a trading site, or a lover’s stroll. There used to be a trolley to the falls, and an Inn where people would gather to enjoy dinner before viewing the falls at night. Imagine how many people fell in love at Great Falls. In the early 1900’s Great Falls even had an amusement park with a carousel, which sadly did not survive Mother Nature. As far up as the 1700’s Great Falls was a meeting place for the Paleo Indians, and was eventually claimed as a National historic landmark in 1983. This park is home to birds, wild life, and rare species of plant life. The park also features a junior ranger two-day camp for children at certain times of the year. So if you’re in the area, make time to check out Great Falls and this awesome piece of history!

Next stop… the city of Falls Church. As with everything I’ve seen so far, this is another historic place close to DC. One of the 2 smallest cities in Virginia, at 2.2 miles, this village community was beautiful, with it’s red brick architecture, and fall foliage. Falls Church had the best color of my entire trip. I even stopped to gather a few leaves to bring home to my kids, since they have never actually enjoyed the Autumn season. Florida has its benefits, but also its downfalls… not having the change of seasons is one of them. My partner and friend stumbled upon “The Falls Church” (identified as the one near the falls) in the city of Falls Church before I arrived, and thought it worthy of photographing. He was right! It was beautiful, and historic all at the same time. Falls Church is of the Anglican Communion, and for which the city was named. Previously an Episcopalian Church, President George Washington, and William Fairfax were both appointed church wardens in 1763, and it was their responsibility to contract for a new building. This church survived the Revolutionary war and the civil war; it is in its original condition with the exception of the brick below the windows, the bottom of the brick doorway and the chancel addition. The pipe organ was added in 1967 built by the Schantz Organ Company. The churchyard holds grave markers from as early as 1805 but earlier burials occurred here. Records show payments from 1778 to the sexton for mending graves. Indentations from bullets, and broken headstones are the result of fired bullets during the Civil War. Union troops used Falls Church as a hospital, and later as a stable during the Civil War… afterwards it was repaired and again actively used as a place for worship.

I wouldn’t limit yourself to just seeing DC… as you can see here, there is also a lot of history and beauty in it’s surrounding area.

I’ve enjoyed sharing my journey with you… I hope you have found a bit of the past interesting enough to take your own excursion. Don’t forget your camera!!

Love, Laughs, & Photographs,

Wendy

Photographing Our Nations Capital! Part 4

2011-10-26T12:16:00.000-04:00

"I can imagine no more rewarding a career. And any man who may be asked in this century what he did to make his life worthwhile, I think can respond with a good deal of pride and satisfaction: 'I served in the United States Navy.'"

President John F. Kennedy

The fourth day of our journey was spent seeing the things that we had missed and tried to visit on the day’s prior, but we either ran out of time, or they were closed.

First stop… The Navy Memorial. This one was important to me, and nostalgic, since I have several family members who did serve in the US Navy. Most Importantly my Dad, who served in WWII, aboard the USS West Virginia. I grew up with the most patriotic man that ever lived, and can’t help but reflect on the things he taught me throughout my life.

While browsing the Memorial I searched the Presidents room for JFK’s painting and the PT109. If you’ve never seen the movie “PT109”… it’s a good watch for anyone with interest in our former president, and/or the United States Navy. I tried to search the log for my dad, but alas their internet was down. While walking down the stairs from the entrance to the museum (located on the basement level), the glass wall was filled with etchings of Naval vessels… battle ships, destroyers, and submarines… simply beautiful with a plaque to describe each one. We waited to watch the 30 minute movie in the theater, and browsed the wall of plaques donated by Navy personnel and loved ones. I found the USS West Virginia plaque donated by the Reunion Organization. The plaza outside of the museum is just as awesome with a world “sea map” made of granite, towering masts with signal flags, fountains and waterfalls, and a statue of the Lone Sailor. I captured this shot of the National Archive building with the plaza in the foreground and a beautiful sky above.

Our next point of interest was Fords Theater where President Lincoln was shot. Again the lower level was a museum with a lot of information about Lincoln as president, and of course upstairs was the awesome theater. The light was low, which made it hard for a hand held shot, but I didn’t take my tri-pod along on this day. The whole building was creepy, yet cool, with a lot of energy.

We rode the yellow line on the “open top” bus this day, and it took us through the Arlington Cemetery parking lot, through George Town, and around the Pentagon. The leaves in Arlington have started to change but still weren’t as vibrant as I had hoped for. The sky over the Pentagon was still amazing!

We finally made our way to the Lincoln Memorial, which is a good walk if you’re on foot. Thankfully it was one of the buses drop off points and we only had to make our way back to the metro at the end of the evening. The Lincoln Memorial is one of the most visited memorials in DC, and rightly so… it is probably the most appealing pieces of architecture and sculpture combination in the city.

There you have it! Day four in a nutshell! And you didn’t even have to do all the walking! :)

Stay tuned for my last day…

Love, Laughs, & Photographs,

Wendy

Photographing Our Nations Capital! Part 3

2011-10-25T12:02:00.000-04:00

We caught the metro into DC the next morning… we took the elevator to the main floor that opened our eyes to an amazing treat! Union Station, the center of anyone who’s going anywhere, is another awe-inspiring architectural delight! Although not complete until 1908, Union Station officially opened on October 27^th, 1907 when the Baltimore, and the Ohio Pittsburgh Express rolled into the station. With the triumphal arch of Rome symbolizing a main gateway, solid mahogany woodwork, 10-ton marble planters, egg and dart molding, and 70 pounds of gold leafing on the coffers, all we could say was WOW! If you enjoy a great piece of architecture this building will literally take your breath away inside and out!

Everywhere I looked the flowers were vibrant, and I was really amazed at how many gardens were still in bloom. I couldn’t help but grab a shot of the roses outside of Union Station, but I noticed all the roses in the yards throughout Arlington and DC.

We rode every available “open top” tour bus in and around DC. DC stands for District of Columbia; according to the tour bus audio, DC was given the name because of Christopher Columbus. After doing some research, I’m not sure this is true, but here is the statue of Columbus standing on the bow of his ship looking towards the Capital building, outside of Union Station.

Speaking of the Capital, another inspiring work of architecture, with its neoclassical design, is the center of attention in Washington. I got to visit the inside of the Capital Building when I was a little girl, but because of time restraints, we only got to view it from the outside on this trip. With it’s huge rotunda (there is actually another in the senate wing), colonnades, vaulted ceilings, and government style pediments, the Capital Building is a must see whether you’re inside or out. I would love to go back when those cherry trees are in bloom!

Being the tallest monument in DC, the Washington Monument can be seen from everywhere. It’s an in your face reminder of this grand city!

The Smithsonian Castle is not only a beautiful work of art, it is the center of 16 museums, and holds millions of artifacts, paintings, and other items, as well as the Hope Diamond. Built in the late Romanesque and early Gothic style, this is the first Smithsonian, built in 1855.

After our bus tour we decided to explore on foot, and stayed in DC until well after dark. Our feet and legs were screaming stop, but my camera was saying don't! I captured the Treasury Building, the White House, and the Jefferson Memorial after dark. I love to do night shooting, and take the opportunity whenever I can.

That’s it for part 3

Until next time

Love, Laughs, & Photographs,

Wendy

Photographing Our Nations Capital! Part 2

2011-10-22T12:18:00.001-04:00

I believe in God, only I spell it Nature. ~Frank Lloyd Wright~

Shenandoah National Park was in our initial plans while visiting Virginia; it came sooner than we had planned. Since our bodies ached from the prior days jaunt around downtown DC, we decided a nice drive might give us time to recover from sore muscles. While that turned out to me a mistake, the mountains were turned out to be breathtaking!

There wasn’t as much color as I had hoped for in mid October, but just being in the mountains among all the natural wonders, and beautiful scenery made it worth the trip! We stayed late into the night, and walked away with some awesome shots!

I love to drag the shutter when I photograph moving water… it gives it that misty surreal look… and who doesn’t like the dream world? I found a few very interesting little brooks in Shenandoah National Park, some where off the beaten trail, but I’m glad we searched them out. I also found it fascinating that some of the mountain rocks cried, nature is a wondrous thing, and should always be looked upon with an open heart and compassionate soul. I get back to myself when I wander through nature; it’s so much more peaceful than the hustle and bustle of daily life… which makes me appreciate it even more.

I’m going to keep this post short, and let you enjoy one of the amazing pieces of earth left to take pleasure in.

Love, Laughs, & Photographs,

Wendy

Photographing Our Nations Capital! Part 1

2011-10-21T11:53:00.000-04:00

Washington DC is a small place packed with a lot of history! I just spent five days strolling the streets of downtown DC, hiking the mountains of Shenandoah, and observing the wonders of Great Falls. There is no way you can see everything in 5 days! Hopefully I can return in the spring and see some of the things I didn’t get to see this time around.

Since it was a five-day trip, and I squeezed as much in as I could, this blog will probably be in several parts. I’ll start my trip off with DC… I have friends that live in Arlington, so it was a short metro ride to downtown where as I said, there is more history than anyone can take in, in one trip. Why the metro? Because you don’t really want to drive around downtown! It’s confusing and congested! There are streets you can drive on at certain times of the day, and cant at other times. The parking is absolutely crazy, and the tour busses and cab drivers are aggressive and ridiculous.

First stop… the Holocaust Museum. When you enter the museum you are told to take an ID card and get in the elevator that will take you to the top floor. I read my ID card as we rode up to the main museum. I didn’t realize it at the time, but everyone gets a different ID card… that puts you in the shoes of someone who survived the Holocaust and tells his/her story. As it turned out I wore the shoes of a gay man. This museum is not for the weak… in fact when I first entered, I thought about turning around, because it was already playing with my emotions. In the crowd was a group of high school children listening, reading, and taking notes. I’m sure a report would be due in the future. This museum is grotesque, heartbreaking, and moving… and something I think everyone should experience at least once.

The second stop on my bucket list was the National Museum of Art. This place is huge, and a beautiful piece of architecture. Outside it resembles a large neoclassical building, including a rotunda, colonnades, and the government style pediment. The stairs where a bit much, and the start of some aches and pains for the remainder of the trip. The interior was filled with statuary, fountains, and of course an oculus in the rotunda. I chose the Italian art as my first experience since that has been the majority of my studies in art history thus far. Getting to view the art up close and personal was a great treat! Viewing it in a book just does not do it justice. I even got to be a bit of a tour guide, explaining the mediums, the artists, and the era’s. I’m told we spent about 3 hours just looking at the Italian art (it didn’t seem that long to me), but we needed a break and headed outside where the cloudy skies had turn to sunshine! I figured I could go back another day… but as it turns out, that didn’t happen.

As a child my father took us to DC (he always took us to cool places), and at that time we actually got to go into the White House, and the Capital. This time… I only photographed them from the outside. We walked up to the Capital building as close as we could to get a decent shot. I didn’t take my Olympus along since it started out as a rainy nasty day, so the point and shoot had to do. I did get some good shots in the days ahead from the top of a tour bus. Which saved on the legs I might add.

We ended the day with a nice dinner, and wandered around downtown planning our next day of sight seeing, what exactly we felt like we couldn’t live without before the whole trip was over. :) I knew I wanted to include some night shots of Washington in my portfolio so we also planned on either staying late one day, or heading back after all the traffic died down. As it turned out we stayed late and added more stress to the already achy body. It was well worth it though… and I will share more in my next post.

Love, Laughs, and Photographs,

Wendy

Enjoying the Solitude!

2011-07-10T22:48:00.000-04:00

After a couple months of running back and forth between Mulberry and Clearwater, I finally found an affordable place located right between SPC Clearwater Campus, and Clearwater Beach! Perfect! Also close the kid’s school, so none of us should have any issues with getting to and from school and work (Beach Portrait Sessions). I'm actually getting my school work done with no stopping unless I want to stop. I'm enjoying the peace and quiet of having my own space! :)

Since I’ve been moving and unpacking and setting up house, as well as doing those Beach Sessions, and preparing for final exams on the 20th of this month, I’ll keep this blog short and sweet. I just wanted to share with you a couple of my most recent Beach Sessions and update you on what’s going on in my life.

I will still be expanding my Portrait Sessions to the Lakeland area, there are a lot of nice locations there for portraits, however, Clearwater will still be my home base as that is where most of you will find me, whether it’s on the web, or around town.

I had written a whole blog on the Shades family, but somewhere in the move it has been misplaced. So I’m sharing a couple from the Shades family and the crazy weather we had that day. We did beat the storm by a few minutes, although the wind was a bit crazy!

Speaking of storms… This week I photographed the Klunzinger family at my usual spot on the beach, and we raced to get an hour in on this one too! This shoot was a combo of family portraits/wedding vow renewal. Paul and Nancy have been married for 40 years and what a beautiful family they have!

As I’ve said so many times before… there is nothing like a nice storm, either before or after to give us some dramatic skies to work with!

That’s it for me until after finals!

Love, Laughs, and Photographs,

Wendy

Indian Shores Beach With the Powers Family!

2011-06-25T13:29:00.000-04:00

It's been a busy couple of weeks for me, between school, beach sessions and editing. Although this post will not be filled with information on my experience with the Powers family it will have some nice photo's and some thoughts about beach portraits.

I was called to two different beach locations last week, and even though I was a little out of my element, it was nice to mix it up some. I love doing beach portraits and have been for over 5 years now... however, sometimes I think "wouldn't it be nice to shoot in the mountains, or even the desert?" Just a different setting would be nice... but alas, I am "The Clearwater Beach Photographer." Please don't get me wrong... I love Clearwater Beach, and I absolutely love all the great families I meet there! So... going to the rock jetty at Sand Key Beach, and Indian Shores Beach last week was a welcome change!

Sometimes our skies in Florida are pretty plain... Oh we do get some nice dramatic skies, but those are usually just before or after a storm. As a photographer those skies are sometimes what we pray for, even when it's a close call on our session schedule. When we have to shoot a sky with no texture it's kind of a bummer, but we still capture the memories and fun times on the beach.

Every now and then we come across a few beach images that just scream for a black and white conversion! If you're a photographer... you'll know it when you see it! Even though the photo above had beautiful beach colors... I love the black and white version!

Sunsets are great for back light... just be sure to use your fill light so you don't end up with a silhouette... unless of course you going for a silhouette! :)

If you can get your subject to stand still on the shoreline long enough for a wave to come in it gives your photo more texture, dimension, and character... it doesn't always happen, especially with little ones, but give it a try. It's not as easy as you think, since you have to watch for facial expressions, where the wind is blowing things, and the waves all at the same time... but it does make for a nicer shot.

Get out there and enjoy the natural backdrops that are available to you!

Love, Laughs, and Photographs,

Wendy

Trying to figure out who’s with me, and who’s against me!

2011-06-16T17:50:00.000-04:00

Doesn’t it make you mad when someone says, “You should put down the camera and enjoy the moment?” Or they say something like; “It’s not always about the picture you know?”

Well it infuriates the hell out of me! Because in my world it is always about the picture! And I am enjoying the moment! It is always about the recorded image from a fleeting moment in time that helps us remember people, places, and events. Photographs also help us share those moments with loved ones, and the world! Photographs help us pass on our life to those who come afterwards, with images that recreate the nostalgic moments of our past!

After all, how could we share things from our past, and move forward into the future if not for photographs? Ok there is always the very descriptive writer… but you know what they say a picture is worth don’t you? I’m so tired of getting dogged for doing what I do by the people who are suppose to love me! Either you’re with me, or against me! Everyone comments on the beautiful work I do… “Oh… that’s so pretty, you’re so talented!” Yet in the next sentence they are saying things like, “is that all you do?” Or, “I’m surprised you don’t sleep with your camera!”

Well here’s the deal… in my portfolio I have collected images of landmarks that no longer exist. I have captured loved ones that no longer exist, and I have captured babies from before they were born, to new born, to grade school, and beyond. For parents to display, cherish, and share! Someday they will be able to show their child that picture and say, “Look, that was me when I was little.”

Photographs are also great for comparing likenesses. “Oh look, he looks just like his father at that age!” Or “She has her mothers eyes… see!” Photos are also great for comparing space and time, and the world around us. I remember when I was a young girl reading the book “The Titanic.” Now there weren’t many pictures in that book, but the ones that were there…. Amazing! I looked into the eyes of Captain Edward Smith, I could witness the size of the massive ship, and most importantly it brought the past into perspective for me. Do you think the movie “Titanic” would have been produced if not for some type of photographs as a guide? That is only one for instance in a world of many.

So to all you people out there who don’t like what I do, or don’t like looking at me with a camera in front of my face… Go to Hell!! Someday you will be looking at a photo of someone, or something that I captured, and you’ll appreciate that you have it! So in the future don’t tell me it’s not all about the photograph… because, really, it is!

Love, Laughs, and Photographs,
Wendy

The New Hard Rock Café’ and The Katy Perry Concert!

2011-06-15T15:48:00.000-04:00

Saturday was awesome! Around 3:00 in the afternoon we headed for the new Hard Rock Café’. I’ve been wanting to get over there and see what they did with the place since it was added to the casino, and hotel. It was very cool… although I’ve been to some cooler Hard Rock Café’s. We ordered the three way BBQ for dinner (chicken, pulled pork, and beef ribs). Totally awesome! Of course cocktails were in order since we were celebrating a birthday, and headed to the Katy Perry Concert afterwards! For the first time I hit the slot machines… won a little… and spent it. :) Hit the gift shop for a new Hard Rock T-shirt, and of course checked out as much memorabilia as time allowed.

The concert was amazing! Katy Perry puts on a great show! Not only can she sing, she can entertain the pants off ya! Her stage was truly set up like a perfect teenage dream… with pink puffy clouds, candy, and bright colors. She gave the crowd everything, from a stage presentation that resembled a Broadway play, to fog machines, bubble machines, and water cannons. She tossed coins into the crowd, invited about 50 people on stage to dance with her, let two youngsters take their picture with her (on stage), brought out a couple dozen beach balls during her song “California Girls.” She blew out tons of heart shaped, and candy shaped confetti! The pyro-techniques were great during her song “Firework,” and she changed her clothes within seconds on stage (behind screens) during “Your Hot and Your Cold.” The audience was filled with teenaged girls, and adults who wanted to be teen-agers (myself included)… the whole show was immensely enjoyed by everyone! Flouncey dresses, and blue and purple wigs were everywhere! She did her hit song E.T. in a black cat suit that was both sexy, and amusing! It was a perfect evening of good music and great entertainment!

I'm sorry I dont have any more images to share, but the ones from the concert were captured on a little Olympus point and shoot, and for some reason they do not want to download to my laptop (which is what I have to work with while I'm out of town). The photo's above were captured with my cell phone... not great quality, but I have since gone out and purchased a new phone. So... the next time I have to sneak a camera in to an event, I should get some good pictures! :)

Love, Laughs, and Photographs,
Wendy

Gearing Up for a Busy Month!

2011-06-06T15:47:00.000-04:00

As the week starts here in Mulberry… I look over my calendar and realize there are so many things to get done. It all starts with a drive to Clearwater first thing Tuesday morning… to avoid traffic I try to be out of the house by 10:30. It will be an easy day, as I just have to meet with my daughter who will be attending her 8th grade dance on Wednesday and celebrating the end of middle school and the step up to high school.

On Wednesday I will be meeting her at school to photograph the event... at her request. Sometimes it’s good to have a mom that is a photographer. In the evening I have to meet with a former bride to help her choose the photos for her album, and slide show. I did her wedding in February and have been waiting for her to decide… she needs my help.

While I’m traveling to Clearwater, and shooting, and meeting with former clients I still have an essay to write for my composition class before Thursday, and other school work to do before Sunday rolls around (which I will work on over the weekend).

Tuesday of next week I have another family session on Sand key beach in the evening, which will bring about the chore of editing and posting to the web. I’ll be sure to blog on that next week, and share some photos.

Saturday the 18th is my good friends birthday bash… still in Clearwater. I can’t wait to get together with everyone, and I’m sure there will be more images to share from that event.

When the 20th rolls around I will be doing another beach session on Indian Rocks for a family of 8, three of which are children, and the parents want to do clothing changes. Should be fun!

That brings me into the beginning of July when I will be doing a beach portrait session/wedding vow renewal on Clearwater beach again! A large group of 19 will surely keep me hoppin’!

I love the summer time, and the tourists it brings to the area! I never suspected when I set out on this adventure that my business would be based on tourism, but it certainly is! In fact I used to complain when the snowbirds would hit the West coast, but these days I welcome them all!

Enjoying the Memorial Day Weekend With the Mendez Family!

2011-06-06T00:12:00.000-04:00

Last weekend I met with the Mendez family on Clearwater beach. A couple days prior, Ana, the mother, and wife, of this great looking group called me with an unusual and kinda funny story. It seems that her and her husband George were married on Sandkey beach on Memorial day weekend 5 years ago… now I don’t know if any of you have attempted to get to Clearwater beach on Memorial day, during Spring break, or any other holiday for that matter… It is no easy task! You can plan on sitting in traffic for hours, and when you do get to the other side of the causeway… good luck with that parking space, or even a place to rest your butt once you do get to the sand! As it turns out Ana never made it to her wedding! Therefore never got any beautiful sunset photos on her wedding day. So this is what we set out to accomplish when we met.

Our appointment was for 7:30, I left the house at 6:15, (and I’m only 15 minutes from the beach), by the time I hit the round about (which is another real pain about Clearwater beach, because the tourists don’t know how to work a round about), Ana was calling to say she was already at our designated meeting spot. Neither one of us was going to be late! We started shooting in the dunes around 6:45 and spent more time there than I usually do on any normal session. After we had exhausted every pose and grouping we could think of we made our way to the water. The sun had come down enough to get those nice sunset shots she was hoping for.

This family was not only beautiful on the outside… they were just as lovely on the inside. We talked about the beach, family, astrology signs, and raising children, all the while getting some great shots. I assured her that teenage boys will eventually grow up to love each other… give them a few years. George and Ana’s little girl was as sweet as could be, and her brothers were very attentive to her needs. It was definitely one of the nicest and easiest sessions I’ve had in a long time.

Ana and George did eventually get married that day… their archway was moved to their reception venue, and a quick ceremony was preformed. Even though last weekend wasn’t actually their wedding, people were walking by congratulating them… and now they will have their sunset photo’s to cherish and enjoy for many years to come!

Love, Laughs, and Photographs,
Wendy

Kickin’ Up Some Sand with the Curran Family!

2011-05-31T00:20:00.000-04:00

Beach portraits seems to be my forte these days, and even though I do them in the same area each time, I try to switch them up a bit, and get at least one specialty shot that everyone falls in love with. Beach portraits should be fun, and natural, but as a photographer there should always be that one great shot that has everyone in awe!

The Curran family called me from North Carolina about a month before their arrival to Clearwater Beach to book a Beach Portrait Session. I gave them instructions on price, where to meet, and what to wear. You know, the normal information for this type of shoot.

On Saturday evening I met with this wonderful out going family at one of the beach access roads that I typically use when I’m shooting on Clearwater Beach. We were both there on time, and the introductions began. The oldest son seemed to be in charge as he was the one who made the call. Mom and Dad (or the Grandparents) where down from Orlando, The oldest son, his wife, and two children where here from North Carolina, another brother with his wife from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and lastly a sister who also had two children, but I didn’t get where they were from. We chatted about where everyone was from as we kicked off our shoes, or flip-flops, about where everyone was from, and how long they would be in town. We headed off for the dunes which is where I like to start me beach sessions, because the sun is usually still pretty high in the sky and I like to wait for it to come down some before trying to get those lovely sunset shots. In the dunes I like to use a reflector when possible, or my flash unit to put some light back into the face and knock out those harsh shadows. We got off several shots of the whole family where I tried to keep the focus on the parents/grandparents, and then broke up into smaller family groups, and children groups before we moved out to the waters edge.

The oldest brother and his wife had a four-year-old little boy, as well as a little girl who wasn’t quite a year old. They informed me their daughter wasn’t real happy with the beach… they had visited earlier and since she was so new to walking the shells hurt her feet. However, they really wanted a shot of the two of them walking on the beach together. Each time baby girl was stood in the sand and her brother took her hand she would cry, so I figured this shot was not happening! Their mother on the other hand had other ideas and kept trying to get them together so I could get the shot. I didn’t want to waste valuable time, or light, so I continued to shoot the other family members and turn my attention back to the two children whenever I thought their mama had them set. It did take several times but with persistence and determination I finally got the shot they were looking for. I loved it, they loved it, and even my fans on face-book loved it! We call that the money shot, and I’m here to say if you have a lot of patience when it comes to children (and sometimes adults), you will get the shot that makes an impact on everyone! I would like to add one note… as soon as I got the shot, the beautiful wave that surrounded their feet went back out, as they always do, baby doll fell splash down on her butt, and screamed as though someone just took away her lolli-pop!

Until next time…
Love, Laughs, and Photographs,
Wendy

Where’s Wendy? Trashing the Dress!

2011-05-20T15:54:00.000-04:00

In the process of moving my things from one place to the next I came across the wedding gown that I picked up at a local thrift store a couple years ago, in hopes that I would find a willing victim (model) to wear the darn thing. It was very cheap, no rips, or stains. In fact when I purchased it, I did so with the hopes that I would find someone to trash it! I threw it in the washer with some bleach, popped it in the dryer for a bit, then hung it and fluffed it while it finished drying. On Monday I talked my daughter Holli into putting it on for a few shots. Actually I’ve been trying to get her into it for a couple years, but she was reluctant because lets face it… she’s not the “Southern Bell” kind of person. However, she is a good model, and loves her mother, so she accommodated the photographer. Since we didn’t get dirty, or greasy, or wet, we will call this “The Almost Trashed the Dress Session!”

I’ve been yearning to do a “Trash the Dress” session for quite some time. Not only because I want to add the images to my portfolio, but also because I knew it would be great fun! The problem with this is… most brides pay a lot of moolah for a dress that they will only wear once in their lifetime, and then it will be cleaned, stuffed in a box, and put away in a closet, or a storage chest, or the attic, for many years. Chances are no one else will wear that dress because we don’t live in the days when grandmothers passed down their dress to daughters, and in turn that daughter passed it to her daughter and so on. Lets face it, we live in the days where every new bride wants her own dress… something fresh, something new, something stylish. So when a bride goes out and spends 2K or more on her gown…. She’s not likely to want to get it dirty.

You know all those sexy, grungy, photo’s you see of the bride in her wedding gown? Those aren’t the kind of photo’s you’re likely to capture at any normal wedding day shoot. First there is the expense factor that I spoke about above, and second the beautiful bride has to stay that way for pretty much the rest of the day. She has to at least make it through the reception where she will gather with her guests. I’m sure she doesn’t want to do that after getting sandy, greasy, or even wet! So here’s my suggestion to any bride who would love to do a “Trash the Dress” session… go to the thrift store, or yard sale, and find a dress similar to the one you wore or are going to wear on your wedding day. I really don’t think anyone will notice the difference any way, once they see the amazing photographs! Pay a small price, and enjoy yourself! Call me… we’ll both enjoy ourselves!

As you can see during this session we didn’t really trash the dress. When we finished, although Holli did roll around on the ground a bit (in the grass and leaves), the dress is still waiting to be TRASHED! I do have another model willing to destroy it for me, so stay tuned… those will be coming in the near future!

So to all you brides out there who are looking for those special, sexy, grungy, off-the-wall photo’s, you now know how to get them without trashing your own dress! Oh… bring your hubby along… we’ll trash him too! :)

Love, Laughs, and Photographs,
Wendy

Where’s Wendy? Shooting Equestrian Portraits!

2011-05-19T20:13:00.000-04:00

Feeling down? Saddle up!

~author unknown~

Last weekend I had the opportunity to capture some equestrian portraits in Pinellas Park, Florida. If you’re not familiar with the term equestrian it is defined as “a person who rides horse back,” or “pertaining to horse back riding.” I love photographing horse and rider for two reasons… First, I believe horses are one of the most beautiful and most majestic creatures on the planet, and second, I have witnessed the unconditional love between human and animal every time I’ve been around people who have horses. Today I would like to share the love that I captured between two horses and their riders, as well as give you some tips on photographing equestrianism... incase you would like to add these types of images to your portfolio.

The first thing I suggest is to keep an eye on the weather. Now I know there isn’t a darn thing we can do about the weather but sometimes horses don’t take well to thunder and lightning, and it’s really not safe for horse or rider to be out in a storm. If by chance you run into undesirable conditions where the weather is concerned (as I did last week), try to capture some portraits inside the barn while you are waiting out the storm. Bails of hay, milk cans, or old stools work great for posing your rider. While hats, chaps, bridals, halters, horseshoes, and other barn accessories make great props. Shooting through the barn door to the outside and stable doors make for great natural backdrops when you have to shoot inside.

Just a word to the wise when it comes to what to wear to this type of shoot… pants and long sleeves are best if the weather permits. Stables and barns tend to house a lot of bugs, especially flies… that bite! So this type of session isn’t for the faint of heart, or at least anyone who isn’t wiling to walk away with a few welts. I also recommend closed toed shoes! When horses turn… they turn wide, and you would do best to be aware of what they are doing, and back up when you know a horse is turning. A good pair of shoes or boots will definitely save your tootsies!

Remember to shoot close up and far away… a nice wide-angle zoom lens can come in handy for equestrian sessions. Some horses like to kick so I don’t recommend getting to close behind them, and some horses don’t like flash as much as they don’t like lightning. Nonetheless, try to capture them at a distance… riding away from you, (like off into the sunset), and riding towards you. Be sure to also capture them up close… the eyes, the mane, the mouth, and the markings on both horse and rider. :)

While you are there be sure to look around and shoot interesting objects that may not be the rider or the horse you are there for, but things that pertain to the lifestyle of the combination. Bridals or halters hanging from a nail on the wall, a saddle over the fence, bails of hay stacked in the corner, chickens, kittens, puppies, and even other horses with their heads peeking through a stall door or window.

Finally, remember to capture the love between the two! Capture the way the rider looks at the horse. Capture the way the horse looks at the rider, and any connection you can find or create between the two of them. You may even capture the connection between two horses… whether they like each other or not. Not only will these make great shots for your portfolio… I guarantee the rider will purchase them every time!

Yee-haw!
Love, Laughs, and Photographs,
Wendy

Where's Wendy? Expanding Her Horizons!

2011-05-13T20:57:00.000-04:00

Sometimes life throws us a curve ball and we have to do our best to catch it before it's too late. Sometimes it's not what we expect, or what we want, or even what we like, but we have to roll with the changes, grab for the ring, or even make alterations. Change always means leaving behind something, but from experience I know that change also brings new things... without change there is no growth, and without growth you wouldn't have become who you are.

It has once again been awhile since I've blogged... lets face it... things have been a bit crazy. Between packing, moving, trying to keep teenagers on the right track, taking final exams, and running my business, life has been in a bit of an uproar. Love is a funny thing... we have different types of love for different people in our lives... for instance the love we have for our mate is different then the love we have for our children. And the love we have for nature can be different than the love we have for inanimate objects. In any case... it's all different.

I want to share with you the love between a bride and groom that I photographed on Sand Key Beach a couple weeks ago... but first I just want to say that this was the most beautiful Sand Key Beach Wedding that I've ever done. The company that set it up was Weddings on a Whim... and I would surely recommend them to anyone getting married on the beach!

The spring semester is over, and I've passed all my classes. Summer classes start in a few short days, and I don't know if I'm ready... but I have cut my classes down to two, so cross your fingers! In the mean time I have gotten out to my favorite beach spot... The Palm Pavilion where my friend Andrea works....

She's very good at what she does... pictured here making "sexual alligators." If you follow me on Facebook you already knew that! :)

I've also spent some time alone... whether it was because I wanted to or not I learned to enjoy the new Clearwater Marina, and have spent quite a bit of time there recently. I captured this shot looking up at the causeway bridge one afternoon before a storm rolled in...

I also had the opportunity to photograph a nice family in their home... I used two large soft boxes and the available lighting in their living room. This one was enhanced in Topaz Adjust... pretty cool huh?

Today I went out and took a look at my plants and flowers in the yard and debated on whether or not to take them with me. I've decided to leave them for reasons I care not to explain... they will be better off where they are.

On a good note... not only will I be expanding my horizons I will also be expanding my business area to cover not only the west side of Tampa Bay but also the east side all the way to the Lakeland area! Tomorrow I'm off to shoot horses and their riders again.. and some possible shots at a 1 year olds birthday party in Ruskin. A little boy that I shot when he was only a few days old... Happy Birthday Alec!

So remember... Every possession and every happiness is but lent by chance for an uncertain time, and may therefore be demanded back the next hour. ~Arthur Schopenhauer

Love, Laughs, and Photographs,

Wendy

Where's Wendy? Weedsport, Winterhaven, and a Few Places in between!

2011-04-19T16:49:00.000-04:00

Ahhh.... it's been awhile since my last blog post! I've been working hard at my studies, and have done a little traveling in the past month. The semester is almost over and final exams will start soon! I decided to take a trip to see my kids and grand kids in Weedsport, New York, and ended up doing portraits the whole time I was there! Honestly there was no time to get out and do any landscape shooting! Now I'm spending some much needed time in Winterhaven with my oldest daughter, and grand kids... we've also done some portraits here, and are planning to do more. I have a wedding booked for April 30th on Sandkey Beach, and another bride to meet with soon! During all of this I have gotten through a really bad cold (well, almost through... my voice is still a bit raspy). All in all it's been a pretty busy month! I'll be glad when the semester is over and I move on to the summer semester of only two classes.

Front cover of "The Florida Info Guide" Magazine for this quarter! :)

Business Portraits on Clearwater Beach.

Working on some still life stuff... inspired by my art classes.

Engagement portraits of my daughter and her future hubby in New York! :)

Easter Portraits of the grand children! :)

Downtown Ybor.... very cool building with lots of character!!

So many more photo's to share... not enough time!

Until next time!

Love, Laughs, and Photographs,

Wendy

All images captured with the Olympus E500 and E420 on Lexar digital media.

Where's Wendy? Busy Busy Busy!

2011-03-23T08:54:00.000-04:00

I've been a bit busy lately, but I thought I would take a short break from Art History, Algebra, and Public Speaking homework to let everyone know what's been going on in my other world!

The photo above was taken on a weekend camping trip to Fort Desoto and then enhanced with a little trick by Corey Barker from NAPP (which I am now a proud member of). I thought it was a great way to show off her new hair color, and the natural light was perfect for it!

I photographed a wedding on Clearwater Beach. Lisa and Kerry were married near the Palm Pavilion, but had their reception at the Grand Bilagio.

I helped Girl Scout Troop 513 get their "Camera Shots" badge, which was great fun!

I ran out and captured the Super Moon...

Found rapper Lil Jon at Shephards Beach Resort on Clearwater Beach...

Worked on some ad images...

Received some cool new Candy Sticks backdrops from Backdrop Outlet (I haven't even had time to take the other two out of the tube)! They are really cool 5'x7' peel and stick to any wall!

Did some business photo's down on Island Estates, on Clearwater Beach.

All of this plus....

Booked a flight to see my children in NY the first week in April, Gave two speeches (both terrifying experiences), kept up with all my other classes, kept the house in order and the laundry done, and updated my Facebook and Twitter as regularly as possible.

That's all for now Friends... back to the school work!

Love, Laughs, and Photographs,

Wendy

All images captured with the Olympus E500 and the E420 on Lexar digital media.

Where's Wendy? Fort Desoto... Day Two!

2011-03-14T12:22:00.000-04:00

Day 2 of our Fort Desoto trip was spent mostly on the water, with bright sunshine and a cool breeze!

Early morning view... up before sunrise!

Even though I'm not much into flying... I thought this was pretty cool!

Love birds?

And speaking of sunshine, I love the Skyway bridge in the background of this couple rowing by!

Until next time!

Love, Laughs, and Photographs,

Wendy

All images captured with the Olympus E500, and the Olympus E420 on Lexar digital media.

Where's Wendy? Fort Desoto... Day One!

2011-03-13T21:58:00.000-04:00

Enjoyed a beautiful weekend in Fort Desoto, Florida! The Fort was closed but we enjoyed the museum, fishing on the pier, boating, and camping! Here are a few images from day 1!

I'll be back soon with day 2!

Love, Laughs, and Photographs,

Wendy

All images captured with the Olympus E500 and the Olympus E420 on Lexar digital media.

Where's Wendy? The Dali Museum!!

2011-03-06T14:32:00.000-05:00

Those who do not want to imitate anything, produce nothing ~Salvador Dali~

As an Art History Student it is only normal that I would be going to several Museums of Art this semester... About a month ago I got to visit the New Dali Museum, I enjoyed it the first time I went to the old museum and enjoyed it even more this time around. They have added a a very nice gift shop, and cafe' which cover the entire downstairs except for ticket desks. The museum is much larger with a very artistic stair case leading to the galleries. The galleries are well laid out with an audio presentation which I recommend. You receive a cassette tape with headphones and the works are set up by numbers so you can listen to the audio and learn about the piece you are standing right in front of.

I did have a few dislikes about the New Dali Museum... First of all you were not allowed to take photographs in the gallery. Understandable... However, as a student, if you have to write an essay on your most favorite piece and your least favored piece it makes it more difficult to do so. Now you have to go look up the work on line and hope you find a decent printable size to include in your essay. Furthermore the museum was too crowded... because we were with a class, and there were other customers at the museum it was too jam-packed to really enjoy it. We were appointed a tour guide who was suppose to be telling us about each piece as we went around the galleries. The problem was... we couldn't hear the tour guide unless we were front and center. Maybe she should have used some type of microphone to ensure that all of us could learn about Dali's art. Thirdly... while the price of the museum visit isn't bad if you're a student, the regular price is a bit steep. And the gift shop prices seem a bit outrageous... but I'm sure that is how they are paying for their New State of the Art Museum on Dali Blvd.

On the other hand there were some very nice things about the museum that as I said before was thoroughly enjoyable. Dali is a surrealist, and his art is in my opinion absolutely breathtaking! Viewing the man himself is a work of art... from his mustache to his clothing, and the expressions of his face, you can tell that this was surely an eccentric being! I loved that the gift shop held many items that replicated Dali's work, from prints, to ash trays, to screen printed clothing, and everything in between... the choices were phenomenal! The cafe' gives the museum a sense of belonging, a place to fall into the art world, a place to relax, and a place to create while being inspired. Finally and importantly I found that all of the employee's at the museum were friendly and informative whenever I had a question. I like that everyone of them at different times didn't have trouble answering anything that I needed to know.

I say go visit the New Dali Museum! Maybe a call ahead of time will help figure out a day when they are not too busy so you can really enjoy your stay! Get the tape and headphones so you can fall into the mans art and get a great understanding of his work, his life, and his thoughts. I am certainly going to go back and will hopefully enjoy myself more than I did this time!

Good Luck!

Love, Laughs, and Photographs,
Wendy

Video captured with the Flip video recorder.

Where's Wendy? Shooting A Casual Beach Wedding!

2011-02-18T15:16:00.000-05:00

“Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it.”

~Henry David Thoreau~

In my attempt to keep up with everything going on in my life I thought it best to also catch up on my blog... As you all know school is one of my top priorities right now... it comes first after my family and my photography. So needless to say I don't have much time for anything else.

This past Thursday I did a casual beach wedding for a couple that came from the UK. They had no idea that there would be a professional photographer at their very informal gathering on Clearwater Beach. I was a gift from a sister and a friend. So needless to say, when I walked through the door with a camera over my left shoulder and another in my right hand things got a bit emotional.

It was actually a horrible day to do a beach wedding... it was cold, and gray, and the chance of rain could have come about at any second. Thankfully it held off until the ceremony was finished and we made our way back to the beach house. With a brief reception of wine, and cake... it was done and over with. I spent just an hour photographing a lovely family and their friends. I did my editing that night and had their images ready by the next morning. It was a pretty easy edit with the exception of pumping up the sky a bit to remove some of the gray.

Tomorrow I have another beach wedding with a reception at the Grand Bilagio here in Clearwater... I'll share that one with you as soon as I have a free moment. In the mean time it's back to studying!

Love, Laughs, and Photographs,
Wendy

P.S. Stay tuned for my blog on the new Dali Museum, and my brand new website!

All images captured with the Olympus E500 on Lexar digital media.

Where’s Wendy? The Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art!!

2011-02-11T13:37:00.000-05:00

Photo captured at The Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art

I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free — Michelangelo

Taking two art classes this semester has me intrigued, and excited, as well as exhausted, and overwhelmed at times. Learning about the Masters is a great way to learn lighting, composition, and perspective. I find myself looking at pieces by Higher Renaissance Greats and dreaming that I could have lived to see those days. From paintings, to sculpture, to architecture, it seems that everything was beautiful during that era. Now I know that life was probably much harder, and the rules were different back then, but it seems that everything was surrounded with beautiful art.

One of the requirements for my “Understanding Art” class was to visit a museum and do an essay on my most favorite work, and my least favorite work, that included pictures and a picture of myself showing that I was actually at the museum. In this essay I was to use Feldman’s Method of Critical Analysis on both my favorite and least favorite. I pulled it off with a grade of 92%, and a comment that wasn’t well accepted by my professor.

The Leepa-Rattner Museum has some interesting pieces of Artwork, including a reproduction of Pablo Picasso’s Guernica, which is accompanied by an audio presentation. Although I love the work of the old masters and find them very inspiring, I find that the more modern art doesn’t really move me. Some of the sculptures just don’t make sense and some of the paintings are just not as esthetically pleasing as the works by the greats such as Michelangelo, or Donatello. The museum itself opened in January of 2002, and is located on the Tarpon Springs Campus of St. Petersburg College. It houses a 6,000-piece collection of works by Abraham Rattner, Allen Leepa, and Esther Gentle (Rattner's second wife). Some of the work was well done, such as the sketches, and one particular portrait that Rattner did of his wife. Most of the paintings seemed to be inspired by Picasso, and if you have seen any work done by this artist you certainly have to be a fan to appreciate it. By taking these art classes I have at least learned a little about this artist and what motivated and inspired him to create the pieces that he has.

The Leepa-Rattner Museum is laid out well and is very pleasing to meander through. It has a nice area for young students as well as work displayed by digital artists (my favorite section). The museum also offers mini workshops for adults, and story hour for children. What a great way to gain some knowledge about art right here in our community. Even if you are not a fan of modern art the Leepa-Rattner Museum is a great place to learn about the artists, the collections, and fine art. If you would like to visit the Leepa-Rattner Museum you can check out their website for information on hours and fees.

Love, Laughs, and Photographs,
Wendy

All images captured with the Olympus E500 on Lexar digital media with the permission of The Leepa-Rattner Museum.

Where's Wendy? On the Roof Top!

2011-02-01T09:38:00.000-05:00

A former client came to me last week and asked if I would do a shot of downtown Clearwater for him to use on his upcoming website. A skyline type of shot with streets and buildings that depicted the lifestyle of downtown. So... we headed for Clearwater, and hit every major street corner, and some not so major, to see what the best angle would be to get a good shot. Well, needless to say there wasn't one... with the array of buildings in Clearwater, some short, some tall, some VERY tall, it just wasn't happening. As we looked around and tried some different angles, I decided the best way to do this shot was to get up high. I could have shot from the top of the causeway bridge going over to the beach, but I've done that shot before and although it captures some of the city... I didn't think it would give me enough content for my client.

I decided to try a shot from the corner of Cleveland and Ft. Harrison... I pulled out the tripod, set the camera and waited for passerby's so I could try to capture the image without too much obstruction that I might have to remove later in post editing. As soon as I was set, and ready to grab a shot, I noticed a friend of mine coming down Cleveland Street to my left. We said our “Hi's” and she proceed to pitch me on an Art's Festival that was happening the first weekend in February, that she would like me to participate in. After all was said about that subject and I agreed it was a good idea, I told her about the shot I was trying to get at the moment. Sylvia is the local painter in town and the owner of Dewall's Painting Company, so she knows a lot of people with VERY tall buildings! She mentioned the building she was working on and said she could probably get me up to the roof! Perfect! She made a few phone calls and viola! A few days later and I'm walking around on a roof top 11 stories off the ground!

Now... anyone who knows me well, also knows how afraid of heights I am... so for me to get up there was a bit freaky, but very exciting at the same time! Not only was I going to get the shot I was looking for, but I was going to get some other cool images as well! I spent about 30 "light-headed" minutes on the roof, and captured every angle I could of downtown Clearwater. When we got back to the parking lot we were saying our good byes to Sylvia (she and her crew were working on the back side of the building), I mentioned how cool it would be to come back sometime and get some night shots. She got on her phone and hooked me up right then and there! A few hours later I was back on the roof in the pitch dark (with only city lights illuminating the scene), it was perfect! Again.... I shot all angles of downtown, and came up with some pretty nice stuff!

So, in closing I would like to remind you... sometimes it's not only what you know... it's who you know!

Love, Laughs, and Photographs,
Wendy

All images captured with the Olympus E500 on Lexar digital media.

Where’s Wendy? Lakeview Stables!

2011-01-21T23:09:00.000-05:00

The wind of heaven is that which blows between a horse's ears. ~Arabian Proverb~

I don’t usually shoot animals (in any sense of the word), but when the photographer that I would call for such a mission is actually the person in the photographs it’s a bit difficult to do… Especially on a horse. It’s not like she could mount her camera to a tripod and use a remote in this instance!

When my daughter called me to take portraits of her and her new horse, I was apprehensive yet anxious all at the same time. I’m not much of a horse person since I grew up with a sister who was an avid rider, and still has horses and her own ranch with a multitude of animals, I have spent a little time around them. It used to be that whenever she would talk me into riding with her, I didn’t fare very well… either I would be thrown, stuck in a pond, scraped off on a fence, etc. etc. Horses knew that I was not clever enough or powerful enough to outwit them. So they knew they were in control! Horse back riding was just not my thing. Now that’s not to say I don’t have a great affinity towards horses… I think they are the most beautiful and the most majestic creatures on the planet, I just believe they should be left to those who know what their doing. I love to watch them, and I love to watch humans interact with them. I truly believe that some people are just connected. So… photographing them is a delight for me! Riding them… not so much!

When photographing an animal of this magnitude you cant just throw caution to the wind… you have to be careful where you’re standing when they are lead around, when they are being climb on by their rider, and when they show any type of fear (such as water, birds, cars, etc.). As far as lighting goes… I think natural lighting is the best you’re going to get with a horse. You aren’t going to be able to set up any kind of soft box, and a flash is apt to scare the bah-Jesus out of them… so yea… natural light. In fact finding a nice shaded area with the sunlight filtered through some trees would be perfect.

I’m glad I got to shoot my daughter, her friend and their horses out at Lakeview Stables in Pinellas Park… We got some very loving shots between horse and rider. My portfolio and I will be forever grateful!

Love, Laughs, and Photographs,
Wendy

All images captured with the Olympus E500 on Lexar digital media.

Project 365

2011-01-18T20:27:00.002-05:00

It's weird that photographers spend years or even a whole lifetime, trying to capture moments that added together, doesn’t even amount to a couple of hours.

~James Lalropui Keivom~

I’ve decided to make this quote untrue… I’ve decided that this year I will capture the entire year, one day at a time by doing my own Project 365. Now, I’ve tried this project before, but it didn’t work out so well. My life was a bit crazy, and without going into long detail… I gave up on the project after a month!

You might ask yourself, “Why would you want to do such a thing?” Well, actually there are several reasons for taking on such a venture…

First of all, if you are a photographer, it helps stimulate your creativity, and this is one mission that will keep you at least thinking creatively. Whether or not you’re a photographer taking at least one picture a day and posting it somewhere (visible to the public or not) will help you remember what you’ve done all year long. It will also help you remember special events, important dates, and great accomplishments. Something you may otherwise have forgotten.

Even if you don’t do something exciting every day the photo’s you take will tell something about the way things played out on a day-to-day basis. You will know if you were too busy to go out and capture something unusual. In my case I like to decorate for the holidays… and I mean every holiday! So I capture the little things around the house that I do for the holidays, if I have a day when I don't get out. When I look back on those images next year I will either say, “I need to do something different,” or “I really like the way that turned out!”

It will also be a way of keeping a record of where you’ve been, places you would like to revisit, and give you ideas of places you would like to visit next. In other words it will be a documentation of everything you’ve done for a whole year. You’ll know the boring times of year, and the exciting ones. You’ll know when someone got married, someone had a baby, first day of school, holidays and family gatherings!

Most people post their 365 Project on Flickr… I’ve decided to put mine right on my website, and I post a link to it on my networking sites like Facebook, and Twitter… and now on my Blog! :) I’ve added music, and a comment box, so you have something to listen to while your scrolling through my daily life, and you can leave me a comment and tell me what you think when you’re done!

In conclusion I think everyone should start a 365 Project! It’s a Great way to be creative while capturing the important moments in your life!

Love, Laughs, and Photographs,

Wendy

All images captured with the Olympus E500 on Lexar Digital media.

Where’s Wendy? Becoming A Better Person!

2011-01-17T21:30:00.000-05:00

Does the thought of going back to school scare you?

Believe me… being a middle-aged woman and going back to school is not an easy task! Especially with so much commotion in my life! I have put the first week of classes (both online and on campus) behind me. I was terrified each and every time I attended a new class and each and every time I opened my lessons on the school website! You may even say it was a bit confusing. Speech was probably the most frightening for me, as I’m so uncomfortable standing up and presenting myself. Always afraid I’m just not as good as the next guy. I’ve jumped more than a few hurdles this week… I actually stood in front of a class of about 25 students and told them three things about myself. I read, and read, and read… vocabulary, art, and public speaking books! I have done assignments in all 5 subjects, and have written a speech for this week’s class. In the midst of all this I made sure there were meals on the table, laundry was done, and the house was straightened. I listen to people yak, yak, yak, while I trudged through a math test! I made sure the kids were off to school and off to work on time (driving one of them to and from every morning and afternoon). I scrounged up an old copy of Microsoft office and installed it… since that is the preferred word processing program for St. Petersburg College.

At the end of last week I did take a bit of a brake, and headed over to Ybor city in Tampa. I checked out an old building that needs restoring, with my honey (he may be doing the electrical work on that project). I was amazed with the detail that this wonderful piece of architecture held! I was so glad I put down the books and made the escape to the Cuban Club! The ballroom was beautiful, the cantina was quaint, and the theatre brought tears to my eyes! I felt so much exciting energy in this building that I couldn’t stop taking pictures. We met with the executor, Allen, a very nice man indeed! I think he’s going to like what I’ve captured.

Learning is a wonderful thing… and I’m glad that I have the opportunity to go back to school, however… sometimes you just have to say enough is enough and go do something enjoyable. That brake gave me a moment to direct my attention elsewhere so when I did hit the books again I was refreshed and my head was empty from all the former chaos. I was much more relaxed…. Afterwards I wrote my speech without much trouble, put together a power point presentation (a new learning curve), took a couple quizzes and finished up my lessons. Now I’m ready to begin a new week! Plus I was very satisfied with the feedback I received this morning from my professors… my grades were not perfect, but acceptable at 80% and above.

Here's to a Great Week!

Love, Laughs, and Photographs,

Wendy

All images captured with the Olympus E500 on Lexar digital media.

Where's Wendy? Creating!!

2011-01-08T07:11:00.001-05:00

Everyone knows that I love being creative. I love post editing, and creating images with an edge. I love Dave Hill's work with that funky LucisArt effect that make his images appear very surreal. If you've never seen his work please click the link and check it out! Now I know that everyone cant afford the LucisArt program, it is a little pricy... however you can get a similar effect by making a few adjustments to your images. I do all my initial work flow in Lightroom, and sometimes I do a little creative stuff there too. By adjusting your recovery, fill light, vibrancy, clarity, and black sliders you can obtain a similar effect right there in Lightroom. There are some great tutorials over at the onOne University, and some great video's on Youtube. Also check out Scott Kelby's blog on the subject, he always explains things nicely, and I love the Photoshop guys!

Since most of my work is Portraiture it takes a little tweaking to get some of the images just right, but if you play with it long enough you'll come up with some very unique images. Some of them don't work out... so I scrap the idea and move onto the next photo. Some people think I spend too much time on post editing, however I find being digitally creative very relaxing and satisfying. This is not something that I do for my clients, it is something I do for myself after all client work is done, and uploaded for their viewing. However... if I think my client will like what I've created I show it to them, to see how they feel about it, but for the most part producing intense, dreamlike images is very gratifying to me, and may not be for everyone.

With thoughts of school running through my head, organizing files, and making sure everything is backed up for the year, I've spent some time this week going through my 2010 images, as well as others from several years ago. I've taken some of them and added different effects to achieve some cool results. Go ahead... read some tutorials, watch some videos and give it a try!

Love, Laughs, and Photographs,
Wendy

All images captured with the Olympus E500 on Lexar digital media.

Memories of Holidays Past and Thoughts of the Future

2010-12-29T18:27:00.000-05:00

As I sit here eating left over lasagna and listening to some soft tunes on my media player with new speakers (one of my best Christmas gifts this year), my mind wanders from Holidays past to the most present. Some have been great... while other have been tough to say the least. Although I'm more of “the glass is half full” kinda girl, I cant help but think there were holidays that we're more on the empty side.

Even though this years holidays have been filled with love, gathering, and gifts, there always seems to be more that I want to do. The past couple of weeks have been filled with thoughts of parents, siblings, and children. Even though most of my children are grown there are so many things I wish I could do for them, and at times it saddens me to know that right now there just isn't anything I can do. I try to concentrate on the small children this time of year... the ones who still believe... the ones who rely on the rest of us to create a happy, healthy environment.

I remember growing up and never wanting for anything. I know it was a much simpler time, but the holidays were always filled with the warmth of family and giving. I have memories of building snow men, snow ball fights, and sledding... I don't know how we dealt with the cold, but back then... the cold didn't matter. We were young, and life was about fun! I think children grow up too fast these days. I think children should be enjoying friendships, and playing out doors... like we did. I remember I never heard my parents fight when I was a child... that's one thing I don't think children should have to deal with. It's so easy for couples to just terminate their relationships these days and children walk around confused and sometimes blaming themselves for their parents problems. Some things are just better kept behind closed doors. Even though when I was a young child I only saw my dad on the weekends (he worked away from home during the week), I knew he worked hard and provided everything we needed. On the weekends he spent 90% of his time with us kids. We did fun things right at home... we watched chicks be born, we bathed the dog in a wash tub, he built play houses out of refrigerator boxes for us, and bathed us so my mom could have a break. I remember once when I was probably 11 or 12 we had a big storm with snow drifting to the second story of our apartment complex (which my daddy was building for some big wig), and dad and I dug tunnels through the snow, then strung Christmas lights throughout the tunnels. When it was all done and said we just sat there in our giant igloo with colorful lights and enjoyed the peace around us. My children have endured many ups and downs in their life time, and I only wish they will have memories like I do.

These days I only speak to two of my four siblings. I'm not one to kiss anyone's ass, or at least kiss it several times. They know what they have done and therefor will not get the time of day from me... I have more important things to spend my time on... like my children, my business, and happiness for those who deserve it. It's rather sad actually that some people just turn out the way they do.

Most of my children and I spent a wonderful Christmas eve together... great food, good conversation, and the exchange of gifts. A couple children couldn't be here as they live in NY now with their families, but everyone who could be here was here. Almost everyone listened to me this year and we did concentrate on only the little ones when it came to the gift exchange. With as many children as I have it's just too much to try to do for everyone... and if your under 18, then you are still a child in this family. Even my 16 year old did his best to purchase gifts for his younger sister and nieces and nephews. He's leaning the spirit of giving. I started making lasagna when I was 21... my dad loved my lasagna and prompted me to make it every year we were together. So we have made it a tradition to gather on Christmas eve, exchange gifts, and celebrate my dad by having lasagna.

I have a new honey in my life (2.5 years new), and this year we decided that we would also stick with his holiday tradition of a Christmas ham... and we celebrated his Mama at the same time! He contacted his sister and got the recipe' for his mothers scalloped potatoes... they were most excellent! Even though he has a hard time with our tradition, From now on we will follow both customs and enjoy the holiday combined.

My thoughts have also been running forward and going back to college... of course when books start showing up at the door you realize that this is the real deal, and you should be getting prepared. I think that most of my classes will be a breeze as I've taken some of them before (why I have to take them again I don't know), however... Public Speaking will be a definite chore for me! I do not speak in a loud voice, and even hate the thought of raising my voice. Hopefully it will teach me to speak eloquently to the public, and to my clients. That would be the goal anyway. I'm sure my Art classes will be the most interesting and fun for me. I've also had thoughts of traveling as a student during the summer, but I'm afraid that just isn't in my budget right now. In any case I am trying to mentally prepare for the change my life is about to take. Wish me luck!

I also think about my personal relationship, and how my children feel about it. Lets face it no one is getting any younger. I wonder where it is heading... I wonder if this is the way it should be... or does it go somewhere from here? When you've reached 50 plus years should you just relax and enjoy the ride or do you always push for more? Who says you have to fall in love, get married, and have children? I've already done that a couple times... it didn't seem to work out so well.

The photography business has been good to me this year with things moving forward nicely. Sometimes I get impatient and worry when there are lulls... but I'm extremely happy when the highs hit and I'm busy busy busy! It's okay though... next year I will be more prepared for the lows and find some creative marketing to do during those times!

Through the help of loved ones and hard work I have acquired just about everything I need to run a small photography business. Much like my Dad I don't think I ever want to be “big business.” I don't think I could ever imagine anyone else taking the picture... editing the picture... or adding any creative touches to the picture. If I ever did imagine something like that it would be reserved for my children... well, the ones who are interested anyway... and there are a few. :) I would like to thank each and everyone of you who have helped me reach some outstanding goals this year!

Now we are planning for our New Years Eve Party... time to remember the past year, and look forward to the new one!

From My Family to Yours... We Wish You a Happy and Prosperous New Year!

Love, Laughs, and Photographs,

Wendy

Where's Wendy? Heading for the New Year!

2010-12-28T16:35:00.000-05:00

As 2010 comes to a close, and we prepare to bring in the New Year, I would like to thank all my friends, clients, and fans! I would also like to recognize all my clients that have become friends and all my friends that have become clients! What a Great Year we've had here at Spellbound Images! Our Blog, Facebook, and website, (with the help of Google, Bing, Yahoo, Thumbtack, Yelp, and all of our Wedding search sites) have also helped us enjoy a successful year!

We've enjoyed creating our Babies and Bellies Video, Client Calendars and Books, and photo's for our High School Senior Year Books! From Beach Weddings, to Glamour and Boudoir Sessions, to fitness portraits, we've covered a wide variety of photographic tasks. I enjoyed every minute of every session I've shared this year!

As the 2011 comes in, it brings with it new challenges. Starting with going back to school in January, and Weddings already booked for Spring and Autumn. Going back to school is both exciting and scary! I'm looking forward to my degree and nervous about fitting in at the same time. However when all is said and done... it's the learning experience that is most important... and I just cant wait!

For the year ahead I hope to make more new friends, learn new things, and photograph lots of clients, old and new! So as the clock strikes midnight on December 31st be sure to wish your loved ones a Happy New Year and look forward to the beginning of a better tomorrow!

Remember to be safe!

Love, Laughs, and Photographs,

Wendy

Happy Holidays From Spellbound Images by Wendy!

2010-12-25T07:44:00.000-05:00

From Our Family to Yours, We Wish You a Wonderful Holiday Season filled with Merry Memories to Warm Your Heart All Through the Year!!

Where's Wendy? Shooting Sexy Ladies!!

2010-12-07T21:47:00.002-05:00

Since Mid November I've done several Boudoir Sessions. It has come to my attention that as the holidays get nearer the more requests I have for this type of photography. Beautiful women from everywhere... ranging from 20 something to 50 something want to do something different for that special someone in their life. Every woman wants to feel sexy and beautiful no matter what their age is. I consider myself pretty lucky when it comes to Boudoir Sessions most female clients prefer a female photographer for this type of sitting, and have expressed that in their initial phone call, up to the time there prints, albums, calendars, or any other material has been delivered. Remember... DO Not shoot this type of session for anyone under the age of 18, and always get a model release form for this or any type of portrait photography.

this...

became this...

Here are a few things you should know about shooting Boudoir Portraits:

When a model or client is changing clothes... and it doesn't matter whether they are putting on, or taking off, they should always be allowed their privacy. Everyone likes to be comfortable in their own space even when it means taking off clothing or wearing very little clothing for their session. So each and every time a garment change takes place they should have a private place to do so.

Always take a couple test shots. At first everyone is a bit stiff or nervous... take some test shots, show them to your client while letting them know what looks good and what they might want to change in their posing, or expression. As you talk to them and show them, they will start to trust you are there to make them look good... and they will become more and more comfortable.

Always compliment your client. While you are shooting your subject you should always express that they are doing a good job with comments like “Good” - “Cute” - “Very Sexy” after each click of the shutter. It will reassure her that she looks good, and that her photographs are going to be awesome!

You should never touch your client unless they ask you to. If and when she does ask, you should always try to be helpful with things like garter straps, buttons, stocking hooks, bra straps and shoe straps. In fact it would be even more helpful if you had an assistant, or suggest beforehand that she bring along a friend to help her out with such things. Which brings me to my next hint...

Boudoir sessions are fun in groups! It can be a bit tiresome for the photographer, but when you get a group of girl friends together for the same purpose they usually jump right in and have a wonderful time! They help each other with clothing, with posing, with expressions, and usually break out the wine and munchies to make it all a great experience!

Before you try to succeed in Boudoir Sessions be sure you have honed a few Photoshop skills. When all is said and done no one is perfect, but with a little blemish removal, skin softening, eye brightening and sharpening you can bring out the true beauty in anyone. I do not remove anything that isn't requested. Some women like their freckles... some don't. They will let you know. I do however remove stretch marks, and scars, unless they tell me otherwise (some women are proud of their stretch marks, although I haven't found many).

There you have it! Follow my advice for a successful Boudoir session and you'll not only get some great photographs but you'll have bunches of fun... and so will your clients!

Love, Laughs, and Photographs,

Wendy

All images captured with the Olympus E500 on Lexar Digital Media.

Where's Wendy? Here, There, and Everywhere!

2010-11-30T09:21:00.000-05:00

The past week has been pretty busy in “Wendy Land.” So much so that I haven't had time to even sit and write a blog. From camping on the Hillsborough River, to Thanksgiving celebrations with the family, to Clearwater Beach Portrait Sessions, and Boudoir Sessions in Clearwater and Lakeland, I've hardly stopped to check email... let alone write anything valuable. So today I will just let the images speak for themselves....

The over cast sky was perfect for reflection shots on the Hillsborough River.

We did see a bit of Fall color... Autumn comes so late in Florida. The weather here is still beautiful with temps in the 80°s!

A client in Clearwater wanted Boudoir shots for her husband for Christmas and ordered a beautiful photo book as a holiday gift.

Three other clients decided they wanted to do calendars as Holiday gifts for their husbands...

I gotta tell ya... eBay shopping at 4 am can be great fun at great prices. I found the polka dot dress in the image above on eBay... What a great deal! Perfect for this type of session!

Having a completely mobile studio makes it easy for me to photograph my clients in the comfort of their own home... and when you can get a group together for this kind of session it makes it all the more fun!

I carry several pieces of lingerie, as well as some shoes (depending on your size), and all basic post editing (smoothing, blemish removal) is included in the price of your package!

Clearwater Beach Portraits are also popular this time of year... there are so many visitors to the beach over the holidays and Beach Portrait Sessions are a great way to create memories for years to come!

The jumping pose is by far one of the most favorite among my clients... and of course I always suggest it as soon as we head towards the water. :)

I love it when the parents give me the go ahead to do natural, un-posed shots of their family... especially on the beach! Kids love to wander around in the sand and play in the water, and I love to create dreamy spontaneous images that will last a life time!

When I have more time I will separate this post out and give you more in site on the facts and fun of all of these sessions... in the mean time... it's back to work for me!

Here's hoping everyone had as Great a Holiday as I did!

Love, Laughs, and Photographs,

Wendy

All images captured with the Olympus E500 on Lexar digital media.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-26T02:30:00.000-05:00

With the Thanksgiving Holiday behind us I would like to share a few things that I'm Thankful for...

I'm thankful that I have beautiful children who try to understand all my faults, all my quirks, and all my anal tendencies. Together we have survived a lot. Whether I'm right or whether I'm wrong they stand beside me, encourage me, and always have my back. They are wonderful in every way possible... even with all their diversities.

I am thankful for the man in my life... even though some people may not understand, and even though every moment hasn't been easy... he has allowed me to be "what I wanted to be when I grew up", he has faith in me, and even though we are completely and totally different in so many ways he listens to me, excepts me, and opens his mind to things that have been unusual in his upbringing. He is and always has been my biggest fan.

I am thankful for my friends, new and old. During the past year I've made some new friends, and more importantly have found some old ones who came missing after an ugly employment situation. We have picked up where we left off and for some us have become closer than ever before. I have also found high school friends that I had lost touch with, honest to goodness people who haven't changed a bit over the years, and I only wish we hadn't lost so much time between then and now.

I am also thankful for the clients I have met over the past year... the local ones and the ones who come from far and wide to visit Clearwater Beach, and who have contacted me to photograph their families and loved ones. Photography around here can be a tourist industry, so I'm also thankful that this is my home.

I have so many things to be thankful for that I could go on for ever, but alas the day has been as long as it has been wonderful, and now it is time to rest.

Here's hoping you enjoyed your Thanksgiving Holiday and celebrated with good food, good cheer, and with loved ones that you are Thankful for every day of the year!

Love, Laughs, and Photographs,

Wendy

How much is Enough?

2010-11-22T15:09:00.000-05:00

While I was reading a blog post from Scott Bourne this morning (I always read his stuff because he offers great information) I got to thinking... The post was titled “Slimming Down” and talked about how much gear he had and how much gear he carries around. He discusses having too much and what a distraction it can become. Go read his post and then come back here and finish this one....

As a portrait and wedding photographer I always want the latest gadgets, best camera, lighting equipment, and prettiest backdrops. Of course the perfect moment would be nice too... but that's another story and something we are always fighting for as a photographer. However, I understand where Scott is coming from on this... and I think it's because I have so many kids. I learned early that when you travel with kids (even if it's just to the grocery store), they need stuff! Lots of stuff! Diapers, bottles, wipes, toys, etc. It makes you tired having to carry all that gear around with you every where you go... not to mention, the kid, the car seat and the stroller. Plus you have to have your own belongings; purse or wallet, sunglasses, and any womanly essentials that may be necessary. So by the time my second son came along I was done with carrying all this extra baggage. I threw aside the diaper bag and opted for one purse large enough to hold all my stuff and all babies stuff (only what I absolutely needed for any particular situation). After my 4th child was born a friend of mine asked me if I would ever be able to walk around without a diaper in my purse? Little did he know there were 5 more children to follow.

So now that I'm a full time photographer I have acquired a bit of equipment, a couple DSLR cameras, a couple external flash units, extra batteries and flash (memory) cards, 4 different lenses, lens hoods, filters, etc. so I carry one camera bag, that also holds all my personal stuff like wallet, biz cards, and glasses. I'm also a completely mobile photographer, so I carry around my lighting equipment, backdrops, tripods, props, etc. in my van all the time (I know there isn't a sports car anywhere in my future). I never get bogged down with too much equipment, I keep it simple and only take what I need to each shoot. I always take a back up camera, a back up flash, and back up batteries and flash cards, but that's it! That's enough! If you've been doing this long enough there is no reason why you can't assess the situation, and figure out what you need ahead of time (along with back up... because you never know when something is going to bite the dust in the technology world)!

Remember... Lighten Up!

Love, Laughs, and Photographs,

Wendy

All images captured with the Olympus E500 on Lexar digital media.

Where's Wendy? Hillsboro River!!

2010-11-17T10:42:00.000-05:00

On Monday we took a ride in search of a place to have our next camping extravaganza! After some online research we found ourselves heading north to the Hillsboro River State Park! We are looking for in state places where we can enjoy some camping during this beautiful season in Florida... before it gets too cold! I know you northerners are laughing right now, thinking we don't know what cold is in Florida, but believe me... it does get cold for us... especially when our bodies are so used to the tropical climate! So... this is the time of year when we can really get out and enjoy ourselves!

Of course we had to stop at the front gate and pay our entrance fee (all state parks are like that, I assume), so we inquired about camping and received a map with prices and attributes. We drove into the park with it's native Florida landscape, reading signs and searching the map while deciding our best course of action. We looked at the slow hiking trail, and the fast (shorter) hiking trail to see which one would suit us for the afternoon... we decided on the shorter one for time reasons. I wanted to see the rapids (class 2), and I wanted to check out the bridges. Hillboro River State Park has 2 bridges, and one is a suspension bridge... even though I hate height's and get ill from motion very easily, I wanted to see what this was all about. It wasn't at all what I expected. I thought it would be a bridge that was suspended across the river by ropes and would be very scary... as it turned out this bridge was suspended from cables and wasn't very bouncy at all.

Unexpectedly our fast hike turned into a long one! We found both bridges and decided to make our way across the suspension bridge. On the other side there was a definite hiking trail but that wasn't the one I wanted to take. Along side of the river there was another primitive trail that looked as though it wasn't traveled by many, but I'm sure the ones who did take it, and probably helped make it had a camera in their hands. We tracked through the brush, stepping over tree roots, climbing the bank at points and pushed palm fronds out of our way. I stopped and looked at every clearing finding the best places to shoot the river, the bridges, and the rapids. I think we actually walked 3 or 4 miles by the time we made it back to the van.

We saw turtles, fish, and birds... and even though there were signs about gators we never came across any, even walking the trail closest to the water. When our hike was done we sat and observed the beauty of the river, took more photo's of the water scape, and each other. I'm sure we've found the spot for our next camping journey! The kids are going to love it! We plan to take our peddle boat, and canoe. The park has canoe rentals also, as well as bike rentals, and life jacket rentals. It offers a concession stand, that serves breakfast and lunch, and has a store for essentials you may have forgotten to take with you (such as food, sweatshirts, soaps, firewood etc.). We drove through the camp site area and have already picked out the spot where we would like to set up camp (right near the canoe launch, campfire circle, and best of all... over looking the river)!

We also visited the contact station, which was once the place to purchase tickets to enter the park. Now a-days it is a small interpretive center which holds artifacts from the Seminole Indians and the Second Seminole war. Some of the artifacts were quite interesting... a bone toothbrush, what was left of hand made dishes and bowls, and crafted candle holders). There was many more, but I'll leave that for you to check out for yourself! The historic building reminded me of homes from when I was a child in upstate NY, and I couldn't help but get a shot of it from several angles.

So here is another adventure for you... If you haven't been there, and you enjoy camping... check out the Hillsboro River State Park, and take in some relaxation time with canoeing, hiking, fishing, and certainly do some photographing!

Love, Laughs, and Photographs,

Wendy

All images captured with the Olympus E500 on Lexar digital media. Post enhanced in Photoshop CS4 using Onone, and Tapaz adjust plugins.

Where's Wendy? Getting Ready for the Holidays!

2010-11-13T09:00:00.000-05:00

A few months ago I posted information about Holiday Portraits, and here we are just a week and half away from Thanksgiving! Time does fly when you're caught up in life! This time of year, photographers are busy, and printing companies are even busier! However, now that we are down to the wire I have had several phone calls for Holiday Portraits! That is just how life works these days... everyone lives on last minute decisions.

Our printing companies (yes we use different ones for different projects), are working overtime and weekends to get all your portraits done in time for the Holidays. They are even working Sundays and late into the night! Be warned though... anything ordered after December 18th will not get to you in time for Christmas, and even that is cutting it close. Remember there is a process that your images go through when I capture them... Every image I create is inspected, sharpened, and sometimes processed before it goes off to the printer. The busier I get the longer it may take to make your photo's perfect! Also keep in mind... I'm not the only photographer who uses these printers... they have thousands of customers to make happy this time of year!

This is just a reminder that my cut off date for Holiday Portraits is December 13th. Not that I wont still create portraits for the holidays, just that you most likely wont get them in time to share on the 25th! So if it's important that you have them before the 25th, get on the phone... get me an email... or send me a message through Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, etc. I would like to make your Holidays special!

Happy Holidays Everyone!

Love, Laughs, and Photographs,

Wendy

All images captured with the Olympus E500 on Lexar digital media. All post editing is done with Photoshop CS4, Lightroom 2, using Onone and Topaz adjust plugins. New background papers compliments of Ashe Design.

Where's Wendy? Heading Back to School!

2010-11-07T18:45:00.000-05:00

“When you stop learning, you stop living.” I'm not sure where I heard this or even how long it has been, but it is one of my favorite quotes.

I've had some kind of camera in my hand for as long as I can remember, or at least since I was a young girl. Now most of my learning has come from trial and error, doing my own research, and applying what I have read, and seen. So just because you aren't in school does not mean you aren't learning. However, I have decided to learn in a more formal setting by going back to school. I want to take my photography to the next level and I feel that in this day and age things are changing rapidly in the photographic industry. I for one want to keep up! So it's off to school I go!

I thought I would be starting school last semester, however things don't always go the way we want, and Albany NY was a little slow in getting my high school transcripts to St. Pete College. My previous college was on top of their game and had my college transcripts here in a matter of 5 days. With the delay, all of the classes I wanted and needed were already taken by the time I could register.

There was also some confusion about a placement test, since it has been 27 years since I've been in school, so that was kind of a run around and time waster for me. Since the last time I went to college I made the deans list the people that run the testing office, sent me away. As it turns out I did not have to take a placement test and I'm finally enrolled in a full time schedule at St. Pete College for the spring! School starts in just a few short months, and this time I will be ready and in class when it does!

So here is my advice to anyone wanting to learn, whether you are going to school or are self taught... study, study, study... apply what you learn, and never stop doing these things over and over again! Times change, styles change, equipment changes, and programs change. You must always be willing to study, apply, and change!!

Love, Laughs, and Photographs,

Wendy

Where's Wendy? Creating Pre-pre School Portraits!

2010-11-07T18:06:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was my Grandson's 7th birthday... and I always try to celebrate with my children, and grandchildren on their special day. I have 10 grandchildren, some in school and some not. A couple days before the party my daughter messaged me and asked if I could bring along my equipment and take a few pictures of her youngest daughter Lileigh, who is not in school yet. She was looking for something to go along with the older kids school portraits. Even though I'm not a fan of typical school portraits I understood what she was looking for, and why.

My daughter lives in a nice apartment... however it is filled with furniture and kid stuff... not to mention we were having a birthday party! So room was a little bit of a factor. To pull it off we cleared a spot of toys and candy in the living room. I pulled out my blue backdrop from the van, which was about the same color as the other kids portrait backgrounds. Instead of putting up my stands I just had two of the guys hold the backdrop up behind her, about 4 feet away. We used a small table to sit her on, and I brought along my light stand with flash/umbrella bracket. I set this up about 2 feet away from my subject... camera right, and had my daughter hold my silver reflector at a 45% angle to camera left. I captured this one with my wide angle zoom lens.

Now Lileigh may only be 3 years old, but since she's MY grand daughter she knows exactly how to pose... she knows what Nana is looking for, and even though everyone else was running around having a great time, she sat long enough for me to pop off 4 shots, and smiled beautifully!

When I returned home I went to work in the digital dark room to recreate the texture in the background from the other children's portraits, although it's not perfect, it is a pretty good match. I removed some boo-boo's, softened her skin just a tad, brightened her eyes, and did a quick overall sharpen. Wa la! A pre-pre school portrait.

I wasn't sure what to call it at first since she isn't in pre school yet, but my daughter thought pre-pre school was the best name for it. I remember when I was younger, and we did school portraits, my mother was allowed to take my younger sister to the school to have her portrait done... why don't they do that anymore? Something to think about if you're a school portrait photographer.

Love, Laughs, and Photographs,
Wendy

Images captured with the Olympus E500, on Lexar digital media, with the Zuiko 14-54 wide angle zoom lens.

Where's Wendy? Downtown Dunedin!!

2010-10-30T11:21:00.000-04:00

When I first started doing portraits in the area I didn't always go to Clearwater Beach. Although the beach has a beautiful natural backdrop, sometimes I just want more out of my portraits. I want that urban look that pops colors and textures... and so do some of my clients!

Since I've been in the area, Dunedin has always been a place that appeals to the senses. It's small, comfortable, and you never get the evil eye from venue owners for capturing their establishments as part of your portraits. In fact they welcome it! Seriously I've been to some local cities where they follow you around and want to know what you're doing just because you are taking photo's of their architecture, even if it's is just in the background of a portrait. It leaves a bad taste in your mouth and makes you wonder if you should ever attempt that again. You can always expect a friendly face in Dunedin!

Dunedin is the perfect setting for capturing teens, and children... because of it's lively colors and wonderful textures it brings a pop to their portraits that you just cant find in most places. It makes them feel alive, and they love to revel in the promise and wonder of this small towns eclectic style. It certainly provokes curiosity and happiness for client and photographer!

Because of it's historical impression Dunedin also works great for vintage style portraits. From the street lamps to the stage in the center of Main St. this town is the perfect place for photo's with an old time appearance.

Out door stairways, benches with arbors, abstract painted walls, as well as bricks, and stone, make this the perfect spot for photographing those funky Seniors, and spirited Children! And that's not all.... stay tuned for more exciting photo opportunities in Dunedin, Florida!

Love, Laughs, and Photographs,

Wendy

All images captured with the Olympus E500 on Lexar digital media. All post editing done with Adobe Photoshop CS4 using Onone and Topaz adjust plug ins.

Where's Wendy? South Beach, Miami, Florida!!

2010-10-29T09:56:00.000-04:00

The last stop on our mini escape was Miami, I hadn't been there since the 70's and my partner had never been. Of course we stopped off at the Hard Rock Miami, for dinner and a cocktail, before exploring other parts of Miami. You will find that a lot of my post's will include shots and info about the Hard Rock... I believe it is our goal to visit each and every one! This particular Hard Rock happened to hold a bar that was a replica of Eddie Van Halen's Frankenstein guitar! We were seated in a booth surrounded by Elvis (my personal favorite), and our waiter Dave was awesome! After dinner we browsed the memorabilia of 100's of artist while listening to great music on the Hard Rock music channel.

It was getting late (almost dark) when we left the Hard Rock, and made our way to Ocean Drive, and South Beach. I hadn't visited the Atlantic Ocean in several years, yet the water was just as beautiful and blue as I remembered it in the past!

After a walk and a few shots (photographic, not alcoholic) :) on the beach we made our way down Ocean Drive where the night life is really kickin! If it weren't so late I would have loved to stop and take night shots of all the great restaurants, hotels, motels and clubs. The ambient light was amazing! Rainbows of neon for as far as the eye could see. Beautiful! But Alas, it was late, and we still had a 3 hour drive back home.

I will be heading back to Miami soon to capture all of it's beauty including Ocean Drive... with it's lighted venues, amazing cars, and exciting night life. Spending more time in South Beach is definitely on my schedule!

Love, Laughs, and Photographs,

Wendy

All images captured with the Olympus E500 on Lexar digital media. Post processing done in Photo Shop CS4 using Onone, and Topaz adjust plugins.

Where's Wendy? The Jupiter Lighthouse!!

2010-10-25T12:47:00.000-04:00

When I found out we were going to Jupiter, Florida I decided to do a map search to see how far away it just might be. I love Google Maps!! When the map search brought up Jupiter, Florida it also included pictures... and one of those pictures was a Lighthouse!! Well... if you know me... you also know that I have a very high affinity for lighthouses! I don't know why, I just do! Maybe it's the whole nautical thing, and being the daughter of a sailor that makes me go gaga over them, in any case I do love a nice lighthouse! We made it our very first stop when we pulled into Jupiter, as it was Sunday and the lighthouse waterfront museum would not be open on Monday.

Digital Watercolor

We didn't actually get to go up into the lighthouse as it was closed for renovations (a nice new coat of paint I believe), but we did get to take the tour and check out the Tindall home, and the engraved brick walkway, not to mention it got me close enough for some great shots! The lighthouse has been part of the Loxahatchee River history since 1860, which makes it 150 years old this year (the reason for the sprucing up I'm told). They will be celebrating their 150 Light Years on the 20th of November with a fund raiser by the Loxahatchee Historical Society, that will include music, food and drink, and a live auction.

The Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse has shined brightly through the civil war, two world wars, and countless hurricanes. It's surrounding property is home for 11 coast guard families, and the Pioneer Tindall home which we were allowed to tour. The Tindall home is filled with some awesome memorabilia from the late 1800's and early 1900's.

If you ever get to the East coast of Florida, this is a must see landmark. Not too far from West Palm Beach, and not to far from Port St. Lucie! I cant wait to go back again!

Love, Laughs, and Photographs,

Wendy

All images captured with the Olympus E500 on Lexar digital media.

Where's Wendy? Hobe Mountain!!

2010-10-23T12:33:00.000-04:00

Hobe Mountain... which I'm told is pronounced (Ho-bay Mountain), is located inside Johnathan Dickinson State Park, and is the highest natural point in South Florida at 86 feet above sea level.

We took the 10 minute hike up the mountain walkway to the look out tower used by the Army during WWII. I was impressed by the winding path way made of wooden slats much like a modern day deck. The park was home to some 6,000 officers and soldiers in 1942, used as a radar training camp.

From the look out tower you can see the entire expanse of the park where I photographed a 360° panoramic. If you look close enough you can see “Highway 1” that runs along the West Coast of Florida, the inter-coastal waterway, and the Atlantic Ocean all in one shot!

The Hobe Mountain tower is located on sand dunes and is surrounded by Sand Pine Scrub. Sand Pine Scrub is one of the oldest ecosystems to native Florida. They are an important habitat for wild life and act as a recharge area for the water table. They also provide a small amount of timber for paper making. Most scrub lands are endangered as they are high and dry areas that are not susceptible to flooding, so they are commonly used for golf courses, orchards, and housing developments. Hopefully this wont happen to Hobe Mountain, since it is located inside a State Park.

I hope you get a chance to check out Hobe Mountain, and Johnathan Dickinson State Park in your travels! Check back soon for my blog on the Jupiter Lighthouse!

Love, Laughs, and Photographs,

Wendy

All images captured with the Olympus E500 on Lexar digital media.

Where's Wendy? Tumbtack.com!

2010-10-22T20:16:00.003-04:00

Thumbtack is awesome! Read about my business, check out some images, find out where I'm located and what I like to do!!

Check out my Spellbound Images by Wendy on Tumbtack.com

Where's Wendy? Johnathan Dickinson Park!

2010-10-22T13:44:00.000-04:00

We traveled to South Florida this past weekend, where we enjoyed some much needed rest and relaxation from the same old grind. That's not to say there wasn't work involved but it was minimal and for the most part we just enjoyed our little mini escape from the same old song and dance. As always... the first thing I packed was my gear! Both camera's... check. Batteries, and extra batteries... check. Both flash units... check. 6 Flash cards... check. All lenses (including the fish-eye)... check. Polarizing filter... check. Tripod, and tripod clips... check. Not to mention other small items like lens clothes, remote, etc. Okay... I'm ready! Ooops... clothes, I need clothes! And food... can't go without food! Damn... back away from the equipment bag and get the rest of your stuff together! This is a camping trip, but not totally primitive... You do need some supplies!

We traveled the back roads over to the East coast and down to Hobe Sound, Florida. It was a leisurely drive on a beautiful sunny, fall day (we don't get too many of them here). We arrived at Johnathan Dickinson National Park around 5:00 pm. and set up camp. We have converted our pick up into a self contained camper. I think a little thicker pad on the bed is in order, but the only issue we had. All in all it worked out pretty well. While traveling, we folded the pad in half towards the front of the bed to leave room for coolers, back-packs, and camping gear. We didn't have the whole hassle of setting up a tent, since there were only two of us and the truck was our bed. Before night fall we unloaded the coolers and gear, put our clothing packs in the cab, and started our fire. Clamped a light to my tripod (just one of it's many uses :D), Threw the table cloth over the pick nick table, and plugged in the radio (always gotta have music)! And sat down for a good game of Rummy, under the stars!

Johnathan Dickinson is 11,500 acres of wide open space, and is located on the Loxahatchee River. We drove 4 miles to our campsite of 123 campsites. It was perfect since there were only a few spaces occupied. That made things even more peaceful! We chose a spot right on the river, even though there was so much foliage that we couldn't actually see the river without walking right up to it. We were also located right where the racoons run from the river bank to the trash can in hopes of finding some good eats! It wasn't long after dark that we heard rustling in the bushes, and sure enough... with the flash light in hand... we spotted several little bandits in the brush. They definitely were not afraid of us and had to be chased away from our trash can and cooler several times. When it was time to rest all of our gear and food went on top of the truck. Still... sleep did not come easy, as we had to continue to chase them away from climbing on the bumper and trying to get to the goods! Since we couldn't see the river anyway we moved our camp for the second night, and it was much more peaceful!

Johnathan Dickinson was once Camp Murphy... During WWII the land was actually home of the top radar training school. It was home for more than 6,000 personnel and had it's own power plant, sewer system, theater and church. No one really knew what was going on there, only that a secret Army base had been constructed. Camp Murphy was deactivated in 1944 and the operation shut down. It became a State Park in 1945, soon named after a Quaker who's vessel ship wrecked there in 1969. There is so much to do at this park on the Loxihatchee besides camping... There are boat tours down the river for those who don't want to launch their own vessel, there are bike trails, and equestrian trails for those who love horses. Not to mention fishing, canoe rentals, concessions, and a restaurant. The Rangers were awesome... friendly, and informative, and if sleeping under the stars is not your thing... they also have cabin rentals.

We really enjoyed our stay at Johnathan Dickinson... and plan on visiting some other State Parks in the near future, while the weather is nice! Stay tuned for my blog about Hobe Mountain, which is located in Johnathan Dickinson Park!

Love, Laughs, and Photographs,

Wendy

All images captured with the Olympus E500 on Lexar Digital Media.

Where's Wendy? Tropicana Field!

2010-10-05T10:41:00.000-04:00

Last week I got out to my first ever Major League Baseball Game. I had never been to a Rays game and I've lived in the area permanently for over 20 years. In fact the closest I've ever come to the Trop was when I spun my car out on I-275 in the rain a week after my youngest son was born (2 months prematurely). When my car finally stopped I was over looking the wall directly facing Tropicana Field! Okay... that's another story.

So on Saturday, September 25th we made it to the Rays vs the Seattle Mariners game. The ticket men checked my camera bag for anything illegal (camera's with lenses over 12” not allowed), we wandered through the concession stands, and ordered up a drink. The Trop was filled with smiling faces for this winning Tampa Bay Team! We made it to our seats and enjoyed watching the Rays spank the Mariners 9 – 1!

A special bonus, that we weren't aware of was on Saturday nights they have a concert series. On this particular night The Brett Michaels Band was playing. Yep, Brett Michaels from the 80's band Poison.... Yep, Brett Michaels from the favorite TV show “Life As I Know It.” So the crowd enjoyed some good old favorites after a great game! During the game Brett even did his rendition of “Take Me Out to the Ball Game.”

Of course after a game everyone likes to wander over to Ferg's sports bar for more celebrating! We did just that... the crowd was pleased with our 9 – 1 win, and everyone was having a great time!

Last Wednesday our Rays team bought some tickets... and the first 20,000 fans to show up at the ticket booth's on the 29th of September got in free! We decided to take the kids to a game! We piled into the van and headed for Tropicana Field once again! But alas... we got there too late and all tickets were gone. That's okay... we decided to do what the rest of the stricken fans did and head over to Ferg's! It was a beautiful night... the weather was cooler than it has been, and there was a nice breeze coming in from Tropical Storm Nicole. The kids enjoyed the game from one or two of Ferg's great TV's, while munching on wings, and fries! Soda's were free, so they drank 'till their hearts content! After the game, which was a loss 2 – 0 against the Orioles, the place was packed! The kids enjoyed music (they even danced by the table), and a crazy Tampa Bay crowd!

Sooo... The TB Rays made it to the post season, and tied the Yankee's in the standings at 95 wins and 66 loses. The Rays went to the World Series in 2008, and we're hoping that happens in 2010!

Love, Laughs, and Photographs,

Wendy

One last note... On Sunday the Tampa Bay Rays won the American League East! Way to go Rays!!

All images captured with the Olympus E500 on Lexar Digital Media.

It's Breast Cancer Awareness Month!

2010-09-30T23:46:00.003-04:00

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, so to show our support, Spellbound Images will be donating 25% of all sales to the National Breast Cancer Society for the month of October. In support of this Great Organization I have created a few Greeting cards to show YOUR support.

By Purchasing these Greeting Cards you not only get a really neat way to send some love, you also contribute to a great cause! So come on people... help “Save the Ta-Ta's”... “Fight Like a Girl”... and spread the word! Oh... and “Real Men do Wear Pink!”

These are flat 5x7 greeting cards, with envelopes. If you have a favorite photo you may send it to me through email in a high resolution jpeg file and I will add it to your card. Cards come in packs of 25 for $36.99 and you may mix and match designs!

My Pink Ribbon Promise:

25% of all sales in the month of October will go to Breast Cancer Care and Research Programs!

The best protection is early detection!

Love, Laughs, and Photographs,

Wendy

Copyright Infringement!

2010-09-29T11:48:00.000-04:00

I've recently been questioned, and have had the discussion about copyrights, contracts, and release forms. I'm not going to go into a whole dissertation about copyright laws, but if you need to learn about them here is a good place to start: http://www.copyright.gov/title17/

I will however give you this advice (taken from the PPA): “The copyright act protects photographers by giving the author of the photographs (author = photographer), the exclusive right to reproduce those photographs. This includes the right to control the making of copies. It is illegal to copy, scan or reproduce these photographs elsewhere without the photographers permission, and violators of this Federal Law will be subject to its civil and criminal penalties.”

Now... some people just aren't aware that copying their photo's is unlawful. Some people don't realize that the photographer owns his or her photographs, and only the photographer has the rights to reproduce those photographs. Also, the photographer is the only one who has the right to distribute those photographs and to display them publicly or use them for marketing.

I've found that people actually get angry when they take their copy of digital media to a printer and the printer will not produce their images. Thankfully most printers know the copyright laws and abide by them. That is not to say you can not purchase a print release for personal use. However, as a client I wouldn't assume that this print release automatically comes with your media, and if you intend to have prints made, you should speak with your photographer about obtaining a release form to do so.

A print release gives clients permission to print their images for personal use only. That is to say you may not use them for advertisement, stock photography, or for sale or resale. Only your photographer has the rights to do so. If you have your photographs taken by a professional photographer and you need to make copies, please let them know... most photographers will try to accommodate you the best they can.

Here is a comparison... if you took your car to a mechanic to have the oil changed, would you then expect free oil every time you went back to that same mechanic? Nooo... things don't work that way! In the photographic world, every time you want more prints you have to order them from your photographer. Now you can certainly do your own oil changes rather than go back to the mechanic, but you still have to pay someone for the oil. Just as if you want to do your prints yourself... you have to pay someone (your photographer) for the release. Maybe a bad analogy but you get the picture (pun intended)!

Some exciting news for photographers... there is a new kid on the block! An image recovery service that scans millions of files every day to find out who is using your images on line without your permission. If they find someone using your images they expedite a settlement with the infringing site, and the photographer receives up to 75% of the recovery fee. Now isn't that the cats meow?? For a photographer who works hard at learning, capturing, and editing it sure is! If you're a photographer or artist and didn't get this news yet... check it out here: https://www.imagerights.com/service_recovery.php

As an artist or artistic photographer be sure to copyright your images (digital or otherwise). To take it one step further... meet with your local printers, and let them know you're in business, give them a card to keep on file, and be sure your signature or brand is on your images. My printer makes sure my business name and file number is on the back of every one of my images, however, I try to make sure my brand or signature is on the front of them.

I hope this helps new photographers and puzzled clients understand copyright laws.

Love, Laughs, and Photographs,

Wendy

Fine Art - Low Key Lighting

2010-09-24T12:07:00.000-04:00

My last post discussed High Key Portraits as Fine Art pieces for decorating your home. Today we will take a look at the other end of the spectrum with Low Key Portraits, and using them to create a dramatic look in any home, or office.

As with high key, low key can be used in any room to create a striking look... one that guests will be drawn too... one that most wont be able to take their eyes off of. Dramatic low key portraits are guaranteed to awaken any room with expressive lighting and content.

For some reason low key portraits fair better when framed because of their mysterious appearance, there for I like to frame my low key portraits in rich dark frames... usually matted. Now... that's not to say low key groupings cant pull off a similar flair, it's just my opinion that beautiful frames set them off with much more class and elegance. Where high key seems more entertaining and casual... low key is more refined and provocative... which I believe deserves a striking frame to set it off.

Now lets take a look at more of the benefits of Low Key Portraits, and the positive effects they can have on your subject.

When you combine low key lighting with creative poses you will always have a portrait that you can cherish forever! Low key lighting will make your subject appear thinner, which makes them great when you are working with people that are a bit on the heavy side. Low key also works great for expecting portraits... it makes Mama look classy and sexy. Yes... I said it! SEXY! Which brings us to glamor and boudoir portraits... always great for low key lighting.

So there you have it! For slender, sexy, elegant, classy and down right awesome portraits, try Low Key! My personal favorite!!

Love, Laughs, and Photographs,
Wendy

All images captured with the Olympus E500 on Lexar digital media.

Decorating With High Key – Fine Art Portraits!

2010-09-17T10:30:00.000-04:00

Most of the Old Masters agree that High Key Portraits should always be done on a white background with light colored or white clothing. I also agree on the white background, but don't always agree on the light colored clothing. I believe a nice high key portrait can be done in any color clothing so long as it is done in a classic black and white.

Now that's not to say that High Key Portraits in color cant be just as beautiful, but it's my personal opinion that black and white always works better for something that you would like to have hanging in your home, and that will also correspond with the rest of your home furnishings.

A Fine Art black and white photo is perfect for decorating your home, whether it's above the couch, in the den, bedroom or bath. Fine Art black and whites go with any interior decorations. Whatever your color scheme is... a beautiful black and white will go perfectly. However, you can also customize your print with a little splash of color to match any room, and to give it that little extra pop!

I like to think I have an artsy eye for portraits, and hopefully it shows in my images. I think the bedroom is a great place to show off and enjoy your glamor and boudoir images, as well as maternity art. Your artistic photo's don't have to be hidden away in the bedroom though... I've actually seen maternity art hanging on a wall behind a dining room table that was absolutely beautiful! Studio nudes are also perfect for any room... when tastefully done.

Wall clusters are another great way to decorate with Fine Art black and whites... over the couch, along the stair case, or over the mantel, wall clusters are perfect for showing off family portraits! Wall clusters are done either on canvas or stand out mounts and come ready to hang... excellent! No worries about framing, or mounting hooks... just a small nail or screw and your ready to go!

Take my advice... when it comes to displaying images in your home Fine Art Black and Whites are perfect! Oh... and the Bigger... the Better! :)

Love, Laughs, and Photographs,
Wendy

All images captured with the Olympus E500 on Lexar digital media.