Edit Me Challenge

I know I haven't posted in a while but I decided to play and participate in this weeks Edit Me. www.ashleysisk.com


Ashley's SOOC


My Edit


Enlarged:



I ran a few of my favorite actions including a skin softening action and vintage action at lowered opacities. I also did some burning and dodging to try and fix the lighting and the blown portions of the image. I also sharpened the image. All edits done with Photoshop CS5. What a cute little guy! Happy to play! :)

Please check out my website at www.melissabergphotography.com or my Facebook at www.facebook.com/melissabergphotography

Update! My edit won third place over at Edit Me!!


Congrats to the other winners! :)

Selfie Saturdays

My first!


So I got my RC-6 remote on Tuesday and I'm very pleased with how easy it is to use. Tuesday night I also just happened to have a highly anticipated salon appointment. I haven't had highlights in a long time and I think I scared my stylist by telling her my highlight horror stories going back to my Florida days. I wear glasses (practically blind without them) so I couldn't see how they turned out until she was completely finished. I have to say, she gave me exactly what I wanted...but I expected that from her because after 10 years of living in North Carolina, I've finally found my favorite stylist I think I've ever had. LOVE her!!

Anyways, I went from this:


To this:


I forgot how difficult it is to photograph people with glasses. Anyone have any tips or resources for that? I plan on wearing my contacts a lot more in the coming days...Dylan is constantly pulling on my hair and now he's found my glasses and I am NOT having any of that...ugh!! lol. I must say, I kind of actually like this photo of myself. I like the dramatic lighting (even if it is blown a bit on my face). You can check out my "Together Tuesdays" post to see what my hair looked like on Sunday. That would be no artificial coloring (well at least since my wedding in June of 2009).

To see more selfies, visit Elena's blog by clicking the button below!

xo

Shoot & Edit: Week 13-Up Edit

Clean edit...


Here is the SOOC again:




Basically using Lightroom, I adjusted my exposure and white balance...added some vibrance and clarity and voila!!

Can't wait to see everyone else's edits today!


xo

Black & White/Wordless-ish Wednesday

with attitude...




It's a good thing I got a great picture with this onesie on (onesie from Crazy8) because later that night, Alan fed Dylan carrots...and carrots stain. :(

Not much else to say today. Went to lunch at On The Border with a friend and Dylan was such a good boy!! You know a good friend when she's willing to go to the eyebrow place, just to hold your baby for you. I get mine threaded, so there's no way I could hold him while getting it done (unless I put him in the car seat but then I have nightmares of him fussing and me not knowing what to do and having to leave with one shaped eyebrow...lol). Hope you're all having a great day!

Click on the buttons below to see where I link up!

xo

iheartfaces | Photo Challenge

People's Choice! Best Face Photo from March 2011





I am photo #329!! Please click this text and vote for us!! Thanks! :)

My favorite toothy smile capture!! I decided to enter this photo into this months People's Choice on iheartfaces.com. It is SO hard to catch a 6 month old in a smile like this (at least mine!)...but eventually, after many goofy faces on my part and getting behind the camera super quick...it all comes together. :)
xo

Shoot & Edit: Week 13-Up SOOC

This week, I chose an oldie from March 21st taken with my 50mm 1.8. It's hard sometimes to get outside with the babe, plus it's been rainy all week (I know I've been using this excuse but it really has!) and today I'm recovering from my weekend night shifts (it's hard to flip flop!!). Since Ashley mentioned doing a clean edit, I thought this photo would be a good choice. Plus, it's super sweet! :) Alan sometimes "wears" Dylan to the grocery store that is within walking distance from our house. Dylan was pretty tired in this photo and you can probably tell by the look on his face. Can't wait to see everyone's edits!!

To see more SOOC shots from this week, please visit Jill Samter Photography's blog
xo

Scavenger Hunt Sunday

| High Key | Bedroom | Something Tiny | Off In The Distance | Stripes |


Two of these photos are from my archive. With the weather, I really didn't have time to go out and hunt for some of the prompts.

| High Key |

It's Cooper!...again. I actually took this Saturday, believe it or not, like 10 minutes before I left for work. I caught him sunbathing and just had to grab the camera. Obviously edited for high key, the SOOC on this was just as pretty. Again, thanks to my new 85mm. :)

| Bedroom |

Honestly, ever since baby, cleaning has not been the utmost priority. Our downstairs bedroom is the "everything room", the office upstairs is turning into the same and our bedroom is just full of clean laundry waiting to be put away. So the easiest thing for me to photograph tonight was Dylan's bedroom while daddy gave him a bath (which also turned into a photo shoot of course). I used my 50mm because the space is tight.

| Something Tiny |

Who doesn't love some baby feet?? These are from a photo shoot of my friends baby a few months ago at 18 days old. I still haven't blogged about it on my other blog. This photo was one of the ones she chose to put on her baby announcement. I thought it was perfect!! Our baby announcement also had Dylan's feet. So precious!! This was also taken with my 50mm.

| Off In The Distance |

I did end up getting another possibility for Off In The Distance, but it was lame and in my backyard and I just love this photo from my first family session back in 2009. I photographed this family again a few months ago when they added a 4th bundle of joy and I just loved seeing how old the older kids had gotten. Great stuff! This was actually taken with my 18-55mm kit lens. Can you believe it?? Back then it was all I had.

| Stripes |

I had a couple of different options for this one, but I wanted something different. I am a focus freak and finally hit the focus just right on the thin wood blind.

Check out the other submissions or submit your own on Ashley's blog by clicking the button below!!

[iheartfaces] Photo Challenge | Slice of Life

I bet this photo looks familiar?





In the middle of starting this blog, I entered my first photo into iheartfaces.com. This weeks theme was based on lifestyle photography. I entered through my flickr site because this blog wasn't really up and running yet. With over 600 entries, it's really a long shot. There are so many talented photographers out there and the entries are a tough competition. I'm hoping that amateurs have a chance, since there are a lot of pro submissions. I'm sure this won't be the last time I enter one of their challenges...and I'm sure Dylan will be the subject of most! I think it's fun to just be able to share your photo...and if I make the top ten, well, that would be icing on the cake!! Their winning photos are truly spectacular and very inspirational, so I'm glad I'm finally getting involved in their site.
xo

Shoot & Edit: Week 12-Green Edit

Well, that didn't take me long.


I mean I really didn't have much to go on this one. It's one of the best, if not THE best, SOOC image I've ever taken. My adjustments are so miniscule that the difference is very slight...and I even have to look back and forth a few times to find them. But it's getting late and my eyes are a little tired from wearing my contacts all day. What do you think? When editing I had to reset my changes a bunch of times because I was trying to do too much to it.
Here is the before:


And here is the after:


I did screen shots of my LR work...so here is before (both images are the SOOC image):


and here is the after (with actual comparison side by side):


I also wanted to mention that apparently LR does have some sort of preset for importing RAW images. From what I can tell, it's the Blacks to "5", Brightness to "50" and lower down on the editing bar the Sharpness is set to "25". I've tried editing this import preset, but the only thing LR allows you to do is either use their default (which are the settings I've just posted) or use the setting for the current picture you are editing to create a custom preset. More specifically, if you go under "Develop" (on the top toolbar menu for LR, not in LR itself) and then click "Set Default Settings...", this will pop up:



xo

Black & White Wednesday

sweet.






I love black and white photography. In fact, I can't wait to scan in my contact sheets and photos from photography class that I took in high school. (Yes, I have been wanting to do this forever on my other photography blog, but it seems so much more fitting here.) I went to high school on Long Island with my friend Lauren, and she just happens to live in Wake Forest, NC. And, she also just happens to have some of the cutest kids I've ever seen. She definitely makes beautiful babies!! I was at her house in January taking photos of her newest addition, Mia, and while Mia was being tended to I tried to attack getting the other kids to let me take their picture. It turned into a chase-fest on her front lawn until Lauren saved me...lol. It was fun, and I ended up getting a few shots of Brandon and Sofia outside, but Alana wanted nothing to do with me. So while back inside, Alana all of the sudden let me take some photos and they turned out to be the best of the bunch. I had made this one black and white for Lauren's CD because I just loved the backlighting her windows in her living room gave me. In fact, in this session, I found one of my all time favorite photos. Isn't she gorgeous?!?!

Wordless Wednesday

...but with words.




There are going to be a lot of firsts in the next few weeks, and todays first is my participation in Wordless Wednesday.


Another SOOC shot with my new 85mm lens. This was taken yesterday around the same time as my Shoot & Edit entry in the last post. It was probably around 6pm, so I had really great natural light. I would have taken a photo today, but it's cold and rainy outside (again!) so I didn't bother. I already had the joy of running in and out of Pullen Aquatic Center with Dylan in my arms in the pouring cold rain. Today was his last swim class. I feel like such a proud mommy because he went underwater THREE times!! Just had to brag a little about that one. Ok, I'm done. ;)

Here's the LR screen shot to show settings:

annnnnd my screen shot is terrible. Here's just the histogram:

So, slightly underexposed but I really love SOOC. I try so hard to get it right in camera as much as I can, so that editing isn't a nightmare. I mean, isn't that the goal? I also just recently took off the training wheels and only shoot in RAW (instead of RAW + JPG). Now that I have Lightroom (thanks Santa!), it's really not that big of a deal. I just found it horrid to deal with the editing software that Canon gives you when you purchase their cameras. ugh!

edit//Just thought I'd go ahead and post my edit for this one. Love it even more.

I basically adjusted my exposure and white balance. A little bit of sharpening and a touch of clarity (although the point of focus on this image is the inner tip of the middle flower, it still adds punch). I also added an ever so slight vignette to make the flowers pop a little more.

Shoot & Edit: Week 12-Green SOOC

So I am late in joining this challenge, but it is going on all year and I'm super excited about it!




This weeks' theme is "Green". Here is my SOOC shot:



I have to say, I'm really blown away with my new 85mm 1.8 lens that arrived on my door step today. What a fast, quiet and awesome lens!! It's taking me some practice because I find myself wanting to be really close my subject, but it pays off in the end. The colors on this SOOC image are juicy...and I'm liking it. A lot.

xo

Scavenger Hunt Sunday

Fellow photographer friend and blogger Ashley Sisk has SUCH a cool thing going on. I have been so inspired by her blogging, that really, it's one of the things that pushed me back into it. She's showed me that you don't have to go balls to the wall and own a business to enjoy photography. and I love that.

Every Sunday her blog hosts "Scavenger Hunt Sunday". Today while Dylan was taking a 45 minute nap, I rushed around the house and tried to stick with the 5 items for this weeks submissions. Well, I think I managed to find them all, though not very inspiring. I just wanted to try it out to say I did it. And hopefully it will get my creative juices flowing for next week and it will become something I can stick with. I say, if it's something that encourages practice and for you to really think...it's so worth it. I apologize in advance that I'm not really sure how to get all of the links back to the person with the idea. I managed to grab one of the boxes but not sure how it's easiest to get the rest.



SO, here's my take. Laugh along with me, because really it's not that good. haha.

1. Decay

So this is my garbage. Well, to be more exact, our tiny recycling bin that the City of Raleigh supplies us with. Side note: I've been to a friends in Wake Forest, and their recycle bins are JUST as big as their garbage bins. I'm tres jealous!! Anyways-I think your garbage says a lot about you. I'm just glad that a box of vegetables made it in there. I promise this is full on not tampered with at all. I'm baring the box of Samoas I finished off last night and all (they'll never be Caramel Delites to me!!! ::raises fist::). So yeah, baby food, bottled water, bottle of wine (or are there two?), root beer! and some sort of canned veggie and what looks like a bottle of ketchup. Awesome stuff! Oh, I almost missed the Froot Loops! Who doesn't love those?

2. Groups of Three

Well, more like 3 pairs of shoes (kitty mouse included-normally I find one of those things IN my shoes! lol). These are basically all I wear. I am a flip flop addict!! My work shoes (I mean, c'mon, just guess which ones I'm talking about!). And my newest pair of flats that are super comfy and they are my go to shoes with jeans because I'm terrified of heels now that I have a baby. I told you this was going to be exciting!


3. Kitchen

This is what's on our fridge. Some of it's old (hello Save the Dates!) but I just can't let go of them!! Most of it's Dylan and his various photo shoots and then my brother, SIL and my 3 year old nephew Cayden. And my current favorite, a baby announcement from a friend with my photos on it. So proud and honored and it's just awesome! edit// now I'm seeing my red hoodie reflection in the fridge. That's what I get for trying to pump these out so fast! lol

4. Things that make you go hmmmm...

Ok, so when I saw this item, I had to really think hard...NOT!! This is my husbands doing. And I bet you're like...WTF is THAT??? Well...we have two cats (who are the shizz) and my husband was watching animal planet one day with some crazy cat lady who made her own cat toys. This is obviously, an empty bottle of bottled water with the label ripped off. My husband then cut a hole in it (can you find it?) and then we (yes, we-he's gotten me into it) fill it up with Colby's "special" cat food. See, this thing serves two purposes. One-Colby loves it and gets to "hunt" or "work for" his food. He paws it around and a few pebbles of food come out. He eats it. and repeat. Two-Colby is on special food for his sensitive stomach and it's like a bazillion dollars a bag. Thankfully our other cat Cooper-doesn't get it. Or he just might be like some of you, who are rolling your eyes in the back of your head at how dumb and perplexing this thing is. Basically, he doesn't eat Colby's expensive food. So it's a win-win. Besides the odd looks we get when people find it on our living room floor. edit// Looking at it more, this one is too underexposed for me...but I think I was trying to capture the detail of the hole. oh well.

5. "ME" Time

If you were paying attention earlier, you'll remember me telling you that I rushed through these just to actually do it. During Dylan's naps, unless I'm napping too...it's definitely some "me" time. Dylan requires A LOT of attention and in having a baby, while it's the most amazing thing in the world, I've definitely lost a lot of my independence. I only miss it once in a while because Dylan is so incredible, he makes up for most of it. ;) This photo shows a lot of me time that I'm missing. Like needing a serious eyebrow threading, wearing something other than a hoodie (or finding the time to shop for myself) and fixing my makeup after waking up from a nap this afternoon (Dylan gave me two hours-a record, but I only gave myself one =/).

I want to add that all of these photos were unstaged.... I shot as I saw things in my house today.

xo