Sep 08 2010

the cobbs.

We spent the long weekend bumming around Huntsville with the older, wiser (did I mention older?) Cobbs at our house. Tory and Parmy + our niece and nephew arrived on Friday evening for some nonstop cousin time. We were originally going to head down to the beach to see them for the weekend but when my MIL was hospitalized we all decided we’d rather stay close. And thank you to all of you who were keeping her in your thoughts and prayers. We’re all happy to report that she’s back home as of Saturday and was even up watching a bit of the Auburn game that evening. War Eagle!

I couldn’t let the weekend pass without hauling the whole crew to my new favorite spot to shoot in Huntsville. I have to keep switching up my favorite spots as my old favorites start appearing on other blogs.;)

As soon as I pulled this shot off the card I was in love…haziness and all…

You guys, I have the sweetest sister-in-law on the planet. She spent all of Saturday evening listening to me whine and moan and calming my spirits about so many things. While we watched the game of course (cough, cough). I love her.

 To show my appreciation for her kind ear I showed her all my favorite shopping hot spots on Sunday afternoon. Now Tory loves me even more than he already did.;)

But isn’t she cute!?

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Sep 07 2010

ten on tuesday.

1. I ran my first 10k on Saturday morning as part of my half marathon training. A 10K is 6.2 miles and on race morning it was the farthest I’d ever run. Previously I’d only reached 5 in training. I was determined to run it in under an hour which made miles 4.5 through 6 rather, um, interesting. But  guess what…

I’m not Amy Shertzer, but I was happy.

2. One hour, two ice creams, and one piece of pie after my 10k race I geared up again for a 1 mile fun run with Sarah. Don’t be fooled by her solemn expression, she was just getting her game face on. This girl was serious. It took me a while to convince her that she probably wasn’t going to win the race (she had her heart set on a trophy). She and her cousin Lily donned matching running gear and trotted along at quite a respectable pace for 3 and 4 year olds. Sarah finished in 13 minues! I kept asking her if she wanted to take a walking break but she was having none of it.

 She’s no Hayden Shertzer, but she was happy.

3. I am really not a runner but I’m trying to employ “fake it ’til you make it” to my advantage. I was supposed to get a 4 mile run in yesterday evening but I also wanted to go watch Bachelor Pad (terrible!) with my girls. So I ran there. And it was fun! That was my first time to use running as an actual means of transportation, which was empowering. I did make one unfortunate sidewalk miscalculation which had me running down a busy thoroughfare in the dark for a short stretch (don’t tell my mom) but I made it in one piece.

4. Last week I was perusing my Facebook fans (likes?) when I noticed I was being followed by one Erin Cowan. Erin Cowan? That was my maiden name! I clicked on her name and found that she is a photographer in Illinois. We’ve sinced Facebooked back and forth and lamented the unfortunate pronunciations of Cowan (NOT Coe-en) and the occasional use of Erwin. I’ve never met anyone with my exact name before and I’m kind of tripping out over it!

5. In other “The Internet Is a Small Place” news, I got a super nice email last week from Naomi at Bakers Royale after I mentioned her cute blog in last week’s ToT post. And I noticed Kalyn from Kalyn’s Kitchen (of roasted cabbage fame) left a sweet note in the comments section of that same post. Google Analytics is a beautiful thing. And when people use it to connect with one another, it’s even better. Hi girls!

6. Did you celebrate 90210 Day last week? (09/02/10) I celebrated with Luke Perry. Seriously. My neighbor’s name is Luke Perry. Beat that.

7. I bought my first bonafide pair of skinny jeans this weekend. I know I’m not a big girl but I do have thick thighs. Skinny jeans have to be worn precariously. I’ll let you know how it goes but, for the record, I have them on right now.

8. Now I’m wondering if I  was channeling #6 when I did #7.

9. My August shooting break is over and sessions have started back in full swing. Minisessions booked fast and furious last week. If you missed this morning’s newborn, check him out. He’s sure to make you smile.

10. For those of you who come here and care nothing about photography or editing, thank you for bearing with me through the impending release of my Clean Color Workflow Video. I promise that once September is over all the madness will have passed. The video link will stay up the in sidebar and I’ll get back to regularly scheduled programming. You know, cross-dressing children, near fatal mothering errors, potty training, and the like.

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Sep 02 2010

UPDATED clean color tutorial update and QUESTIONS ANSWERED!

Edited to answer a few more questions from the comments section:

- There will be international shipping. =)

- There will instructions on how to download, load, and run actions.

- However, the video is not an in-depth tutorial for how to create, download, and run actions. Actions in my workflow are a means to an end, not the end itself. There will be web processes shown and actions included but there will not be an action for how to “save as jpeg” (as requested by Kathleen in the comments section). 

- For the “full photoshop” version I’ll be working in CS5 but I’m not using any of the new features so everything I do should be compatible with any version of photoshop you’re working on. If you’d like me to name a “minimum version” I would say CS2…which is actually what I prefer to edit on because I’m used to it. But really, I think you’ll find benefit even if you’re running even older versions. For the elements version I’ll be working in PSE8 and I would recommend that you have PSE5 or higher. However, if you don’t have PSE5 or higher you will still find value in this tutorial. You just may not be able to accomplish the full range of what I do.

- I really want to release both version simultaneously and I’m still in the process of finishing the elements version and pulling together all of the additional resources that will be featured on the video. For that reason the release of both versions is still (soft) set for the end of September.

- I’ll address my preference of JPEG vs. RAW on the bonus FAQ that will appear on the CD.

- If you are shooting in RAW then you’ll need to start by processing your RAW images to a neutral base level (exposure, white balance, etc.) before beginning my workflow, just as you would regularly.

- There will not be a PDF document accompanying the video but there will be plenty of other resources in the appendix. I do hear many people requesting a PDF though and I’m taking it to heart. However, I know the limits of my time and I know I cannot create a PDF at this point. It may be available in the future but not this year. Having said that, there will be a table of contents (of sorts) that will indicate the minute/second marks where individual modules start which will make it easy for you to review only certain sections of the video.

- I am a portrait/lifestyle photographer so this video really only addresses those types of images. I’m sure the information contained can be translated to landscapes but that’s not what I shoot so I won’t say that with 100% confidence.

- If you are a member of a forum or other online community and you would like to share about the release of Clean Color, go for it! I don’t plan to  become a vendor or an affiliate for any of these places (at least not that I can foresee). I created Clean Color because enough of my readers asked for it and I see it as a tutorial for those who are interested in MY work and MY process. If you think you know of others who will find benefit in it then you most certainly have my blessing (and thanks!) to share about it.

- For those who asked for a before and after example, here is one that is contained in the video:

- Finally, if you are signed up for my newsletter and are still having trouble receiving it, please make sure you have clicked on the confirmation link that was sent to you in a follow up email. This may possibly be found in your spam or bulk mail folder. The confirmation link will take you back to this blog. YOU ARE CONFIRMED if that happens. Also, the newsletter itself my appear in your spam or bulk mail folder so please look there. =)

 

Lastly, thank you for the OVERWHELMING excitement and enthusiasm regarding the Clean Color Tutorial Video!

Original Post:

Tuesday afternoon I sent out a newsletter to those on my photographers mailing list (see sidebar to the right) regarding my Clean Color Tutorial Video. If you did not receive it and you signed up BEFORE last Tuesday afternoon (9 days ago) then please check your spam mailbox. You may also need to double-check that you activated your subscription using the link in the email sent to you when you subscribed (this may be in your spam box as well).

In the newsletter I invited you all to ask questions regarding the Clean Color Video. I want to be sure that you know what the video IS and what it ISN’T and I thought the easiest way to do that would be for me to answer your questions for you. So this web clip is my attempt to do this. Please ignore the following:

1) My crazy eyes and incessant blinking. I created this web clip three times. I was crazy by the second time.

2) Any repition of words, phrases or ideas. I created this web clip three times. I was crazy by the second time.

3) My lack of smiling and general seeming unfriendliness. I love you guys. But it’s past 11 and I created this web clip three times.

3) The grain, noise, and general lack of quality. I’m a photographer not a videographer. I most certainly won’t quit my day job.;)

Enjoy!

Just a few quick notes that I think are worth repeating in regards to the video. (and a few things I might have forgotten to mention)

- Clean Color will be a hard copy CD, not a download. There will be a version for Elements as well as full Photoshop.

- It will include everything I do in post-processing from beginning to end. It will briefly include Lightroom but only to show how I cull and sort images there.

- The CD will contain a variety of resources in addition to the Clean Color Workflow Video to include access to all of the images I work with in the video so you can play along at home, a bonus FAQ of me chatting and answering any and all questions you have for me (no holds barred), actions related to my process and an appendix with links to additional resources.

- Because the Clean Color Workflow Video is created using screenshot software you will see my screen as I work. For two hours. If you are a novice Photoshop or Elements user then you can still very much benefit from this video because you’ll be able to easily follow along as I work. Not much (if any) prior knowledge is required.

- Finally, this video is not for local photographers. I think it is to the benefit of each of us to develop and hone our own processess in order to differentiate ourselves in the local market.

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Sep 02 2010

home.

When I walked in, and this was the first thing I saw, I knew I was home.

Yesterday we celebrated our third anniversary in our little house in Huntsville. When you’ve been a military family three years is a big deal. Instead of packing up and moving on we’re settling our bones in a little deeper and, literally, making ourselves at home.

When I look back at these pictures I’m right back to 2007. Sarah and I spent the summer traipsing around every reasonably priced three bedroom home in the neighborhood. I spent the evenings stalking for new “for sale” signs. We made three offers on three different houses that summer and none of them were right. I was getting desperate as Ephraim got bigger and bigger inside of me. I needed a house before that boy was born.

The day I found our home I was feeling a bit forlorn about the whole situation. I was driving my pregnant self aimlessly around our now-neighborhood, as I was prone to do, when I came across this beautifully landscaped house with a for sale sign propped against a side wall. I rang the bell (did I mention I was desperate?) and asked if it was for sale. The woman inside told me that it wasn’t yet but it would be soon. I begged to come in. The floors weren’t ready she said. I didn’t care. I couldn’t yet see the bedrooms. Fine by me.

I walked in and I knew it was right.

I could feel it in my bones.

I insisted Brent come see it that afternoon and by the evening we had made the sellers an offer they couldn’t refuse. Unfinished floors, mystery bedrooms and all.

But I knew I was home. Thankfully, blessedly, sometimes it just works that way.

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Aug 31 2010

ten on tuesday.

1. I often get questions about blog design and other bloggy things which I consider myself highly UNqualified to answer. I have piddled with HTML over the years out of necessity but my knowledge is limited to what the answers I find on google. I’m a far cry from a web genius or design guru. If you’re looking for great information on blog design for BLOGGER you might want to consider Kristina Proffitt’s Blog Design Basics Class. It looks like an awesome class and if I were still working on Blogger I’d be in it in a heartbeat!

2. As a random sidenote, I actually met Kristina almost four years ago on an elevator in the Park Meadows Mall in Denver. She recognized Sarah and me from the blog. It was a crazy fun coincidence! She’s a super talented person with a super kind heart. (My favorite kind of person.)

3. Thank you to everyone who sent along recipes for honeydew melon sorbet (and more!) a couple of weeks ago. I put Brent to work on this recipe Saturday afternoon for our Supper Club that evening. It was so delish! We served it in tuiles I made using this recipe from my new favorite (as of Saturday when I went a-googling) food/baking blog, Bakers Royale. I love her fresh simple set up and her gorgeously crisp finished images.

4. I was so inspired that I channeled my secret desire to be the Next Food Network Star (not!) and made a trio of desserts for Supper Club. To include individual coconut cakes, s’mores petit fours, and the aforementioned honeydew melon sorbet in fresh tuiles. I am now in sugar detox. Not even kidding about that.

5. Have you checked out Mila’s Daydream lately? It’s only gotten cuter. Laundry Day? Are you kidding me? How is my heart supposed to absorb that much squishy baby love? Geez Louise.

6. I just registered for the Huntsville Half Marathon in November. It was only $20. Easy to back out of, right?

7. Where has roasted cabbage been all of my life?

8. I sent a newsletter out last week regarding the Clean Color Workflow Video. In response I got tons of questions about the video that I plan to answer in video clip format here on Thursday or Friday. So if you don’t want to see me as a talking head stay away.;)

9. TOMORROW is the day I’ll be sending out a newsletter regarding my holiday minisessions for this year. So if you’re local and you want more information use the signup form in the sidebar of the business blog. I love minisessions!

10. Brent’s mom is currently recovering from a pretty intense surgery yesterday. If you have a prayer to spare our family would appreciate it.

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