Lessons in What Not to Do: Dallas & Donna

 

 

 

 

Babies, you can’t help but love them!  Especially this one, he’s the cutest, most well-mannered young man I have ever met and I was thrilled that Mommy said yes.  Thank you, thank you, thank you. 

 

This lesson was a diving board attempt at “studio” lighting with natural light and no strobes (or flash for that matter).  I did fairly well with my Syd homework assignment, the only exception that a mono-light in the background would have added more depth.  So I stole hubby’s worklight from the garage and hooked it onto my tripod.  I lucked out on the backdrop.  You know I’m thrifty, but this one takes the cake considering what a real one would have cost me.  I stopped by St. Vincent de Paul’s the day before the shoot and I stumbled upon a bolt of black, crushed velvety-like fabric.  Happy dance was happen’n for $9.00!  Six a.m. the morning of, my sewing machine and I were humming away stitching 26 feet of fabric.  Home Depot provided the PVC pipe and clamps to prop it all up for around six dollars.  The only thing left was the babe.

 

As most babies are, Dallas was kind of squirmy.  Like a moth to a flame, he was drawn toward the light and inched that direction every chance he got.  He’s not a big fan of hats either unless something infinitely more entertaining is going on elsewhere.  Be quick, that’s what I learned.  Speedy on the focus.  Now I know what they mean by whether or not a lens is fast or not.  Mine – not so much, but it got the job done.

 

Second lesson learned, don’t say things like, “Get naked” unless you’re – well, doing something that I wouldn’t be doing – you know what I mean… you do, right?  Dallas was stripped down; the only time pudginess is adorable, the bigger the rolls the better.  Mom on the other hand, now that’s a different story.  Good thing we’re friends or I could be in trouble!  She got “naked” anyway.  For the record, just bared her shoulders.  I think it was well worth it. 

 

Third, the razzle-dazzle of Photoshop.  It’s like wielding the touch of Midas, if you’re not careful things can go bad.  Very, very bad.  Learned more specifics about masks, tints, and temperatures.  Numbers matter and so does calibrating your monitor.  (Still need to do that!)  But being blessed with software power can be fun too.  For example, to take a photo that leaves the viewer with one impression, tweak it just enough to give it a completely different feel by having the creative tools to do so is freeing to say the least.  I relate it to the power of music; audio cues to visual interpretation.   Bellum Maximus would not have been nearly so funny without the bravado of the Irish Tenors.  Deus Meus – definitely.

 

Here are a few of my favorites.