Provo City Center Temple

Tags

#LDS, Adobe Photoshop, Altus Photo Design, Arts, Beauty, Black-and-white, Business, Camera, close ups, color, Digital photography, dusk, magic hour, Provo City Center Temple, Utah

My dogs — Izzie and Ziggy — went stir crazy yesterday and insisted on going for a drive in the car.

Izzy in the Window

Ziggy in the Window

To oblige them, Michael and I took them to shoot the Provo City Center Temple and the new Payson Temple.

Michael shooting through the construction fence at the Provo City Center Temple.

Provo City Center Temple taken from the West side.

What a treat!  Especially the Provo one.  It is almost finished.  The dedication is in January 2016.  But it was enough done and cleaned up to have a very successful shoot.

Two of the six spires on the Provo City Center Temple.

Holiness to the Lord and window detail on the East side of the building.

More window detail.

A few words of explanation.  The Provo Tabernacle burned a few years ago.  Not to the ground, but the interior was hosed.  Literally.  The Mormon administrators decided to save the facade and rebuild it as a temple.  And honestly, it is simply charming.

Sepia

Color

Black and White

Aged Sepia

Aged Color

Aged Black and White

This one is my favorite.  Today.

Aged Color

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Salt Lake Temple Revisited

Tags

#LDS, a temple in every home, Adobe Photoshop, Altus, Altus Photo Design, Black-and-white, blizzard, Digital photography, every home a temple, faux toned, I love to see the temple, I'm going there someday, LDS Art, Mormon, Salt Lake Temple, selenium toned, snow

I found a pin on pinterest of some of the most beautiful LDS temples I have ever seen.  Bob Boyd photographed them.  Each was a work of art in its own right.  This inspired me to re-think some of the Altus work.  This image is the result.

2nd Day of Spring, Saratoga Springs Style

Tags

Arts, Canadian Geese, dawn, fields, morning, Photography, Saratoga Springs, trees

I have been taking my camera with me — and I’ve shot a few things.   None of them enviable, but some with possibilities.

Since I whacked my head last week, I’ve been a bit more confused than normal with only a teaspoon full of initiative.  I know.  Excuses, excuses.  But plowing ahead, I’ll just share a few pieces anyway.  If these went into an album, I’d call it, “The 2nd Day of Spring, Saratoga Springs Style.”

Taken as the sun was starting up over the mountains to light our little valley.

I park by this post every school morning. Maybe I could shoot it in every season. (joking)

These mountains are across the valley from my spot at 420 North and 800 West in Saratoga Springs. Of course I can see them better with my telescopic lens. 🙂

My little village is built on the slopes of this mountain.

My favorite sight in this part of Saratoga Springs.

I heard them cackling from my car. On a break, a drove 3 minutes south to find them.

Road into the city of Eagle Mountain.

 

 

. . . of Photography and Regrets

Tags

35mm, Arts, Camera, Equipment and Services, IPhone, Nikon, Photography, Shopping

I’m sure that when I arrive at the pleasing bar of God I will regret not being kinder, not being wiser, not being more honest.  But for right now, one of my biggest regrets is not taking my camera with me.  Every place I go.

Oh, sure, I have an iPhone which goes with me, everywhere.  It does have a pretty good camera in it, but it’s not the same as carrying around my Nikon and all the lenses.  I’ve missed more good shots than I’ve ever taken.  And that’s lamentable.

So I still say, the first step of becoming a photographer is to take the camera you want to shoot with you.  Everywhere.  And take lots of pictures.  Drive the people you are with crazy.  Just snap snap snap away.  Then look at them when you get home.  Critically.  Ask yourself, “How could this have been better?”  Then, try it again.  Until you are better.

Me too.  I’m starting again.  Taking my own advice.  I hope I shoot and evaluate enough  today so that tomorrow I can be just a wee bit better.

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I’m Back (to quote Arnold Schwartzenager)

Tags

Christian, Etsy, God, Photography, Saratoga Springs

I don’t know why I can’t keep this blog going.  This photography blog has been neglected since November of 2011.  I know I get busy.  I know I get confused.  I know I get caught up in the middle of this life I’m living and forget to muse about it, write about it, share it.

Much has changed since last I wrote.

I now have 31 piano students.  I teach every afternoon from 3:00 until 6:00 weekdays and on Saturday from 9:00 am until noon.

I also have an Etsy shop where I sell digital files of art mostly for the LDS audience.  But I do have a line of Chalkboard art which could appeal to Christians as it has mostly to do with God and our relationship with him.

And I am a Crossing Guard for Saratoga Springs every school morning.  Just to make it clear, I never aspired to this position.  It came as a matter of chance and of blessing.  It has turned out to be a great way to start my day.

And in all this changing and living, I am still learning.  Every day.  Some of it important.  Some of it not.  Most of it forgotten before it can make an impact on my life.  I still shoot quite often.  As I write I remember I should be editing a wedding and a funeral (not the same event, believe me).

Here’s trying to do better — and some pictures of my last shoot!  I called it the first day of spring, but I jumped the gun by a month.  No worries.  That little faux pas got more views on our facebook page than anything I have posted for months. Hmm.

 

Salt Lake City Utah Temple

Tags

"Salt Lake City Utah Temple", "The Church of Jesus Christ of LatterDay Saints", architecture, color, keystone, Mormon, Salt Lake City, Temple Architecture, Temple Square, United States, Utah

Perhaps the best known Mormon Temple, The Salt Lake City Utah Temple.

Altus is now using a new site, Smug Mug! There you can see our work, purchase prints and/or digital files, and read a little about the external symbolism of Temple Architecture. One gallery is finished, the Salt Lake City Utah Temple Gallery. Every day I’ll add more galleries. Take a look and let us know what you think!

http://altusphotodesign.smugmug.com/

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Kaden’s 9th Birthday Party

Tags

Adobe, camera raw, Image Editing, MCP Actions Mini Fusion, Photoshop

For Kaden’s 9th birthday party his parents brought in a rock wall to climb.  The party began late in the afternoon — a little too early for the optimal early evening light in which I prefer to shoot.  So, I had to make a choice: wait to shoot until the light suited my fancy or just shoot the event, knowing I could correct most of the lighting later in photoshop.  Of course I chose to shoot and correct what I could.  Otherwise, i would have missed all the good action waiting for the light.

The images posted here were processed using the camera raw feature accessed through Adobe Bridge combined with MCP Actions Mini Fusion.  I love this action which can be modified to suit anyone’s taste.  I often go for a more pastel, gentle look.  But some of the time I just decrease the contrast and open up the shadows.  Occasionally, I use the actions to increase the saturation and deepen the skin tones.

According to one of the children who climbed that wall, it was the greatest party ever!  Here are some of the images.

Skin tones are so soft with MCP Actions Mini Fusion.

I wonder what Addy just said!

I decreased the contrast and opened up the shadows with MCP Actions Mini Fusion.

Chaz repelling.

When Chloe smiles, she often crinkles her nose.

Exposure corrections made using the Adobe camera raw feature accessed in Bridge.

I used the mini fusion actions to lower the contrast and open up the shadows.

Kaden’s youngest brother, Crew.

I used the mini fusion actions to inensify the color.

“I wonder what these are made of . . .”

All the cousins adore their Aunt Liz, known to them as Nana.

Kellen, sidelit on the wall. MCP Actions Mini Fusion used to brighten the color and increase the contrast.

Steve reached the top and then pushed away from the wall.

Liz grinning at the camera in her hew skin created using MCP Actions Mini Fusion.

Chloe is too hungry to stop eating, even in front of the camera.

Steve, Kaden’s dad, situated to watch the climbing action with Crew on his lap.

The 9 year old birthday boy, Kaden. Taken in the shade of the house and processed with mini fusion.

Addy, a little worried over her lost footing.

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Wilson Children at the Boat Dock

Tags

candids, DVD, formals, Photography, photojournalism, YouTube

A couple of days ago — in the evening — magic hour — Liz and I  met the Wilsons at the Boat Dock in Saratoga Springs for a photo shoot.  We brought the cameras.  No one brought food.

Nonetheless, we had an excellent time.  We just shot what happened.  The smiles and the tears.  In color.  Copied the files and did a digital conversion to black and white during post processing.  We chose our favorite images, put them together in a slide show, uploaded it to YouTube, and are now sharing it.

When burned to a DVD, it can be played on a player and viewed on TV.  We’ve been making this type of slide show for years.  Bridals, engagements, wedding day.  It’s one of our clients’ favorite ways to view their images.  Some mothers put their just-married child’s DVD in the player and leave it to play over and over again.  It’s a great way to save, view, and share the best digital files.

Anyway, here’s the slideshow to the Wilson’s shoot!  Enjoy!

Yesterday, I Cheated

Tags

forest, grove, light rays, nature, New York, Palmyra, trees. Sacred Gove, tutorial, YouTube

I confess to cheating.  I had never actually done the light through the trees tutorial I found on YouTube yesterday and posted to this blog.  It was after the post was almost complete that I decided to find a tutorial for you to read and try.  I had done rays of light before — but had never really done that method.  So, I tried it out and loved it!  But more importantly, Liz loved it.  So I offer you a new image — done with the steps found in the tutorial I posted yesterday.  🙂

 

A more subtle display of light rays achieved using yesterday's tutorial. 🙂

The Sacred Grove

Tags

Arts, Photography, Photoshop, Sacred grove, textures, tutorials

I’ve been working with Kristy McMahon of Inline Ovals on a product line of images she will sell as framed prints in her online store. The website will be up next week. Fingers crossed. And toes. But not my eyes. (That was a joke. They must be crossed. Actually, that is the joke.) Anyway I worked on the Sacred Grove for her last night for a couple of hours. The picture below is the original.

This image of the Sacred Grove was taken in April, 2008.

For three years, we have done nothing with it. Except print it for ourselves. But Kristy called and said she wanted a Sacred Grove, and did we have one. I dug through my files and pulled this one out. I will send it to her, along with all of the following variations.

Color conversion to black and white with textured layers and light rays added.

Color desaturated with textured layers and light rays added.

Color desaturated with textured layers, light rays, and inscription added.

Color with more contrast and light rays added.

Color with more contrast, light rays, and inscription added.

Additionally, we will send her an 8×20 which is a non standard size. It is shown below in black and white with inscription, but will also come in all the above variations.

Color conversion to black and white with light rays added cropped to a 1 to 2.25 ratio.

If you’d like to know how to add textures to some of your images in photoshop, watch the first video below.

 

If you’d like to know how to add light rays to an image, watch the video below.

Enjoy!

Oh!  It would be helpful to know which variation you like best — and why.  Don’t be shy.  Please comment!

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