Mistakes or mis-awesomes?

Today I am going to do a bit more explaining than I usually do about editing.  I want you to know that EVERYONE makes mistakes.  I don't care if you are an amazing photographer like Jasmine Star or my Grandmother who hasn't used a camera since 35mm film was the norm.  Sometimes a shot won't turn out how you wanted and it's okay.

Today I'm going to talk about all too common under exposure/dark looking photos.  

Whether you are using a DSLR or a point and shoot.  Picasa has a great basic and easy to use setup to help you bring up your color and light without looking grainy.  

For this particular photo I used a pairing of pulling up the "Fill Light", "Highlight" and "Color Temperature" and then added a "Glow" effect.

Make sure to go throw each step slow and see how you like the difference.  Personally I pull up on a bit and skip on the another and come back to add a pinch more highlight or a tad less fill.  

And the great thing is if you don't like what you get in the end there is a big "Undo" button waiting for you to try your hand at it all over again!

Don't let a dark picture get you down, besides when in doubt you can always claim you did it on purpose.  What can they say they don't like your art... well it's yours so who cares!

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After:

By Durham Wedding Photographer

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Lame duck, right here

So one of the great and horrible things about procrastination is that you forget about doing what you needed to do in the first place.  Chris and I have been married since August of 2008.  I still haven't fixed my passport.  I guess I could always claim that out of principle I wanted to wait till it was out of date before paying for a new one but I will no the truth: lazy.  I keep thinking "Oh, yea. . . I should mail that in" but never seem to and I have finally come up with a great excuse, you ready?

In order for anyone to get a passport now, who has not already had one or whose last passport was issued before their 16th birthday, you have to sit down and have an interview at a local post office.  Chris' last passport was issued legitimately just a month before his 16th birthday so he has to go through this process.  

Another fact: the only times the post offices in NC have available for these interviews are M-F generally from 9:15-10:15am.  So if you have a job. . . well, I guess you have to take a vacation day. . . in order to get your passport for a vacation?

So I blame the postal service for my lack of passport ( ; P ) for what's the point in my having a passport if Chris does not?

I was so pleased when I made that realization. . . how lame am I?

Before:

After:

Pulled up the light, highlights.  I warmed the color a bit, I pulled up the saturation a bit and then added a bit more highlight.

By Durham Wedding Photographer

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My little devil

I feel like Evil Kenevil.  Driving gloves in place and a silly grin after the danger has passed.  Sunday was our, my mother in law and my, voyage back from the depths of the south from the wonderful weekend of celebrating my semi-newly added sister's bridal shower and what not.  The drive is long no matter when you take it, by the end of the drive you get out looking akin to Igor.  

This particular run we started in the car in the warm weather of 65 degrees by the time we hit Charlotte, NC it was around 33 degrees and snowing.  For the last 3 hours of the trip I drove through pretty heavy falling snow.  Fortunately for Emily and me, my mother was raised in Lake Tahoe, CA and was determined that all her children learn to drive in snow, no matter where they would live.  So snow doesn't generally phase me, you just take the necessary precautions.

Driving down the interstate hands firmly placed on the wheel, no turn in site, no changing of lanes, no bump in the road but still I feel the tires spin out.  All my mother's training comes into action as a small scream is exhaled by Emily watching as the rear end of our car becomes diagonal with the road.  I wrench the wheel to counter and the car swings back and out the other direction.  Emily eyes have become large taking in the sight, I try not to cave to my desire to see if the cars behind us will smash into our side as I wrench the wheel once again trying to regain control of the wild spinning wheels.  After what seemed like slow motion the car finally comes to a stop perfectly parallel parked on the paved shoulder, not a scratch on the car and we sat safe, only piercing adrenaline and shaking hands to show for our adventure.  We turn towards each other each trying to understand all what happened before we start to laugh and I slowly re-merge into traffic as Emily turns to me and says, "I guess we just had a bonding moment".  

There are not many times that you can make two spinning 90 degree turns on an interstate and not end up with a scratch.  God is so good.  Thank you mom for taking the time to teach your kids how to steer out of a skid.

Before:

After

Pulled up the light and highlight, adjusted the white balance, added a tiny bit of glowing affect and pulled up the warmth a bit.

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Today is a silly day.  Chris and I don't spend much time a part.  Since we got married three years ago we have spent very limited nights apart.  Legitimately we have been apart for a total of 6 nights.  I realize this is kind of ridiculous but I am leaving tomorrow morning and will be gone for the weekend and I am not happy about the nights away.  I mean my life isn't over and I will more than have fun at the Bachelorette party, just I like time with Chris too...  

So in an over the top and cliche romantic movie way I slowly make my way down the hall to mourn the walls I won't see, the food I won't eat, the couch I won't lay on...

No, not really.  As insane as I sound I just can't think of something that I wouldn't rather Chris be there for... 

Even a Bachelorette party?  

Not so much but all the same I think you get my point. 

 It is weird to think how you get used to your life and change is unwelcome even if it is wrapped in a fun "out of town Bachelorette party" package ; D

Before:

After:

Pulled up the highlights, light and warm palate. (Picasa)

By Durham Wedding Photographer

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Shaken not stirred

Suits are an amazing things.  I'm pretty sure most all men look pretty "dapper" (yes, that is a O'Brother Where Art Thou reference) in a suit.  Sadly my husband has lacked a suit for we have just transitioned from our College years and on to... whatever you call the post college years, pretty sure it's just adulthood but who knows.  

So it was time more than anything else because Chris' sister is to be married in just over a month so he had to get all "spiffed up" in prep for the event and I get to reap the benefits...

Such as well, Chris in a suit.  Shall we all say "yum" in unison... probably not but I will silently to myself.

All the same it gets me to thinking about "Love is in the Air"... which I find only too fitting considering

So I wish you a 

Happy Valentine's Day!

Before:

After:

I adjusted the white balance, pulled up the warm colors, pulled out the highlights and a bit of fill light and then pulled down the shadow a little bit. (Picasa)

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Ramblings of love

It is not often that people meet their sister's in law in elementary school but somehow I met two of my sister in laws under the age of 6.  It was weird to me when people would ask me about how it was adding a new person to the family around the weddings of my two older brothers.  I was confused most of the time because I didn't know what they meant.  I legitimately have very few solid memories that they weren't apart of in some form or another.

This is a rare gift that I love.  Over the years our relationships have shifted and changed but in the end I love each relationship I have with all my sisters in law.

The sloppy ballad of love written above was brought on by a recent date with my Rambling sister in law:

Thanks for the date!

Before:

After:

I pulled out the warm tones a lot, I pulled up the highlight barely, I added a bit of shadowing and I pulled it all through a creamy yellow filter. (Picasa)

By Durham Wedding Photographer

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