Self Exploration... never ending...

• I'm on a journey •

buckle-up

experience

explore

enjoy

learn

• I'm 31 years old •

listen

share

laugh

live

learn

• I'm a photographer •

see

feel

capture

teach

learn

 Mamma the Squirrel & her toy dog Daphne

Composite Images

Last week a friend and fellow photographer Whitney Rearick posted a sweet web link to my FB Wall... It was called 30 Impossible Scene's That Actually Happened. I was stoked to see how many people participated in this challenge and all challenges Gizmodo posts weekly. I decided to take a crack at it even though the due date on the challenge has already passed.

This particular challenge, 'Single Space Composites,' was influenced by the most amazing artist/photographer Peter Funch. Please take some time to look at his work... He's one of my new favorite influences!

So here is my submission. I'm using the same guidelines that Gizmodo gave their peeps...

To you, my viewers:
This photograph was made with 7 different photographs. I set my camera on my tripod, connected my cable remote and set it to take a photograph every 10 seconds. Then I hooked up my most amazing modeling skills! When it was time to process my photo's I took them into Lightroom where I made my editing adjustments. Next I opened all 7 images in Photoshop, made a new layer and used the clone tool to create this one image. This image turned out to be quick and easy... Too easy! So of course I had to take it to the next level as you will see in the second photograph I'm posting.

Camera settings - Canon 40D, f14 @ 1/60, ISO 100, 24mm lens (w/ 1.6 crop factor)

It was my lucky day. My sister-in-law-ish, Amy Hale, aka Betty Rocker was on call at work so she took some time with me to play around at the park. And I mean PLAY!!! We are both the youngest siblings in our families and have a lot in common. As you can see in the photo our inner child selves came out and it was much needed for both of us!

This photograph was made with roughly 65 different images. I used nearly the same techniques as above but set my remote to shoot every 3 seconds and used many more layers in Photoshop. This photograph was more challenging but so much fun. It took me 7 hours to complete the editing process... I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Camera settings - Canon 40D, f14 @ 1/60, ISO 160, 24mm lens.....

September 2009

During a moment of procrastination today a thought flew through my head.... It's been over one year and one month, minus a day, since I graduated from RMSP. WOW! It also has been way too long since I explored the photography I have made throughout this year so why not look now?!?!?! (Heck yes, that's much better than cleaning on a beautiful Friday afternoon!) Here are a couple examples of what my eye and mind was attracted to September of 2009.

'The UFO's Have Landed' - Hyde Park Street Fair - September 2009

'Near & Far' - Seattle, Washington - September 2009

Backyard Life

I found myself wound up sitting at my computer....

I needed a quick fix....

Snagged my camera and headed outside....

My own backyard was full of fun....

Here's what I found....

This sunflower was planted by one of our neighborhood birds or squirrels

My dogs love the sticks that fall from the Sycamore after summer wind storms

Corn Harvest 2010

(Stay tuned for more fun with my gnome family)

SOBER

This blog post is dedicated to one of my favorite people.

Sarah Ober (aka Sober)

If you haven't check out her blog 'Many Adventures of Sarah' please do. She'll keep you on your toes! 

Sober has been a wonderful friend for the past 6-7 years. Her love and support has given me drive to do better at everything I do. Even though she is 6 years younger than me, I look up to her and respect her fully. One of my favorite things about Sober are the goals that she makes, small and large. Less than a year ago Sober brought up her interests in moving to Germany for a year. Well, this morning she boarded the plane to do just that. I'm going to miss my friend but at the same time I'm so proud that she is 'Making it Happen'! 

Here are a few photographs I made of Sober this past year after finding out she loves being in front of the camera. 

Thank you Sober for all of the good times! Be safe and have fun. See you in Amsterdam, June 2011!