Something for the ladies (and gay men)

This guy was freaking hilarious, and made me feel really out of shape. The guy he was working with before me was the one i was talking to the most, older gent and seemed really talented, had a great laid back attitude about it all. Made me feel better about my skills and pointed out that some of the people with better set ups didn't mean better skill or vision. So there's that. This pose amused the hell out of me too. He burst out laughing right after this.

Funny triva, in just uploading photos to flickr, i got more views on them than any other photos i've posted ever. *sigh*, guess people just want to see hotties, which, i can't blame them, but it makes me feel bad about the other photos. :P

The Studio

Just thought i would share a random shot i took of the studio while waiting for models. I'm standing where i was taking most pictures, looking down the line. There is room behind me where the models are getting painted and ready, and to the left there are about half the "stalls" and then down to the left is a "studio setup" that is their lights and backdrop. This did make me want to have room for a studio even more than normal. I still am kicking myself for not buying that house in laCrosse that had the finished barn with regulation basketball court on the ground level. Although i wouldn't be there now anyway. Still, i dream of that, and then connect the damn thing to my house with tunnels or hamster tubes so i don't have to go out in the snow in winter. ;)

First image, unedited.

Just a first example of the shoot, not edited, but one of my faves. This is one of the head dresses i was talking about. She was awesome and expressive. Not much editing needed really, although some things show up full size (keeping it small here to keep that from showing up really and since it's not done). I do love the dramatic lighting, as you will probably be able to tell, even if it's not usual for fashion or glamor, i like it (so there, /blows raspberries at you, heh)

Damaged negative

So not long ago i found a ton of old negatives i forgot i had, most were in great shape and i got them scanned at Target in bulk just to get them on discs. (side note: i might actually get some rescanned by Scan Cafe, who will do a better job and such) This is one of many that was damaged though, just by bad storage, not on purpose. It's of one of my ex-girlfiends, Val, and since it's not so clear, i don't think she would mind this posted. ;) (and we stayed friends for a long time, basically until we lost contact, just so you know) What's neat that you probably can't tell, is that she had the most awesome dreads in this picture. She had just gotten extensions added to her natural dreads (hair that was pretty thick and long, then turned into dreads, then this which was colored artificial dreads with cloth strips tied in, it looked awesome, although we did end up cutting it all short not long after) and was having me take her photo while tossing her head around. So yeah, long story made about same length, i had all these negatives that got damaged, and Target said they would have a hard time scanning, so i made an effort with my crappy old scanner that has a negative ability, and this is what came out. There is really no photoshop done, other than cropping and straightening. Yet, i love it. It's got a lovely quality i think. So that's why i'm posting it here.

Dollfie Dream "Alice"

Here is Alice (that's what i named her at least), my first Dollfie Dream, in my basement hanging out, wearing her new boots that came today. She rocks, i love how she can stand up on her own, and has such personality. Yeah, i'm an odd duck, so sue me. ~_^

Art and Fire Project

This is one of the photos i took from the Art and Fire Project in Stockholm, Wisconsin. It was my first attempt at taking photos of fire, and also where it was so dark. This was a total challenge for me and my knowledge of photography. I didn't bring a tripod, which i probably should have, i was worried about someone tripping on it, so all the shots are hand held. I had to crank the iso to the highest so shots would be decent. I probably would have gotten better shots too if i had a lower F-stop lens, but f-4 was the lowest i could go, even though it's a pretty awesome lens. This isn't probably the best image, but i just wanted to start with posing the images from it.

Because i need a smile

I still love this picture, even if these bunnies aren't with me anymore (from left to right: Alex, Dru, Miso), i get a smile looking at this picture. Alex was alone and depressed for a long time after his previous bunny friend passed, and then we got Dru, who was for sale at the pet store when we got food for Alex for only ten dollars. He was grooming the ear of a chinchilla, who was annoyed. Had to get him as i worried about him, and never regretted it. Dru and Alex got a long great and were best friends (more than that from the looks of it huh? heh). Miso was given to us (me and my ex) from friends who were giving her up, she lept in my lap when we went to get her. She was smart and a trouble maker. She could open her cage that i had trouble opening, and always seemed to know what we were saying. She got fixed after moving up here, and once Dru and Alex could play with her, you should have seen the smile on Dru's face. (yep, bunny smile, hard to explain, lower lip down, not in an angry way)

Things have been tossing me around lately, health, loved ones passing, severe depression, all that mess. So i saw this and wanted to share a bit of the happy. (btw, my ex's dad referred to this picture as "receding hare line". ;)

Been busy

I've been taking a digital photography class here in town at the university. It was interesting if not a tad intense, started at 8am, every monday through thursday, on the third floor, ended at noon. Kind of ironic (a digital class, using such an image of such an old camera) i picked this photo from my final project, but i love it. Took a bit of photoshopping to remove a flash glare, but i love the texture on it. The class mostly covered using photoshop, with about the first week going over the digital photography aspect. Still, learned a good deal. Now i just want to learn more about the other aspects of photography, but his other classes fill up pretty quickly. I'm okay learning by myself, but it's nice to have that other perspective i can't get alone.

Jerry and me

Just a picture of Jerry drinking while i take his picture with my holga lens on the digital camera. How cute is he? (very!) hee.

Yard bunny

Spotted one of the yard bunnies on my way out today, was sitting under a bush by the front door, but when my garage door opened it spooked him. Thankfully didn't scare him too badly, and he sat there watching me photo him and drive away. I love seeing the yard bunnies. ;)

Infrared Photography self portrait

This was interesting, it's quite hard to figure out exposure for IR photography as it is, much less from the front of the camera, and then to stand still for those minutes. This lens does have quite a hot spot, but it's really my only wider lens that the filter fits. I'm still not sure if i'm doing it right, but i guess that is what learning is all about. I've been going into the longer exposures, around 3min each, and it seems to be closer to what others have online. I just wish i had a remote trigger for the 5D, i do for my rebel, but they don't share the connector, grr... Oh well, it works just as well. ;)

Charing Cross Road J-Doll

I was just playing around with lenses i don't usually use, and using my Charing Cross Road J-Doll as a model. (yes, i know, i'm weird) I wish it was more posable, so i could practice with taking pictures of people, which is hard to do when people are hard to come by that want pictures taken by someone without a lot of people experience. I'm hoping to get a Dollfie in the near future (not a naked one, who put that picture on wikipedia, lol) thanks to what Danny Choo has shown of them. Kind of pricey, the one i want (heh, she shares my initials) to start with is $418, and that's without a cool outfit (and not really the eyes or other parts i'd customize). I guess that's not too bad, as the one Danny has that is awesome is over $1,000. (after seeing the guy at the bank get that in fives for his trip to a strip club, in addition to $500 in ones, i don't feel so bad) Anyway, i've been told it's good practice taking pictures of the dolls to get posing and lighting down more. I've mostly had experience with nature and other more random things. On a related note, sort of, i've been thinking when i do get around to more people photography, tossing in my other experience with 3D modeling/animation and special effects make up. Could get some surreal or unique images that way. 

Potted bunn

I wonder, will i get little bunnies from this odd plant? ;)

Jerry being a goof as usual, digging in the dirt in an old pan. He's listening to me take the picture, probably thinking "If i don't move, he can't see me, and i can't get in trouble." (not that he gets in trouble really anyway)

Bunns getting cozy

Oh my, the cuteness, it burns. ;) This morning, i'm waking up and hear them doing something. I look over, and they are going into the carrier together. Just hanging out in there too, for some odd reason. The brown one with the fluffy tail is Amanda, and the white cutie is Jerry. They are awesome together, if not a bit goofy. ;)