JANUARY 8, 2012

Week 2 and still going.  :)  Have been a bit cramped for time and a big bit stressed.  Hopefully, going forward, there will be fewer distractions.  I am trying to figure out how to follow my path to the career that I wanted before I allowed myself to get sidetracked by a career that was more or less not compatible with my true wants.  Sometimes you just gotta take the plunge, tighten the budget, and just do it.  Sometimes you just gotta get a little bit uncomfortable in order to move forward.  Ready to get uncomfortable with me?  Let's go~!

January 9, 2012

Irreconcilable differences.

But.......I'M FREE!!!!!

January 10, 2012

Japanese tea gardens and Asian bell houses.

Went to Denver Botanical Gardens today.  1) to play with my camera and work on improving shooting and post processing skills  2) brain refresher and relaxing

In all honesty, it was not my idea.  I was kidnapped.  I guess the person thought I would be highly stressed and need something to relieve my nerves after the events of the past months and yesterday.  It was great though.  Just what I needed and served multiple purposes.  Gotta love the efficiency of the multi task event. Although, my eyes are itchy and watery  from all of the pollen.  

January 11. 2012

Another fantastic day.   I am  not grumpy or irritable even the remotest bit today. Wonder why?  ;)

Ok, time to give the bootstraps a tug and get going!

January 12, 2012

  Practice, practice, practice.  In a year or two I should know what I am doing!  :)

I really like the Scott Kelby book I picked up the other day.  Light It, Shoot It, Retouch It.  

I have to get some lighting ordered and some lens filters so I can light it and shoot it, but the retouching part is fantastic!  Brilliant.  Subtle but effective photo manipulation.  

 I also have PS CS5  Digital  Classroom, and Adobe Photoshop for Photographers.

There are a few more books I need to order, but with a bit of perseverance and trial and error, I believe I can accomplish this.  Wish I could afford some brighter lenses, but , alas, it is not to be.  I will just have to work around it. 

I currently use (somewhat efficiently) PSE 7, PSP 2X, and PS CS5.5 Design Premium.  These are my primary pieces of software that I use for post processing.  I use my camera's development software in conjunction with Bridge. I like both. 

I shoot with an Olympus E520 and basic lenses.   No pro items or lighting.  Strictly ghetto.  LOL

January 13. 2012

A day of errands with husband.  Can you believe I forgot to take my camera with me?!! Tsk, tsk.  Not off to a good start.  Will have to remember to reprimand myself later.  I have a chair across from my desk just for that purpose.  lol  "Diana, could I please see you in my office?"  (inside joke)

Anyway, so much to learn!  Was playing around with textures today, and frankly....I suck.  There is no way to sugar coat it.  Education is desperately needed.  I have my eye on some more books.  I need to choose carefully though.  I hate when I get a book and it is full of fluff!! I also am not wild that I am currently using about 3% of my software's capabilities.  I really can not wait to master this stuff. Not like the totally amazing pros, but at least as an above average amateur.  Diana - Rising/Aspiring Amateur.  LOL. 

I like my Olympus E520, but am sort of itching for an upgrade.  Move to an e3 or e5?  Or add a Canon dslr to my collection?  I have a Canon EOS Elan from 1992 that is awesome, but I do love the features of the digital cameras.  But buy two complete lines of lenses?  Hmmmmm......

  time will tell.  No hurry.  Things change so rapidly and I am sure I will have time to think it over for a year or two.  Have you seen the Eye Fi cards?  Sort of cool in a way.  Not sure they can transfer raw images though, which is what I nearly always shoot. Like I said, rapid changes.  Can not wait to see what I end up with!  I am reasonably certain I can rule out a Leica or Hasselblad. LOL

First, I need to give some consideration to some lighting so that I can expand my knowledge in that area.  Hopefully, in a few weeks I will have a solution for that.  I like the idea of speed lights, but also like the economics of continuous lighting.  Plus, I can probably design my own continuous lighting.  Strobe lights are nice, but $$$$, and not as easily portable as speedlights.  Ahhhh, far to many choices.