process post 2

I did these shots in the studio while I was shooting my phones for my self-promo #4 a while ago...(its pretty much the same lighting set up..)
The giant lightbulb was something else I had rented from the antique store.. I really wanted to use it. so I did.
This mannequin belongs in the prop room and he is my favorite. I had an idea kind of like this but couldn't think of anything else to attatch the light bulb to his head or make it look like the light bulb was a big idea, his head or something like that...

I used black photo tape to attatch the bulb and added some tape on him to make the attatching of the bulb to him with the tape the 'theme' kind of.. I like black photo tape =]
this is me messing around in the studio and being creative. I wouldn't even call it portfolio.. its just thought process - being creative. I do like my idea, I'm sure if I put more thought into it -- this idea could evolve and become better and I'd have a better way to go about shooting it. I would def. try and light the glass better.. Its hard to light the glass in the shot because of how I have it attatched to the mannequin - I didn't spend a HUGE amount of time shooting this so I might do two different shots and put them together in post in the future sometime.

here is the process shot..



this is the result of that is:


This was shot with a d100, 24-85mm lens @ 1/125s @ f/13.. with broncolor lights in the RCC studio.

This is the first "personal" thing I've shot really in a good while.. Its hard to be creative with personal work with so much that we have to do for school. I still try and keep my imagination and creativity flowing all the time.

There are a few things I would do differently next time perhaps..This is a working idea and I just wanted to see what it would look like when I got the idea out of my head...I need to find a lamp for a bulb that size to fit in - so I can really play with this idea. I really like mannequins..I want to a series of things with them - I just have to find somewhere I can get them.

anyhow.
let me know that you think.
<3>

interesting product shot

This assignment was for James this week...

Here are the specs from the blog for it..
"..For your assignment you will research specific lighting and special effects techniques on the web and apply your findings to a common household item. This item could be a shoe, a basketball, a bowl of cereal. Anything that we could all recognize and would easily find around the house will work. Next, do the research. Look at all of the options from the perspective of achieving a result you have not seen before by trying a technique you have never tried before.

This could include light painting, home made light modifiers (lots of web sites show how), cross processing film, or using selective diffusion during exposure. Either way, the idea is to create an image that has much more going on visually than simply showing the subject well. Basically we are trying to compensate for the subject by making the image exciting in other ways.."

I tried to shoot this assignment last week and I didn't have any brilliant ideas and I wasn't happy with what I shot - It was cheesey. I tried to shoot a toaster "killing" toast.. I used a teeth shaped cookie in the background with a red gel on it, had the burnt toast in the white toaster and had the cord from the toast with a knife in its prongs "stabbing" the toast.. It was a decent idea but it just came out looking lame, cheesy and unprofessional.

So I went back in the to the studio monday afternoon and brought a few things with me... and I really favored my vintage black patent leather shoes.. and I wanted to use them. I tried a bunch of different things with them and toward the end of the shoot I had the idea to put one of my shoes in side the pink fishnets I had brought with me. played around with, and stretched things out..

this is what I came out with.

shot with a Nikon D100. 24-85mm lens. in the studio on plexiglass with bronocolor lights.. softbox and a bare head on the background. exposure was at 1/125s @ f/27, ISO:200, focal length was at 35mm.

It isn't one of my BEST shots I've done so far, but I like it okay. Its good for the time I had to do it and the slight lack of inspiration I had with this assignment (for some unknown reason.) I thought the panty hose just look really cool stretched out over the shoe and OUT past the shoe against the bright background.. I just wish I had had a soild idea for this assignment instead of fooling around with items til I figured out or got something I liked and really thought mostly fit the assignment..

This could be an ad for the pantyhose or the shoes... or both.

Let me know what you think =]

Self promo #4 (process 1)

these shots I did in the studio the other night..
they are for my selfpromo #4 assignment, its kind of an illustration/conceptual shot..
I rented these rotary dial phones from this great local antique store..

If you know me, you know I LOVE everything vintage and love shooting antique and vintage anything/everything. So this was fun, the idea actually came to me while walking thru the store looking for something to shoot.

These are unedited, I haven't done any photoshopping on these really.
the background wasn't as white as I wanted when I looked at them in bridge, but they were on the little LCD screen.. I don't know why, I think because bridge corrects them.. So when I take off all the auto exposure checks, it fixes most of the background effect that was happening in bridge - it was kind of a vingetting effect.. Ill end up fixing the autoexposure & editing them slighting post.

here are the process shots.. to show I lit it and my set up.



here are some of the actual shots..



all of these were shot with a d100, 24-85mm also a 17mm lens. I used broncolor primo pack, a soft box to light the phones and two heads with reflectors to light the back ground.
my original IDEA was the first shot with the 3 phones.. I like symmetry, asymmetry and lines and design and stuff like that.. the second shot is one of my favorites because they are two of my favorite colors, its close up, and the design is nice - also I like the light(I kind of wish the highlights in the phone were a bit softer or not so hot) .. its kind of cute! my phones are cuddling! heh.

so anyhow.. I really liked what came out of that shoot.
exposures: 3 phones - 1/100s @ f/8.
bottom shot - 1/100s @ f/9.
I shot them on white Plexiglas.. it didn't become as white as I like it to.
Oh well.
I might try it again sometime with just white background paper..to see how different the results are.. perhaps less shadow and I wouldn't have that reflection.
because I shot in the cove, the background is really white so I figure I would just use the white sweep and light it up..

I am pretty happy with the results, I might do a little more editing on these and I have to pick my final shots of all the ones I shot ( I might go with my original idea or do something kind of different..we'll just have to see) - the assignment is due MONDAY! so perhaps I'll post my final choice then..

enjoy =]

Lifestyles computer

these shots are from client #4 for photo illustration.. the assignment was to shoot a lifestyles computer shot. Its mainly to shoot for stock photography...

the shot needed to show a sense of time, place and a relationship between the people in the photo(needed to have 2 or more people in the photo)...and was best if it showed the computer screen as well..
I don't think this is one of my better assignments that I've shot, but I didn't think as much as I should have.. I should have shot from more angles and thought more about shutter speed..
I'm decently happy with these - I photoshopped them slightly. I did some levels adjustments, selective color and a bit of masking with selective focus..
but not anything MASSIVE. So I'm pretty happy with them.. I know I can always do better though.
anyhow.I just realized that my boyfriend (the male model in this shot) is wearing the same shirt as he was in my shot for James with my mac.. again. how weird.

the one above was shot @ 1/100s @ f/5.. at 24mm with a D100 with a 24-85mm lens. outside.. all natural light.

this was shot also with a d100, with some fill flash, 24-85mm lens, 1/125s @ f/4.

The models in these shots were - Dustin Overcash, Kirk Overcash and Cecil Overcash. (*thank you! =] )

we had to have 5-10 shots total to turn in, I turned in 7.
I know I could have done a lot better with this assignment if given it again, but It wasn't as inspiring as other assignments that we have had.

let me know what you think =]

New watermark!

I finally made myself a personal watermark instead of having just "©2006 Kathleen Minton".. I really wanted to add some personality into it.


I made the watermark with the wacom tablet that my boyfriend has.. so its actually my handwriting which is kinda neat!


here is a photo I shot Spring Semester 2006 for my layout in design lab so I can show you the watermark on a photo.. I made it into a stamp in photoshop so its much easier to put the watermark on my photo.
anyhow.

its says "©2006 KBM" which are my initials.
hurrah!

just was semi- excited about that. so I thought I'd make a post to show it off.
anyhow.

hope everyone is having a great weekend..

=]

photographer inspiration

I shot these last night in the studio. what i shot was an assignment for james about being inspired by a photographer.."this assignment is to really explore what it is about this photographer that inspires you, and create an image of your own in honor of their style."(from his class blog) - I chose Lisa Adams. She is a photographer in charlotte. Here is her website.

I really wanted to do an internship with her but she doesn't really take interns.. so. anyhow.

She is well rounded, bold and sharp. She has some period work and then clean, modern, colorful work. She is great all around. there is something, or everything that i just like about her work. its weird.. when I was shooing I felt like I was just shooting for myself, for fun- not for an assignment, so I say she inspired me to do well and enjoy it. It was nice.

I honored her style by using a colortheme thru out the photo, I've noticed that she tends to do that - have a lot of same colors/tones in a photo. I liked doing that and I don't know why I haven't before because I almost always corrdinate my clothing. I'm excited.
I like what came out of that shoot alot.. and that feels good because it seems like that hasn't been happening to me lately. what makes me feel really good is that I won't have to do a ton of post work on these because they are how I want them straight out of the camera for the most part - which ROCKS! (that hasn't really happened in a while.)

anyhow! here are two photos. (these ARE NOT two of my FAVORITES.. I want to save my favorite blueberries shot for my actually assignment, its better than the one below.)




These two photos were shot on a light table in the studio, with 2 broncolor softboxes.
Camera: D100
Lens: 24-85mm macro lens.
Exposures: - for blueberries= f/18 @ 1/80s(white balence was at fluorescent to get that slight blue tint!), For oranges=f/20 @ 1/80s
ISO: 250.

these haven't been real edited in PS, slight spotting and some color balence. that is all. =]

I miss film sometimes.

let me know what you think <3>

Client 2 - headshots

*Character study portrait*
these shots were for our client #2 assignment for chuck.. we had to have a stark white background and the model had to be from belly button up. (at the lowest) it could have been closer in or not. the model had to be recognizable.
We had to shoot it on medium format transparency film and scan it in - and put it on the server. I ended up scanning in 13! It takes me a while to really decide.

These are the two I couldn't decide between and ended up turning in both of these, but ended up using the one without the glasses for my final single image for the assignment.


both of these shots were shot with a Mamyia 645, kodak E100G transparency film(shot 2 rolls), exposure @ f/8 @ 1/60th of a sec.. I used a soft box on the right and moved that around a bit and occasionally a fill card. The subject was about 25ft away from the back wall sweep which was lit with 2 umbrellas (creating that white white background) I shot them in the RCC studio. All lights used were Broncolor lights.

I did minor photoshop adjustments to them, the bottom one with the glasses I did some retouching on the right eye glass to take out the soft box. I really liked that one because of the can-did expression. ( so i wasn't really shooting to reduce the glare then) The first one is the one I ended up using because of his stare and how his eyes look. its almost like a drawing how well his eyes and shoulders line up in the frame. I am a fan of the subtle split light as well.

The model is a first year photostudent named Matt Bell. He has quite the amazing beard!

Let me know what you think of the photos! <3>

Self promo #1&2

these are two shots that I did for my two self promo assignments.

they are photoshopped quite a bit, but i like them. i am pretty happy with the results. i just wish i didnt have to photoshop as much.. the first had more photoshopping involved than the second.
self promo #1. its an illustration. or conceptual. can be used for anything - great for stock. shot in the studio with broncolor strobes two. on each side. ISO 320. f/16 @ 1/90. 24mm. (d100) I reallly HAD to photoshop this to get the look I wanted, and i added that slight green cast because i have a slight obcession with green. ha. who knew?



self promo #2. snow peas. food photography. stock. anything. food magazines, recipes. i LOVE food photography. shot at my apartment with alien bees, and a soft box and a d100, at f/16 @ 1/45sec. at 35mm.

both of these were shot with a D100. with a 24-85mm lens.

I like them, I dont like how much I'm now having to photoshop. its weird to do that when coming from straight film and so traditional. I like it buts it going to have to take some getting use to and I don't wanna fall into that "oh, that! i'll fix it in photoshop" I don't want to be that person, but time constraints kind of force more photoshoppin than i'd like to be doing. but any how.

let me know what you think bout my fotos! <3>

product & aspirational shots

these shots were for lighting clinic with james.

we had to do a product shot to show all the 'bells & whistles' of the product - all the buttons and such and then an aspirational shot to show the lifestyle, the idea of the product. how the product could possibly make your life better.. he gave an example of the newport ads - happy couples in a field or on a beach having fun. no cigarettes around. the product doesn't even really need to be in the aspirational shot necessarily. it needs to make you feel like you NEED to have or want that product.
anyhow.

the product I chose was my mac G4 powerbook. I didn't have to go out and buy the product for the shoot and it wasn't hard to show or dimenstrate the lifestyle of a mac user. i really took the lifestyle thing for the aspirational shot to show you who uses it and how "cool" you can be if you have a mac. (haha)

here is the product shot. I actually had about 10 product shots, but james only really wanted ONE but I really turned in these 4. and yes. photoshop was involved in these shots, very much so the pen tool. they were shot with a D100, 24-85mm lens, with broncolors and a broncolor farrell light.
i had these done saturday night (they were due yesterday) and then as i tried to save them to a CD, they became aliased (this happened to me spring semester, its TERRIBLE) and i was up til 1am again photoshopping somewhat sloppily on these. but james seemed to like them. i know i can always do better.

here is the aspirational shot.

for the aspirational shot, MOTION had to be involved in the shot. it had to incorporate the product or something about the shot had to involve motion.

this is my boyfriend dustin. he modeled for me. i chose him because he is an actor and can model very well, plus he has long "artsy" hair which shows what kind of people might use a mac.
we shot it at the greenbean coffee shop in downtown greensboro on saturday.
the light is all available light(with a D100,24-85mm lens - about a 1/2 sec exposure or so) and this to me really portrays a lifestyle of a mac user pretty well (some what stereotypically but you know).
i like the way the motion of the coffee cup draws you up to his eyes, which can't even come off the mac for a moment to sip his coffee.
he is so into what he is working on, or reading on the internet on his wonderful powerbook.
i got the comment that is kind of editoral, and this might be true.
but I like it.
i think it portrays the lifestyle and the idea behind it of a mac user pretty well, like the assignment said to.
I believe my idea was pretty successful for the assignment. i think maybe added some other light might have helped and i planned to do that but i didn't have the tools i needed to do it, like i wanted to so i didn't.

let me know what you think <3>

lens baby

ok.
i want a lensbaby.
yea i know they are sort of a novelty but i want one. they are so fun to play around with and you can really get creative with it.. its not as sweet as schiempfluggin' with a view camera or a tilt shift lens - but its pretty neat.
i wish the (as they call it) the sweet spot, was a little better or larger.. and i also wish the aperture was a bit easier to control.
i put these two photos together in photoshop for fun...
shot with a nikon original lens baby. with a D-100.


the shot on the left was shot at 1/30th of a sec and the aperture ( i am guessing b/c i didn't put any of the aperture rings in the lens baby - metadata says f/1.0.) it is a complete manual lens, you move around the sweet spot(the focus spot) with your fingers ( as seen in the other photo). the ISO was 400. and i shot it in my bathroom with available tungsten light.

the shot on the right was shot @ 1/30th of a sec and the "aperture" was at f/1.0.
i really guessed where the focus spot was with these... and i just reshot them and moved the sweet spot to where i thought it would be. (where i'd want it)


--- these are some outtakes and stuff i did(of me) while messing around shooting a self promo assignment of snow peas for chuck at my apartment and put together in photoshop...


i shot it with a D100 with alien bees with a soft box on it.. its side lit and i tweaked the color in photoshop to make it more green.
RIGHT - f/13 @ 1/45th of a sec. @ 42 mm on my lens. ISO 200
alien bees with a soft box.
LEFT- f/13 @ 1/45th of a sec at 42mm lens. ISO 200.

thats it.
lemme know whatcha think <3>