How NOT To Take A Headshot Part Deux

Okay, I have to pick on my husband once again.

He is very good at many, many things, and he's not that bad with operating a camera, it is just that he does not have what you'd call "the eye" for it. Usually, I can take one of his images and crop it and make it AWESOME...but when it comes to portraits...neither he nor my younger son, Ross, have a natural talent.

If you read my previous post, How NOT to Take A Headshot, then you saw the images Ross took of his Dad.  If you haven't read it, scroll down a few blog posts or just click on the link.

Now, both of these photos needed to have a professional look to them for the purposes of which they were to be used.

I am not a professional photographer. I am more of a hobbyist, but I do read about how to improve my shots. That, and my husband has gifted me some very good lens and flashes for my Nikon Cameras.

I also have a back drop which they set up and lighting which they did NOT set up.

So first, here is the best of the portraits my husband took of Ross who has completed all his requirements for Eagle Scout and needs a portrait.

The only lighting was coming from the ceiling fixture.

This is my unedited version.

And my edited version:

I cropped it in a bit, and darkened the background because there was a slight shadow cast by the flash and I toned down some of the reds in his skin tones and ears.

In my version, he is shaven, has a new haircut, and a new but a bit too large BSA shirt his Dad bought, complete will all his latest patches.

Unfortunately, the color of the shirt does wash out his skin tones.

Also, Ross has a prominent chin like his Dad's and a 5 o"clock shadow immediately after he shaves, so I toned down the high lights and stubble on his chin.

It's all about the eyes and I did bump up the sharpness just a touch.

I turned his right shoulder towards me for two reasons. I feel it showed off his patches and it helped keep the oversize shirt from looking as large.

I don't typically follow the rule of thirds on portraits to the exact measurement because I don't like a lot of empty space above the head. In fact, some of my favorite portraits skim off just a bit of the top of the hairline because it makes the hair appear fuller.

For example:

Do you think my hair looks fuller and thicker on top? Or maybe at least you don't notice how flat it actually is.

FYI: My husband did take this photo of me. To be frank, I picked out the location according to the sun and time of day and I told him where to aim. However, there were a LOT of outtakes. Still, you'd think he'd pick on a couple of my tips.

Speaking of tips!

Don't forget my number one tip!

Have FUN!

I really like this one but he needed a different t-shirt. Darn!

Fun with Riker Display Cases! Express Your Own Collection of Found Objects in a Clever Way.

I just wanted to share this photo I took at an art gallery in Minneapolis, MN.

I know it is kind of tacky to be taking photos of art in a gallery, but I though this was such a wonderful idea and where I love how this artist displayed these "found" objects. I was more interested in displaying objects that I found.

Anyway...

You might remember Riker Display Cases as something as scientist, museum, or a bug collector would use.

However, you don't need to be a scientist, a museum curator, or a bug collector! Just a regular collector will do!

Also, you don't have to stick with the grid pattern used by this artist.

Riker Display Cases come in a variety of sizes so you can have fun with hanging them any way you choose.

Check out Pinterest for more great ideas!

https://www.pinterest.com/chdisplay/riker-mount-displays/

Wouldn't it be awesome to have themes.

For example: Sporting event or concert ticket stubs and a photo of you with your friends that went with you. Add a couple of beer caps from a local microbrewery and you've got a fun night and a collectible memory!

Or better yet...

If any of you "Scrappers" or Scrapbooking fans are looking for something different to do with all your scrapping materials, just fill a Riker Display Cases with your favorite things and hang them on the wall!

I keep thinking this is something I would love to do. I have SOOOO many tiny things that I've collected and I hate the thought of glueing them down as I have seen in collage art or assemblage art.

Forearmed by Alfonso A. Ossorio, 1967

I prefer the way the Riker Display Cases preserves the collectible. 

I've seen some Riker Display Cases with the clips, but I prefer the old fashion pins that keep them together. 

I also like how neatly items can be displayed. It make even a dead bug look like precious gem!

I hope this post has inspired you in some way. Perhaps you are not ready to dedicate a wall or a stairwell to to Riker Display Cases full of treasures, but you might want to start with three. Because everyone know, three is considered a collection!

Creative Mailboxes: BoHo Home: Mailboxes put the ho-ho in boho

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/11/cute-mailboxes-etsy_n_3061212.html

These images and blog posts were so funny that I just had to share.

My plain, faded black Rubbermaid mailbox is so pathetically sad that I'm embarrassed to admit that TWO artists live at our address!

So, I'm hoping this blog and some of the other images I found online will inspire me to do something creative with my mailbox.

BoHo Home: Mailboxes put the ho-ho in boho: Snailmail, as we've come to call U.S. Postal Service delivery, has fallen out of favor in recent years. But just so you know: It's n...



However, I'm afraid that IF I did something creative with my mailboxes, it would probably end up like this:

How NOT To Take A Headshot

Let me begin by saying that I am NOT a professional photographer.  I'm definitely more of a hobbyist with a purpose.

My first "good" digital camera was a NIKON D50. Then I moved up to a D80, then a D90 and now we have a Nikon d3100 and I have a few extra lens and flashes to go with them.

But I'm not going to bore you with the technical jargon...

I want to cover the basics.

My husband needed a photograph wearing his pilot uniform and because I asked him and my son to set up the backdrop and lighting for me...they decided to stop at the backdrop and do the job themselves.

To be fair...my 17 year old son doesn't take many photos and my husband wasn't "aware" that the ceiling light in our den would cast such an unflattering lighting across his nose, hair and wrinkles in his shirt.

HOWEVER...
I do want to point out how just a few simple changes made a big difference in the images I took.

First was makeup.

Yes, I put make up on my husband because he had some serious shine going on so I dulled it with powder. I also touched up the eyebrows with a light brown flat eye shadow because his eyebrows, especially the outer half,  has a lot of gray and that is just something you can't fix in Photoshop as well as adding a bit of make up.

He suggested I add some to his mostly salty Salt and Pepper hair, but I didn't because I think that's kind of sexy.

POINTERS:

No, seriously, POINTERS:

LIGHTING:
Make sure the lighting is flattering to the subject matter.
I turned off the overhead lighting and opened the blinds. Since my son and husband refused to set up the lighting...I depended on the camera's flash to achieve Phil's headshot.

PLACEMENT:
Don't...I REPEAT...don't stand close to the backdrop (or up against a wall unless that is the look you are going for) because it comes into focus and you loose your depth of field.

CAMERA SETTINGS:
I forgot to check to see which setting they had put the camera on before I started taking the headshots. I would have thought they would have set it on PORTRAITS (I would have) but both their image and my image of Phil was taken on full automatic. Still, you can see a difference.

LENS:
I actually own a portrait lens (don't ask me the technobabble) that is an 85mm 1:18 D that I love using. It just makes everyone look better but you have to get up close and do at least a head and shoulders shot or closer.

FRAMING:
He needed a head and shoulders shot...that's what I took.

TOUCHING UP:
Thank you PHOTOSHOP and all of the other wonderful photo enhancing softwares out there that make us look our best!

I also used the bandaid tool to touch up some blemishes and gave his face a softer (Gaussian Blur) and did a color wash to even out his skin tones. Then I took an eraser and removed the color/blur from his eyes, nose, mouth, and hair.

This is my quick fix trick I add to the headshots I take for our local theater.

However, don't over do it!

I lightened Phil's teeth one shade lighter (Color Enhancements/Color Variation on Photoshop Elements) but when I adjusted the Lighting Levels...the teeth really popped! This was not my intention, but I did several versions and let him pick.

Basic Touch Up

Adjusted Contrast

Darker

Anyway...

The most important thing is to HAVE FUN and take LOTS of photos...you can always delete the bad ones!

This is actually an exercise where you have your subject blow out their cheeks when there smile is getting tense and fake looking. Try it! It really works!

Before you go...please check out the link on the German Shorthair Pointers. Travis and Gus have become and Internet hit with fur baby mom's beautiful photographs of this heartwarming pair. 

In memory of Travis.

https://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/25898933/

https://instagram.com/p/5r6hCXECK7/?taken-by=ifitwags

"Divert" By Matthew Ramsaur

I enjoy supporting my friend, Matthew Ramsaur, in his filmmaking and I especially appreciated the opportunity to work with my son, Ross Taylor, and exceptional actor.



I am blessed.



My oldest son "genetically" inherited my artistic skills (as well as acting) and has taken them to a higher level and my youngest son, who can draw but prefers "designing and building",  has taken my love of acting even farther.



I'll have to give their dad at least half the credit! LOL! He's a pretty good actor, too! But his talent is a bit more technical. He's a pilot and I believe my sons got their more "technical" skills from him.

The Kitchen Dance Trailer

Sheila L. Jackson's Blog Page: The Kitchen Dance, By Geri G. Taylor

Sheila L. Jackson's Blog Page: The Kitchen Dance, By Geri G. Taylor: According to Rene Descartes, no two bodies can occupy the same space at the same time and any physical motion of a body involves moving o...

Indie Lindy Author Blog: Interview with Geri G. Taylor on StoryCrafters, In...

Indie Lindy Author Blog: Interview with Geri G. Taylor on StoryCrafters, In...: Interview with Geri G. Taylor  on StoryCrafters, Ink Please click the link below to learn more about Geri and her novel.  You may com...

For the Love of Elephants and Loss, Jodi Picoult's book LEAVING TIME Touched My Heart in an Unexpected Way.

I am currently polishing up a manuscript and, when telling a friend about it, she suggested I read the book, Leaving Time.

I did, and I truly enjoyed it. My friend was right. Jody Picoult and I have similar writing styles and messages to convey to our readers.

What she didn’t expect was the pool of tears I cried when the author described a “fictional” character named “Lilly” (confession here…I actually listened to the audiobook while traveling for my “other” job so I don’t know how the name was actually spelled) because I knew of who this character was based. 

I had to call my friend to tell her my story. 

I grew up in West Monroe, LA and The Louisiana Purchase Gardens andZoo was a regular destination for many a field trip and group outing.

My first memory of seeing Shirley (fictionalized as Lilly in the book) was that of any ten or eleven year old girl strolling through the zoo with a group of schoolmates being herded along from enclosure to cage. Of course, we could smell the elephant habitat before we could actually see the elephant, and being situated next to the hippopotamus housing probably didn’t help.

When I rounded the corner to her enclosure, her back was to me, and the first thing I saw was her leg. 

Bear in mind, other than the elephants I saw performing in the Barnum and Bailey Circus, this was the very first elephant I had seen close up.

And it broke my heart.

There was a placard on her enclosure telling of her injury, and I cried to point I was nearly inconsolable.

As the crowd was shepherded around the corner of the enclosure, I was able to get a side view of Shirley. As if the dangle of her crippled leg, her skewed stance, and the wedge of flesh missing from her ear were not disturbing enough, it was her expression that bore into my soul.

In general, animals held in captivity have that “look” of boredom and some of anxiety, but Shirley’s was one of utter despair.

I admit, I am an oversensitive person, and where it probably benefits me as an artist, actress, and writer being able to tap into such deep feelings, in a group of thirty pre-adolescent kids; it just makes you weird.

On subsequent trips to the Zoo, I would feel the anxiety just thinking of her and honestly, my eyes would fill with tears (much as they are doing now) as I watched her standing like a massive boulder except for the occasional swat at a horsefly with her vitiligo marked trunk. 

Once I was fortunate enough to have arrived at feeding time, but she may as well have been animatronic with the disengaged mechanical way she fed herself.

I moved from West Monroe at the age of fifteen and did not return to the Monroe area or the zoo until I had children of my own. By then, my perception of the park and zoo so prevalent in my childhood as a cheery place where pink flamingoes welcomed you at the gate, was now a dire place with dingy habitats, desperate for funding. 

My children have no recollection of this visit probably because they were either too young, or perhaps too distracted to recall Shirley. But I saw her, and once again, I cried.

I could not help thinking that since last seeing her I had graduated high school, graduated college, married, and had children, not to mention visited numerous zoos with elephants habitats containing multiple elephants. Yet Shirley remained alone and still practically motionless in her small enclosure.

 

A few years later, I volunteered to go with my youngest son’s class field trip to the Louisiana Purchase Gardens and Zoo.  This was when I learned that in 1999, Shirley had been moved to an animal sanctuary. I felt such relief. I could barely finish reading the sign before I lost focus through the film of my tear filled eyes. Later, when I watched the video of her being reunited with old friend, Jenny, and you bet I cried…tears of joy!

Knowing in my heart that Shirley was happy, I went years without thinking of her until I read the book, Leaving Time, which prompted me to visit the website.

This year, for St. Valentine’s Day, in lieu of flowers, chocolate, or dinner out, I asked my husband to please send a donation to the ElephantSanctuary in Tennessee. While on their website, we went on their elecam and would you believe…THERE WAS SHIRLEY! She walked across the pasture, stopped, deposited a bit of dung, and walked out of the camera’s range. I have since checked on the elecam, but have not seen her.  I see her dung, but no Shirley.

Don’t worry, Shirley! I’ll check back often, and when I do see you, I will probably cry.

Stamp Dynasty: Rubber Stamping with Bleach

I dug up this older post one of my high school friend's blog: Scrappin' Heaven not only to share with you but as a reminder that I want to try this sometime.



I have quite a hoard of stamps but I wanted something new to do with them.



I can't wait to try this!



 Stamp Dynasty: Rubber Stamping with Bleach:   Bleaching is a fun way for beginners to try rubber stamping on their scrapbook projects with minimal investment. The bleaching effect will...

“Sponsored” by my husband: Most definitely!

Read this first!



“Sponsored” by my husband: Why it’s a problem that writers never talk about where their money comes from



I loved this blogpost and immediately accepted her challenge to tell my story!



My needs and wants are clearly met by the success of my husband's career as a pilot and all the opportunities that it has provided for our family.



Unfortunately, this lifestyle comes with the great sacrifice of his being away approximately 50% of the time.



That being said, I have a lot of "free" time on my hand to be creative; however, it was my intention when pursuing my writing, that I would find a way to pay for the expenses incurred without tapping into the family funds. I sold my china to pay for college courses on writing, and a lot of my collectibles on eBay, Craigslist, and Facebook to pay for other expenses like purchasing printed books, paying for RWA and SinC memberships, and miscellaneous advertising costs. My working as a substitute teacher has covered some of these expenses as well. At this point, my debut novel, The Kitchen Dance has not earned back what I've invested.



So, I would definitely be a "starving artist" if not for his support.

The Cult of Me: Drabbles of Art

This is one of my LAZY blog posts but I really love a lot of these works of art and I thought I'd share The Cult of Me: Drabbles of Art: In this series of drabbles I take a work of art and write a drabble (100 word story) inspired by the piece. The Scream by Edvard Munch...

I Love Scarves and I Love Art! Now the Two are Combined in One in PopImpressKA's Gorgeous Designer Shawl

I just love the chain-reaction of life and how, for example, my entering my book, The Kitchen Dance, in MARSocial Author of the Year Competition introduced me to Karynne Summars (the winner) and by interviewing her for my blog, The Delete Key, I found out she was a fashion model and contributing writer for PopImressKA Journal (which stands Popular Impressive Kaleidoscope), a magazine featuring wonderful articles on all things wonderfully artistic, created by Olga Papkovitch, which is how, by Olga liking a link about my blogpost on Karynne's books Desperate Pursuit in Venice and her upcoming release, Desperate Pursuit in Rio De Janeiro, we became Facebook friends. 

Then Googling PopImpressKA, I found this shawl and much, much more!

Isn't this shawl/scarf beautiful! And it can be yours, just visit their site at PopImpressKA Brand. It is available in silk and silk blend in three different sizes.

Then I found this YouTube video featuring another version of this elegant design.

SUBSCRIBE!

Olga is a fabulous woman, and for her, the sky's the limit with her pay it forward creed and the support she generates for her causes. PopImpressKA Journal is her brainchild and her pop art outreach is a journey all it's own comprised of many inspiring and unifying chain reactions!

So start a chain reaction of your own and follow some of these great links!

For more about Olga Papkovitch:
https://g2taylor.wordpress.com/2015/01/24/popimpresska-journal-if-you-havent-checked-it-out-its-about-time-you-did/
http://www.olgapopartworld.com/
http://olgapapkovitch.blogspot.com
https://www.linkedin.com/pub/olga-papkovitch/14/8b9/585
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/452589-magazine-founder-inspired-by-shen-yun/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?hl=en&v=nFBD2pUpKWg
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCglwLtgY48qXspJOU9j8mkg
http://olgapapkovitchart.tripod.com/

And now...MORE FABULOUS FOTOS!

Okay, ladies!

I know how you love designer handbags!

Designed to compliment EVERYTHING, this line is simply amazing!













The origami design of one skirt is so incredible chic!

Like I said, I love scarves!

This one is one of my favorites, it was a gift from the cast of "Dial M for Murder" that I directed with Ruston Community Theatre.

If anyone is looking for the perfect gift for me...

I'd like a 6' scarf by Olga!

Geri