Miss C. loves parades, too. And Doritos. And wands with tassels.
Tag: bree herbert
Boys and Parades
I took this shot on the 4th of July and liked the physical and emotional similarities expressed by these two handsome guys.
Grandpa loves T. And T loves Grandpa. They both love parades.
A goat, some ducks, one bee sting, and plenty of golf
I just finished processing some photos that I took while having some Memorial Day fun with friends and family. Yeah, I know, Memorial Day was almost a week ago. But I’ve found it is little difficult to process pictures when you’re trying to finish buying a home in addition to all of your everyday duties. Hoo boy, if only there was a way to photograph all the drama and chaos of the adventure called “Buying a House Without Endless Cash Reserves!”
Thankfully, though I worked on Memorial Day, I also had some extra time to play and relax and shoot for fun. On a farm! Okay… ranch. Not a working ranch, though. Would you call it a Just-For-Fun Ranch? Regardless, there were ducks and kittens and dogs and horses and goats and roosters and white fences. An outdoor fire pit. And a great big field for hitting golf balls into that will be found by archaeologists sometime in the year 3013.
Below is one of the shots that I captured that day. Check out the rest on my website in my “Recent Work” gallery.
1st Place Photo at “Bring Your Best” Competition
On Monday, I submitted two framed photos to the “Bring Your Best” competition being held at Utah Valley University during the school’s Summer University conference. Faculty and employees from many different departments submitted art work and other crafts to the competition, and the work was reviewed and judged by a panel. I was thrilled to find out that my image, “Hidden Iron”, was given the blue ribbon in the Photography category. Woo hoo!!! It really made my day.
Below is a look at my winning image. This photo looks terrific sized 20×24 in a dark wood or black frame. Contact me by posting a comment or e-mail me through my website if would enjoy this fine art print in your office or house! (The copyright symbol, of course, will not appear on your print.)
Shootin’ with the fishies
I almost named this blog post “Swimmin’ with the fishies” but that wouldn’t be accurate, because I was dry and fully clothed, photographing aquatic life with a handheld camera in a darkened room behind a thick plastic window while 5- and 6-year-old kids I didn’t know climbed between my legs and up through my arms to get a closer look at Nemo (squeal!).
Aaaaaah…. another relaxing day at the aquarium.
In spite of the challenges of shooting in this environment, I came back with a few fine art favorites that I will be posting on my website soon. In the meantime, here is a sneak peek for my blog friends:
This is a “Four-Eyed Fish,” or Anableps Anableps – found in Central America. If you like the life aquatic and have plans to be in the Salt Lake Valley, stop by The Living Planet Aquarium – fun for all ages! If you prefer not to become a human jungle gym for the visiting kiddies, avoid going there on a Saturday afternoon. At all costs. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
If you don’t have your DSLR handy….
Use your cell phone camera, a friend’s camera, your web cam, make a pinhole camera really quick… just create the picture. One of the worst feelings that a photographer can experience is “missing the shot.” I’ve been there and UGH. I really, really, really hate that feeling.
The image below would have been a missed shot had it not been for the camera on my cell phone. I didn’t have my larger Canon DSLR with me at the time and so it was a temptation to simply say, “Oh that’s a nice view. Too bad I don’t have my camera.” But out came my LG Voyager (love the widescreen capture of this cell phone camera – it was really conducive to the scene) and I avoided “missing the shot.” Hooray!
Of course, I wish I had a larger resolution file of this so that I could create a fine art print out of it, but not only do I have a very lovely shot for my phone’s wallpaper, I also have a template or pre-sketch, if you will, for going back and re-creating the image with my Canon camera. Sweet!
Best Photo at the Signature Squares Art Show
I attended the opening reception at the Red Plum gallery on Friday night and was thrilled to discover that the image I submitted was chosen for “BEST PHOTO“! How cool is that? Furthermore, it was a great show… I was impressed by the quality of the other submissions by local artists. Stop by Red Plum Designs to check them out… all of the artistic pieces are going to be displayed until sold. You can buy my winning image (titled “Peaceful Flower“) there – 12″x12” with double mat, or if you want this same photo custom-sized for your home/office, you can order it through my website.
Here is the image that won Best Photo at the Signature Squares Art Show:
My thanks to Rochelle, Sue, and Virginia for the opportunity to be part of this show.
A little orchid peek…
Here is a peek at one of the images in a set of orchid photos that I will post in their full/uncut glory on my website by the end of the week. Check back soon!
Hints for Holiday Pictures
If you plan to shoot the beauties of Christmas lights and decorations, or the fun chaos of family gatherings, think natural/ambient light. Harsh flash can ruin the festive mood and leave your colored lights in the dark. How to cope? Bump up your ISO, dial your aperture to its widest setting (or close to it), use a tripod or brace yourself whenever possible, and if you HAVE to use flash, bounce it off the wall or ceiling. Dial down your flash exposure if your camera allows it. If you’re shooting Christmas lights outdoors, remember to layer up, pack some extra batteries and yes, use a tripod. Christmas lights and decorations on your home look particularly striking when you shoot just after the sun has set. The possibilities are endless and exciting!
Here are a few of the pictures that I created at beautiful Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Christmas! (and a bonus for Bree’s Critique readers)
Whatever your religion, whatever your celebratory traditions, and whether you see piles of snow or swaying palm trees when you look out your window, the holiday season is a wonderfully different and special time of year. I personally find it impossible to resist the giddy joy in the air, the twinkling lights on trees and houses and parks (especially when I have a camera in hand), and the sense that everyone is trying a little harder to be kind to one another and less selfish (that is, unless you are at an electronics store at 5:00 a.m. the day after Thanksgiving). As Hamilton Wright Mabie said, “Blessed is the the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love.”
For part of my participation in that conspiracy of love, Bree Herbert Photography is offering a beautiful, festive, custom-sized desktop wallpaper to her newsletter subscribers and anyone who leaves a comment on this blog post. Not only will it bring you instant joyousness and tingle your nose with the imaginary scent of pine (totally safe and non-allergenic), it will also make your co-workers bribe you with scrumptious treats to find out where you got it. Post a comment on this blog entry and enjoy your own custom holiday wallpaper! Check it out below.
