Time Lapse

I was taking a late evening nap when I woke up to an amazing rain storm. When it started to lightening and thunder, I decided I would try something new with my camera.
I wanted to use the light from the storm to illuminate images.

Unfortunately, none of my roommates were around, so I was the subject of my own photographs. However, I had a lot of fun experimenting. My goal is to be able to shoot in a heat lightening storm when there is no rain so that I can capture the lightening strikes.


Photographs: I put my camera on a very low shutter speed and on a tripod, with about a 50 second exposure.

I took several shots like the following:

If you look closely in the next shot, you can see two faces: As the storm died down and the lightening wasn't as bright, I moved my camera to the hallway next to my bathroom. I used the light from underneath my bathroom door to illuminate these following two images. I realize these are extremely cliche, but I like the fact that I was able to capture two images at once in the first time and what a streak of light in the second:

Burr Oak Nature

Since the university was closed on Memorial Day, my friends Ali, Miaghan, Sarah, and I decided to take advantage of the long weekend and head out to Burr Oak Lodge for a "single ladies" trip.
We enjoyed swimming in both the lake and the pool, eating lots of food, listening to good music, facial masks, and each other's company and discussion. We stayed in a lake view room and had a very relaxing weekend. Before we left we took a short hike around the lake and in the woods of the park. I was able to capture a few images on that hike. Because it had rained the night before everything was super green and covered in rain drops. It was beautiful and hope to go back to hike there soon.





Photography: All pictures were taken without a flash with my nikon.

Dance

Jen is a alumnus of Ohio University where she studied education and dance. She now works in the Cleveland area as a ballet/jazz teacher and a competition dance choreographer.

Jen and I first met about a year ago through African dance. Jen is a very talented dancer, full of life and spunk. When she asked me take pictures of her, I instantly accepted.

I wanted to capture her charisma in her photographs as well as her love for dance. I wanted to feature both simple movement as well as her point shoes. I'm still in the process of editing a lot of her pictures, but am pleased with how these few have turned out so far.




Photographs: All photos were taken at the Ridges with no flash on my nikon d60 and edited in photoshop. With the last image, I used a editing technique I have not used before. I'm working on making the technique flawless.

Blue Guitar

My friend, Matt, has a blue guitar.



The end.



Photograph: Taken with my nikon d60. Wanted to capture two different depths of field.

Copyright

I've been told that I need to start putting my name on my pictures. I like that people are using my pictures on their flyers, as their profile pictures for networking, as headers for blogs and submitting them for articles in newspapers. More than anything I'm grateful people like my photographs enough to be using them for their personal use, but who doesn't like credit now and then? I looked into how to put copyrights on my photos. I've been messing around with several different fonts but will eventually start putting my signature on my photos. I have not mastered a look for this that I'm particularly ecstatic about, but here are a few examples of what I have so far.

Photographs: Both photos of Ali were taken with my nikon d60.

More EGT

Elemental Groove Theory performed at Casa Nueva, a local cantina and bodega in Athens, OH to raise funds for the Ohio University Music Therapy program.

Photographs: I was able to manipulate the flash of my nikon to capture the following images.

EGT

Elemental Groove Theory is progressive/funk fusion band based out of Athens, Ohio. I have had the pleasure of meeting and playing with members Matt (bass), Dan (guitar), and Eric (set) in African Ensemble on campus. Through these guys I met their guitar player, Mavis, and reunited with fellow Lovelander, Mike (keys). I enjoy their music and I often have the opportunity to see the band perform. Every Monday they host Open Jam at 19 South.

I had offered up the idea to both Eric and Matt to make flyers for their upcoming shows. They brought to me a couple ideas and through and impromptu photoshoot with Mike, was able to get some decent shots as well as make a flyer. I hope to keep shooting this group of fun guys in the future.



"THIS SATURDAY! 19 South. Elemental Groove Theory, Ft. First Street Heat, & Special Appearance by Dysfunctional Family. Doors open at 9pm. $5 under, $3 over."

Photographs: The first photo was taken with my Nikon D60 outside of the student union on campus. The second is the flyer that I composed with one of the shots taken that day.

Greek Recital

I am a part of an organization called Tau Beta Sigma. It is one of the four music sororities at Ohio University. This past weekend the four music sororities/fraternities came together and hosted a benefit concert in the Baker Student Center. All donations were given to the Marching 110 for their trip to Pasadena Rose Parade next year. Acts included piano and mandolin duets, trombone and bassoon quartets, a jazz ensemble, and a capella vocal groups including OU's popular Leading Tones and Title IX. Each sorority and fraternity also graced the audience with their respective hymns. It was an enjoyable fundraiser and overall a successful event considering it was the first time in a long while our organization has helped with such an occasion.

Photographs: All photos were taking in low light with my nikon D60. The first photograph is of Julia Brewer. With an accompanying mandolin and vocalist, Julia performed three pieces acoustically. The next two photos are of members of OU's jazz ensemble. On set is Troy Kunkler and on keys, Mike Brokamp.

Before & After

The photo editing business is booming! There are people hired for the sole purpose to edit photographs all day. Sounds like the life, huh? We witness the work of a photo editor every day in our news papers and magazines.

Photo editing has been quite the controversial topic. Some might say that photos that are edited are misleading and that the way we edit models in magazines is negatively affecting our younger generation by portraying unrealistic body images. Some say that if you must edit a photo, you must not be a real artist. The real beauty of a photo, some people say, lies in its flaws. While I agree with both points to some extent, I also believe that some of the greatest artwork that is being produced right now is computer generated or manipulated.

Check out galleries by Benjamin Delacour, Irina Trofimova, or Darrell Eager

I am not a master of photoshop and I would love to learn how to use some of the techniques these contemporary artists are using to create such amazing images; however, I thoroughly enjoy photo editing. I seldom use editors for objects in low light or still life, but due to my amateur photography skills, photo editing comes in handy for portraits.

Within ten minutes you can take a perfectly decent photograph and turn into one that pops! Here are a few of my favorite before and afters.


Photographs: All the above photographs were taken with my digital SLR. The first two are self portraits. I took the photograph with light from my window and in front of a plain white wall. I mainly took it so that I could manipulate the colors and contrast. The second set of photographs are of Ali. My main goal was to eliminate the shadows on her face and brighten up the overall photograph. The last set of photographs (which we have seen before) are of Sarah. I was very happy with the raw photo, but wanted to play with the saturation. Sarah has very pretty blue eyes and the raw photo did not do them justice. I wanted to concentrate on focusing on one feature of her face.