Welcome to week 4 of Photography Friday. Photography Friday is a 20 week challenge to help improve our photography skills. There is a weekly prompt / theme for each week that you can be as creative with it as you'd like. This week theme is red and next week's theme is something or someone you love. For further information please click here.
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I'll be the first to admit that this week's theme was rather difficult for me. Yes, I know I picked the theme for each week but I thought 'something red' would be easier and way more fun. I've already critiqued my pictures to the moon and back and they aren't my favorite. However, I guess that is part of the challenge / learning process so I'm just gonna go with it. =)
For this weeks theme there are two little parts to it. First, I took some pictures of my Valentine's Day decor. Yes, I already have it up because Valentine's Day has been my favorite holiday for a long time. Before I was married (I refused to pout like so many people did/do) I threw an annual single girls Valentine's Day party. We would eat somewhere fun, exchange gifts and had a great time. If I lived in the same city as all my girlfriends I'd still probably host a girls Valentine Day party. However, I'm sure being married on Valentine's Day will be great too!
ISO 400 f/2.8 SS1/2000 50mm 1.4 Lens
ISO 100 f/2.0 SS1/1600
Here is part two. Since I love Valentine's Day so much, I've teamed up with a couple of blog friends to host a little Valentine's Day giveaway. I took a picture of each item we are giving away and you get to give me feedback on it. =) See how I brought you into this? Clever, eh?
Item 1 - 10 things I love about you. How cute are these? (Dave if you are reading this then you are seeing part of your Valentine's Day gift). I couldn't resist buying these and I thought it'd be fun to give one away too. Even if you don't have a boyfriend / fiancee / husband - give them to a friend, your grandma, your Mom! Whoever gets them will love them.
Item 2 - A hand painted mug.
Item 3 - chalk board heart pins. I'll be putting magnets on the back of these so they can be placed on the fridge as well.
Item 4 - Valentine's Day Card
Item 5 - Coffee sleeve
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Here are the lovely ladies who teamed up with me today. Be sure to stop by their blogs and tell them hello.
Elicia from Life's a Journee
Elicia has a wonderful little blog about teaching and exploring in South Korea. She also had a beautiful destination wedding - girl right after my own hear.
Robyn from Invincible Summer
Robyn is also a newlywed (May 2013). I love that she is currently part of a church plant. She writes some inspiring things about her Christian walk and she also made the coolest coffee table from a window.
Sweet giveaway! Mkay, I think on the 3rd pic (2nd pic without words), I would have tried to get it lighter. I've found a few good tutorials about how to create your own lighting space for photos basically just using a white sheet of paper as the background and then one on the side to shine more light on whatever your photographing.
ReplyDeleteI'm not quite the photo expert Amanda is, but I'd agree with trying to lighten up the last two images--higher contrast and/or exposure perhaps? Whether you create a lightbox for yourself or contort into ridiculous positions next to a window to get good natural light, it's all good! (I obviously do the latter, haha.)
ReplyDeleteAll these little valentine's goods look so cute!! And I am no photographer--proud point-and-shoot gal right here, so honestly I'm impressed with all of those photos, but just an impression I had it that the photo of the heart-shaped chalkboard pins doesn't pop as well as the rest of the photos do, and I think maybe it's due to lack of depth or visible dimension in the set up. Maybe! I don't really know what I'm talking about, obviously...I just really think your giveaway strategy is really cool!
ReplyDeleteYes! I see your point. Want to hear something funny? I bought 3 big white foam boards and have duct tape them together for a 'white photography box'. In that picture, I couldn't get the papers to stand up correctly, so I put a plastic box that had red hearts in them. Therefore it kind of has a red/pink tint to it. So, you are right, I need to use something white. I also want to put my table by my window when taking pictures. Currently it doesn't have much natural light.
ReplyDeleteThanks for pointing that out! More light! more light!
I think that is a good point. They don't look very dimensional. I wonder if I spaced them out more or even put them up right if that would add dimension. Thanks for the input!
ReplyDeleteI made a light box (3 big huge poster size white foam). However, I'm not by natural light in most of these. My box goes on my table, which is in my dining room. So, I think I'm going to haul it all over to natural light next time.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the feedback! I appreciate it muchisimo.
first of all - LOVE this idea {i might have to join in, as i'm trying to get better at my photography skills, too!!}.
ReplyDeleteone thing i've seen a lot of {though i'm so so so sooooo lazy to do it} is the idea of like 'styling' pictures. you're showcasing one thing, but you kind of decorate the picture area. if that makes sense. i think that could be really cute.
This is a really cool project! Also, not photo-related, but I love all the items you chose for the giveaway. It's a sweet and unique package and hopefully it will make someone's Valentine's extra nice.
ReplyDeleteHi, Stephanie. Feel free to join in anytime.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your feedback. I have heard of styling pictures but I haven't done that yet. I'll have to try it and see how it goes.
Thanks!
i did it! late.. but better late than never? :) http://ckanani.com/blog/something-red
ReplyDeleteThat is such a good idea! The photography box. Does it work well?
ReplyDeleteLoved it! So glad you joined in.
ReplyDeleteMy comments aren't showing up?
ReplyDeleteI liked your red photography post. It was great. The photography box works really well. It keeps things really simple and neutral and was easy to assemble. I'll take a picture of it for you. The only thing is that it is bulky but it could be cut down smaller if needed.