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Photography in 2016–the new Ricky Tims 52-Week Challenge

November 15th, 2015

Hi all: the best news first:  you can now sign up for this class in its 2016 version at Ricky’s new website https://www.photoclassforyou.com/

Anyway, for about the past half the year, I’ve been sharing each week’s lesson results with you here on my blog. My photography education this year began this way:

In December of last year, I saw Ricky’s post on Facebook announcing a photography challenge for 2015.   I promptly signed up, knowing that I needed the push to learn more about my DSLR and really USE it, since it is heavier and more complicated than my Panasonic SuperZoom.   I’ve always loved photography, and the class also included learning to use Photoshop (PS).  I was a bit leery, since PS used to cost a fortune–like $300+.  But now Adobe sells it as a subscription of $10.54 per month with a free trial month (or is it two?).  So I figured over three years that cost equals each edition of PS but in manageable monthly payments.  Now that I have used it, I wouldn’t be without it.

These mushrooms/toadstools in the yard are HUGE—at least 6 inches across when opened.  They seem to scream “ do NOT eat me!”  Smart sharpen, slight adjust to brighten.

One of my better recent shots.  Right click to see larger. These mushrooms/toadstools in the yard are HUGE—at least 6 inches across when opened. They seem to scream “ do NOT eat me!” Smart sharpen, slight adjust to brighten.

Now you can sign up for NEXT year [2016 R. Tims photo challenge part 1 sign up and info] to take a similar version of this course (Ricky has re-formatted it from 52 weeks in one swoop into a 26 week and two 13 week segments).  He asked for blurbs, I was happy to provide, and I’m so pleased he included my testimonial on his new website for teaching photography.

Right click to see larger.

Right click to see larger.  Here’s that hotlink again to take you to the page pictured above.

Your photography skills—composition, knowing your camera, and processing—will grow exponentially over the course.  Best of all, each lesson’s scope is a do-able “bite-size.”  If you have more time, you can go deeper, learning from fellow students’ work.  Recently, I took my son’s Senior (HS) portrait and the comments were “looks professional!”  That’s thanks to how much I have learned this year.

Here are a couple more of my recent photos that I think represent what I’ve learned.

More autumn decay with blueberry barrens, decaying stone wall and birches in autumn in Maine. The usual edits:  smart sharpen, tiny bit of vibrance, crunching levels.

More autumn decay with blueberry barrens, decaying stone wall and birches in autumn in Maine.
The usual edits: smart sharpen, tiny bit of vibrance, crunching levels.

 

Eli's choice for his yearbook photo.  They also do something utterly cool...see next photo....

Eli’s choice for his yearbook photo. They also do something utterly cool…see next photo….

Foto Friday, Week 44: Panorama

November 13th, 2015

Hi all!  Just a quick post to share last week’s quick effort at our Ricky Tims’ 52-Week Challenge lesson on how to “stitch” together photographs in PhotoShop.   Honestly, the software does all the work.   The photo below was created from five photos taken of the view from our house, then I did a few edits to get the colors captured to equal what it really looked like.

Did the panorama merge. Lightened the very deep shadows on the lawn, the row of scrub along the stone wall and the small woods on the left. Minor enhancements to get it to look more like it really looked to the eye (had to meter for the bright spot in the center) with the low 3 pm-ish afternoon light. This is the view from our house/lawn! We live in a town called Hope (Maine), and in the distance can see the towns of Liberty and Freedom (along with Appleton, Morrill and other spots). On a good night the Milky Way runs over us and is visible. The far ridge is probably 40 miles away to the North. The only drawback is the house faces North, and we have woods on the other three sides, so getting early morning or late afternoon “golden hour” is problematic as the sun is behind the trees or hills. We have wild turkeys, porcupines, skunks, foxes, deer, birds of all sorts, and a sheep farm behind us.

Did the panorama merge. Lightened the very deep shadows on the lawn, the row of scrub along the stone wall and the small woods on the left. Minor enhancements to get it to look more like it really looked to the eye (had to meter for the bright spot in the center) with the low 3 pm-ish afternoon light.
This is the view from our house/lawn! We live in a town called Hope (Maine), and in the distance can see the towns of Liberty and Freedom (along with Appleton, Morrill and other spots). On a good night the Milky Way runs over us and is visible. The far ridge is probably 40 miles away to the North. The only drawback is the house faces North, and we have woods on the other three sides, so getting early morning or late afternoon “golden hour” is problematic as the sun is behind the trees or hills. We have wild turkeys, porcupines, skunks, foxes, deer, birds of all sorts, and a sheep farm behind us.

Since this photo was taken we have had wind and rain and wind, so we are no in the bare, brown and gray phase of the year.

The great news is that Ricky has opened sign-ups for a repeat of the 52-Week Challenge for 2016.  I’ll blog about that in a couple days, but since this is my second post today, I want to take a bit of a breather!

Janome’s 100 Blocks project, Nine Squares

November 13th, 2015

Hi all!  Janome’s 100 blocks project is bubbling along, and today they are featuring my second block as one of today’s two blocks:

Screen Shot 2015-11-13 at 9.40.48 AM

9-Squares Applique block by Sarah Ann Smith

To get a PDF download with the instructions for my 9-squares blocks, click Sarah’s 9-squares block.

I am really enjoying seeing the blocks come to my inbox every day.  Just click on the hotlink in the first sentence and follow the links/instructions to sign up for notifications (optional) or just get to the PDF instructions.

100QuiltBlock

Doesn’t this quilt look fabulous photographed against that colorful wall? My blocks are the first one ( nine circles, Row 1, top left), Row 4 last block (the nine squares), Row 5 (bulls-eye with decorative stitching in the center…will publish next week), Row 6 (last block, wavy inserted skinny strips), Row 7 first block (mini checkerboard) and Row 7 rainbow log cabin in center). I’ll announce each time my patterns post.  Right click to view larger.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Foto Friday, Week 42 (out of order): HDR = High Dynamic Range

November 6th, 2015

To my utter astonishment, our younger son (who at best tolerates grimly my taking photos of him), ASKED me to take a photo–his Senior Yearbook Photo!  Knock me down with a feather!   I had thought he would use his school pictures photo:

Eli's annual school photo. The usual.

Eli’s annual school photo. The usual. Boring.

So while I was at taking the senior/yearbook photo, I knew it would be a crazy-busy week so I took a series of photos to do an assignment called “High Dynamic Range” where you merge 3-5 (or more) photos to account for the fact that there is strong light and strong shadow in one place.

This is the photo I ended up submitting for the class. I is a "merge" of four photos. Can I say Photoshop is remarkable?

This is the photo I ended up submitting for the class. I is a “merge” of four photos. Can I say Photoshop is remarkable?

The above photo is “composed” of these four photos (which despite my attempts to place them are going where they want…sigh):

(c)2015-SarahAnnSmith.com-5895

First image, very over-exposed so you can get detail on the right side

Second image/exposure

Second image/exposure

Third Exposure, darker. Not as blown out on the left, but the right side of his face is hard to see.

Third Exposure, darker. Not as blown out on the left, but the right side of his face is hard to see.

Fourth exposure: right side detail is very hard to see.

Fourth exposure: right side detail is very hard to see.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We decided that as lovely a backdrop as the maple tree was, the light was simply too harsh.  Eli suggested we go down by the arbor/cut-through to the big meadow.  He thought he could lean up against the post and it would look more natural.  Turns out there is too much bittersweet, but the photo turned out great!

Eli selected this shot, which used a fairly shallow depth of field (to blur the background) and was taken from a tripod.  I can confidently say there is NO WAY I could have gotten such a good shot (with minor post-production/editing work) when I began this class in January.   YEAH!  I’m learning!   And Eli is happy.  And will now return to grumbling when I take photos of him.  <<grin!!!!>>>

Eli's choice for his yearbook photo. They also do something utterly cool...see next photo....

Eli’s choice for his yearbook photo. They also do something utterly cool…see next photo….

Happy boy, happy dog!

Happy boy, happy dog!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That’s it for now!

 

Janome’s 100 Blocks in 50 Days project!

October 31st, 2015

Oh what fun!  Janome teamed up with Michael Miller and asked the folks in their Artists/Teachers loaner program as well as staff and educators to make 100 Blocks in 50 Days for a free online quilt project that debuted this past week.  You can sign up for free daily reminders from Janome so you can download PDFs of all the patterns (or just the ones you want).  I had so much fun,  asked if I could make extra blocks (ended up making six), then made doubles of each so I could have my own set, and as you may have read in my lengthy Skyline S7 review (here), made yet another block that will fit with these projects.  I’m sharing that block below (again) since it was at the end of such a long post.  I’ll have five more blocks which I will share as Janome publishes the links to them.  Some are easy peasy, some involve a lot of fun stuff with thread!

Michael Miller and Janome selected a set range of colors from Moda’s unbelievably silky-soft-delectable-heavenly Cotton Couture solids line.   Each participant got fat quarters in each of the colors.  I am planning to make even more blocks, then quilt them up into a wall hanging to use when teaching decorative stitching.   Or just to be pretty and colorful on the wall!

I was thrilled when my embroidered circles was one of the first two blocks featured!    Here’s a picture and a hotlink for the circles block which has the PDF (from Janome’s website):

IMG_6185

Circles block (c) Sarah Ann Smith

The second block I will share with you is an “extra” which came from the Skyline S7 test-drive.  I’m calling it Embroidered Leaves (guess why…duh Sarah!):

Using the built in stitches on the Skyline S7, I made this block.

Using the built in stitches on the Skyline S7, I made this block.

You can find a PDF by clicking on this link or visiting my Resources page (here or use the link on the menu bar above).  Once on the resources page, scroll down to Tutorials and find Embroidered Leaves in alphabetical order.  There’s lots of other fun free stuff there, so browse around!