"because you're worth it" (as my mum would say) ...

At the start of June i put my prices up, something i a hard time doing. Thankfully i have some wonderful friends who helped me with this process & some equally fabulous clients who aren't deterred. But when you work in a community where there seems to be "photographers" popping up left, right & center & offering to do shoots for $50 with all the images on a disc it's hard to feel confident in your prices even though you know the product you are offering is worth it. 

Well today i was finally catching up on some blog reading ... I love hearing others talk about their passions be it photography or not, & share the things they see & learn on a daily basis. Well one such blog i have come to enjoy is "Mom's with Cameras" & does "exactly what it says on the tin" (if you're not english you might not get that but basically it's blog for mom's who take pictures).  But a few days ago they posted a wonderful blog called "value vs. price" & it couldn't be more appropriate for how i'm feeling right now.

"My clients choose to commission me to photograph their children because they recognize that the portrait art I offer is valuable to them . . . priceless, even. These images and the experience I provide are not something they can get elsewhere and they feel that the dollar amount I price my work at is worth the investment. Determine what your art is worth . . . what it’s value is to your client. Then price it accordingly and do so confidently."

Thank you to Emily for writing such a fabulous post & reminding me of the things i know even when i feel frustrated & i'm left wondering if i made the right choice. You can't put a price on the memories we preserve with the click of a shutter. 

the website ...

For a long time i've owned my web domain but it's sat dormant as i paid money for it. Well finally i got my lazy ass in gear & with a little help from a friend & a template from bludomain, i got it up & running. I really have no excuse for not getting this done sooner but i have no understanding of how code works & well i just kept putting it off & putting it off. Anyways it's finally up & running & whilst it still needs work i am happy with how it looks. 

www.lovelaughbelieve.com

playing catch up ...

So it's been a while ... i suppose i have a pretty good excuse but i've kinda missed you guys. I like blogging, sharing my world with you & introducing you to all kinds of pretties. But first we need play catch up ... share with you some of the goings on. & yes i'm totally starting with some new pictures of my son ... he's now almost 3 months old & growing & changing & developing & it's amazing to see. Anyways for those who haven't met him here is my pride & joy ... best thing i've ever done (& if you want to see more from the beginning you can click on the link)! 

Maeve Magazine ...

So i can't lie ... 2011 has pretty much rocked so far (as you well know) & here is another reason why i am loving it ... Maeve magazine, Issue 4, Winter 2011 ... 

... & if we turn to page 206 ...

Adobe Photoshop Elements 9

One of the questions i get asked a lot is what software do i use & what do i recommend for post processing? Well i use Adobe Lightroom & Photoshop CS4, great products but not the cheapest & not the best option for many aspiring photographers or individuals looking for something a little more basic. Well Adobe also has Elements, a much more basic software package that retails at $100 (as opposed to the $100’s photoshop goes for). Well having never used Elements myself it’s hard to truly recommend it as a cheaper alternative software package but recently i came across an article in Photo Life highlighting the pros of Adobe Photoshop Elements 9 which i wanted to share with you. 

Firstly Elements 9 does come with basic cataloging system (similar to Adobe Bridge & Lightroom) which if working on a Mac can be linked into your iPhoto libraries. It allows for the creation of albums using keywords & rankings as well as basic colour & tonal adjustments outside of the main editor though they’re automated so for more customization opening the editor is required. There is also a Raw-file convertor that whilst it lacks the range of controls as CS4 it does again include the basic panel for colour & tonal corrections.

Newly introduced to Elements are layer masks which allow for precision control over specific areas & the curves tool though it only allows for work in RGB (& not the individual channels) & is limited to 3 control points. In comparison to CS4 this looks limiting but in reality it’s enough to get the job done well. 

As well as the above introductions Elements now comes with adjustment layers that work pretty much the same as in CS4 (you are required to work in 8-bit mode & they have less layer types to choose from), allowing you to make non-destructive changes to an image & have greater interactivity with the adjustment tool. This is something i use constantly within CS4 so i can tweak the various layers at any given time looking to get that perfect image & should i choose i can simple delete a layer returning to the original unaltered image. 

Elements 9 also comes with “smart fill” allowing for the removal of distracting elements from an image & patching the void seamlessly (though you shouldn’t require this if you got the composition right in the camera) as well as applying it to stitched panoramas. 

Lastly Elements comes with “Guided Edits” to help you with your post processing. Perfect for those looking to learn about the various tools available, basic editing techniques & some more advanced processes all with step-by-step instructions. 

Overall Adobe Photoshop Elements 9 is putting itself out there as the perfect package for those looking to do more than simple push a button & see the results. It requires interaction from you the photographer without throwing out too much technical stuff & seems like a great starter package. Not to mention the wonderful price! As i said i have yet to use it so any feedback from those who use this software would be gratefully appreciated. 

it's the simple thing's in life that make me happy ...

watching the faces Jacob makes ... 

next has finally made it to the US (gets a whoop whoop happy dance) ...

updating ooh pretty shiny ... & love.laugh.believe ...

you see i see "the book" ... 

3 miles on the elliptical!! 

happy mothers day ...

"Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body." 

~ Elizabeth Stone