Something new...

After filling several sketchbook pages and playing around on Photoshop, I've decided to finally put my graphic design skills to use on Etsy.  I am now offering wedding save the dates, invitations, and thank yous.  These are customized digital files that can be printed via an online company (such as MOO or Vistaprint) or at home.  Only one design is available now, but I have several others that will be ready this week (they just need a bit more finessing before they're ready).

 Postcard save the date

A special thanks to photographer Alex Siebenthal, for allowing me to use her images for the samples!

Just a touch of vanity

 

Self-Portrait.  Created in Photoshop incorporating an online photo mosaic tutorial.

This is my most recent class assignment.  I've never really enjoyed creating self-portraits.  (I guess I must be missing that artist gene.)  This one was fairly enjoyable to create, though I never realized how few photos I actually have of myself.

It's a small world after all

 

Hyde Park.  Sydney, Australia.

Tilt-Shift "miniature" created in Photoshop.

Mother of the Missions

"Postcard" of Mission San Diego de Alcala, created using Photoshop.

A brain is a terrible thing to waste

Class assignment, creating a magazine masthead and cover using Photoshop.  

The image is a sculpture I photographed in Sydney, Australia this past June.  Just playing around with adjustment layers and filters created a dynamic image, suitable for a cutting-edge science periodical.

Photoshop Fun Continued...

This is the next incarnation of a previously posted class assignment:

This cute little guy was photographed at the Koala Park Sanctuary in West Pennant Hills, Australia.

Photoshop Fun

The fall semester is underway!

This semester I'm taking a courses in Photoshop and Flash.  I've been a casual PS user for a number of years, but have never taken a class focusing on the software.  The first few assignments have been pretty basic, but still fun and informative.

This week's assignment was to create a texture quilt using the crop tool and upsampling/downsampling techniques.  I opted to use only images from my trip to Sydney:

I really like the concept of this assignment.  It's a unique way to display vacation photos, possibly as a calendar image or thank you card.

The Flash class is a bit more challenging at the moment.  My only exposure to the software was as an animation intern three years ago.  It will be fun to create some basic animations, which I hope to incorporate into some web design ideas I have.  I'm working on an online portfolio to help with my internship/job search.  Fingers crossed I can get it all together (and looking excellent) by January!

Postal Service Fail

I sent some Lomography film to Snapfish a couple weeks ago, and got this back today:

Apparently my roll was damaged in shipping, and could not be developed.  This is partly my fault for not sending the film in it's plastic container (something I debated in my head before sealing the envelope).  However, I'd like to know exactly what the USPS did that shredded the envelope and nearly flattened the film canister.  I've mailed several rolls in these same envelopes with absolutely no trouble.  I'm also pretty sure some of them were not in plastic containers.

I'm a little sad that I've completely lost these photos (a combination of Sydney, the San Diego Fair, and my cousin at the park).  At the same time, I can't count how many times I've ruined my film by accidentally exposing it to light.

Guess I'll just have to reload and try again.

Happy Independence Day!

George Washington Monument from the Potomac River

i ♥ this blog

I have a new favorite blog!  Please check out a girl & her polaroid, and then look around Jen Gotch's website.  I promise you won't be disappointed.  :)

(Photos from a girl & her polaroid)

CA Lomography Fun

Since I don't take my Lomo Action Sampler everywhere I go (a terrible habit I must break!), it sometimes takes awhile before I finish a roll of film. Here are some shots from last year's Orange Country Fair that I just got developed:

SYD Lomography

SYD

Tilt-Shift Revisited

I'm definitely improving!



A view from the Tokyo Tower. Tokyo, Japan (January 2007)




Wild Animal Park. Escondido, CA

Tilt-Shift (1/30/2010)

Tilt-Shift

A friend of mine posted this on her blog a while ago, and I thought it was one of the coolest things I'd ever seen. With a bit of Photoshop tweaking, you can make almost any photograph look like a mini-model, a la the opening credits of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood.

(More photos & instructions here.)

I decided to try it out for myself today, and had some moderate success:




This is my best attempt so far. It was taken from Tokyo Tower in Japan a few years ago. The angle and distance make it a great candidate for this sort of manipulation, but I wish I had a photo taken closer to midday with a clear blue sky (it was pretty hazy that day). I may play around with the saturation a bit more to see if I can compensate for this. I do love how the brake lights on the cars resemble tiny LEDs.




This image was taken in Shibuya, one of the busiest areas Tokyo. The angle isn't ideal (it should really be a downward shot), but I wanted to try anyway because I love the colors. The left half of the photo does look like a model (especially around the tree), and boosting the saturation levels adds to the "fake" look.

I will definitely be scouring my photos for more tilt-shift candidates. I'm also hoping to get some good shots in Vegas next weekend to play with.

One Awesome Road Trip

I've been neglected the blog lately due to my holiday retail job. The money and discount are great, but my art time has taken a bit of a hit. Still, it's nice having some extra moola lining my wallet this time of year.

One of the (many) things I'm saving up for is travel. While I'm primarily saving for some international travel, I love exploring places in the US as well. I've always wanted to visit more of America's National Parks, and photographer Ian Shive's work is definitely inspiring:




I hope to post again tomorrow with a whole mess of updates: sold items, Social Vibe stats, and maybe even a counter update.

Goodbye, Irving Penn

(Photo from Yahoo! News)

Photographer Irving Penn died today at the age of 92.

I was introduced to Penn's work just a few short weeks ago after attending the Small Trades show at The Getty. Penn has since become one of my favorite artists. I've spent countless hours viewing his lovely black and white photos, which range from high fashion couture to everyday laborers.

I've also been inspired by Penn's amazing work ethic. He worked right up until his death, and was constantly in pursuit of the perfect print. Whenever I feel too tired to work on a project, I remind myself that Penn was 92 and still working hard. Certainly a healthy 25-year-old can do the same.

To honor Penn's memory I'm putting his book A Notebook at Random on my "To Read" list (I use the verb "read" a bit loosely here; the book is more visual than textual), and am planning another Getty trip before his show ends in January.


Autumn Distraction #1: The Getty (9/14/09)

Autumn Distraction #1: The Getty

Summer is finally starting to feel like it's over. It's often hard to tell when summer is finished here in Southern California: We don't have the lovely Fall foliage of the north, and the temperature seems to hit ungodly heights even after Labor Day. However, the temperature has begun to drop, and I'm starting to think about packing up my shorts and breaking out the sweaters.

Even with Autumn weather just around the corner, I still find myself being pulled from my work. So instead of the fun summer distractions I shared over the past months, you can look forward to some Fall ones!

First up: I visited The Getty Museum this Saturday for the first time in about five years. Museums are some of my favorite places. I love the quiet, the dim lighting, and the thrill of discovering a "new" artist or art form. This visit introduced me to photographer Irving Penn, who is famous for his work in Vogue magazine.

The Getty exhibition, Irving Penn: Small Trades, focuses on Penn's work during the early 1950s, documenting the uniforms and work tools of skilled tradespeople in London, Paris, and New York. His photographs are visually stunning, but even more special as they capture a moment in time that is nearly lost. Many of the trades depicted in Penn's photos no longer exist in this modern age (milkman, street sweeper, rag and bone man), and many that have endured are slowly dying.

A Parisian Busboy. (Photo from The Getty website.)

I encourage anyone who can make the trip to Los Angeles to check out this exhibit. It is a very beautiful, interesting, and funny show (I would really like to know how Penn found a deep sea diver in NYC...). The exhibit runs until January 10, 2010, and I may even try for a second visit myself!

More Lomography Goodness

More of my Lomo shots, here.

Summer Distraction #4: Orange County Fair

I didn't get to visit the San Diego County Fair* this year, but I did check out the Orange County version. Sure the food, rides, and vendors are all the same, but it didn't feel quite right. It's kind of like a knock-off purse: it looks like the real deal, but you'll always know it's a fake. Still, I had a great time with my friends eating deep-fried everything.

One of my favorite parts of any fair are the rides. I won't actually go on any of them**; I just like the way they look when they're all lit up.






*Formally the Del Mar Fair, as it's always been held at the Del Mar Racetrack. Many San Diegans still refer to it as the Del Mar Fair, and will likely do so for years (I still slip up myself). These are likely the same people who still referred to the stadium as 'Jack Murphy' long after it had been renamed 'Qualcomm.'

**For the record, I love thrill rides. I'm absolutely crazy for roller coasters, and despite a fear of heights, I'll try just about any ride once. The exception to this rule is carnival/fair rides. I outright refuse to put my life in the hands of apathetic carnies by willingly going on a ride that is meant to be assembled and disassembled multiple times.