For the last 3 years we have gone to this local convention called Syfy Bartow. It's a free event with vendors, food, contests, car shows, and costumes. It's become a family thing. This year my husband and son entered the costume contest as Borg and took home 3rd place! For the last year my husband has worked on these costumes. He fabricated from the ground up between work, over time, travel, home repairs, and day to day family life. He made a lot of items by hand and took parts and pieces and re purposed them. I am very happy for my husband. He had so much fun doing this. He did not expect to place, but looked forward to the fun of cosplay. He and the boy already have plans on next year's costume. My house will go another year full of foam, parts pieces, and the fumes of adhesives. If my family can put up with my passions, I suppose I can put up with theirs. Good job boys, I'm very proud of you.
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It's actually a website with groups. I am in The Lakeland Shooter's Club. Once a month (or more) I get to meet people local to me who share my interest. Sometimes we do a photowalk (it's exactly what it sounds like, walk and take photos) sometimes we have models, and sometimes we shoot each other. I usually learn something when I go. This past meet up was a model one. I typically don't go to those ones (just a preference), but I went to one last weekend because a friend of mine was hosting. I wanted to come and support. I was able to bring a gorgeous model. (See her up there? hehe) You've seen her before if you've follow me at all anywhere on the internet. Our challenge was "One Light Portrait". For some reason (my hosting friend thinks I'm more talented and knowledgeable than I really am) I was assigned to teach...Luckily my buddy, and one of the group organizers, showed up. My buddy, Ken, knows the technical terms, the whys and the hows...Me? I do what looks OK and keep trying till I get it. So....I'm very happy he was there. He taught technique, and the why. He's a natural teacher..I can really only teach the basic exposure triangle to people I talk to on a regular basis. Outside of that I'm not so great. Ken, Dick, Jervaris, Luis, Sheryl, Hanif, and others have become what I consider friends. We get together and do something we are passionate about. We vent our frustrations with the craft, we talk gear, we talk light...It's nice to have something in common with other souls. Something separate from home and work. Browse meetup.com. Search your hobby and interests. You might find people you have something in common. Use good judgement, meet publicly, and just be smart all the way around with it. Still trying to place her? She was my Lady in Pink from October. My hubby was at it again. He made some wicked cool looking guns by modifying Nerf guns. I got some aliens from a couple of Deviant Art artists, a few kids, and borrowed some space from some good friends. . My husband built a Borg costume for the better part of last year for Halloween, and has built another for my son. They are wearing them to the local Sci-fi convention this month. So Sci-fi has been on the TV, and in our conversations for a while now. I just had to get it out of me. I wasn't being creative in the subject at all. Once I decided that was the project I was going to do, I asked around for models. My boss had some kids on hand and they were very willing to participate. This was a very fun project. I can't wait to start another. I actually have something in mind for this month...
I was finally able to go out and really test my new lens. I went to this place called Masons Live. It's on the south side of town right past the small strip mall where Outback is located. I have never been before, heard about it, but never been. My friend and I got there around 7:30. She showed me to the back patio area. We chatted while a band called Smokepoint was setting up. After some loud squealing feed back issues were taken care of...the music poured out. They played covers from Bon Jovi to Journey, to Maroon 5. The singer was animated. He was all over the place. Usually when I shoot music I have seen at least one of the bands before, I know the promoters, or the venue owners or someone. Not last night. Ooooh no, my friend and I didn't know a soul. So I walked through the empty dance/corn hole area to the stage and started snapping away playing with the light. After the first song I walked back to my friend at the bar and my hands were shaking. I was nervous! I realize it was because no one had expected me to be there like the other places/bands I shoot. I was an outsider barging my way in. However, this feeling only lasted about half way through the next song. Then it was time to go inside for a restroom break. I kid you not we pushed the doors open to a room that was nearly empty an hour before and walked right in to the 70s or was it the 60's? Not sure, but that was the vibe I got. For all I know it could have been today's music, but I felt I was in a disco. So....guess what I just had to do... I had to, and as soon as I got up to the stage, the dance floor started filling in behind me with ladies dancing to a single lady anthem they were playing. It was pretty awesome. I found out this band was called Unique. I believe they are from the Tampa area.
There you have it, my little Saturday night adventure at Masons Live Lakeland FL. I got an unexpected two for one performance, a night out with my friend, and some pretty cool shots. Oh, wait, that's my family. My flesh and blood family. Aren't we cute though? There I am on the left, and my handsome boy. Oo la la who's that hunk next to him? That gorgeous girl, that's my daughter. We'll meet all of them another time. Right now I need to talk about the 35mm 1.4 Sigma Art. This was shot at f/1.4; 1/160; ISO 1600 I am very happy with the performance so far. I have wanted a Sigma Art for quite a while now. I was looking at the 35mm, 50mm, and 85mm. I already had the Nikkor 1.8 of the 50mm and 85mm so I went with the 35mm. I heard great things about all three of these, but I heard more about the 35. That was also a prime I didn't have. I do have that focal length with my Tamron 24-70mm, but primes give you more flexibility with aperture and sharpness when shooting wide open. Shot at f/1.6; 1/2000; ISO160 I can not wait to shoot some live music with this lens. So if you're debating on getting a Sigma Art...if you can afford it get it. Choose a focal length you don't have or that maybe you love and sell the other model. I would love to see your shots with any of the Sigma Art series.
Last year was the first year we used a private CPA office instead of a popular nationwide chain to file our taxes. Our guy, let's call him Doug*, did a fine job. It was simple, we met, talked, handed over our paperwork and a few weeks later we got our return. Easy peasy. This year, Doug called my husband giving us a friendly reminder to make an appointment for this year's tax season. My husband, being one that doesn't handle such things, relays the message to me. So, I dropped a short email explaining we are just waiting on some paperwork to come in the mail and we will surely be making our appointment. I mean, last year was so stress free and simple. A couple of hours later I received an email from one of the owners of the firm and his reply surprised me. Apparently Doug no longer works at the firm, and quit suddenly a couple of weeks ago, but not before taking the client list. EEEEK. Doug had been calling all these clients implying he was still with the firm. Not sure if he actually said he was still with them, but he omitted the part about him now being independent or with someone else or whatever the case may be. Now if Mr. Tax Firm* had not emailed me back I wouldn't have known until the day of the appointment. Even then, would Doug have then told us he was now on his own or would he have just told us he was remote? Maybe he hoped we wouldn't question the new location at all. I have no idea. All I know is that he wasn't completely honest with us. He took information, I'm assuming by Mr. Tax Firm's reaction, that he wasn't allowed to have. So now I question Doug's integrity. Which means if given the chance to work with Doug again, I'm not going to trust him with something so important. Something that if done incorrectly or dishonestly could cost me a lot money, time, or worse. Our integrity is a very important thing, that if tainted can change other's view of us. I'd like to think that Doug* had a good reason for leaving the firm, that he was just desperate to have clients this tax season as not to struggle financially himself, and maybe that's the case. Maybe he was done wrong by Mr. Tax Firm, maybe he was underpaid and over worked, maybe he needed to work from home..but because he wasn't forthcoming with the fact he was no longer with The Tax Firm*, and he took information he shouldn't have... I can not trust him to do the right thing when it comes to our taxes.
Stay honest, don't skirt around the truth, and be bold. It's OK to be out on your own, but don't do wrong to others to make it. * Names of the firm and person in question have obviously been changed. Please do not assume otherwise. Whew 2016 is just about over. A lot of stuff happened this year. Celebrity deaths felt on the rise. Personally, we had a lot of home repairs, major ones. Changes in my work, growth, set backs, it's been a year. This year coming up will be about personal and artistic growth and less about making a living out of photography. Way less. I have actually closed my photography business. I still take on jobs from time to time I just no longer try to make a living from it. I like my day job, there is nothing wrong with it. I don't dread going in, I don't take it home. It's steady and comfortable. It gives me the freedom to do what I want. So, here's to a new me, new work, and renewed creativity!
I don't consider myself an incredibly imaginative person. I rarely just "come up with something." I need to be inspired. I started taking from inspiration, like Steampunk, and doing my own thing. Since I have stopped taking on so many client projects I started working on things I wanted to do. My husband has an interesting hobby. He makes things out of foam, modifies toy guns, and does Pepakura . He made the goggles, gun holster and modified guns for this photoshoot. I didn't come up with Steampunk, but I ran with it. It was a blast! Another stylized photoshoot is in the works. We are shooting at the end of January. Can't wait. Guns have been made. Costumes are minimal, and background and edits are being outlined.
I have gotten on my soapbox in the past about loving you for you, and how extreme Photoshop editing set the wrong standards. I've posted videos of a model's transformation from shoot to Photoshop. I roll my eyes when people have come to me asking me to erase all the wrinkles and shave 20lbs (sometimes more eeeek) off of them.
Let me be honest, I retouch and enhance almost every photo I take of people. I push and nudge here and there, slimming their tummy and necks. I've done it to women, men, and teens. Yes, teens. Now let me defend myself. When I edit other people I do what I do to enhance or to get ahead of the request. To allow the people to look past what they don't like and see what they do. If that muffin top is pretty obvious it is ALL THEY SEE. If it's diminished, maybe she'll see that spark in her eyes when she looks at her husband beside her. Maybe with those bags a little less puffy he'll see the smile that drew her in when they met. Those imperfections can stand in the way of loving a photo. So, yes, I try and take those a way. I do believe that we have extreme standards, and I think the media and fashion industry is largely to blame. However, we let them, don't we? Here I am before and after "enhancement." I got rid of some wrinkles, and some fat, and now I like this photo of me. We all have something and it's OK to want to diminish and take away some of what we don't like. Remember though, that supermodels go through way more Photoshop editing than your average person. Don't let the standards of the industry influence what beauty you see within yourself. Now that I think about it...I should have made my nose a little smaller, added some volume to my hair, make my eyes brighter, maybe I could have.... we can go on and on, am I right? I've been taking collectible figures and toys and shooting them to make composites. It's been pretty fun. I retouched her skin,eyes,clothing, the background, lighting, and oo look I added smoke. This has been a fun project for me. The character above, I have never watched the show Kill La Kill, so I've had to ask the owner of this figure several times what her name was (it's Satsuki by the way). Now, this one was my figurine. It's Daryl Dixon from The Walking Dead portrayed by Macfarlane Toys. Before I started adding hair and skin textures I did this one. I used Christmas garland for the grass and stuck a small led keychain light on to a Funko Pop Daryl motorcycle and put it in the background. This shot was done in the dark, with just a flash, while the others were done in complete light with flashes as well. I decided to try the complete Funko Pop toy. I made the eyes in photoshop...still working on that technique as I'm still not completely happy with them.
I love exploring the possibilities. This has been so much fun, I'll have another anime character to shoot this week. I can't wait. |
AuthorAmber Sallot Archives
October 2019
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