Dork Moment

“There are three things I have learned never to discuss with people: religion, politics, and the Great Pumpkin.”

―Linus Van Pelt in "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" I really love the seasonal Charlie Brown television specials!  Unfortunately, I missed it this week.  I asked for all of them on DVD for Christmas last year, but no dice.  Just a hint.

When Sleek Swedish Design Meets Sleek American Design

This is what you get.


iMac Computer Desk


Ikea Hacker is a must visit for anyone who loves Ikea.  The ideas submitted go beyond simply following the directions.  The ideas use the basic parts to create the answers to common problems all while keeping good looks in mind.  I am amazed every time I check the page.  

Paper is Beautiful!

I happened across a blot this week, that combines two of my loves...weddings and paper.

Oh So Beautiful Paper-A Celebration of all Things Paper is a blog with a very clear mission. Best of all, it is a great resource for brides looking for something a little different in the world of wedding invitations. The blog has a gallery of real invitations as well as links to invitation designers and printers. I firmly believe that most people don't realize all the options available. OSBP solves that problem.

My favorite real invitation is a story book that contains all the information for the guests. I know the guests who received that book knew that the wedding wasn't to be missed! I can only imagine how amazing the wedding was if the couple put that much thought into the invitation.

Fancy Book Learning...Again!

While I'm not a big fan of traditional education, I do believe learning is important. I spend quite a bit of time at seminars, workshops and conventions. I feel this continuing education is a huge part of my success.

So, Monday, I had the pleasure of attending the WPPI Road Trip in Atlanta. It was a welcome chance to learn more about my business and craft from some amazing photographers. WPPI assembled some of the Who's Who of the photographic world to share their knowledge. I learn so much, and I'm even working on some new products and sessions. Stay tuned!

Best of all, I got to "road trip" with several wonderful Middle Georgia Photographers: Amanda and Jared Lindley, Christina Young, and Jenny Prater.

Special thanks to Jared for his expert driving. The trip home was quite memorable!

Something Very Cool This Way Comes

So, being a photographer makes me keenly interested in all things visual. While not a movie aficionado, I do love great cinematography. It is had to find, but it is so rewarding to watch a movie where as much thought went into the filming as the script. I also enjoy old movies. As many of you know Hitchcock is king.

Well, a very cool one time only event is coming next week. On Wednesday, September 23rd at 7pm, The Wizard of Oz is being shown around the country to commemorate the 70th anniversary. The cool part is that the movie has been completely restored for the Blu-Ray release the following week. The movie has been scanned from the original film, cleaned, and color corrected. It is being said that this version of the movie is better than what most movie-goers saw in 1939.

Locally, the only theater participating is the Galleria Mall Stadium Cinemas in Warner Robins. Click here to buy tickets.

***NOTE***

The first person to email me with the explanation of the title of this blog post wins two tickets to The Wizard of Oz next week. Put "Blog Contest" as the subject of your email.

neal@inwardstudio.com

Social Networking Meets Product Development

Ever had a problem? Ever had a great idea to solve that problem? Ever wondered how to get that idea made?

quirky!

Quirky allows would-be inventors to submit their ideas for consideration. The ideas are then posted for voting. The top ideas go on through evaluation, naming and research. The resulting products are produced and sold on the quirky website.

I discovered quirky because of the Power Curl. The Power Curl organizes your Apple MagSafe cables. For anyone with a recent Apple laptop, this is a problem. Thankfully, someone had a solution and found quirky. There are several other products already available including the DigiDudes and Split Stick.

We Don't Appreciate What We Have Until It Is Gone!

Polaroid announced it would stop producing film early last year. An era came to an end...or did it.

Remaining Polaroid film and cameras are available. Some of it has gotten quite expensive, though. Film that could be found at the drugstore is now available only at special camera shops and online retailers for a premium. There are also new websites dedicated to saving Polaroid. The Impossible Project has even gone as far as to buy some of the equipment from Polaroid and has taken on the task of reinventing "Polaroid" film. Thankfully, this is not the only option.

Unknown to most Americans, Fuji produced instant film in Japan but was unable to sell it in the US. Due to the demise of Polaroid, the Fuji film is now available. Unfortunately, it is not available in the popular 600 or Spectra formats. It is, however, available for professional Polaroid backs as well as Fuji's own line of cameras.

I purchased a Polaroid 600se camera last year and have been experimenting with new options. I'm even working on the idea of offering an original series of Polaroids as part of a special session. If you are interested in being a guinea pig, let me know.

Imaging USA

Simply...

If you want to be a professional photographer or you are already a professional photographer, you are a fool if you don't attend Imaging USA!

Imaging USA is the national convention of the Professional Photographers of America. I have attended each convention for the last 6 years. It has changed my life and been the biggest influence in my career. Each year, a variety of photographers from a variety of disciplines take time to share their expertise with the attendees. Some of the biggest names in the industry teach on subjects from marketing, photography, and digital workflow to name just a few. There is also a huge trade show filled with the latest products all geared towards the professional photographer. Every camera company, studio strobe manufacturer, and Photoshop plugin maker is there. There are also several parties and a featured speaker. Last year, Ann Geddes spoke about her life and career.

Best of all, Imaging USA 2010 will be in Nashville, TN and it only costs $219 for two people if one is a PPA member. Mark your calendars. I look forward to seeing many of you there.

Images From Last Night's Class

Thank you to all who came out last night. Here are some of the images with explanations of what I was doing. I've edited the images slightly, but they are uncropped.

The first shows the concept of subtractive lighting we discussed. The large wall on the left creates the shadow on her right cheek. Also notice the triangle of light on her right cheek.

This image was backlight (notice the highlight on her hair). It also demonstrates the concept of layering elements in your background.

The next three show a variety of settings. The first is taken with no flash. The second adds flash at -1 output. The last was taken with flash set at normal output, but in Program mode instead of Manual.

I'm limited to 5 images, so check the other posts for the other images.

More Images From The Class

So, the first two are examples of my trying to overpower the sun...without success. The first is a more normal exposure with flash. The second was taken at f16 at 1/250 sec with the flash set to +3 output.

The next image was taken with fill flash (-1output). The image after that was taken without flash. While the image was much brighter out of the camera, it is very similar after post processing in Adobe Camera RAW. Also, notice how the colorful bush in the background balances the composition.

Lastly, this image has a very dark background and allows Lacey to become more prominent. Also, the large tree creates an even light for our subject. The texture of the tree is also accentuated by the light of the sun raking across it.

Two Last Images

Because the sun was below the horizon, the girls were able to look in the direction of the sun without squinting. This provided for a soft, flattering light. Also, you can notice the layers of background elements as well.

Last but not least, this is my favorite image. Lacey has and amazing expression and I love the way the bush frames her. It is a very simple image with no flash, but I think it was the most successful of the afternoon.

Don't hesitate to email with any questions.

The Perfect Gift For The Photo Geek

A frame that looks like a window from Photoshop running on a Mac! It is a must have. Click on the title of this post to buy your own.

Should An Artist Be Judged By A Single Work?

Dave Matthew's Band released a new album today. It is titled Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King. Dave recently stated in an interview that if he never records another album, he hopes no one listens to any of his other albums.

What if Picasso was only his blue period? What if Dali was only his surrealist work? (I actually prefer his earlier work.) What if Ansel Adams were only Moonrise, Hernandez?

Art is not a destination. It is a journey. These artists are not great for a single work or even a single collection of works. They are great for their lifetimes of work.

Dave Matthew's Band has created many great albums. They wouldn't be a great band if Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King were there only album. Many bands record a great album. Very few repeat the feat. Even fewer do so as often as DMB.

I wouldn't want to be judged by a single image or even a single album. I have created images that I feel express my view of the world. I have created images that make me very happy. I have not created an image that I would want to define my career. I don't know that I ever will.

Apple on the Cheap-ish

So, as many of you know, I am a fervent Apple Fan Boy. I suffered in the PC world for many years. About 6 years ago, I saw the light. It took time to learn the new system, but I have experienced very few problems and NO viruses. So, that means, I've worked more WITH my computers than ON my computers.

One constant complaint is Apple computers are too expensive. I think one truth is that you will spend more on an Mac. You can buy a cheap PC. You can't buy a cheap Mac....or can you?

I have only purchased one new Mac. It was the first. I still have my first eMac. It works great. It has never been to the shop. It has never had a virus or malware. It is running the latest version of the Mac operating system. Since then, I have either purchased used Macs or refurbished Macs from Apple. Here are the links to my two favorite options.

Apple Refurbished (same warranty as a new Mac)
http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/specialdeals/mac?mco=MTE3NjY

Mac of All Trades (Used Macs-30 day warranty)
https://www.macofalltrades.com/

I hope to receive my 7th Mac today from Mac of All Trades. It is a 1.25GHz PowerMac G4 from 2003. I'll be using it for my new sales system. Best of all......it was $149.99! Even with the upgrades, I spent less than $300 with shipping.

Maybe a Mac is more accessible than you think!

FREE PHOTOGRAPHY CLASS-Take Better Vacation Photos

Thursday, June 25, 2009 6-8pm @ Washington Park

Learn to take better images while on vacation, at a picnic, or just relaxing in the back yard. We'll discuss easy posing and lighting techniques to make your subjects look their best. Proper composition and interesting framing ideas will also be discussed. Whether photographing Angkor Wat or just your kids playing at the beach, this class will allow you to create images that match the beauty and wonder of your memories.

This class is best suited for amateur to advanced amateur photographers, but everyone is welcome.

The class is limited to 20 students, so please email to register. neal@inwardstudio.com

Class will be rescheduled if it rains.

Good for the Soul

For those who have had the distinct pleasure of taking Economics at Mercer from Dr Mounts, the phrase should be familiar. He would often tell my class of the opera being played on public radio on Saturday afternoon eventhough none of us seemed to care. He would finish with "It is good for the soul!"

I never got into opera, but Dr Mounts did explain many wonders of human behavior to me. He also made me realize that there were other pursuits besides academia. I think of him to this day when I take time from my day to enjoy art, music, literature, or any other creative expression. It is good for the soul.

The most recent was the Terracotta Army at the High Museum. The exhibit has closed, but I'm glad I had the opportunity to see it. I was amazed by what a 2000+ year old culture was able to create. Beautiful, intricate jade and bronze pieces along side life-sized clay warriors that have survived to this day.

Which of our creations will survive that long?

FREE Children's Photography Class-Rescheduled

I have rescheduled the FREE Children's Photography Class for June 11th. View the original post for all the details. If you have not previously registered for this class, please call or email to do so.

http://inward-studio.blogspot.com/2009/04/free-childrens-photography-class.html

Tonight's Photography Class Rescheduled

Due to weather, tonight's class is being rescheduled for June 11th from 6-8pm at Washington Park. I'm sorry about the inconvenience. I look forward to seeing you all then.

Only a Few Hours to Help!

I'm scheduled to be "arrested" at 9am tomorrow for MDA. A uniformed officer will be picking me up at the studio. I'll be trying to make my bail while locked up at the Sports Hall of Fame. For those who make a donation before then, I'll be offering a dollar-for-dollar studio credit. This credit is good for new orders before the end of August. The credit can be used for portrait orders, orders from weddings, or even one-on-one photography training. Please take time to visit the link below and make a donation. THANK YOU!

https://www.joinmda.org/macon09/neal/

Wolfram Alpha

Want to know something? Want to know something really useless?

Wofram Alpha might know the answer.

Wolfram is a "computational knowledge engine." It can solve a basic math problem, physics problem, or even answer your geometry homework. It can convert a number into Roman numerals. It can tell you how many Neals are in the world. Enter your birthday and find out about that day in history. You can enter almost anything, and get an answer. It doesn't give you links to pages with answers. It gives you answers.

It is still new, so be kind. Click on the title and see what you can discover.