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When I Look at a Photo

This morning, I grabbed some quick snapshots of the kids playing in their room, and it had me thinking.  What do I want to remember when I look at these photos one day?  What do I want to think about when I see these memories flash before my eyes once more?

I want to remember the exact shade of blue her eyes sparkled when the light caught them.



And I want to remember that fleeting moment before his all-out cheesy grin when I found the corners of my own mouth twitching into a smile.



Editing can be a lot of fun.  Manipulating photos can create beautiful pieces of art.  And I love the many stories that photos can tell.

But the heart and soul of my photography is making life stand still for just a second.  Then, when I look at a photo, I see the captured truth and beauty in that moment...just as it was.

*Julie

Ask the Photographer: Editing Programs

Here's the first of many posts to come in the "Ask the Photographer" category!

I was wondering what programs you use to edit your photos? What would you recommend?

Although most of my personal photos remain unedited, I use several programs to help with the process of editing (and more importantly ORGANIZING) my photos. The answer to that question depends on what sort of editing I am going to do.

For simple editing of my personal photos such as removing red eye, cropping, and straightening photos, I use iPhoto.

The reason I decided to try the program is that it came with my Mac! I'm all about free! I import all my photos through iPhoto, and it's a matter of a few clicks to complete the simple editing jobs. (There's even a few other fun edits that I used more often before I got the other programs).

You can check iPhoto out here: http://www.apple.com/ilife/iphoto/

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When I am working with client photos, I organize and perform nearly all edits in Lightroom.

After a lot of research, I was drawn to the integration of Adobe's programs.  Lightroom is PACKED with features (more than half of which I still don't know how to use).  But, it's a program that makes many editing tasks very easy, and much quicker.  Not only that, but it's a way to organize and manage the photo library.  I'm all about organization!

For more information about Lightroom:  http://www.adobe.com/products/photoshoplightroom/

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When I want to do something beyond the scope of those programs (significant air-brushing, for example), I use Photoshop Elements 9.  

Maybe one day I'll get full Photoshop...but trust me, there are plenty of features in Elements to keep me busy for a while!  I can merge faces, isolate elements of the photos...and in general perform many edits and tasks with this program.  The program works with "layers" which allows for an incredible range of creativity.  There are brushes, templates, and even more that allow for graphic design too!



To investigate Elements 9: http://www.adobe.com/products/photoshopel/

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But, what do I recommend?  I do love all the programs I use, so check them out!

But also consider these software options that are FREE!  I began using all of them before I made the investment in the other titles.  They allowed me to explore what I wanted to do with my photos.  They are powerful and wonderful programs.

The first is Picasa. It's an amazing program that not only categorizes and organizes ALL your photos, but allows you some creativity as well.  I have been using this program since it arrived on the scene a couple years ago.  It's very easy to learn.  I would still be using it, but iPhoto's integration on the Mac is more appealing.  I truly believe there isn't a better option for PC users.

You can find out more about Picasa here: http://picasa.google.com/

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If you've always been interested in Photoshop, consider Paint.NET or GIMP.  They both offer similar features.  They allow you to work with photos in layers, manipulate levels, add graphics and more.  If you end up using the programs, even though they are free, consider donating to the developers.

You can find Paint.NET here: http://www.getpaint.net/
GIMP's resource page is here: http://www.gimp.org/

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Regardless of the program you get, keep your eyes on YouTube.  There are SO many helpful video tutorials to learn how to work your program to its best advantage!  (And it won't cost you anything at all!).

Lastly, remember that fancy editing can fun, but it's even more amazing to just take photos and enjoy the journey!

*Julie

A New Twist on Color Photography!

I receive e-mail updates from Canon, and was taken by surprise by this morning's email.  They are now offering their latest DSLR camera in COLORS!?



Check it out!
http://shop.usa.canon.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/subCategory_10051_10051_-1_41771

Red, Brown, Metallic Gray, and the traditional Black are the options...exclusive to orders directly through Canon's website.

For quite some time, point and shoot cameras have been offered in many colors, so it's not really a brand new concept.  But this camera packs some serious features!

What do you think?  Is your own camera "plain" black or silver?  Or, do you have some color in your camera bag?

My DSLR is black, and my Digital Elph is Silver.  I haven't decided what I think about the colorful options of the bigger camera yet!

I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Happy Father's Day!

On this day, I'm thankful to my Dad for all the wonderful times we have shared! And I am thankful for my husband...who shows me every day what an amazing Dad he is to our three beautiful children.  And most of all, I'm thankful to my Heavenly Father that has blessed me with them!

Over the past months, I've had the privilege of photographing some other wonderful Dads with their children. Here's a brief tribute to some of those dads...and to all the others that aren't pictured!

Happy Father's Day! May all your years with your children young and old be blessed with happiness and smiles!

*Julie

Re-Opening of the Blog!

Hello Everyone!

I'm very excited to share the newly redesigned blog! With this post, I will kick off regular postings on some fun topics, including:

* Reviews, information, and suggestions on cameras and accessories.
* Tips and tricks for taking better photos at home.
* Featured photos from fans.
* Behind the scenes (or lens!) on photo shoots and editing.
* Sneak peeks of current sessions.
* Fun photos and creative inspiration.
* Even more great ideas!

Stay tuned every week to see what's going on with Julie Gayler Photography! You can click "follow" on the lower section of the page to get updates as new posts are released. Or, become a fan of Julie Gayler Photography on Facebook and watch for the link!

In addition to the blog, I have a new website and re-opening specials on the way! Stay tuned for more information...it will all post here!

Thanks for all of your support and e-mails! Remember to send any questions to julie@gaylerphotography.com!

*Julie

Fall Photo Contest Winners

DETAILS:

-The Grand Prize FREE Session will be awarded to the contestant that can travel to the Beaufort, SC area and book a session by October 20, 2011.*

-2nd and 3rd prize winners will receive an email with instructions on how to claim their free 8x10 from Shutterfly.com

If you are a winner and did not receive a message, please e-mail me at julie.gayler@gmail.com.

*(If a grand prize winner is unable to claim their prize, the next entry will be offered the prize, and they will instead receive the 2nd place prize instead).

Thank you to everyone who participated! The photos are beautiful, and I enjoyed all of them! Congratulations to the winners!