A New Year - a New Project

 

 

Well, well - Happy New Year! Did you make a New Year's resolution? No, neither did I. I only get disappointed when after a few days I abandon the resolution, so it's easiest not to even make one! I have embarked on a new photographic project though - and I can't tell you how pleased the family is about this! I've told them that it won't be as tough as Project365; this one only requires 52 photos - that's easy, right?

So with one day to go before the first deadline, I set about completing the task for week 1. Of course week 1 would be "self-portrait" but I decided to combine an idea for another challenge and create one photo. Some might say that's being lazy, I prefer to think of it as creative! The other challenge's brief was two-fold - "A new beginning" plus "texture".  So with those criteria in mind, I set about capturing the image. Setting up the lights and umbrellas, positioning the camera, taking test shots, then hair and make-up and then at the last minute I decided to change the lens. I swapped the nifty-fifty to the Lensbaby Composer which meant I had to grab a prop to sit where I would be sitting and find the focus spot.  After quite a few attempts and some fine tuning of the lens, I managed to get my eyes tack sharp, which was my aim. I then scoured through my 50's magazines to find an appropriate kitchen shot, in colour - it's wasn't common for magazines to be in full colour then; scanned the image into PS and incorporated that into my photo. I played with the individual curve layers to create a discoloured and retro look, before then scanning in some old and textured paper. I find that scanning rather than photographing the paper yields better results, as you can really bump up the dpi quite a bit. I used 3 of my old papers and applied them in soft light, overlay and multiply at varying opacities. I then added a couple of text layers and added the text, using retro fonts in keeping with the retro theme. Lastly, I felt it still needed a little something so I drew the retro starbursts and created some vignetting. From start to finish it probably took about 4 hours and I probably would have kept fiddling with it, but when you're working to a deadline, there comes a point where you need to stop.

I'll keep you up to date with each week, posting the image and blurb here, as well as posting the image over on Flickr. If you've started a Project52, link to it here, I'd love to follow your progress - and maybe I can link you in the side bar. The best part about the Project52 I'm following is the fact the weekly theme is spelled out for us - yeh! So, here's to 2012 - may you enjoy many creative moments and may you be surrounded by those you love.

2009 Calendar - Fifties Fair candid shots

Looking for a 2009 Calendar with that retro feel? Do you love fashion from the fifties? What about rockabilly? Then this may just be the calendar for you! ;p I've selected some of the images taken at the Fifties Fair from 2008 and with the new calendar functionality on RedBubble, this calendar is now available for sale. Click here to order your copy today!

2009 Calendar - Fifties Fair Candid Shots

Looking for a 2011 Calendar with that retro feel? Do you love fashion from the fifties? What about rockabilly? Then this may just be the calendar for you! ;p I've selected some of the images taken at the Fifties Fair from 2008 and with the new calendar functionality on RedBubble, this calendar is now available for sale. Click here to order your copy today!

Fifties Fair 2008

I've been so excited waiting for the Fifties Fair to roll around again, and the crowds this year were bigger and better than ever.  I haven't seen it so busy, it was amost impossible getting to the market stalls to browse and look at the goodies.  I just hope that it hasn't outgrown it's venue of Rose Seidler House, I'm sure it was an almost capacity crowd on sunday!  The fashion, make-up, shoes, hair - the hair! All gorgeous and so meticulous.  And of course the music - what a stand out!  The highlight?  Well that would have to be seeing the beauty parlour and knowing they hold hair and make-up sessions that transport you back in time - and they're not too far from where I live!  Yippee!  Guess who'll be treating herself to some little make-over magic soon?!  If you'd like to see more images from the day, go to my website and click on Fifties Fair 2008.  I can make the images available for sale through RedBubble for anyone interested.  Enjoy!

 

Fifties Fair 2008 - my late Feature Monday

Yes, I know, it's wednesday and I'm late with my Feature Monday! I have a valid excuse for being late in showing you some fine images - that's because I was busy going through the images I took at sunday's Fifties Fair held at Rose Seidler House! Yeh! I went along and remembered my camera and took along spare batteries (phew!) and best of all plucked up the courage to take some shots of the gorgeous people having fun at the fair! I've uploaded my absolute favourites onto my website and can make copies available for sale through my profile at RedBubble for anyone interested.

I was inspired by the images at the recent Rockabilly exhibition by Steven Siewert, the Sydney Morning Herald photographer and held at the Museum of Sydney. Does he have a rockabilly book out? I so wanted to see more of those images. At least I have a little collection of my own now to view and share.

Along with the the beauty parlour offering 1950's make-overs, the other highlight would have to have been June Dally Watkins telling us all that good manners and good posutre is all you need to get by in this world - bless her little bobby sox!

Feature Monday - Fine Art Photography

The days fly by, the months fly by, our lives fly by if we're not careful. We need to remember to stop and enjoy the views around us and take in the sights and sounds that make up our every day. This week, there's a bit of a mix to my Feature Monday. The first image is by Dana DiPasquale, and maybe because I'm gripped with cold and can dream of nothing nicer than dipping my toes in that glorious golden water she has captured, it certainly holds an attraction to me - and it's surely warmer than where I am at the moment!





Another image that makes me dream of holidays spent in the sun, relaxing and catching up with family and friends - surely a most deliciously exotic location and captured beautifully by lallymac.

And while I'm daydreaming of warmer climes, why not daydream about other times - in this case, the '70's. With retro being all the rage at the moment, how fitting to capture the craze and shoot some simply '70's styled bowls, add some edgey cropping and you have a very hip-an-happening piece of wall art to impress your friends when next they visit! Very cleverly done by Nikki Trexel.

And finally, this image brings me crashing back to earth and what is reality in today's society. You can live in the most modern of societies, but that doesn't prevent parts of society from struggling to function in the way that society would like us to. This image by Rose Atkinson shows just where we as a society have succumbed, that we can simply walk by and carry on as though the crumpled lives sitting or lying propped against the city streets are simply ragged clothes and not fellow human beings.