Archives For Photoshop

Models Become Even More Unrealistic

Tasra Dawson —  December 19, 2011 — 23 Comments

Literally. Models are now UNREAL.

The latest controversy regarding fashion, photography, photoshop and models starts with popular clothing store H&M. Their new lingerie models are composites: computer generated models that take parts and pieces of mannequins that are then humanized.

To add insult to injury, they shot real models for the campaign just so they could superimpose the human heads on the computer generated body form. I remember watching a documentary about robots with my son where they specifically talk about the problem humans have distinguishing between real and fake when there are “humanized” facial features.

The press officer for H&M says that most of their clothing is now shot on these humanized mannequins with facial models. Even worse, he argues that H&M’s decision to move its modeling away from actual human bodies isn’t irresponsible. “It’s not about ideals or to show off a perfect body… we are doing this to show off the garments,” he stated.

H&M designs a body that can better display clothes made for humans than humans can, then “dresses” it by drawing on its clothes, and digitally pastes on the heads of real women in post-production.

Oh, that’s right. It’s all about selling the clothes that don’t really look the same on a human figure since you’re not actually having humans model the clothing. Not sure how this is that different than selling mascara that plumps the lashes, when you’ve plumped the lashes in Photoshop, not with the product. You are lying to your consumer… okay, that’s not new.

Maybe the problem is that eating disorders, cutting, depression, dieting, and low self esteem are rampant and getting worse. How can anyone not see at least a cursory link between these issues?

Is it just me or does this seem like a bad road to travel down? What message are they sending to consumers if real life models can’t even be trusted to wear the clothes properly?

If you’re a parent, aunt, godparent or friend of a teen girl… PLEASE share this with her. Most teen girls (and women) don’t know what they’re seeing is UNREAL and then judge themselves so harshly when they think they can’t measure up.

Give them the truth and empower them to find their beauty outside societal ideals.

I want to hear your voice… tell me what YOU think!

Want to read more about it?
Check out the articles below or just Google H&M Computer Generated Models.

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Organic Coffee, Dark Chocolate, Cinnamon Sticks: December Daily 2

Tasra Dawson —  December 2, 2011 — Leave a comment

Comfort food at its finest. That’s how I see it. That’s how I captured it. Coffee, chocolate, cinnamon and words.

May not be your typical first thought when thinking of winter comfort food, but I assure you that this combination brings more comfort than you can imagine.

tasramar blog coffee newspaper image 600x399 Organic Coffee, Dark Chocolate, Cinnamon Sticks: December Daily 2

Tell me, friend. What adds comfort, warmth and joy to your life?

On this second day of counting daily December gifts… blessings that sometimes seem to literally fall out of the sky, I’m amazed at the way finding your focus on the little things changes your perspective on the bigger things. Any idea what I’m talking about?

If you missed the first December Daily, make sure to check it out and leave me a note!

Here are a few gifts I counted yesterday and today…

melted marshmallow goodness on top of almost anything

the calming scent of coffee

december daily challenge to remember everyday life

fonts that swirl and twirl in unexpected ways

an empty dirty laundry bag

small warm body cuddled in cozy lap

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Love Reimagined: Wedding Photos Redone

Tasra Dawson —  August 3, 2011 — 3 Comments

Nine years ago, I knew very little about photography and even less about wedding photography. I didn’t know what was possible… and my wedding images reflect that. Or at least they did until I started scanning them and re-imagining them the way I would’ve liked them to be.

Now, I’ve just tried my hand at a few and I have to say that I’m in love all over again. Instead of seeing everything that I’d like to change about the image, I can change it and just enjoy the heart of the photo… my hubby and me.

Are there any images in your library that you could re-imagine and infuse new life?

ron+tasra+walk fb 358x600 Love Reimagined: Wedding Photos Redone

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tasra52 Post Processing Challenge

Tasra Dawson —  September 4, 2010 — 8 Comments

Now that I’ve completed my 365 photography challenge, I’ve decided to take on a weekly post processing challenge. One of my first areas of focus is workflow and keeping track of what I’m doing. Unlike some photographers, I really enjoy the process of post production on my images. Taking an image from pre-visualization to capture to final creative art is a joy for me. Okay, maybe not always, but when I have the time and energy.

However, one of the bad habits I’ve fallen into is not keeping track of the process I use for each of my images. On the positive side, I feel complete freedom to begin with a blank canvas and create whatever I see in my mind’s eye. On the downside, when I create something that I’d like to replicate, I don’t have any record of it. So recreating it requires extra work and a bit of luck. It really only hurts me from a time perspective, but I’d still like to change it.

Ironically, even though I’m committed to the change, when I started post processing images yesterday and today, I forgot.

About halfway through my day today, I remembered and decided to take a screen shot of the image in Photoshop with the actions showing. In truth, I’m not even sure of the best way to keep track of recipes I create for final images.

Got any suggestions or ideas? What do you do?

photoshop postprocess katelyn 700x438 tasra52 Post Processing Challenge

For this image, I used a combination of the following actions:

  • Kubota Image Tools: Edge Burner, Digi Dark
  • Totally Rad Actions: Grandma’s Tap Shoes, Lux (soft)
  • Imagenomic: Portraiture (custom)

Below are the three image stages: raw image, first pass edit, final image.

Is this helpful? What else would you like to see and learn together on this post processing challenge?

post process raw final tasra52 Post Processing Challenge

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Improve Your Photography Workflow with Presets and Actions (198)

Tasra Dawson —  March 17, 2010 — 2 Comments

Workflow? What workflow?

That’s one of the frequent responses I hear from photographers about their editing or processing workflow for images.

tasra365 texture figurine 421x600 Improve Your Photography Workflow with Presets and Actions (198)GIVE ME FREEDOM!
Whether it’s the creative mind that doesn’t want to be boxed in or the artistic spirit that wants creative freedom, a clear streamlined workflow is often the last on the list of skills to acquire.

BUT, as I’ve said for years (even in my book for busy, creative women)… boundaries and borders can enhance rather than detract from our creativity. Finding ways to streamline certain tasks within a creative framework lets us find more time to pursue other projects and ideas.

IMAGE DETAILS
Today’s image is of a figurine I bought for my husband a few years ago. It was a rare find because the coloring of the figures actually could resemble he and I… and that’s a hard thing to find!

I shot the image with my 50 mm lens in a dark room with one light shining to the left of the couple so the background was completely black. From there, I took it into Lightroom to sharpen. Then it was into Photoshop to apply the recipe I created yesterday for my texturized images.

My processing time was significantly reduced. Everything is the same as yesterday except for one of the textures. The benefit is saved time, leaving me more time to finish the tutorial for YOU which I’ll post first thing tomorrow.

GET A WORKFLOW = GET A LIFE
So, where do you think you could create recipes or workflows for aspects of your photography that you do repeatedly? Any recipes or strategies you’re currently using? Please share in the comments… if I get some great ideas, I’ll create a compilation post and list them so we all can learn! Even if you don’t have a workflow now, maybe you can share what areas you’d like to streamline and we can try to find solutions together!

Manual: Page 152
Images: Twitter Tuesday shots from tasra365 photographers

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Stage Fright… All Eyes Are On You (D181)

Tasra Dawson —  February 28, 2010 — 1 Comment

tasra365 stage fright Stage Fright... All Eyes Are On You (D181)Ever feel that way? I do, even though I know it’s not true.

That feeling kept me from taking my camera out of my bag when I attended my first few photography conferences.

That feeling kept me from entering contests I was afraid others would critique and criticize

What does it keep you from doing?

“All the world is a stage…” is a common quote and pretty right on when it comes to the proliferation of social media and online presence. People are watching.

But, what if instead of being afraid, you were inspired and motivated. What if you took any stage fright you have and used it to create better work than you’ve ever created, to take better images, become more disciplined, and be accountable for the change you say you want to have?

All of a sudden, you could take that stage fright and make it work for you, instead of against you.

Just a thought.

Image Specs: Just grabbed a quick shot since I had my camera in my bag… shot with 50 mm lens, ISO 800, enhanced in Photoshop to bring out color of the lights.

Manual: Page  72

Images: Watched tilt-shift video of New York City… amazing! The entire video was like one still after another.

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My Morning Concoction—Organic Cup of Joe (D163)

Tasra Dawson —  February 10, 2010 — 10 Comments

As much as I love a good cup of Starbucks coffee, after reading enough nutrition books and watching a few documentaries, I realized it just wasn’t good for me. So while I refuse to give it up entirely, I decided to find an alternative that would work on a more regular basis. This is what I created…

tasra365 morning coffee My Morning Concoction—Organic Cup of Joe (D163)

The taste is phenomenal and I have the added benefit that I don’t feel guilty drinking it. I start with 1/2 cup organic almond milk (or regular milk if we’re out of the other), then 1 scoop of the Kaffree Roma (caffeine free roasted grains), 1 scoop Organic Cocoa Powder, 1/2 packet Stevia, a dash of cinnamon and cloves. Warm it up piping hot and enjoy!

Simplifying the Image Watermark Process
You may notice a new banner/watermark on the left side of my image. I just received a trial set of the MCP Finish It Action Set, which helps you prepare your photos for the web. I’m thrilled to try it out because I get SO tired of having to manually add a watermark to each image. You may have even noticed that the last month or so I just stopped. It was becoming too much of a time drain and the current version of Lightroom doesn’t do a good job.

I’ll be playing around the next couple days to see what I like best. I’d love to get your input. The program has everything from thin frames to color bars to rounded edges, and each image is automatically sharpened for the web, converted to sRGB for best monitor colors, re-sized to fit a blog, and provides the option to include a logo.

Be Honest
I’d really like your opinion on the first one I tried above. It may be a little big, but I kinda like it too. What are your thoughts? What are you using and what have you seen that you really like? Give me your honest feedback… I can take it!

Manual: Page 76—Shooting Options.

Images: Looked at images by Erin J Saldana and SPA photogs on Facebook.

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Shining Light on the Podcast of Photographers (D157)

Tasra Dawson —  February 4, 2010 — 14 Comments

wheaties fuel Shining Light on the Podcast of Photographers (D157)My husband loves cereal, even more than Jerry Seinfeld. Perhaps that’s why, when I asked him for an idea for my Theme Thursday shot of light today, the first thing that came to his mind was a Wheaties box. That’s right, a Wheaties box. Wheaties currently has a new cereal called Fuel, with half a dozen athletes representing it. Each box features a different athlete’s face, lit by one light on a black background.

With that concept in mind, we did a Google search so I could see what in the world he was talking about. We found a small image that I could use as a jumping off point, then went to work. We enlisted the help of our daughter (a.k.a. reluctant assistant). I can’t imagine why she gets tired when all we do is ask her to hold a light above her head for fifteen minutes. Teens these days. icon smile Shining Light on the Podcast of Photographers (D157)

I had my “model” sit on a stool, put up a black background behind him, and had one video light shining right above. Used my 50 mm lens, camera at ISO 400, 1/100 @ f/1.8. Wanted to drop as much light from the background as possible. In Photoshop, I used the Kubota Action, Tea Stained to match the color on the box.

From there, I decided to have some fun. Instead of copying the Fuel box, I used it as inspiration for my husband’s F-Stop Beyond podcast for photographers. I love The Podcast of Photographers at the top in place of The Breakfast of Champions. So much fun.

ron fstopbeyond 462x600 Shining Light on the Podcast of Photographers (D157)

Here’s my question for you today… are you having fun yet? I think one key way to stay motivated for any 365 project is to try new things, step out of any rut you might have fallen into, and stretch the boundaries. Of course, this challenge is about photography, but once I saw the shot, I just knew I had to take it a step further. How are you challenging yourself to take your photography a step further?

Manual: Page 35—Manual Focus

Images: Looked at images in Bryan Peterson’s Understanding Photography Field Guide.

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D100: How to Take Your Photography Up a Notch

Tasra Dawson —  December 9, 2009 — 7 Comments

We made it this far! Unbelievable.

It’s time to take your photography up a notch. Read on to find out how…

tasra365 chasing sunset D100: How to Take Your Photography Up a Notch
Manual Monday. If you’re not reading your manual every day, I encourage you to at least read it once a week on Monday. The rest of the week you can read other technical books on photography, lighting, etc. But reserve Monday for your manual. If you’re feeling inspired, post an image with something you learned or tried after reading your manual!

Twitter Tuesday. On Tuesday, I’ll retweet anyone who is tweeting their images with the hashtag #tasra365. So make sure to use the hashtag so we can all see your daily images!

Theme Thursday starting tomorrow. Got ideas for themes? Post in the comments and I’ll add them. We’ll see how many tasra365-ers we can get to shoot on the same theme each week. Tomorrow’s theme: Celebrate.

Feature Friday starting this week. I want to feature YOU! Send me your story—long or short. I’ll link back to your work and hopefully get you a few more visitors! I’ll also start going through the list of photogs on the Join Me page too. Make sure your link is on the list!

Today’s image was me literally chasing the sunset. As I was leaving the library tonight I saw these incredible ominous clouds with bold blues and pinks, but the trees were blocking my view. So I hopped in my car and started driving, chasing down those clouds, praying they would stay until I found a clear spot.

I have no idea how long I drove winding down neighborhoods and streets I’d never been down, but finally I found a clearing. That’s when I parked my car and shot this image from my driver’s seat with the window rolled down. It was an exhilerating chase, yet somehow fitting for my 100th image. Have you ever done anything like that?

Specs: Nikon D50, ISO 1600, 50 mm, 1/80 @ f/1.8. Processed in Lightroom to increase black, then added Kubota action Anime Bold CS2 and Dragon Queen to enhance color and soften image.

Manual: Page 72—Naming Folders. I’ve gone through the entire manual now so I’ll be repeating pages. Moving forward, I’ll just list the page and title unless something significant jumps out at me OR when I get a new camera and start all over! Subtle hint to Santa.

Images: Christian del Rosario. One of the Emerging Photographers of the Year from Photofocus. I’m thinking about adding all the links to photographers I’ve discovered during this journey on a separate page. Do you think that would be helpful? Maybe even categorize them. Let me know your thoughts!

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D17: Capturing the Setting Sun

Tasra Dawson —  September 17, 2009 — 8 Comments

tasra365 sunset D17: Capturing the Setting SunThe sun has set on the international video convention in Orlando. This sunset seemed apropos on the last night of the event.

I’m a workshop junkie and love to learn, engage, and be inspired by the other creative professionals pursuing their dreams. One of the many joys of being a published author and speaker is the opportunity to attend conventions and conferences across the country. On Wednesday at 8 am, Ron and I had an amazing room full of video producers eager to learn all about social media and marketing. Then today we were part of a distinguished panel of experts talking about the social media explosion. Had so much fun bantering on stage with the other guests.

But I must admit that by the end of the conference, I’m usually more than ready to head back to the peace and quiet of my own home. I enjoy the routine and familiarity of my own surroundings and look forward to returning every time. Not to mention how much easier it is to be consistent with challenges like this one when your schedule isn’t overloaded and you aren’t dealing with down internet!

(Everything for my daily challenge was completed on time, but this post was late due to internet issues. Processed this photo by sharpening in Adobe Lightroom. Then used Kubota Action—Fuji Snappit to brighten the color. The colors look much brighter in Photoshop before I saved for web. Not sure why they aren’t showing up as brilliant as they were on the blog pic.)

Manual: Read page 41 in the Nikon manual—Exposure. I loved this page! It was all pictures demonstrating how exposure and shutter speed affect aperture. I wish more pages in the manual were like this. I think more people would study their manuals if it was less writing and more images!

Images: Since I didn’t have internet or books, I searched on my computer for professional images to view. Fortunately I found a PDF in my “To Read” folder that I downloaded months ago. It’s from Kevin Kubota called Bring Your Imagery to Life. I browsed through the images and suggestions in that PDF for my viewing today.

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