Week 4 - Scary Legal Issues

     I'm not going to lie; business stuff scares the crap out of me. There are so many different little things to think about and have to remember. It all can be overwhelming. There are contracts, insurance, releases, permits, copyright, and publishing, just to name a few things that make me nervous. I’ve heard that majority of businesses end up going out of business, which so also very intimidating very someone new like myself.
     One of the biggest issues I'm afraid of is taxes and the money side. Each year when tax time comes around I always get nervous. What if I fill wrong and get audited? My parents have gone through so crazy IRS stuff and I see how much that stresses them and I do not want to put myself in that situation. That's why a good accountant is great to have. “If you are operating a business, you need an accountant.” (Best Business Practices for Photographers by John Harrington Pg 155) Numbers always fly over my head anyway so an accountant is extremely important for me personally.  Accountants can save your life by helping you make sure you are making money and not losing or having to owe money. Make sure you keep all your receipts that have anything to do with your business. Stay organized. For me this could a bit crazy. I can hardly keep my room clean; just think of having to keep all recipes and paperwork organized. I think I will have to hire not only an accountant but also a very OCD assistant.

Week 3 Photo Challenge - Action Sport

 

     For this photo challenge we were supposed to capture sport type action like how Bob Badalucco does. I had a hard time thinking of what to do because I don’t know of very many sports that play in January. First couple days I just tried to wander around the park to see if I could find something but no luck. Then my boyfriend told me about this soccer league that his acquaintance’s son plays for. It is called Shining Star and it is a soccer league that helps autistic children interact with one another and get some exercise while still having fun. I decided to tag along and snap some pictures.
     Unfortunately unlike Bob Badalucco most parents didn’t want a stranger taking pictures of their children so I was focused to do an “in the moment” type shot. The team I was cheering for was named The Pumpkin Seeds and are the wearing the orange shirts in my image. Luckily the day I decided to go it was a little overcastted so that made the natural light very soft and diffused making very little harsh shadows.
     For the equipment I used, I just had my Canon XSI with an 18-55mm standard lens. Nothing fancy. Like I said before I wanted to go for that “in the moment” type action shot so I got close to the sideline and followed the action the whole game. I had it in my mind that it was going to be a bright sunny day so I didn’t bother bringing any extra lights but good thing there was a nice quality of light due to the overcast. I did edit my image slightly using Photoshop CS3 (sad I don’t have the new version). I toned down the brightness of their orange shirts and added a little bit more contrast to the overall image.
 

Week 3 - Where are you now and where are you going?

     Where am I and where am I going? That’s a very good question and I’ve been trying to figure it out for sometime now. As of right now I have a somewhat of a good grasp of who I am. I am a young age of 20 (almost 21) and still have a lot to learn. I am currently in school to try and become a well-rounded and more knowledgeable photographer. Since I don’t get many freelance gigs lately I work part time at Old Navy as a sales associate.  I enjoy working there. I have meet several people who are willing to model in my many school assignments.

      Where am I going? In September of 2012 I will (hopefully) be graduating with my Bachelors Degree. Hopefully by then I have a solid entry level position at a local food and commercial photography studio where I can learn more to perfect my craft. However if I don’t get a photography related job right away I do see myself working at Old Navy for at least the couple years just to insure I have a form of income. I do not want to work in retail my whole life though. I love people, don’t get me wrong, but I cannot stand folding and refolding the same shirt over and over again. In a perfect world I see myself assisting for at least 2 or 3 amazing photographer and then after building up clients starting my own studio. Talking to some of my photography teachers here, most of them say that assisting and interning is where you learn the most. In ten years I see myself having my own studio, married, with at least one kid, but of course that’s in a perfect world and we all know this world is far from perfect.

Week 2 Photo Challenge - Crime Scene

     This week the photo challenge was to take a picture of a crime scene. I was actually very excited to do this shoot. I started thinking of different ideas and getting the creative juices flowing. It was kind of scary and morbid how many ideas I came up with and how excited I was to actually do this assignment.

     My original idea was a lot different than the final outcome. I wanted my model to be female and shot in an alley but unfortunately my model cancelled and I was unable to find a new one in the amount of time provided. My other idea was to have a female be the victim of domestic abuse and strangled in the bathroom, but yet again complications occurred and I did not find a big enough location for my idea.

     For my last idea I was thinking of an old crime scene photo that you see in history books. I made my image black and white to get the feel of being old fashion. Plus I also used on camera flash to try and achieve the same quality of light that they had.  I wanted the picture to be in the kitchen as if there was a dispute against husband and wife. I wanted to have a huge puddle of blood on the floor as well but unfortunately the fake blood I was using started to stain so I had to quickly remove it. It wasn't exactly how I pictured it and I would like to change some things but overall I like my image. 
     The equipment I used was simple. I used my boyfriend's Canon 7D with a 50mm f1.8 prime lens. Like I stated earlier, I used on camera flash as well. As for the model, well that is my lovely boyfriend. Unfortunately the fake blood wasn't as washable as I thought it was. He was such a trooper.

Week 1 Photo Challenge - Self Portrait

     Let me start off by saying, I hate self-portraits. I am no Cindy Sherman. I do not like being in front of the camera. I tried to think of how I could take a picture that is reveling enough without showing anything scandalous. Also I started trying to think on how am I supposed to show who I am just with one picture? When I think of an intimate self-portrait I think of something close up and just of your face, so that’s what I did. I also kept my hair messy because that's how I am on everyday. I did my makeup like normal. I didn't do anything special. I wanted to keep my portrait as natural as possible to try and capture me, which is very hard to do.

     I took a picture of myself in the studio with a single strip light from my right side. I wanted to try and achieve a rembrant light pattern because I feel like that lighting pattern is one of the most beautiful. I placed myself in the thirds because that’s where I usually place my portraits.

     I don’t like showing my teeth when I smiled so I gave a simple smile. I believe that you can see the awkwardness on my face. I also edited my image to be sepia toned. I feel like I am a friendly and warm person so having a little bit of color I think it helps a little bit. But I do believe I achieved a nice portrait.

     The equipment I used was just a camera and a flash. I used my Canon XSI with a 35mm portrait lens. Like I stated before I also used one strip light on top of a Speediton 400w flash pointed at me then I also used the same type light on the background.

Week 1 - Haute Couture

     What does haute couture even mean? Haute Couture comes from the French phrase, "high fashion." The word couture means dress-making, sewing, or needlework and the word Haute means elegant or high quality. It's basically highly impractical, completely unaffordable and often unwearable high fashion clothing.

     In the book Best Business Practices for Photographers, John Harrington states, "What you do for your earned revenue is your choice as well. However, over a period of time, what you earn must exceed what it costs to earn it-- not just now, but projected into the future as well". What’s the big deal about haute couture? I think what’s so special is the fact that it’s so different from the norm. The bold color and unique shape is nothing like I’ve ever seen before. It’s like a piece of great art that can be worn (somewhat). Also the materials used in making haute couture are superior. In our 'wear it once, throw it away' society, buying haute couture might be seen by the super-rich as an investment. So not only are haute couture outfits one of a kind but they are expensive.

     Also haute couture sells a dream. Almost everyone I know dream of being rich and famous. Haute couture is known for being expensive and one of a kind. Owning a piece of haute couture would prove that you have money. I guess that’s why they are so appealing.

Week 1 - My Voice

     My name is Allyson Limon and I am based out of Las Vegas, NV. My passion is photography, more specifically food and commercial photography. One of my best hobbies is cooking so loving food and photography for years I naturally turned his lens on food photography. For my work in food photography I use unique and imaginative lighting techniques, both with natural lighting and artificial lights, I create tantalizing works of edible art. My aim is to create the most authentic food photography images as possible. I use the freshest foods from location that are local to get the best result in my image. Currently I am working with on my collection that I’m titling Sinfully Sweet, the name to play off of Las Vegas’ nickname “Sin City”. In the collection I will be using unusual and more gothic type background and take pictures of different types of sweets like cakes, candies, cookies, cupcakes and other delicious I use the same attention to detail, visualization, and planning with my commercial photography.