Cinemagraph
Have you ever seen Harry Potter? Do you know those moving portraits and paintings that line the hallways and staircases of Hogwarts – those have always fascinated me. Maybe it’s because I have a love for all things British or because Harry Potter is the best thing to happen to movies in literature in a long time, but when I heard that we were going to be doing a cinemagraph (which is essentially a Harry Potter moving picture), I was VERY excited. And in my usual fashion, I decided that I must do my cinemagraph in typical British fashion. So here is my Downton Abbey inspired cinemagraph.
The gist of how to make a cinemagraph is actually quite easy – take a video of a continuous or looping motion and in Photoshop, mask out the areas of the video that you don’t want to move. It takes some precision and exactness when it comes to masking out the area, but it is so rewarding when its done! I love the simplicity of the motion, so I decided to have just a small simple earring moving to draw attention in a subtle way – you almost don’t notice it right away, and that’s what I love about a cinemagraph!
(click on the picture to open for animation)
To see another Downton Abbey inspired cinemagraph, check out my talented friend Erica White’s version here!
And of course, what would a British inspired creative project be without another of my favorite British films, Harry Potter? Daily Prophet inspired, of course!
(click on the picture for animation)
Covington Wedding
If there is one thing that I think I love photographing the most, its weddings. It’s a day full of hustle and bustle and pure happiness that makes my job so much more exhilarating and fun! As I’ve been emerging into the wedding photography business, I’ve had more fun getting to spend time with my clients on their special day, and I think I’ve got to be honest when I say that the Covington’s were my absolute favorite! These two were so full of love and fun, it wasn’t hard to waste away the day shooting their new marriage. It was a beautiful day at the Salt Lake Temple for any wedding, but this one had to have been the best – thanks for letting me share your day with you Katie and Ashton!
Katie and Ashton – Bridals
These bridals were absolutely wonderful! Tibble Fork Canyon was absolutely beautiful this time of year and the lighting and green trees made for the most serene feel. Being with Katie and Ashton a week before their wedding was an exciting feel and it definitely made for some wonderful pictures! Isn’t Utah just the best place for bridals??
Group Portraits
Group portraits always have a fun feel to them, whether its family pictures, school dance pictures, or just friends posing together. I always have a fun time shooting groups and pairs, and when we were at the Sky Mountain Lodge, it was even more fun to capture my fellow photographers and friends.
Graduate Portraits
The best thing about taking portraits for people is that its usually during a time of their life that is exciting – and that’s true of graduates and senior pictures! Graduate photos is a growing market in the photography industry and utilizing all different types of lighting and poses for graduate portrait photography is an important key skill that I’ve learned. Having a sharp focus and a focus that draws the right attention to the subject is always essential, so a shallow depth of field with a fast shutter speed is important. I’ve been experimenting with using a f/2.8 to create a shallow depth of field and it’s been really fun to see how they turn out. Graduates and seniors are one of my favorite things to photograph because of the variety and energy – I hope you can tell!
With Speedlight Flash
Studio Lighting Portraits
Using studio quality lighting can transform a portrait and take it to the next level! For most of my photography career and experience, I have been what I would call a ‘natural light snob’, only accepting photos and clients that were natural light. While we were in the Sky Mountain Lodge, we got the chance to try some high quality professional studio lighting that were provided to us and it definitely changed my opinion of portraits that are taken with studio lighting. These lights give the ability to creating lighting patterns that you want, give a soft light, and brighten any area that you use. With a higher aperture, fast shutter speed, and low ISO, it can create a perfect mix for a beautiful studio lighting portrait!
