Well, this is going to be a totally random post, but I think some of you are going to enjoy it anyhow.  About a month ago, I stopped eating meat.  Not for any type of religious or political reason, just as an attempt to be healthier, and for whatever reason I started posting about it on my personal Facebook page.  Turns out, there’s quite a little bit of interest in this subject, so I thought I’d share with you all how things are going.  Especially, since things have become sort of amazing.

To sum it up, here’s a quick synopsis of the last month for me.  It all started around January 10th or so….

Watched Forks over Knives on Netflix.   Pondered my energy levels since having Lyme.  Decided they weren’t where I wanted them to be.  Was inspired to try the whole plant-based-eating thing for a week to see how it went.  Made it about 24 hours before giving in to some yogurt.  Decided to add a little dairy & eggs. After about 48 hours, I began to feel amazing.  Like Super Woman amazing.  My strength, stamina, endurance, mental clarity, and energy level all went shooting through the roof.  Began to wonder if I had accidentally ingested some sort of drug or something (I mean, I’ve never gotten into that whole scene, but from what I’ve seen on TV, people pay a lot of money on the street for this type of high….I’m just sayin’…) because I had so much energy.  Started working out again.  Got on the scale and had lost 5 pounds in a week. Was sleeping better.  Work started to take me half the amount of time it used to.  So, with all this extra energy I decided to redecorate the house (still working on it, but all I can say is being a mom, running a business, volunteering at my kids school, making time for girls nights/date nights/family dinners/play dates/etc. and still finding time to sew curtains and pillows from fabric store remnants takes some energy, gang) and clean out all of my closets and my car and my oven, and well….you get the idea.   It’s as if I cannot find enough things to do.  Started to wonder again if I was somehow ingesting something illegal.  I mean this just does not happen…right?  Skin started to get all glowey.  More workouts.  More work being accomplished in half the amount of time. More decorating, etc. etc.

Basically, if you haven’t figured it out yet, life has gotten sweeter.  I have about 10 times the amount of energy to do all the things I love, and even some of the things I don’t love, than I have ever had before.  I can’t predict the future, but for now, I don’t think I’m going back.  Getting skinnier while eating delicious food while having enough energy to feel like I can move mountains is addictive.  And it’s an addiction I can live with.  Quite happily, as a matter of fact.

Alrighty, I could share about a million little recipes and food tips for anyone thinking of trying this type of thing, even on a limited or part-time basis, but I can’t possibly accomplish all of that in one post.  So, I’m going to just address a few of the questions people have been asking me the most.

Question #1:  How do you get your protein?

Answer #1: Turns out, protein is in quite a bit of things besides meat & dairy.  I do have to be careful to make sure I get enough complete proteins each day, but sofar it has been very easy.  In fact, I’m probably getting more protein now than I did when I was eating meat because I watch it so carefully.  It also turns out that there is a ton of protein in things like whole wheat bread and pasta, which I didn’t realize.

Question #2: How does Ray (my husband) feel about this?  What is he eating and/or are you cooking separate meals for him and your son?

Answer #2: He’s thrilled.  My husband is the healthiest, most disciplined person I know.  He’s completed at least 6 or 7 (I actually lost count…it could be like 10 but he’s not handy for me to ask right this moment…) full marathons, probably about 30 or so half-marathons, numerous tri-athalons, and an Iron-Man Half all in the last 6 years.  His diet (during the week – we both splurge a bit on the weekends) is amazing, and he looks incredible.  His nickname was “Captain America” until that movie came out, which threw the whole thing off.  He still eats meat, mainly at lunch & when we go out to eat, but he is enjoying what I’m coming up with at home.  If he feels he needs a little extra meat, he just throws tuna or something on whatever I make.  So, it works for us.  My son has always been a picky eater, but he has enjoyed eating so many more fruits & veggies lately.  We are still feeding him meat, mainly because we’ve had some issues getting enough calories in him in the past.  When he’s an adult, he can make his own decisions about whether or not he wants to continue eating meat, but for now, we still give it to him.  And dairy too.

Question #3:  Are’nt you hungry all the time?

Answer #3:  No, never.  Which is weird for me because I am a flat-out-hungry girl….always have been.  I absolutely love food, I love to cook, I love to bake and I love to eat.  However, since I’m avoiding processed foods, eating lots of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains my blood sugar levels remain regulated, so I’m just not hungry like I used to be.  The first week, when I was eating mostly just fruits/veggies, I had to actually make sure I was getting at least 1,500 or so calories a day so my body didn’t go into starvation mode.  And I crave fruit/veggies all the time now.  It’s so weird.  My taste buds have changed for the better.  Forks over Knives said that would happen, and it has.

Question #4:  Where are you finding your recipes?

Answer #4:  I love to cook, so most of it I’m just making up as I go along.  Salads are so easy, because you just need a fat and a vinegar/acid to dress almost any salad with, and since I put Avocado in a lot of my salads, the fat part is covered.  Then I just throw on a little fresh lemon juice, and when it hits the avocado, it makes it’s own dressing. It’s awesome (Kale is great like this, btw) and with just a touch of salt and fresh ground pepper, you’re good to go.  I also have found a ton of recipes to try on places like Pinterest and Google.  I’m also very lucky because one of my best friends, who happens to live across the street, is a Vegetarian, so she’s been a great resource.

Question#5:  Do you consider yourself a Vegetarian?

Answer #5:  No, not at all.  I can’t say that I’ll never go back to eating meat, so I don’t want to put myself in that category.   Most vegetarians are very, very disciplined and have heartfelt (wonderful!) reasons for not eating meat (like animal rights or preserving the environment) and honestly, the reasons I’m doing it are more selfish.  I’m doing it for health reasons.  However, I will say that it is going to take a lot to get me to eat meat again.  I just feel like I’m one of those people who is extremely sensitive to the toxins/antibodies/etc. found in so much American meat these days.  I would consider eating it if I knew where the meat had come from, and if it was from a humanely raised animal who had a respectful end of life experience, and if it wasn’t full of hormones and antibodies.  I also may indulge in fish now and then….we live on the Chesapeake Bay for goodness sakes…it’s almost impossible not to.

Question #6:  Are you some sort of Hippie, now?

Answer #6:  Okay, so I just made that one up.  But it’s for all of my friends & family in Texas who think I’ve let go of a few of my fundamentally Texas-ish views and ways since relocating to the ominous East Coast, and who don’t understand why I may never be biting into barbecued brisket again.  I am purely, purely doing this for health reasons (for now at least) and because I don’t want to put antibodies/hormones/toxins into my body unless I absolutely have to.  After going though Lyme last year, my energy levels just weren’t the same.  However, now they are higher than ever.  I’m addicted.  We’ll see how it goes.

I hope you’ve enjoyed my little spiel, and I’d be curious to see if anyone out there has experienced similar results when they stopped eating meat/started eating more of a plant-based diet.  I’ll share some recipes/other stuff in a later post.  But, 1400+ words about why I’m not eating meat is probably more than enough for now.

Until next time, PB

PS: If you haven’t figured it out by now, this post does not contain any Photoshop tips, tricks, or tutorials.  Sorry!  Stay tuned.

Nikon and I have been getting to know one another lately.  It’s been going well.  In this post you heard me tell all about why I switched to the dark side.   Since taking the plunge,  I’ve been practicing, practicing, practicing and I can report that the differences you’ve heard about Nikon & Canon are absolutely true.  I was emailing with a couple photog friends about this the other day, and we’ve all come to the same general conclusions.  Here they are:

1.) Canon’s colors are much more saturated SOOC.  But that’s an easy fix, so it doesn’t bother me at all.  It’s actually sort of cool because I found it harder to get light & vintage-ey looks out of my Canon than I do out of my Nikon.  But, with a little Photoshop work (very little) I can match the color saturation from my Nikon to that of my Canon work pretty easily.

2.) Verdict is still out on overall “sharpness” but the AF is completely different.  I was always a “focus then re-compose” shooter rather than a “utilize the AF points” shooter, and I’m finding this challenging with my Nikon.  However, since there are a zillion or so razor sharp AF points on my Nikon, it’s no biggie.  I just switched how I shoot.

3.) It is incredibly easy to blow out images in Nikon.  Nikon just flat out lets in more light, which I am loving, but it’s true about blow-outs. You’ll hear a lot online about the ISO capabilities, and I’m at the point where I no longer think it’s about the ISO capabilities, but it seems that Nikon & Canon’s ISO’s are just fundamentally different somehow, which changes the overall Camera’s capabilities.   I’m not nearly TWACish enough to be able to tell you how, though.  They are, truly, two different animals.

4.) As a designer, this has been incredibly enlightening.  Literally.  I’m finding that all of my textures, presets, actions, etc. are showing up much lighter and brighter on images that I shot in Nikon vs. images that I shot in Canon.  This is beginning to explain a lot about the mixed reviews you hear online regarding different actions & presets. And it’s  another reason to focus as much as possible on getting your image correct in-camera.

5.) From a students perspective, I’m starting to think that it may be fundamentally essential for workshop instructors to spend some time shooting both.  In fact, SO much makes sense to me now based on both my personal workshop experiences and those that I’ve discussed with my friends – mainly how two different people can have two such different experiences – and I think a lot of it comes down to whether or not the instructor shoots Nikon or Canon.  If I ever decide to teach someday, I am incredibly thankful that I will have shot with Nikon (my Nikon experience will have been extensive at that point….if it ever happens) and Canon.  The differences are huge, and I just don’t see how you can teach photography effectively to an audience of mixed-shooters if you haven’t shot at least a little bit with each.

Alrighty, I told you all I would keep you up to date, so there you have it.  Now, here’s a few practice images on what was, I think, my second non-familyish shoot since the big switch.

This little girl belongs to an artsy Mom-friend of mine who is always up for anything.  Even dragging her daughter out into 40ish degree windy weather.  She was a trooper. I grew up in Texas.  I was stinkin’ cold.  Therefore, I forgot to close my aperture a bit (1.4 caused a few eyes to be out of focus) and I didn’t even bother changing my AF point because my fingers were numb to the bone.  Did I mention we were by the water?  Even colder.  I’m setting up a studio in my garage.  It has been decided.

I really loved how the colors turned out in this one.  I didn’t touch her skin.  I ran her through Lightroom, sharpened her eyes a tad, ran my “Angel Glow” action and multiplied the edges a tad.  Took 5 minutes.

Here I was just playing around with black & white conversion, contrast, and a “High Pass” technique.  Nothing fancy.  Again with the AF spot I was too cold & lazy to change….

The PP on this was incredibly easy.  I ran “Angel Glow” and sharpened her eyes a tad. Painted on a little blur here and there.  One of these days I’ll do a tutorial on blur for you all, but not today.  I’ve got a work-out to get in, a play-date to prepare for and a house to tidy up.   So for now, gang, it’s back to my day job.

Until next time….

xoxo – PB

WARNING!!  IF YOU DO NOT POSSESS A SENSE OF HUMOR OR THE ABILITY TO LAUGH AT YOURSELF, PLEASE DO NOT READ!  THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY IS NOT FOR  YOU!!  YOU WILL FEEL THE NEED TO WASTE PRECIOUS TIME AUTHORING AN EMAIL DETAILING YOUR EXTREME UNHAPPINESS WITH THE GREAT OFFENSES YOU HAVE ENDURED AT THE ‘JUST FOR FUN’ OPINIONS EXPRESSED BELOW!!! ONCE AGAIN, IF YOU ARE JUST NOT MUCH FUN, PLEASE MOVE ON!!  

Alrighty then, now that I have that base covered, we can proceed.  I challenge you all to notice a few of the other personalities that abound within our most interesting of industries.  I’ve even given them little acronyms for your reading pleasure, and if you make it  to the end, you can find my own WACky personal personality mix detailed.

The E.W.A.C. (Established With A Camera)

The EWAC has been in the business a long time, and he is quick to let you know about it.  EWAC’s are a wealth of both knowledge and judgement, almost always own traditional studios, and typically don’t have Facebook pages because they are still skeptical about the whole Facebook thing taking off.  The EWAC  is either a long-standing member or plays a leadership role in every lettered photography organization in the world.  He typically is amused by the MWAC, but doesn’t feel threatened by her, mainly because he knows he is on a higher rung of a much more established food chain.   EWAC’s love admiration, and have worked hard to deserve it.  To identify the local EWAC in your town, find the most exclusive high school, and determine who has had the contract forever on their senior pictures.  Chances are, it’s an EWAC.  What makes EWAC’s awesome:  They are an absolute wealth of knowledge, and they did it the hard way.  They are typically wonderful and professional businesspeople as well.  What they could stand to learn:  Much of their style is dated.  By taking just a few stylistic cues from younger, fresher photographers, they could reach a broader/changing crowd.  Often though, they are too set in their ways to even consider such a notion.  How to spot an EWAC?  They will “test” you by talking about things like “ASA” (instead of ISO) and various film types almost immediately, right after they invite you to come down to their studio.

The T.W.A.C. (Techie With a Camera)

The TWAC was probably at his professional peak within the tech industry during the late 90′s or early 2000′s.  He worked for either an up-and-coming dot.com or as a computer programmer before he got into photography, and is very, very gear oriented.  He’s been in the business for around 10 years.  The TWAC absolutely loves photography boards, but only the ones that the MWAC’s don’t hang out on, and he is completely obsessed with flash.  The TWAC is often easily frustrated by his lack of creative insight, and often “doesn’t get” what makes a photo aesthicically appealing to someone, when it is clearly technically inaccurate to him. There is nobody the TWAC hates more than the MWAC, basically, because he feels she has stolen a lot of his thunder over the last ten years or so, even with her criminally blown highlights.   TWAC’s will talk to you forever about their gear, and are more impressed (naturally) with the technological aspects of their equipment than it’s artistic limits and abilities.  TWAC’s absolutely love things like backgrounds, green screens, Image Stabilization, and wireless triggers.   They never shot in film, and are, of course, very very interested in technical accuracies within a photo.  The carnal sin of the TWAC is displaying a photo with blown highlights, and he will immediately lose respect for anyone who does.  The TWAC also typically hates brightened skin.  What makes a TWAC awesome:  He is ridiculously brilliant in a very particular way, and he is obsessed with accuracy.  One could argue that he is responsible for keeping a generation of photographers honest about what makes an accurately exposed photo accurately exposed.   What TWAC’s could stand to learn:  Art is subjective, and photography is art, and art is risky.  Taking a few creative risks, even at the possibility of blowing a highlight or two, will help him to grow & become more artistic.   How to spot a TWAC?  He will try to bait you into a conversation to determine whether you know the difference between a 32 bit version of Photoshop and a 64 bit version of photoshop, right after he asks about whether or not you got the lens with Image Stabilization.  TWAC’s also love to debate the technological differences between Canon & Nikon, and are often very into photographing cars.

The C.W.A.C. (Creative With A Camera)

The CWAC (Pronounced: “Quack”) is completely obsessed with the artistic elements of a photograph, and significantly less interested in things like technical accuracy.  She values a photograph based on how it makes her “feel” and although she probably won’t say it out loud, considers herself “above” most stylistically traditional forms of composition.  She is slightly detached from the realities of the business (pesky things like bookkeeping and networking) and is much more likely to let “karma” do her marketing for her.  The CWAC often produces very unique images, and her style is continuously changing.   She naturally has a very artistic eye, and doesn’t have to work very hard to create an amazing capture.  She “just sees” things that others don’t, and defines herself by her “gift.”  The CWAC is either tremendously successful or makes about $700 a year off of her photography….there is very little in-between.  She typically has about 20,000 followers on Pinterest, and Although indifferent about it, she is  popular among the MWAC crowd (in fact, many CWACs are former MWAC’s but they refuse to realize it.)  Even the EWAC’s can see her potential, yet everyone agrees that she could benefit from a bit more organization and discipline.  The CWAC is often a trendsetter without trying to be, and gets along quite well with the TWAC crowd.  In fact, highly scientific research has proven that many a successful marriage has formed by partnering the fascinating CWAC with the disciplined TWAC.  When combined, they can make an unstoppable team. The CWAC can be very emotional, sometimes to her detriment, and she values creativity above all else in the photography world.  She does not value things like photography contests, and instead, considers “inspiring others” to be the ultimate prize.  What makes a CWAC awesome?  In case you haven’t figured it out by now, she is incredibly creative, unique, artistic, and is often setting new trends in the photography world.  What a CWAC could stand to learn:  If she could ever learn to acknowledge rules as having value, learning a few of the time-honored laws of the photography and business world could actually improve her work.  She has also got to get organized, or at least hire a bookkeeper and an accountant, or else she could find her sweet-little-self in big trouble with the IRS. How to spot a CWAC: Look to Pinterest, Facebook & the blogosphere.  One thing CWAC’s almost all have in common is that they are cyber-comment generating machines and typically have about 20,000 followers on Pinterest.

The M.W.A.C. (Mom With A Camera)

She is, by far, the most hated individual among a huge portion of the photography world, but she absolutely has no idea why, and quite frankly, she is too busy to care.  She has a blog to update daily with lengthy accountings of what her “Elf on the Shelf” has been up to, she has workshops to teach, and she has camera strap covers to order.  She is typically out to cause no harm, but to the TWAC, she is “destroying the industry” by undercutting the competition and providing (gasp!) devilish digital files to her clientele.  The EWAC doesn’t take her very seriously, and the CWAC is typically indifferent.  The MWAC can be found in all socio-economic levels, and she posts about 7-10 shoots a month on her blog of actual clients, alongside at least 17 posts per month which exclusively feature her own children, each with fluffy descriptions about childhood and love.  The MWAC is often very talented, but doesn’t take things like technical accuracy too seriously, and is a little too quick to define her “own style” in terms like “happy, love-filled, fun, and natural.”  MWACs multiply faster than wet Gremlins, and although they may not be loved by all, there is no doubt that many of their accomplishments (like supporting their household when Dad gets laid off, or funding their child’s college account) are admirably driven by their love of family.  What makes an MWAC awesome:  She is, without a doubt, ambitious and highly competitive among her MWAC counterparts.   She also takes time-management to a whole new level.  While most of her friends are hanging out on Facebook or in Starbucks all day, she heads to a shoot after carpool then comes home to prepare a blog post right before she prepares dinner.  Love her or hate her, she values family above all else, and she is primarily driven by a strong desire to take care of those she loves.  Not exactly a bad attribute in a person.   What an MWAC could stand to learn: Technical accuracy does matter, and it’s something to continually strive for.  Maintaining a fair, but competitive pricing structure for your level of experience and local market is crucial, and intentionally undercutting the establishment is never cool. Don’t print your images at a place like Walmart or Costco, and dissuade your clients from doing it either….there is something just sort of cheap about that.  But I don’t really need to tell you that.   There have been literally volumes of cyber spiel’s, most of which are a little over-dramatic,  written about the wrongs and evils of the MWAC.  How to spot an MWAC: Look for the “About Me” section of her blog.  After an extensive cyber-soliliquy detailing her journey from becoming a mother to starting a business, it will no doubt contain the phrase “I have always had a passion for photography.”

The P.W.A.C.  (Photoshopper with a Camera)

Let me start out by saying that the PWAC is in no way overly concerned with actual photography.  In fact, having a perfectly exposed image straight out of camera would be a bit disappointing to your typical PWAC, because there would be nothing to fix.  PWAC’s are truly amazing creatures who have created their own micro-industry within the photography world which is entirely devoted to post processing.  PWAC’s are typically quite talented in Photoshop and have truly taken post processing – which was once a basic finishing step within the photography world –  and turned it into an upwardly progressing artform in which there is absolutely no room for an image, regardless of a how perfect it’s histogram is, that is straight out of camera .  PWAC’s are best known for creating things like actions, textures, and overlays, and can turn out a Photoshop tutorial and publish it to youtube in less time than it takes you to take down your flash stand.  PWAC’s are equally loved and hated within the industry….many EWAC’s feel they are breeding a generation of fake photographers by providing photo fixes instead of actual photography instruction.  Many Techies feel the looks they create are over-processed and incorrect, yet, by the very nature of the TWAC, most can’t help but be impressed and a bit fascinated by these Photoshop guru’s talents, especially since so much of their work is done within a computer.   What makes a PWAC awesome:  She can take that run down, poorly exposed image you took last week of your dog and turn it into a piece of art suitable for framing using only her computer and her WACOM tablet.  What a PWAC could stand to learn: Photoshop is amazing, but amazing photoshopping skills can never make up for the fundamental rules of photography, and combining the two – great photography & great photoshopping – is something she could stand to spend a little more time doing. How to spot a PWAC: she loves Before & After images almost more than she loves life itself, and fills her blog to the brim with them.

I hope you’ve enjoyed my little editorial bit regarding the various forms of complete WACks who lurk behind a camera these days.  One final thought, in the spirit of being able to happily poke fun at myself, and encouraging others to find the joy in doing the same, I whole heartedly admit that, with the exception of the EWAC,  I am an absolute composite of all the WAC’s listed above, with an approximate breakdown of: 20% MWAC, 30% Complete CWAC, 40% PWAC, and about 10% TWAC, but  the last oe is only out of necessity.  Technology has never been my thing.  The point is, I’m okay with my mix, and you should be too, with whatever WACkiness you call yours.   In the end, it doesn’t really matter exactly who you are in the Photography world, or how you got here.  There isn’t an ideal prototype for “Photographer” just like there isn’t an ideal prototype for any profession in existence.  We are all individual mixes of personality, experience, vision, and fault, and we  can all stand to learn from and be inspired by each other, regardless of personality type.

Until next time, happy photoshopping.  Or picture taking.  Or whatever it is that you do that makes the world lovelier.

XOXO – PB

First of all, let me start by wishing each of you a late Happy New Year!  I hope you all enjoyed the holidays as much as we did.  My big resolution for 2012 is going to be to blog more.  I have such awesome readers so I’m declaring (isn’t that what you’re supposed to do with a resolution?) to blog at least once a week, and I want you all to hold me to it!  To kick the new year off with a bang, I thought I’d share a mega-video tutorial.  I mean, this one has TWO parts.  Wow.  Bigtime.

As always, I have to do my little OCD disclosure prior to releasing any footage into the universe that contains my voice, so here we go:

1.) In the ACR part (first video)  I say that “I always shoot in Auto.”  Please do not send me emails about that.  I do not shoot in Auto, P, AV, or utilize any form of green boxes in any way.  If you do, that’s fine, I’m cool with that.  But I don’t. I shoot in Manual. I meant to say “I  always shoot Auto White Balance” and if you’ve got a problem with the White Balance thing, well then I guess you can go ahead and send me an email about it.

2.)  I know I sort of jump around on both of these videos, but I also think they provide some solid photoshop tips & tricks, or I wouldn’t have created them.  So don’t laugh at them.  Plus, you shouldn’t laugh at people who divulge free Photoshop info.  You should only leave them sweet comments below letting them know how helpful they have been to you.  Hint, hint.

Alrighty, here we go.

Here is the Before image.

Here is the after.

And below are the 2 videos that show you exactly what I did.   The first one shows the slight ACR tweaks I made, and I gotta be honest, it’s not my finest blog-video-graphic production. But if you’re new to ACR (or even Lightroom) you may find it helpful.   The second one is much more Photoshoppy.  It starts in Photoshop CS5 where we left off in the first video (the very average ACR one) and walks you through everything I do, step by step by step by step. The links below will take you straight to the videos.

THIS IS VIDEO #1.  SKIP THIS IF YOU DON’T WANT TO SEE MY VERY BASIC ACR TECHNIQUES.

THIS IS VIDEO #2.  IT WAS RECORDED IN PHOTOSHOP CS5, BUT YOU COULD PROBABLY APPLY THE METHODS TO ELEMENTS AS WELL.

Video number 2  also focuses a lot on skin, and answers the specifics about how I get that “glowey skin” look in some of my images.

While we’re at it, here’s another little tweak I did.  The only thing I changed is the background texture utilizing the methods outlined near the end of Video #2. I just lowered the lightness a bit, and got a completely different look.  Textures are so awesome, and the crazy way I photoshop always allows me to make lots of little tweaks until I achieve just the look I want.  (Note: the image below isn’t featured in the video.  But I just told you exactly what I did, so you should be able to figure it out easy peasily.)

Alrighty gang, look for a few more fun posts coming soon.  Until then, happy photoshopping!

XOXO-PB

I’ve gone back and forth over the last several years about sharing something sort of special with my readers, but today I’ve decided to go ahead and let you all know about it…since after all…most of you are the ones who make it possible.   Since the inception of Patti brown Photography LLC & Kaleidosope  we have made it a point to  religoiously give away 10% of all after-tax profits, every year, to charitable causes.  No matter what.  I think that my first year in the photography business, before Kaleidoscope came to life, I gave away something like $100, because I was so broke.   These days, thanks to my amazing customers, I’m able to give away thousands of dollars annually.  And let me tell you what, friends….it feels absolutely amazing.  And if you haven’t figured it out yet….I’m going to challenge you to do a little somethin’ somethin’ similair.

Whoa. You weren’t expecting that one, were you.  I know, I know….it’s borderline uprightous/preachy/weird/etc. for me to be suggesting such a thing.  In fact, there are going to be a few of you out there who are going to call me out by bringing up the fact that the Bible suggests we give quietly and thereby writing about giving is in effect a sinful thing to do.  Well, save it sister, because I’m here to tell you that after much thought (and prayer) and deliberation, I’ve chosen to shout from the mountaintops how incredibly wonderful and easy it is to get into giving…in sincere hope that I inspire someone out there to do the same thing.  Please keep reading…this isn’t going to be hard, I promise.

Okay, here is the general idea….you pick a percentage.  For us, 10% was a no-brainer because of our faith, but for you that may be too much of a stretch.  If so, start with 5%.     If that is still too tough, consider sponsoring a child for $35 a month or making a loan to a place like Kiva, where you’ve got a really good chance of actually getting 100% of your money back. That, my friends, is likely the very least you can do.  And I’m here to tell you all, if you decide to start to give, you will thank me.  Why?  Because you truly do get back so much more than you give.  Plus,  it gives you super-powers.  It’s amazing.  Allow me to illustrate my point.

There can be a lot of pettiness in this business.  Don’t get me wrong, I love the majority of my photog-peeps to death, and overall, this is an amazing industry. But let’s be honest, there are certain souls out there, who allow their own insecurities and pettiness to infiltrate an otherwise happy industry, and they seem to be working hard at constantly causing controversy.  They can be like a poison…slipping into your consiousness and rocking your confidence with their negativity.   However, if you work to not only work, but also to give…you become completely immune to them.  Instantly.  It is the most amazing thing in the world….all of a sudden, once you start to give, you truly know that you are part of a larger purpose, and  anyone who tries to tear you away from it becomes completely irrelevant.  Therefore, friends, you wind up with a super-power that nobody else has: the rare and magical combination of your unique talent+your unique vision+your unique ability to focus on improving your work in order to ultimately improve the world.  It’s amazing. If you don’t believe me, just try it.  Try it for just one month.  As December comes to a close, determine your monthly profits, and write a check to a charitable organization of your choice,  for roughly 10% of those profits.  If you can, stop and do it right now.  Then, see how you feel.  Chances are you are going to feel incredibly inspired and creative and focused and free.  You will also feel humble and rich all at the same time.  It is a happiness that you will only understand once you do it, and I assure you, not only will it make you become immune to those pesky industry nay-sayers, but it will also infuse a happiness and a joy into your life (and work!) which you have not yet experienced.  And, dear friends, the absolute best part of all, is that you will be able to infuse the joy of giving into your children.  I can’t think of a better present this holiday season.

So, in this season of giving, will you do it?  I mean, today is Christmas Eve people.  What better day of the year to reflect on all that you have, and commit to start a regular program of giving in 2012.  If you have chosen to take action after reading this, please please let me know about it.  I cannot imagine hearing happier news.

On that note, I’ve got a house to clean, a party to prepare for, a few cakes to bake, and…oh yeah…a check to write.  Once again, please consider joining me.

With all of my heart, I thank each of you who have supported me this year either by purchasing Kaleidoscope products, or by just visiting this blog.  May the spirit of giving, truly, fill you all year long.

Blessings & Love – PB

PS – Bonus points to the first person who can let me know which word, that really doesn’t belong on a Christmas card, snuck it’s way onto mine….

I wanted a meaningful & elegant gift to make for my group of mom-friends this year, and was inspired by Pinterest to incorporate something into a glass ornament.  I had a really specific idea in mind, and it turned out well, so I thought I’d share.  I wanted a sort of word circle encased in the ornament, and I wanted the verbiage to be personal and heartfelt.  Since most of my friends are also Air-Force-Wives (btw – most of my friends & I really don’t care for  that term- but it illustrates my point) I wanted something that they could take with them down the road and use in their future homes.  This is what I came up with:

The message on the inside says “May your home always be too small to hold all of your friends” and it actually is printed on both sides of the paper, so you can sort of see the words from all angles, but that’s not clear in this picture.  Of course, you can write whatever you want.  A bible verse, a little Christmas saying, your anniversary, a joke, whatever – make it personal.  I did create mine in photoshop, and used a font called “urania czech”  from Eaglefonts at about 20 point.  If anyone wants the .jpg I used, just email me – I’d be happy to send it to you. I printed it off on BOTH SIDES of a piece of parchment (the parchment is important  to use – otherwise the paper won’t work as well, and it looks much more elegant).  Then, I just cut the paper into little strips with a scrapbook scissors.  If you don’t have one, I got mine at Ben Franklin for about $2.  I worked each strip into each glass ornament so that it sort of cradles and clings in a circle around the  inside, and held either end in place with the little wire bows of the ornament topper thing that you insert into the top.  Then, I added a bow.  For 8 of them, it took about an hour or so, and cost under $20.  They are so much more elegant and pretty in person, I really haven’t done them justice in these images.

They also look really pretty as accents to my tablescape:

Next year, or maybe later this year, I’m going to fill a bowl with them, sans ribbon, and use a different quote or greeting as the verbiage for the inside of each.  I’ll probably also use them as teacher gifts, neighbor gifts, etc.

A couple tips to make it easier:

1.) I purchased a package of bulbs from both Michaels & Ben Franklin.  Don’t ask me why, but the Ben Franklin ones were much easier to work with.  They had less “grip” on the inside.

2.) Make sure you print your message on both sides of the same piece of paper.  You’ll have to mess around with your printer a bit to do this, but it’s pretty easy.  You’ll also need each side to sort of “mirror” the other side.  And use parchment – this makes a big difference.  I bought a whole notepad of it, for about $6, from Ben Franklin, but you can still find it by the sheet at some office supply stores.

3.) If I was to do this again, I would probably put the quote on one side, and then something like “Merry Christmas 2001, Love the Brown Family” on the other side.  I think that would be even sweeter.

4.) This isn’t really for kids.  I didn’t, but I could see someone cutting their fingers a bit on the insides of the glass.  Be careful.

I hope I’ve inspired someone out there to have some fun during their off time!  If so, I’d love to hear from you. Enjoy! – PB

Luckily, the overall switchover hasn’t been quite this dramatic:

It has actually been pretty easy sofar.  But before we get into that, let me explain why I chose to switch, especially since I was absolutely never ever going to.  No matter what.   Not because I have deep loyalty to Canon, but because I sort of hate any type of “band-wagon” which seems to be fueling a lot of switchers lately.  In fact, the only reason I’m writing a blog post about it is because I won’t seem to stop getting emails about why I chose to switch until I do. Apparently, the whole Canon vs. Nikon bit is something people feel quite passionately about.

Not me.  I choose things (cars, computers, washing machines, etc.) based on what works best for achieving the specific goal I want to achieve at the time.  That’s it.  Nothing more.  In fact, this has probably been the least emotional decision I have made since starting my photography business, so if anyone out there takes any type of offense to me joining “the dark side” really, you shouldn’t.  It’s nothing personal whatsoever. Canon is a great company, and may be perfect for you.  But for now, I’m taking darkness out for a spin to see what I can do with it.

Here’s how it started:  I had a very irritating experience with a Canon customer service rep when I contacted them about getting some calibration done.  I immediately thought to myself “this is probably why so many people are switching to Nikon” and I decided to investigate it. I began to google and learned all sorts of interesting things.  And for the record, most Canon CS reps are probably perfectly nice people.  I just happened to get a hold of a cranky one.  That is NOT a good reason (in itself) to switch.  It was just a catalyst.

I began researching and reading blogs/boards/etc. about the big differences people were noticing in Nikon vs. Canon,  particularly regarding Nikon’s ISO capabilities and their Auto-Focus technology.  Then,I began to think about how I shoot.  My style is to typically shoot with a long lens (I prefer at least 100-200mm for portrait work) and I absolutely love to combo a long lens with getting as close to my subject as possible for head shots/portrait work.  If you want to learn why, read this post.  I did notice that my Canon 70-200 was limiting in this aspect (even when switched to the 1.5m focus mode) and there were several blurred shots from several shoots that could have been avoided had it’s capabilities to focus just a little closer at 200mm had been better.

I also realized that the camera I was shooting with (5D Mark II) had great ISO capabilities, but it was limiting compared to what Nikon shooters were capturing, and that is a big deal to me.  Especially since I do a lot of shooting in particularly weird locations that don’t have a lot of light.

So, I thought I’d give Nikon a try.  I didn’t rent, I just went ahead and purchased the D700, Nikon’s version of the 70-200, and the 50mm 1.4.  This was my starter kit.  I purchased from B&H because they have an amazing no-hassle return policy, and I knew I’d be able to tell pretty quickly whether or not Nikon was for me (at least, I knew I’d be able to easily figure it out in under 200 shots – which is the limit you can put on a piece before returning it) and I set aside a couple of days to play with it.

I also knew going in that I was going to loose some money.  I was okay with that.  If you are at a point professionally where money is tighter (been there, done that…) I would not recommend making a switch, because it is costly.  For me though, it was worth it. For now at least.

So why do I like Nikon better?  Very specific reasons that pertain particularly to me, the way I shoot, my style, and how my brain works.  Please, for the love of all things decent, do NOT switch based on my recommendation.  In fact, this isn’t a recommendation at all.  I think Canon will always be the better product for some people.  And who knows, some day, I may even switch back (is it so wrong to love both?) but for now I prefer Nikon.  Here are the aforementioned very specific reasons that very well may only apply to me:

1.) The ergonomics of it.  I absolutely LOVE the way the dials are set up, and how quickly and easily I can change everything from ISO to shutter speed to Aperture without even taking my eye off the eyepiece.  Do not ask me why these ergonomics work better for me.  It is the bizarre and specific way my brain is set up (a brain that, I might add, baffles my husband on a daily basis with it’s inner-workings…) that makes Nikon’s operating system just flow and click.  Pardon the pun.  In fact, although most of you will think this is a bad reason, it is probably what I love the most about it.

2.) The ISO abilities are as amazing as you hear, and the 70-200 really can focus in a much shorter distance from my subject.  LOVE both of these things.  They absolutely apply to the way I shoot.

3.) The auto-focus really is better, and I’m noticing just a tinge of extra sharpness on my 70-200.  This is a big deal to me.

And that, my friends, wraps up the three big reasons I switched!  Now, I’ll share a few things I’ve noticed, and what I’m going to miss about Canon.

1.) Skin tones.  It’s no secret that I like bright, pretty skin and nice, colorful, dark backgrounds.  It’s sort of my thing.  I will miss the skin tones I get from Canon L-glass – they are amazing, and in my opinion, incomparable.  They truly have a “look” of their own, and I can almost immediately tell if someone shoots Canon or Nikon just by the skin tones of their images.  Canon tends to be a little more red, and Nikon tends to be a tad more green (it’s digital people!) but overall, Canon’s skin tones are just gorgeous.  HOWEVER, where I noticed a touch of red in my Canon’s 70-200 skin tones, I’m noticing a touch of…..NOTHING…in my Nikon’s 70-200 skin tones.  They are as near neutral as I have ever seen, and that particular look actually works better with my style than Canon’s slightly-more-reddish tones.  That explanation probably made sense to exactly one person (me) but it’s the only way I know how to try to tell you.  Neither is better in my opinion, but there is a little difference.  And for me, for now, I’m totally okay with the whitish/neutral tones my Nikon provides.  Especially with the 70-200.  Love it.

2.) I prefer Canon’s general build quality, but I prefer the way Nikon makes the little things easier.  Like the snap on/snap off lens caps.  LOVE that.  And the ergonomics, which I mentioned before.  Nikon just seems to be designed a bit on the smarter side.

3.) Not a fan of Nikon’s user manual.  I know that sounds silly, but Canon’s is much more user-friendly.  Which is always a good quality in a user manual.  If I didn’t already know what I was doing, I think Nikon’s manual would be very difficult and confusing.

4.) Brightness/Lightness….oh my.  The rumors are true.  The first shot I did with my Nikon was totally blown out.  I shot 2 ticks over the bar (as I did with my 5D) and it was WAY too bright and overexposed.  There is definitely a (very slight) learning curve here, but it doesn’t take long to master.

5..) Canons colors do seem to come out a little more saturated than Nikon’s do.  To me, this is noticeable.  The exact same actions actually look a little different on shots created with my Nikon than they do on shots created with my Canon – and the “look” is consistent.  This, though, is not a big deal to me, and I’ve been told that with a few White-Balance tricks, this can be overcome easily.

As far as the overall cost of switching, it really wasn’t that bad.  I’m going to add two more lenses and flashes to my “Nikon starter kit” as soon as the holidays are over, and I have some time to devote to new camera equipment.  I expect, when it is all said and done, that there will be a roughly $2,000 – $3,000 difference overall…that is IF I’m replacing every single item – piece for piece.  I’m lucky, most of my equipment sold right away and with little hassle.  In fact, there are only two pieces left which will find their way to ebay next week.

Alrighty, gang – that about wraps it up!  As a disclaimer, I know my readers are smart people, but my lawyer has asked I remind you all that I claim absolutely no liability whatsoever for any decision you make regarding camera system choices, I endorse neither Nikon or Canon, and that I am not responsible for the decisions you make.  He words it much more eloquently than I do, but you get the gist.

Oh, and a tip:  If you are going to switch systems, wait until after Christmas.  The lines at UPS are sure to be shorter.

Hope you’re having a great holiday season!

Until next time-

PB

]]> http://www.pattibrownblog.com/its-just-been-us-lately/feed/ 6 http://www.pattibrownblog.com/canon-gear-for-sale/ http://www.pattibrownblog.com/canon-gear-for-sale/#comments Thu, 01 Dec 2011 18:01:45 +0000 Patti http://www.pattibrownblog.com/?p=2485 Alrighty gang, here is the post you’ve been waiting for…

I’m switching to Nikon.  Per several requests,  I am going to prepare a full post later as to why.  I thought I was going to be so practical about this, but it turns out that I am actually getting a little sentimental as I prepare all of my Canon gear for sale.  There are absolutely some things I’m going to miss about Canon, but for me it turns out (and the reasons are very weird and specific to me…I’ll share in my post) that for now at least, Nikon is a better choice.  So, before we get started, here is what you need to know about my gear:

PLEASE READ EVERYTHING BELOW!  I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR YOU DECIDING NOT TO READ SOMETHING.  I’VE GOT MY CAPS LOCK ON, PEOPLE.  SO YOU KNOW I MEAN BUSINESS!!!!

**I am the original owner of everything listed.  None of it was purchased used.

**All of it is in great condition.  I don’t shoot like a madwoman, so some of it is barely used at all.   All gear, both cameras and lenses, shoot just fine.  Nothing has been recently calibrated.

**I researched pricing by typing in each piece of equipment, and determined what they are being sold for (used – similar condition, etc.) on Amazon.  Then, I went a bit lower than the lowest.  It wasn’t very scientific, but it was quick & easy.

**You will pay for shipping and all purchases will be final.  I ship UPS ground, and typically an item will go out on the next business day.   You will pay actual shipping – no markups -and I’m going to insist on insurance.   Items will all be professionally packaged  by my friendly local UPS shipping place.  Payments will be accepted via paypal or with your credit card via paypal.  I will send you an invoice, and you have 24 hours to pay it before I offer your selected item to the next interested party.  That is the fairest way I know how to do it.

**Items will be sold on a “First Come/First Serve” basis, and local residents will receive priority consideration since shipping isn’t an issue. If you are not local,  I will accept offers by order of which they are received in my inbox.  If you are local (Hampton Roads Resident), you’re welcome to come and check anything out ahead of time at a mutually agreed upon time.  However, if you’re not able to examine the equipment before I accept another offer, I am not responsible for that.

**I will only accept offers emailed, not Facebooked.  If you have questions, I’ll answer them as quickly as possible.  I am only entertaining full price offers at this time.

Please email patti@pattibrownphotography.com with questions or offers.  Offers will be accepted in the order in which they are received.  Once you have offered to buy a piece, I will send you a paypal invoice, and you will have 24 hours to pay it.  If you do not pay it within 24 hours, I will accept the next offer.    Shipping will be paid by buyer and will initially be billed between $30-$60 per piece.  I will refund you the difference in the actual shipping amount.  Will be shipped via UPS ground.  Thanks eversomuch!!

Okay, here is the gear:

Canon EOS 5D Body Only:  Great condition, has original packaging but there are a few random cords that I’m not sure what they are for.  Extra (generic brand but works just fine) battery included.  Charger & all the other little things that came originally also included.  Manual is there too, but is dog eared in quite a few spots.  $1,000

Canon 16 -35 L-Series II 16-35mm 2.8 lens: Awesome lens, great shape, has seen light use.  Original packaging, hood, manual included. $1,100

SOLD! Canon 530 EXII Flash:  This has maybe been fired 50-75 times since I rarely use flash.  Doesn’t have original packaging and all the little flash stand plastic things that were thrown in there (which I never use), does have case & manual. Perfect for anyone using OCF.  $325

SOLD! Canon 430 EX Flash:  Just like the other one, this has seen light use.  I’ve maybe fired it 50-75 times.  Doesn’t  have original packaging or the little plastic things that come with it (which I never use), does have case & manual. Works great with light stand, ideal for anyone using or getting into OCF

SOLD! Canon 100mm 2.0 Telephoto: My favorite lens.  Used it in place of an 85mm, and love the extra 15mm of background blur it gives.  I don’t have the original packaging.  $300.

SOLD! Pocket Wizards Mini TT1 Transmitter:  Barely Used, original packaging. $100

SOLD! Pocket Wizard Flex TT5 Transceiver:  Barely Used, includes ACF Soft Shield. $150

SOLD! Canon EOS 5D Mark II Body Only: Great condition, but I lost the packaging in a move.  I’ll pack it up all safe & nicely for you though.  Battery & Charger included.  Has a generic replacement body cap (body cap does not say “Canon” on it) because I lost the original.  Manual, strap, and all that included.  Not sure if I have all the miscellaneous cords that Canon likes to include with everything. $1,800

SOLD! Canon L-Series 70-200mm 2.8 IS lens:  The Image Stabilization on this is amazing.  Great shape.  Original packaging, lens case, hood, manual all included.  One of my favorite lenses. $1,500

SOLD! Canon L-Series 24-70mm 2.8 lens: Great Shape.  Probably my personal least used lens, but it’s very popular.  Near perfect condition – shoots like a champ.  Original packaging, hood, manual, all included. $1,000.

SOLD! Canon 50mm 1.4 lens – Nearly New.  Amazing shape. Bought this earlier in 2011 for travel purposes, and have only used it a couple of times. Original packaging & instructions.  $300

It’s Black Friday!   I’m bundled up with my fuzzy socks cozily watching all of you crazy people on the news who have been shopping since midnight.  Man, you all are committed.   I mean it.  I don’t get it…never have…but I’ve got to give you credit: you all are some impressive folks.  I have a sister-in-law who, every year, comes home with tales of the most amazing deals I’ve ever heard of, a precise accounting of what she got and what she didn’t get, and a proud grin that would put the Cheshire cat to shame.  Me?  I take one look at the book I’m currently reading and typically decide I’d rather bond with it instead of with a retail outlet of any sorts.  The only mall I’ll be visiting for the next  month (God-willing!) is the laptop variety with an apple on the front.

However, you shopping warriors have my respect.  You do. I just want to make absolutely certain you are aware of a place I like to hang out called Amazon.  It’s amazing.  No lines or anything.  I’m just sayin….

Alrighty, onto the Kaleidoscope coupon code, since I know you wouldn’t be reading this far into a post while there are malls still open and trees to decorate unless you had a good reason….  It’s: cyber11 and it’s good through Wednesday night.  It will get you 30% off, your entire cart and it will be the last sale of the year, so take advantage!  And you didn’t even have to get up early or stand in line.  Check that out.

I also want to go ahead and issue a warning to my readers:  this is the time of year where I focus significantly less on work and significantly more on my faith, my family and giving back.  I’m going to share a few things with you during this season, but I’m letting you know now, it can get pretty sappy.  Christmas and the Advent season are an extremely sacred time for my family.  Last year at this time we were prepping for what turned out to be the trip of a lifetime (my lifetime at least) and although it was amazing, I’ve gotta admit, I’m looking forward to a holiday at home this year.  So you all watch out!! I’ve got a camera, a blog, and a sweet little audience….who knows what I’m bound to be posting.

For More preset goodness, and to read tester raves, check out this post.

I really think you are going to love this collection, and as always, I’m so proud to be able to bring them to you at an amazing price!  Storyteller’s is just $69 for either ACR/Lightroom and $89 for the bundled set of both. Storyteller’s contains over 60 original presets & 15 posts.   You can purchase below, or by visiting the Kaleidoscope Website.  Please note, I strongly recommend you read the “How to Install Presets” tutorial by clicking on the “Tutorials” tab under the “Kaleidoscope” section of this blog.  There are also video tutorials here  demonstrating how I install presets (for both Mac’s & PC’s)  and a new video demonstration of my entire Lightroom workflow.  It shows how easy it is to quickly & easily sort & process RAW files.

Once again, please make sure you are comfortable installing presets prior to purchase.  If not, view the above mentioned sources to identify the installation path, and watch the videos – they are very helpful.  Although I will help you as much as possible with any questions you have, once you’ve purchased a digital product, the sale is final.

Since this is Kaleidoscope, we always celebrate a big launch with a big discount!  Although I have always strived to deliver unique, high quality products at an amazing price, sale time makes everything about Kaleidoscope even more amazing!  So take advantage!!  Now, through November 25th, use the code: story to receive 25% off your entire purchase.  That means textures and overlays too!

Kaleidoscope Storyteller’s Collection Presets for Lightroom………$69  

Kaleidoscope Storyteller’s Collection Presets for ACR…………….$69

Kaleidoscope Storyteller’s Collection Lightroom/ACR Bundle ………$89

As always, please email me with any questions prior to purchasing.  Per industry standard, all digital downloads are non-refundable, so it’s best to ask questions before purchasing.  Again, these are for Lightroom & ACR RAW file users only, they are not recommended for .JPG shooters.  Based on overall response, I’ll consider releasing a set for .JPG shooters early next year.

Well, thanks so much gang!  I have truly put my heart and soul into this collection, and I’m not sure you’ll find another one out there quite like it!  Thanks so much for taking a moment to check these out.  I sincerely appreciate it, and I hope you all are having a wonderful season!

Until next time – PB