Dramatic B&W [ Week 13 - I heart faces challenge ]

This is Elizabeth and Justin. I choose this photo for this week's I heart faces challenge.(http://www.iheartfaces.com/) I think it's dramatic on it's own, fresh out of the camera. From the way he's holding her so tight, to the look on his face, to the tattoos that seem to fit perfectly together when he's holding her that way. My first edit of one of these shots from this session I decided to do in color. I liked the vibrant colors of the tattoos, so I thought it was important to show that in the image. When I saw this week's challenge my mind went back to this photo, and I thought maybe just maybe it would be even MORE powerful in just black and white. and I think I was right:) I really love this image in black and white, with the dramatic lines. I feel like it draws you into the moment more, the heart and soul of the moment. Oh how I love shooting people in LOVE! This is my first I heart faces challenge, but I look foward to more! This was fun! and I'm all about finding ways to learn more about myself as an artist. Sometimes doing things from another perspective, or a diffferent point of view can really inspire new internal growth. We can learn so much from each other, if we just open up our minds, the possibilities are endless.

Carrie

It's the MOON!!! [ Cocoa Beach Photography ]

Jackson decided he wanted to go out back and fish after dinner tonight. and when I walked outside and saw the moon and knew I need to go grab my camera and test out the new zoom lens my Dad got me for my birthday a few weeks back.

I was on a mission. As Jackson played with his superman fishing poll I decided it was time to get a "moon shot." Now this may not seem like a very big deal to most, but I have been wanting to get a cool photo of the moon for SOOOOO LOOOOONG! and without a zoom lens it's near impossible to get a good shot of it. or at least it was for me. Everytime I tried in the past when I just had my Rebel and the stock lens, the moon just looked like a little white dot. very disappointing. especially because I would be out on a beautiful night like this, and not being able to capture it!! that just drove me crazy!!! so I am VERY happy to announce, I took my first good photograph of the moon. drumroll................and here it is in all it's glory. [now before you look] I KNOW there are WAY better photos out there, and photographers with lenses a BILLION times better than the one I used to shoot these. but for me, these are great. and it's a small victory for me in my journey with photography.

and I thought the moonlight on the water was beautiful as well. there's just something about it that draws me in.

So, maybe not the best moon photos in the world, but the best ones this girl right here has ever taken! So here's to not giving up just because you don't get it right the first time.

Keep trying, don't ever accept no for an answer when it comes to going after your dreams, it may take a little time, but eventually if you keep moving forward you can reach your goal. Whether it's to loose weight, quit smoking, save money, go back to school, fall in love! or even as simple as to just take a picture of the moon:)  Keep chasing that next new thing you've always wanted to do!!

Carrie

Wish Upon a Wedding

Mission

Wish Upon a Wedding is dedicated to granting weddings and/or civil union ceremonies at destinations across the United States to couples who are facing terminal illness.

Vision

By giving the gift of a dream wedding, we are able to grant some of the most intimate and heartfelt wishes of these people’s lives, and help them share this important day with close family members.

Purpose

Our foundation was created to celebrate the courage, determination and spirit of these couples by granting their dream wedding wishes. Our hope is that chosen recipients can inspire others couples facing similar situations to find hope and strength.

Beth & Nick from I Do Films on Vimeo.

Photographer Friends out there I invite you to help out this cause. Videographers, Florist, Vendors of all kinds are needed. I think this is a beautiful way to give these people a little bit of happiness in a time of so much heart break and sorrow.

"Put a little light in the darkest places, Put a little smile on the saddest faces."

You can make a difference in this world! This organization is just starting out and could use all the support it can get. I hope you all check it out and see how you can help! and I would love to start a chapter in my area so if you live in the central florida area and are interested in helping out or even better getting on the Board of Directors for the chapter in our area. The "President" will need prior board experience. This is possible to find though! and not just for here for everywhere! So spread the word and let's give some AMAZING Weddings to some AMAZING people who definitely deserve to shine.

You can find everything you need to know here:
http://wishuponawedding.org/

http://www.facebook.com/WishUponaWedding

http://twitter.com/WishUponWedding

I was so touched by the video above, it brought me to tears. Life is so precious and we take our time on this earth for granted. We aren't promised tomorrow. and for that reason I want to find ways to help people now. I would be honored to be able to be a part of this organization in the future! But just knowing it's out there warms my heart. One again, another example of how important photos are. A photograph may not seem like a big deal to some, and may not feel that important at the time it's taken. But as years go by, and loved ones pass away, those photos will be memories that you can hold in your hand. A little piece of that moment in time that lives on. I could never say it enough, that this is much more than just a job to me. Making a difference in someone's life, even if it's just one person, is the greatest accomplishment you can ever achieve!

Well, I think that's all for now. Lots of editing and planning on my end right now. BUT it's a good TV night and I'm making breakfast for dinner:)  Have a nice Monday evening Friends:)

Carrie

Thank God for Spring. [Cocoa Beach, FL Photographer]

I know in the last blog I said I didn't feel old, or something like that, but I was fooling myself! Yesterday I was lucky enough to have some models come out for the day, and it ended up being 8 hours of shooting before we finally called it quits for the day. Which really isn't much different than shooting a wedding, but I haven't done that in quite a while. Thank Goodness I have my first one for the year coming in May, because weddings are probably my favorite to shoot. There's just something about the way two people who are madly in love and about to start the rest of their lives together that makes for awesome photographs! ok, back on topic, here are a few of the first edits from the shoot yesterday. I'm sure I'll post more I just have to share these now! As sore as I am today it was well worth it! These Girls ROCKED it!! and it wasn't easy work! being in heels for hours on end and posing in front of random on-lookers is not exactly "comfortable." I can't say enough about how happy I am with how it turned out! Thank you Ladies SO much!!

 I've been a blog SLACKER! So I wanted to post a few of my favorites from my February Trip to the Gulf Coast in this as well. What's special about these images is they were the first sessions I did with my new Canon 50D and my new off camera lighting. and on top of that they are all also great friends of mine, so it's been a pleasure capturing special moments in their lives:)

I'm glad to finally be feeling better after my wisdom teeth problem.  There is just something about Spring that motivates me. I guess what they say about winter being depressing is true, because I can already tell a huge difference in the short time the weather has been warming up, and the sun has been staying out longer:) even though we lost an hour of sleep for a night, for us photographers it's a really good thing. Now the daylight will last later in the night and we don't have to start shoots on outside locations at 2pm. Well I am beat so that's all for now, and I want to leave you with a quote I came across this morning that really stuck out to me not only for the season, but for what is going on in the world right now, and a good way to look at hard times in life in general, "If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant; if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome." Anne Bradstreet.

I am looking forward to seeing all the flowers bloom and the weather get warmer and warmer! I hope all of you are enjoying your Spring Season!

Carrie

Hectic! [the life of a cocoa beach photographer]

When I started this blog I really wanted to post new stuff daily, whether it be random thoughts or photos, or advice, whatever.....just SOMETHING! well, I'm sorry because I know I am SLACKING big time right now. 

I turned 27 this past weekend. yay for me, right? but I actually don't mind getting old. and my Hubby and Jackson made the day really special for me:) We rented movies and ordered take-out and it was great.

Unfortunately this week hasn't been quite as relaxing and carefree. First off, I'm a mom to a four year old boy, so all you other mommies out there in the world know that everyday is busy when you have kids! but this week has been especially hard.

 I have all of my wisdom teeth coming in. The one on the top left side has been in for a while though and has started to give me a lot of pain. So I finally broke down and called the dentist. I go in Thursday to get the one pulled. and I hope to get the rest out in the very near future!

 also our puppy Brando decided to eat part of a rug and needless to say has been having stomach problems ever since. I'll leave out the nasty details, but he is getting better and hopefully learned a lesson!

I am in the process of wrapping up the post work on the sessions from my february trip to the Gulf Coast, and I will be posting a blog about each of them soon! and I'm also planning my next trip to the Gulf Coast in mid - April!! so if you live in the Gulf Coast area and are interested in doing a session let me know as soon as possible because I don't have very many spots left!

 In closing, I PROMISE to get back on the ball after this week!! just give me a few days to heal after Thursday and I'll be back in business. and if you have any questions or blog ideas that you would like me to touch on, I would love to hear from you!! contact me at jacksonavenuephotography@gmail.com

wish me luck at the dentist office! and I'll be back soon! Carrie

"Photoshopographer" [Cocoa Beach Photographer]

"Photoshopographer"

I had never heard the word until just a few days ago. I read a blog written by a photographer and it listed some of the post processing "sins" that some photographers that are new to the bizz make the mistake of doing. Now, most of what I saw I agreed with. but one thing I didn't like was this word - "Photoshopographer" as if it's not good to use photoshop. I felt like she was basically saying if you are a good enough photographer you won't need photoshop. Well in my opinion she couldn't be more wrong. Why wouldn't you use such an amazing tool?? Is it going to turn a bad photo into an awesome one? NO. But it can help take a good photo to another level. There is a right and wrong way to use it. but if you know what you're doing, it can be what sets you apart from the amateurs. She also said you shouldn't start using photoshop right when you get into photography, and...well...that's exactly what I did. The first year or so my work was laughable and looked silly in some cases, but through my internship with Ryan Manthey of pure7studios.com, and other friends and mentors, I learned more about what I was doing. Over time I learned more and more, and still do learn new things all the time. That's the thing about the photography business, it's always changing and new techniques are always being created and passed along. Most of all, time and practice are what is going to get you where you want to be, just like with any other skill. Every photographer is different and what works for some might not work for others. I think that's really important to remember when you are starting out. You can get advice from other photographers, but in the end you have to find what works for you. For me, I LOVE photoshop and I KNOW my photography would not be the same without it. I find photoshop helps bring my images to life. Here's a few examples:

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After -

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After -

Before -

After -

I can't even begin to tell you or show you all things and ways photoshop is AMAZING. Photoshop is to a photographer what a paintbrush is to a painter. It's not necessarily the canvas, but the tool you use to make the canvas more than it was before, or at least that's the way I feel about it:) So if using photoshop in my work makes me a "Photoshopographer" then I'm proud to be called one!

Carrie

Breaking Traditions [Cocoa Beach Wedding Photographer]

As a wedding photographer I've seen my fair share of wedding day traditions. but I've also seen people who decided to be different, and it inspired me to write this blog! Traditions can be great, but let's face it, it gets boring. Here are a few ways to break up the monotony:)

First off let's talk locations. Well of course the first thing that comes to mind is a Church. and don't get me wrong, there are some AMAZING churches. and it also depends on the time of year, but with spring right around the corner it's going to be a great time to get outside and use the beauty of nature to your advantage! If you're on a tight budget not having to fork out big bucks on a lavish venue will save you loads, and free up  cash for other things. and with the natural beauty of trees, flowers, green grass or even the ocean, you won't feel the need to spend as much on adding color to brighten up the space. and not much compares to fresh air and sunshine:)

Next up is the first dance. oh the first dance, well if you're like me and you have NO rhythm than it might be a little scary. and to make matters worse every eye in the room is on YOU! so you better get it right! well I say take some of the pressure off by making it fun. Instead of picking a dramatic love song, why not go with an upbeat pop song. I was lucky enough to see this one in action at Drew and Jessica's Dunaway Gardens Wedding in September 2009. check out this video! they had fun, and that's what it's all about!!

So now let's talk CAKE! of course you should have a unique wedding cake. I'm all about unique and cool wedding cakes! in fact, I'll probably be posting a blog on just wedding cakes in the very near future. but what I want to talk about it that silly tradition that makes you eat OLD cake. I actually had never heard of this until a few years ago when my friend Emily was talking about it on her first anniversary. You save the top tier of the cake and keep it in your freezer for a year, and then on your first anniversary you eat the cake together. ok I get that it would be a nice reminder of the big day, but just because you freeze it doesn't mean it will still taste good! I don't even want to imagine!! ha:) so instead why not eat it on the last day of your honeymoon when it will still taste fresh. you can talk about all of your favorite moments of the wedding while you eat cake that still tastes pretty good. and then buy a new cake that resembles your wedding cake to celebrate the first annivesary:)

and last but not least.........THE PHOTOS!!!

of course you knew I had to talk about the pictures:)

Forget all the wedding photos you've seen in frames around your parents and grandparents houses. "Posed" is OUT and REAL is IN!!!

Wedding photography these days is all about capturing the candid moments. and I don't think it's just a fad. People want to see themselves in the photos. Show your personality! and most of all have fun with it! It will make your day a whole lot less stressful and that alone will make for much better photos. No one looks good when they are stressing out!

The number one complaint I hear from my clients post wedding is that they wish they would have taken more time to get photos of just the bride and groom. most people get overwhelmed because they want to make sure they get a photo with every family member. why do that to yourself?? besides, you have every other day of your life to get photos taken with them. you only get one wedding day. but if you really want to have photos of your guest a great and stress-free way to do it is with a photobooth. You can rent one or you can talk to your wedding photographer because most of them have or can get a second shooter (which is another word for a back up photographer) to run a photobooth area at the reception. That way you can focus on enjoying the reception and spending time with your new hubby:) and the guest can go over to the photobooth at their convenience. One other trick to getting photos with the guest without taking a ton of time is just spending the first 30 minutes of the reception greeting the guest together.

and this new trend is one of my favorites. Everyone knows it's a poweful moment when the groom sees the bride in her dress for the first time. and the tradition is for the groom to see the bride for the first time as she walks down the aisle. but you can make the moment even more intimate by planning to meet somewhere quiet right before the ceremony. just you two and the photographer there to capture it all on film.

There are so many other ways to make your wedding day your own. Don't follow the rules, follow your heart. This is your day and it only comes once, so it should be exactly the way you want it!

Carrie

The Brilliance in Bokeh! [Cocoa Beach Photographer]

I am a little obsessed with Bokeh right now. so for those of you that are new to the business or if you just like taking photos for fun, you may be asking "ok so what is it?"

Bokeh - From Wikipedia

Coarse bokeh on a photo shot with an 85mm lens and 70mm aperture, which corresponds to f/1.2In photography, bokeh is the blur,[1][2] or the aesthetic quality of the blur,[3][4][5] in out-of-focus areas of an image, or "the way the lens renders out-of-focus points of light."[6] Differences in lens aberrations and aperture shape cause some lens designs to blur the image in a way that is pleasing to the eye, while others produce blurring that is unpleasant or distracting— "good" or "bad" bokeh, respectively.[1] Bokeh occurs for parts of the scene that lie outside the depth of field. Photographers sometimes deliberately use a shallow focus technique to create images with prominent out-of-focus regions.

Bokeh is often most visible around small background highlights, such as specular reflections and light sources, which is why it often associated with such areas.[1] However, bokeh is not limited to highlights, as blur occurs in all out-of-focus regions of the image. Bokeh can also be viewed by forcefully blurring one's vision whilst looking at a small light, like an LED.

in short, it's the opposite of being "in focus." so what's the big deal?? well why it's so awesome is because when shooting portraits you want the focus to be on your subject in most cases. the more out of focus the background is, the more sharp and crisp your subject is going to appear. naturally your eyes are drawn into the objects in focus. and your subject will literally POP out at the viewer. I found personally that my 50mm lens is really great for getting this effect. but with the magic of photoshop you don't need a special lens! you can actually achieve this effect AFTER you take the photos:) there are a wide range of actions for this. here are a few places where you can find them: http://www.alienskin.com/, http://www.totallyradactions.com/, and http://oeilactions.blogspot.com/. (<----michelle has some awesome actions at AWESOME prices too!!!)

but you can also get the bokeh effect with textures. here's just one example of a bokeh texture.

and here's a few examples of bokeh in some of my photos

there are so many different ways you can use bokeh these days. really there are NO rules. so get out there and create something beautiful<3

thanks for being here:) Carrie