Retro Cafe Processing!

Here are some processing examples on some shots from the Retro Cafe workshop this weekend. I want to thank everyone who attended yesterday, our 3 gorgeous models, the assistant Christian (what a trooper with the pie and apron!) Bill and Sera Jane for helping set up and take down, and Hope for mass amounts of support!! You all made the day so special and memorable. I hope these examples can be useful to you in your vintage style processing. Enjoy!


Vintage wash:

In photoshop CS4

-Open Image in photoshop

- Add new layer  (command+j) or (ctrl+j on windows)

-Image → adjustments → hue/saturation

-set saturation between -50 or -55

- Add new layer  (command+j) or (ctrl+j on windows)

- Image → adjustments →photo filter 

- select yellow and set it to 33

- Add new layer  (command+j) or (ctrl+j on windows)

- Image → adjustments → curves   add an S curve to add contrast and brightness set to desired amount.

* sometimes I up the lightness in hue/saturation to about a 10 to fade the image a bit, depends on the image.

The was taken using natural lighting from the window

Cheesecake painted style pin-up:

In photoshop CS4

-Open Image in photoshop

- Add new layer  (command+j) or (ctrl+j on windows)

- Image → adjustments → curves → pull curve downwards to add contrast (original photo was overexposed and I only did this step to bring the color back into the photo)

- Add new layer  (command+j) or (ctrl+j on windows)

-Image → adjustments → hue/saturation

- adjust saturation to to +25

- Add new layer  (command+j) or (ctrl+j on windows)

- filter →blur→surface blur

-my radius is set to 25 and my threshold is set to 17 -feel free to play around with the levels

-add a mask -at the bottom of your layers palette (square with circle in it) 

- press  (command + i)  (ctrl +i on windows) to invert the mask (the mask should turn from white to black)

-set the opacity on the layers palette to about 60-70 

-select paint brush in the tools palette and paint over the all of the skin and the skin only.

- command + option + shift + e  (ctrl + opt+ shift + e on windows)  to duplicate visible layers

- filter + noise + dust & scratches

- I have my radius at 6 and threshold at 2

- add mask

- invert mask (command + i) or (ctrl + i on windows)

- set the opacity on the layers palette to about 60-70

- select paint brush at a small size 

- zoom in on your image to about 200% 

- brush over any imperfections that were left behind 

- command + option + shift + e  (ctrl + opt+ shift + e on windows)

- select your paint brush→ brush opacity at 10-20% → choose white as your foreground

- zoom in on the eyes and paint the whites of the eyes to make them stand out. 

* I decided after I finished the image that I needed to add a little more saturation and contrast

The look is an over saturated smooth look "painted" look

Shot using continuous lights.  

Glam-y Hollywood star black and white:

In photoshop CS4

-Open Image in photoshop

- Add new layer  (command+j) or (ctrl+j on windows)

- Image → adjustments → black&white


-in your black and white options: set magenta to -62%  This will make her lipstick stand out
                                                    set red to          34%  This will brighten up the image a bit
                                                    set yellow to    112% This should lighten up the skin

-Add new layer  (command+j) or (ctrl+j on windows)


-Image → adjustments → brightness/contrast


- adjust your brightness to  -12

-Add new layer  (command+j) or (ctrl+j on windows)

- Image → adjustments → curves
                                                 -play around with the curves to add contrast

-The look is bright white skin with contrasting details

-I shot this using a bounced flash (off the white wall behind me)




Seedy basement black and whites:

In photoshop CS4

Open your image up in photoshop and add a new layer   - command+j  on a mac
                                                                                        - ctrl+j on windows

-on your new layer go into Image along the top bar. →adjustments → black&white


-in your black and white options - set your reds to 92%   which will lighten up a bit of the details - then set your yellows to 16% which will lighten and pull in a lot of the grain
        
-push ok

-add a new layer (I use command+j) (ctrl+j on windows)

-Image → adjustments → brightness/contrast


- put brightness up to 17

-push ok

- add new layer  (command+j) or (ctrl+j on windows)

-Image → adjustments → hue/saturation


-bring the lightness up to +9




 this is where I left it, I like the faded look. However you can add a little bit more contrast if you choose by adding another layer and going Image → adjustments → curves  and playing around with the curves until you get the contrast you desire.

The look is a faded, grainy black and white

I shot this using the natural light from the window

*These specific levels are the exact steps I used when processing these. Feel free to play with the levels that is appropriate on your own photos.

♥♥♥

I will post more teasers tomorrow!
                                               

WORKSHOP!!!

Join me as I present the first ever retro cafe workshop! Click on the Link to read all about it and sign up here, imagerybyamber@hotmail.com

Beautiful Burlesque Favs!!

What a fun day we all had!! Special thanks to Chelsea my assistant, Missy for being a super hostess and Tracy Catt for the brilliant hair and makeup!

Beautiful Burlesque Marathon!

Get Burlesquified by the Amber Lee photography team! Just in time for Valentines day. An album or framed print of you and only you makes a perfect gift for a loved one. Let him see you like he's never seen you before!

Full hair and makeup included, and optional wardrobe coordination if needed. Wide selection of *corsets, stockings, feathers and shiny things!! Bring out the inner, Dita Von Teese, or Lily St. Cyr!!

Session fee: $300.00

How to book: Contact Amber @ 403 357 8603 or imagerybyamber@hotmail.com

Send a deposit cheque for half the session fee.

Session includes:
-up to 20 fully retouched proofs on disk, ready for online sharing.
-1 8x10 copy of favorite image.
-professionally done hair and makeup, props, accessories, costume pieces, snacks and drink.
-1 hour of the photographers time and talent.

"'Cause you're beautiful, thats why."

amberleephotography.ca

A & J's wedding: Huatulco, Mexico

I had the pleasure of joining A and J and their family on their wedding in Huatulco in November. The Dreams resort was beautiful, the food was great, people friendly.... Huatulco is lush and green and full of beautiful exotic flowers and beaches. The family was so kind and welcoming and made me feel like part of the family. I am so happy to have had the opportunity to spend a week with them on adventures and at the wedding. Congratulations both of you, you are one of the sweetest, kindest, awesomest couples I have ever worked with and I wish you all the happiness in the world!!!

Bootsman, circa: 1935

My love for making things look old inspired this photoshoot. I have been wanting to do a depression era family shoot for sometime now but hadn't the "right" family to use. With the newest addition to the Bootsman family I thought it was a perfect opportunity to do such a shoot. With a few props and ratty clothes and an old boarded up farm house I had it set. And lucky day... the sun was shining.

17 Health Benefits of Owning a Cat

17 Health Benefits of Owning a Cat

About My Job: The Photographer - The Daily Dish | By Andrew Sullivan

About My Job: The Photographer - The Daily Dish | By Andrew Sullivan

 

'R' Wedding

This is the Beautiful bride singing 'Pie Jesu' just before walking down the isle. Such a special moment... and so privileged to have been able to be there capturing it ..

Tomato Tomato

I woke up this morning with thoughts running through my head like mad, after a conversation I had with some lovely ladies last night about christianity. I hadn't much to say about it last night, but I guess after my tired brain had a rest and I had some time to think it all just came.

Now lets just get one thing straight, I DO believe in God. But nobody asked me. And I must say, I was a little insulted right off the bat.. but lets just move past that...

When I speak, I try to speak in neutral terms. there is a reason for this. I feel a person can often be reached better if approached that way. But also I believe you have to have respect for everybody's beliefs. Especially when we are all essentially trying to achieve the same thing. I mean no offence, disrespect, or disregard when I acknowledge something but don't verbally acknowledge it as God. Something like a strong feeling, or "message". Because whether it's come directly from God or from angels or from guides or whatever, the point is, it came. For someone who chooses to believe it was an angel, or a guide, can do so if they wish. But through that angel or guide came a message from "God". I do not believe it is wrong to think this. I do believe it is wrong to completely disregard the feeling or message in general, however. If chosen to believe that messages are coming from... well, somewhere, but how do you distinguish the difference between the good and the bad? The dark side or the light side, God or demons? Well, I think we are smart humans. If you want to believe that you were given gifts while on this earth to survive, then you can be sure to put all faith into trusting those giftsl. We all know when we are doing something bad. (okay maybe some people really don't, but I'm not going to get into the psychology of things). Or when someone is speaking and we know what they are saying is not good. We have all felt that right? I call it resonate. When something does not resonate well. Or when something does resonate well. I trust this. I fully completely trust this. Because I believe that we were given gifts, the tools we need to survive. That we will know when we are wrong. Nobody will take this belief away from me.

I do NOT go to church. But I have chosen to find my way in a different way. I am spiritual. What I do to hear these messages, is clear my mind. I call this meditation. Meditations is the act of getting my mind and body to relax so that my mind is clear. And when your mind is clear, everything else becomes clear. Answers to questions about things that you are unsure about. You also clear your mind to hear this. I send out positive affirmations, or, prayers. Doesn't matter what you call it, again I try to stay neutral. This is the act of sending out love and hope and all sorts of positivity to a person or people or yourself. Or asking for help or strength or guidance or compassion... the list goes on. Whether a person believes it is God who is listening or somebody else, whoever it is, is listening. All of us are being heard. Buddhists, muslims, hindus, jewish, christians, and even catholics. I do believe there is a darker side too however. those who choose to focus their energy and direct their "prayer" to negativity and darkness... well, perhaps its something else that is listening... but I don't want to get into it right now.

I believe once that I was healed. I was very very sick and unable to sleep from so much pain. I was feverful and painful and it was a struggle. I found myself slip into a half asleep state, after not being able to sleep for hours. In this state I had a vision. This vision consistant of many hands over me and a voice that told me what they were going to do, and this would help me. And then they told me what I needed to do. Together we did this. When I woke up in the morning, I was better. I believe this was a miracle. And I believe that I was helped by someone, something, somewhere. I had been healed. I am open as to who or what it was. And when I spoke of this experience, that is exactly how I spoke of it. You said it was God. That is what you believe. And by me leaving it open, I was not disregarding God by any means. Because I believe that whether it was God himself or angels or guides or what have you, that this was the power of "God". But when I spoke, I chose to leave that space blank. What I believe is important. What it sounds like, or looks like, or what you think I believe, not so important.


Recently I found myself on a spiritual retreat in BC. It was truly a very positive and spiritual experience. However it was assumed that I didn't believe in God because i went on this retreat. And that this was a "New Age" retreat. Whatever that is... I try not to label things such as a persons beliefs as much as I can. Maybe this experience wasn't fully understood. In fact I know it wasn't fully understood because nobody asked me about it or about my beliefs. Truth is, we talked about God. We learned how to be closer to God. We learned how to clear our minds so that everything else could become more clear. But it wasn't just about that. We also learned to recognize eachother's presence. It was about people and humanity and relationships, and being true to yourself. These are good people doing good things. Helping and teaching others. I don't believe this can be denied, it resonated very well with me. We were taught to be in a place of understanding, in a togetherness where collectively we exist in the same space. And this is how we will survive. These teachings are not unlike others I have heard of. In fact, what is it that you learn in church? If you don't mind my asking...


Now, lets you and me meet. Not at your house, not at my house, but in a coffee shop downtown. Together on this "neutral plain" we will meet. And we will talk. Drop your terms, drop your names, and drop your labels. And I will drop mine. You say, if you listen, you will be guided. You will be given the answers you ask for and told what is right. I say, yes I know. I too listen and am guided and am given the answers I ask for and is told what's right. You say, please ask for strength and guidance for someone in need. I say, I will. Because together there will be power and strength in our asking. You say, careful, that feeling is there to let you know that its not right. I say, I know, I feel it too and it is not right. You say, you were healed. And I say, yes, I was healed. And when it is time time to leave the coffee shop and we both go out the door and go our separate ways, we will both leave with a sense of unity. We will both walk away with a feeling that we understood eachother. And perhaps a small sense of achievement for what we have accomplished as a collective consciousness (on the same page). We will walk away. And on Sunday you will go to church. And someday, I will go back to my retreat.



I appreciate every single word that was said to me last night. And I love you both so much it hurts. xo

Megan & Matt

I had such a wonderful time shooting at the Muttart Conservatory! It was my first time EVER visiting there, and I must say it is a very photogenic location indeed... but not quite as photogenic as this lovely couple, Matt and Megan. :) I had a blast with you guys! Thanks for a great time! ....But its just to bad that the tropical garden made our hair go flat :(

Borrow a cup of flour

Thanks Carrie for posting this.

I always click on what Carrie posts. always an interesting article . This particular one really spoke to me. So I thought I would share it with the rest of you. Most of you who know me, know how much I love food and how it is important to me. You also know how domestic I am, and how I like to wear aprons, and bake :) I like to grow things, and enjoy trying to make everything from scratch! I enjoy and value very much having connections with people, and developing meaningful relationships. I also value the connection I choose to have with the earth. If I could have my way, I would make everyone start from scratch again. And then everyone would remember what's most important. And what's most important its so very basic. And so very human. :)


http://sasquatchnews.com/borrow-a-cup-of-flour/

Borrow a cup of flour

"This issue’s column was originally going to be about sprouts—how to grow tiny, nutrient-rich green things in a jar during the final weeks of the long Saskatchewan winter, before the spinach, chives, rhubarb and asparagus begin to peek their heads out of the softening soil.

But the fact that this is my last opportunity to communicate with you, dear readers, makes my job feel urgent. I have one last chance to tell you something about food that sums up how central an issue it is. So what will it be?

It won’t be instructions on growing sprouts, making yogurt, or keeping chickens. If I can suggest only one thing, it is to talk to your neighbours.

Our society encourages us to live in isolation from one another. As a culture, we drive from our houses to our places of work, then to the grocery store and back home again. We take little time to talk to each other, especially people we don’t already know.

Our isolation chips away at our capacity to live in community: to live connected to one another, to the places we live and to the land that sustains us. We share less — fewer values and fewer resources. And as our connections decrease and our divisions increase, we forget what we once knew about the benefits of being accountable to our neighbours and to the planet.

If there is a single thing I would urge you to struggle against it is this division — the separation from your neighbour, your soil, your watershed.

Food is a simple and deeply powerful way to engage in this struggle. Growing food undermines isolation. It forces us to go outside and have a relationship with the earth, while creating opportunities for learning, teaching and sharing. Cooking and eating food together connects us across differences and creates opportunities for conversation and the sharing of ideas.

Food can also be a bridge across virtually any other issue. If you work towards ending poverty or war, then equitable access to food for all is a no-brainer. If you’re an environmentalist, sustainably managing the caloric needs of ballooning numbers of humans on finite planetary resources is a must. If anti-racism or anti-imperialism turns your crank, then understanding who has (or doesn’t have) access to the world’s resources is fundamental. If you’re a feminist or health activist, the relationship of food to healthy bodies and minds is key.

If you’re grappling with one or more of these issues, food can be an empowering and tangible way to make connections both within yourself and with the people around you. I recently heard food activist Wayne Roberts speak about what he termed “the 1,000 points of food.” The food movement, he argued, needs to be one of dialogue – not either/or – because people come to food issues from so many different perspectives. At the same time, food represents a universal need we all share. It creates unlimited potential to bridge people who have been separated. All we need to do is grow, cook and eat together."

http://sasquatchnews.com/borrow-a-cup-of-flour/

Dimensions of Genesis

My sister in law just recently wrote her first novel, "Dimensions of Genesis". And it looks like a publisher has shown interest in publishing it!! You'll see why after reading the sampler on her blog. Please check it out and be one of the first to catch a sneak peak before it becomes available on the shelves!!

The Art of Seeing

I never really clued in that my medium would be taking photographs. Although the signs were always there, without a camera in the early years, it was hard to know.

I have a vague memory of walking to the bus stop with my brother (he was the only one would ever wait for me). It was newly spring, you know, right when you notice that sometime within the last few days all the leaves grew and you didn't even notice? I was staring off in the distance at the tree line across the field and trying to describe what it was I saw (which was usually why the other sibling left me behind). No, it wasn't just trees I saw. It wasn't just green. No, its not JUST beautiful. I remember saying, "it just looks so... real...". He laughed and said, "it is real!" And I said, "NO! it looks so.... so.... so real....". haha. Maybe I meant surreal. Im not sure. But I can tell you now, with more descriptive words then and eight year old, what I saw. I thought it looked like a painting with beautifully contrasting colors three dimensionally popping off the canvas to lure you in to some sort of fantasy world. Like in the movie 'What Dreams May Come'! Only this painting looked so unbelievably real it was overwhelming. Haven't you ever seen a painting or drawing that looked so real you thought it was a photograph of something real until you looked closer and realized it was a painting? Thats what it looked like to me. It was something so beautiful it was hard to believe it was real. And here's the kicker folks, It WAS real! haha. Its amazing, I know, that everything natural came out perfectly perfect.

And I didn't just see it either. I could feel it. I can feel it. Its a breath of pure, natural, God given beauty. And each leaf and branch and blade of grass had a sort of light, a warming glow radiating off of it. Another alluring feature of this "picture" I saw. You could only imagine my frustration by not being able to communicate this to my brother. And everyone! Its never left me. Everywhere I go, I say "look" and they say, "uh huh. very nice". "no LOOK!". "yeah its nice!" .... No.. Don't look. See.

This is the same when I look at people. Sometimes I feel like Im looking at an angel. Or other things, but it can be overwhelming at times. And I want for other people to see this too. To not only understand what I see, but to be able to see it too. Which is how I came to do photography. I learned how to capture what I saw, so that other could see. How I feel when I take a photograph, its like being able to describe something using lots of fancy descriptive words.(Which clearly wasn't a whole lot more from when I was eight) And now, do you see what I see? Its so very satisfying for me.

You are beautiful, do you see? The sky is beautiful. The water is beautiful. Your child is beautiful, your smile is beautiful, your eyes are beautiful! This mess is beautiful, these colors are beautiful, the trees are beautiful, and all your perfect imperfections are beautiful!!

See?

Dani And Kallie

Danielle and Kallie are two musicians from the music program at Red Deer College. I was thrilled to do photos for them for their concert poster when they asked me! We had so much fun with hats, gloves, and gowns and these are a few of the photos from the session.

















Dani and Kallie will be performing on March 14th at 2:00pm on Mainstage at the Red Deer College arts center. Come down and show your support for these two beautiful, and talented ladies and enjoy an afternoon as they sing classic music. The show is free and there will be a reception in the lobby to follow!

The year of yes

2009 was the year of yes. I was sick and tired of saying no. Turning down opportunity, turning down fun, and not making anything happen for myself. I needed to change my thinking from, "no I can't" to "yes, I can!". My no's were almost always for one of two reasons- I couldn't afford it, or I had no one to go with. I decided that to make things happen for myself, I needed to start believing that I HAD enough money, and I CAN do it. And I wasn't going to wait for people anymore, it would be just ME. I really needed to focus on myself, clear my head and get to know myself again. There were so many thing I had been wanting to do, so many things to learn and places I wanted to visit . My 2009 brought me so much goodness!! I said yes to my health being first, I went for steams and the rec center and tried out a far infrared sauna. I did a lot more meditation. I bought a bike and took long bike rides, I started taking yoga classes, I took spontaneous road trips by myself, had a picnic and ran around in my underwear at Dry Island Buffalo Jump! went to a props workshop in Calgary, met some amazing people with my amazing friend Mandy and learned hula hooping and poi!! well... kinda learned poi.. But I learned hula hooping!! I took a spanish class, attended a sweat lodge, a photography retreat, a music festival where I slept in my van and took a mud bath by the river! I took a leave from my job and spent my time chilling at the farmers markets as a vender selling Cloud 9 for a friend. It was relaxing, fun, and I still managed to bring in some cash! The best part of the year was, my amazing 25th birthday party! All I wanted was a fire in the backyard, great food, sangria, and all the people I love the most!! To top it off I planned some live entertainment by my ever so talented friends and family! Mandy sang a song just for me :) Jared and Oksana danced. Tess did some poi, and we all hula hooped! It was a fabulous evening, and I couldn't have imagined it better! The only thing I would've changed was, my brother, sister in law and niece and nephew weren't able to make it :( It was a fantastic year and I will continue to say yes! I will not wait around for people. I will go places by myself, and do things by myself and ALWAYS have the money to do so!

What I hope 2010 brings for me is more yes!! And a continuing transformation in my life. My head is clear and focussed and I feel Im becoming more and more me :) I hope this year bring the opportunity to make more changes in the way I wish to live. I hope to wear more natural fibers and support MORE local MORE often. Try to switch over ALL, not just some of my food. I want to grow things! wonderful things in my garden! More yoga, more meditation, more bike rides! more spontaneous roadtrips, I want to go to powpows, listen to singing and dancing and drumming. I want to learn how to make a drum, and moccasins, and bannock! And maybe, just maybe, I can take a trip this year :) And so with that, I say goodbye year of yes, and bring on year of me! Thank you to everyone who helped me along this year in one way or another! Love you all and happy new year!!!

Mackenzie

Congratulations 'D' family! Yet another beautiful little girl to model for me!

Sharleen