Stacey Bishop Photography

To make your season bright....

2011-12-29T14:17:00.000-08:00

Enjoy sweet Mason.

I don't typically book newborn clients anymore. Although I love squishy, sleepy newborns, the time and dedication it takes to hone the "newborn posing" craft is more than I have time for these days.

However, I couldn't possibly resist photographing the little (surprise) brother of this sweet muffin. As always, Masons mom came prepped with fabulous hats and wraps from Lillebarn!!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!

2011-12-29T13:08:00.000-08:00

Love,

The Bishop Family...

A little Preview....

2011-12-03T23:57:00.000-08:00

I have a STRICT "no one can see your photos until they see your card" Christmas photo policy with family, friends and clients. There is just something special about opening the envelope and seeing a photo for the first time. This is part of the reason I have been a no show here for a little while.

But.... I can show you this little preview of our family session. I arrived early and snagged some cute shots of my kids before my friend Brittany Dow of Brittany Dow Photography came to capture MY family!!

My adorable Averi...

My boys Owen and Wade... They love each other so much. Best friends for sure. This photo wasn't planned. Wade just came up and gave his brother a hug (melt my heart). Crew is already trying to fit in and I think eventually they will make and amazing threesome.

Seriously.....can you handle that little chin?

This simple picture means so much to me. My sweet hubby Adam and I have not had a formal picture together since our WEDDING DAY!! Seriously! He's a hottie huh?:). Thanks Brittany!!

I will post the rest of our session along with LOTS of other family sessions after I get their cards;)

How to make a Triangle Banner in Photoshop (and Free Halloween Invite Download!!)

2011-10-13T17:59:00.001-07:00

My sister needed an invite for her church Trunk or Treat so I searched for some free digital paper and brushes and went to work. I was hoping to find a free triangle banner brush or digital element for free but no such luck. So, I figured it out myself.

Download the invite here!!
It is completely adjustable. All the layers are in tact!!

6x7.5 Version that is seen here (easy Costco print with envelopes).
5x7 Version.

Remember that you will need to download the fonts I used in order to change the wording. It is super easy, free and then you have them forever!!

Digital Elements
(only HAVE to download the fonts. The others are just for reference)

Free Fonts (Jack Lantern, Halloween Spiders, Lunacy More)
Free Halloween Digital Paper Pack
Free Haunted House brush
(These are to be used for personal use only)

I like to work with shapes on a grid. So to get the grid lines, press Ctrl '. Then, Choose the polygon tool. (in case that tool isn't in all Photoshops, you can also get there by choosing the Pen tool and then clicking on the shape in the above menu). Then, set the number of sides to 3. Set your color to contrast the background. Click and drag to make your triangle

I wanted the triangle to be longer so I used the Transform tool (Ctrl T) and then dragged the bottom box to elongate. I also straightened it so I could work easier at this point.

Now that I had the shape I wanted, I duplicated my triangle (layer) by pressing Ctrl J. You have to use the move tool (very top tool) to bring the duplicate out from behind the other one so you can see it. From there, I selected each layer and used the Transform tool (Ctrl T), to move it to the shape I needed.

I was now ready to make a duplicate of the triangles so I didn't have to do so much work. Create a new layer by clicking on that post-it looking icon at the bottom of the layer palette. Click on the layer above it and press Ctrl E. This will merge it to the new layer. Press Ctrl E until all of the triangle layers are merged into the new layer. (see above)

Press Ctrl J to duplicate the half banner. Use the Transform tool (Ctrl T) to Move it where you need it and to resize so that it fits how you want it. NOTE: If you are resizing and want to keep the dimensions in tact, hold down the Shift key while you drag the corner transform box.

I needed another triangle for the center of the banner so I just made a separate one and then merged it with the others.

Open your digital paper. Drag it to your document. Press Ctrl T (transform) To size it to your invite (I suggest holding down Shift while you resize so you don't warp the pattern).

Okay, hold down the ALT key while you hover your mouse over the line between the paper layer and your banner layer. 2 little circles will appear. While you see those click the mouse. A little arrow will appear. This will link the layers and put the paper only in the triangles.

I wanted a line around so I double clicked on banner layer in the layer palette and the layer style box pops up. Click on Stroke. Double click stroke and it will take you where you can change the size of the outline and the color.

Woohoo!! Imagine what cool things you can do with this!! Just add text letters right over the top. You could layer them and uses several papers for a cool look. You could even save just this part and put it somewhere you can find it so you can add it to anything you create in the future!

Shelly, Class of 2012 {Inland Empire Senior Photographer}

2011-10-10T22:18:00.000-07:00

Meet my Niece, Shelly.
It is the absolute most rewarding thing to photograph family. I hone this talent and then I get to share it with the people I love the most. I also love senior photography. It is so much fun! I make them sit and stand in the most terrible places. I'm so used to having to be careful with wedding dresses that I figure "they are young, they will recover":D! This shoot was no different.

We are talking serious thorns and briars here. Not to mention, we kept hearing rustling in the dry brush and I kept screaming. Picture thousands of grasshoppers jumping everywhere....ya, I'm mean. Totally worth it though!

"Okay, Shelly. Go over to that random tire over there. Kick it first to make sure there is nothing deadly in it and then sit on it." hehe...

"Dear Shelly, See that abandoned little house? Don't go on the right side because killer bees have infested the walls and the entire wall is almost black with their squirming bodies. Now, Lean against that wall. Wait!! let me look in to make sure there isn't something inside. Okay, you'll be fine." I'm terrible...

"Okay, see that dumpster over there? I really like the color and think it will play well with the red in your shirt. Breathe through your mouth and go lean against it. No one will know." HA!

Shelly is a HUGE fan of Harry Potter. Had to have a few of these...

Blog Facelift!!....and Histograms explained

2011-10-08T22:02:00.000-07:00

What do ya think? Like my new look?

I have been really struggling with how to approach my blog and website. I struggled with whether I should keep it separate or start a blogsite. I wanted a better blog but really didn't want to abandon the location I have been since I have started. I wanted you to still find me since I took such a hiatus from everything. So, this is what I did:

I stayed with blogger. I purchased a domain name www.staceybishopphotographyblog.com (I know it is long but it is easy to remember). It was so EASY! I did it right through my blogger account! (Settings, Publishing) It was $10 and it automatically redirects anyone who types in my old www.staceybishopphotography.blogspot.com. I KNOW there are other options out there but this is what I chose to do. It was simply time to pull the trigger.

I also purchased a blogger template for photographers. There are actually really good ones out there so I just Googled for one with a slideshow header option and I chose to go with:

Cinnamon Girl Studio

The one I purchased was $25 but they had ones that were even cheaper! There are lots of blog templates that are free out there too. I just liked the look and ease of this one so I committed.

Also, I didn't realize that Blogger has separate pages now so I was able to link at the top to individual pages and not just old posts.

So, for $35, I have a more professional url, and a great blog that is totally customizable! The cool part is that I can change my slideshow via a flickr set!

Keep in mind:

That my ranking on Google searches may be affected until my new URL has been around for a while. I'll have to keep an eye on that.

moving on.....

HISTOGRAMS!! and my Beautiful Averi in her Baptism dress;)...

That mountainous box that you see all the time in Photoshop, Bridge, ACR and your camera is a very helpful little tool in both correct exposure when shooting AND for proper editing.

Here is a rediculously simple way to put it:

If the hills are mostly on the left, it is underexposed. If the hills are mostly to the right, it is over exposed. If it is touching the top, something is either blown out (too bright) or clipped (too dark).

There is a setting on your camera that will make the areas that are blown out blink on your LCD. This can be very helpful when you are shooting. Especially if it is bright daylight and it is difficult to see the LCD.

Here is an example of a well exposed photo. In ACR (Adobe Camera Raw), if you click the arrows at the top of the histogram, it will show the blown out areas in Red and the Clipped areas in Blue. This is very helpful. I don't usually care about the dark shaddows (as long as it isnt important to the photo) but the blown out areas can be detrimental. On this photo, I used the Recovery slider a little to bring back a little detail in the areas the sun was hitting. I NEVER pull the Recover slider too far. It will cause skin tones to look "muddy" but it is one of my favorite little tools.

Now, here is the same photo and Histogram after edits. Notice that the Histogram has changed. It is very easy to actually blow out or clip a photo through processing alone. Keep an eye on that histogram while you edit. You can change the little drop down menu to "colors" to see specifically what color family your are blowing out.

ETA: not sure why these next ones loaded so large. Click on the photo to see the full histogram.

Final edit;)

Remember:

YOU ultimately decide what looks best. In this photo, according to the histogram, there are some areas on her dress that are blown out. Since I still have the detail I want, I am okay with a few blown areas. There are shadows that are clipped. Since I like the contrast and it is in areas that are not important, I don't mind.

Featuring Pumpkin Seed!!.....and Gorgeous baby B.

2011-10-07T14:14:00.000-07:00

I am super PUMPED to introduce you to Pumpkin Seed! Megan at Pumpkin Seed has the most amazing pettiskirts and ruffle rompers. If you are like me, you want to stash your prop closets with tons of this stuff but they are usually super expensive......well.......your welcome!! I just found you a reason to stock your prop closet!!!!

Amazing designs. Never heard of, fabulous prices. PLEASE do yourself a favor!! If you live in the So cal area, there is a boutique October 21st in Los Alamitos that she will be at. Click on the link to her blog and get the info!!

Go ahead and "like" Pumpkin seed on facebook too. Pumpkin Seed Facebook page.

Who else to convince you to stock up on these bad boys, than adorable Brynlee....

Want links to these backdrops?!! Scroll to the bottom!!

Okay, lets talk photo first. See how the catchlights are in the right spot? (other than this last one because she is looking up now) I love them in the upper left of the pupil. BUT....See how they are kinda small and pin pointy? A larger 50" softbox would remedy that. HERE is one. I will definitely invest at some point......don't tell my hubby.....:0

Backdrops!! Aren't they FABULOUS!!

Did I forget to mention that they are Vinyl? After Crew's cake smash I washed it down with some windex...So cool!

Photo Prop Floors and Backdrops

Tin Tile 21
(White tin tile)

Wood floor 169
(white wood floor)

Michelle Black 14
(yellow damask)

Door 66
(Graffiti rustic door/wood)

Concrete 6
(Rustic concrete)

If you order these, I suggest paying $5 extra for the rod pocket. Also, keep in mind that when mine arrived, I noticed that they were really "cool" in color. I was very unsure. However, when I photograph them, they are beautiful. Don't freak out if they appear different when they arrive...

Lots of stuff all rolled in to one! Action before and afters, Studio equipment links!

2011-10-06T15:14:00.000-07:00

So, after feeling like a failure at posting here and posting on my family blog, I'm gonna kinda merge the two. If I am going to share with you the creative process and my new ventures in photography, you are just naturally gonna get part of my family too. I hope that is okay. I wont get mushy and detailed but you will get to know me and that can be a little scary....:/

So, If you are up to it, I would like to share my family, my home, my diy projects (including lots of thrift store hunting), my dark obsession with Pinterest (Click HERE to follow my pin boards. If you want an invite, let me know!!), my venture into practicing studio photography, and lots of links to everything you can possibly think of. I will allow my mind to rest in one area instead of spreading myself so thin. Here's to simplifying!!

So, with that, here is Crew. My sweet baby boy. I can't believe he is ONE! He is the most mellow tempered, loving, pinchy cheeky little boy you will ever see.

I think my first love will always be outdoor photography. But, I have a little studio space in my home and studio photography is just more convenient for those "quick" shots. I have really enjoyed my backdrops. I have accumulated 8 of them and you will be seeing lots of them! I will post links to the backdrops and studio equipment at the end of the post;)

whoa. interesting how when you edit two different days, the color comes out so different. See how the blues in the one below are more turquoisy?....ugh. Went much warmer on this one...oh well...he doesn't care...super easy client:)

I haven't bought Photoshop actions in a LONG time. BUT, i saw these Oh So Posh actions and I knew that they would be GREAT for field photography. YES, I could increase saturation and contrast on my own, but, actions are really fun sometimes!!! (link at bottom)

Okay, lets pretend that I put the N backwards and upside down on purpose for whimsy:/. The cake was supposed to be intricate and beautiful with flowing layers of gradient shades of blue frosting......sometimes, you gotta quit. Apparently "creamy" frosting doesn't hold well. So, this is what you get...good enough right?

Creepy standing baby pose....

Oh, Yeah!! He was all about it. Even with tons of people watching and yelling, he was all about tearing that cake apart and taking a few moments to humor the crowd.

Okay, I do NOT usually promote actions. I have lots of actions and love to play with them but my biggest pet peeve is when photographers RELY solely on Actions that they have purchased and then wonder why they don't get the look they are going for. IF you purchase actions, PLEASE learn how to open them and turn off different layers, mask back stuff, decrease opacity etc. There is no 1 action fix all. Okay....off my soapbox:)

Here are some before and afters of the Oh So Posh Bohemian Symphony actions (link below):

Oh So Posh "Bohemian Symphony" Actions
I linked you to her blog because I really liked seeing the before and afters on there. She just release a limited edition set that is cheaper than her full set!! Also for ELEMENTS users!!!!
While you are over there, check out her beautiful photos. She really relies on beautiful light. Stunning stuff!!

Photo prop floors and backdrops facebook fan page

Backdrop on the first photo and floor on the birthday cake shots
Door 66

Floor on the first photos and Backdrop on birthday cake shots
Concrete 6

I order them with a pocket for a rod ($5 extra) Works perfect for my set up ( I use a curtain rod holders on the wall and PVC pipe to store each one)

Cactus V4 wireless flash trigger and receiver
This is a crazy great deal for those just starting and don't want to pay the extra money for pocket wizards. under $40? you seriously can't go wrong!

24in Softbox with L bracket
I really want the 50inch softbox. It gives WAY better catchlights. But, I didn't want to invest much and this is a great set that works beautifully for the time being and is super portable.

I will show pics of my studio/office space and set up.

toodles....

Alan & Annie {Redlands Temple Wedding Photography}

2011-09-27T01:20:00.000-07:00

Thank you Annie and Alan for allowing me to capture your day! Enjoy your preview.....

What a GROUP!!

Beautiful Bouquet!!

I knew that the main color of their day was turquoise. I was surprised however, when I saw that there were hints of salmon/pink in the bridal party. My mind wondered how that color combination would work......it worked!! and it worked PERFECTLY!! So beautiful!

I could have done ring pics all night. There were so many great details and cool vintage keepsakes. I LOVED the cool vintage cameras.

Can you see the heart shadow???:)

ahh....love.

Macie......Kindergarten!

2011-09-19T20:09:00.000-07:00

Now that I have slowed down for the year, I am absolutely having a BLAST photographing my dearest friends and family. I am finally going to get to posting some of the sessions I have had between weddings. Blog world....I am back!! Meet my sweet niece Macie. My sis in Law Jenni had this amazing vintage desk and last year we vowed to take kindergarten pics of Macie with it. This cool area is just a median of a street in our neighborhood. I have been eyeing it for a while and loved the "wooded" feel of it which is definitely hard to come by in the desert!

My Home....Before and Afters

2011-09-12T20:10:00.000-07:00

I know this is a photo blog. But if you are like me, you love peering into peoples homes (in a non creepy.....ok a little creepy kinda way:). I also love seeing how photographers display their photos. So, come on an ongoing journey with me.....Oh, and I will tell you where I bought everything. Mostly because I am that girl that gets a compliment and spontaneously has to tell you where I got it and how much I paid....ugh....I hate that I do that. I should be sly and secretive and instead I give away every secret:)

I LOVE interior design! It was actually the first way that I learned to express my creative side before finding photography. I am obsessive. I watch HGTV constantly (well, when I'm not watching Yo Gabba Gabba:/). I sit and wait on my curb for the mail lady to bring my decorating catalogs. I look at a cute outfit and picture drapes and pillows (I have an unhealthy obsession with textural pillows).

When Adam and I searched for our new home, we knew we wanted a space that we could mold into our dream home. This was to be our third home and both of our previous homes were new builds. We needed a blank space that would allow us to be creative as we made it work for our family. We wanted to remodel and knock down walls. We were tired of having set options for cabinets, upgrades..etc.

So, we found a home with good bones, the right amount of space and bedrooms, decent backyard and frontyard space and in our desired location. I was 6 months preggo when we moved in. We tore out our kitchen 8 weeks before crew was due:/

Here are some before and afters. Have I told you how much I love before and afters no matter what they are?:)

I am not done yet and there are things that I will add and change over time.

Awww....my pantry:)

Adams idea to do the deep sing with no divider. Genius. Crew enjoyed many a bath in here;)

I love decorating the hood ledge for the holidays!

paint: (kind of a greeny grey) "Limestone" from Eddie Bauer home collection at Lowes (Valspar paint)
Appliances: Sears

Fruit Pedestal: Costco
Pedistal & Dome: Southern Living at home and Willow house (purchased from ebay)
Mini Chandeliers: lighing direct
Backsplash: Lowes (installed by "The Kitchen Post"
Welcome Chalboard: Pier 1 charger with chalkboard paint.
Bamboo sliding blinds: JC Penny
Barstools: Living Spaces
Clock: Home Goods
Ornate bulletin Board; Ikea frame spraypainted white and cork added.
Flooring: engineered hardwood in Hickory in stock at Lowes
Cabinets: Medallion cabinetry from "The Kitchen Post"

Color looks weird on this one. Floors are darker than that

Weathervane Chandelier: Pottery Barn
Ornate Chalkboard: Thrift store find!! Had a painting in it and I just created a magnet chalkboard
Orange Chairs: Overstock
Jute Rug: Overstock
Wanna be Pottery barn table: Living Spaces furniture
Buffet: Living Spaces
Frames: Already had some and some are from michaels. Spray painted to match
Family room rug: Living spaces furniture
Pillows: Tai Pan, The Alley and Pier 1
Frames on Mantle: Ross, Marshals
Accessories on Mantle: Tai Pan
Abraham Lincoln Praying Photo: RC Willy in Utah/Idaho. It is called "To Save a Nation"
Large Mirror: Walmart a few years ago.
leather Club Chairs: Target.com
Willow Basket: Target

Ceramic jug: JO-Ann Fabrics

Things I plan to change over time:

Add drapes to slider in kitchen (something simple but a pattern would be great in there)
I will swap out those dark leather club chairs for something lighter. I would LOVE burlap wingback chairs trimmed in white... maybe like THIS.
I'm not sure. Maybe that is a little much. I just need something not so heavy over there. There is a LOT of dark wood and I need to break it up.

The couch is almost 7 years old. Although it has served us well, we will replace it at some point. I am not sure what I will do yet with that.

The fireplace and niche needs major love. I would like some sort of a built in and a major overhaul of the fireplace (adding a surround, stone, chunkier mantle)

next time...My office/studio space and living room!!

Stephen & Laura {Newport Temple Wedding Photography}

2011-09-03T21:55:00.000-07:00

Beautiful day, Beautiful couple...

Will load some of the reception and second shooter soon. My poor computer is overworked for the day and is not cooperating;) I will post more tomorrow.

Tallon & Krista {Los Angeles Temple Wedding Photography}

2011-08-12T09:42:00.000-07:00

Such a beautiful couple! Thanks guys for choosing me to capture a piece of your perfect day! Enjoy your preview:)

Garrett & Courtney {Los Angeles Temple Wedding Photography}

2011-05-21T10:06:00.001-07:00

Have I told you how much I love the LA Temple? The grounds, the view, the cool retro vibe.....and maybe a little because I Married my best friend there almost 11 years ago:).

Enjoy this gorgeous couple. Thank you Garrett and Courtney for allowing me to capture such precious memories and hang out with your super cool family!

Thanks Heather for being my second shooter and my friend;)

Mark and Julie {Newport Beach Temple Wedding Photography}

2011-04-04T11:37:00.000-07:00

Such a gorgeous wedding day. Beautiful skys and a fabulous couple. So honored to capture your perfect day!! Enjoy your preview...

Groomsman photos courtesy of my lovely second shooter (and dear friend) Heather D photography

Conrad & Cynthia {Redlands Temple Wedding Photography}

2011-02-12T17:07:00.000-08:00

What an amazing wedding day. Two amazing families, a TON of wonderful friends and extended family all in support of this super fun, super cool couple. Conrad and Cynthia, you are surrounded by amazing people. No wonder you are so great!! Enjoy your preview...

Love this......

Cynthia had forgotten at our engagement session that she had always wanted a pose like this. I don't traditionally do this pose in wedding attire...but I knew we had to have it. So peaceful and wonderful!

Man, I love this color combo. So fresh!!

Conrad served his mission in Russia. So as a gift to him, Cynthia had these fabulous nesting doll cakes made....so cool!!

Traditional first dance turned.......funkay!!:)

Such a cool idea for fun guest candids!

Love.....and priorities

2011-02-09T16:16:00.000-08:00

The addition of my sweet baby Crew has taught me a lot. Just his presence in our home changed my whole perspective. I could wing it with 3 but with 4, changes had to be made. Then, he got sick. Really sick and we were so scared. We had been blessed with 3 healthy wonderful kids. Had we been given too much? Was is our time to suffer?

Spritually, Crew has taken us on a wonderful journey. Emotionally, he has made me really think about how essential these precious moments are with my young children. He is healing and doing well. He will be a healthy little boy. His smile and giggle brings a deeper joy than I could ever describe. The snuggles that my other kids give him melt my heart. Our family is whole, our blessings are deep and our faith is strong.

I had to make a choice. The one thing I could sacrifice is my blog. My time has been better spent with my children. But now, I have so much to share with you!! So many photo sessions un-blogged. 3 Weddings to be seen. Tutorials waiting on my hard drive. My re-acquaintance with the blogging world will be slow but I am excited for what is to come. Thank you for being so patient....

Here is a free download of this sign I made with baby Crew's tiny toes. It is a 5x10 size but can be easily ordered as an 8x10 and cut to size. I think I will print it on styrene or foam board and place it on an easel.

Love Sign Free Download

Introducing....Crew Nathaniel Bishop

2010-10-25T20:23:00.001-07:00

I have been soaking up every little moment with my new little guy. It is time for his debut:) He is the yummiest little thing and so sweet. Lots more to come....

Adam and Amber Married! {Los Angeles Temple Wedding Photography}

2010-08-13T15:02:00.000-07:00

The cool 50's, 60's vibe of the LA temple was perfect for these two. They have such a fun vibe. I had so much fun spending the day capturing their most precious memories. Thanks guys! Enjoy your preview.

Man, I love this view of LA

Adam saved these socks for years for a special occasion:) This was it!!

I love how relaxed Amber and Adam are in all these photos. Amber is so peaceful and happy.

Thanks Kristie for stepping in at the last minute to help!

Jonathan and Rachael Married! {Seal Beach Wedding Photography}

2010-06-30T08:53:00.000-07:00

I had the pleasure of doing Jonathan and Rachael's Engagement photos back in February (HERE). They were Married a couple weeks ago at the Salt Lake City Temple and was not able to be there to photograph the wedding. I was super excited when they asked me to take some bride and groom shots of them at the beach after their honeymoon! These two are so wonderful! Enjoy your preview and the start of you lives together...

Marc & Amanda Married! {Newport Temple Wedding Photography}

2010-06-21T19:07:00.000-07:00

Such a fun day! I love this couple! Not only are they just super fun and cool, but I grew up with their families and have the fondest memories of growing up around their siblings and in their homes. Thanks guys for allowing me to capture your beautiful day! Enjoy your preview.

Sara and Ian Married!! {Redlands Temple Wedding Photography}

2010-06-10T18:30:00.000-07:00

So, I am sitting in the parking lot at Starbucks, using my $3.99 internet service. We are in the midst of our move! I wore out another hard drive and in the midst of calibrating my monitor, my internet service was lost at the old house. I am warning that I need to double check my edits once I'm calibrated so I am feeling a little naked here. I didn't realize how much I rely on my calibrated monitor:/

The best way to describe this wedding?.....Lovely. Everything was so beautiful. What a powerhouse couple that are surrounded by amazing friends and family. So great to spend your special day documenting every moment!!

Lightening Darks without Blowing Whites

2010-05-27T09:55:00.000-07:00

I am always loving new techniques. I can't really take credit for anything since I figure this stuff out literally from searching the web, books and forums. I think I learned this a while back at ilovephotography.com. It is a great learning forum.Here is basic sooc (my cute nephew). When I brought it into ACR (raw file) I increased the recovery slider a little to recover some blown areas of his shirt.

Here was my first attempt at a basic clean edit. You can notice that his face is still very dark. If I lighten the whole photo, it will blow out his shirt more and the sun areas of his face. I had a reflector but it was causing him to squint so much that it really wasn't helping.

First, in the layers palette next to the "layers" tab, there is a "channel" tab. Click on the Channel tab. Now at the very bottom of the layers palette(only in the channel tab) is a little dotted circle. Click on it.This will automatically select the light parts of the photo. But, we don't want the light parts. We want to select only the darker parts so we can lighten them so we need to inverse.Click and hold CTRL, ALT, I to inverse. You can also go to the select menu and choose inverse.Now you have selected only the dark areas of the photo!

This is the cool part:) Click back on the Layers tab. Click on the half black, half white circle at the bottom of the layers palette and choose "curves"The Curves adjustment box comes up. Notice in the layer maskin the layer palette. It has already masked out the light areas of the photo so these will not be lightened.Take the very center of the curves line and raise it slightly. You will notice immediately that the dark areas and midtones are lightened. I usually go overboard and then lower the opacity of the layer to my liking.

Lets take it a step further. The sun areas on face don't usually bug me a ton. But on this photo, I wanted to address it. I select my clone tool from the tools bar on the right. Then, I selected an area of clear skin on his forehead (ALT+click). I lowered the opacity of the layer super low and then brushed over the bright areas. I don't want to take it away. I love keeping things pretty natural. I just want to tone it down so it doesn't detract.
sooc

edit

My highly anticipated new client:)

2010-05-26T14:19:00.000-07:00

I feel terrible that I haven't been doing any tutorials lately. Part of that reason is my new client booked for September!!

I am 24 weeks preggo! This will be our FOURTH!! I know I'm CrAzY:)

This little GUY has turned my late night editing sessions into tired afternoons and being in bed by 9. It's okay, I'll get him back when I wrap him in a coccoon, put him in a basket with a rediculous hat and take an insane number of photos:)

Thanks Owen for the pic:)

We are also moving next week. Things are crazy at the Bishop home but we are so excited for all of our new changes!!

I will be posting an AWESOME tutorial on lightening just the dark areas on a face/background etc. I totally forgot about this technique until I used it a ton on my latest wedding. Perfect for stubborn shadows on faces.

A & A Engaged! {Dowtown Palm Springs Engagement Photography}

2010-05-16T15:02:00.000-07:00

As soon as I saw them walk up, I knew we were going to have some fun with their photos! Their retro, unique style is a photographers dream:) Enjoy your preview guys!!

Their long distance relationship made lots of texting a must!

Oh man, this was fun. Thanks guys for being so willing to try something new!

C & M are hitched!!{Newport Beach Temple Photography}

2010-05-13T22:41:00.000-07:00

It was an absolutely gorgeous day....

The daddy daughter dance started out traditional as you would expect....then erupted into "can't touch this" My cheeks were sore from smiling.

I love photographing weddings. They make me smile. Thank you guys for allowing me to capture your perfect day!

Sweet baby Ella {Newborn Photography}

2010-05-05T19:49:00.000-07:00

Ella is so lucky to have her sweet twin brothers.Thank you for sharing your day with me! Enjoy your preview. Here is a link to Amanda's (mom) cousin who provided the adorable knitted props! She does patterns and custom orders. They are fabulous! LILLEBARN

Baby Chase

2010-04-24T10:07:00.000-07:00

get a load of those baby blues!! No extra processing needed. Those babies are all hers:)

Sleeping Princess....

2010-04-04T21:43:00.000-07:00

This moment was worth the wait! She was down right exhausted after being so patient with our photo session. Modeling is a tough gig:)

Rachel and Charlie Wedding {Newport Temple Photography}

2010-04-02T23:24:00.000-07:00

When the wedding finally arrives, I feel like I'm losing them too:) This wedding was all about the details. From the beautiful beading on her dress to the fun candy bar at the reception. Enjoy your preview guys!

I love this idea complete with bags, scoops and stickers to seal the bag!! It was funny watching grown adults go CrAzY for candy!

Chelsey {Senior Photography}

2010-03-27T00:10:00.000-07:00

It is seriously impossible to not love senior portraits!! Thanks Chelsey for your fun style and great attitude.

S&I Engaged! {Redlands Wedding Photography}

2010-03-21T20:12:00.000-07:00

The love between this cute couple is tangible! Enjoy your preview guys!!

Announcing pending launch of workshops & Color Acuity Test

2010-03-16T12:08:00.000-07:00

Check out this link to a color acuity test. The lower the score the better. I took it about a year ago and scored 11. I took it again last week and scored a 4. it is amazing how you can train your eye to "see" color.

Color Acuity Test

ALSO......

I am gonna start a series of affordable workshops next year! I may even look in to doing a couple of Webinars so no matter where you live, you can check it out! The workshops will start in Southern California.

here are some of my ideas

Photoshop (editing - clean editing, b/w, fixing a bad photo, creative editing- liquify tool, getting the most out of "Bridge" streamlining workflow, customizing actions, creating templates and cards, clipping masks, creating papers, patterns, brushes and textures, etc)

On location shooting (how to not be afraid of the sun, backlighting, shade, using reflectors, intro to off camera flash, choosing locations, posing, interacting with clients)

How to get Pro Quality photos with your entry level DSLR and kit lens (Know every button on your camera, understanding aperture, shutterspeed, ISO, white balance, shooting manual, metering, understanding "rule of thirds", intro to editing)

I got the basics down, now what? (back button focusing, Focus points vs recomposing, how to NAIL focus, Metering for every situation, White balance options, shooting raw, posing clients, reflectors, off camera flash, using ACR for RAW files, editing in Photoshop from start to finish.)

This is just a really basic idea, I would love to hear some other ideas you may have. Don't worry, I will still do lots of tutorials here, I have just been focusing on this project.

Now that you are tired of reading, I will share....

Nic and Janey used this for "Thank You" postcards!!

Great way to thank your guests and save a little money on postage!

R & J Engaged!

2010-02-27T07:41:00.000-08:00

Man, these two make my job so EASY!! Enjoy your preview!!

Ever thought of Second Shooting Weddings?

2010-02-24T16:34:00.000-08:00

I like to cover my basis and make sure that I have some second shooters for back up. I am losing a couple of my posse due to moving and babies!! (love you guys!!)

You do not have to be pro. You do have to know how to use your camera and have either a blog or a website where I can see your work.

You need to be able to travel to San Diego, Orange County, San Bernardino, and Los Angeles areas.

Email me at staceybish@msn.com if you are interested and link me to your blog or website.

THANKS!!

I've been published!!

2010-02-10T19:11:00.001-08:00

So it's not a bridal magazine but a girl has to start somewhere!!:)

It's just a bonus that it happened to be my cute niece! Thanks for sharing the spotlight with me Sadie.....oh and Clint Eastwood!!

uh, does she look a little out of place to you:)

oh, and for those of you that were wondering? The bakery totally won for BEST BAKERY and BEST BREAD in the IE!! Thanks for all that voted for the bakery!! I will post more about that on my fam blog.

L & J preview...

2010-02-09T20:44:00.000-08:00

The best part about loving photography, is that I get to take my Nieces and Nephews out one on one around their birthdays and make them smile.....I love this hobby!!

Charlie and Rachel Engaged

2010-01-17T14:22:00.000-08:00

This was a definate go with the flow engagement session. I depended on my GPS for this new location and instead, it led me to dead ends at every turn. We did find some cool spots after a lot of u-turns and literally chasing the sunset.
Thanks for a fun evening Charlie and Rachel! Enjoy your preview.

Then, I had some fun with Off Camera Flash....oh man, this could get addicting!

Danny and Laci {Newport Temple Wedding Photography}

2010-01-07T12:40:00.000-08:00

Literally days after I thought my flight from Oregon would be cancelled due to weather, I shot this gorgeous bride and grooms amazing day in 75 degree weather.

I think my body is still in shock but I wouldn't miss this day for the world!! Thank you Laci for letting me capture your miracle dream day!!

Thanks Lindsay for helping!!

More of Nic and Janey {Portand Temple Wedding Photography}

2010-01-06T00:36:00.000-08:00

So, Oregon is known for rain.....NOT SNOW. EXCEPT for last week! Thankfully we took some photos the day before because at around 2pm on the wedding day, blizzard conditions ensued.The roads were completely stopped for hours and we thought it was going to just be us sitting at the beautiful reception tables, eating cake with our hands. Even the Caterer was stuck in the traffic.You can tell how much this couple is loved by how many people braved the weather conditions to join in the celebration. By the end of the evening, the reception room was packed.

/> Thank you guys for treating me like family!!Thank you Whitnie and Shelly for being such a huge help!

Nic and Janey....{Portland Temple Wedding Photography}

2010-01-01T23:05:00.000-08:00

So, does that mean that I am a destination photographer now? :) The brides fun family flew me out to photograph this amazing wedding! So, I traded in palm trees for spruces as I took the journey to Oregon. From beautiful scenery to a snow blizzard for a reception.....this was my most memorable wedding yet!

Here is a sneak peak to hold you over!!

I Miss You!!......FREE NAME FRAME!

2009-12-15T23:46:00.000-08:00

I hate that I have had to be away from blogging and sharing tutorials. I think about you a lot and thought that if you are like me, you could use a last minute gift idea....

HERE is the download to the PSD version of this "Family Name Frame". I took these photos last year. In the PSD file, there is a hidden black and white layer.

This is a 10x20 template. Mpix.com and WHCC both cary this size (and will easily get it to you before Christmas). You can also print it as a 5x10 or add black to the top, bottom and or sides to crop it to the size you need.

Be patient with me. I will be back soon.

WHAT IF YOU DON'T HAVE PHOTOSHOP or you don't want to make changes?? CLICK HERE to download the Color and B/W Jpeg version.

WHAT is the deal with the color of the last post...??

2009-12-05T21:13:00.000-08:00

ETA: Okay, wierd. They look fine on my laptop. Just on my main computer they look totally different. Any ideas? My Header for this blog looks crazy on my other computer too. It's like florescent.

help..... I know the difference of sRgb and Adobe RGB. I am editing in sRGB but when I post them here, the colors look funky. They look really orange to me. I just re-calibrated my monitor after my hard drive crash. Is there a step that I am missing? I don't remember the discrepancy in color from CS3 to online before......ugh....

S. Family...

2009-12-05T21:02:00.000-08:00

Eric and Lisa preview

2009-11-25T09:26:00.000-08:00

Thank you Eric and Lisa for such a nice day! You are surrounded by wonderful people!

I think I will have a long lasting relationship with my D700 and 24-70 2.8 combo. We get along quite nicely:)

A PSA and a few of my new Nephew!

2009-11-16T21:55:00.000-08:00

I have been MIA. Mostly because I have been busy but also because.....MY HARDDRIVE CRASHED!! Yep, that's right. Not even 1 year old and it just took a dive...THANK goodness I backed up all of my files. I lost a few random templates and such but I am really lucky. I had just shot a wedding too.....scary!

While you contemplate backing up all of your own files.....enjoy Jackson!! This poor kid doesn't stand a chance with his photographer Auntie. I am already planning his next shoot!

Wanna see me totally exposed?....photographer-wise at least?

here is a pull back and the sooc.....

You didn't think I would really leave my baby nephew hangin there...did you?:) A little clone tool and stretching the canvas (I will do a tutorial...someday:) was all I needed. Ideally, I would have brought a base board to cover the gap between the flooring but....you work with whatcha got!

I have my beautiful Nikon d700 and 24-70 2.8 fresh out of their boxes and ready for a wedding this weekend! Stay tuned!

A little preview....[Hart Park Photography]

2009-10-31T20:01:00.000-07:00

Thank you for sharing your sweet little man with me today!!

ack....d300 sale fell through

2009-10-30T16:15:00.000-07:00

okay...The d300 sale fell through...

I am asking $1125 including shipping. I have all the original packaging and manuals. I only bought it in Feb of this year. The lcd cover had some scratches on it so I purchased a brand new one. The camera looks brand spankin new!

If you combine it with the Sigma 30mm 1.4 ($300)........

I will sell both together for $1375 (including shipping)

You can pay through paypal.

equipment update

2009-10-30T14:25:00.000-07:00

Sold the D300, 24-85 and 55-200...

Still have sigma 30mm 1.4 and 18-55 (not vr) avail...

Selling some equipment....

2009-10-28T20:23:00.000-07:00

Now that I am booking weddings, it is time to upgrade my equipment to be able to handle even the worst lighting conditions...

I am selling my beloved Nikon D300 (just purchased feb 2009) to make way for my shiny new D700...gasp...:)

I was going to keep my D300 for back up but I couldn't bear the thought of such an amazing camera just sitting in my bag collecting dust. My D80 will have to continue collecting dust instead.

My new full frame beauty is asking for some new lenses so I am also selling...

Nikon 24-85 2.8-4 macro (my workhorse lens)
Sigma 30mm 1.4 (oh how I will miss thee....)
Nikon 55-200 vr
Nikon 18-55

Email me for more info. staceybish@msn.com

Lenses on my list to buy (just in case you pick my name for Christmas:)....
Nikon 24-70 2.8 (ouch, my wallet hurts)
Nikon 60mm 2.8 micro (just found a used one)
Nikon 70-200 2.8 (ouch, i'm bleeding)
Nikon 50 1.4 (my 50 1.8 will hold me over for a while)

Cassie & Steven....Married! [Clarke Estate]

2009-10-25T23:57:00.000-07:00

Here is a preview of your beautiful day!

ahh..I've missed my 30mm 1.4

2009-10-16T21:20:00.000-07:00

With all of the weddings I've been doing, my beloved Sigma 30mm 1.4, has been sitting, and yearning in my camera bag. It just isn't super practical for weddings. I slapped it on my camera yesterday and gave it some much needed love and attention.Can't you just see that big smile hiding under there?

Hannah Montana eat your heart out!
I know, this costume is torture. Even at 1 1/2, he knows he's gonna be teased for this pic in the future.

Eye pop with Layer Mask Tutorial

2009-10-14T16:19:00.001-07:00

As I go through these workflow tutorials, I get some questions about layers. I am certainly not the expert on this. I have learned basically through trial and error. Jodi at MCP actions describes the significance of layer order and how to determine how you should layer in your workflow. Check it out HERE!

Basically some layers are opaque and some are translucent. An action will work differently when layered on top of an adjustment layer as opposed to a duplicate layer.....

Anyway,

Here is how I eye pop. It is super simple. I am not a huge eye over-processor. I like them to pop just a little.

The reason I use a layer mask, is so I can incorporate it in to my workflow action and use it for every photo. Otherwise, I would have to do this seperately on every photo.

PSE-ers!!! - please do yourself a favor and download the free layer mask action from coffeeshopphotography!! It will change your life! It will also allow you to follow along.

So, here we are in the editing process. If you look in my layers pallette, you will see that at this point we have done a defog, high pass sharpen, soft light layer, screen layer.Now,Duplicate backgroud (select background layer and press CTRL J - we dont just do it on the top layer because duplicating the high pass sharpen layer will double the sharpening).Go to FILTER>SHARPEN>UNSHARP MASKThe settings I typically use are 150, 3, 1.You will notice that the whole photo sharpens dramatically, don't worry.
Now go to IMAGE>ADJUSTMENTS>LEVELS. Make sure you do it through the Edit menu. This way, it only effects this layer.Play will the middle grey slider (tiny grey triangle) and the black slider. Do something like 214-240 on the grey slider and 4-15 on the black slider.This will dramatically alter the whole photo but we will hide that soon. Just pay attention to the eyes.
Now go to LAYER>LAYER MASK>HIDE ALLThis will create a black layer mask that will hide all of the work we just did!! (remember: Black layer mask hides and reveals only through the brush tool with foreground set to white. White layer mask shows and only hides by using the brush tool with black as foreground color.)Now, make sure your foreground color is set to white. Choose the brush tool and brush over the eyes. Adjust the opacity as needed. I usually do about 40%. Had to share this fun photo!
Backlighting can be scary!! It can also be amazingly beautiful!

Photobooth Photostrip tutorial and FREE TEMPLATE!

2009-10-12T15:11:00.000-07:00

Thanks for all of the inquiries on this photostrip! I thought I would add a tutorial on how to use the Template. In the download, you will get 1 1.5x7 photostrip (best for web) AND a 5x7 template with 3 photostrips (easy printing at any store)Open up your photostrip template. For this tutorial, I will use the single strip template. Open the photos you want to place in the template. Select the first photo. Press CTRL A to select the entire photo. Now press CTRL C to copy the photo.

Now choose the Magic wand tool on the left (you may have to right click to wand tool in order to find the "magic wand tool".

Select your template. Click on the layer named "photostrip". Take your magic wand tool and select the top box. Only the top box should be selected.To insert the photo you already copied, go to EDIT>PASTE INTO.Notice that although the pic is large, it only shows up in that top box.Press CTRL T (transform)Put your cursor on a corner box and while holding the SHIFT key (this will keep the correct dimensions), and resize the photo to make it fit.Press ENTER to set the size.

IMPORTANT!! Keep following the steps above for each photo. Be sure that before you add each additional photo, you MUST select the "photostrip" layer.

Here is the final look of all of the layers before I flatten. Once I was done, I decided I wanted a vintagy b/w feel. So I ran a vintage b/w action to the entire strip.

This is what the 5x7 set of 3 strips will look like. To do what I did here, I inserted the photos into the first column, merged the photos into the same layer, pressed CTRL J to duplicate the column of photos and just dragged them over to the next column. It took seconds.Now, they can print these at any store and just cut them down to size.
Photostrip Template Download Just added:4x6 Photostrip download (2 strips)

L&D Engagement sneak peak!..Santa Monica Pier

2009-10-11T15:43:00.000-07:00

Oh man, this was fun!! Thank you guys for a fun afternoon!

ETA: Would you like the template I made for the Photobooth strip? I will post a link and a tutorial in the next day or so!!

Why do I even try....!!???!!

2009-10-08T21:47:00.000-07:00

my owen.....

Noiseware and Portraiture Settings

2009-10-03T23:04:00.001-07:00

ETA: Man, this photo looks overexposed on my laptop. I really need to calibrate it. My main computer is calibrated and looks so much different. I will do a small write up on calibration and the difference it can make to your prints soon....Noiseware takes away excess noise from a photo. It can also have a skin softening effect (not to be compared to portraiture, but pretty good). There are lots of free noiseware programs out there. They are definately not as good as the plug in versions but if you want to try noiseware, it is a good place to start. http://www.noiseware.com/ is the noisware program I have.I wish that I could tell you that I have secret formulas for the perfect noiseware and portraiture application......but.....I don't:) It is probably the simplest thing EVER!!Here is a screenshot of noiseware. I have Noiseware Professional, but seriously, I'm not sure there is a huge difference from the standard. I do have to say that if you plan to use noisware as often as I do, then make sure you get the plug-in version. Puts it right in the filter menu.The only thing I changed from default is "Luminance" under the Noise Reduction area. I think the default is 70 (WAY TOO HIGH) and I changed it to 40. This still may be too high for some people but that is typically what I use....Portraiture is another program (also from http://www.noiseware.com/), that recognizes skin tone and softens just skin tone. It can drastically remove the appearance of acne or bumpy skin without having to brush it on. It is something that I waited a long time to get, but rewarded myself with it after I started booking sessions. It saves a TON of time and gives a great creamy look to skin. I would only recommend if you have a lot of workflow (it is pretty pricey). Otherwise, my tutorial on skin smoothing coming up, will do the trick.Now, Portraiture settings....uh.....yep....no big secret here either...DEFAULT!! Okay but here is the important thing. Make sure you duplicate the background layer before you run default settings on portraiture. Once it shoots me back to my photo, I decrease the opacity of my portraiture layer to about 50%. If you keep the portraiture layer too high, your photo will lose depth and skin will turn plasticy.Before.....After....Noiseware, Workflow Action, Portraiture...DONE!(Actually, I created an action that includes all of these steps so I press a button and wait for all of my layers to come up....easy peasy:)
Oh, FYI....PLEASE erase any of the vignette layer on the Workflow action that covers skin. Here, I had to erase it from his hair. It looked weird.

Next Step.....Lighten/Contrast Layer (screen layer)

2009-10-03T22:53:00.000-07:00

Okay, we are ready for the next layer. Realize that I am keeping all previous layers in tact in these tutorials but each layer can be used on its own. Select Background. Press Ctrl J to duplicate the background layer. Move (drag) that duplicate layer above the Defog layer (basically, the defog layer is going to stay above the background layer). Now, change the blending mode in the layers pallette from "normal" to "screen". Adjust the opacity as needed for the photo. In the action, I have adjusted it to 27%.

The great thing about a screen layer is that it instantly adds light and exposure without dulling the photo. There has been times that I've had to use this layer at 100% but if you start with a well exposed photo, you just need a tiny bit.

PSE button....

2009-10-02T08:53:00.000-07:00

FYI: The PSE button download will only work in PSE if you remove the word "button" from the file name. Apparently, the button name has to match the action name exactly in order to work.....sorry, I am seriously clueless:/

Durr Wedding....

2009-10-01T13:50:00.000-07:00

This is such a TALL Temple. We set up that cool wide angle shot and my lens just wasn't wide enough. Note to self: invest in a wider angle lens:) My second shooter Lisa grabbed it for me with a KIT LENS!! (18-55). Just shows you that if you are good, you can rock a kit lens. Great job LISA!! Lisa also shot the photo above on the left and that hand photo on the bottom. How much do you love these blog boards!! YOU HAVE to try the freebie blog board action from MCP actions (it's under Try Me in the menu). It runs and creates itself, leads you to choose a photo, resizes it for you, leads you to place your logo...etc. It has literally changed my life!!If you try the free one and don't cry over the ease....you are stronger than me:) ps: you don't have to add the black bar in the action if you dont want.

Button Button Whose got the....

2009-09-30T21:47:00.001-07:00

ETA: SERIOUSLY I AM CLUELESS!! YOU HAVE TO DELETE THE WORD "BUTTON" IN THE FILE NAME IN ORDER FOR IT TO WORK.......APARENTLY, THE BUTTON HAS TO HAVE THE EXACT FILE NAME AS THE ACTION IN PSE.

My good friend Staci made a FABULOUS PSE button for the workflow action
Thanks Staci!!

(click the button to download)

Next step....Soft light CONTRAST layer & Updated Action Link!!

2009-09-29T12:27:00.000-07:00

Sorry about the action. I have fixed it as much as I can. I ran it and works well but may not work for everyone.
STACEY BISHOP WORKFLOW UPDATE

PSE

I have taken out the layer masks (eye pop and Skin soften) so that it will work for you. To get the effects of these layers, keep following the tutorials....

STACEY BISHOP WORKFLOW UPDATE PSE

Need help installing in PSE? Here is a tutorial: INSTALLING PSE ACTIONS

Okay, Contrast Layer.....

If you can see from my layer pallette, I have already done the defog and the high pass sharpen. Now, I need to duplicate the background layer. Press CTRL J.

Move that layer to above the defog layer and change the blending mode in the layers pallette from "Normal" to "Soft Light".

This will bring instant contrast!! now decrease the opacity of the layer to your liking. I set it to about 40-60%. In the action I set it to 40%.

Ugh......I told you I would mess it up:/

2009-09-28T23:32:00.001-07:00

The action is not working properly. The vignette layer is getting all messed up and making it dark and the curves layers should not be coming up. I am working on it right now and I will repost the fix.....sorry.

Guess I don't have an action writing future:)

High Pass Sharpen & Workflow Action Share....

2009-09-27T19:26:00.000-07:00

WORKFLOW ACTION DOWNLOAD FOR PSPSE FRIENDLY VERSIONSo, I feel a little nervous sharing my first ACTION!!I tried to do a full workflow tutorial but it was WAY too long and taking forever. I have decided to share my action and then give tutorials in order of how my workflow goes.

The first thing I do to every photo is DEFOG! It takes away that "filmy" look. CLICK HERE for my previous Tutorial on Defog.Then....I run a high pass sharpen. I use unsharp mask too (usually if I need it at the end), but I like the detail sharpening of the high pass sharpen. It is super easy!!

Ctrl J to duplicate layer. From the Filter Menu, choose Other>High Pass.

I usually set it to 7. Play around and see how you like it.

Now, change the blending mode in the Layers Palette from "normal" to "soft light".

DONE!!

FABULOUS!!Now, I usually lower the opacity as needed. Sometimes, I even have to lower it to 30% or so. Just depends.In the action set you will get....Workflow action (clean edit) - you will need a basic knowledge of layer mask use.Remove Red - I find that I get a lot of red in my photos. This eliminates that.Extra Sharpen - The settings I use for a basic Unsharp Mask.
I Have left all of the layers open so that you can adjust opacity. I have adjusted opacity to what I "typically" use but every photo is different and may need extra sharpening, lightening etc.HAVE FUN!!ps: with my luck it probably won't work:/ Give me a holler if you have problems.

Worflow Tutorial and Action Preview!

2009-09-18T20:00:00.000-07:00

I have been testing this action out for a while to make sure that it will work on a variety of photos....I'm almost ready!
I'm also going to add a couple of other "have to have" actions for removing red, lightening and darkening....etc.

One more.....I couldn't resist

2009-09-17T22:07:00.000-07:00

I couldn't resist. I had to go again. Oh how I hate my glowy phase :/.....

Notice that my sooc is totally better than my original edit....Ugh.

Bad white balance

Chronic under-exposer

WAY to much gaussian blur set to Overlay.....I LOVED doing that.....thank goodness I saved the original.

This was a tough re-edit. Just a reminder that when you underexpose and have color issues sooc, editing can be SUPER frustrating! Instead of using editing as a creative way to enhance your photos, you end up using it to FIX them.....not good.

A trip down memory lane.....

2009-09-17T15:20:00.000-07:00

I did a cool challenge for the photography forum. Go back to last year and choose a photo to see how far you have come! I bought my first DSLR (Nikon D80) in March 2008.

First, lets evaluate editing.....Oh man, that first edit is ORANGE...ugh.

Now exposure...Getting decent exposure sooc has made a WORLD of difference in my editing process.

I've definately come a long way as far as exposure! I wonder what I will think next year:) Interested in a new workflow tutorial? I'm working on a workflow tutorial and ACTION!

A little preview.....San Diego Temple

2009-09-14T10:00:00.000-07:00

A different use for a......

2009-09-07T20:42:00.000-07:00

Diffuser umbrella....:). When your shooting on the fly, you gotta be creative. I've been meaning to buy a parisol but just haven't gotten around to it. Enjoy some more of Amanda's baby bump!!

A portrait session from Averi!

2009-09-06T15:06:00.000-07:00

I have been puting off taking some self portraits forever. I need to have a photo for my ABOUT ME page on my website and had to buckle down. I enlisted my 6 year old aspiring photographer for the job. (She shot in RAW and Manual at 1.4!!) Yeah she's got it. I've absolutely created a MONSTER!We were a little limited in positions because #1, I was wearing red sweats:) and #2, she had to be sitting so she could balance on her knee. I toggled the focus and told her to put the little box on my eye. She's a natural.

Can I just tell you how awkward it is to edit photos of yourself. I feel weird:)Okay spill it....which one should I use?PS. That last vintagy photo is done with Coffee Shop Photography Vintage Honey free ACTION. Oh man, do yourself a favor and download that bad boy!! I changed the white layer to overlay to add contrast but that was the only thing I changed.

My Packaging.....so far

2009-09-05T17:41:00.000-07:00

Here is my packaging so far. I love all the fun stuff. I'm still playing around with it to get it just right but I am liking it so far.
The CD tins are from HERE. I printed Printing instuctions and Print release that fit inside the tin and mounted to black cardstock. The Stickers are from HERE although I think I will get bigger ones and print them on my own in the future.
The album is just from target and holds up to 80 4x6 proofs. THe thank you cards with my sticker on it are also from Target.The Raffia and Tissue paper are from HERE.
This is what I give after the wedding. It is a cool magnet (from Walmart) to hold my marketing materials to share with friends. The boxes are from HERE.I still need to get boxes for shipping and then I would like to set all of this in paper moss.Hope you can be inspired to SASS up your packaging!!

I'm an open book.....or maybe it's more like a pamphlet:)

2009-09-04T12:47:00.000-07:00

You ask me, you get it. I wanna share everything I'm learning. I will let you come and sit next to me during the process if you want (unless you're a stalker:)I had some questions and requests for tutorials from the wedding so I thought I would tackle the first few. Feel free to ask at any time, how I acheived a certain lighting, processing in photoshop etc...I was asked how I acheive such crisp photos. Well, shutterspeed is vital, exposure if vital, custom white balance is vital and finally, contrast boosting and COLOR CORRECTING in photoshop.This is the converted from raw version of this photo. I think I only tweaked the recovery slider in ACR (adobe camera raw) because her dress was slightly blown in a couple spots.Here is the final version. Of course you can notice the contrast boosting, the vignette immediately. Do you notice the color of the dress? Yep had to color correct it to get rid of the blue tint that was caused by shadowing. See how much more pleasing the true white is?Okay, so you notice that something is just not quite right with the coloring (training your eye to see this is the first step.) It isn't an overall white balance issue. Just an extra tint of blue. Go to that awesome half black/half white circle in the layer pallette, choose Hue/saturation. Change the drop down menu from Master to blue. Just to make sure it IS blue that we are seeing, push the saturation slider to 100%. Yep there it is!Now, that we know it is there, decrease the saturation until the blue tint goes away. You may have to toggle between the other colors in the drop down menu to find the color cast if you don't see any change when you push that slider.There are TONS of ways to color correct but I find that as long as my all around white balance is pretty good, I just need to use this trick to fix anything I see.Here is another example. This one taking the RED just out of the cake. The lighting was about ZERO and the lights faced all around the cake gave it an all around red glow. Although at the reception, it looked very nice, it doesn't do justice to the intricate cake.Here is the sooc converted from raw.Grab the quick selection tool (not the magic selection tool) on the right and make sure that it is set to + at the top (this means you are adding to the selection)Now, I selected the cake. But it also selected those flowers in the middle. So, I changed the too to - at the top to take away from the selection and carefully deselected the flowers.From here you know the drill. Click on the adjustment circle (black and white) in the layers pallette and choose hue/saturation. Notice that the mask box is only showing the shape of the cake. This shows us what we are working on.Chose REDS from the drop down menu and then lower the saturation. Here, I also increased the brightness because once I lowered the saturation, it looked grey. You may have to play with it to get it just right.NEXT....:)LIGHTING!!Just look at these two photos. Both taken on the same day within minutes of each other. What is the major difference........The sky!! You have to keep in mind your light source when you are taking photos. To get this yummy blue sky, the sun has to be at your back (behind you). At this location, that meant, I was going to have to deal with some full sun issues.....SCARY!! I hate full sun but for moments like these, you have to work with what you have. I was lucky enough that there were some passing clouds that would dillute the sun a little here and there.

Here, the sun is in front of me (basically, I am shooting in to the sun). This usually blows out the sky completely. I overexposed this photo when I took it so that I could retain some of the sky detail.
My friend Aimee asked me to post the sooc of this next photo. On this one, I had my second shooter hold a light diffuser (it comes as part of the 5 in 1 reflector set). The sun still showed through but it was diffused. In cases where there are just 1 or 2 subjects, this works great. It never would have worked with a group.

NEXT.....Are you tired yet:)Sometimes when you look at your edit, there is just something missing. I loved this photo but something was missing. I kept lightening it to see if that was it.....etcHere is my original edit.Then it came to me....I wanted it to almost glow and for your focus to hit right in the middle. I recently bought the FLORABELLA textures and was looking at them one day and I got an idea.
I added the "tea stained" texture and the "Nostalgic" texture and this is what it did!Now, you don't need to go buy those textures (although I LOVE THEM!!) this is what you need to do. Take any texture just to experiment. If it has too much texture go to filter>blur>gaussian blur and blur the texture to get rid of the harsh texture. Set the layer to Overlay and lower the opacity to about 20-30%Do you see how it took this pic from being blah to yum? (I also took out the blue in the veil).Just a cool new way to look at the textures you have sitting around on your hardrive. I think it is the combination of the soft color of the texture and then setting it to Overlay.So there are some of my tricks for this time around. If you have other questions or are totally confused, let me know and I will go through it!

Cinderella and Prince Charming....

2009-09-03T13:38:00.000-07:00

Live happily ever after.....

My second shooter (and friend:) HEATHER D captured this really cool photo at the reception. Loving the lighting and it has inspired me to experiment with my off camera flash to try to replicate this lighting. Great shot Heather!!

Contact Me

2009-09-03T13:31:00.000-07:00

staceybish@msn.com
Website: www.staceybishopphotography.com

Senior Template Contest!!

2009-08-26T16:18:00.000-07:00

Some of my senior photos are being used to promote THIS amazing photographer and designer's Senior Templates!! I am absolutely honored!

She is running a contest on her blog that can win you the WHOLE set! She reveals the set on Friday!

LCH Photography and Design

Amanda

2009-08-26T13:16:00.000-07:00

Here is to Amanda's perfectly round belly:) We can't wait to meet you little guy!!

L&E Engaged!!

2009-08-22T12:00:00.000-07:00

A little preview......

Snazzy new LOGO=Snazzy new blog!

2009-08-14T23:35:00.000-07:00

Things have been heat'n up over here! I am going to start using this blog to preview pics for clients (I will definately still do tutorials too!!) It was time to class up my blog like a big girl! This is a FREE template!! It took just minutes to set it up and get it going (the link is at the very bottom, along with the template name)

I have updated "the Goods" link list at the bottom of the page with with super helpful photography goodies like packaging, tutorials, free stuff....all the stuff I am LOVING right now!

I feel like I have had a concept of a logo in my head since I started, but I couldn't organize my thoughts. So, I enlisted Christina Vance to design it for me.

She took my (very vague:) concept and really hit it on the head!! Now, I am super inspired to give my blog, website and packaging a face lift!

I have totally new packaging for my clients and lots of fun stuff to share with you. I will post pictures and links to all the goodies I am using to enhance my packaging.

I also have a pic of my Photo Wall in my house and a color tutorial coming up when I get a chance!

C & S Engaged!

2009-08-11T11:48:00.000-07:00

More coming....oh, and notice my snazzy new logo!! ( I will post the color version and a link to the awesome designer!)

Cinderella is HITCHED!!

2009-08-03T14:35:00.000-07:00

Yep, thats right! This gorgeous bride is LITERALLY Cinderella for a living. Her and her Prince Charming were a photographers DREAM!!

Can't wait to show you more!!!

M&J Engaged!

2009-07-15T20:48:00.000-07:00

I cannot wait to photograph this wedding!! They are too fun and absolutely beautiful!

P. Family preview

2009-07-15T20:39:00.000-07:00

This photo was taken just moments before we were kicked out by the police because of a mountain lion scare.....ugh:)

Fisheye lens adapter

2009-07-10T11:02:00.000-07:00

I want a REAL fisheye lens. I just can't quite justify it yet and to be honest, there are a couple other lenses I want to buy first:). But, I really LOVE the fun of a fisheye lens. For now, I will settle with THIS fisheye lens adapter. It connects to my kit 18-55 lens (finally a use for this sucker).

I love it! The bummer part is that you get that major black vignette when you zoom out and in. For my purposes though, I love it!

HERE are some other samples from my Family Blog!

Fun with Shutter Speed and Fireworks!

2009-07-06T17:01:00.000-07:00

I don't give a whole lot of love to shutter speed. I like to focus on Aperture and then just fiddle with shutterspeed until I get the right exposure. I try to keep it in the 1/100+ range but other than that, I don't give it a lot of credit.......UNTIL NOW!

Here, I had my sweet niece Abbie draw a heart over and over with a sparkler.

f/20, 1/4 shutterspeed (that is super slow), iso 500 (didn't need to be that high but kinda forgot I had bumped it up earlier)

Tried 2 different colors here....
f/13, 1/2 shutter speed

Here, I had Adam try to write his name. I lowered the shutter even more for this one. I needed the time.
f/13, 1/1.6 shutter speed (may as well go get a drink while you wait cause this is rediculously slow)

This sucker was called Bru-ha ha. It was probably like $40 but it put on a good show:).
f/13, 1/1.6 shutter speed

White Balance...and a little macro

2009-06-23T16:29:00.001-07:00

Decided to play with my macro lens (I really want a true macro lens but.......add it to the list:) and decided to play with White Balance. You can see here what a difference your settings can make! These were taken outside mid day. All of them are SOOC (straight out of camera)

1 2

3 4
5 6
7 8

1. Auto White Balance

2. Tungsten

3. Florescent

4. Sunny

5. Flash

6. Cloudy

7. Shade

8. Custom White Balance

Setting a Custom White Balance can really save you a ton of editing time!! I use a $5 White balance cap that I bought on ebay to set my Cutom White Balance. There are other White balance caps that sell for around $100 that may be better, but this works just fine for me.

Wanna play around with Macro? Take a spray bottle and make water drops on the petals and then try a vintage processing or maybe a texture like the second one.

Lab Color Pop!

2009-06-12T16:09:00.000-07:00

Aww....I love this photo of little Sadie. but, I have been yearning for so more "Punch" to my photos. Not all of the time (I really love a clean natural edit), but sometimes, I wanna push the envelope on color and go crazy. In comes LAB COLOR POP!!

FOR ELEMENTS USERS: I have no idea if this works but here is a link to a possible curves plug-in that may allow you to do this with us!!

Have your photo open and in the Image menu, choose Duplicate. This will create a duplicate copy of your photo. This way, if you totally hate it, you can just delete the copy and still have your original edit in tact.

Now, go to the Image menu again. This time choose, Mode>Lab Color. This will change your RGB mode (standard) to Lab Mode (don't worry we will change it back:)

Okay, Click on the half black/half white circle in the Layers pallette and choose Curves. It will look like the box above. Change the channel from lightness to a.

Drag the top right corner over to the first line (I have also seen versions of PS that have more boxes which means you may need to move it two lines. Either way, it should look like this.)

Drag the bottom left corner over the same way.

The color will look crazy but don't worry, we aren't done.

Go back up to the Channel area and change it to b. Move the upper right corner over and the bottom left corner over. Press OK.

WOW! that is a LOT of color. Let's tone it down a little.

Reduce the opacity of the curves layer as needed. I reduced mine here to 45%. Notice that in PS, the curves layer already has a mask layer attached to it that is white.

Choose the Brush tool and make sure your foreground color is black. Reduce the opacity of the brush to about 30-40%.

Brush over the skin and any areas that are too saturated.

Flatten your image (Ctrl+Shift+E).

Now, we have to change the color mode back to RGB otherwise it will not save correctly. Go to the Image Menu and choose Mode>RGB Color.

Congratulations! You just saved yourself the trouble of finding the perfect color pop action and paying a bunch of money for it!! Make an action and use it on any photo you want!!

Original Edit (I still like this one)

Image with Lab Color Pop (for when I'm feelin' WILD:)

Here are some other cool examples:

Seriously.

2009-06-09T16:20:00.000-07:00

I was editing photos today and this one of my sweet niece just made me smile.

The crazy thing is that it looks like I totally over processed her eyes...nope...those babies are for REAL!!

Let's talk Metering!! (and shooting Manual)

2009-06-05T18:59:00.001-07:00

The term "Metering" totally confused me. I understood that it had to do with exposure, and I knew I had to address it eventually, but it was intimidating to me. I hope to give you a super simple run down of what it is and why we use it and why you will TOTALLY want to shoot manual when you understand it.

FIRST!!!! set your camera to spot metering. It is the rectangle looking icon on your screen make sure that it is a rectangle with just a single dot in the center (check your manual if you are not sure). Spot metering tells the camera to expose for whatever your focus point is on (this is typically what we want).

The "meter" is that thing that looks like this +.......0.......- when you look through your viewfinder. When you set your shooting mode to Manual, you will see a bunch of lines either to the left of -0- or to the right.

Although it can be intimidating, shooting Manual is actually just making sure that you focus on your subject and change either your shutter speed or Aperture in order to pin the dial at -0-. I like to choose my Aperture so I usually just shift my shutter speed to get the exposure dial at -0-.

Now (I hope I'm not losing you:/), If the shutter speed is too slow when I try to set the dial at -0-then bump up the ISO. Once you do this, you will see that you will have some room to increase your shutter speed now to get the correct exposure. FYI: A rule of thumb is to have your shutter speed at LEAST double your focal length if you are shooting a 50mm you need at LEAST 1/100 shutter speed for nice sharp focus.

So, now that you are shooting manual, after a lot of practice at pinning the dial at -0-, you are ready to be smarter than the camera....in comes my experiment.

Your camera is basically going to do it's best to determine what is correct exposure (18% gray). You are smarter than that though and in order to nail exposure for different conditions, time of day and skin tones, you will have to be flexible and not rely totally on the dial.

1 2
3 4

Photo 1: I metered off of the bear (I set the focus point to the bear and adjusted the shutter speed to get the dial to -0-)

Photo 2: I metered off the blue sky (I set the focus point to the blue part of the sky and adjusted shutter speed to get the dial to -0-, then I put the focus point back on the bear(so I kept it in focus) and ignored the meter and shot.)

Photo 3: I metered off the clouds in the sky (I set the focus point to the clouds and then adjusted the shutter speed to get the dial to -0-, then I put the focus point back on the bear (so I kept it in focus), ignored the meter and shot.)

Photo 4: I metered off the grass (I set the focus point to the clouds and then adjusted the shutter speed to get the dial to -0-, then I put the focus point back on the bear (so I kept it in focus), ignored the meter and shot.)

So, although, none of these are perfect exposure, the metering for the bear was the best. I still have the definition of the clouds and the rest is just a little under-exposed (an easy fix in photoshop)

BUT, if I would have just metered for the bear and then decreased shutterspeed just slightly, I may have been able to nail the exposure....

Are you totally confused? Don't worry, I will post another example....

Macie

2009-06-05T16:34:00.000-07:00

Erica-Senior!!

2009-06-05T16:20:00.000-07:00

Jacob!

2009-06-02T09:13:00.000-07:00

"Cool Dude" Caden

2009-05-07T14:34:00.000-07:00

Here is my fun session with my sweet nephew Caden.

Jenny = Senior 2010

2009-05-07T14:09:00.000-07:00

This hottie Senior (almost:) also happens to be my niece!

More Sophie

2009-05-07T13:50:00.000-07:00

Ugh....Where have I been?

2009-05-02T00:12:00.000-07:00

Well, the bottom line is that I have a lot of other responsibilities (and one of them climbs on everything and is learning to walk:). I have to let some things go and unfortunately for the last couple weeks, it has been the blog. I barely find the time to fit editing in so I have had to catch up. I am pretty much caught up and hope to be in full swing by next week:). Meanwhile, here is a photo of my new niece to hold you over.....

Megan

2009-04-15T22:52:00.000-07:00

I seriously cannot believe I never thought of this location before. It is literally 3 BLOCKS from my house!! This super old house burned in the fires about 5yrs back. I didn't even get to use all of the great spots! Can you even believe how lucky I am with all of the absolutely stunning Senior girls??!!

Beautiful girl + great clouds + reflector= some of my favorite shots so far:)

I promise I will get the tutorials going. I am out of town this weekend but will hit you up with a tutorial when I get back!!

Lauren and Jeremy

2009-04-14T11:20:00.000-07:00

How do you spend a wedding day with someone and then choose which photos to post? Weddings are such a rush! Every muscle was sore the next day:). I gotta say that my second shooter Heather was CLUTCH!! Thanks Heather! Here is just a tiny taste of that day....

My first WEDDING!

2009-04-11T14:48:00.000-07:00

If you would have asked me a year ago, I would have said that I would never believe someone would trust me with their most precious memories......well, these two did. They are so wonderful and come from the most loving and supportive family. They really took a chance on me and I hope they are happy with their special day through MY lens.

Myshelle and Mylissa....Senior!

2009-04-11T14:32:00.000-07:00

I bet ya thought there was just one!:)

2009-04-07T23:33:00.000-07:00

2 times the fun with these twin Seniors!! I also did some studio shots with these cuties. I will show more ASAP!