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Adventures with DSLR: Lighting Issues

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… Or How Not to Use a DSLR. 

Exhibit A:  I need direction.  Direct sunlight is hitting my face, making my foundation look like it’s about four shades lighter than my actual skin tone.  Oops.  It would be fantastic if someone would make a camera attachment that shouts tips at you while on the continuous self-timer setting.  Lesson learned: don’t stand with your face in the sun.  There’s only so much the camera can do, you need to improve your general  photography skill level.  

Exhibit B:  So I am really good at blurring out the foreground and sharpening the background.  Unfortunately this means I have to go hide behind a plant or something to bring myself into focus.  

Exhibit C:  Getting better?  Not bad, but depth of field is still kind of meh.  

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I’m thinking about naming my camera Fred.  Last Wednesday I just sort of looked at it and thought “Fred”.  I don’t know why.  I wasn’t even thinking about naming it.  And then I thought it would be too weird to name the camera, but I thought about it more and people name all sorts of inanimate objects.  Like cars.  Naming a camera isn’t that odd.  

Then I thought that maybe I should name it Corinne, in honor of Corinne Day.  But it just isn’t a Corinne.  

So I guess the real question… is Fred a girl or a boy?  Is it too ironic to have a camera and name her Fred?  

Maybe it could be short for Winifred?  

https://lettersfromthe.city/1121017458/

Adventures With DSLR: First Edition

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…Or Photography for Hopeless Cases. 

Exhibit A:  This is sort of how I’m feeling.  Ugh.  At least I take a decent photo when everything is in focus.  This is f/9 in aperture priority mode.  But I’d really like to blur the background while keeping the foreground in focus.

 

Exhibit B:  Not exactly what I had in mind.  I take great photos of everything unfocused though.  I’ve become really good at this technique.  Call me, you know, if you need crazy blurry photos.  

Exhibit C:  So we’re good again! The tree does look kind of cool actually, but I’d really like to blur it out.  Maybe I’ll get a remote and let the camera do all the focusing for me.  And I could definitely improve the white balance and ISO — color and exposure were majorly corrected in iPhoto!  

Well, there’s always tomorrow :)  I’ll get it one of these days, although a Barnes and Noble trip for an omgggineedhelppp!!!! book might be in order.  

A Little Bit in Transition

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9.6.10 ~ Monday ~ Holiday

The last photos with the little point and shoot, unless I’m ever separated from the DSLR.  I’m actually thinking about naming it… yeah, it’s that bad.  It’s like it’s my pet or something :)  

I forgot how much I like this sweater!  I haven’t worn it since probably May, and I haven’t photographed it since March.  My only defense is that it’s been hot!  Too hot even for a short sleeved sweater!  I’ve never been able to wear summer sweaters unless it’s truly cold, even if it drops to 60 the humidity gets to me.  I’ve always wanted to have summer cashmere but I would totally just roast myself!  

Some people IRL have seen me in shorts more than is generally normal — it’s because I’m hoping to carry them into fall.  I’ve never been able to continue with shorts past summer so I’ve been trying to think of looks I can easily add stockings to for fall/winter.  Depending on the weather, I might be trying it out in Toronto with black lace stockings at night!

Moth (Anthropologie) sweater, C&C California shirt, LOFT shorts, Sofft platforms, Marc by Marc Jacobs bag.  

Texture: Dots

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9.3.10 ~ Friday

So if you haven’t heard yet, Lookbook is open now!  However, I think I’m not hipster enough/don’t have any professional photographer friends/my really emo looking glare is totally not up to par, so I probably won’t be singing up (at least not until I perfect the emo looking glare, seriously no one smiles on Lookbook).  

It was really cool last Friday, a bit of a preview to fall weather before the temperature skyrocketed to the 90s again!  I enjoyed the break from the heat but I’ll be really sad when it’s full dark at 5pm.  I guess it’ll give me practice with nighttime photography, although it won’t be good for my GAS (gear acquisition syndrome) because I’ll totally be wanting an external flash, umbrellas, snow resistant lenses… yeah I don’t even think those last ones exist, but I’ll want them anyway!  

I’m missing Fashion’s Night Out again — have fun, everyone, I’m a little jealous — but I think the tiff will be just as good!  

Some label I forget from Francesca’s Collections tee shirt cardigan, Confetti dress, F21 belt, Bandolino shoes.  

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IMG001.jpg

Well, it could have been worse.  

I only screwed up some of the settings and cut off my feet.  

This is the very first shot taken with my DSLR yesterday in RAW, which has amazing quality but if I shoot in that all the time my hard drive will be overloaded in about a week.  Overall I think it went well, aside from the fact that I cut my feet off, my aperture settings were totally wrong, and an epic focusing fail (really bad bloopers up later).  

I have two more looks queued up from when I was still using my point-and-shoot (I really, really appreciate how good that tiny camera is now after getting the DSLR) and then it’s going to be time for adventures with the new camera!  

https://lettersfromthe.city/1088480835/

Of the Moment

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9.1.10 ~ Wednesday ~ Fall is Falling

For the first day of September (okay, so it’s not really fall), I wanted to try out one of the big trends of the season.  Neutrals are at the top of my list — and probably about everyone else’s too — for fall fashion, although recently I’ve been buying black and hot pink (oops).  I don’t have a lot of neutral clothing, so this is experimental but I think it came out decently!  I’m not sure if the skirt is actually a neutral, it’s some kind of odd purple/grey color and I have no idea what to really call it.  If you’ve been to loft recently you’ve probably seen it, they used it for skirts, shorts, and a jacket.  

Hmmm maybe next time I’ll swap out the bag for something else, brown or gold probably!  

Also, has anyone ever been to an international film festival?  I have a feeling I’m going to be packing day and night looks for every single day…  I wonder what the temperature is in Toronto right now?  

LOFT shirt, LOFT skirt, belt from Japan, Sofft platforms, Marc by Marc Jacbos bag.  

Last of Summer: Bohemian…ish

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8.31.10 ~ Tuesday ~ Goodbye August

Does my hair look softer?  I tried.  The very straight look I’ve been sporting lately just doesn’t go very well with this dress and makes me wish for my usual slightly longer, curly hair.  I haven’t worn this dress as much as in summer past because, yes, I don’t think my hair goes with it.  Also, I always have a problem deciding on shoes!  I have very minimalist gold leather sandals that go well with this.  But they are flats.  And I think we all know how I feel about flats.  For traveling only, and then only when absolutely necessary.  So I just can’t wear them casually during the day.  Can’t.  

Juicy Couture dress, Steve Madden wedges.  

Last of Summer: Pink Dress

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8.30.10 ~ Monday

I tend to wear this dress frequently throughout the summer but I’ve never posted a photo — it tends to photograph very poorly, either overexposed or much too dark.  As you can see in the photos there is a huge discrepancy in color and the dress does not look like either of the photos anyway…  

This is the lightest piece of clothing I own and it’s reserved pretty much exclusively for days in excess of 95 degrees.  Which we’ve been having since Sunday.  Promise I haven’t been living in this dress all week (eeeew).  Are you tired of this belt yet?  This weekend I’m planning to look for a few new ones for fall!  

J. Crew dress, Charlotte Russe belt, Steve Madden sandals.  

I love…

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leather!!  I would dearly love to own this Alice + Olivia pleated leather skirt, but the price ($395.00) is rather… off putting.  I mean, who knows if I’m going to want to wear this thing next year?  I could take one look at it next fall and decide that I am way. Too. Old. for pleated skirts.  

I’ve also seen this one ($325, J. Crew Collection) which isn’t pleated but looks as if it has much more staying power.  I like the softness and unexpectedness of both these skirts.  Oh and I’m also looking for a leather jacket with the same qualities… just as I was last year at this time.  One day I’ll find it!

Has anyone seen something similar for less?  And not Forever 21, sadly I can never wear their skirts because they are always far too short for me :(   Just got the Tiffany leather collection email, yeah too bad there are no skirts.  Tiffany should definitely make leather skirts.  Especially in that beautiful gold.  Not really in line with their design aesthetic, but I’m sure they would be amazing!

Also, totally unrelated but does anyone know how to center photos in this theme?