A few random shots

Motif #1 (the original one), Rockport, Mass


Neil Young Concert

Birthday fun - inside the balloon's basket were my 75 year old mother-in-law, 50 year old husband and 40 year old brother-in-law. Watching my 5' tall mother-in-law just get in the basket was a hoot!

First of all, thank you all for the comments and suggestions about my work. I am working with a lot of your suggestions. I am so fired up to get a printed portfolio / samples together and to get going! :thumbup:

I need some organizational help....... should I:
* Put the "before" and "after" side by side at the same size
* Put the "after" larger than the before, maybe staggered & a little overlapping
* Mix it up so the portfolio itself is interesting

Is it better to have the page background black or white, or can that too be mixed to enhance the photos? I am partial to black because it tends to make things pop just a little.

I am thinking of printing soft cover "photo books" at 8 x 10 that I could send out. Maybe 8-10 pages so that could give me about 20 examples. Is that too many? Too little?

Should I watermark or add my logo to the pages?

Suggestions & samples would be greatly appreciated. I have some ideas but I really would like "industry" feedback from those of you who have gone there before me or been the one to work with editors.
Thanks,
-karen

My cats continually give me paws for humor :-D

Jynxx & Buddy


Jaxson & Wilbur

Thank you so much for the encouragement & suggestions! I may contact you for more direction and help once I have my portfolio together.
-karen

Thank you all for the comments, suggestions & feedback. I will keep practicing and improving, maybe on your pictures :-D

To MarcoMarks, while your points are well take about cropping in particular, I make it a policy to always review the true subject of the pictures with my clients, friends & family. I try to not assume that what I feel makes good picture, is always what the picture is about.

I'm off to work on more samples for my portfolio

-karen ;-)

I think mine's actually a chipmunk

I work in PS5 and I used the dry brush filter
-k

Agree, the second is much better. Not all techniques work with all pictures.
-karen

Another photo I am working on for our living room.

Makena Golf Course, Maui, Hawaii - original

Another area I am exploring is taking a photograph and making it a digital painting. It's more than just apply effects and filters, and some times I am actually drawing on the photo. I think my first couple of attempts have been pretty good. I had them printed on canvas to add even more texture and effect. They're at Sunshine Resort, near Parker Dam on the river, CA side. What you you think?

Anyone else trying this?
-karen

Cute little guy in Lake Tahoe..........

Here's a few from Boston

Really good questions ShakyShutter. I think I'm pretty good at restoration (see below). But I also really enjoy just scanning old pics and enhancing & editing them back to close to the original condition (or "better"). I want to target the 40-60+ year olds who have been caught between film and digital technology. We have photo albums or boxes of photos we may want to leave for our children and grandchildren to record our family history before they're lost or destroyed. I want to scan, edit & preserve those memories for people.

Before - damaged by hairspray


After

I find that I really like the photo editing process. I am still a few years away from "retirement" and I think this is something I'd like to pursue now as a way to make some extra money, and then when I am able to quit the 9-5 routine, as a way to keep some extra income coming in. I've made brochures and created a Shutterfly website to show off my before and after work to friends and family. Problem is I'm just not getting any real work except for the occasional "fix me" problem from friends. I even have a name and logo:
http://kddigitalservices.shutterfly.com/

How do I take this to the next level to get contract work? I'm putting together before and after samples that I will make into a portfolio (printed & electronic), but who should I reach out to and contact with those samples of my work? I am in South Orange County, CA, but I don't know why I couldn't be national in this electronic age.

Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Karen
P.S. - Please excuse me if I edit any of your photos in the various topics - it helps keep my skills sharp :D

Dana (before restoration)


Dana (after)