This was the picture that perhaps gave me my "Aha" moment. I was very nervous when taking this picture, but I went out on a limb and I tried. The picture is slightly out of focus,  but I like the composition and the lighting. This was the first portrait that I took that was truly a strong image. I believe that this was also the picture that helped me gain confidence and gave me hope to keep trying and that my work was going to pay off.

I believe my strengths in photography is portrait and still life. I will never forget the time when I was getting my portfolio critiqued and one of the judges told me that my photography is strongest when I am capturing things that are most near and dear to me. As I look back on these past two years I have learned that he was right. When I photograph something that is near to me, or something that is a part of me...it unlocks something in my brain that allows me to be more creative and take the picture to the next  level.

Surprisingly, this photo is one of my favorites. This photo really allowed me to work with my favorite aspect of photography...off camera lighting. I learned how to successfully light both of my subjects and while properly exposing them both. This photo further helped me developed my "aha" moments.

This photo was taken while attempting to do HDR. I took this photo in my living room with no flash, and no tripod. This was tricky because my living room has very high ceilings and very dim lighting...This setup taught me how to improvise. I remember Smith showing us a video of cross lighting male fashion photography. I knew I wanted harsh lighting, and I knew I wanted rim lighting. So since I didnt have pocket wizards or flashes, I used flash lights! End the end I got my desired result.

This photo was taken while doing couples pictures with Brittney and Logan. This isnt my best picture, but I like it because I successfully lighted my subject and the point of interest. I took this with off camera flash in the middle of the night.

This photo and the following photo are one of my favorites. This is an HDR photo, but this is one of the photos that helped me capture still life successfully. As stated before, still life has never really been my greatest strength, but I think if I would have worked at it more, it could have been.

These photos are actually nice interior shots without the HDR touch. I felt that I framed the interior well and I feel that I successfully utilized the lighting at hand. These pictures were taken at a nursing home and the interior design and vibrant colors intrigued me. After my first attempt of HDR, this photo and the one above shows a milestone of difference because my first attempt of HDR was awful. But, once again I successfully learned from my mistakes.

This picture is important to me, because out of the 24 months I have participated in this photography class, I have never taken a self-portrait. I never did, because I had body image issues and until my later years of high school, I was able to take a picture of myself, or have my picture taken and not be ashamed of what I see. I am very appreciative of this photo also because I had to be very innovative. I forgot my tripod, had one flash and one light stand, and no backdrop. So, therefore I had to use my dad's bed sheet and skillfully attach it to the glass wall in the living room, and I used a chair for my tripod and set the self timer. I am thoroughly pleased with the end result.

This photo was taken when I decided to take a trip down to my dad's funeral home for an experiment with environmental portrait. I had an interesting time. It just so happened that while I was on a photography scavenger hunt trying to find something exciting in a funeral home (go figure), I saw my dad preparing for a funeral and he was getting ready to dress and casket a body. I thought it would be cool if I got up close and personal and got a different perspective of the body.

This following picture is my most prized photo. This is the photo that all of my photos were leading up to. This particular photo won me a Jostens. This photo was actually taken at the end of my junior year. I will never forget when Stan critiqued my portfolio and commended me on this photo. It gave me confidence and pride in my work. I learned that sometimes imperfection is perfection. I a forever grateful that Smith encouraged me to enter this photo, even after all of the competitions that rejected it. I am thankful that Smith pushed me to take pride in my work, because I would have hated to have missed out on an oportunity of a lifetime that is: Winning a Jostens

Softball !

While on break I was assigned to shoot a varsity softball game....I thought that since it was a bright sunny day it was going to be fairly easy to shoot the game...Well for me that wasn't  necessarily the case. I had a 70-200 lens, but it was still difficult for me to be able to get close enough. However, to my advantage, girls don't hit as hard as guys soooo stopping the action wasn't nearly as hard as it was when I shot a baseball game. My settings were ISO 200, 91mm, f/6.3, 1/2000sec

Senior !

Over Spring Break, I had alot of down time and in between assignments I decided to play with the gear. I thought I had packed a macro lens, but I had the 17-50 instead. But while I was just outside my house shooting, I noticed my graduation tassel swinging and thought with the dark overcast and the bright orange tassel I thought I could get an interesting shot. My settings were ISO 400, 47mm, f/2.8, 1/50sec.

Ballroom Dancing

The other night, Rosebud's held the annual ballroom dancing class. This was a fairly simple setup except for the fact that I'm 5'2'' and I was wearing 3 in heels. Not only was I wearing heel but so where the subjects....So some of the pictures' compositions where slightly awkward because of the angle they were shot at. I enjoyed shooting this event because of the expressions and life brought to the photos. 

County Lovin' (chezzy title haha)

After shooting by the barn, I decided to set up a shot in the middle of the road. I only had one strobe with a soft box attached, so I had to find another source of light to get my camera to focus on the rose in the girl's hand. In an attempt to be innovative, I told my brother to go grab an industrial size flash light and shine it on the rose....This was my constant light, and this allowed my camera to focus on the dark rose in the dark ! Not quite an amazing photo BUT I got my desired set up and shot.

Iron Rose !!!

A couple of weeks ago, I shot my first couples session !!! I was very pleased with the outcome of the photos I took!!! Originally, the plan was to take the photos at sunset, but due to lack of punctuality on my part, we had to do the session at night. BUT, considering taking this class during the past couple of years I learned that darkness isn't always a bad thing, and strobes can be your friend !!! So we went outside buy their barn in wamba and proceeded with the shoot....At first, I wanted to use the 50mm lens to get a creamy background, but due to the lack of light it didnt quite go as planned so I used the 17-50 backup lens that I brought.

Converse

This was going to be my best attempt of  HDR photo...I like it..I put a filter on it to add some more contrast. My settings ISO 1000, 50mm, f/1.8, 1/15sec

Glitter

Same set up as the baby shoe shot....My settings were ISO 2000, 50mm, f/2.0, 1/80 sec

Shoes Shoes Shoes..

I love fashion, but I'm never good at shooting it....So I attempted it again ! and I actually like this shot...it didn't take much technique, but I like it ! My settings were ISO 1600, 50mm, f/2.5, 1/20 sec

Rainy Day !

Another failed HDR attempt ! Buuuut I like this shot....I went out in the middle of the street and shot this....I didnt have a flash so i used the headlights of my car ! My settings were ISO 640, 50mm, f/2.0 1/50 sec

Memories Memories...

While attempting to take pictures for my HDR project...(it was a major fail!) but I just started fooling around....Soooo i went and found my baby shoe...apparently its the only pair that we know where it is...I shot this in my living room and the lights are very dim and far away from the floor so I had to use a lamp (causing the light from the right side of the photo)...My settings were ISO 2000, 50mm, f/2.2, 1/40 sec

Air born !!!!

I have mixed feelings about this photo. I like how he is basically floating in mid-air. However, I dont like how he is somewhat out of focus and he isnt lit to the depth that I prefer. My settings were ISO 2000 47mm, f/4.0, 1/250 sec.

Leading Lines

I really like this photo because of the composition. I like the leading lines leading up to the main focus, the ball. I also like how it shows opposition because of the two players against one. In addition I like the reflection on the floor. My settings were ISO 2000, 45mm, f/4.0, 1/200 sec

The following photo isn't the greatest. As usual, we had more than one photographer shooting and because we didnt have battery packs attached to the flashes, they flashes took longer than usual to re-charge thus giving me the following result. An orangey, slightly blurred picture. However, I think if  I were to have been on the other side of the goal and the flash had went off I would have had an awesome picture ! My settings were ISO 2000, 45mm, f/4.0, 1/200 sec

Success Blevins

I am excited to see that I can see the detail in the player's face and the sweat glistening on his face. I also like how the player is framed between the opposing player's body frame. I also really like this picture because of the player's facial expression. My settings were ISO 2000, 24mm, f/4.0, 1/250 sec

Success Blevins

off camera flashes were used, I'm pleased with the way the main subject has definition due to the way he is lit. My settings were ISO 2000, f/4.0, 80mm @ 1/250.

SulphurSprings

I was only able to shoot the second half of the varsity basketball game because I had to perform at halftime. I wasn't really pleased with my pictures, they seemed to be a little too grainy and we had to use on camera flash...which I hate using while shooting basketball :(....My settings were ISO1600, 32mm, f/2.8, @1/250 sec.

Opposing Team

While taking pictures at the last varsity basketball game I got this pretty cool shot. I think it could possibly be the best basketball game action shot that I have taken. I stopped the action, exposed correctly and minimal blur. I am also pleased that detail is visible in the players faces.

Cheer CHeer chEEr !

The other night I went to the Cheerleaders nationals practice and got some shots. I used one off camera flash on a clamp attached to the rail in the gym. We were running low on syncs, so i had to use the master and slave mode. My settings were ISO 1600 70mm, f/4.0, 1/160 sec.

SoccerGAME !!!

The following picture is a result of shooting my FIRST soccer game ! I filled up TWO entire cards of pictures. I was at lunch this past week and I overheard some girls at my lunch table discussing how no one ever shows up to take pictures of their game. I decided I would show up to support my friends and it would be a good opportunity to experience shooting soccer. It went fairly well for my first game and I got some decent shots. My settings were ISO 1250 209mm, f/3.2, 1/250sec....I used the BIGMA lens :)

Literary Magazine

I had an assignment to go take pictures of an english group that was creating a literary magazine. I used flash and it was a fairly easy shoot ! My settings were ISO 100 43mm f/3.2 1/100sec

Headshots

Out taking headshots for the yearbook cover. I didnt intend to create this sideways angle, but while processing i saw it and kinda liked it ! No flash used....just a 17-50 lens and a 50D camera. My settings were ISP 2000, 36mm, f/3.2, @/125 sec