Today, I'm excited to announce that this site is now named after me, Diane K. Miller.  I am moving theshutterbugeye.com to my blog and it will focus solely on The Shutterbug Eye's Etsy and other online shops, much like my darkravenphoto.com is focused on the dark online stuff.  This site will have some of both and it will be the place I share some of my non-Etsy projects.  This blog will share not only new projects but a little bit of process.  It might still share photos that wind up in The Shutterbug Eye and Dark Raven Photo but it will be all encompassing of everything I do as a photographer and artist.

I also wish to announce that I am no longer offering portrait services.  I have thought long and hard about inspiration, doing what you love and because I already balance this with a career in compliance, I wish to focus my photography purely on what gives me passion and not worry so much about what is most likely to make money.   All of that said, if you like my new portrait work, are local and would like to model for one of the photos in this series, please contact me. I am always looking for models.

That brings me to the fun part.  I created a new piece this weekend.  It is a self portrait and I thought I'd share it here and talk a bit about the process.

001 Indigo Blues Indigo Blues

I took this photo on Friday and edited it yesterday.  It is a self portrait and was taken not far from my house.  What you don't see are the suburban buildings off to the left, out of frame so I look like I'm in the wilderness.  It involved walking through prickly bushes and some allergy attacks but I was able to set up.  I wanted to hide my face and create a more artistic portrait.  There was wind which moved my skirt.  There were also blackbirds flying around everywhere so I was able to get some photos of them and insert one into this photo during editing.
 

To focus I use a light stand in my place and then I take a few test shots.  Below is one of those images with me and the stand after I had focus set, just to make sure before I start taking lots of pictures.

Z Indigo Blues Focus Test Taking one last test shot

Once I have the focus, I get in my outfit, in this case, removed the leggings under my skirt and hoodie, and start posing and taking photos.  I use a remote shutter release for self portraits and sometimes even with models.  Once i have a photo, then it's time to go home and open photoshop.  I edit in photoshop and for this image I used the curves to adjust the light and colors, I used some liquify (hey, I'm not a model) and I used a texture overlay.  Here is the before/after.

Z Indigo Blues Before-After Before/after editing

That's the basic process.  I have plans for a couple of series this next year or two.  One is a portrait series, of which this is the first of many.  The others will be announced at a later date, once I've started actually working on them.

Have a wonderful Memorial Day!