Naomi Frost

Newcastle Wedding Photographer

2011-03-28T03:46:00.000-07:00

I have exciting news - I now have a STUDIO......WooHoo

I have teamed up with my photographic partner-in-crime Xanthe Roxburgh and Frost & Roxburgh Studios has been born! The studio is located on King Street in Newcastle and the building itself is a part of the 'Renew Newcastle' project.

Naomi: I’m a photographer, digital artist, people-watcher, day dreamer and chair-lover. I do as little as possible to images that capture the true spirit, and whatever is at my disposal to create images and moments in time that provoke emotion, discussion, consideration and heartfelt response.

Xanthe: I’m a lover of life, taker of photographs, chronicler of the world, mother of one curious boy. I capture the world and its people one moment at a time! I love to explore the form of the human body, be it nude, dressed, costumed or painted.

We've been shooting weddings & quirly portraits - so much is happening. You can follow us on FACEBOOK to keep up to date with all of our shenanigans.

Here's a sneak peek at a scrumptious wedding Xanthe & I shot on the weekend at Seal Rocks.

Newcastle Portrait & Wedding Photographer

2011-02-08T04:08:00.000-08:00

Newcastle Portrait Photographer - I HAVE A WEBSITE

2011-01-16T14:32:00.000-08:00

Well, I finally took the plunge and invested in a website...and I'm so happy that I did. A HUGE thanks to my dear friend Kel for designing it.

Its a little bit quirky but if you know me, you'll see its the perfect fit =)

You can check it out here: http://www.naomifrost.com/

Newcastle Portrait Photographer - GOLD in International Aperture Awards Open section

2010-11-15T02:18:00.000-08:00

WooHoo..I'm so excited. I just got the results through for my last entry into the Abstract/Illustrative Category of the International Aperture Awards Open Section.....and..... I received a GOLD award. How exciting is that?

The awards are judged by 21 of the worlds top photographers and photography industry professionals and have been entered by photographers in 91 countries around the world and I managed to get a Gold in the professional section. Yay :-)

Here's the image that got me the Gold:

I scored 88 out of a possible 100. But word is that judging has been tough this year and apparently 91 is the highest score received so far by any entrant..so that makes me even happier.

It's a pity the judges in the Canon Photo5 comp didn't like it as much...lol

Newcastle Portrait Photographer - International Aperture Awards 2010

2010-11-13T17:26:00.000-08:00

Well, results are just about in for the 2010 International Aperture Awards. I entered 4 images in the open section this year in the following categories: People & Portrait, Abstract & Illustrative, Wedding and Landscape.

The awards are judged by 21 of the worlds top photographers and photography industry professionals and have been entered by photographers in 91 countries around the world.

So far I have had 3 results and have been received 3 Bronze Awards - just missing out on Silver Awards by 1 or 2 points with each image.

Thanks Everyone

2010-11-03T15:03:00.000-07:00

WOW....1002 views on my Blog since February this year. Thanks to everyone who has stopped by :-)

Newcastle Wedding Photographer - Bethany & Joe

2010-10-11T15:43:00.000-07:00

I had the absolute pleasure of photographing the wedding of Bethany & Joe on the 10:10:10. The location was just gorgeous - a photographers dream (as you can see from the photos).... and the bride traveled to the ceremony in a horse drawn carriage - how romantic is that!!

Beth & Joe - Thankyou for allowing me to share in your special day and to be a part of the start of your lives together. If the amount of love and laughter you shared on the day is any indication of what is to come, I'd say you're going to have an amazing adventure together.

Newcastle Portrait Photographer - Why Photography?

2010-08-15T21:39:00.000-07:00

The other day someone asked me, "Why photography and not teaching anymore?" And at first I wanted to start talking about how much I just loved taking photos. And then I stopped, and actually thought about it.

Yep, I love photography. I love it more than a whole lot of things in this world. But there are things I love more. I love listening to the laughter of my kids and the look they get on their faces when they make a new discovery. I love looking out of windows and noticing the smallest things that would usually have passed me by. I love the blur of colours constantly surrounding my eyes, filling them up and forming images. I love all of this far more than I love photography. But photography allows me to remember it all.... it allows me to enjoy it all.

As a photographer, I am lucky, because I can really do whatever I want. I can photograph most of those images that constantly pop into my head and it was only when someone asked me "Why photography?" that I really realised why I am in love with it. To put it simply... photography let's me live.... it allows me to feel alive.

Newcastle Portrait Photographer - Welcome To The World, Jordy.

2010-08-11T20:16:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Andrew & Cherie who welcomed little Jordy into the world recently.

Newcastle Landscape Photographer

2010-07-22T17:10:00.000-07:00

"The Beauty Of Uncertainty"

I took this image on the Olympus Pen for the Test Drive Competition. Rules of the competition stated that we couldn’t do any major edits to the photos – only straightening and basic levels & curves adjustments.

I finally got around to having a play with this image, being able to do whatever I wanted to it.

The original version of this ended up winning me my very own Olympus Pen EPL-1.

I'd love to know your thoughts on the edit.

Newcastle Photographer - A trip to Tumut & Sydney

2010-07-17T04:32:00.000-07:00

I've just returned from a trip to the family farm in Tumut and a visit with family in Sydney. I had a great break, away from the internet and mobile phones...but now it's back to business.

I took the Olympus Pen with me - I was one of the lucky winners on the Ph.Art Gallery Comp and now am the proud owner of this amazing little camera. If you're after a small camera that can produce quality images like the DSLR's then I highly recommend the Olympus PEN - it's an amazing little package. But you can judge for yourself - here are some shots I took on it whilst on holidays.

You can see more images on my FACEBOOK PAGE.

Newcastle Wedding Photographer - Deb & Jo

2010-06-27T00:03:00.000-07:00

Deb & Jo have just celebrated their second Wedding Anniversary and part of their tradition is to not give gifts but to give surprises. I got to be Deb's surprise for Jo..lol
Thank you so much Deb & Jo, for allowing me to be a part of your celebrations ;0)

Newcastle Portrait Photographer - Master Luke

2010-06-17T02:37:00.000-07:00

I had the absolute pleasure of photographing gorgeous little Master Luke last weekend. His big blue eyes were to die for and he was such a well behaved lad. He let me photograph him without complaint for well over an hour. Here's a selection of some of my faves.

Newcastle Portrait Photographer - A Day At The Beach

2010-06-16T02:18:00.000-07:00

We've had some gorgeous weather of late, so Ethan and I headed down to the beach today and we weren't the only ones. Huge swells meant that any surfer who wasn't at work was at the beach.

And whilst we're on a surfing theme I may as well share some good news. A publishing company in the US are going to be using my image "Vintage Surfer" on the cover of a soon to be released collection of stories based on a surfing theme. How cool is that ;0)

Newcastle Portrait Photographer - A Night At The Wickham Park Hotel

2010-06-11T02:34:00.000-07:00

Last night I went along to the Wickham Park Hotel with a couple of friends to check out The Deadbeats, The Fuelers & Funk Party. It was an absolutely awesome night. I think The Fuelers could be my next fave band.

Here are a few pics from the night:

Newcastle Portrait Photographer - Fun Shoot #2

2010-06-08T17:23:00.000-07:00

I got together with Renee Moore and Xanthe Roxburgh on the weekend for another Fun Shoot. Every month or so we are organising models and heading to some far out location to have some fun and be creative. Thanks to our models for this last shoot - Jane, Tracey & Danielle. I had a blast.

Here are some of my faves from the day.

Newcastle Landscape Photographer - PRINT SALE

2010-05-30T22:53:00.000-07:00

LANDSCAPE PRINT SALE - For a limited time you can purchase any of my landscapes as 12"x18" prints for just AU$50 (+ $10 postage for Australian residents). Just send me the name of the print you're interested in and I'll send you the bank deposit details. Once payment clears the print will be done and posted to you. That's a massive saving of over 30%.

You can see my landscapes on Redbubble or Flickr.

Postage prices will be higher for Overseas Residents. You'll have to send me your address and I'll get a quote from Australia Post. I will only send mail OS if it is Registered.

Newcastle Portrait Photographer - Impromptu Shoot

2010-05-28T07:56:00.000-07:00

Friday is 'Cultural' day for R & I. We try to get out and about to Art Galleries and alike and if we can't do that we try to make our own 'art'. Today were went to the Newcastle Art Space to check out the latest exhibition - Newcastle Emerging Artists, 2010. There is some amazing work on display...although I could be seen as a little biased as one of those artworks belongs to me...but never the less - it's well worth a trip into town to see what people are up to.

Seeing how the gallery didn't open til the afternoon R and I had a little time to fill in. What would two photographers do with time to kill? Yep, we decided on a little impromptu photo shoot. Check out what can be done in a staircase in the space of half an hour.

And this last one is a favourite...

If you are keen to get some photos taken like this or know someone who would, become a fan of my Facebook page and get in touch.

Roberta - The Bearded Lady

2010-05-14T01:55:00.000-07:00

Introducing Roberta, The Bearded Lady.
She was a major draw card to a well know circus in Australia in the 1990's but after her love affair with Roger came to an end she returned to her native, Romania. She retired from Circus life after an incident with cheap shampoo but has recently returned to Australia with her son, Roderick . Perhaps it is time to make a come back!

Roberta had tried everything she could think of to try to keep her lover, but it wasn't enough. Roger's heart had never truly belonged to her and deep down she had always known it. If Roger hadn't had an addiction to plaits he would never have left Roxanne. If only she had listened to that little inner voice when she had purchased that cheap brand of shampoo, maybe then she could have prevented the massive hair loss which ultimately led to the loss of Roger.

Where Did I Come From?

2010-05-12T03:30:00.000-07:00

Roderick often spent time wondering about his father...most often he wondered what he would have looked like. He knew he had inherited his excess hair from his mother, Roberta, The Bearded Lady, but what had his father passed onto him?
Roderick had often asked his mother to tell him about his father - What did he look like?, What did he do for a living? and Why weren't they still together? But Roberta found it a topic too difficult to discuss.
One night she was dreaming and talking in her sleep. Roderick went to check on his mother and heard her calling the name Roger. She also said a few rude words followed by the name Roxanne. He quizzed her about it the next morning but she denied everything. Unfortunately her denials were not enough to stop his curiosity.....

Roderick

2010-05-11T21:24:00.000-07:00

Roger and Roberta (The Bearded Lady) had a torrid love affair that lasted several months. Unfortunately, Roger could never forget his first love, Roxanne and so his heart never truly belonged to Roberta for he was only ever attracted to her rather long and luxurious plaits.

Eventually, their passion waned and when Roberta developed a severe allergic reaction to a cheap brand of shampoo and her hair began to fall out, Roger no longer had a reason to stay. Roberta kept her pregnancy a secret from Roger (as a beard can cover a lot) and after their separation she returned to Romania to raise their love child, Roderick.

ROXANNE

2010-05-07T02:19:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time, Roxanne and Roger were shining stars in the competitive world of clowning. They drew crowds from around the world and were the inspiration to thousands of wanna-be clowns. As well as being a clowning duo they were also lovers. They had a passion that knew no bounds….(but that’s a story for another day).

One fateful night a plot was hatched by a rival circus to split up the successful act of Roger & Roxanne. Circuses all over the country were going out of business because they didn’t have an act that could rival that of Roger & Roxanne. After months of research the rival circus had a breakthrough – they had found Roger’s greatest weakness – his love for plaited hair.

Roger was obsessed with plaits. Whenever he saw one he had to stroke it. His obsession was so severe that he would often find himself stroking the hair of audience members – but being a clown he could always get away with it. That was until the Bearded Lady of a rival circus started to flirt with Roger. At first it was very innocent…but then she started to plait her hair…and she had lots of hair. Soon Roger couldn’t concentrate on anything except the plaited hair of the Bearded Lady.

Then, one day, Roxanne woke to find Roger gone. He had run off with the Bearded Lady and her plaits. Poor Roxanne had lost the love of her life and with him she had also lost her career. But, she never stopped loving Roger even after what he had done to her. She knew he had no control over his obsession and so she waited…..

Have you missed some of the story of Roger, Roxanne & Rory?? If so go here to catch up.

Newcastle Portrait Photographer - Introducing Jane

2010-04-28T05:39:00.000-07:00

Jane got in contact with me because she had recently done the Leukaemia Foundations World's Greatest Shave. What an amazing thing to do. I'd like to believe that I would have the strength to shave off my hair, but if it really came down to it, I don't know if I'd be able to go through with it. Jane did... and she wanted some photographs taken to document her journey.

Jane and I met on the weekend and took photos...lots of photos. If you'd like to find out why Jane participated in the World's Greatest Shave you should click here. That will take you to her sponsor page where you can read about Jane and who inspired her to participate. You can also make a donation to help her cause. All money raised will be used to care for patients and to research into better treatments and hopefully cures for blood cancers, such as leukaemia and lymphoma.

Amy + Katie

2010-04-19T04:21:00.000-07:00

I had the pleasure of photographing Amy & Katie last week. These two have recently become engaged so I wanted to make sure I took photographs which captured their love for each other.

OLYMPUS PEN P-PL1 Test Drive Competition

2010-04-14T06:33:00.000-07:00

I was one of 30 lucky people selected to test drive the newly launched OLYMPUS PEN E-PL1. Over the next 6 weeks I have to upload 5 images a week which put the camera to the test. Only minimal editing is allowed. Judges will select 2 winners who get to keep their camera and another camera will be given to the winner of the People's Choice. So, if you like my images PLEASE hop on over and leave me a comment ;0) I'm under the username: pjfrost

Here are some of the images I have already uploaded:

Mothers Day Portrait Special

2010-04-07T20:33:00.000-07:00

Looking for something a little different for mum or the wife this year? Sick and tired of buyer her undies? Run out of suitable household appliances to purchase? Then why not surprise her with a photo shoot. For just $80 you can buy her a session with me - either by herself, with family or friends. Not only does the $80 cover the session but she'll also be able to select an 8x12" print of an image of her choice. You could even organise for a hair and makeup session before the shoot so she could glam it up. So why not surprise mum or the wife with this amazing deal - it's got to be one of the best value for money pressies out there!

http://www.photoartgallery.com/competition/pentestdrive#9e0c5d02-6684-4692-844c-56615b849e9b

2010-04-06T01:27:00.000-07:00

http://www.photoartgallery.com/competition/pentestdrive#9e0c5d02-6684-4692-844c-56615b849e9b

Kurri Kurri Nostalgia Festival

2010-03-28T00:07:00.000-07:00

My day started with a glorious sunrise and then a lovey-dovey shoot at the beach with a gorgeous couple. Then it was off to the Kurri Kurri Nostalgia Festival with Ethan.

The Nostalgia Festival has an extensive display of classic cars and hot rods...I managed to get a couple of photos. Here are my faves:

My Week....

2010-03-27T04:06:00.000-07:00

It was another busy week, editing photos from client sessions. But, I also had some time to play....

Firstly, it was Harrison's turn to play with the goop all over his face...

Both of these images made it onto Explore on Flickr. The yellow one actually made it onto the front page. So far it's had 2506 views and 259 people have called it a favourite.

And then it was Newcastle Show Day on Friday.....

And tonight I went for a drive in a Porsche....

And tomorrow I have a portrait shoot at sunrise...so I'll catch you all later.

And....one more thing - the Olympus Pen E-PL1 turned up yesterday so I need to familiarise myself with it before the testdrive competition starts ;0) Stay tuned for those photos.

What Have I Been Up To....

2010-03-23T02:33:00.000-07:00

Well, I've had a busy week - processing lots of family shoots. Thanks to all of those wonderful people who are supporting my new business venture.

I headed to Scone on the weekend to catch up with friends...and to take a few more photos....

And I just found out that I am a finalist in this months Canon 1Wall competition. If you get a chance it would be terrific if you could head on over and give me your vote.

Cheers.

Just Another Day....

2010-03-16T04:26:00.000-07:00

I did some test shots this afternoon with Ethan, my youngest son (4). He had an absolute blast....and to be honest, so did I.

Introducing Master Luke

2010-03-15T03:21:00.000-07:00

I had the absolute pleasure of photographing a gorgeous little baby boy today - he was perfect in every way. Hopefully these images will be there forever for both him and his parents as these early moments are often too fleeting and too quickly forgotten.

A Toronto Sunrise

2010-03-13T01:29:00.000-08:00

...that's Toronto as in Newcastle, Australia..... not the one in Canada!

I had an early start this morning and headed out to Toronto on Lake Macquarie, Newcastle, to photograph what was 'supposed' to be a stunning sunrise. Mother Nature didn't end up putting on the show I was hoping for, but at least it didn't rain....and the company wasn't bad either. Thanks to some members of the Newcastle Sundance Group for making it a very pleasant morning.

Here are a few of my favourites. All of these were taken on my 5D MkII with the L24-70mm. I set myself the challenge of only going out with 2 lenses (24-70mm & 85mm) and a couple of gradient grey filters.....

And breakfast was great too ;0)

Scattered Images

2010-03-12T00:37:00.000-08:00

I headed into Newcastle Baths this morning with the idea in my head to try out a technique made famous my an artist named David Hockney.

Basically, I just took heaps of photos with my 85mm f/1.8 lens. All I had to do was make sure the separate shots all overlapped ... and then I took a few more photos just in case. Then, using CS4, I created a large new canvas and put each image onto a new layer. Then it was just a matter of making each image fit...or not...and patiently waiting for my computer to catch up to me.

All of the scattered images are made up of multiple photos. The first image has 42 separate photos within it and the original file is 29MB. I had to put the image together with JPEGs as my hard drive couldn't cope with the RAW files.

This idea is obviously not new and is clearly inspired by David Hockney's work. You can check out his work by following the link above. Picasso also used this technique.

An Insight Into How I Process My Images

2010-03-10T14:46:00.000-08:00

I thought I would provide a little insight into how I go about processing my images. This usually relates mostly to my landscapes, although I still use similar methods for some of my portraits, especially the artistic ones.

Usually I don't have a clear idea of how I want the image to turn out when I am shooting it. This is especially true for the infrared images I take, as you never really know how they are going to turn out. When I'm shooting portraits I tend to get a feel for the client and go from there and with artistic portraits a clear idea is usually discussed from the outset, but landscapes are a different story.

The image I am going to concentrate on is of an infrared landscape taken in Tumut in January, 2010. I didn't think much of the original file when I first took it and so it has just sat on my computer. I was trying to make some space on my hard drive when I came across it again and thought I should have a decent play with it before I dumped it.

The original file is actually 2 images put together as I couldn't get the whole scene into 1 shot. Here are the technical details:

Canon EOS 450D & kit lens 18-55mm
HOYA R72 filter
Shutter release
Tripod
ISO200
f/5.6
25 sec exposure
JPEG file
2/01/2010 @ 9:47am on a very overcast day.

That's straight out of the camera. If you'd like more info on how to take infrared images you can check out my tutorial on Redbubble. Obviously, a little straightening was needed and the tree branches needed to be cloned out from the left. Once that was fixed I adjusted the Levels and brought out some of the detail in the trees. Upped the vibrance and saturation and then used a Photoshop Action called 'Coffeeshop Hot Cocoa' to get those brown tones.

I tried channel swapping the red's and blue's to see how that looked.

I also tried a black and white conversion...

But I wasn't impressed with that either so I went back to the 2nd version and decided to add some textures to it to give it a bit of oomph. In the end I added 3 textures and used different methods to overlay each of them and had to adjust their individual opacity.

Sometimes the hardest thing is to know when to stop.

PORTRAIT PHOTO SESSION

2010-03-08T01:59:00.001-08:00

For a limited time I am offering a very special $ 195 Portrait Photo Session.

You select the location and once the photos have been edited you select your 10 favourite images to be burnt to a disc.

You will also have the opportunity to purchase more prints/digital files if you wish.

That's a saving of up to $300. But you'll need to hurry as session spaces are filling quickly.

Don't forget to tell your family & friends

Note:
* Digital files can be printed as large as 8"x12"
* Offer is only valid til the end of March, 2010.
* All sessions must be taken before the end of June, 2010.

FRUITS - Tokyo Street Style

2010-03-06T21:29:00.000-08:00

To celebrate the Shoichi Aoki photographic exhibition from the Powerhouse Museum, the Lake Macquarie City Art Gallery held a fruity afternoon full of fun & frivolity.

There was a talk about this unique fashion movement, a mini fashion parade and the 'street stylists' chose audience members to get FRUITed up.

I was there to capture the souvenir 'street' photos.

The current exhibition runs until the 14th March, 2010.

Inside The Great Northern Hotel

2010-03-04T02:45:00.000-08:00

I was fortunate enough to photograph some rooms in The Great Northern Hotel in Newcastle's CBD today. It is a heritage listed building currently under refurbishment. The view from the roof was amazing. It would have been a magnificent hotel in it's day.

The view from the roof

Looking down on a courtyard

Newcastle Landscape Photographer - The Sygna

2010-02-27T02:13:00.000-08:00

I was up at 3:30am this morning to participate in a very special sunrise shoot. The Newcastle Sundance Group on Flickr had organised to do a shoot of the wreck of the Sygna off the coast of Stockton.

The Sygna, is located on Stockton Beach and is the largest shipwreck ever to be washed up on the eastern coast of Australia. It was one of the Hunter's biggest storms in living memory. It became known as the 1974 Cyclone or the ‘Sygna storm’. It struck in the early hours of Sunday 26 May 1974, and on the following morning the 53,000 tonne Norwegian bulk carrier, which had been anchored off Newcastle Bight, was found shipwrecked on Stockton Beach. To this day, pilots and signalmen compare bouts of high wind and turbulent seas to the early morning of May 26, 1974. The bow section was salvaged and taken back to Japan and the stern remains as a popular fishing location and landmark.

What a terrific experience. If you get the chance to photograph this wreck I recommend that you take it up - apparently it will be lucky if it lasts another 10 years.

Here's a list of the equipment I had with me this morning.

Canon EOS 450D and kit lens - 18-55mm
Tripod
Shutter Release
Torch
HOYA UV filter
HOYA Circular Polarising Filter
COKIN +1 2/3 Polariser (160)
COKIN Gradual Grey (120)
COKIN Grad-Fluro Red 1 (664)
COKIN Grad-Fluro Blue 1 (666)
COKIN Gradual Tobacco 1 (124)
cleaning cloth

At one stage I had on the 2 polarisers + Grad Blue + Grad Red and I held up the Grad Grey (because I had no room for it in the holder)

The Little Grey Elephant

2010-02-25T03:10:00.000-08:00

I met up with Xanthe and her son Arlo this afternoon for an impromptu photo shoot. Arlo was wearing his 'absolutely-too-cute-for-words' elephant suit. He is so gorgeous...Check it out!

Roger & Rory - A Tale of Two Clowns....

2010-02-22T12:55:00.000-08:00

Meet Roger.....

and Rory.....

Rory is the Great Nephew of Roger. As some of you may be aware, Roger has recently been contemplating retirement and as a result has found himself with a little dilemma. You see, Roger is from a long line of clowns. Infact, clowning has been in his family for at least eight generations, passed from father to son. The problem Roger faces is that he was too busy clowning around that he never had the time to find that special someone and have little clownettes of his own. Don't get me wrong, he had many lovers, but never found the right one to settle down with.

So, faced with the prospect of ending the clown lineage, Roger has called upon his next closest male relative...enter Rory. Roger and Rory have been spending quality time together as Roger shares the secrets of the clowning industry. It appears that Roger may have his work cut out for him if Rory is to find his inner clown.....>

My Photos Hang in St Vincents Hospital

2010-02-21T17:03:00.000-08:00

MEDIA RELEASE:

Local business Photo Art Gallery is one of Australia’s largest online photographic art worlds. Nestled away in Paddington, the Gallery is dedicated to promoting photographic imagery of the highest calibre. Andrew Coppin, CEO and Founder, has given both amateur and professional photographers a place to gain exposure, promote their photography and share experiences. Andrew also prides the Gallery on being able to support local businesses and communities through the use of digital imagery.

Committee Secretary of St Vincent’s Art Program Katarina Cvitkovic says “We want to thank Photo Art Gallery for this kind donation. Without the generous support of our Committee, who volunteer their time to this continuing project, and our donors, the Art Program would not be possible.”

Courtesy of valued members and wonderful photographers Naomi Frost and Ulysses Neto, the Gallery has donated three artworks to the St Vincent’s Healing Arts Program. The Pieces are currently located in the Aikenhead Building Level 3, between the Anaesthetics, Social Work and Physiotherapy Departments.

Thank you so much to Photo Art Gallery for this magnificent opportunity.

Central Coast Wedding

2010-02-20T03:58:00.000-08:00

I traveled to Pearl Beach today to be second shooter at a gorgeous wedding with the very talented Renee Moore.

Happy 20th Anniversay Photoshop

2010-02-18T03:44:00.000-08:00

February 19th 2010 sees Adobe's Photoshop turn 20. Happy Birthday Photoshop I wouldn't be able to produce my work without you!

I thought I'd show you a little of what Photoshop can do.... Check out the before and afters.......

Before

After - Version 1

After - Version 2

And one more....

You can check out some great Photoshop manipulations and artwork by some very talented people over at Redbubble. If you look carefully you'll see one of my works in there ;0)

Canon EOS 5D MKII and 85mm @ f/1.8

2010-02-10T18:28:00.000-08:00

I just thought I would do a quick post and put up 2 photos that I took yesterday with the 5D MkII and 85mm f/1.8 . It really is a beautiful lens and at f/1.8 the DOF is stunning.
These shots are of my boys, Ethan (top) and Harrison (bottom).

Do You Know How To Extend Your Canvas In Photoshop?

2010-02-09T00:04:00.000-08:00

I've had several tutorials published in "Australian Digital Photography & Design" Magazine and I thought I would share some of them with you...

First up is a quick and easy way to extend your canvas when using Photoshop. It is a really useful technique to have up your sleeve. I explain it in the following tutorial by showing you how you can make a stretched panorama.

Step 1 - Duplicate The Background Layer

Select and open your image in Photoshop. To the right you should see the layers palette which should be telling you that you only have one layer open - the background layer, which contains your image.

You will need to duplicate the Background layer, and you can do this by using the keyboard shortcut Ctrl +J (Win) / Command + J (Mac). Now, in the layers palette there should be two layers, the original background layer on the bottom and the new layer, Layer 1.

Step 2 - Add More Canvas Space To The Side Of The Document

To add the mirrored image you'll need to add some canvas space. To do that go up to Image> Canvas Size. This will bring up the canvas size dialogue box. The easiest thing to do here is to add half as much canvas as what we currently have, but only at the right of the picture, not above or below.

First, enter 100% for the width and set the measurement to percent. Leave the height option set to 0. Then make sure the Relative option is checked. Below the Relative option is a 3x3 grid of squares. Click inside the square in the middle of the far left row. This will mean that the extra canvas space will only go to the right of the document.

Click OK to exit out of the dialogue box, and you will now see that the extra canvas space has been added to the right of the image. It should look like this:

Step 3 - Flip The Top Layer Horizontally

Now to create the mirrored image you will need to flip Layer1 horizontally. Make sure you have selected the top layer in the Layers Palette, go up to the Edit Menu at the top of the screen, choose Transform and then select Flip Horizontal > OK/

Step 4 - Drag The Flipped Image To The Right Of The Document

The flipped image needs to be to the right of the document, so use the Move Tool from the Tools Palette. With the Move Tool selected, click inside the document and drag the flipped image to the right until it is lined up with the original image to the left of it. If you hold down the Shift key whilst dragging the image it will allow you to drag it in a straight line.

Step 5 - Flatten The Image

Now all you need to do to finish is flatten the image. Go Layer> Flatten Image and you are done.

Better Photography Magazine PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR COMPETITION

2010-02-04T04:40:00.000-08:00

I'm excited. I just found out that I received a 2nd, 3rd and 5th in the Creative Category of the Photographer of the Year Competition. I also managed a top 50 placing in the People category with "Washing Day" coming in 21st.

Congratulations to the talented photographers who won each category, especially Graham Morgan who took out the top prize.

Newcastle Portrait Photographer - Burlesque Photo Shoot

2010-02-03T15:33:00.000-08:00

I recently had to opportunity to assist Renee Moore when she photographed local singing sensation, Victoria McGee . She is about to take to the stage in a very special Valentines Day show (more details to come...it's still a secret). It was an absolute pleasure to photograph the gorgeous and talented Victoria. Here are some of my favourites from the shoot.