{ Quick Beba Photo Tip: Making Photos Colorful } -- Mesa, AZ Photographer

{ Quick Beba Photo Tip : Making Photos Colorful }

Making photos colorful is a really quick way to make photos look appealing. To adjust overall colors, you can use curves and/or hue and saturation adjustments in Photoshop. To fine-tune adjust only certain colors, use those same tools (in addition to levels, color balance and channel mixer) to isolate specific colors { isolate the separate color channels--you can find them on the drop down menu in each tool } and adjust them from there.

In this demonstration, however, I used Lightroom 3, another tool that will allow you to accomplish the same thing. I used my hue/saturation sliders and increased the clarity and sharpness of the image. Then I used my adjustment brush to isolate certain areas and bring specific pops of color into my picture.

A simple, quick enhancement that really makes a BIG difference.

Happy Photoshopping and Lightrooming!

{ Beba Quote } -- Mesa, AZ Photographer

{ Have Faith Eyes to See and Believe }

"Just because a bud is not fully grown, does not mean that it's not a flower....and just because a photographer is new at what he/she does, does not mean that there's not a professional tucked inside. Watering, nurturing and fertalizing will make a bud grow into a flower and practice, encouragement and tenacity will grow a hobbyist into a professional. You have to see a person for his or her potential and commit to digging the beauty out of it. Dreams come true for those who have faith eyes to believe that a seed can one day become a tree." --Beba

{ Facebook Mini Portrait Photo Sessions } -- Mesa, AZ Photographer

Tired of the same old boring "hold the camera in the mirror" or the "outstretched arm" picture for your Facebook page? Let me take a portrait of you and show your family and friends the beautiful you that you are { minus the funky angles, minus the weird poses }.

For the month of July, I will be offering Facebook portrait mini sessions! You'll get a 15 minute mini- portrait photo session and 5 high resolution images emailed to you for only $30.00*!

A photo session with Beba means that you'll be getting quality, beautiful images of an even more beautiful you.....and a shorter photo session means that you won't be melting in your photo under the hot Arizona sun!

Isn't it time that you showed the world the beautiful you that you are?

-----------------------------------------------------

2 Days Available for These Special Mini Sessions:

Saturday,

July 16th, 2011:

East Valley
{ Greenfield & Guadalupe -- Riparian Preserve }

AM:

8:00:

8:30:

9:00:

9:30:

10:00:

10:30:

11:00:

11:30:

PM:

4:00:

4:30:

5:00:

5:30:

6:00:

6:30:

7:00:

Saturday,

July 30th, 2011:

West Valley
{ Daisy Mountain Railroad/Anthem Park }

AM:

8:00:

8:30:

9:00:

9:30: RESERVED

10:00:

10:30:

11:00:

11:30:

 12:00:

12:30:

Email me for more details: alicia@BebaPhotography.com

{ *West Valley please an additional $10.00 travel fee }

{ Locks and Shadows -- Preview! } -- Mesa, AZ Photographer

{ Locks and Shadows -- Preview!}

When Ann approached me and asked me to do a photo shoot of the product that she sells in her company { Locks and Shadows }, I was thrilled because she didn't want pictures of just the product. She actually wanted to wear them and show them off.

....and she was the perfect model for the jewelry that she makes! She's beautiful and makes the jewelry beautiful too. I wanted to give you a little sneak preview for now....I especially love that "BE" necklace because that's kind of been my word for this year...."Don't just DO.....BE!" Live in the moment.

I can't wait to show you more!

{ I Love 2 Year Olds--Happy Little M } -- Mesa, AZ Photographer

{ I Love 2 Year Olds! }

Happy Little M

The video plays much bigger and clearer on my Beba Photography Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/?ref=logo#!/video/video.php?v=1804992449439
Just make sure you hit "HD".
Enjoy!

{ Oh Baby! Photo Contest Giveaway }

For full contest details, please vsiit:

https://www.facebook.com/?ref=logo#!/notes/beba-photography/oh-baby-contest-giveaway/192450657468903

{ Color Popping Brick Walls-- Quick Tips In Lightroom 3 }

{ Color Popping Brick Walls in Lightroom 3 }

Quick Editing Tips

There are a few little quick secrets that help out with "color popping" brick walls in Lightroom 3.

1. Before you recolor an area, make sure you omit the original color by using the "adjustment" brush and setting the saturation all the way down so that you can unsaturate those areas. This will really bring the second layer of color out more intensly than if you don't unsaturate what's there first.

2. When you select your adjustments brush "color" option, make sure that you set the contrast on the color you're using all the way up. This really brings a strong contrast between the color of the brick and the white of the mortar and really gives it that crisp color "pop." You can also set your "clarity" slider all the way up too.

3. Finally, use your "darken" adjustment brush to darken some areas of the brick to make them look a little more grungy and rough. I also added in some additional color for this picture.

Here's the end result:

{ My Big Fat Greek....Oh Wait... My Big Fat Armenian Ankle } -- AZ Photographer

{ My Big Fat......}

This is what a very fat, swollen ankle looks like.

Torn peroneal tendon.

{ Again } 

Last time I tore it, the doctor wanted surgery, but then God healed me.

 I'm praying for His healing.

{ Again }

I gotta say...right now my ankles and feet look like Laurel & Hardy or a number "10". One's regular sized and the other is big.

Doctor's orders are rest, elevating and icing it. Me? Rest? Does this doctor know me and my personality? Do I ever rest??

{ wink }

 I refused to wear the clunky, chunky "space boot" again. I wore it last time for several months. I convinced him to change his mind and let me wear an Ace bandage instead.

I'm still going to be doing photo shoots { I'm stubborn like that....at least that's what I'm told.... }, but just need to get creative with how I shoot since I won't be able to jump around all crazy like I normally do. Yeah, I do actually jump sometimes....

I'll have to be Beba...just subdued a little bit. ; )

I'm determined to get better!!! I'm putting my foot down on that! { Just more gently than usual }.

Sorry if I gross any of you out. It's not pretty to look at.

{ Beba Quote } -- AZ Photographer

{ Beba Quotage }

"So much talent is lost by the false demands of perfectionism. A baby doesn't learn to walk on it's first try and dreams don't come into being overnight. But just like a baby, we have to get up and try over and over and over again until we get it. I don't know about you, but I don't want to be stuck in Pampers for the rest of my life and the only way I'll grow out of them is to risk falling on my rear." --Beba

{ When In Doubt, Accessorize It! } -- Camera Bag Bling! -- AZ Photographer

{ When In Doubt, Accessorize It! }

Warning....lotsa, lotsa pink!!!

I am a girly-girl who loves everything cutsie and chic and so having a pink camera bag wasn't going to be enough for this feminine-chic heart of mine. So, I did what came naturally to me and I started accessorizing it!

It doesn't have to be anything crazy. I just clip on the hair flowers that I wear in my hair. It makes the perfect "bag bling" for me. A simple little touch that dresses it up.

A little sparkle works too...

What about you? Do you "bling" your camera bag?

Feel free to share pictures if you do!

{ Victoriana -- A Lost Era } -- AZ Child Photographer

{ Victoriana }

I have always loved Victorian times. I love the beauty surrounding the period and loved the clothing of the time even more. Call me an old fashioned soul, but I even love the way that women worked hard and hand-touched everything they cleaned, cooked or mended. I found this picture of a little girl I recently photographed and something about it screamed out "Victorian!" to me.

I love making pictures into works of art. Here is the original and the "artistified" {Um, is that even a  real word?! } version of it:



{ Connie & Boomer } -- AZ Photographer -- Pet Photography

{ Connie & Boomer }

I'm sitting here writing this blog with Roscoe { our 75 pound pound puppy } tucked underneath my computer chair at my feet. Sure, he's trying to gnaw on the chair wheel, but I'm still a total sucker for dogs. I'm a total pet parent. I would pour myself out for Roscoe. I love dogs. When I left for California a couple of weeks ago, I was good all weekend. Roscoe stayed in Doggie Daycare while we were away and usually, I'm a mess. I hate leaving him. I mean, won't he think I abandoned him?

That weekend, I was a good pet parent though. I didn't even call him on the "Bone Phone" and talk to him { yes, seriously, they have that for pet parents to talk to their pets while they're away! }

I had a shoot a couple weeks ago and have to say that my heart was melted by two other very loveable old dogs, Connie & Boomer.  Taking pictures of Connie and Boomer sure made me homesick for Roscoe!

Boomer and Connie's pet parents wanted pictures of their babies, but whoah. Both are senior dogs and GINORMOUS. I'll admit, I was a little nervous when I saw them at first. Roscoe is 75 pounds and huge to me...and these dogs were triple his size.

{ Gulp. }

I was supposed to photograph these dogs? They were the size of tanks! Aren't big dogs also scary dogs? Don't they have big scary teeth? I was nervous at first, but Boomer came over with wagging tail and in an instant, he wanted to be petted.



He was so happy to have his picture taken and even seemed to be laughing at one point.

Connie is a rescue dog and was a little more shy. She held back at first, peeking at me from around the corner and not sure about having a human in her pet area. But after awhile, she came over to me and put her heavy chin on my leg and nudged me with her nose. After that, she didn't want to leave my side. Her face never really changed expression, but those eyes....oh, those eyes....they said so much. She melted me with those big brown sad puppy-dog eyes of hers.

I was surprised that Connie happily sat for pictures with me. Her pet parent said that she usually runs away and doesn't like to have her picture taken. But both she and Boomer sat wagging their tails and getting excited when I told them, "Come on guys! I'm going to take your picture! Sit pretty for me!"

They obliged. Phew.

Maybe I have some sort of dog whispering skills I didn't know about. NAH. They're just good dogs.

I know that I'm TOTALLY being biased here, but I think that everyone should have a dog if they can.

They love you unconditionally, get excited to see you when you come home and will be loyal to you like no other. How can you not love that? : )

{ Photo Snobs }

{ Photo Snobs }

I may get some heat back for this one as a photographer, but it's something I'm sounding off about because I feel passionate about it.

Increasingly, I've come across friends who have been snubbed by other photographers in the profession because they lived within a certain zip code and and they didn't want competition encroaching on their territory. A friend of mine was denied a workshop because she lived "too close" to the photographer offering it. Other photographers have written to me and lamented about how other photographers were tight lipped with offering them advice. The photographers viewed them as competition and didn't want to be trumped in their own work.

As a photographer who's { so } graciously been given help by other photographers, it's disheartening to hear that some photographers are being snubbed by these "photo snobs."

{ Teamwork }

I always love sharing information I know with other photographers because I see us all working together as a team. I don't see other photographers as a threat--I see them as a blessing. My thought is, "If I give this photographer information and they end up being better than me or better a lot quicker, then that's because God gifted them to be more gifted than me." What I say or don't say won't be what makes that happen. That's something that will happen anyways because it's something that comes from the inside out. They will inevitably find their information somewhere and flourish anyway...and if they do flourish at a quicker pace, I can learn from them.  I want to encourage people to follow their dreams and to use the gifts and talents that God has given them and I love being a part of helping others find success in their work. So many other photographers have been so incredible in helping me with my own photography and I'm so grateful to them for their time and help. Why shouldn't I give back when I can too and help others?

I always want to be a team player and be an encouragement to others in the same way that others have been an encouragement to me!

{ Photo Snob. }

No photo snobs here. ; )

"In helping others, we shall help ourselves, for whatever good we
give out completes the circle and comes back to us." -- Flora Edwards

Do you have a story about being snubbed by a photo snob? How did you handle it?

Have you been helped by another photographer that you want to give props here to?
Give a shout out to these champion team players!

I'll give my own thank yous to some awesome photographers who have really poured a lot of themselves out to help me, whether through personal advice, mentoring or posting so much help information on their blog--thanks girls! You have gone more out of your way than others and I so appreciate your help. Gold star--you girls are the rockstars of the photo world!:

Thank you Pati Pakulis!

&
Thank you Melissa Jill!

&

Thank you Jen O'Sullivan!
&
Thank you Jasmine Star!
&
Thank you Brienne Michelle!

{ The Magic of Lightroom & Photoshop } -- AZ Photographer

{ Experience the Magic of Lightroom & Photoshop }

The quality of the video is not the greatest, but you get the idea! Lightroom and Photoshop are powerful tools!



{ Encouragement to Live Your Dreams From Celebrity Makeup Artist, Kandee Johnson }

{ A Little Encouragement From Kandee Johnson }

Celebrity Makeup Artist

I love this youtube video from Kandee Johnson! This girl breathes the very breath from my heart! Following your dreams and goals is the very heartbeat of my life and I love encouraging others to follow theirs....and she does it so well! I'm still at the start of my journey, but she's totally been there and is living it in a big way! 

She's overcome so much to get to where she's at today and tells her story very candidly. She shares how she followed hard after her dream and became wildly successful because of her tenacity to keep following it, no matter what.

I hope that you do to.

{ Follow your dream. Follow your passion. }

{ Bless the world with the gifts that you've been given. }

Thank you for sharing your heart, Kandee!!