Using Lensbaby Edge 35 and an Omni wand, I was able to blur the background and people and focus on the tulips.
Using the Lensbaby Twist and sitting down, I created a whirling effect and still captured the tulips in focus.
I used Lensbaby Edge35 to make a colorful bokeh background.
Another way to eliminate the background is to immerse your camera in the tulips, creating blur and focus in the tulips. I used my Tamron 70-200 lens at F2.8, 200 mm for this shot.
Using the Lensbaby Soft Focus II Optic and a Lensbaby macro filter, I created a bokeh background of colors while focusing on one gorgeous tulip. I also used an Omni filter in the lower left hand corner.
I shot this one with my Fuji Xt3 and Lensbaby Sol45, creating a very different angle look. I also used a Lensbaby Omni filter for the background.
Shooting from high up creates angles with the colors and different textures.
I used my Lensbaby Edge 35 to give the illusion of pink tulips for miles and included the sky.
Using the Tamron 70-200 I focused and closed in on the middle of the tulips. Shot at F2.8 and 200mm.
By selecting focus inside the tulip. Shot with Lensbaby Soft Focus II and macro filter on Fuji Xt3.
My first getaway since Covid struck at the beginning of 2020 was such a blessing. October is the perfect time for a trip to the Outerbanks, NC with 5 other photographers and hosted by Jennifer Ramsey Carr. Jennifer's Saltwater Retreat provided the opportunity to meet and inspire with other photographers in a beautiful tranquil setting. Relaxed accommodations in a lovely beach house in Avon, NC, all meals provided, lots of laughs, tears, and an abundance of inspiration.
We spent the mornings capturing the sunrise which provided a kaleidoscope of different colors each morning.
Afternoons were spent exploring the island. We visited lighthouses, gardens, and quaint towns.
We spent late afternoons and evenings capturing sunsets, iconic locations and the sliver of the Milky Way.
I was happy to spend time with other photographers, new friends, that just "get it". This retreat under the guidance of Jenny was exactly what I needed to get out of the Covid rut and start creating again.
All prints available for sale. You can find the full gallery here: https://www.dmirandaphotography.com/p328908720
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Cottage in the Woods.
As long as I've known my friend Susie she spoke about her parent's cottage in Northfield and I knew it was a special place. As soon as I entered the cottage, I knew I had to photograph all the details that made it so special. It rained the few days that I was there, which made it seem even cozier. It was such a joy to be able to capture all the details of this special spot in the woods.
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Want to know what takes up the biggest amount of space in that closet? Photos, boxes and boxes of photos of my kids and family. When my kids were young, there was no such thing as a digital camera only film. Cell phones did not have cameras. I treasure these photos, when I hold them in my hands I can feel the day they were taken and the memories are so vivid. So I got to thinking about how my children will have these photos to show their children, and pass down to generations. Whenever we visit my parents, we look through old family albums of me when I was a child growing up and my parent’s' when they were younger and my parents' family. We love looking at those old black and whites and try to imagine what life was like. The photos evoke emotions and feelings.
This brings me to the point of this blog. What will you and your children be looking at 10-15 years from now? Will your digital photos disappear with your latest phone upgrade or computer upgrade? What good is a photo if no one ever sees it, if it doesn’t evoke an emotion, a memory or a smell that brings you back to that moment in time? Can you capture those emotions from a photo on a phone?
How many times do I hear “I can’t remember the last time we had a family portrait taken”? "We need to have a family portrait done, but I'm waiting for...." How about a photo of your elderly grandparents or parents? How about a beautiful portrait of you that you can pass onto your family? I love when my kids look at photos of my Mom and Dad and say, “Wow, Grandpa was good looking and look how beautiful Grandma was!” What memories will you have after you’ve dropped your phone in water or your computer gets a virus and erases all your images that you never backed up? Or never even captured that memory because you were waiting for the perfect moment?
Capture your moments in time, print your photos of your children, your family, your parents, your dog! Place them in a photo book or an album or folio box. It doesn’t cost more than a Latte at Starbucks to have those prints made! Have a professional portrait done that your family will treasure forever and preserve those memories.
Capture a moment in time!
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Guys and Girls... I'm offering gift certificates for Valentine's Day in any amount... your choice!]]>WELCOME to my Beautiful Soul Project!!
Over the past two months I've worked on this project. It was a very rewarding experience to me and I want to thank all the women and girls that participated. When I started, my intent was just to photograph women and teens without makeup to show them they are beautiful. What developed was the opportunity to make new friends, renew old friendships, and build deeper bonds with existing friends. The project consumed a lot of my time... time that could have been spent trying to get this photography business off and running , but to me it was so much more rewarding. I feel like I accomplished what I set out to do but gained so much more in learning about all the remarkable women and girls. I haven't photographed all that volunteered and hope to continue. A very special thanks to all of you that participated and putting up with me for the past month and especially for sharing your stories. I don't know if my project will get the recognition it deserves, but you all deserve the recognition for forging ahead and being brave enough to be photographed without any makeup!! I love you all and am so appreciative!! Ladies and girls, you rock!! and you all are Beautiful!!
My first images are of Sandy and her two daughters, Madison and Jillian. I asked Sandy to be one of my participants. She is naturally beautiful inside and out. Madison, her older daughter, another natural beauty is at the end of her sophomore year and a fierce soccer player. Sweet Jillian, such a cutie, about to ascend upon the teens and still looking like a young girl as she should. I enjoyed photographing this lovely Mom and her two beautiful daughters. Stayed tuned for some more Beautiful Soul Images in the next few weeks.
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WELCOME to my Beautiful Soul Project!!
What if we all forgot the make-up for a day and really thought about what makes us beautiful. Difficult to imagine... walking out the door without makeup and just being ourselves. I asked for volunteers to join me in my Beautiful Soul project and I was surprised by the positive response I received from several women that I knew and some I didn't know previously. I processed the images as black and white for a more natural effect.
My first images are of Sandy and her two daughters, Madison and Jillian. I asked Sandy to be one of my participants. She is naturally beautiful inside and out. Madison, her older daughter, another natural beauty is at the end of her sophomore year and a fierce soccer player. Sweet Jillian, such a cutie, about to ascend upon the teens and still looking like a young girl as she should. I enjoyed photographing this lovely Mom and her two beautiful daughters. Stayed tuned for some more Beautiful Soul Images in the next few weeks.
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These photos were taken on the famous Asbury Park Boardwalk.
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WELCOME to my Beautiful Soul Project!!
Over the past two months I've worked on this project. It was a very rewarding experience to me and I want to thank all the women and girls that participated. When I started, my intent was just to photograph women and teens without makeup to show them they are beautiful. What developed was the opportunity to make new friends, renew old friendships, and build deeper bonds with existing friends. The project consumed a lot of my time... time that could have been spent trying to get this photography business off and running , but to me it was so much more rewarding. I feel like I accomplished what I set out to do but gained so much more in learning about all the remarkable women and girls. I haven't photographed all that volunteered and hope to continue. A very special thanks to all of you that participated and putting up with me for the past month and especially for sharing your stories. I don't know if my project will get the recognition it deserves, but you all deserve the recognition for forging ahead and being brave enough to be photographed without any makeup!! I love you all and am so appreciative!! Ladies and girls, you rock!! and you all are Beautiful!!
My first images are of Sandy and her two daughters, Madison and Jillian. I asked Sandy to be one of my participants. She is naturally beautiful inside and out. Madison, her older daughter, another natural beauty is at the end of her sophomore year and a fierce soccer player. Sweet Jillian, such a cutie, about to ascend upon the teens and still looking like a young girl as she should. I enjoyed photographing this lovely Mom and her two beautiful daughters. Stayed tuned for some more Beautiful Soul Images in the next few weeks.
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