Ali Edwards answers Photo Q&A’s
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I recently subscribed to Ali Edwards‘ Life Artists e-newsletter and I must say it is filled with sources of wonderful information for any mad cropper like myself!
In Ali Edwards’ current issue, she answered questions related to photo taking and what you do with them afterwards!
An excerpt of the Q&A includes:
Q from Eileen : What photo editing software do you use.I have problems with cropping or making any changes to photos and would like to know what you use and like.I would love to write on my photos but don’t know which software is good for this.
A : My favorite photo editing program is Adobe Photoshop. This is the program I learned when I was studying graphic design. I use it everyday.
Q from Jennifer : Since this week’s zine topic was about photos, I was curious if you enhance many of your photos digitally? (i.e., layering colors in Adobe) Your photos seems to look so real and raw without too much tweaking–I totally love that because that is what I strive most for in my photos–capturing the realness of life.
A : Most of the time I upload my photos into iPhoto and then open them in Photoshop when I am ready to use them in a project. In Photoshop the things I tend to use most often include adjusting the lightness & darkness, color balance, and curves.
In general, I like the real life quality of photos that are imperfect. I like photos that have the warm-orange tone from being taken without the flash inside my home. And, I don’t want to spend a lot of time messing with my photos. I would much rather be moving on to the next step in the creative process than agonizing over the perfect coloring for a photo.
Q from Yukari : I’m taking a trip to Argentina next year and I’m wondering what “equipment” i should take with me. i know you travel a lot and take photos on your trips and i was wondering what your process is with all the photos you take. I’m pretty sure i will not be taking my laptop with me, but i might have regular access to computers and the internet. I’d like to upload some pictures to my blog along the way (just because I’m paranoid about losing photos during the trip for whatever reason) and write my thoughts. do you think it would be a better idea to take my laptop? also, what lenses do you take for your camera? whatever advice you may have about traveling with camera equipment would be much appreciated.
A : I have done a few different things when it comes to bringing a camera with me when I travel. For longer trips (usually international) I will take my Canon Digital Rebel. The pro: it takes awesome photos. The con: it is big and bulky. When I travel within the US I tend to bring my smaller digital camera (a Canon Powershot SD500). The pro: pocket size. I love that I can just stick it in my back pocket or in my coat pocket and be good to go. The con: the photos are just not the same quality wise.
I think if you are really worried about losing your photos then bringing along your laptop will help alleviate those fears. You can upload your photos at the end of each day and share them online or even send them to be developed so that you will have them all ready when you get home. I regularly travel with my laptop - it is simply a part of the things that always go with me. Bringing your laptop along with you will also give you a chance to do some writing (especially if you usually journal on your computer) as you journey on your trip. There is nothing quite like getting those reflections down while you are still traveling.
My favorite camera lens is a fixed 50 mm. It is the one I leave on my camera for everyday use. I am all for less bulk when I travel so I usually only bring the one lens that is on my camera.
Q from Amy : I have more than 14 years of photos stored in my home. Should I start scrapping from the beginning? Should I just put all my old photos in albums and start scrapping from now? How do you store photos you don’t scrap?
A : Great question Amy. My recommendation is to begin with whatever stories are inspiring you right now - whether the photos are from yesterday or today. You will be more satisfied with the entire process if you are enjoying yourself. I also highly recommend reading Stacy Julian’s book The Big Picture or taking her class called Library of Memories on Big Picture Scrapbooking. She does an excellent job of addressing just these issues in a step by step manner and gives you a game plan to get yourself organized.
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