tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9799609537622182402011-08-01T18:42:53.286-04:00Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07337257593469637327noreply@blogger.comBlogger261100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-979960953762218240.post-59007241952110142402010-09-12T11:27:00.000-04:002010-09-12T11:27:07.142-04:00

We all have lives that we have to attend to, and every artist out there has been through the starving artist time in life; even if only briefly. Starving artist isn't a myth, it's a fact. This is only more apparent in these troubled times and economy, where money that one spends on pleasure rather than necessity runs short. Art is not a necessity, but a pleasure. As such, it is much more

Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07337257593469637327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-979960953762218240.post-47356813197982818232010-04-22T15:38:00.000-04:002010-04-22T15:38:12.714-04:00

We've all heard about the "rules" you're supposed to follow when it comes to taking photos. Anyone who has taken a photography course has probably had the rules drilled into their brains until they can recite them in their sleep. But what exactly are the rules, and do you really have to follow them to get good results? Rules are things such as: Sunny 16 (f/16 1/125sec for photographing the sun)

Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07337257593469637327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-979960953762218240.post-66966436715571468202010-04-17T21:59:00.000-04:002010-04-17T21:59:47.604-04:00

Many times, as a photographer, I find that people who are in awe of my photos wonder how someone can learn to see the way I do, and take the shots that I do. And I know I'm not the only photographer who gets this--anyone who has learned the craft and spent years doing so and refining their knowledge does. Granted, I don't have as many years under my belt as some of my fellow photographers, but I

Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07337257593469637327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-979960953762218240.post-34809203015657182010-03-25T10:54:00.000-04:002010-03-25T10:54:28.535-04:00

I'm sorry that I forgot to make a post on here about the Livestream actually happening, but if you follow me on Twitter, then you knew about it. Anyways, the Livestream went off really well this past Tuesday at 6pm EST, and it was a blast! You can still see the videos if you'd like, right here on my channel. I say videos, because there were a few disconnect glitches--one which actually cut off

Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07337257593469637327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-979960953762218240.post-64470795659906023792010-03-20T00:28:00.001-04:002010-03-20T00:31:58.618-04:00

I have a wide network of artistic friends--not just photographers--because I feel we can all learn and share with one another. And it's true, because I often find myself looking at paintings or drawings and sometimes even music videos, and I say to myself, "Wow, the lighting used on that is awesome!" or "I really like that pose!" There are tons of other things I might enjoy too, but those are

Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07337257593469637327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-979960953762218240.post-13839351343434270862010-03-17T03:04:00.002-04:002010-03-17T03:16:04.611-04:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day to everyone! In honor of this super green day full of rainbows and pots of gold, I bring you some new photographs! Including one specifically for this day!As you're about to see, I was playing around more with the macro stuff. I have one re-shot photo that I think you'll enjoy, and two new ones! I definitely feel like I'm getting the hang of this style of photography, and

Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07337257593469637327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-979960953762218240.post-57729739705126320602010-03-08T01:47:00.003-05:002010-03-08T02:07:01.728-05:00

Five years ago I was a film photographer... student. I was in high school, and I was using a Nikon N75 for my b+w photography class. My parents got the camera for me only after all other options were ruled out, and we paid a smooth $250 for it at Ritz Camera.It came with this cute little Quantaray 28-90mm lens, with macro capabilities at 90mm. Back in that high school photography class, I often

Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07337257593469637327noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-979960953762218240.post-48669132273148944872010-02-26T01:34:00.003-05:002010-02-26T01:55:28.237-05:00

A site that I frequent that I don't think many of my colleagues do, is DeviantART. It has a bit of a bad reputation for being drama central, and I have to admit I have seen the drama on there; but it has never effected me. I tend to stay to my own little crowd, and now that I've learned I keep some of my more controversial opinions to myself, and it works well. So if you do not use DeviantART at

Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07337257593469637327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-979960953762218240.post-37201734967339486352010-02-18T22:57:00.004-05:002010-02-18T23:09:57.313-05:00

I don't know how many of you out there reading this right now follow Project 365, so I'll explain what it is before I even get in to the meet and potatoes of this blog entry.Project 365 is something photographers (to my knowledge)started doing. Basically, it involves taking a photo every single day for a year--hence the 365. Some photographers do great with this project, and hardly miss a day.

Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07337257593469637327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-979960953762218240.post-52231757447585248902010-02-14T11:51:00.003-05:002010-02-14T12:16:10.548-05:00

All right! The belly dancers put on a fantastic show last night, and I secured some good imagery from it! Sadly, I'm still having issues with my D200, so the photos did not come out to the quality I would have liked. I have also come to the conclusion that if I am going to continue pursuing event photography, I am going to need to save up for either a faster lens, or a very nice flash unit.The

Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07337257593469637327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-979960953762218240.post-58249674583698531492010-02-13T14:19:00.002-05:002010-02-13T16:20:51.753-05:00

Today, I'm going to be attending an event at a college to do some photos of Belly Dancers, from the Tribe of Medusa. Of course, since my younger sister and a friend of mine (both dancers) are preparing themselves here at my home I also get some nice portraits before hand, but still. What came to mind was how I should dress for the show.I know most of the dancers that will be performing, and went

Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07337257593469637327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-979960953762218240.post-74199747548420242872010-02-12T17:01:00.003-05:002010-02-12T17:17:56.051-05:00

Yikes, my website and blog are long-since overdue for some updates! This blog desperately needed a new (and more cheerful) entry, and my website just plain needed some changes.To start with, I have been studying SEO (Search Engine Optimization) over the past few months, and as I discovered new tips I've been slowly integrating them into my website. So far, I seem to be getting a few more hits a

Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07337257593469637327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-979960953762218240.post-50196263295040736632010-02-06T18:44:00.003-05:002010-02-06T19:00:02.014-05:00

I haven't been doing much in the way of photography as of late, and that's not good. Unfortunately for myself, the winter months seem to be my biggest downfall in my passion, because year after year I notice that I tend to be behind the lens less when there is snow on the ground and no leaves on the trees.This year was a bit different however. Lately I have had a string of bad luck, between the

Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07337257593469637327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-979960953762218240.post-14951271053627343572010-01-22T06:03:00.003-05:002010-01-22T06:17:21.973-05:00

So my most recent endeavor, and what has been eating up my time and causing me to forget that I do, in fact, have a blog; is a guide to explaining the absolute basics to photography.How many times do people ask a photographer what camera they should buy, or what certain settings on their camera do? How many people read these long manuals that are so dry they can't truly grasp what it is they're

Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07337257593469637327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-979960953762218240.post-48953096151893413542010-01-05T13:43:00.005-05:002010-01-05T15:19:59.852-05:00

It's 2010, and many are marking it as a time of new beginnings. It's the beginning of a new decade for those who don't care about getting super-technical, and for many, it's hoped to be the beginning of the economic recovery. There are people all over vowing to make a new start with this new year, and to better themselves. Resolutions are being made, and this year they're strong goals--things you

Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07337257593469637327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-979960953762218240.post-78620844399249004012009-12-31T14:04:00.003-05:002009-12-31T14:09:03.289-05:00

It's hard to believe how fast 2009 has gone by, but what's even harder to believe is just how much went on! Looking back through my photos in Lightroom, I was amazed at what I had photographed through the year, because I had simply forgotten about it. Overall, I took approximately 147 photos that I liked, and of those 147, I chose 30 that I would consider my best. Of these 30, only 15 made the

Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07337257593469637327noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-979960953762218240.post-70502413309000392562009-12-31T13:32:00.004-05:002009-12-31T14:04:29.729-05:00

These are the original 30 photos that I chose as the best of 2009, before harsher editing. Please enjoy the growth, and be sure to see the actual Best of 2009 photos!

Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07337257593469637327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-979960953762218240.post-78527649871485016632009-12-29T07:07:00.003-05:002009-12-29T07:39:00.719-05:00

The one thing I have been itching to do all winter are infrared photos of the snow. In fact, I think this is the first time I've been excited for snow ever since it no longer meant a snow day from school (for those who don't know, this means we'd get a day off of school due to snow), and probably even before then. Some how, at least for me, snow lost its magic once I realized that sledding just

Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07337257593469637327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-979960953762218240.post-42575620893959420562009-12-26T14:04:00.004-05:002009-12-26T14:19:08.829-05:00

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas! I know I certainly did. If you're wondering why this blog is titled with "Meri Kurisumasu", it's because this year I had my Japanese obsession fed so much, that I couldn't resist. And if you couldn't tell before that I had such an obsession by my Origami Photo Project... well... now you know.Among the Japanese items I received a beautiful tea set, which

Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07337257593469637327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-979960953762218240.post-52314635678733213072009-12-20T06:53:00.004-05:002009-12-20T07:02:41.620-05:00

These are lighting diagrams for how I set up to photograph our kittens a couple days ago. I thought that perhaps they'd be something useful to any other photographer out there who might be reading this, or especially to students of photography.If you'd like to see the results from these diagrams, please look at this previous blog entry on the actual photographing session.I'm not a technical

Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07337257593469637327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-979960953762218240.post-66167746721402090522009-12-18T09:11:00.003-05:002009-12-18T09:33:18.885-05:00

This morning, when I probably could have been doing something more productive (such as finishing Christmas gifts), I chose to instead break in my new background, and to get some photos of our kittens. Well, the latest ones at least since my family appears to be a magnet for cats.Setting up was probably the most difficult part of the entire thing, believe it or not. This is mainly due to how

Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07337257593469637327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-979960953762218240.post-88520963437059841522009-12-17T00:49:00.000-05:002009-12-17T01:03:51.857-05:00

So apparently I am very bad at planning my time when it comes to doing personal projects; I'm honestly not surprised. I've always been very organized when it comes to tangible items and the likes, but time management I'm lacking in. I guess I just hate to be restricted.I'm sure I'm not the only one who is cramming for the holidays right now though, and that's where most of my time is going.

Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07337257593469637327noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-979960953762218240.post-23632831258289045412009-11-29T21:56:00.000-05:002009-11-29T22:20:15.237-05:00

Yesterday I did a family photograph in the home of four sons for their mother for Christmas. The oldest son actually bought his parents' house, and we photographed the four of them there to make it just that much more special to their mother.After the family portrait, they also wanted all but one (who had a wedding earlier that year) to do individual portraits to update the ones their mother had

Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07337257593469637327noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-979960953762218240.post-86373032295878419322009-11-19T15:38:00.001-05:002009-11-20T12:13:21.681-05:00

Yesterday I went to a client's house to photograph his glass pieces that he created via lampworking for his Etsy. Overall we photographed thirty pieces, with a total of fifty-two images that needed cropping and minor touch-ups! That's a lot of glass! Thankfully, I LOVE to photograph glass, so it was a very fun challenge!Lampworking, for those who are curious, is the art of working under a

Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07337257593469637327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-979960953762218240.post-25510188563501242412009-11-12T17:28:00.000-05:002009-11-20T12:13:49.018-05:00

As of recently I started a new project based around origami, which is the art of folding paper. I'm not all that talented at folding paper, but someone close to me is, and has been helping me pursue this project in-depth. Together so far we have created three images. Already I have plans for at least two more. It would have been three, except Halloween's idea was pushed to the back of my mind

Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07337257593469637327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-979960953762218240.post-83907294047370241402009-11-11T08:40:00.001-05:002009-11-11T08:44:56.809-05:00

Hi there, and welcome to the blog built for my website, Photographic Phantasy. Over the past two days I overhauled my poor site to version3, and I have to say, I'm pretty proud of myself! I'm not the best designer in the world, but I really feel like I outdid myself this time around. Take a peek and let me know what you think!In other news, I am currently working on an Origami project. It

Samanthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07337257593469637327noreply@blogger.com0