Photographing My Jewelry on a Model, Take 2

The model is me of course.  I took another stab at modeling the necklaces today and was much more successful.  I used my camera, not the computer to take the pictures.  They came out much more clear.  My set-up was rather clever: black fabric over the bookcases (I sat in front), the tripod is John’s Proust set, and I set a mirror behind the camera so I can see the screen.  I got really good at setting the self-timer with my left hand in the mirror!  Once I figure out what poses work best, the rest will be easy.  I’ll take another stab at it this weekend when I have more daylight hours available.   

The Security of Having an "Out"

Tennessee Valley Beach

Monday I went for a short hike in Tennessee Valley after work.  I couldn’t believe how hard it was to get myself there!  I was tired from teaching all day and all I really wanted to do was go home and eat chocolate!  So, I told myself that I would decide what to do as I got closer on my drive home.  After all, I went through the trouble of packing my walking shoes that morning.  As I approached the area I mysteriously found myself in the exit lane!  I resolved to drive to the parking lot and sit in the car looking at the hills, getting out was optional.  But of course, I was compelled to put on my shoes and stretch my legs.  The deal was to get to the first bench and not go any further if I didn’t feel like it.  But, of course, I did.  I walked to the beach and back, about 4 miles I think. 

It cracks me up how I had to keep giving myself a way out in order to move forward.  I’m so glad I made it and stretched my legs.  The valley was very pretty and the wind was calm.  The smells, sights, and sounds of nature energized me.  Perhaps next time it won’t be such a battle to get there.  

Pleasing Light

I think this strategy can be applied to a great number of things we need/want to do and make excuses for.  To push just a little bit further, without fully committing ourselves.  Like getting a child to eat their peas; just give it a try, and if you don’t like it, that’s okay.  It was the child in me that wanted to go home and bury my fatigue in something sweet.  I’m glad I was able to coax her out of her comfort zone. 

Surprising Patterns in the Eucalyptus

 

Pumpkin Food

Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake with Homemade Graham Cracker Crust

 

It’s been a week since I made my pumpkin puree and I’ve been having a great time cooking with it.  In fact, only have one cup of puree left!  Looks like I’ll need to buy another pumpkin, or perhaps I’ll move on to butternut squash.  The most delicious item so far was the vegan pumpkin cheesecake.  Yum!

Vegan Pumpkin Cranberry Bread

Vegan Pumpkin Pancakes

Vegan Pumpkin Soup with Vegan Pumpkin Cranberry Bread

Never Give Up

Little tripod = book pile (and yes, I read the whole series)

 

Yesterday I spent several hours taking photos, playing with lighting, and taking pictures of my jewelry.  All the photos were awful.  I wanted to give up.  I searched the web for “real” photography equipment and tried to justify spending money I don’t have on getting the best. 

Well, today is a new day, and I’m over that.  It would not be a wise business decision to spend a lot of money before I start making money.  And there is no reason I can’t take decent photos with what I already have.  This morning I remade my “stage” and will try taking pictures again.  With a little luck, the light will be better today too.  Do you like my “Stephen King – ‘Dark Tower’” tripod?  And, what kind of art teacher would I be if I gave up on my own project because I thought it was too hard?  If I’m to have any integrity in the classroom, I need to practice what I preach. 

Set up with my light filter.

Uncharted Territory

The "stage".

 

I’m completely comfortable sitting down at my studio table to make jewelry.  Even if I’m trying a new technique, I’m confident I can do it. 

Now that the jewelry is made it’s time for the next step in opening an Etsy shop.  I need to photograph my work, and I’m not feeling so secure anymore. 

I have some decisions to make.  If I’m photographing the work on a model, do I use myself, or ask a friend to model for me?  Do I show the whole face, or just the part of the body where the piece sits?  Do I go for a slightly artsy photo, creating a “look” to inspire the customer, or do I go for straightforward, plain and simple?  The only thing I know for sure is that I want the work to look professional and to tantalize buyers, all the while informing them of what they are getting. 

Part of me wants to run, throw in the towel, and go back to making stuff.  But I know that at some point, I’m going to have to master this.  I’m sure there are business people out there who would just hire someone to do the photography for them, but I’m a DIY kind of girl.  The learning curve seems steeper than I thought, and it will take longer than anticipated. 

After chatting via e-mail with several friends about yesterday’s model shots, I have decided not to use them.  They will be great for profile pictures, but are not the quality I strive for in presenting my work.  I was going to try modeling them again today (with my real camera), but decided to take a little break from that and set up a staged shot instead. 

I’ve seen some fancy photography studios on the web, so this is my first attempt to imitate them with white drawing paper, cardboard and clips.  It’s not bad.  I’m not thrilled with the bowl as prop, but not horrified either.  I’ll have to do some dishes tonight and try a few others.  The light seems pretty good, but I’m going to have rig some sort of barrier around the tripod to hide it from reflecting in the bowl. 

 

I’ll get there!  Tomorrow is another day.

Bowl display.

First Attempt

 

This is my first attempt to photograph my jewelry on a model (me). These pictures will accompany my close up shots of the necklaces (which will be razor sharp).  The purpose is to show buyers what they look like when worn. 

I took the photos with my laptop, not exactly a good quality camera, but liked how I could see what I was doing reflected back on the screen.  If I had to keep turning around the camera around to check the shots I might go crazy.  My pale skin on the black background confuses the camera and it automatically flashes.  The photos are a little fuzzy, but they might be good enough for the web.

I worked until I lost my light.  I’ll be back at it tomorrow wearing some of my costumes.  

 

Slow Food Cooking

My pumpkins.

I like to think of the kitchen as my second studio.  So much creativity takes place in there.  Like an art studio I have my tools, work surfaces, instruction books and storage. One of the things I love about cooking is the process of transforming and combining elements.  Alchemy if you wish.  You can usually find me working in one of the two rooms. 

Last night I made pumpkin puree.  My friend Suzanne had a fruitful yield of pumpkins this year and passed a few on to me.  How lucky I feel to have home grown pumpkins! Pumpkin puree keeps well frozen and is so much nicer than using the canned goop. 

Ready for roasting.

I started by cutting the pumpkins into chunks and scooping out the strings and seeds.  I roasted the chunks on an oiled pan in a 350-degree oven for about an hour.  When the pumpkin cooled, I scooped out the meat.  I took an extra step this time and squeezed out the extra moisture through cheesecloth.  Years ago I steamed my pumpkin (Fanny Farmer’s recommendation) and ended up with watery pumpkin pies.  It was such a disappointment after all that hard work.  The pumpkin went in the Vitamix (blender) and was stored one cup at a time in plastic Baggies.  I would prefer to store the pumpkin in glass, but our freezer is small and it would take up too much space.  

The roasted pumpkin.

Scooped out "meat".

  

The puree!

From the pumpkins pictured above I gleaned 5 1/2 cups of puree.  Not as much as I thought, but I did drain out a lot of pumpkin juice.

Ready for the freezer!

After cooking the pumpkin I worked on the seeds.  I rinsed them well and spread them evenly between two baking pans.  One pan I sprinkled with Himalayan Pink Salt, the other Himalayan Pink Salt, curry and lemon pepper.  I slightly over roasted the curry seeds; they still taste good but have lost most of their curry flavor.  All together I have about two cups.  Yummy!  I’ve been roasting pumpkin seeds since I was a kid.  I think I enjoyed the seeds just as much or more than actually carving the pumpkin.  A word of caution: eating large amounts of pumpkin seeds = eating large amounts of fiber, there are consequences, if you get my drift.

 

 

Rinsed and ready for roasting.

The roasted seeds.

What will I do with it?  I plan to make a vegan pumpkin cheesecake first.  Next, perhaps a regular pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin soup, Thai pumpkin curry, and pumpkin fudge.  If I make all these things I’ll need another pumpkin!  I can also make a body scrub out of pumpkin and sugar. 

Pumpkin is super nutritious.  One cup of pumpkin has 49 calories.  It is full of fiber, vitamin E, Thiamin, Niacin, B6, Folate, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Vitamin A (246% RDA!), Vitamin C, Riboflavin, Potassium, Protein, Copper, Manganese, and antioxidants.  It boosts the immune system, is anti-inflammatory, prevents cataract and macular degeneration, protects against some cancers, helps with prostate health and depression, prevents osteoporosis and kidney stones and reduces LDL cholesterol!

100 grams of pumpkin seeds have 559 calories, 110% RDA iron, 71% RDA zinc, and 31% Niacin!  They also contain protein (30% RDA), manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, vitamin K, selenium, and the amino acid tryptophan.  

Seeds ready for eating!

Time in Nature

Saturday I went to Fitzgerald Marine Reserve with John to do a little tide pooling.  There were plenty of tide pool creatures but my attention was captured most by a creek emptying into the ocean.  The movement of the rocks and sand fascinated me as they glided past freely.  It reminded me of the sage old advice about swimming with the current, not against it.  The rocks were being pushed along, eventually ending up in the ocean, where perhaps a big wave will pick them up and put them back on the beach, only to repeat the process all over again. This is my first attempt at posting a video.  Let me know if you can view it!

Sketching

I’ve been sketching my jewelry designs to use on my Etsy site and as a reference for recreating the pieces.  It is not too exciting, but I love how they look on paper.  A good sign, right?  The rainy day has been perfect for staying inside and working (and napping).  This is my first most basic necklace, the basis for all my other designs. 

Inventory

New designs!

I’ve been working very hard this past week to create an inventory of jewelry for my future Etsy store.  I found that the more I worked, the more ideas I got for new pieces.  As I was designing what I thought was my last piece, an idea for something new would pop into my head.  I worked this way until I got close to running out of supplies again.  My stock of jewelry includes 11 necklaces, 12 pairs of earrings, 5 bracelets, and 3 rings.  My next task is to make complete detailed sketches to use as references in case I want to create the piece again, and to post in the shop for potential buyers.  I'm so happy that I'm moving forward and slowly accomplishing my goals!

"Tiny" Reception

Reception at Studio Gallery, two of my shell paintings are almost over my head.

 

I went to the reception for the “Tiny” show this afternoon.  Studio Gallery was packed with lots of folks who came out to look at and buy art.  The gallery had a vibrant, enthusiastic atmosphere. Two of my shell paintings and one candy painting are on display. 

I was excited to learn that one of my pieces sold right before the party.  A painting titled “Tree Mint”.  If my collectors are reading this, thank you!  You bought a great piece and I plan to check out the book you mentioned to Jennifer.  I am a bit of a candy freak, not so much the eating of it (with the exception of chocolate), but looking at it.  Candy = little bits of joy.

Please stop by the show if you get a chance.  There is a little something for everyone’s taste.  All the small pieces are under $400. 

The show runs through December 23, 2011.  There is another reception on Sunday December 4^th from 2-6pm. 

Address: 1815 Polk Street (between Washington & Jackson)

www.STUDIOGallerySF.com

Art admirers.

"Tiny" at Studio Gallery

"Golden Treasure", oil on canvas, 5 x 5", 2011

 

I had hoped to make it to Studio Gallery on Friday to take some preview shots of the “Tiny” show but my plans changed.  The image above is a painting I submitted for the show and may or may not be hanging when you arrive.

The “Tiny” show has been happening annually for many years now.  This year there are 170 artists!  All the pieces are 7 x 7” or smaller and priced under $400 (with a few exceptions).  I will have at least 1 piece on the wall. 

Tomorrow, November 6, 2011 is the opening reception from 2-6 pm.  Another reception will take place at the Gallery’s 8^th Anniversary Party on Sunday, December 4^th, from 2-6 pm.

Address: 1815 Polk Street (between Washington & Jackson), in San Francisco.

I hope you can stop by and say “hi”!  I’ll be at the reception on the early end, around 2 tomorrow.  

Studio Gallery website: http://www.studiogallerysf.com/ 

Work in Progress

I’m a busy woman these days but I haven’t given up painting.  This piece has been in progress for a couple months now; it will get there slowly but surely.  The main shell and background need a lot of work.  The sea glass, pottery shard, and false pacific jingle shell are mostly done.  I hope that posting this helps energize me to finish!