4.22.2012

ap"pear"ently... (q&a)



...you guys are trying to make me feel awesome or something, because I've been getting an increased number of emails containing photography and/or Photoshop questions. I know I've been blogging MUCH less in the past year, but I want you to know I'm still here. I have some new followers that might not know me as well as the 'old timers,' so I want you to know that I'm an accessible, friendly soul - ha! and will answer any photography or editing questions any time. :-)

If you want to know how I do my clean edits for example, don't hesitate to ask. Recently I've gotten several emails about my hazy black and white edits. If you want to know how to do them, really... just ask me. If you like a specific photo in a specific post and wonder how I edited it, yep... you guessed it! Ask away. Say "hey, I like that 3rd photo in such-and-so post. How did you process that?" Disclaimer: I might not always remember, but I will give it my best guess.

I've never done a photography Q&A post because I can't imagine that I'd have any info that you don't already know or can't find online. I'm certainly not advanced at either photography or Photoshop, but I'm always willing to share what I know.

Take this pear pic for example. Want to know how I did it?
1. Get an iPad (or laptop, etc). Turn up the brightness. (You're in a completely dark room).
2. Set a pear on the table and shine the iPad light on the pear.
3. If the pear wobbles, cut a little slice off the bottom so it sits flat. (Genius I know. Thank you Rachel Ray).
4. Click!

Settings:
50mm
f/2.5
ss 1/10 (with tripod)
ISO 400

Optional: if you don't like the dark side of the pear, you can use a reflector, white paper, tinfoil...whatever is handy. I tried a reflector but liked it better this way.

I was planning to use the pear photo for a different post and didn't think about listing my settings. I retrieved the above settings from Lightroom, but I don't know how to tell if I used evaluative or spot metering. I know I tried both, but I can't remember which one worked better (and I don't know how to find that information). If you are one of those techies that can pull exif data off my photos, feel free to post your findings in the comment section. And also tell me how you did it! :-)

If you have a question, feel free to leave it in the comment section and I'll email you back. This isn't a Q&A like "what's your middle name" or "what's your favorite brand of jeans"? (middle name: Allison, jeans: Rock Revival). ;-) It's just a photography/Photoshop Q&A. I promise I'm not that interesting anyway, but if you want the 411 just visit my About Me page.

IMPORTANT!!!!! If you leave a question but do not receive an answer, it means your email is not linked to your blog name. I will not ignore you! :-) If I don't respond to you, it means I can't find your email address. PLEASE check back in the comment section and I will answer you there.

If no one has a question, I won't feel bad... promise! Just know that my door is open and the offer always stands. If you have questions, I'm happy to help! :-) Have a wonderful week! xo

30 comments:

Unknown said...

I adore you. seriously. I love how you take some simple like this and makes it amazing! LOVE!

Kristal said...

Awesome picture!

Cropped Stories said...

Great post! Great shot; I'll have to try it!

Liza B. Gonzalez said...

Very awesome. I love to hear the behind the scenes of great shots like these. Thanks for the tip.

elizabeth said...

I am so going to try this!
Thanks

stacey said...

Loooooooooove this photo. For reals. I would have NEVER thought to try something like this. I could stare at it for a very long time.

You are awesome.

Laughter & Love Notes Photography | Blog said...

Okay... I have a Q for you to A. You have had several posts, most recently the ones of your recent trip to Florida, with your kiddos on the beach. You always say that you dislike them because of the mid-day sun and harsh shadows... but they always look amazing to me. No blown out spots and wonderful even color. My mid-day photos certainly do not look like that. What do you do exposure wise or post production to make them look as good as they do?
By the way... Love the pear lit with the ipad! Mine wouldn't look that good!

Adeena said...

Love. I really need to try this.

Except not with a pear. Cause they're gross. ;)

Marvett Smith said...

Ooo, love the pear pic! I would love to see your Q&A. Love your work!

Jaymi said...

I love this shot! And I really love that you are always so open with explaining how you get your shots! I so want to try this, its really beautiful!

Jaymi said...

I love this shot! And I really love that you are always so open with explaining how you get your shots! I so want to try this, its really beautiful!

ju-north said...

That's a really fantastic image! Haven't got an ipad but will hunt round for something else (or maybe it's an excuse to buy one ....?)!

Christine said...

I gotta borrow my sister's Nikon digital camera and try your cool tips. Maybe you would wanna have your own photography and photoshop Q&A section ;)

Discovery School at First Baptist Heath said...

love this... makes me think of Pink Floyd's dark side of the moon...LOL

Jess said...

Just love you Karli. You have such a sweet and kind soul.

I'll email you a screen shot of your EXIF data in a couple minutes, dear. ;)

Naomi said...

Awesome Karli! I may have to try this some day. I love that you are so willing to help a girl out too. :)

Jessica Griz said...

Stink'n awesome.

Andrea said...

YOU are a rockstar!! SO many questions brewing. But I'd love to know how you do your clean edits and about those hazy black and whites. Of course I edit with Elements, so might be different, but still curious what you do!
And this photo would be printed and framed and hanging in my kitchen in a heartbeat! You are so creative. I'd have never even thought to do this!

Amarie said...

Thanks for letting us know! Off to make my Q&A list now... LOL!) Seriously, I've always been in awe of your water shots - absolutely awesome! Maybe you could answer questions on your blog sometimes *hint-hint* :).

Melanie said...

Uhmmm... you are SO a photography genius! Please woman! Lol)

LOVE that you shared this helpful info! Thanks a bunch!!

Karli @ The Bonnie 5 said...

Hi Christine! So sorry I can't write you back... it's not showing me your email address. Thanks so much for stopping by, and you should totally try the shot. It's pretty foolproof... not even I could mess it up - LOL! Just wanted to say thanks! :-)

Natalie said...

I'm really glad you told us how you took this shot because I seriously love it! Simple, but amazing!

Michelle R said...

(are you all ready for this) bum bum bum bum bum bum (um... how many bum's is that??? lol!)

1. REALLY? this ROCKS! or, this PEARS! no... this JUICES! uh oh... lol! This is SWEET!!!!! (ha! that's the one!) lol!

2. Karli, you're my pear-togopher hero! End of story.

3. It's not really the end of the story cause we all know a story can't have a 1 and a 2 - it's got to have at least a 3. :)

4. But I can't stop at 3 either. Cause that's too short.

5. Anyways!

6. I'm totally stealing this idea from you. But I'll try to use a different fruit. I was taking pics last night of my receipts stacked on my laptop (cause I was balancing the checkbook -- not the laptop.) and I was amazed at just how much light was being generated from my monitor. Definitely a win! Oh, and this morning, I was taking a pic in bed... LOL... (oh this is going downhill) and I figured I'd see if the light on my android could help... and it did! Oh, my... do you really want to know why I was taking pics in bed this morning???????

7. What number am I on? Seven, right?

:)

8. Are you calling me an old timer?????? lol!

9. love your disclaimer.

10. I think your point 3 is awesome!

11. And your point 4 is invaluable to a photographer. :)

12. There's a dark side of the pear???? I totally heard a deep rasping voice in my head "like the dark side of the pare, you don't?"

13. I'd think when you're viewing the pic on the lcd on your camera, if you click on an info button it should tell you. or on my camera, I view the pic then hit the arrow down button a few times and it'll tell me all that exif stuff. I know,. really helpful, huh?

14. Did you ever get called "Karlison"??? :)

15. I have questions. Do you have answers?

16. See, there, I asked several questions. Well, I guess "See?" is another question had I put the "?" there. Otherwise it's not a question and it should have been.

17. I am in my right mind. :) Just feeling a touch goofy.

18. I can't leave an even number of comments. That's just not right.

19. So I'll say goodnight (see, that rhymed with 18!? and there's another question!) and send love and hugs your way, sweet friend! and anxiously await your email. after you can breath again... or take some tylenol to deal with the headache. :)

xoxo
Chell

Michelle R said...

Guess I could have simply said that's an amazingly awesome shot and you should be tickled pink to have captured it so wonderfully!!! But that's just so plain for me. Anyway..,. in all seriousness -- I love this photo! Simple, sweet and perfect! And totally easy to capture! Why do we make things so difficult for ourselves?

xoxo

Gina Kleinworth said...

Seriously Karli- I love you to pieces. This is stunning & you have once again inspired me in so many ways. Soooooooo going to be trying this in my quest to improve my food photography.

Skye said...

A pear. An Ipad. And cut off the bottom?! Seriously. Sheesh! Let me file that under "WHy didn't I think of that?!" - amazing. I love hearing how you or any great photographer edit or set up shots - it helps my little feeble mind to wrap ever so slightly around these tidbits and hold onto some of them for future reference :) I can't wait to see what questions you answer on your blog that were asked!

Anonymous said...

This is an AWESOME photo!! And you are AWESOME!! I would love to know how you do your clean edits ;-)

Ashley said...

I think you should answer the questions in a post! So we all benefit. :) This is the type of photograph that you have always blown my mind with. :) So simple but so great.

Another commenter asked about your mid-day sun beach pics and how they look so good. I'd love the answer to that question too!

You are awesome lady! XO

Lori Allberry said...

This. Is. Beyond. Amazing. Once again and definitely not the last time ... You have blown my socks off!

XOXOXOXO
Lori

Unknown said...

This photo is stunning! I am not surprised you got lots of emails about it ;)