# Gracious Sun Photography



## JeannetteK (Aug 20, 2007)

Hi,

My name is Jeannette, 32, single mother to an almost 3 year old daughter.  I'm trying to start photography as a side business and hopefully one day full time.

I put together a website.  I do have some photo's on there now.  I'm in the process of editing these same photo's and hope to add more to the children's and callage sections.

Please take a look at my website.  Feel free to critique my photo's.  Thank you!

http://gracioussunphotography.zenfolio.com/


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## Anita (Aug 20, 2007)

Hi Jeannette,

I am kind of in the same boat as you are, only my kids are 19, 15, and 12. 

But, I have dabbled in still photography my whole life, just haven't done much with it. I am in the videography business and the only still photos I do are for websites and real estate appraisals (my other business that acutally makes money - or used to! )

Anyway, I went to your website. Very nice! Here are my opinions.

I love the children photos. You can really tell that this is your passion. Nice! Did you retouch them in photoshop; I don't know how you can get those warm colors just by not using a flash. 

The fireworks photos - mine look the same way. Kind of cool, graphics wise, but really doesn't capture the true, awesome, beauty of live firewords. I really don't know what to do with that. Maybe some of the pros can chime in.

I love the nature photos. Awesome! :hail:

The flower photos - beautiful! However, I think they all would look much nicer with the background blurred. Here again, don't know how to do it, just know it looks cool. 

Hawaii - I have the same problem with beach scenes here in Clearwater! White sand, gray water, blazing sun! They all look washed out. Even the birds on the beach are grey! What to do? Have no clue! 

So, I hope we both can learn lots and have fun doing it. After all, if it's not fun, why do it?

Great job!


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## JeannetteK (Aug 20, 2007)

Thank you Anita!

The only editing I've done to these photos are changed some to Sepia and cropping.  I hope to learn from this site how to make these photos better.  It's always to have some extra eyes to help with that.

The photos of the children I used the Beach setting on my camera and the sun behind me.  Now my daughter Eliana I used the portrait setting on my camera plus changed them to Sepia.  Thank you!

The fireworks photos I was just playing and hoping to learn my camera.  I took those with the fireworks setting.

Yea I love the nature photos as well.  I'm going to enter one in a contest this weekend.  #15 on my site.

I have not done much with editing photos but hope to learn.  I agree with blurring the background on the flower photos.  

The Hawaii photos my mom actually took those.  I did the collage but used her photos.  I do have her original photos so I can edit those.

I just ordered a tutorial book for CS2 so that I can learn to do some editing.  Plus with this site I hope to learn as well.

Thanks Anita!




Anita said:


> Hi Jeannette,
> 
> I am kind of in the same boat as you are, only my kids are 19, 15, and 12.
> 
> ...


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## Anita (Aug 20, 2007)

JeannetteK said:


> I just ordered a tutorial book for CS2 so that I can learn to do some editing.


 

I just purchase Photoshop CS2 for dummies! :lmao:

It's actually quite good. It's not like a regular for dummies book. It has "photo" paper! I am also going to take the NYIP courses. 

I'm going to add you to my buddy list, if that's ok?


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## JeannetteK (Aug 20, 2007)

Let me know if you learn anything from the dummies book.  I have not received my book yet.  The Photoshop CS2 Book For Digital Photographers : Scott Kelby   It has 450 pages so hopefully I learn something.

No problem add away  




Anita said:


> I just purchase Photoshop CS2 for dummies! :lmao:
> 
> It's actually quite good. It's not like a regular for dummies book. It has "photo" paper! I am also going to take the NYIP courses.
> 
> I'm going to add you to my buddy list, if that's ok?


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