# Check out this photographer, what do you think?



## sarahkate (Jan 16, 2012)

Hi all. I wanted to share this photographers work and I also have some questions about her editing or such.

I've fallen in love with her work since the first time I stumbled across it! I don't want to categorize her photography as 'dreamy' because the 'dreamy' look isn't something I'm a fan of. Plus when I think of 'the dreamy look' I think, very out of focus and unreal in my opinion. When I look at her work her subjects are very clear and natural to me, I guess what appeals to me is the softness, colors and the DOF.

I know this look can also be achieved by using film and 400h, and I've considered switching to a 35mm or medium format for that very reason.

Some other info I know about this photographer is that she shoots with a Canon 5d mark ii with 85mm 1.2, 50mm 1.2 and 70-200mm lenses. Also a contax 645 with 80mm lens. I feel like her photos are very consistent even though she uses both film and digital.

So with all this said how does she do it? I've tried to replicate this look a number of times, by either going down 1-2 stops or editing in LR3. But it doesn't turn out. I know there are probably some LR3 presets out on the web but I'm not really interested in using a bunch of presets, I want my editing to have my own style to it. Do you think she achieves this with the help of the glass she's shooting with?

Anyways, here's the link to her website...tell me what you think!

KT Merry Photography.

Thanks


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## mozzie71 (Jan 16, 2012)

wow.. some really beautiful images!!


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## mozzie71 (Jan 16, 2012)

definitely using a wide aperture, but also definitely using some selective blur in post too.. but still extremely well done


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## davisphotos (Jan 16, 2012)

Like any good photographer, there is no set 'secret' to her style, but fast glass and great light are a good starting point.


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## mozzie71 (Jan 16, 2012)

great light is definitely the key!


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## JenR (Jan 16, 2012)

Great light, clean processing, and some awesome lenses.  I don't think there is any real super-duper secret to her processing.


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## tirediron (Jan 16, 2012)

Some nice work, do doubt, but wayyyy too many over-bright/blown highlights for my taste.  To each their own...


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## cgipson1 (Jan 16, 2012)

tirediron said:


> Some nice work, do doubt, but wayyyy too many over-bright/blown highlights for my taste.  To each their own...



I agree.. I didn't know the sky was white until I saw her pics... I always thought it was blue!


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## tirediron (Jan 16, 2012)

cgipson1 said:


> I didn't know the sky was white until I saw her pics... I always thought it was blue!


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## MTVision (Jan 16, 2012)

tirediron said:
			
		

> Some nice work, do doubt, but wayyyy too many over-bright/blown highlights for my taste.  To each their own...



I see this a lot on another forum where people will hit ctrl-alt-shift-2 to select the highlights then create a fill layer and put the numbers 255, 255, 245 (basically white) in the RGB spots. It's suppose to give that "light, airy" feel to an image but it seems to just make everything really bright and blown out - even if you lower the opacity of that layer.


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## cgipson1 (Jan 16, 2012)

MTVision said:


> tirediron said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



hahahah.. the whole world is a nicely lit white backdrop!


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## KmH (Jan 16, 2012)

It's a trendy style that _lots_ of retail photographers use. Pays the bills though. Moo!


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## zcar21 (Jan 17, 2012)

It's too overexposed for my taste. It works and it's consistent because she's using light to blow off the parts she don't care about and exposing about right the subject. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.


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## jaicatalano (Jan 17, 2012)

Absolutely beautiful.


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## MLeeK (Jan 17, 2012)

Low black point. Dramatic curve. A little negative clarity... It's pretty and popular!


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## rexbobcat (Jan 17, 2012)

cgipson1 said:
			
		

> I agree.. I didn't know the sky was white until I saw her pics... I always thought it was blue!



I think she was going for a "pure" wedding feel lol.  Weddings are supposed to be ethereal and on a higher plane of existence...where the sky is an ivory shade of white


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## chuasam (Feb 10, 2012)

Really love her work  like WOW really love.


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