Sparks Photography » Uncategorized http://www.photosparks.com/blog The photo blog of Catherine Sparks Sat, 12 Jun 2010 17:13:47 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 Spring Desktop Images http://www.photosparks.com/blog/2010/04/spring-desktop-images/ http://www.photosparks.com/blog/2010/04/spring-desktop-images/#comments Fri, 16 Apr 2010 14:38:15 +0000 Catherine Sparks http://www.photosparks.com/blog/2010/04/spring-desktop-images/ Here’s my take on some spring blossoms. Click on the images to be taken to the full sizes version, then right click to save. Enjoy!

]]> http://www.photosparks.com/blog/2010/04/spring-desktop-images/feed/ 0 The Other Oostdyk Family http://www.photosparks.com/blog/2009/08/the-other-oostdyk-family/ http://www.photosparks.com/blog/2009/08/the-other-oostdyk-family/#comments Wed, 05 Aug 2009 21:29:00 +0000 Catherine Sparks http://www.photosparks.com/blog/?p=870 Randy’s older brother Ray and his family live in Florida. We were very happy that it was possible to go visit them this summer. They wanted some updated family portraits of themselves, as well as for some updated prayer cards for their mission work. Ray is a pilot for Missionary Flights International sending aid to Haiti, the Bahamas, and the Dominican Republic.

Ray and Tammy also have their own website that describes themselves a bit and speaks about their mission: http://FlyForHim.org/ (My very talented brother-in-law Michael designed their site!)

photosparks-2177-copy photosparks-2229 photosparks-2302 photosparks-2357 photosparks-2389 ]]> http://www.photosparks.com/blog/2009/08/the-other-oostdyk-family/feed/ 0 Melissa Dawn http://www.photosparks.com/blog/2009/08/melissa-dawn/ http://www.photosparks.com/blog/2009/08/melissa-dawn/#comments Tue, 04 Aug 2009 21:29:46 +0000 Catherine Sparks http://www.photosparks.com/blog/?p=860 My lovely and beautiful sister. She’s fun, silly, creative, and growing up. I can’t believe she’s going to be a senior in high school this fall. Even when you grow up, you’ll always be my little sister. No, literally. I’ve got like a foot on ya =)

We did these photos at Fort Chaffee, AR. It’s an old military post where Elvis Presley got his first military haircut. There have also been three movies filmed at Fort Chaffee: A Soldier’s Story, Biloxi Blues, and The Tuskegee Airmen.

photosparks-1914 photosparks-1962 photosparks-1972 photosparks-2013 photosparks-2033 photosparks-2047 ]]> http://www.photosparks.com/blog/2009/08/melissa-dawn/feed/ 1 The O’Mahoney Family http://www.photosparks.com/blog/2009/02/the-omahoney-family/ http://www.photosparks.com/blog/2009/02/the-omahoney-family/#comments Mon, 09 Feb 2009 15:20:29 +0000 Catherine Sparks http://www.photosparks.com/blog/?p=677 Little Cade is 6 months old and the pride and joy of the O’Mahoney family. He was a perfect model but that fuzzy hat was where he drew the line! Thanks guys and I’ll be seeing you again soon, Cade. I promise to leave the hats behind next time!

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]]> http://www.photosparks.com/blog/2009/02/the-omahoney-family/feed/ 5 2008 Contest Images http://www.photosparks.com/blog/2009/01/2008-contest-images/ http://www.photosparks.com/blog/2009/01/2008-contest-images/#comments Fri, 23 Jan 2009 20:40:18 +0000 Catherine Sparks http://www.photosparks.com/blog/?p=657 I want to enter some contests for 2008 wedding images and I need your help! I only shot 2 weddings last year, but I still have some great ones to pick from. I’ve uploaded the images to my PicasaWeb albums and am asking that if you have time, please look them over and vote for your fav by leaving a comment here or on the album. Here’s the address and thanks in advance!!! http://picasaweb.google.com/CatherineSparks/2008ContestPhoto

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]]> http://www.photosparks.com/blog/2009/01/2008-contest-images/feed/ 4 I need to shoot people with my Canon! http://www.photosparks.com/blog/2008/06/i-need-to-shoot-people-with-my-canon/ http://www.photosparks.com/blog/2008/06/i-need-to-shoot-people-with-my-canon/#comments Tue, 24 Jun 2008 20:51:29 +0000 Catherine Sparks http://www.photosparks.com/blog/?p=406 I actually have a shirt that says that! I guess I need to take a photo of myself wearing it and posted it in the About Me section.

Anywho, I’m writing this in the hopes that my lovely blog readers can help me. I’ve planned a trip home to Oklahoma for the whole month of July. The airfare from Germany is crazy expensive right now, so I’m hoping to book a few photography gigs while I’m home to help pay for the visit. I’m open to weddings or portrait sessions and will be offering discounts. Tell all your friends! Hook me up!

Edit: I just wanted to say, “Wow!”. I’m really overwhelmed with all the support and help my friends and past clients are giving me. I posted a few notes online about needing to find some work and within just a couple of hours, I had like 7 emails from people they’d referred to me! How awesome are you guys?! I love ya! Keep ‘em coming!

Here’s a pic of just a few of the awesome friends I have. Yeah, that’s me on the bottom right with my big preggo belly =)

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]]> http://www.photosparks.com/blog/2008/06/i-need-to-shoot-people-with-my-canon/feed/ 0 Textures! http://www.photosparks.com/blog/2008/06/textures/ http://www.photosparks.com/blog/2008/06/textures/#comments Tue, 03 Jun 2008 14:03:33 +0000 Catherine Sparks http://www.photosparks.com/blog/?p=397 I’ve known how to do textured photos for a while but never really had the time, or the motivation, to play around with them. I’ve been missing out! It’s too much fun!

Textures can do so many things! Each image becomes something entirely new! Here are a few samples. Two different textures and two different methods of application. If you have a photo you’d like texture-ized, shoot me an email and I’ll see what I can come up with!

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]]> http://www.photosparks.com/blog/2008/06/textures/feed/ 5 The new website is almost here! http://www.photosparks.com/blog/2008/04/the-new-website-is-almost-here/ http://www.photosparks.com/blog/2008/04/the-new-website-is-almost-here/#comments Thu, 03 Apr 2008 10:41:15 +0000 Catherine Sparks http://www.photosparks.com/blog/?p=340 I’m super-dooper excited about my new website. Hopefully it’ll be up and running by the end of the day. There are still a few kinks to work out, like the new proofing and galleries, but we’ll work on that over the next couple of weeks. Here’s a sneak peak of the intro page

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]]> http://www.photosparks.com/blog/2008/04/the-new-website-is-almost-here/feed/ 1 Let’s get this thing started! http://www.photosparks.com/blog/2007/05/lets-get-this-thing-started/ http://www.photosparks.com/blog/2007/05/lets-get-this-thing-started/#comments Tue, 22 May 2007 03:26:40 +0000 Catherine Sparks http://www.oostdyk.com/catherine/blog/?p=3 Finally, I’m going to get my photo blog going. I’m not sure how many people are actually going to read/view this, but I think it’s going to be a fun project. Sparks Photography and the Oostdyk family are about to transition to a new location so I’m not sure how often I’ll get to post, but I’ll try to as often as I can.

]]> http://www.photosparks.com/blog/2007/05/lets-get-this-thing-started/feed/ 0 Examples for Ted http://www.photosparks.com/blog/2007/01/examples-for-ted/ http://www.photosparks.com/blog/2007/01/examples-for-ted/#comments Mon, 15 Jan 2007 16:17:55 +0000 Catherine Sparks http://www.photosparks.com/blog/?p=159 A little late but here they are! You can download them off here and use them in class. Just click the thumbnail and it’ll take you to the larger photo. I added captions to explain why I picked them. I only used Lightroom on these photos. No major retouches or effects done.

Strong side lighting for a dramatic effect.

Back lit and exposed for the background to capture a silhouette.

Natural lighting gives a nice three dimensional look. This photo also has pretty shallow dof.

Fill flash used to balance the shadows out. Sun flair doesn’t have to ruin a photo.

Dragging the shutter and tracking the subject gave this photo a bit of motion. It also brings out more of the ambient light.

Nice example of natural light near sunset. Flash would have ‘flattened’ this image.

Very shallow dof.

Zooming out from the ladies made this photo a bit more interesting.

Strong vignette added with muted, darkened colors makes this photos a bit Gothic.

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