an interesting balance . . .

Since our move to Ohio, I have been in quite the creative mode. Sure, I made art before moving here, but mostly I made it at school as examples for the students to get motivated by. Here, I have been making ART and stretching myself in my creativity. It reminds me of my undergraduate days working on pieces, critiquing, and striving to create unique art that was different and refreshing. As well as making art to post here, on my school blog, on Drawspace.com, and my NEW etsy acount, I have been dabbling in a little photography. Years ago I took a photography class back when we actually used film. Now, with my new digital EOS Cannon, I am able to take pictures and manipulate them in the GIMP program I downloaded from the interent. I worked on school yearbooks taking lots of pictures of people, but now I am interested in learning the art of capturing the portrait of someone that makes people cry. Here is my first attempt at family portraits. The Allens needed updated photos for their family album they display on the wall of the living room. I used a zom lens hoping to create an interesting balance between the clear focus of their faces, and the items in the background. For these shots I had them sit in the pew of the church they are pastoring and look back at me. Two great things occured for me as a photographer. One, the cross and some of the relics of the pulpit where blurred into the background. Two, the three stained windows that were behind me reflected in the children's eyes. I am still working trying to figure all the buttons out on this new camera, and the tools available on the software.