I went from tearing my hair out to happy with my photos!

[MariJohnson]

Ok, even with an ancient photography degree (circa 1984), I couldn't photo consistently with my Nikon D50. I had started digital photos in 2000, with a Sony Mavica, which saved to a floppy, and was happy with my little desktop studio, which I even showed others in Cindy Jenkins' "Beads of Glass" book.

With the elimination of floppy drives, my camera became somewhat obsolete so I bought a CanonA70, which was a dog. I hated it.

So I purchased a Nikon D50 and a 60mm macro lens on the advice of Andrea Guarino... (Thanks Andrea!) and I love the camera, but with the bead store, workshops, etc. I never had the time or the brains to understand all the settings and I've forgotten much of what I learned in the 80's about lighting.

So... last weekend Roger Legel, (husband of my good friend Jennifer Ross - "annisfo" here on LE) came to tweak my lights and show me how to set up the menus on my camera. Yay!

Ok here's the best advice I can give you... come to his workshop and let him do the same for you.
Shameless plug, I know, but honestly, I struggled for the last year trying to get back to what I used to be able to achieve... good light, good looking photos. I mean, the menus on these cameras are intense and complicated.

So if you're interested, here's a link to the class info:

http://www.bluefirebeads.com/pages/workshops.php


Before:



After:


Ok the beads aren't great but notice the light.

Hope this helps someone!

[Bubbyanne]

I'm sorry but I have to disagree. Those beads are gorgeous!
I make mainly focals and taking pictures of them standing up like that is a real bear! If only I were able to take his workshop and get some help. Until then I'll just keep trying.

Great job on your photo!

[Sue in Maine]

"OK, the beads aren't great but look at the light?"

What sort of treasures do you normally do if those beads are NOT GREAT???? Love the beads..... light is rather Greek to me but the beads? Beautiful!

Sue

[Beckah]

Love the beads and wished I lived closer to Chicago for that class.

[MariJohnson]

Thank you for responding in such a positive way. I tend to be overly critical of my work, and my family and friends have pointed that out. But aren't we all?

[debkauz]

Mari makes GORGEOUS beads. Her idea of a really crap bead is my idea of something I'd die to make. LOL

I hope you have him back Mari. Between being totally broke and going to be out of town for the first class, I just need to come another time.

Mari I hope you don't mind that I stole your bead pic. This is what I was able to do in photoshop. I odn't know how to get out the reflection on the front, middle of the bead though. Does it look more like the bead? I know I've seen, and probably drooled on, that bead but I don't remember the color blue totally.

[rusticstudio]

I've been lucky enough to take Roger's class before and he's really good. You'll learn a ton from him.