What do you think of my new edits????
c 2014 Morganroth Photography. All rights reserved. To use images without permission is punishable by law and will be persecuted to the fullest extent.
New Edits
Tag Archives: Photography
Graduation Here I Come!!!
I graduated from Phoenix College with my AAS in Digital Photography in December of 2013. However, my CC only does Graduation once a year. So it’s now time for me to walk across that stage and claim victory! Although I am wrapping up my first full semester at Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communications, this is still a bitter sweet accomplishment. I wish that my mom, who helped me step into this direction, were here to share my joy. A huge thank you to my husband for many nights of support! Here’s to living the dream! Thank you to everyone who has helped me get here, and who continues to support me through my next stage!
c 2014 Morganroth Photography all rights reserved. Property of April Morganroth. To use this image without permission is punishable by law and those who do will be prosecuted.
c 2014 Morganroth Photography all rights reserved. Property of April Morganroth. To use this image without permission is punishable by law and those who do will be prosecuted.
c 2014 Morganroth Photography all rights reserved. Property of April Morganroth. To use this image without permission is punishable by law and those who do will be prosecuted.
c 2014 Morganroth Photography all rights reserved. Property of April Morganroth. To use this image without permission is punishable by law and those who do will be prosecuted.
c 2014 Morganroth Photography all rights reserved. Property of April Morganroth. To use this image without permission is punishable by law and those who do will be prosecuted.
c 2014 Morganroth Photography all rights reserved. Property of April Morganroth. To use this image without permission is punishable by law and those who do will be prosecuted.
c 2014 Morganroth Photography all rights reserved. Property of April Morganroth. To use this image without permission is punishable by law and those who do will be prosecuted.
c 2014 Morganroth Photography all rights reserved. Property of April Morganroth. To use this image without permission is punishable by law and those who do will be prosecuted.
c 2014 Morganroth Photography all rights reserved. Property of April Morganroth. To use this image without permission is punishable by law and those who do will be prosecuted.
c 2014 Morganroth Photography all rights reserved. Property of April Morganroth. To use this image without permission is punishable by law and those who do will be prosecuted.
c 2014 Morganroth Photography all rights reserved. Property of April Morganroth. To use this image without permission is punishable by law and those who do will be prosecuted.
c 2014 Morganroth Photography all rights reserved. Property of April Morganroth. To use this image without permission is punishable by law and those who do will be prosecuted.
c 2014 Morganroth Photography all rights reserved. Property of April Morganroth. To use this image without permission is punishable by law and those who do will be prosecuted.
“Desolation”
Tomorrow, Friday 3rd starting at 6pm you can come down to the MonOrchid Gallery located in the Heart of Downtown Phoenix, on Roosevelt Row for First Friday to the exclusive Bokeh Gallery where I will be having my first big Solo Show featuring my work from “Desolation”; a compilation of images that tore apart two communities and left 19 aching holes in our hearts: the Prescott HotShots.
“Photographs can tell a thousand different stories of life’s intricate moments and all the while be open to many interpretations. My photography is expressive, capturing those secret moments in life, I call them the between moments.” -April Morganroth
This is my work from start to finish of the complete destruction and heartache from what is being classified as the worst fire catastrophe since the early 1900’s. It stole 19 of our bravest mens lives.
You can catch a gist of it here on the Respect The Shooter by Marcus Braithwaite on his Valley Hype page: Desolation
You can also catch updates on my Photography Facebook Fan Page here: Morganroth Photography
Find updates on my Twitter (@AprilMorganroth)
And my Linkedin account: April Morganroth
You are always welcome to check out my Website: Morganroth Photography
Look for me on Instagram: Morganroth Photography
And Finally Pintrest: April Morganroth: Morganroth Photography
I will be having a LIVE interview with 12 News tomorrow morning on their 6am Broadcast. be sure to check it out or record it!
Here’s a snip it of images you will be able to view!
A HUGE thanks to Justin and Nicole from The MonOrchid Gallery for pulling all of this together!
Why does it take a Professional Photographer so long to edit my images??
I get asked this question a lot, believe it or not. When I tell a client that it will take 4-6 weeks to get their wedding images back, they always take a large gasp. When it’s a smaller portrait shoot like a family shoot it takes roughly 2-3 weeks, to get their images back I still get the same “shocked” affect on their faces. So I decided to break it down for everyone who is curious and really explain WHY it does take so long.
First Let’s start with the before image:
I shot this image with two things in mind. I knew we were in the shade, and I knew I wanted the background of the mountains to be slightly prominent and visualable. So I under exposed the Bride here in the shade. That’s because I also already knew what kind of post processing I wanted to use in order to give her this airy feel. So the Left image is straight out of the camera, and the right image is the over all “look” and “feel” I envisioned this image having. I made all of my minor adjustments here, like white balancing the dress, skin tone, blemish removal, and a few other minor color adjustments.
As you can see this is an example of an image that I would want to send to Photoshop to finish up. It’s got some eye sores and enhancements that I will need to fix, that Lightroom can not. First I never work on the original layer. Always make a second layer, which you can see I have four layers (5 if you include my watermark) over in the layers bar on the right. This is so I don’t have to scratch everything and start over, I can simply scratch layers if I don’t like them. Cuts down on processing time. Or if a client wants a small adjustment I can make that adjustment with no issues. Every change and every adjustment should have it’s own layer.
You can see in this layer, I removed the eye sore of the telephone and electrical lines in the background. It no longer distracts the eye and brings your focus back to the bride up front. However, the unkempt grass up front becomes an eye sore now, and we have lost some of the mountain we shoot for in the background from the original image.
SO you can see in this image we brought the mountains in the background back up a little bit. To really give it this dynamic feel. It gives some depth in that negative space, and gives a feeling of presence.
Now we fix the grass, in the foreground, to help the eye not fall on it like it’s an eye sore. Everything comes back and frames the most important part of this image, the bride in her dress. We used the color replacement tool in the image adjustments bar. What we did was add the plus color bar.
So you can see that the elements don’t always come together in the initial scene, or even in camera for a variety of reasons. The grass is not always this crisp cut greenery of beauty, there are sometimes eye sores in the foreground and or background. If you meter for one then you lose the info on the other, so this is where knowing what to meter for, and how you want the final image to look like, and knowing what is important and what is not. I did take this image with the bride metered correctly in case things were just not working out.
This is what our strive is. We don’t want eye sores in your images, we don’t want your images to be dull and or boring. This is why it takes us time, because for me to do just this one image, it took about 2.5 hours. Some are faster, and some are slower. This is why it takes so long.
It’s not because we are being lazy, or that we are forgetting, or just want to take your money and run. It’s because we are true artists, and we are making sure your image/s are absolutely 100% perfect and beautiful!
Final Image
The image on the left is in Lightroom, basically that is straight out of the camera. I slightly corrected some shadows, and highlights, and the white balance.
Then I sent it to Photoshop, here’s where the difference between an amateur like, “uncle Bob” or “aunt Suzy” with the really good camera comes into play.
A #professional #wedding #photographer can envision this beautiful image even with dismal conditions. 9 times out of 10 they already have a portfolio of images they can drop in to make the scene a little more dramatic and less drab.
When I SAW this image in my head, I saw exactly what you see on the right. I saw pink beautiful clouds, blue water, beautiful green/treated grass.
Vary RARELY do the elements all work together and turn out OUR way in camera day of an Event or wedding.
First, I dropped in a more esthetically pleasing and less eye cumbersome sky and back drop. Then I turned the merky and drab green dull water to a piercing blue. Then I fixed the grass situation and fixed the color. I of course dodged and burned some areas to make it more “popping” and less dull.
Uncle Bob, or Aunt Suzy don’t have this artistic eye, to really bring together an Image as stunning. Now this is a rough edit, it’s not done, there’s some fine tuning my eye see’s that needs to be addressed, but you can already see, what a difference a professional Photographer will make.
Why chance it?? Did you know that the number 2 most brides make after their wedding is that they WISHED they had spent MORE on their photography, or gotten a more qualified photographer?
#SuperMoon Super Moon Over Avondale, Arizona
Figure I would try my hand at this #supermoon since it doesn’t happen too often!
Got to say, I had a lot of fun, and learned a great deal. =)
#flashbackfridays IS BACK!
What: Flash Back Fridays
WHo: ANYONE
How: Submit your photo on our facebook fan page here: https://www.facebook.com/MomOgraphy.Photography
Why: to share YOUR special behind the scenes story that the photo just didn’t show!
When: Fridays! Every Friday!
Where: FACEBOOK FAN PAGE https://www.facebook.com/MomOgraphy.Photography
Come see whos posting what! I’ve already shared my #flashbackfriday picture come see what cute little blondie was a toy/gift thief!
Fan Question that made me tear up!
“April I really want to know what got you started into #photography. If you have already posted this somewhere and I missed it, or already answered it, I’m sorry for asking again. I love hearing how people first got started into things they love doing.” Mike N. (MN13)
Hi Mike!
No need to apologize! I have in fact not shared that yet, well lately! Always nice to re-fresh peoples minds why I do what I do, and what I love!
When I was really young my great grandmother lived with us, she had requested to live her last days at home surrounded by family. She was ailing to #dementia and #Alzheimers. She couldn’t remember anything, except when she bought out these “picture books” of hers. (We call them scrapbooks today, which I still do scrapbooks by hand.) When she had one of her #scrapbooks in her hand she could remember intimate details of her life, even if for a brief moment, I saw my great grandmother come back and be alive with us again.
It was then that I wanted to be the families #scrapbookkeeper, and continue her work. I got into photography through scrapbooking. My Obsession with Scrapbooking, actually propelled me into photography. At first it was just family snap shots, then it was a hobby, and eventually became a professional interest.
I will never forget it, I was about 7, my Great Grandma had just passed away the month before my birthday. Everyone was asking me what I wanted for my birthday. I didn’t want a bike, or an easy bake oven, like the rest of my friends my age. I wanted a camera of my own. I asked for a Kodak 110 box camera. On my 8th birthday I got a HUGE box of film, (seriously they wrapped 100 rolls of film individually and then put them all in a big box and wrapped that box) and at the VERY bottom of the box underneath all of the film and the popcorn packing they used, was this small tin box with a green ribbon cris crossed on it. I gently pulled that box out, because I knew right away it was my camera.
I used that camera for MANY years. I took it EVERY where I went. I was snapping pictures of the family, I was snapping picture of our family events, of my siblings and I at karate, at my track and cross country events. I used that camera until my 13th birthday when I got my very first 35mm Film Camera. A Canon AE-1! Man I loved that camera!
My Love Affair with preserving memories, and making images that we can share on the front porch swing as we grow gray is what really inspires me, and keeps me going!
Wow, sorry for such a LONG response! #Ohthememories!
Thank you Mike!
Don’t forget to submit your #fanquestions to my inbox!
And come join the conversation with us over on our #facebookfanpage
https://www.facebook.com/MomOgraphy.Photography
Prescott Art Festival
Just booked a slot for the Prescott Art Festival: See below for details!
Special SPECIALS coming soon! Just booked an exciting event!
2013 Prescott Rodeo Days Fine Arts & Crafts Show, July 5, 6 & 7.
See you there!
$25 Mini Session:
- 15 minute session
- Web file emailed to you for use on the web
- 1 8×10 or 2 5×7 prints of your choice while you wait
$50 Mini Session:
- 30 minute session
- Web File Emailed to you for use on the web
- 1 8×10 and 2 5×7 prints of your choice while you wait
$75 Mini Session:
- 45 minute session
- 20-30 edited images on a high res CD
- Web File Emailed to you for use on the web
- 3 sheets of prints of your choice and desired sizes.
*Prices/packages subject to change up until the start of the art Festival. Basic pricing provided for now.
Pros and Cons of Hiring a Professional Wedding Photographer
So you are engaged?! Congrats!!! Let the mayhem and crazy planning begin! However, lets talk about one thing you can “x” off of your list with confidence, and have some questions to ask your wedding photographer when you interview them. Yes, you read that right, I said interview them. We are going to discuss the pros and cons of hiring a wedding photographer, and just how to land the best wedding photographer in your budget! Rest assured that you don’t have to spend thousands upon thousands of dollars for a great wedding photographer.
The first step is to determine what your budget is. There is our first issue in determining what photographer to hire. Got your pen and paper ready? Good. Title your paper, “Photographer Interview Questions.”
Question #1: What Printing services do you offer?
Question #2: Where are the prints done/what Vendor do you use?
Question #3: What print products are available to me through the place/vendor you have prints done through?
Question #4: What are your packages? What comes with each package? Prices?
Question #5: What packages include a high resolution CD/Thumb Drive of my images?
This leads us right into our next step. The budget? You can’t set a budget for your wedding photography if you don’t know what is offered or what you want. So, flip to a new sheet of paper. We are going to make another list. Title this list, “Products I’m looking for, want, or desire from my Wedding Photographer.” This I can’t help you with, I can give you some things to think about. For example, do you want minimal high quality paper prints only? Do you want some high quality prints with some canvas prints? Is that all? Check out the list below for some ideas and options available to you.
–Lustre Prints as small as 2.5×3.5 and as large as 30×40;
– 11 printing surfaces
1) Lustre Paper: A semi-gloss paper with vibrant colors and beautiful skin tones
2) Lustre Paper w/Lustre Coating: Coating that adds protection and a matte look
3) Lustre Paper w/Linen Texture: Gives texture on image with a classic linen look
4) Lustre Paper w/Pebble Texture: Gives an upscale appearance
5) Lustre Paper w/Embassy Texture: Combination of linen and pebble textures
6) Glossy Paper: Most vibrant colors, highly reflective, & glossy finish
7) Metallic Paper: Metallic base adds shimmer and vibrant colors, glossy finish
8) Metallic Paper w/Linen Texture:
9) Metallic Paper w/Pebble Texture:
10) Metallic Paper w/Embassy Texture
11) Matte: Non-glossy flat paper that reduces shine behind glass in a frame
– Cards
-Wall Displays; sizes ranges from 5×5 – 40×60
-8 Printing surfaces
1) Fine Art Canvas w/Semi-gloss Laminate: slightly reflective finish
2) Fine Art Canvas w/Matte Laminate: Provides least reflection, duller color
3) Lustre Paper Canvas w/Semi-gloss Laminate
4) Lustre Paper Canvas w/high-gloss laminate: Richest in color
5) Lustre Paper Canvas w/Matte Laminate
6) Metallic Paper Canvas w/Semi-gloss Laminate
7) Metallic Paper Canvas w/High Gloss Laminate
8) Metallic Paper Canvas w/Matte Laminate
– 8 Products with and without Canvas prints to think about:
1) Boutique Frames/ Framed Canvas
2) Gallery Wraps
3) Float Wraps
4) Stand Out Canvas
5) Image Blocks
6) Metal Prints: your images on a variety of metals
7) Wood Prints: your images on a variety of woods
8) Giftable surfaces like mousepads, coffee cups, etc.
-Misc.
-Books and Albums
-Yearbook style books
-Boxes, cases & different packaging
-Ornaments
-Image cubes
-Image portfolios
As you can see the possibilities are limitless! It comes down to how do you want to display your images in your home. Take a second a browse online to see what your options are. Some places that professional photographers use are as following:
-White House Custom Colour: whcc.com
-Nations Photo Lab: nationsphotolab.com
-Adorama: adoramapix.com
-Bay Photo Lab: bayphoto.com
-Richmond Printing: richmondprint.com
*These are just a FEW of the higher standard labs, that most photographers use, keep in mind that the prices on these websites are general prices for non members. Keep in mind that your wedding photographer will most likely have contracts with these printing companies and get your prints cheaper than you would be able to on your own. A professional photographer will have done a lot of business with these companies and thus have several discounts to offer their clients. I provide this small sample of printing companies so you are able to see what options are available to you.
Once you have a better understanding of what it is you want, and an approximate value of it, you can now aim more interview questions at your potential wedding photographer, and make a solid wedding photography budget. Got your list of interview questions? Good, lets add some more questions to that list?
Question #6: What other services do you provide at the wedding?
Question #7: What is the cost of these additional services?
Question #8: Do you charge a flat rate for your services, or is it a by the hour charge?
Question #9: How many hours do I get you for on the day of my wedding?
Question #10: What parts of the wedding do you cover and do you offer the option of hiring 2nd and/or 3rd shooters?
These are very important questions to ask your photographer. Here are some things to think about when you are planning on what photographer to hire. There are some current trends in wedding photography today, and it’s important to know what those trends are because as a wedding photographer it is our job to stay current with these trends. Below are some trends that are popular right now.
1) Unplugged ceremony. This trend is making an amazing comeback. Since the boom of technology, and the boom of portable devices with cameras in them, wedding photographers have been having to work around wedding guests and their cameras, often missing major moments at a wedding. This includes someone stepping between the wedding photographer and the bride and groom during the big kiss, or what photographers call, “interference flash”. Interference flash can not be corrected no matter what during post processing. It severely compromises an image rendering it unusable. This trend right now, is the bride and groom asking that all guest turn off all mobile devices and cameras so that the wedding photography team can do their job, and allow the guests to be fully engaged with there ceremony.
2) First look: This is a slide show some wedding photographers provide to you during your reception of *some (not all) of your ceremony photos on a projector. This trend is half a dozen; meaning about half of wedding photographers do this, and half do not.
3) Photo Booth: When I was at WPPI this past Spring, there was this new spring of services called the photo booth. Now photo booths at weddings are not new; they have been supplied by other vendors, and only recently photographers have been providing their own photo booths. This is a really cute way for guests to “sign” the guest book, and have fun. This is a BIG hit! This option almost always requires hiring a second and third shooter. So know that based on this alone, your prices at the wedding will go up slightly. Still cheaper than renting an outside vendor to provide this service. An outside vendor doesn’t often give you the opportunity to have a say in how you want the photo booth to look, ie: match your wedding colors, etc, however, if your photographer provides this, they often have the ability to coordinate with your wedding colors, etc, and how you want the photo booth to look.
4) Non Traditional shooting: Most wedding photographers will shoot your ceremony and the major moments of your reception. Typically they do not stay the entire reception, unless you pay them to do so. Any additional time you typically will have to pay for it. Some wedding photographers include the preparations to the wedding for both the Bride and her bridal party and the Groom and his groomsmen party, some do not. Some charge extra for it, some make it part of their standard packages. This is why it is important to ask what OTHER services do they provide. Make sure you ask them if preparations is part of their package, and if not, what the additional prices may be. ***EVEN if they do not offer it, don’t be so quick to cross them off, it sometimes is cheaper to piece a wedding together, than to buy a one size fits all wedding package from another photographer. This is why questions like these are crucial! Don’t forget to ask about the prices!
5) A final service you may or may not be aware of is MOST, yes MOST wedding photographers provide you with an engagement session included in your wedding package. Yeah, shocking right? They don’t advertise that, that is a little unknown/known secret. It’s a BIG trend right now to pay for everything at once, you pay for your engagement session along with your wedding deposit, that way it’s less to worry about! Just remember, not all wedding photographers offer this option, and even if they do not, it still may be cheaper to piece it all together. Beware of a one size fits all wedding package. Typically they do not fit everyone’s needs.
Add what services you want/need/desire to your second list you have started with the products you have already listed. This list will come especially handy when you interview prospective wedding photographers.
Now, back to your interview questions list; let’s add a few more questions.
Question #11: Do you do your own post processing or do you send it off to a lab?
Question #12: What software do you use to post process if you do your own post processing?
Question #13: Where am I able to see my proofs at? How long until I can see my proofs?
Question #14: Do I have an option in selecting which images I want printed?
Question #15: What styles of post processing/capture do you offer?
Lets address question #12, ask them if they use adobe photoshop or adobe lightroom, or both? I will say that if they use lightroom, they are able to batch and post process a lot faster than they are in photoshop. (Not always the case, some are much faster in photoshop than they are in lightroom, but as a general rule, this is true.) This is ONLY important because it shows that they understand the need to color correct, white balance correct, and enhance photos. Who wants a yellow looking dress if your reception hall is dark with tungsten lights? Or w blueish look white wedding dress if your reception hall is bright with florescent lights? You want to know and have confidence in your wedding photographer that they know how to properly set the white balance of their camera, meter the lighting conditions correctly, and fix minor color and white balance off sets post processing. Not everyone is camera technical savvy, I add this, the tonal range of a digital camera is 5 out of 10. Meaning that it can not physically capture the entire range of color from shades to highlights in one image. Your wedding photographer will have to know what is the most important in the scene, how to meter it correctly, and then post process it so they can bring more of the tonal range back into your final image. DO NOT BE AFRAID to ask them to demonstrate their abilities for you, and to see examples.
Now to question #15, as a wedding photographer, it is MY job to know all of the different styles of photography, and how to capture them. SOME wedding photographers only specialize in ONE style of wedding photography, because that’s what they like and enjoy. Some wedding photographers make a great effort to study all or a variety of different wedding photography styles. Below is a list of styles, do some research to see which ones you like, be sure to write the ones down that you like or would like to see in your own images on your wants/needs/desires list.
1) Traditional Wedding Photography: This is a extremely formal approach, with highly posed and require the wedding photographer’s intervention to pose the wedding party.
– Things to consider with this style: the photographer often works on a time-line, where specific shots are organized at specific times. In most cases the wedding photographer feels and seems like a director. The downside is the images can seem and appear very rigid and stiff.
2) Contemporary Wedding Photography: This is a very spontaneous approach that captures the spirit and fun of the wedding. This is almost the perfect mix of traditional and artistic spontaneous photography.
-Things to consider with this style: no two weddings would look the same. This makes your images unique. This style of photography is highly popular, where photographers will seek out backgrounds that enhance the images.
3) Reportage or Documentary Wedding Photography: This is a very “hands off” style of photography. Your wedding photographer will appear to be like a fly on the wall capturing your moments, play by play. There will be little to no posing.
-Things to consider with this style: this style will likely produce very candid shots of your wedding. The drawback is that you will not know exactly what you are getting until you get your proofs back. IF you do want some traditional posed shots, you need to make sure to tell your wedding photographer.
4) Artistic Wedding Photography: This is typically the wedding photographers, own unique style and likes. It has a great number of detailed images.
-Things to consider with this style: There may be a great deal of interaction and intervention from the photographer, there will be many candid and posed shots, and you may or may not know exactly what you are getting. It will be a hodge podge of images. The only way to know this style is by looking at the individuals personal style.
Do some research on these styles, and know that you can ask your wedding photographer if they can do only, one, all or a combination of various styles.
Ready for the last set of interview questions? Get your pens ready, and lets get to the last set.
Question #16: What post processing techniques do you offer?
Question #17: Do you have examples of your work?
Question #18: Do you have references you can offer?
Question #19: What is your process from start to final images completion?
Question #20: What extras not already discussed do you offer?
Let’s start with question #16; it’s important to know the post processing techniques that you like. This will require a great deal of personal research. Before I list some examples below, make sure to take a look in some bridal magazines, websites, photo galleries to get a general sense of what you like and do not like. Make a list of likes and dislikes to give your wedding photographer.
Post processing techniques to check out: (*This is just a SHORT list of endless possibilities, just to get you thinking and checking out what you like and do not like.)
1) Vintage
2) B&W styles
3) Sepia toned
4) Selective color
5) Cross processing
6) Honey Overlay
7) Chamomile overlay
8) Urban bliss overlay
9) Grunge
10) Aged process
11) Bleach bypass process
12) Split Tone process
13) Antique process
14) Ice Cream shoppe process
15) Root beer float process
16) High/low contrast
17) Vivid/mute colors
18) Glow from within
19) HDR processing
20) Yesteryear processing
Morganroth Photography 