Double Expose.

I had a really awesome question last week about double exposure whether it was possible with digital photography.  I looked a little more into it and noticed that typically I have always been aesthetically drawn towards photos that are double exposed!  

Most of my artwork (not photography) tends to be "blurred out" or have a feeling of "eeriness" - which is very similar to double exposure.  Not to say that all double exposed images are blurry and eerie- of course they can be sharp and to whatever effect you would like- but this is just what I gravitate towards.

Anyways, long story short.  What I discovered about double exposure on digital cameras is that it is not possible.  Most blogs said that you use photoshop to double expose an image.  I dont know about you, but personally I am against photoshop.  Yeap.  I said it!  I am not a fan of altering an image within a computer.  I think it takes away from the essence of the piece.  I LOVE altering images by hand- gel transfers, acrylics etc.- but with photography I personally like to keep the image the way it is captured.  *coughpolariodsrock*

SO- I found a way to "cheat" double exposure.  I still havent mastered it but the results have been decent and shooting was so much fun!   I just discovered this today so bear with me!

Here is how you do it:

1. Set your f-stop to a really low number and your ISO super high - this will keep your shutter open longer so you have a longer time to frame your shot.  
2. Imagine the composition you want in your frame - your compositions will take some time to figure out so just play around.  Composition is tricky with a double exposure because you are essentially taking two photos and laying them on top of one another to create a single photo so you have to think "big picture".  
3. Once you have your "idea" ready push your shutter button and count in seconds to see how long your shutter stays open (this is so OLD school - I swear I was meant to be born in the 80s with typewriters and spin-dial phones- technology is my nemesis so Im sure there is a more accurate way but this seemed to do the trick).  
4. Lets say your shutter is open for 10 seconds- now set up your first "frame" and press the shutter button.  Count to 4 then cover your lens with a dark cloth.  Shift your lens to your second "frame" remove the cloth and keep steady!  
5. When your shutter closes you should have two compositions on top of one another!  

They will not be super clear, but more "ghostly."  Dimmer lighting is for sure better, but it can be done in daylight!  

Like I said I have not mastered this technique AT ALL.  

I more so stumbled upon it and am playing with the technique. 

 It is not perfect

 - by any means- 

but if its any justification I feel like all my best artwork

 (not photography) has been stumbled upon by mistake.  

[my fav.]

Its the imperfections that make perfection!

xo.peace.k

Czech 2012 NYE

HAPPY 2013 everyone!!!!

I was contemplating about doing a "grateful" list and all the events that have taken place in 2012... and maybe I will later...
but by no means can I skip attempting to explain what I experienced here in the CZECH REPUBLIC last night.... honestly, I think everyone needs to come to Czech for New Years solely to be like....

 "what the eff???" *jaw drop.*

I dont really know if I will be able to capture the essence of last night in words- but I'll give it a whirl!

[WARNING Audience:
this is a decent size post, 
but well worth it- pictures, 
videos, bear with me]

To start KV was pretty quiet on NYE.  Probably most people go to party in Prague for it but we ended up staying in town.  In the city, either the restaurants are closed or fully booked... fortunately we found a place that had space called "Edie's".  I booked a reservation for dinner and drinks and found the place nearly abandoned upon arrival...

[oh yeah... people dont go out until like midnight because the bars are open till 6am...]

Anyways we set up shop and had drinks+dinner with another couple...

 [Andrew & Hali.]

[FYI audience:
This is just the prelude 
to the madness that 
happened later...]

During dinner we noticed just a few "different" things.... mainly the fact that people were shooting fireworks outside of their apartment windows into the streets.... just your typical day in Karlovy Vary... but no one else in the restaurant seemed bothered by it so we continued our dinner like it was no biggie.

After dinner the countdown was on::3 minutes to get to the main square to "see" the fireworks... 

....essentially as soon as we stepped outside of the restaurant we thought we were in a legitimate war zone.  Apparently in the Czech Republic it is not illegal to set fire in the streets and about just anyone can do it... for real.  We saw a gypsy family and their little 6 year old kids lighting fireworks... groups of teens lighting these "mini-firework" sticks that you toss and they make a huge bang noise and sparks!  There were actual firework boxes- like sets of 6 - that shoot up fancy lights into the air just in the middle of the streets!  

Alarms were going off at the stores and people are just merrily parading around, no cops, no nothing like its no big deal.  We even made friends with a few locals who gave us a few fireworks to light ourselves and toss at people.... yes. at people.

Once we were finished watching fireworks explode in the streets, we tentatively made our way to the bar .... back to "Foopa."  I think the best part of Foopa was the fact that not only were fireworks still being set off just outside till 2 am but someone decided to toss in a little Pepper Spray to add to the mix- 

why not!?  

SO every time the door opened you inhaled a concoction of firework smoke and delicious pepper spray... only here.

With little to no action at Foopa... I mean it was only 2am and people dont start coming till around 3ish 4.... we decided to boogie.  I was DD + drove us back home + we decided to stop for an epic night cap at the ghetto bar just under Andrew & Hali's building... 

Lets see.... To paint you a picture, 

when you open the door a waft of about eighty cigarette packs hits you in the face with a lovely combination of body odor.  The room is about the size of a humble spare bedroom so the aroma really gets to steep... Every person in there is for sure a local that probably lives in the building- and not one knows a single word of English... this made for a night long game of charades.  There are people dancing... by dancing I mean a lady shaking.... 

 [lady in pink shaking...]

....60 year (older??) old bartenders grinding...

[the 60 year bartenders grinding] 

and a table full of people pretending to mouth the words to Guns & Roses and dancing to random Czech songs... 

[people dancing randomly]

seriously. 

a.m.a.z.i.n.g

The server who looks like this dude from Despicable me - 

[nice observation Andrew!]

 immediately turns his head and looks the other way when I try to order a beer... when I go for round two, the guy walks away.... dont worry, dont worry, his sweet wife, girlfriend, mistress? whatever she was comes out and they serve us and by the end of the night we are tossing high fives, nodding our head and pretending to have a conversation that both sides understand but in all reality- i think both sides know its a lost cause.

Okay okay, this was honestly such a hilarious, random night.  No matter how "trying" it can be at times out here- yesterday made it all worth it.

Thank you 2013 for your randomness

- 

lets keep it going for 

the rest of the year!

xo.peace.k

Happy Holidays

Merry Christmas!

Missing everyone and thinking of you during the holidays :)

Much love and peace through these special days.

xo.peace.k

archives.

History have mercy on me;

let me slip into a state of grace.

As if a recital, 

          my remedy incessantly leaks error.

          I have let neglect get the best of me.

Feed my meditation.

Let will stoke in the pit of my pelvis;

invoke a contagious tenacity that gives way to inspiration.

The very bones of my being tremor with thirst,

for I am glowing indigo.

Now this clairvoyance you speak of I taste.

Through my undoing I have elevated my essence and redressed my pensive soul;

breath supports my fortitude to reclaim a reposed abyss that germinates at the base of my back.

Let the pierce of your arrow strike my achilles

watch my dance rouse as I hypnotize history into a state of grace.

xo,peace,k

Freedom Cafe PS #2

I read a whole bunch of blogs+photography tips before this "mini gig" at Freedom Cafe + majority of them all said how daylight is best for pictures::using natural light.  What I thought was 

"No Way! Night time pics 

will give cool lighting, 

nice shadows, various highlights 

etc etc" 

essentially I thought that everything that I read was "incorrect"... and what I learnt was sometimes you learn the hard way!  Night time pics are MUCH more technical than daytime photography.  Below are the shots I took at night for 

Freedom Cafe during their Christmas show. 

I really do you think as any beginner photographer than you have to "experience it" to "understand it!"  

Go to a local coffee shop or restaurant + 

just see if you can snap a few pictures for them- 

offer the location your shots for their websites or twitter etc.. most likely they will say yes I'm sure!  

So here are a few things I noticed that can maybe help you when you go out on your adventure!

• Use some sort of support- tripod if you have one! If not,your make-shift DIY rice bag stabilizer ;)  
• Using a tripod will allow you to shoot in a low ISO (ISO200) which provides your picture with more clarity and less "grainy-ness"  
• If you do not have a tripod, because the lighting is not as good you will have to use a higher ISO (ISO 800-1000) This will make your picture clearer but much more grainy.
• These are more "my aesthetic"  but maybe they vibe with you!  I loved playing with reflections...like reflections off glass tables, reflections through the windows outside, using mirrors...they are easy tools to make your pic a little more intriguing- however you do end up with a sort of "blur" that I love, maybe you do not... play around!

Thats really it you guys!  

I found nighttime was a 

lot more difficult + 

frustrating so I will 

have to give it another 

go with my "new-found" 

knowledge! Bahhhhh!

xo.peace.k

Czech.Republic.: Food PS

Czech.Republic.: Food PS: The past2days I have done some photography for my favorite coffee stop in kv-    Freedom Cafe!   Its a good way to test out some new t...

Food PS

The past2days I have done some photography for my favorite coffee stop in kv-

  Freedom Cafe! 

 Its a good way to test out some new techniques+practise makes perfect!  

Plus I got paid in caffeine.... BONUS!

I will post a few of my "food" pics.  Just thought I would share with you a few tips that were helpful for me as a beginner!:

• Do your research!  I looked at various pictures that caught my eye on blogs and magazines and tried to figure out what they did that made me interested.   That way when I went in to Freedom I knew in advance some of the shots I wanted to take!
• Take props like a basic white table cloth, big white construction paper (to control your lighting), if you dont have a reflector (like me) then tinfoil will help (the DIY #1 photography- wrap cardboard in tinfoil and voila! ), TRIPOD!!! (this makes a huge difference in your pics!  DIY #2 photography if you do not have a tripod buy a big bag of rice for 2 bucks to stabilize your lens!  Yeah you will get some funny looks but who cares! It also does the trick)  
• Place yourself near a window!  Natural light is (generally) perfect and leaves little editing to be done at the end.
• I used for pretty much most of the photos a really low ISO (ISO 100) This goes in hand with the natural lighting....
• I LOVED using a wide aperture (LOW Fstop)  It makes your depth of field quite low (if thats what your going for) but really pulls the eye into a point of focus!  Plus there is something about "blur" that I really love... thats more personal appeal though!
• Last "tech" thing- adjust your white balance on your camera.  I love using cloudy setting in most photos because it warms up the photo with a sunny tint.  But of course you can adjust your settings to extract the legit colours in your image....

Okay thats it!  

I am just experimenting here so 

by no means am 

I claiming to be a pro!! 

more so a scientist with a lens ;)

   

xo.peace.k