Il Duomo - Florence, Italy

Still working very hard and have finished uploading all the new galleries onto my website.  Now I'm going back to enter the dialogue and titles.  Since it's just writing and typing it should go faster.  I REALLY want to finish these up today or at least by the end of the week.  (I'm working tomorrow at the gallery, so there's one day I can't work on them.)  Even though I had picked numerous photographic images for each gallery, when I was uploading them to the website, I also made decisions again as to which ones I really didn't think were THAT great.  I didn't even do a gallery for our stop at Cephalonia, Greece as I really didn't have anything good that would give anyone a good representation of that area.  It was pretty much hodgepodge.

Here's a little something to keep your interest up until they are done!  I liked this digital B&W image, even with the people in it, as it shows so much depth-of-field.  What you are looking at is the Il Duomo (cathedral) in the background in Florence, Italy.

Website Galleries

Just a quick note today, as I have been diligently working on uploading my new galleries to my website.  When I'm done with that, then I will go back and add the 'words of wonder' to each gallery.  I enjoy writing about the pictures, the history, and/or whatever transpired when I took each image.  I'm just starting on the seventh gallery and I will have eleven when I am finished!  Eesh!

I have to say though that working with the Google Chrome is a lot faster with my website update.  I'm not really working on the internet to do this, but it just seems that this route is a lot faster.  I know, I was fighting the change...but it is working for me after all!  Wonders never cease.

More manana!

MariaSotoPhotography website

Yesterday was such a beautiful, sunny day outside - and to think I spent most of it in my studio working on the computer!!  Such is life.  However, I FINALLY finished selecting and re-sizing photographic images for my website to upload.  I thought I had finished that task but when I went to the Venice folder there wasn't anything in it!!  So I had to work on Venice which also meant Burano.  Now I'm ready to upload my photos to my website.  My website was created in 2001.  So it is an older version and I have been tempted to create a new one on my  own, I just haven't made that move.  What I have to do is upload each picture individually to my website files, then from there add them to my galleries.  That is going to take me a long $#% time!  We'll see how it goes.  If it's too frustrating, then I may have to do something about it.  All I want to do is get in the darkroom!!!  I made a list for myself in January and it had 10 items to check off and now I'm down to the last three hardest items!  Of course!

Today is the unofficial national holiday known as 'Super Bowl'.  I honestly don't follow it except for watching the last quarter of the playoff game, and then on to the Super Bowl.  So there's an interference right there! ; )
After working on my photos all day yesterday I came out of my studio and told my husband, '...I don't think any of my pictures are very good, really. There's nothing what I would consider breath taking.'  He said, you've just been looking at them for too long! Well, I do like Venice, Burano, and Santorini, and okay, Taormina the best!

High Hand Gallery is increasing their art classes this year.  They have quite a few coming up.  They have asked me several times to do one, but photography is performed in a dust-free work space.  You're either in the darkroom, on the computer or printing, at a work station cutting mats (which is just a small task of making the photographic image 'pretty').  This all needs to be performed in a dust free area - and the sheds do not meet that criteria.  I'd have to lug a laptop, printer, definitely no transportable darkroom, etc.  'But you could teach them how to take pictures!'  Seriously I don't want to teach anyone.  Even trying to do a class on photo transfers, I would need my computer and printer - so that's not going to work.  So that's a moot subject for me.  However, if you're interested in taking any other classes at High Hand, just go to HighHandGallery.com.

Here's a photo of Burano.  Just your basic, simple backyard, with the laundry hanging out on the line to dry. Nothing to be shy about here!  Life is friendly and cozy!  The only thing missing is the grass.

Digital Black and White

First of all I'm going to wish my hubby Ron, 'Happy 5th Anniversary!"

Yesterday I spent the afternoon attempting to finish my oil paintings.  I don't want to have any unfinished products laying around before I get in the darkroom.  I know painting doesn't have anything to do with photography other than I am painting some of my own photographic images.  So there.

I received an email about NVAL (North Valley Art League's) Carter House Gallery 2012 International Juried Photography Show in Redding, California.  Photographers can enter as many times as they wish, there are three prizes.  I haven't read the whole prospectus yet, but if you are interested in this one just go to:  http://nval.org/Photography show.html.  Then this morning I saw that the Auburn Arts Commission is also having a juried art competition for The Mountain Quarries Railroad Bridge (aka, No Hands Bridge) which is celebrating its 100 year anniversary this March.  Artists can submit up to two entries.  Now that one I already have half of it done!  I have the bridge done as a photo transfer and I have a B&W film image I can print!  Perfect!

Digital black and white photography:  I can of like it but I do have to say there isn't any 'mystery' involved there, unless you go back into Photo Shop and add it!  But I still take 'em!  Here is the photo I mentioned earlier of my sister-in-law's granddaughter.  The background really caught my eye when I looked down at her.  It was perfect actually.  Of course, children are always a great subject.  One, being they are cute, sweet, and innocent looking.  Two, they're definitely not afraid of the camera, thus making them relaxed and natural looking, unlike adults who worry about how they look and ultimately stiffen up.

Artist Portfolio

I have had a couple of artists contact me about how to 'get into a gallery' and/or how to 'create an artist portfolio'.  When I first started testing the waters with my photography I had several artists help me and I did a lot of research online (and that was when the Internet was just beginning).  That's what I love about the Internet is that it's like a 'magic genie' or 'swamee'.  Basically, I am paying it forward with this information.

In regards to the portfolio, I found a great website that lays it all out for you.  The website is:
http://art-support.com.  I'm sure there are others out there too.  This one provides samples and forms - everything an artist might need:  Artist Information Sheet, Resume, Artist Statement, Certificate of Authenticity, sales forms, gallery forms, exhibition forms, release forms, and much more.  In fact, I printed out their outline and samples that I needed and put them in my Artist Business Info/Resources binder that I could easily access.  It's helped me tremendously.

As far as a portfolio goes, here again, you can do a search online and get many answers to create your own.  What you need to include would be information about your past one-person exhibitions, bio on yourself including education and background.  For example, a one sheet Artist Information Sheet would include the following subject lines:  Artist, Philosophy, Style, Technique, Background, Publications or Exhibits, and Prices. You can change the titles to fit your own personal specialties.

You would also include in your portfolio, professional, quality photos of your original artworks, and photos of other variations that you may apply your artwork in (i.e., cards, coasters, wall hangings, etc.).  If you were in previous 'shows/exhibits' include the cards from those shows.  Your portfolio changes as you branch out and should be kept up to date with your current work.  Now that reminds me, I need to update mine very soon!

Color Sunset Photography

Sorry to keep you waiting...personally delivered my sister-in-law's framed images she purchased from me.  All the way to Lake Havasu City, Arizona!  Long drive, but we had a great visit.  Helped her hang the photos up and they really look great in her living room.  The first night we got to Barstow and had to stop and spend the night.  We were tired before we left - so need I say more?  It was windy there, but when we left the motel to go eat dinner there was this fabulous sunset.  Of course I had to run and grab my camera very quickly as these images don't last long.

My husband's sister and husband put on a little party with about 14 friends coming over to greet us and she said, 'to see my artwork'!  That was really outstanding in my book.  Very thoughtful.  We got to see their friends some of whom we know, and also the grand kids who are now teenagers.  They do have a little sister who is just a doll!  I'll post a photo of her tomorrow!  Today I am working at the High Hand Gallery, so if you're in the vicinity, come by and say 'hi'!  I'll be back in my studio manana getting back on track!

Digital Resizing

Yesterday proved to be quite productive despite me having vertigo!  After scanning in photos for my husband, I was able to start resizing the European photographic images and got thru most of them.  I only have three more cities to do:  Rome, Florence, and Barcelona, Spain.  What a job that was - I worked on it for probably five or six hours!  I'm resizing them for my website which I haven't updated since the beginning of 2011.  This blog takes some time, imagination, and selection of a photo.  I try to do most of my postings in the morning, but sometimes that doesn't work.  My next step is to upload them to my website, which is another event in itself!  That should take another couple of days and that's just the uploading of the photos.  Then there's the dialogue and the pertinent/historical information that I add to each image.  But I am getting there!

This image is from the isle of Santorini, the town where all the blue domes are that you see on calendars.  I've had several myself.  I thought there would be more of those blue domes than what I saw.  There's really only about 10 if that many.  However, every view is beautiful and I'll post more from Santorini as we go along.  Again, by the time we got to any of our destinations it was already somewhere between 10 a.m. and high Noon.  Not good photography-wise.  But you've got to make the most of it when you do get there.  I guess I don't need to mention that it was so bright up there on top of this island, and then you're dealing with bright white reflections!!  My film black and whites were not so good even after shutting down the lens, but I did get a couple that I might be able to work with.