English Music Festival....

The end of May brings the English Music Festival, a highly respected charitable event where hidden English Classics are bought to the forefront and celebrated over a number of days and concerts.  I will be there this year snapping away and capturing some imagery suitable for marketing and PR use in the future but to get things started I needed to get a few snaps of the founder, Em Marshall.  We took these in a beautiful pub in Richmond.

For more information on the English Music Festival visit their site here.

At a Level.....Foto Tip, ok Sunday....

My quite obvious failings at actually posting the Foto Tip Friday on a Friday are clear, again I apologize and hope that this wonderful tip may recover something!  

So i realized that although most of the tips I post are pretty simple stuff I haven't really touched on the core areas of Photoshop, so looking at tools and adjustments such as curves, levels and saturation.  These tools have been used within previous posts but not actually gone into great detail about the use of each so I thought it time to get some of that out there as its likely there are some of you out there who would like to know more about what they do.

Lets start with Levels.  This tool is essentially used to set the highlights and shadows within the image and to make sure that your picture has a generally nice tonal range and contrast.

You can find the Levels tool in the Adjustments menu and it will show you a histogram of the shadows and highlights within the image.  You are essentially aiming to make the lightest point of the image white without burning the highlights out and then keep the dark bits of the image dark and solid, not dull.  You do this by dragging the 3 pointers within the histogram left or right accordingly, the far right pointer effecting the highlights, the far left the shadows and the centre pointer the mid-tones of the image.

One way of identifying where the greatest shadows/ highlights are without just looking at the histogram is to switch to the threshold display mode, this then helps you to discern more easily where the greatest areas of dark and light are within the image.  If you want to adjust different areas of the image at a time, then use the Levels tool in different adjustment layers.  (For more info about adjustments layers see this post)


There are further things to do with Levels and above is a general overview, for a more in depth approach then there are a few books you can look at (Martin Evening is good) or some websites here and here.)

Looking for an idea....

I love freebies.  I also love advise, conversations with people that have experienced things and can give me an honest opinion on it.  Food, Clothes, Shoes, Handbags (see the theme here!) and also business or marketing, or where to get some great inspiration.

On that basis I decided to start an 'Ideas' page.  A page on my website you can click to and get some ideas, some advise and some free tips.  Much like the photography and photoshop tips on the blog the Ideas page on my site is more of a guide......what to expect from events photography, what questions to ask your photographer.  Doing it yourself?  Tips on how to best capture the atmosphere of an event and even what images work best with PR and Marketing material.

If you want to get your free ideas just go to | Carli - Art photography | and visit the More tab.  

Cotton Wool and Lighting Diagrams....

Okay so I only watched about 40 minutes of it but the bits I did see were, well, interesting.   One of the Gallagher brothers being a general idiot and throwing his microphone into the crowd, the Spice Girls becoming only 2 and Lady Gaga proving she in fact has a stunning voice and is able to demonstrate some rather flexible dance postures even while wearing the left overs of my bathroom bin in her hair.

As well as the Brits those in Fashion are celebrating London Fashion Week (booo, I missed out this year) and New York fashion week to come.  I hear all things are good if not busy.  In fact the one bit of advise i did get about attending LFW as a tog was if you were backstage don't use the same toilets as the models, messy!  Their words not mine.

On the photography front I am excited to announce that I am taking part in a hair and beauty shoot this weekend for the Loreal Colour Trophey - good luck Tom with your entry!  Photo's and any words of the crew to follow.  

While doing some research for this shoot actually I came across an amazing website that gives you full blown lighting breakdowns from a picture  I posted the link last week but here it is again as I think its so fab!  Also, here is the link where you can download your very own lighting diagram.....this could keep me amused for hours!

(picture courtesy of nymag.com)

A lot of not a lot & something....

Excuse the lack of posts the last few days, I have been what can only been known as rather busy.  To Leeds and back yesterday and today and previous to that just way too much going on with networking events and meetings here and there.  To all of those I met networking and whom I still haven't followed up with....my sincere apologies!  Look out for something this weekend.

I am having album issues.  Its not good for the stress levels at all.  I am also having issues in a sense that I have not even started properly editing the Limited Ink shoot, damn and damn again.  Promise its coming soon though.  That alongside an interview with the cast and crew, some words from fashion designer Louis de Gama and yes...a photo tip Friday.  It will happen!!  (Maybe not on a friday but it will happen.)

Right, work.  Must do some.

PS: The picture is to pay tribute to Alexander Mcqueen.  RIP.  If you want to learn more about this tragic loss to his friends, family and fashion, click here.

It's all in a question....

Wow I really do need to get better with these Foto Tips Fridays, this was has been relegated to a Tuesday!

I have been asked a lot this week about starting a business and getting clients. With really taking mine by the horns & giving it and myself a much needed kick up the butt I suppose it attracts these kind of queries but to be honest... I don't have a clue! I often turn to friends, family and colleagues (yes including other photographers) for advise and find nothing better than just talking a really good way to start the brain ticking. If you and solely you are your business then it is hard to step outside the box and look at what others see or at what opportunities you have around you. This really is probably the most important bit of advise I can give. Grasp every opportunity you have around you, speak to others about getting your work out there and let everyone know you exist and are in the market to take some pics. Do not be afraid of criticism & once you start building client relationships...ask them what they think and why they use you. Thats it, thats the advise....don't be afraid to ask, ask, ask and grab, grab grab at opportunities!

(Image courtesy of blog.nbc.com/ross_blog/ captain_answer/)

Frolicking Fashion...

Front cover of a Pan-European (what does that mean?!) Fashion, Lifestyle and generally all round awesome magazine.

Thank you to the models, stylist, make up and hair, my Mum (who helped out loads!) and Alice at Running in Heels. Big snogs.

See it HERE

Getting to know you...

Take a look at the Carli-Art Newsletter, being sent to all lovely Carli-Art clients every quarter. (Not often enough to be annoying, I know how many emails people get....sillyness!)

The newsletter has some news, some ideas about 2010 and also the chance for you to tell me about, well you! Yes YOU. My business is your business and I cherish all of my professional relationships, I want to get to know you maaannn. So, boast a little and tell me something and you never know, maybe there is something we can do for each other.

Read the Newsletter

Subscribe to the Newsletter

Say 'Olla' to Carli

Cyber sabbaticals...

After reading an article that Lily Allen is giving up facebook, twitter and has even locked her laptop in a box now safely stored under the bed I wonder if it is to be a year where for once technology and communication go on a sabbatical.

Maybe they are having a tiff and need a 'break' for some time out alone. Will 2010 be a year where conversation becomes real again with actual human interaction, where your thumb regains feeling and you call instead of text, where blogging isn't the in thing to do and your hand doesn't creep to your bag / pocket every 30 minutes to check for tweet updates? How in a world so reliant on cyber communications will this romantic notion of writing a letter or popping round for a cuppa thrive? Who knows but it has given me plenty of ideas for a shoot later this month.

Whiskey and Lemsip...

(Image courtesy of the JamJar.com)

Having been in bed since midnight Boxing day my hours have clocked well over 115 and now, at 10pm I decide I have the energy and the urge to write a post.

Anyway, looking fully ahead to the New year and 2010 (in my case being celebrated with a shot of whiskey in a Lemsip) is high on the agenda. Having never written a business plan and my marketing plans starting at 100-mph and quickly halting to a stand still, I feel it really is time I pulled the finger out and got some solid plans down. Therefore my new notebook (any excuse) is now clearly adorned with asterisked goals that by this time next year I hope to achieve. Some realistic, some aiming high and some just frankly ridiculous. (I don't see Ricky Whittle and myself getting married anytime soon, yes my embarrassing but guilty pleasure!) Anyway, onward and upwards with me new notebook, my new goals and now my points on how I plan to achieve each one. My first one is learning to manipulate natural light better and for that I have already purchased a Holga. I cannot WAIT to get some pics up.

Anyway Happy New Year to one and all and here is wishing you all the best for 2010.

More blogging to follow once my paracetamol hangover has subsided.

Time for some family this Christmas....

The nights are drawing in...

Lets face it, the nights are well and truly drawn in and by 4pm you are dreaming about getting home in front of the warm fire and tucked up in your favourite big cardi, slippers on and a glass of your fave tipple on hand. The last couple of hours at work are spend essentially clock watching.

Well take up some of that time by entertaining yourself drawing lines all over your screen and then watch Santa sleigh down them to collect his presents...watch out of the nasty volcanos (I know, who thought they were in the North Pole?!) and the reindeer. Have fun!

Rescue Santa here!

New Images...

New pictures are now online, take a peek and visit the Events, Corporate and Portrait Galleries.

Happy Viewing!

Monkey around....

I was asked what my customers thought about me, and in all honesty I wasn't able to give a conclusive answer. Probably because I haven't asked them. Its scary really and also a little bit intrusive to ask what people think of you, not at all British Darling. However, its true that if I want to know what my clients think then the only way to know is to ask them. If nothing else, I want to learn what they don't like and change it.

So, I sent a brief email round asking a few clients to take a look at my 3 question (yes only 3 questions!) survey and complete if they wished, so far the results have been great so thank you to those that have completed and those that are just waiting for that 5 minutes to take a quick look.

I am rather chuffed with one of the trends in what people like about my service, mainly as I really try hard to do this but it was my ability to listen to my clients. Great news because I really do think this is the most important part of creating a relationship with a client and completing the job with positive results.

A negative (yes I am telling you these!) is my reluctance to supply contact sheets. This is not something I originally thought feasible and indeed for some clients is not, they just prefer to get beautifully edited and retouched images. For others though they want to see the nitty gritty which, I now will be taking action to improve!

So if you haven't done so yet I would really appreciate your feedback and if your feeling left out and want to spend a few minutes having your say then answer my survey here. You can tell me how I can please you....ooo matron!

(Image courtesy of http://www.breadwig.com)

Running in rain soaked heels...

So a theatre packed weekend trip to London was swiftly replaced by shopping as unbelievably there were no tickets left under £70 for a matinee, call me naive but seriously it seemed a little ridiculous. Maybe pay day and a pre Xmas get together was on the cards for more people than me! Anyway enjoyed the shopping delights of Camden Market & Covent Garden and after much dribbling over some beautiful punched metal jewellery I settled on a suitably festive purchase of Bambi in black. Well, even Disney is fashionable these days.

Anyway busy week this week with 3 full days of shooting. Friday I am looking forward to as am descending on Stoke Parks exclusive Christmas Party and getting some snaps of the guests and the wonderful venue which i understand is going to be decorated in black and gold top to bottom. Even introducing a fire torch filled entrance and gold dip bar. Sneak preview pics to come at some point Saturday.

Ooo and before I forget although it hasn't gone live quite yet I believe it will be there by midnight. Not that I am staying up or expect anyone else to but check out my 'Louis me and Nettle Tea' pics on the front cover of Running in Heels!! (Talking of which I did a lot of that this weekend from bar to bar or bar to bus stop while tipping with rain!) There are a few brief words as well which I am now worried will make me sound like a total nonce but fingers crossed all is good and screw the words....it's the pictures!! Check it out here.

Over and out for this evening

C x

Be a high watt light bulb...

So as you can see the blog has undergone a make over! I felt it was time for something a little different and to bring the blog a little more in line with my website, I hope I have done that and can create a little more lovin (hello Barry White) between the two.

Things should be easier to find, more fun to view and most importantly more about you! Yes really, I am here to make sure I can service you so let me know what you want or don't want and it will certainly be considered!

For the moment I leave you with a large yawn and a link to one of the best sites I stumbled across this year....not because its a great website (although lovely I am sure) but because it gave me access to a rather energetic Marketing Seminar which has armed me with a bag full of exciting marketing tips and a head full of ideas.

I want to be bright like a lightbulb - click here!

Carli

New New NEWS!

So felt it was time for a new feature on the blog and the name of the game is keeping one's ear firmly pressed to the current, wet soggy ground. Once a week (maybe more, don't know yet!) I will be bringing you some hot gossip, some what is hot and what is not and some Art, Culture or Fashion News.

| Bow, E3 studios open |

A.S.C has just completed a new studio development in Bow, E3 with 48 art studios available. Wnat to know more - contact Julia on 0207 7274

| U2 to headline Glastonbury |

Waiting only 26 years and U2 have finally confirmed they will be headlining at next years mud filled festival who are also celebrating their 40th Anniversary. Check out the full story here.

| Tattoo you |

Body art has been getting increasingly popular for the past 20 years with the stereotype of hairy, mobbish bikers being thrown to the wind and middle class fashionistas almost classing it a necessity. Much like a pink well bagged pooch. Jo Waterhouse has now released a book about the art which forces the viewer to look at it as not only skin pigmented images. Check out the full article and info on how to get the book here.

| Vicky's secret |

The luxury lingerie brand is famous for its elaborate shows and didn't fail with its recent show featuring a full choir plus Heidi Klum who adorned the stage in a purple corset after giving birth only 5 weeks ago!! What, did she stop eating for the full 9 months?! (images courtesy of Telegraph.co.uk)

Got something to contribute? Love a good nose at the newspapers? All ears in art and fashion?

Get in touch and write for this blog! hello@carli-art.co.uk

Casting Call.....

Planning a portfolio shoot for completion before end of Jan 2010, dates open and will work around everyone involved. Keen to get a good team together to create something punchy and suitable for magazine submission.

If you are interested please visit my casting call for Models HERE and other cast and crew HERE.

x

Recommend a friend....

Am very excited to see my pictures in the French Fashion magazine FASHIZBLACK and think they look fab....well done to the team - thank you guys! This was a nice thing to come back to after my birthday weekend in Wales with a few friends, lots of lovely food, wine and wet walks! Very relaxing and I managed to avoid my laptop for a full 3 days - woop woop!

In case anyone is interested I am running a promotion at the moment whereby if you recommend a friend to my Carli-Art group on Facebook you AND your friend get a £50 voucher to spend on photography with me. So £50 towards a shoot, some prints or anything you like really. All you need to do is recommend a friend to my group, get your mate to write on my group wall "Free money you must be bonkers. **** recommended me to Carli-Art"

You and your friend will then each get a £50 voucher and there are only 10 to give away so get recommending!

Wee wee madam....

Very excited to have come back from a lovely weekend in Wales and see my pics (beauty shoot E.A.T) in the awesome French Fashion mag, FASHIZBLACK......check it out!

xx