Hello Sunshine

Happy Spring Folks!!!!

A few weeks ago I was walking downtown on 5th Avenue in NYC and saw all these vibrant colors in the Kate Spade window. I had to go into the store, so I did. When I entered I saw this great hat (above) that reads "Hello Sunshine". I am builiding my photo design portfolio so I thought why not create an advertisement?!?!

I bought the hat, returned to my studio, spent two days photographing it at different angles and a few more days working in post production and designing the ad above.

If you'd like to view it at a larger dimension you may at :

http://bit.ly/gwFGT7

Do you like it? I'd like to hear your opinion if you care to share.

Want To Learn How To Shoot Video on your DSLR Camera?

If you're a photographer looking to expand into video the new PDN (Photo District News) HDSLR Video Workshops will help you gain the valuable knowledge you'll need to compete in this new arena. Our goal is to remove any technical apprehensions you may have about creating videos. No previous experience is required!

• A comprehensive understanding of camera settings
• Technical training in HD video formatting including aspect ratios, frame rates,terminology, digital movie formats and more
• An understanding of composition for motion pictures
• Skills in basic sound recording, audio capture and the incorporation of background music
• Interview and storytelling tools
• Workflow training, including how to export your projects

Sign up here -  http://www.pdnvideo.nielsencontests.com/?email

Funny + Fantastic Foto

This afternoon I found a photo by Glenn Wexler on http://www.oneeyeland.com/ that I thought was funny and fantastic. Very Clever! So much so that I had to share it with you. If you click on the photo above you will see some more of his brilliant photographs.

Creative Opinions

This evening I will be attending a fine art photo portfolio review at Calumet on 22nd Street in NYC at 7 pm. In the past, I have presented my photo fine art concept, The Museum of Messages, to many other creative professionals at other reviews and gotten excellent feedback. This has allowed me to expand my ideas further. 

If you are new to this blog, I'd like to introduce the The Museum of Messages to you. In brief, since 2006, I have been diligently photographing messages that people write in the public domain about love, the environment, politics, humor, loyalty and more. After I shoot them, I return to my studio, download the messages, clean them up in Adobe Photoshop and post them to my online gallery. The reason I think this is important to do is because the messages don't have a very long life span because city cleaning crews paint over or wash away these words so I think it is important to document these visual voices for others to think about, learn and enjoy.

By profession I am a Marketing Designer that takes Professional Photographs. The way I have expanded my concept is by photographing fashion accessories with a message that I have found on the street, in my studio with my Hasselblad H3DII camera, and then in post production, I create a marketing piece to help one promote their products. If you'd like to see some examples, you may at http://www.helenavstudio.com/.

I am looking forward to getting feedback tonight. Your thoughts and opinions are welcome.

Presenting NYC Fashion Photographer Albert Watson

Mr. Albert Watson, a well known fashion photographer in NYC, is speaking at the National Arts Club in Gramercy Park Thursday February 17, 2011 at noon. If interested you can learn more at http://www.pai-newyork.org/

Mr. Watson has made his mark as one of the world’s most successful fashion and commercial photographers during the last four decades, while creating his own art along the way. Over the years, his striking images have appeared on more than 100 covers of Vogue around the world and been featured in countless other publications, from Rolling Stone to Time to Vibe —many of the photographs iconic portraits of rock stars, rappers, actors and other celebrities.

Albert also has created the photography for hundreds of successful ad campaigns for major companies, such as Prada, the Gap, IBM, Levi’s, Revlon and Chanel, and he has directed more than 200 TV commercials and shot dozens of posters for major Hollywood movies.

All the while, Albert has spent much of his time working on personal projects, creating stunning images from his travels and interests, from Marrakech to Las Vegas to the Orkneys. Much of this work, along with his well known portraits and fashion photographs, has been featured in museum and gallery shows worldwide. The photo industry bible, Photo District News, named Albert one of the 20 most influential photographers of all time, and he won the 2010 Centenary Medal from the Royal Photographic Society.

Discuss Women During the Great Depression

Design Arts Daily (DART) Partners with the Arts at 
Museum of the City of New York
Thursday, January 27, 6:30 pm
Dorothea Lange: A Life Beyond Limits 

The popular image of women during the depression is dominated by rural themes: mothers protecting their families from fierce dust storms and greedy bank managers, Ma Joad from The Grapes of Wrath, and Dorothea Lange’s iconic “Migrant Mother” (below, left). But as Denys Wortman’s vivid slice-of-life cartoons of New York show -- currently on view at MCNY -- urban women were also hit hard by the economic disaster.

Join historian Linda Gordon, author of Dorothea Lange: A Life Beyond Limits (W.W. Norton, 2009), who will discuss the role gender played in Americans’ response to the economic crisis of the 1930s. This program is presented in conjunction with the exhibition Denys Wortman Rediscovered, currently on view at MCNY. 

This special program is being offered to DART subscribers at the half-off MCNY member's price of $6 when you contact 917.492.3395 or programs@mcny.org. Just mention DART and your tickets will be held for you. Please do not reply to this email. 

The Museum of the City of New York is located at Fifth Avenue and 103rd St.
By bus: M1, M3, M4 or M106 to 104th Street, M2 to 101st St.
By subway: #6 Lexington Avenue train to 103rd Street, walk three blocks west. #2 or #3 train to Central Park North (110th Street), walk one block east to 5th Ave, then south to 104th St.

Production of New Holiday Card

So after spending a full day working on the first holiday card design that I posted to my blog last week, I finally decided that a redesign needed to happen. That being so above you will see the new version.

I set up my lights, photographed this wallet closed, then photographed it opened and in post production I merged the two photos in one frame, played around with different tones for the floor and the background, touched up dust marks, enhanced the colors a bit and added copy. I think it turned out nicely. Do you agree?

Helena V. Studio - New Logo - Do you like it?

Hi All -

Happy Friday! I designed a new logo for my studio. You can see it at my website or at the top of my blog.

http://www.helenavstudio.com/

Do you like it? Your opinion is very much appreciated.  I look forward to hearing from you.

-Helena V.