271

Day Two Hundred and Seventy One

My life is insane right now, but I am taking it one day at a time.

In the winter and spring, I completely overworked myself. I took 17 credits at Grand Valley, and I basically had a full time job and two part time jobs. I worked and worked, and photographed, and studied. Since this happened... over time, I became over-stressed and over-worked. 

In July I quit my manager job, and I became a full time photographer, student, and an on call employee for a company I had been working for 2 years. I thought this was enough - but recently, I have learned that even that is too much for me.

I am in my last semester of college. Grand Valley, is not the easiest college. I know a few people who took a lot of credits at other colleges, but I ask myself, how hard were their classes actually, if they found time to do all of the things they did?

I don't know- nor does it matter.

This semester I have 4 400 level classes - Capstones.
My thesis for photography is really hard for me to do, because it is NOT my type of photography. My professor and I came up with this idea because it was out of my comfort zone, and pushes me to be a better photograph and concept artist. My thesis is strictly dependent on capturing a good "shot." I hardly edit them. The idea is a concept. It isn't about editing. However, I love editing. It's my favorite thing to do.

So that is what my photograph is about today. My sometimes unsuccessful befores, and my amazing afters. 

This photograph I didn't even edit the first time. I had the wrong exposure and it was lacking any source of contrast. So I decided to upgrade it a bit.
I'm a huge fan of correcting imperfections, unless their perfectly- imperfect. Why?

People like when they look good. People don't want to know that they look bad. People see themselves differently than other people see them.

Now this doesn't mean that I completely change them - but I do give them a little boost - because what I see in person is so much more beautiful than what the camera sees. Therefore, I make it what I actually saw. 

I love adding make up - slimming things- adding features and messing with color.

 

Beauty is all around me -

I just want to show it in all of my work.