SEARCH THE BLOG
With Justin away, I'm trying desperately to keep myself busy, so I plan to blog a ton over these next few weeks. I'm hoping also to blog all about Justin's trip (he took a camera) once he returns. Anyway, on with the post!

I shot Whitney + Steve's engagement session at Balboa Park in San Diego. I always enjoy shooting at this location, there is so much architecture to play around with and random hidden doors to use as backdrops. What makes it even better is when I get to have a fantastically gorgeous couple like Whitney + Steve to work with as a subject!

*Photographer friends: I've also been getting a ton of requests for a "recipe post" so I'm going to also include this for all those fellow photogs out there! Before I get started with the recipes, I want to explain a few ideals about the way Amelia Lyon Photography does post production. After I've gone through and picked all of my favorite images that I would like to blog, I'll raw process the images into jpegs, then I'll play around with a recipe in order to find a "look" that feels right for that particular shoot (a recipe is a mixture of actions combined to obtain a certain color tone). I'll then use that recipe for the entire group of images from that particular sitting so everything matches and flows well together.

The actions used in this particular post came from: TOTALLY RAD ACTIONS! using actions from both sets of TRA's. Here is the action order and recipe (for Black and White):

1. VERY IMPORTANT FOR BLACK AND WHITE-I always desaturate my image for black & white prior to any other action
2. Yin/Yang (as needed)
3. Pro-Retouch (as needed)
4. Contrast
5. Grainstorm
6. Antique Tone (opacity to 50%)
7. Boutwell Magic Glasses
8. Can-O-Whoopass (paintbrush as needed)

Here's the first image using the above black and white recipe:
wsblog_001.jpg
Here is the action order and recipe for the specific color toning of this shoot:

1. Yin/Yang (as needed)
2. Pro-Retouch (as needed)'
3. Pool Party (opacity to 25%)
4. Get Faded/Winter (opacity to 25%)
5. Boutwell Magic Glasses

Here's the next image using the above color toning recipe (you'll notice that now throughout the rest of the post these two recipes are used and now all of the images feel cohesive):
wsblog_002.jpg
wsblog_003.jpgwsblog_004.jpgMy favorite shot of the day!
wsblog_005.jpgwsblog_006.jpgwsblog_007.jpgwsblog_008.jpgwsblog_009.jpgwsblog_010.jpgwsblog_011.jpgwsblog_012.jpgwsblog_013.jpgwsblog_014.jpgwsblog_015.jpg
I'm looking forward to the wedding in May!


Trackbacks
Listed below are links to blogs that reference this entry: Whitney + Steve Engaged! Plus some recipes! . TrackBack URL for this entry: http://www.amelialyon.net/darkroom/mt/mt-tb.cgi/233

Comments
Gary said:
Pretty images!! And great info with the Totally Rad actions. Have fun at their wedding. Must be awesome!
(02.03.10 01:26 AM)
Anna said:
Thanks fr sharing your recipes! Sure is interesting to get an insight on how you further cook up your images :)
(02.03.10 01:39 AM)
C.T.Daniel said:
Yin/Yang and Pro-Retouch doesn't seems to do anything this is my fav http://www.amelialyon.net/assets_c/2010/02/wsblog_010-thumb-678x452-7343.jpg i just love that skin tone, amazing
(02.03.10 02:58 AM)
Tor-Ivar said:
Wow.. wonderful shots! Love your photographic style :)
(02.03.10 03:34 AM)
AmyPunky Photography said:
OMG! The first pic is stunning!!! Thanks for the recipe!!! The photos are beautiful. :)
(02.03.10 03:46 AM)
Fotograf Lublin said:
I LOVE using Totally Rad actions - its FUN
(02.03.10 04:28 AM)
Briony said:
what a gorgeous couple. these are absolutely breathtaking. i love her style.
(02.03.10 05:46 AM)
Kayla said:
These are great! Thanks for sharing the recipes!
(02.03.10 07:33 AM)
Cameron Braun said:
Wow, these are fantastic. You are seriously a master of the super wide angle. I can't explain how much I love the pool party action. Great work as usual!
(02.03.10 07:47 AM)
Marissa Rodriguez said:
Amazing session! I love her first outfit!
(02.03.10 07:51 AM)
amelialyon said:
CT Daniel, You should visit the www.gettotallyrad.com site, it has tutorials on how to use the yin/yang and pro-retouch actions. You can just play these actions, you have to paint with the paint brush with the foreground in white. Hope this helps.
(02.03.10 07:55 AM)
Amy Carson said:
Thanks for the tips! These photographs are amazing with or without actions ;)
(02.03.10 08:21 AM)
shannon said:
these are stunning!! so fun and playful...and so romantic and beautiful!
(02.03.10 08:22 AM)
Whitney said:
Amelia! These are wonderful! Even better than I could have ever hoped for. We are THRILLED that we have you as a photographer and can't wait for you to shoot the big day!
(02.03.10 09:11 AM)
Whitney Warner said:
OMG they are the cutest couple ever! I love the pictures!!!! and the actions!
(02.03.10 10:08 AM)
Kat Speyer said:
Thanks for sharing!
(02.03.10 10:14 AM)
Stacey Malleck said:
You have no idea how much we all appreciate your recipes! Thanks from one photog to the next!
(02.03.10 02:07 PM)
Emily Faulknor said:
Love the Balboa park images - my hometown! Great usage of what the place has to offer. You are awesome! :)
(02.03.10 02:13 PM)
aimee said:
amelia...i love your work and I think what justin is doing is incredible. not sue if you check these comments but, if you do and have time to respond i would love to know what you use to get the blurry edges? like in the photo with the arches?
(02.03.10 03:36 PM)
amelialyon said:
Aimee, I DEFINITELY always check my comments;). The "blurry" edges you are talking about comes from a lens called the Tilt Shift. It's a 45mm 2.8. Hope this helps!
(02.03.10 06:09 PM)
RaymondIp said:
very nice! i like the emotion in your images! very nice use of the actions.. i like how the way you process them the color shift is not too strong just wondering, did you add the blur in the last photo in the post process?
(02.03.10 10:31 PM)
C.T.Daniel said:
wow, thanks @amelialyon, it works
(02.04.10 12:24 AM)
amelialyon said:
Raymondip, any blur that you see was created in camera using certain lenses or shooting technique, I never add blur in post process. Hope this answers your question.
(02.04.10 09:27 AM)
Leah Miller said:
YAY! Thanks for the tips. I can't wait to attend your workshop in Vegas!!!
(02.04.10 01:18 PM)
Becky McArthur said:
gorgeous! amelia, you never disappoint. are you surviving without your hubby? i know how that goes! :)
(02.04.10 01:35 PM)
jackie wonders said:
thanks Amelia! just did that EXACT color reciped for the last e-sesh:) totalllllly digging that BW too!
(02.04.10 02:46 PM)
Lisa H. Chang said:
Great recipes! :)
(02.04.10 06:06 PM)
Brooke Romney said:
Well Amelia, I know nothing about photography, but you are FANTASTIC. The images are gorgeous, as is the couple. Mike's parens live in San Diego. Maybe next time we visit, we could meet up. I'd love to chat in person. Thanks for all the support! Hang in there.
(02.04.10 09:28 PM)
mary Garvin said:
her outfit is perfect! these shots are so romantic and wonderful :)
(02.04.10 09:35 PM)
Catalina said:
Yey! THANKS Amelia for posting your recipes. Absolutely gorgeeeeeeeeeeeeeeous shots. xo
(02.05.10 01:14 AM)
Feuza said:
Thanks for sharing Amelia, that is awesome! what a great location,
(02.06.10 12:42 PM)
jenny said:
Your favorite shot of the day is awesome. thanks for sharing the formula.
(02.06.10 03:18 PM)
Lisa H. Chang said:
Thanks Amelia for your comment on my blog! I tried to "trackback" this post but apparently blogger doesn't make that too easy. I had fun trying your black and white recipe on these photos (http://lhcwords.blogspot.com/2010/02/engagement-selena-and-pate.html) ~ it was fun getting to experience someone else's process and I learned some things from it ~ like using ying/yang before other actions. Thanks again!
(02.08.10 05:31 PM)
rog said:
you guys are still the best.
(02.08.10 09:31 PM)
Julie Hill said:
These shots are so incredibly fabulous... and so is this couple!!!
(02.08.10 11:50 PM)
jenny said:
i love how you guys always play with shadows. Amazing stuff.
(02.18.10 09:20 PM)
amanda said:
you were rocking some awesome flare!!! love the session! as usual :)
(02.22.10 06:18 PM)
Gilbert Wong said:
Shadows falling on the wall is lovely~!
(03.25.10 10:14 AM)
Riccardo said:
Love these pics!! Great work
(11.23.10 03:53 PM)