As For Friday

WOW....
Excuse me if I seem out of it. This morning has been rough. I normally get up at 7:40am to get ready for work. I haven't been sleeping great lately so last night I must have fallen into a REALLY deep sleep. This morning I heard an alarm go off, since I am the only one that works on Friday I figured it was my alarm and struggled to get up and go take a shower. I am standing in the shower thinking about how exhausted I am and that this week of little sleep really did me in. I get out and do my make-up and my hair, I get dressed and have breakfast. Then I sit down at the computer to check my email and I realize it is only 7:20am!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I had gotten up a whole hour early and it was ADADADADAMMMMM who set his alarm and failed to tell me he was getting up early today to work on his mom's car. Honestly I could have killed him. Now I am EXHAUUUUSSTED to the 10th degree, and the exhaustion is accompanied by a MASSIVE headache!



To make matters more difficult we have to take a 5 hour trip tonight to NJ for my brother's wedding tomorrow. UGH!!!!!!!!!! So I told Adam that I am going to have to get some sleep in the car or I will just be ugly.

I wasn't going to post these picture but....here they are... I took these around town the other day. I put antiquing filters on them, but I am a little disappointed. When I was enhancing them they didn't look AS contrived but once I saved them they seemed a little vintage overdone. OHHHH TWELLL..




I still have so much more learning to do technically with understanding the electronic mode of photography. I am nervous that since I messed with the setting so much that is has messed the settings up because now I am having issues getting crisp shots. MAN I wish we had dslr classes. So here are my purposely antiqued photos that I named "Vintage Saratoga"



In my time of photography (and with that I include my video photography) I MUCH perfer to capture subjects that have souls. I love finding out who a person is through their eyes. I like the story that they tell me without speaking. I like that interaction that I just can't seem to get when photographing nature. If I could I would photograph people all day. I know this is unrealistic so I will enjoy what I can get right now :)







HAPPPPY Weekend,

Smooches,
Steph

Stephanie Mannuci Photography

Stephanie Mannuci Photography

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I know it doesn't hurt to have such a beautiful subject but I am very pleased with the way these turned out! I took them in overcast weather (PEEERFECT picture taking weather that is)
I didn't use a flash because I really don't like flashes and the artificial look. I like raw natural live color and beauty.
This is Adam's sister Emily and she is a wonderful person inside and out (I am sure you can see that.) She has so many dimensions that she really becomes the perfect subject. She lets you in and allows you to see what is behind those baby blues. I can't wait to take more pictures with her!

She has a good heart and she was very patient with me. Not everyone likes to get their picture taken! I didn't have to twist her arm too hard once I told her she could have the photos.

I really wanted to capture the lush greens in juxtaposition to her pale hair and skin

Now I am totally changing topics since I just need to write this to write it. I like to share my thoughts and feelings as much as I can. I want people to understand my art and to do that I think it is nice to let people see who you are as a person. More important to see that not everything is perfect and beautiful all the time. I know some time ago I wrote about my love for imperfection. I should have wrote more about coming to terms with imperfection. So I guess this is what I am doing now.

"Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference."

If I could live by one quote I would love to live by this one. Lately (and by that I mean the last year) I have been struggling with this and big time. I hold everything to such a high standard, including myself but I fail to recognize that nothing is perfect. Also I fail to realize that I can't change and control everything. Honestly it has caused a huge upheaval and I can't seem to come to terms with acceptance. I am not even sure how to accept and the more I reflect I am not sure if I have ever just accepted anything. I wish to be at easy but I always feel as though I am in a constant battle......I want to be at ease, I want to taste serenity, if only once.







I would like to say I am slowly working on it. But I don't know where to start. I find it very hard to understand life right now, I know it is such a beautiful thing and there are some aspects about it I love, I love creating and sharing my creations with others. I love talking with people who share in similar interests. But in all the beauty inner turmoil always finds me. Really I am tired of being Debbie Downer. There is so much I enjoy and want to share but certain outside influences never allow me to fully blossom. I am held back from what I know I can achieve and I become bitter. I am in a situation that won't last forever but a situation that keeps me from pursuing my arts. A situation that is necessary and a situation I must give acceptance. This is strange because I never let anything beat me.....but I feel if I don't accept it I will be beating myself in the end.

I wish everyone a WONDERFUL Wednesday. I know Ghost Hunters are on tonight and Adam will be home so in all honestly it doesn't get much sweeter than that!

Please leave any comments you would like to about the photos. I love to hear feedback! No really please critique

Smooooochhhess,

Steph

Tuesday Suprise

OKay folks this is my big surprise... I FINALLLLLLLLYYYYYYY broke down and bought a real D-SLR. I can't tell you how over the moon I am about this little guy.

Adam and I call her the baby. HEHE we are silly. We actually totally personified the camera and since it hangs around my neck 24/7 we thought it was only proper to treat it like a baby.

I still have a TON to learn since the only other camera a used besides a point and shoot was an old film 35-mm for a short period of time. Well I have a college concentration in video editing and photography but this is considerably different

I am still getting hung up about how to get the right amount of light when I am shooting in the dark (and I don't want to use the flash.) I am finding that to be the most challenging.

Adam's sister and I did a photo shoot yesterday and I have to say the pictures came out Great! well at least I think so. I believe there is pleasing composition and good use of the 3rds rule. I have a bunch more but I will save them for another time when I unveil her portfolio. Of course just for fun but you never know, I might become a pro photog yet!

Happy Tuesday everyone! Please be prepared to see a lot more pictures than art as now I am trying my hand at this new wonderful amazing medium!

Alllllll suggestions are always welcomed and appreciated!

Smmochesssss,

Steph

I am hommmmeeeeee

Hello EVERYONE! Boy did I missedd you all. I am back home with lots of work ahead of me.. by that I mean laundry. I just got home from the cruise last night at 11:00 pm and I have to go to work today. EIK, I know, but I have tons of pictures to show everyone and great stories to tell. I will leave you with this one.... this was my favorite part of the Caribbean cruise, Royal Carribean's private island Coco Cay

I think it will take me a few day to unwind and unpack. But I have something very exciting to share with everyone that is going to change the look of almost everything I do, I will give you a hint.... it will help me capture great detail..... (I am sure I gave it away)

HAPPY Monday (if there is such a thing)
SMOOOOCHESSSS
Steph