Ok everyone. Get ready for this. I was invited by the Art Club of Bellview to be in a gallery showing for 2 months at the chamber of commerce in Bellview. Twelve pieces of my work will be shown and for sale. I am very excited about this opportunity and am shocked I even have it, only because I expected something like that would take a long time to work into.
Still, I am very happy and excited. The work will go up Sep. 8th. Now I just have to get some work printed and framed. I was so not prepared for this, lol! Oh well, I will get it done.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Why did I put a scratch on my camera the first day?
Yes, WHY!?
I mean, you know when you do something you know isn't right. Like, you know, but you do it anyway for whatever reason. Then it ends up bad. Like w/ a scratch on the live view screen.
I could kick myself.
Anyway, I haven't used it much yet, but I have a little bit. I have been learning about it instead. However, the few pics I did take came out lovely. Very crisp. I do prefer the design of the a100 better by far, but the shots from the a550 surpass the a100 so far. I was miffed that they made it so the battery was a different shape even though it was the same battery. I also wish they kept an option for the bigger memory card use. Not that I mind a smaller card, but I just like the bigger ones. Not as easy to loose in my opinion.
I am glad that the new shaped battery charges in my old battery charger, because it was shipped w/ a UK plug. Obviously, I cannot use that here in Florida, but if I ever go back to the UK I will be all set so it isn't a bad thing that I have it.
To be, the a550 doesn't feel as sturdy as the a100. The live view screen is great, but it is too far out from the eye piece. That is one reason it scratched. I suggest a protector for it. I think they should just come in the box, but they don't. My a100 is in the body, granted it doesn't swivel or show live view, but it is more protected and actually have very few scratches on it after 4 years of use w/ out a camera case.
Anyway, there is my review so far, expect more!
I mean, you know when you do something you know isn't right. Like, you know, but you do it anyway for whatever reason. Then it ends up bad. Like w/ a scratch on the live view screen.
I could kick myself.
Anyway, I haven't used it much yet, but I have a little bit. I have been learning about it instead. However, the few pics I did take came out lovely. Very crisp. I do prefer the design of the a100 better by far, but the shots from the a550 surpass the a100 so far. I was miffed that they made it so the battery was a different shape even though it was the same battery. I also wish they kept an option for the bigger memory card use. Not that I mind a smaller card, but I just like the bigger ones. Not as easy to loose in my opinion.
I am glad that the new shaped battery charges in my old battery charger, because it was shipped w/ a UK plug. Obviously, I cannot use that here in Florida, but if I ever go back to the UK I will be all set so it isn't a bad thing that I have it.
To be, the a550 doesn't feel as sturdy as the a100. The live view screen is great, but it is too far out from the eye piece. That is one reason it scratched. I suggest a protector for it. I think they should just come in the box, but they don't. My a100 is in the body, granted it doesn't swivel or show live view, but it is more protected and actually have very few scratches on it after 4 years of use w/ out a camera case.
Anyway, there is my review so far, expect more!
Monday, August 16, 2010
Happy and New Camera Armed, or am going to be...
So the owners, did not take the house deal and wouldn't even negotiate. Ok, I will keep looking, but that doesn't get me down too much. Why?
Because for my birthday both my parents and my bf combined their money and got me the dream camera. Yes, after months of wanting this camera. After drooling over it. After dreaming about it. After speaking about it non stop as my birthday grew closer. I, Bevin Allison, was given the money to order it!
So immediately I set my sights on ebay, the land of deals. I then ordered a brand new body for the Sony DSLR A550! I am waiting for its arrival and chomping at the bit. No, it isn't a supper dupper high end tank of a camera, but it is the one I can have and will do what I need right now and it is a huge upgrade from the DSLR A100, which will be my new back up camera.
In fact, a friend got an A230, I believe, after seeing how good my A100 was. Then I say her pics w/ the same lenses I was using and the pictures where so much crisper and clearer that I just know, that the A550 will do one hell of a good job for me.
I remember when first getting my Sony I was nervous at first. The A100. It was new on the market. Sony hadn't made a DSLR before. It was the first. Then I heard two things that sold me. 1. It was formed out of a partnership w/ Konika and Sony. 2. It had an internal dust blower and I worked in a barn and used cameras a lot in barns and the others did not have that.
Why did the fact that it was Konika technology that impressed me? I worked for a photo place in the UK that used Konika print film. I would buy it for myself too. I found it to be thee best 35 ml film I had ever used for the camera and for print jobs. I am not kidding. When I came back state side and it seem non existant I saw my pictures take a nose dive in quality. Colors where drab, focus was bad... using the same camera, just using Kodak or Fuji film or printing.
I knew, that Konika, and yes I am probably spelling it wrong since I am a bad speller, was what I wanted in my camera. Turned out I made a great choice too. I would be a sales person for this DSLR if I could, I love it that much.
I went for the 550 not the 500 because I wanted the 14mgp. No, it isn't a great difference from 12 for visual quality of most prints, but if you want a larger print it is worth it in my opinion and not for that much a cost difference either. I think Sony's offer far more for their price than other cameras too.
However, I think that is due to the fact that not as many people buy them, because they haven't been making them as long. I think if they had a stronger foot in the door, like Nikon say, they would indeed cost more. Strangely, especially their higher end cameras, their quality of late has been ranked higher than many stronger saled brands. That does not surprise me in the least, as Konika was always a better film, yet not as utilized in this country.
Thus, the lesson here is that, just because someone has been doing something longer or a company has been making something longer. It doesn't mean the product will be better. It just means it has a stronger name brand recognition in the industry. This is true w/ service industries too. It is true in anything.
Anyway, when I get it, I will be taking pictures like it is going out in style to learn about it and get used to it. I will be reviewing it on here as well. Stay tuned, I am sure I will be gushing for quite some time.
Because for my birthday both my parents and my bf combined their money and got me the dream camera. Yes, after months of wanting this camera. After drooling over it. After dreaming about it. After speaking about it non stop as my birthday grew closer. I, Bevin Allison, was given the money to order it!
So immediately I set my sights on ebay, the land of deals. I then ordered a brand new body for the Sony DSLR A550! I am waiting for its arrival and chomping at the bit. No, it isn't a supper dupper high end tank of a camera, but it is the one I can have and will do what I need right now and it is a huge upgrade from the DSLR A100, which will be my new back up camera.
In fact, a friend got an A230, I believe, after seeing how good my A100 was. Then I say her pics w/ the same lenses I was using and the pictures where so much crisper and clearer that I just know, that the A550 will do one hell of a good job for me.
I remember when first getting my Sony I was nervous at first. The A100. It was new on the market. Sony hadn't made a DSLR before. It was the first. Then I heard two things that sold me. 1. It was formed out of a partnership w/ Konika and Sony. 2. It had an internal dust blower and I worked in a barn and used cameras a lot in barns and the others did not have that.
Why did the fact that it was Konika technology that impressed me? I worked for a photo place in the UK that used Konika print film. I would buy it for myself too. I found it to be thee best 35 ml film I had ever used for the camera and for print jobs. I am not kidding. When I came back state side and it seem non existant I saw my pictures take a nose dive in quality. Colors where drab, focus was bad... using the same camera, just using Kodak or Fuji film or printing.
I knew, that Konika, and yes I am probably spelling it wrong since I am a bad speller, was what I wanted in my camera. Turned out I made a great choice too. I would be a sales person for this DSLR if I could, I love it that much.
I went for the 550 not the 500 because I wanted the 14mgp. No, it isn't a great difference from 12 for visual quality of most prints, but if you want a larger print it is worth it in my opinion and not for that much a cost difference either. I think Sony's offer far more for their price than other cameras too.
However, I think that is due to the fact that not as many people buy them, because they haven't been making them as long. I think if they had a stronger foot in the door, like Nikon say, they would indeed cost more. Strangely, especially their higher end cameras, their quality of late has been ranked higher than many stronger saled brands. That does not surprise me in the least, as Konika was always a better film, yet not as utilized in this country.
Thus, the lesson here is that, just because someone has been doing something longer or a company has been making something longer. It doesn't mean the product will be better. It just means it has a stronger name brand recognition in the industry. This is true w/ service industries too. It is true in anything.
Anyway, when I get it, I will be taking pictures like it is going out in style to learn about it and get used to it. I will be reviewing it on here as well. Stay tuned, I am sure I will be gushing for quite some time.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Gallery Planning 2
So, I am looking for local Florida music and musicians w/ cd's that I can use for a 3 hour opening the weekend after New Years. My mom, who is kindly doing free research, as she does research for her job anyway, on this and other aspects I need for the business and such. She has found a neat sound straight from the Miami club seen developed w/ in the state itself. It sounds promising, but I have also heard blue grass is big here so I just have to sample different bands and see what sounds like it would suit my exhibit the best. Not to mention get permission to use it.
I may end up w/ a rather ecliptic collection.. I called numerous music stores as well and they either did not call me back or couldn't help. One did give me the number of a local Jazz musician. That's an idea too.
The owner of the place I rent now said I could probably use his home and his wife could cater it. he said she loved doing that. He also said I could live in this place of his forever as far as he was concerned and would hate to see me leave if I go the 3 acre property that we are bidding on now.
The owner also mentioned a place called the Tea Room, but it was just sold so he doesn't know if they'd still be open to s showing like that. he said the Wine Experience would be could, but the owner would charge me as she was a bit stingy like that or something. I've met the owner a couple times and she was a bit off putting, but her cheese and other stuff was great. I would think, though, if an art showing would bring in people to taste wine and then maybe leave w/ purchased wine would be a better way to make money than charging someone for an opening if I provided my own caterers and so on.
My goal though is to show the Florida no one thinks of which is why I want to showcase local band music and traditional Florida music and advertise it in the brochures. And I think using Florida based wine would be perfect too.
So I am sold on using at least gold in my color scheme. But am not sure about the other colors, or whether to switch them up for each section of the themes or to leave them the same.
I have begun to order pieces of my work so I can get them framed gradually rather than getting them all at once. That way, I can really think about my best pieces and have time to take more pics that might be better.
But how to reach the audience I am trying to reach so they show up will be tricky. I am kind of working from the outside of the puzzle to the inside. Starting w/ then end in mind. I am hoping Kent will be here and I can get my mom to fly in to help as well. Maybe enlist some friends too as I have found I will need 5 people total including myself. I will have my laptop handy so I can have orders placed online and so people can see work that isn't included in the Gallery itself.
A lot to accomplish, but I know I can do it. I just have to stay focused, but I am going through this faze of unfocused right now and it is making things really hard. I have also just been invited to attend an art fair type thing in Belview, which I think I will attend, but unsure if I will set up a booth or not. It would be a loss, as usually those make no money these days, but it would garner attention and get my name out and I could let people know about the opening in January.
Awe, well, like I said before 90% of it is the business side and well, for some reason I am being told form many sides I am a great salesmen, which I don't feel like, but I mean it has more to do w/ how others see me and that I have the talent and should go for it. All I am being is myself and I a so glad I finally found a place that people like me as myself and foster and help me spread my gifts, including w/ the horses, rather than always putting me down and making things that much harder. Maybe it is the type of people I am surrounding myself w/ now. Before I didn't really srouound myself w/ the right people in a lot of aspects, but I finally got the courage to go for it and really be picky and just be me and stop trying to hide it and it's worked wonders.
If I had one thing to say to people who keep feeling like they are butting their heads against the wall of life it would be this, "don't give up, be yourself, it may take over 10 years as it did for me, but it will happen. It will trust me. Never give up who you are or what you want to be or where you want to go. You may just need a change of scenery, because sometimes the grass is really better on the other side. And remember too, it maters who you associate w/ and it took me a long time to learn that. Associate yourself w/ people who have real talent and they will see yours and help you, because they were in your shoes once and they know what it was like and don't like to see it happen to others. They are some of the best inspiration. Don't hide, chin up, do what you do, and start removing the negative from your life if you can."
I may end up w/ a rather ecliptic collection.. I called numerous music stores as well and they either did not call me back or couldn't help. One did give me the number of a local Jazz musician. That's an idea too.
The owner of the place I rent now said I could probably use his home and his wife could cater it. he said she loved doing that. He also said I could live in this place of his forever as far as he was concerned and would hate to see me leave if I go the 3 acre property that we are bidding on now.
The owner also mentioned a place called the Tea Room, but it was just sold so he doesn't know if they'd still be open to s showing like that. he said the Wine Experience would be could, but the owner would charge me as she was a bit stingy like that or something. I've met the owner a couple times and she was a bit off putting, but her cheese and other stuff was great. I would think, though, if an art showing would bring in people to taste wine and then maybe leave w/ purchased wine would be a better way to make money than charging someone for an opening if I provided my own caterers and so on.
My goal though is to show the Florida no one thinks of which is why I want to showcase local band music and traditional Florida music and advertise it in the brochures. And I think using Florida based wine would be perfect too.
So I am sold on using at least gold in my color scheme. But am not sure about the other colors, or whether to switch them up for each section of the themes or to leave them the same.
I have begun to order pieces of my work so I can get them framed gradually rather than getting them all at once. That way, I can really think about my best pieces and have time to take more pics that might be better.
But how to reach the audience I am trying to reach so they show up will be tricky. I am kind of working from the outside of the puzzle to the inside. Starting w/ then end in mind. I am hoping Kent will be here and I can get my mom to fly in to help as well. Maybe enlist some friends too as I have found I will need 5 people total including myself. I will have my laptop handy so I can have orders placed online and so people can see work that isn't included in the Gallery itself.
A lot to accomplish, but I know I can do it. I just have to stay focused, but I am going through this faze of unfocused right now and it is making things really hard. I have also just been invited to attend an art fair type thing in Belview, which I think I will attend, but unsure if I will set up a booth or not. It would be a loss, as usually those make no money these days, but it would garner attention and get my name out and I could let people know about the opening in January.
Awe, well, like I said before 90% of it is the business side and well, for some reason I am being told form many sides I am a great salesmen, which I don't feel like, but I mean it has more to do w/ how others see me and that I have the talent and should go for it. All I am being is myself and I a so glad I finally found a place that people like me as myself and foster and help me spread my gifts, including w/ the horses, rather than always putting me down and making things that much harder. Maybe it is the type of people I am surrounding myself w/ now. Before I didn't really srouound myself w/ the right people in a lot of aspects, but I finally got the courage to go for it and really be picky and just be me and stop trying to hide it and it's worked wonders.
If I had one thing to say to people who keep feeling like they are butting their heads against the wall of life it would be this, "don't give up, be yourself, it may take over 10 years as it did for me, but it will happen. It will trust me. Never give up who you are or what you want to be or where you want to go. You may just need a change of scenery, because sometimes the grass is really better on the other side. And remember too, it maters who you associate w/ and it took me a long time to learn that. Associate yourself w/ people who have real talent and they will see yours and help you, because they were in your shoes once and they know what it was like and don't like to see it happen to others. They are some of the best inspiration. Don't hide, chin up, do what you do, and start removing the negative from your life if you can."
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