Had another photo session with YMCA training staff today. This is one of several that I took of Nancy; she's a kick-boxing instructor (!) as well as a personal trainer. (There has to be some joke or pun that includes "kick-ass", but my mind is oatmeal right now.) Anyway, over the next few days I will be uploading lots of pics from my YMCA photo sessions. They are/will be in the YMCA (duh!) gallery.

I've found that, even though my pics are intended to reflect each person's role at the Y (dance instructor, spinning leader, etc.), many of the women on the staff are quite attractive (not to mention as trim and toned as you would expect for an athlete/trainer. In short, these women are kick-ass, in both senses of the expression. (There, I used it.) As a result, I've taken several shots more as model portraits, with what I think are pretty good results. I'm sure I'm being a sexist pig for focusing on the women, but so be it -- I'm really enjoying this (and learning how much I need to learn.)

For more photos of Nancy: http://www.pbase.com/dsteinauer/ymca_nancy


Also, these photos were taken with my dandy new Nikkor 50mm 1.8 AF lens; I'm like a pig in a mud puddle. I love this lens. (I'll have to check the bokeh for Angela.) I bought the lens today after receiving a gift certificate/card for Penn Camera from a couple whose dogs (and goats) I photographed (can't bring myself to say "shot") a week ago - completely unexpected. I guess this makes me a professional now -- or maybe, just like Justice Thomas, it's an illegal gratuity. :-)

Anyway, if you're interested in these other shots, check either my YMCA or Portraits galleries. The dogs & goat shots are in the Bratton subgallery in the Critters gallery. (I'll hot-link these later, when I'm awake.)

PS - Pretty much my standard process -- crop, tweak level/curves/contrast, add a layer with the facial area blurred (GB, 45), back off the opacity of the blurred layer and erase eyes, mouth, so the sharp stuff shows through. Something new I tried this time - used Render/Lighting Effects to give the effect of a hair light. That was fun.