WELCOME SUMMER!

School is out!  Summer is here!  I survived film photography and even learned to enjoy time in the darkroom...  but Summer is HERE!!!  and it's time for some Arizona travels and photography of course! 

We took a Rt. 66 trip this past week...  heading out of Ash Fork through Seligman, Page Springs and on to Kingman.  If you haven't taken this drive you should.  The scenery is spectacular.  You can really get a sense of what travelers during the Historic Rt. 66 era experienced.  One of my favorite places along the trip is Route 66 Road Runner Gallery in Seligman.  This is an awesome gallery!  It was once a local car dealership that has been transformed into a unique gallery incorporating many of elements of the original building.  Chip does a wonderful job keeping it stocked with great artwork including many local artists!  They also have wonderful coffee, sandwiches and WiFi!... check them out!  www.route66roadrunner.com

Here's a sneak peek from our little day trip. 

 
 Get out there and enjoy Arizona!

BRRRRR

This has been a crazy week.  Sunday afternoon I was out shooting portraits and by Wednesday morning our pipes were frozen.  Let me elaborate...our HOT water pipes were frozen.  Knowing that the temps were rapidly dropping and the wind chills would frost even the most hardy of souls I got up several times during the night to run the water...the COLD water.  We all know that the water in the hot water pipes isn't really hot until you actually run the water long enough to get hot water out of the tank and to the faucet.  This fact eluded me until that fateful moment when I turned hot water handle on the kitchen faucet and all that came out was a little drip, drip, drip.  DUHH!  I blame my lapse in reason on the wind chill...must have echoed around in the empty space usually reserved for my brain.... 

School has been interesting.  I have a great appreciation for all of your film photographers out there.  I can sit for hours working on an image in photoshop making minute adjustments one layer at a time.  However, I can't seem to find that patience when working in the darkroom.  So far, we've created a photogram using objects to filter or block light falling on photosensitive paper.  Wednesday we developed two rolls of film that we shot over the weekend.  Monday we make contact sheets so that we can actually see the images that we shot LAST week.  I'm all about instant gratification!  While I was out shooting my rolls of film I constantly kept flipping my camera over to view the LCD screen on the back....NOT!  No LCD screen available...no preview of the image that I just shot.  I have no idea if my inspiration actually made it to the film or if it flopped horribly.  I cheated a bit...I actually shot digital images at the same time that I shot the film.  I'm not at all sure how they compare but I'm hoping that the digital preview will save me some surprises in the darkroom.  We'll see on Monday! 

HELLO AGAIN!

It's been a long time since I've updated my blog.  Finals, holidays, and personal matters have kept me away.  I'm back now though and ready to post.

Today's topic is web page design.  OK... I'm not that great at web pages.  I updated my wix site today and had to start over numerous times.  I can't seem to wrap my head around what I'm supposed to do.  This site promises "drag and drop".  Drag and drop?  where?  I've managed to create a site but it's really a long way from where I'd like it to be.  The templates seem hard if not impossible to edit.  I'd like to scrap the whole thing and start over but....guess what!.... I'm not sure how!  I suppose I should have really taken that Dreamweaver class at YC....  maybe next semester. 

Speaking of semesters.  This one has started.  I'm just taking one class this time.  Film photography.  Wowzer.  All those chemicals and timers!  New stuff to learn!  I'm looking forward to learning darkroom techniques.  Although I'll probably always shoot digital (because I so love editing) I think it's important to appreciate where we come from.  After all, where would photography be today without Ansel Adams or Edward Weston?

Yavapai College Art Gallery is hosting it's student exhibition through January 28th.  If you get a chance, go by the gallery and check out some of our talented student's work.  Make sure to check out the images by Cindy Travis.  I love her work.  She is amazing!

I still have room for some senior sessions!  Contact me for details!

Here's a link to my updated website.  New images have been added to my portfolio!

http://www.wix.com/susangiovanniniphoto/susan-giovannini-photography

and... in closing... an image from Goldwater Lake

    

FALL COLOR

Fall is probably one of my favorite times of year.  I love the colorful leaves and crisp temps.  This morning when I went to my car there was frost all over the windshield!  About 10 days ago I went to Oak Creek Canyon to capture some of the awesome fall color that Oak Creek is famous for.  This is my favorite image of the day.

I can't get enough of those golden-orange leaves! 

On another note.  I love resale shops!  I spent all morning yesterday happily combing through Goodwill in Prescott.   It must have been "my" day!  I spent a couple of hours searching through rack after rack of clothes.  I came home with two blazers, three shirts, and a wonderful pair of shoes!  We're talking Sag Harbor, Jones New York, Liz Claiborne and Sketchers!  I love the fact that I'm recycling not to mention the savings!  It takes patience and a drive to find a bargain but it's well worth the time!  Yesterday, I was the Resale Queen!...can't wait to go back and try again!   

HDR AGAIN??

My latest image

Thanks for looking!

I'M STILL A PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHER!!!

I'm still a portait photographer but you won't be seeing these images on my blog any longer.  I'm going to only post my landscape and fine art images.  I still do portrait photography, weddings, childen, models, etc.  I'd love to share my portfolio with you!  Please feel free to contact me to make arrangements to view my portraiture...  Thanks for understanding...

FALL SPECIAL

It's that time to start thinking about holiday portraits!  Time for a Fall Special!

This is a great opportunity to get those portraits for holiday cards! We're offering 15 minute sessions around Centennial Park in Ash Fork, 5 professionally edited images on disk, $40! Call now to reserve your session!  928-864-6399!