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2013-06-19 13:38:58 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

A dashing fellow with fabulous hair but too many hangups and a demon or two

Of course, the positives certainly hopefully outweigh the negatives: he can peel a banana with his feet, is quite acrobatic in trees (and during mating season) and is fastidious with grooming (his and whomever is with arms reach)
Oh gawd, I should submit this for Selfy Sunday

#monochromephotography   #monochromeworld   #nikcollection #monkey   #monkeypicture   #primates   #blackandwhitephotography   #hqspanimals   #hqspmonochrome   

2013-06-18 21:39:59 (34 comments, 48 reshares, 563 +1s)

When things look down, something beautiful (invariably) looks up

#flower   #flowerphotography   #flowerpower   #floralphotography   #macro4all   #macrophotography  P

2013-06-18 11:48:19 (31 comments, 50 reshares, 479 +1s)

A bee balm and a short psalm to keep you calm
Live with art 
Follow your heart
Read Descartes
Do donuts in a golf cart (or better still a pastry cart)
Think "fresh start" 
(rather than fall apart)
Name your favorite body part
Make a Bananan Strawberry Nutella Tart
Enjoy Mozart
Shop Walmart (avoid K-Mart)
Find inspiring things to impart
And never Fart (unless it's truly, epic-ly off the chart)

#robisadouche   #beebalm   #flowerphotography   #trippininthegardenonmiraclegro  

2013-06-17 16:55:43 (20 comments, 0 reshares, 50 +1s)

If you think the Macy's Thanksgiving day parade is epic, wait'll ya see what we do...hell yeah! Join Pro Photographer Alan Shapiro (the Skipper?) and SmugMug Community Manager Michael Bonocore (Gilligan?) as they lead a merry band of Photographers from far and wide through the Big Apple.
   We're gonna start in Chinatown, head over to Little Italy, peruse Soho and then wander over to the Brooklyn Bridge (or wherever else we damn please cuz this is friggin' New York and )
   There will be plenty of the much sought after SmugMug swag for all in attendence, including camera straps, t-shirts, stickers, plus much more. A Photo Contest will also be held, with the winners receiving a free year of SmugMug Business ($300 value), as well as social exposure through SmugMug. Details on the photo contest to come.
   Our pals at NIK Software and Google have offered 12 NIKColle... more »

2013-06-18 11:48:36 (29 comments, 31 reshares, 412 +1s)

A Fuzzy Wuzzy yet Manly Flower for the #macromonday  and #manlymondays  folks (including the beautious flowers of +Kerry Murphy and +Kelli Seeger Kim who, rumor has it, appreciate a little stubble here and there (just not THERE)

#macromonday   #macro4all   #macrophotography   #flowers   #flowerphotography   #flowerpower   #floralphotography   #floral   #trippininthegardenonmiraclegro  

2013-06-18 11:48:55 (69 comments, 85 reshares, 688 +1s)

A Creamsicle® Rose for you this morning. 

#flower   #rose   #flowers   #flowerphotography   #flowerpower   #floralphotography   #macromonday   #trippininthegardenonmiraclegro  

2013-06-16 23:59:40 (1 comments, 1 reshares, 25 +1s)

Color calibration and profiling is one of the more misunderstood and ofttimes missing components in a photographer's digital workflow. And yet it's so easy and an incredibly important component for anyone who is moving beyond casual photography. Having all the devices in your digital workflow "see" color the same (from camera to monitor and/or laptop to projector to printer or your lab) is critical and will save you time and money (on wasted toner/paper or lab prints). I personally saw the Color Munki and i1 devices I use literally pay for themselves within a few months.   
   I work with the folks at Xrite-Pantone on the advertising side and as a very passionate photographer. They will be joining me this Sunday at 8:30pm EST for a Google + Hangout On Air to explain the whole calibration and profiling process so you can see how simple it is. We'll be taking questionsliv... more »

2013-06-18 11:49:23 (22 comments, 50 reshares, 550 +1s)

Something pink for someone spectacular

...and don't forget my Hangout on Air tonight at 8:30pm EST on Color Calibration. I couldn't do this sort of color work without a calibrated workflow.

#flowers   #flowerpower   #flowerphotography   #trippininthegardenonmiraclegro  

2013-06-16 10:45:25 (47 comments, 38 reshares, 604 +1s)

To My Dad on Father's Day
He taught me right from wrong (and right from left)
He taught me that you can talk to anyone (and should talk to everyone.)
To speak my mind and use my mind.
To work hard and dream big. 
To sing and tell jokes.
To hold doors and hold the hands of those you love (he's still holding my mom's hand after 53 years of marriage)
 When I was very very little, he put a framed copy of Rudyard Kipling's "If" in my room (which now sits in my son's room.)
On this and every Father's Day (and many other day's in between), I read that poem and think of how much I learned from him and how much I love him:

If you can keep your head when all about you   
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,   
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubtingtoo; ... more »

2013-06-15 22:47:40 (15 comments, 15 reshares, 408 +1s)

Trying to distract myself by coaxing a shy Marigold out of her shell and watching the grass grow. Neither worked all that well so off to leave no stone unturned looking for a rock to crawl under.

#flowers   #flowerphotography   #flowerpower   #marigold  

2013-06-18 11:49:10 (77 comments, 34 reshares, 590 +1s)

Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night and see the most spectacular things.

#flower   #flowerphotography   #flowerpower   #floralfriday   #floralphotography   #floraltoday   #floralphotos   #macro4all   #garden   #trippininthegardenonmiraclegro  

2013-06-18 11:49:38 (190 comments, 178 reshares, 1635 +1s)

Couldn't sleep. At all. Went outside and sat with the flowers. Actually sat between a rock and a hard place. I couldn't see the forest for the trees. ('course it was dark) This one came up to me and said "hey bud..." and kept me company

#floralfriday   #floralphotography   #floraltoday   #floralphotos   #flower   #flowersphotography   #flowerphotography   #flowerpower   #garden   #naturephotography   #trippininthegardenonmiraclegro  

2013-06-13 19:11:35 (34 comments, 37 reshares, 302 +1s)

G+Friends, I present to you the Nutella Frappuccino
oh yeah...I've been experimenting for a few weeks now and I think I nailed the recipe!

Mocha cookie crumble Frappuccino with 3 extra squirts of hazelnut syrup and some of their caramel drizzle blended in

Extra special treat: have them blend in a banana for a Banana Nutella Frappuccino

#nutellalovers   #foodie   #starbucks  

Mmmm...Nutella.

2013-06-16 15:22:30 (81 comments, 18 reshares, 102 +1s)

Color calibration and profiling is one of the more misunderstood and ofttimes missing components in a photographer's digital workflow. And yet it's so easy and an incredibly important component for anyone who is moving beyond casual photography. Having all the devices in your digital workflow "see" color the same (from camera to monitor and/or laptop to projector to printer or your lab) is critical and will save you time and money (on wasted toner/paper or lab prints). I personally saw the Color Munki and i1 devices I use literally pay for themselves within a few months.   
   I work with the folks at Xrite-Pantone on the advertising side and as a very passionate photographer. They will be joining me this Sunday at 8:30pm EST for a Google + Hangout On Air to explain the whole calibration and profiling process so you can see how simple it is. We'll be taking questionsliv... more »

2013-06-13 11:44:16 (22 comments, 31 reshares, 504 +1s)

Damn cowlick!
A floral dandy in need of pomade. Or at the very least, another spoonful of nutella to soothe him.

#monochrome   #monochromeworld   #nikcollection   #flowers   #flowerphotography   #flowerpower   #macro4all   #macrophotography   #monochromephotography  

2013-06-12 23:43:06 (48 comments, 22 reshares, 472 +1s)

A few more sweets but they're all for +Lee Daniels 

Wish you could see the hummingbirds and dragonflies hovering overhead licking their lips while humming a medley of obscure italian operas all of which end happily with the heroine triumphing over all adversity

2013-06-12 20:27:57 (70 comments, 100 reshares, 619 +1s)

Thought you could use an extra special mid-afternoon treat:
Your choices are:
Up front is a Snickerdoodle Cupcake filled with chocolate ganache
Then a Samoa Cupcake filled with coconut cream and all the way in the back is a Nutella Cupcake filled with... wait for it...more nutella.

#foodie   #foodphotography   #foodporn   #cupcakes   #cupcakeswednesday  

2013-06-18 11:50:00 (29 comments, 38 reshares, 548 +1s)

Playing in the rain would be fun but today how 'bout I hold a beautiful umbrella over your head while singing in the rain...just singing in the rain. What a glorious feeling...I'm happy again.

#flower   #flowers   #flowerphotography   #flowerpower   #flowerscolor   #flowersphotography   #macro4all   #macrophotography   #floralphotography     #trippininthegardenonmiraclegro  

2013-06-11 15:01:15 (5 comments, 7 reshares, 44 +1s)

Have you ever wondered how to get your photos picked up by ad agencies? How does a photographer get their foot in the door? These are questions many of us have thought about before, since photography (and ads) are everywhere we look.

Well, SmugMug Pro +Alan Shapiro helped answer some of those question during a recent SmugMug podcast (bit.ly/ZsDwsb). But, we found, that the interest in this subject is off the charts, and the follow up questions for Alan have been coming in fast and furious. So Alan has volunteered to spend an hour answering nothing but your questions in a live, On Air Google Hangout! 

Join SmugMug's Rocky Bowels and Michael Bonocore as they ask your questions to Alan Tuesday, June 11th at 9:00PM EST.

Have a question you would like us to ask Alan? Simply add it as a comment here, on this event. Alan will also do his best to respond to any questions we don... more »

2013-06-11 12:30:28 (41 comments, 49 reshares, 692 +1s)

This is Stella. She and I both love +Stocksy United and you should, too.  

+Stocksy United* is a stock photo agency like none other; beautifully curated (thanks to +Nuno Silva and his team), a world class group of contributors and a business model that truly treats contributors (like me) as partners in the truest sense of the word. As well as +Bruce Livingstone knows the stock industry, he also knows and appreciates the photographic community so this is a company unlike any other. As a photographer, I love sharing my work. I also like being able to make money. Stock photography has always been an option for established and emerging photographers but this company really makes it very appealing. As an advertising chief creative officer, I encourage my teams to find the best possible partners to help with our projects. Sometimes budgets don't allow for elaborate shoots or timing istoo... more »

2013-06-11 02:46:26 (30 comments, 22 reshares, 497 +1s)

Shared some of my processing workflow while showing off some of the new features in +Adobe Photoshop Lightroom v5. 
Pretty significant upgrade and I highly recommend it (if only for the updated Healing/Clone Brush that now actually acts like a brush as well as the Upright Tool and Spot Visualizer. Plenty more but those are my faves. 
   Did this in Lightroom v5 with 3 radial filters in about 5 minutes with a lot of talking. (Your results may vary but give it a try and make plenty of big, glorious mistakes)

Link to our Hangout on my Youtube Channel: http://youtu.be/-MElfYkVpPc  (haven't had time to trim excess chitchat. Sorry)

#monochromemonday   #monochromephotography   #monochromeworld   #hqspportraits   #portraitphotography   #portraittuesday   #portraiture  

2013-06-10 22:33:28 (8 comments, 1 reshares, 62 +1s)

This imperfect photo could be my favorite photo ever
It's terribly grainy and not as well composed as I'd like but this photo taken two days ago speaks to me more than just about any other. Rocco Moretto is a WWII Vet that I've known for years from my frequent shoots of the Veterans on Veteran's Day. When Lockheed Martin approached me to shoot their new ad campaign featuring Veterans, Rocco (or Rocky as we all call him) was one of my first submissions for casting. We began shooting the campaign several weeks ago and Rocky and I got to know each other even better. I adore him and we speak quite often if only for me to hear his voice and to thank him again for being a new hero in my world.
   Rocky was a Sergeant in Company C comprised of 220 soldiers that landed on Omaha Beach in Normandy on D Day. Of those 220, Rocky was one of 2 that made it to the Czech border for VED... more »

2013-06-10 22:20:56 (30 comments, 37 reshares, 493 +1s)

A Dahlia watching the sunset

Reminder: gonna be doing a Hangout On Air at 8:30 pm EST to process some photos in the new Lightroom v5. Anyone who wants to hangout and  chat with me in the hangout should let me know here and I'll invite you.

#flowerphotography   #flowers   #macromonday   #macrophotography   #macro4all   #dahlia   #flowerpower   #naturephotography   #naturemonday  

2013-06-10 20:38:52 (41 comments, 10 reshares, 490 +1s)

My thistles have arrived and so has Lightroom v5!

Gonna do a Hangout on Air tonight 8:30 EST and process some photos live while we explore. Let me know if you want an invite to the hangout and I'll invite you in a few minutes before. Otherwise you can watch and ask comments (assuming someone actually joins me to help monitor the chat) Will also post to my Youtube channel for anyone that can't make it.

•So tonight, let's have some fun with Lightroom 5; 8:30pm EST•

#flowers   #flowerphotography   #flowerpower   #flowersphotography   #floralphotography   #floraltoday   #lightroom5  

2013-06-10 01:44:44 (28 comments, 38 reshares, 567 +1s)

So many possibilities open up
when you have the right tools...
ain't that right +Nik Photography?
Working on perfecting some chocolate processing recipes  in Nik Silver Efex Pro 2

Prints available at Red Bubble: http://tinyurl.com/kbtwqll
and at Society6: http://tinyurl.com/kfmwspz
and at my new website:
http://www.alanshapirophotography.com

#nikcollection   #nikcollectionbygoogle   #monochromemonday   #monochromeworld   #monochromephotography   #monochrome   #flowers   #flowerphotography   #flowerpower   #floralphotography   #floraltoday   #floralphotos  

2013-06-09 14:37:07 (38 comments, 76 reshares, 773 +1s)

Heres hoping that wherever you are today, that its relaxing, delightful and filled with beautiful creatures for you to marvel at and swoon over.

#birds4all   #birdloversworldwide   #birdsinfocus   #peacock   #photography   #naturephotography   #naturephoto   #peacockfeathers  

2013-06-09 14:35:37 (57 comments, 41 reshares, 565 +1s)

This imperfect photo could be my favorite photo ever
It's terribly grainy and not as well composed as I'd like but this photo taken two days ago speaks to me more than just about any other. Rocco Moretto is a WWII Vet that I've known for years from my frequent shoots of the Veterans on Veteran's Day. When Lockheed Martin approached me to shoot their new ad campaign featuring Veterans, Rocco (or Rocky as we all call him) was one of my first submissions for casting. We began shooting the campaign several weeks ago and Rocky and I got to know each other even better. I adore him and we speak quite often if only for me to hear his voice and to thank him again for being a new hero in my world.
   Rocky was a Sergeant in Company C comprised of 220 soldiers that landed on Omaha Beach in Normandy on D Day. Of those 220, Rocky was one of 2 that made it to the Czech border for VED... more »

2013-06-08 12:32:29 (30 comments, 38 reshares, 571 +1s)

Nutella Agapanthus with a white chocolate center

Processed for the delightful folks at +Nik Photography with Silver Efex Pro 2

#monochromeworld   #monochromephotography   #monochrome   #floralphotography   #floralfriday   #flowers   #flowerphotography   #flowerpower  

2013-06-09 15:18:53 (21 comments, 5 reshares, 291 +1s)

Another day, another master mixologist just barely holding it together when the black walnut bitters goes missing while the pineapple mint lies battered and bruised and the simple syrup simply looks muddled.

For the record, my friend Louis makes the best cocktails in the universe.

#monochromeworld   #monochromephotography   #monochrome   #nikcollection   #nikcollectionbygoogle   #portrait   #portraitphotography   #portraiture     #hqspportraits  

2013-06-07 14:13:31 (20 comments, 0 reshares, 12 +1s)

So I just gave +Chrysta Rae a pretty mixed review that bears reading on her "Ice" shots..Top level was for encouragement, individual reviews got rougher. Now you all know how I feel about her and how supportive I want to be to anyone trying to learn and grow. It got me thinking about this program and the best way to do it as I'm of two minds: the first calls for multiple iterations of a theme (we started with 6 way back) for the reason that it gets you exploring more variations of a given subject or of the theme overall. The other extreme is to call for one great shot. One that you consider the best you could do given your real life responsibilities. I want your opinions so I can make this helpful (on lots of levels)

The other side is this requires a time committment from me and if everyone is getting bored or don't feel like they're getting enough out of it, let's pack... more »

2013-06-07 11:43:46 (38 comments, 50 reshares, 541 +1s)

Climbing back in to snuggle
Cuz that's how I roll on #floralfriday  when floral interventions are called for

#flowers   #flowerphotography   #flowerpower   #floralphotography   #rose  

2013-06-06 16:14:45 (78 comments, 21 reshares, 549 +1s)

Hung out with my friend Jordan last night and got to spend some quality time with her fiancée Katie. How friggin' cute is she?

These were shot with nothing but some available window light and Katie's luminous smile. Can't wait for their wedding in a few weeks.

#portrait   #portraitphotography   #portraiture  

2013-06-06 15:32:04 (22 comments, 17 reshares, 339 +1s)

What Ad Agencies Want From You - Interested in Fashion or Commercial Photography?

A Live On Air Hangout With +Alan Shapiro 
Tuesday June 11th 6:00PM PST
RSVP And Ask Your Question At bit.ly/16KC75O

Have you ever wondered how to get your photos picked up by ad agencies? How does a photographer get their foot in the door? These are questions many of us have thought about before, since photography (and ads) are everywhere we look.

Well, SmugMug Pro +Alan Shapiro  helped answer some of those question during a recent SmugMug podcast (bit.ly/ZsDwsb). But, we found, that the interest in this subject is off the charts, and the follow up questions for Alan have been coming in fast and furious. So Alan has volunteered to spend an hour answering nothing but your questions in a live, On Air Google Hangout! 

Join SmugMug's +Rocky Bowles and +MichaelBon... more »

2013-06-06 10:28:41 (22 comments, 16 reshares, 429 +1s)

Woke up like 30 times last night.
Think I had waaaay too much coffee)
This is exactly how I currently feel (and look)

#monochromeworld   #monochromephotography   #monochrome   #flowerphotography   #flowers   #flowerphotography   #monochromeflowers  

2013-06-06 03:21:58 (6 comments, 0 reshares, 33 +1s)

My Snapsation profile for anyone interested...
https://www.snapsation.com/profile/51a7dd2e4c428b393d8eaa54

2013-06-09 15:19:52 (26 comments, 9 reshares, 333 +1s)

I love hats. Especially when the person wearing them totally "owns" the look..like this Houston Street Romeo cruisin' uptown chicks.

Shot on Greene Street in SoHo, NYC against black velvet

#monochromeworld   #monochromephotography   #monochrome   #hatsandcapswednesday   #hats   #portrait   #portraitphotography   #portraiture   #hqspportraits  

2013-06-05 16:46:22 (9 comments, 6 reshares, 61 +1s)

Snapsation has launched!

We've just come of the stage at LeWeb London where we've launched Snapsation. We're super excited with the feedback and the buzz that the launch has created!

So what's next!

We're all in this together, and it's up to us now to create our profiles and setup our offers so that when people come to Snapsation to hire an amazing local photographer, they'll find you! And it's up to us to make sure everyone knows where they can buy your awesome services.

It was something the AirBnB co-founder said at the conference that really highlighted why we're so passionate about this: AirBnB wasn't successful until they had simple online payments - the experience of having to ask and exchange money in person completely soured the experience. With simple online payments, people can focus on what they... more »

2013-06-05 11:54:49 (6 comments, 0 reshares, 13 +1s)

Our next assignment: R is for "relax"
Yup, summer's here so show me some relaxation.
Take the pressure off, unwind, destress...one shot is all I'm looking for.
Now go on and "relax"

While you're at it...stay inspired.

2013-06-05 13:04:21 (60 comments, 44 reshares, 641 +1s)

Coming in to wrap my arms around you

Some amorous echeveria moving in for a hug (and perhaps to cop a feel)

Prints, cards and iPhone cases of this and lots more of my work available on Society6: http://tinyurl.com/kfmoeje


#flowers   #flowerphotography   #flowerpower   #flowersphotography   #flowers   #floralphotography   #macro4all   #macrophotography   #bokeh  

2013-06-04 22:41:39 (26 comments, 22 reshares, 418 +1s)

Are the stars out tonight
I don't know if it's cloudy or bright
'cause I only have eyes for you
dear.
C'mon...everybody sing along

So in my delightful macro world, the stars hang out all day

#flowers   #flowerphotography   #macro4all   #macrophotography   #flowerpower   #flowersphotos   #flowerscolor  

2013-06-04 11:03:13 (29 comments, 51 reshares, 525 +1s)

Woke up this morning and found these lovely pink creatures.
Thought how am I going to follow up after the post of Lindsey from yesterday (made me smile every single time I saw her all puckered up)...so I asked them both to make a fish/duck face.
And waited. And waited...
Think they did okay despite their not having lips per se.

Now let's all have a glorious day.

#flowers   #flower   #flowerphotography   #flowerpower   #flowersphotography   #flowerscolor   #flowersphotos   #garden   #trippininthegardenonmiraclegro  

2013-06-09 15:20:22 (171 comments, 148 reshares, 1347 +1s)

Some days I shoot to make art
Some days I shoot to make money
Some days I shoot to relieve stress  
Some days I shoot to perfect my craft or learn new skills

and then some days I shoot simply because what I am shooting makes me happier than just about anything else in the world.

Thanks to my daughter Lindsey
for letting me do what I love so much
with someone I love so much.

#portrait   #portraitphotography   #portraiture   #kids   #kidsportraits     #googleplusphotos   #nikcollection   #photography   #googlephotographers   #googlepluspotd   #hqspportraits   

2013-06-02 12:48:43 (28 comments, 15 reshares, 414 +1s)

I love working with kids.
The first thing they do is ask "what do you want me to do?" 
To which I reply  _"whatever you want to do."_
Often that's all it takes.
And then you meet someone like this expressive young fellow and things go to a whole 'nother level.

Did I mention I love working with kids?!? Yup.

#monochromeworld   #monochromephotography   #monochrome   #portrait   #portraitphotography   #portraiture   #kids   #expression   #expressyourself   #kidsportraits  

2013-06-03 11:13:26 (36 comments, 40 reshares, 550 +1s)

Another flower with my nutella processing

As an aside, does anyone else think a kiddie pool filled with nutella would be like the best thing ever? Woohoo.

2013-06-01 11:15:03 (33 comments, 39 reshares, 553 +1s)

I see wisdom, wonder and wanderlust. 
(And a beard that has seen the world with souvenirs to prove it)

#portrait   #portraitphotography   #portraiture   #monochromeworld   #monochromephotography   #monochrome   #beardlife   #beardsmakethingsbetter  

2013-06-01 00:41:58 (17 comments, 29 reshares, 512 +1s)

Standing watch

#monochromeworld   #monochromephotography   #monochromeflowers   #flowers   #flowerphotography   #flowerpower   #floralfriday   #floralphotography   #floraltoday   #floralphotos   #nikcollection  

2013-05-31 10:51:45 (25 comments, 25 reshares, 453 +1s)

Playing peek-a-boo with an exceptionally beautiful and delightful creature
(Although one who clearly shaves only when necessary)

#floralfriday   #flowersphotography   #flowerscolor   #flowersphotos   #flowers   #flowerphotography   #flowerpower  

2013-05-30 20:10:59 (39 comments, 51 reshares, 486 +1s)

Finer Feathered Friends: Andean Condor

One of the more Machiavellian magnificent birds on our planet, the Andean Condor is the largest flying bird in the world and also has the largest wingspan. This male would be quite at home perched on a throne in Florence during the Renaissance 

This "sketch" uses 20 textures across 42 layers in Photoshop

#birdsinfocus   #birdpoker   #birdloversworldwide   #birds4all   #condor   #finerfeatheredfriends