Two white chrysanthemums are showcased against a black background, highlighting their delicate petals and radiant appearance. The lighting accentuates the intricate details of each bloom and the contrast between the green and white petals.
Boston Terrier Puppy
My friend just got an adorable Boston Terrier puppy. She is so bouncy and full of energy the way puppies are. I decided to take some pictures of this adorable subject, which was not easy because she is continuously on the move. For just one moment, she stopped after I made a kissing sound and looked at me. Bam- that’s when I shot the photo. I added a beautiful blue texture as a background to bring out her colors. Her “parents” were thrilled that I managed to capture this special photo. One second later, she was running and jumping again.
Family Hospice Shoot
I did a hospice shoot on Friday of an 88 year old woman. She had an incredible family there that day for Christmas and the shoot was magical. I captured Miss Sandy with her loved ones. It was more of a family shoot–intergenerational–than a hospice shoot. Here are a few samples of the shoot. I turned many into black and white. I like both of them because there is a different feel. To see more, go to my site: Marilynbottaphotos.com.
Self-Portrait
This is a self-portrait that I took in April, 2022. I think it is very reflective of how I feel. It is a close-up of me taken with a macro lens and a tripod in my studio. I got the idea by looking at similar images on line. I would like to take this kind of shot of a model, and hopefully I will, but for now I am my own model. Unlike many of the photographers I see posting on Facebook, I do not have a bevy of people waiting to get their portraits done. I guess if I make a request on FB for models, I should be able to get people to pose for me. I did get a few people and I love how those images came out (Beth, Susan, and Gerry). The black and white images of Gerry are, in my opinion, some of my best work. He was a good model. It would be super if I actually got paid for things. But, for now, I am happy just getting to apply my art to anyone who will model for me. They are actually doing me a favor, and if they want pics and will pay me, all the better.
Hair at Last
After losing my hair during 3.5 months of chemotherapy for breast cancer, I was pleased to finally see my hair coming back. It started on the sides and back of my head and I looked like a man with a fringe of hair around my head but it finally covered the back and top of my head. It will take a long time to grow it back to the long layered look that I had before chemo but it is on the way. At this point I will settle for a pixie look as long as the front can be combed into bangs. I know I must be patient but here are a few self portraits I took. The one with the flowers in the front with bare shoulders was taken naked with the flowers covering what I need to keep private. The black and white shots had no pink in my hair, but I added the pink in Lightroom.
Portrait Session with Gerry
I asked a friend on mine, Gerry, to come over for a portrait session. He was at my house recently, helping me with a project, when I noticed that he had recently grown a beard. I thought the beard was very becoming and it made him look distinguished. Not everyone can rock a beard but his looked especially good. So, he agreed to pose for me. I edited some in color and some others in black and white–some of the same picture sometimes.
