My name is Hannah | Portrait & Lifestyle photography

Surpise! { Personal }

2010-12-30T18:52:00.000-08:00

Notice anything different? Hannah Nicole Photography has a whole new look and name! (domain name will be coming as soon as I'm not broke!)

Along with a new design, I've also got some pretty exciting news...

I was able to purchase my camera! I was so blessed this Christmas and am completely praising Jesus for my Canon. ( Yes, I went Canon. I just love them. ;) )

Get ready to see some new posts coming up, friends!

but because I can't end a post without a picture...

SOOC (straight out of camera -- besides resizing and watermarking, of course ;) )

i Heart Faces - Self Portrait Challenge

2010-12-05T20:06:00.000-08:00

I just love this photo. Taken any self-portraits lately?

Strawberry Mint

2010-10-22T09:37:00.000-07:00

Remember the action set I shared with you yesterday? Well, I'm kind of bummed because I forgot to save it, and then photoshop locked up and I had to shut it down, and then I opened it up again and it was gone.

But I've made a new set that I think is better than the other one, so it' s okay. In fact, it's pretty good. Small sneak peek...

and the contest? coming soon. you'll see...:)

have a lovely day, sweet friends!

I apologize for my absence...

2010-10-21T10:40:00.000-07:00

But I've missed you all. I've made some more photoshop actions while I've been gone (about five new sets) and will {hopefully} be selling them soon.

A sneak peek of the set Candy Land...

have a lovely day, sweet friends. ♥ and stay tuned...a contest coming up soon.

i heart faces :: Week 35 • Photojournalism

2010-08-29T20:45:00.000-07:00

I was so excited for this week. My style of photography is photojournalism, so this was going, "BING!" for me. Like a hot cup of chai and a book in my hand. That kinda bing. Like everything's right with the world kind. You know what I'm talking about.

So I decided to enter this photo of Gracie...seen in this post. Of all the photos I took of her, this one spoke to me the most.

Ain't she a beaut? gorgeous little girlie. she makes a perfect pixie.

head over to iheartfaces and join! ciao, lovelies.

Little pixie...

2010-08-22T17:02:00.000-07:00

My sister Grace is a pixie. Or an elf. I'm convinced of it. She has some beautiful big blue eyes and a wicked sweet smile. But I love her serious faraway look most of all. Where she's dreaming.

Inspired by some photos by the lovely Kat, (not on her blog yet), I grabbed Grace and made up her face. Royally. Next time I'm going to try face paint as well. Then I took her outside at my grandparents for a mini shoot. She was happy, but asked if they'd go on my blog.

She knows me well. Of course they are, sweet girl.

Which is your favorite?

i heart faces :: Week 33 • Gotta wear shades!

2010-08-15T21:01:00.000-07:00

Photo taken while we were up at Woodland. My funny, darling, quirky, silly, and completely gorgeous sister, Chloe.

i heart faces :: Week 30 • Purple Photo Challenge!

2010-07-26T07:37:00.000-07:00

This week's challenge was purple. So I thought of this picture. Taken about a month ago of my brother. I love his face.

What's your favorite purple entry so far?

Caleboo

2010-07-22T06:54:00.000-07:00

My sweet brother Caleb. At Woodland. Trying on my aunt's snorkle.

I love this guy. ♥

i heart faces :: Over My Head

2010-07-19T05:43:00.000-07:00

I was bummed for this week, because I didn't think that I had any photos with anything overhead. So I browsed through one of my main photo-saving folders on my computer, and found this picture.

Cloud overhead. And a sweet little girl.

ps. Yikes. Mine has a face in it...but you can only see the back. Ouch. Hopefully that counts...

i heart faces :: Fix-It Friday #62

2010-07-16T08:06:00.000-07:00

I'm joining in Fix-It Friday on i heart faces. Here's the original picture of this darling little girl, taken by Amy Locurto.

Here's my edit. I used my Sunkissed Action on it to give it a warm boost, then sharpened it a little.

What do you think?

The Woodland Set - Some actions that I'm loving...

2010-07-12T13:21:00.000-07:00

In the middle of vacation last week, I hung out in my cabin and my grandparent's cabin and worked on making some more actions...aka, I was recuperating from a sunburn and wanted to just sit. However...the first set (entitled The Darling Set) got deleted because I forgot to save them, and then photoshop shut down on me. I was really, very irritated (as I'm sure anyone would be) and instead of exactly "re-creating" the actions, I created a new set of actions that are much improved and simply lovely. I've fondly named this new set of mine, The Woodland Set. Complete with 13 actions, they all have a dreamy, vintage and melancholy feel to them. On my recent post on my regular blog, I used (some) of these actions on my pictures. So I'm very excited to show you them...

What do you think? ♥ (PS--I made the goodbye action as we were leaving the resort. Literally.)
note. due to the feedback received on the previous action set, I'm looking to possibly sell my actions. Your thoughts on that are...?

I'm off to the bestest place on earth...

2010-07-03T04:49:00.001-07:00

...(and yes, I'll say bestest if I want to, thank you very much.) Letting you all know! You can read about it here. Goodbye, my lovelies! See you very soon. Pictures after I return! :-)

Eyes are the windows to the soul...definitely a beautiful soul here

2010-06-23T10:49:00.000-07:00

My neighbor Belle seems to be in the majority of my pictures. Once again, she was my willing model...this time, holding as still as possible so I could snap her eyes. All taken with my point and shoot.

I love the DOF on this one (above). Just the tips of the lashes are in focus. <3

Sun

2010-06-20T07:15:00.000-07:00

I love the sun...photo taken a few weeks ago.

As usual, taken with my point and shoot.

Vivid Set - My Photoshop Actions

2010-06-11T19:52:00.000-07:00

I've been working on my photoshop actions, and instead of relying on downloadable ones, I've been creating my own. So I'd like to present to you, the Vivid Set (not up for download and/or sale at the moment. Just a peek.)

(Photo courtesy of my mom.)

After a few shots...

2010-06-04T06:26:00.000-07:00

...I got this one of my eye.

Taken with my GE point and shoot

i Heart Faces :: Fix-It Friday

2010-05-28T05:22:00.001-07:00

Click here to submit your own fix-it Friday pic!

Original

Edit

I sharpened it, edited the brightness/contrast as well as the levels, then added a nik color stylizer effect. It's a little darker than I wanted, but it does give it that POP that I was looking for.

Your Photo & My Edit

2010-05-21T04:43:00.000-07:00

My good friend Seth sent me this photo of his little brother, Ezra! (I've really grown attached to Looly. And by attached, I also mean he's attached at my hip. :-)) The original photo is very good but I really wanted to add emphasis to Ezra's face. Lot of brightening (brightness/contrast as well), some levels (I think), smoothing, bringing more contrast and brightening the eyes (as well as deepening the shadows and bringing up the midtones), just a lotta stuff for this pic. I love it though. He is now my desktop background. ;-)

Melody sent me this lovely picture of some dewdrops and I really wanted to bring attention to the dewdrop that was in focus. I added a layer at soft light, added another layer and painted white over the plant, then put that on soft light, then I added another layer at (I think) purple and added a texture to it, putting the texture at either multiply or soft light. Then I cropped it to bring even more attention to the dewdrop. (I'm probably forgetting some steps here, as I just went crazy!)

Sarah sent this beautiful picture, which had fairly good quality, but the background was distracting and the color was a little off. I did some smoothing, retouching, cropping, edited the levels & brightness/contrast, then added a color Stylizer at brown (nik color effects).

Want me to edit your photo? Drop me an email at aspireblog[at]hotmail[dot]com and I'll get working! :-)

Your Photo & My Edit

2010-05-20T08:28:00.000-07:00

I thought it would be kind of fun to have you gals (and guys) send in an unedited photo of your own for me to play around with and gussy it up.

Whaddya say? If you're interested, attach the photo as a file and send it to aspireblog[at]hotmail[dot]com.

Seeya around, friends...

Before & After. Taken with my GE point and shoot.

This old red trike...

2010-05-19T11:20:00.000-07:00

...is loved.

Taken with my GE point and shoot

My lovely little neighbor

2010-05-17T19:21:00.000-07:00

Is she not gorgeous? Sweet Belle, darling. She and Grace heartily let me take 200 some pictures of them. :-)

taken with my GE point and shoot

Savor the unexpected

2010-05-11T13:05:00.001-07:00

Such as when I decided to take pictures of some strawberries against this green container of ours...

...and Brennan decided he wanted to eat them.

The power of editing...

2010-05-10T16:03:00.000-07:00

I love photoshop. Period. It's incredible software and I find that it's been extremely beneficial in my photo-editing. However, I don't like to go too over the top with my editing. If I'm going for a vintage look, then I'm going for a vintage look. I'm not going to get to the point where my image has become posterized and grainy just to try to achieve the color effect I wanted. And I certainly don't want to make my images too over-edited, unless I'm going for such a look that it has to look that way (such as vintage, or cross-processed, etc....)

So here's my basic image. Unedited excepting the size. Not a bad photo by itself.

And here's my first edit. I played with the levels a bit, brightness/contrast, and duplicated my photo layer and set the duplicate onto soft light. It gives it more contrast and vivider colors without been too obviously edited.

For my second edit, I just added two or so duplicate layers of the original image and set them onto soft light. Then, in between the two duplicate layers, I put a new layer and filled it with a blue tone and set that to soft light. I might have tampered with the opacity of that layer a bit. Not sure. This edit is a little strong (see top-right corner) but it works okay. In the future, I'd probably switch up the degree of the brightness/contrast and the opacity of the levels.

I don't really like this edit. Although black and white is a beautiful medium, for this image, it isn't working. Mainly because the focus of the photo is in the top-right corner, and with the black and white it's not as distinguishable. This one was a simple edit though. Black and white and then bumped up the contrast a little bit (I think).

Now for this one, I was going for a vintage look. I added a layer and filled it with yellow, then added another layer and filled it with purple, and set them both to soft light. Then I messed around with the curves a lot to achieve that vintage effect. I'm pretty sure I did something with the brightness and contrast as well, and I might've added a duplicate layer of the original image between the yellow and purple layer.

Now that you've seen how I edit (some) of my pictures, here's how I try NOT to edit them like...

From far away, it doesn't look terrible, but I edited the brightness/contrast (and I think duplicated the original image/put it on soft light) so much that it's easy to tell that it's been (poorly) edited. I don't like images that are very over-edited...pretty much NO exceptions there. Also, it's getting posterized (again, see top-right corner) and that makes for a very fakey looking image.

So that's basically what I do. I have some actions that I've downloaded that I play with, but I do feel like I'm cheating whenever I use them. I've been trying to start editing from scratch...and it's pretty fun.

Have a happy editing day!

Simple flowers

2010-05-05T18:51:00.000-07:00

With the sunlight illuminating them. Beautiful sunlight.

New Growth

2010-05-03T19:50:00.000-07:00

textures credit

Dewdrops on leaves...

2010-05-03T18:51:00.000-07:00

...are some of my favorite things.

Me

2010-04-27T10:58:00.000-07:00

an attempt at a self portrait.

(also...changes coming to 2010--including name change [no url change though] stay tuned...)

A choice

2010-04-25T21:48:00.000-07:00

I've come to realize that while photography itself is not self-limiting, your mind-set, as well as your equipment, can prove to be so.

While you don't necessarily need a $700 (or $7000) camera, it's something you should have. Not because without it you can't take good pictures, but because with it you can take better ones. The tools you use will often define your images--not because you couldn't see, but because it didn't get through to your camera.

That being said, while waiting and saving for a camera, you can't limit yourself to nothing. Yes, the image will probably be somewhat grainy, a lot noisy and maybe a little blurry, and not at all clear and crisp and smooth, but that doesn't give you an excuse for stopping. Let your images be that way...you'll still have the memories, the moments, and the beauty. Just accept that and keep clicking. Someday, you'll probably get better equipment. And think how rewarding it will be then.

So let your inspiration abound and your camera going. There is beauty even in the most ordinary of images, and even some in the noisy, grainy, blurry ones.

An example of what I'm talking about. A grainy, noisy image, but I think it's beautiful...I love seeing what is now mine to keep. What I have stopped time for...even for just a moment.

So here's my dilemma...

2010-04-25T13:21:00.000-07:00

...do I keep this blog or start a new one? I was originally gonna keep it, but then I got to thinking about the URL.

Your input?

(leaving you with this)

Grace

2010-04-24T20:02:00.000-07:00

You make me laugh, my silly baby. I love you, cutie-patootie-sweetie-sister-o-mine.

I've had a realization...

2010-04-23T13:26:00.000-07:00

I haven't been taking pictures lately. I've pushed away my camera and thought, "Later. There are things to do." Mainly, because I realize that I'm so behind in my count--I'm behind in the amount of pictures that need to be completed.

In beginning 2010, at first I thought, "this will make me take more pictures--this will improve my skills." But I'm beginning to realize that that was wrong. Putting a time frame and a number count just takes away the magic. It takes away the beauty.

Photography is not about the amount of pictures you take, nor the camera you have, nor the editing you do, the posing, anything. Photography is about seeing beauty, and moments, in the ordinary and day-to-day life and celebrating it by capturing it and saving it forever. Photography is looking beyond what our eyes can see and looking instead at what is really there--what is real and beautiful.

Moments like this are why I continue on with photography. Because I want others to be able to see the beauty that I see. I want others to look at the ordinary and instead of seeing the everyday commonplace, they'll see the beauty and life that is everywhere.

That's why I'm a photographer. That's why I'm an artist.

I'm still going to keep this...I just won't continue with this journey. Perhaps I'll create a new blog for my photography. Perhaps I'll stay here. I don't know right now. I just know that, in my book, 2010 is done. I don't regret attempting it--it made me realize the reason why I take pictures. Not just to add more to my count, but to find and save beauty.

Perhaps 2010 is for someone, but not me. This journey has ended, but a new one has begun. I have found me in pictures--even if it wasn't the way I initially thought it would be. I've found the reason for photography.

And to me, that's worth more than taking 2010 pictures.

376-400

2010-04-04T13:45:00.000-07:00

Peanut Butter. Part One.

362-375

2010-03-24T12:11:00.000-07:00

339-361

2010-03-18T12:22:00.000-07:00

Chloe made a spring cake yesterday. I wonder who did that gorgeous frosting job...;-)

308-338

2010-03-17T11:06:00.000-07:00

Dad gave these to Mom.♥

Contest for you...

2010-03-16T09:22:00.001-07:00

Fun contest for you to join...head over to my regular blog to find out. :-)

302-307

2010-03-13T15:27:00.000-08:00

More Sam. :-)

279-301

2010-03-13T15:18:00.000-08:00

Sam. ♥

268-278

2010-03-04T18:21:00.000-08:00

Call me crazy, but I think that this silverware is gorgeous. It's beat up, but still shiny. There's still something there, underneath the scratches.

265-267

2010-03-04T18:13:00.000-08:00

I seem to be having a thing for pencils...

258-264

2010-03-04T08:16:00.000-08:00

Edit--I switched the title already, but it was supposed to be 258-264, not 258-263. My apologies.
On the way to dance. Over the bridge and through the fields, to North Ballet we go...

255-257

2010-03-04T07:59:00.001-08:00

250-254

2010-03-04T07:49:00.000-08:00

my moms obsession.

241-249

2010-03-04T06:18:00.000-08:00

♥♥♥

234-240

2010-03-02T12:32:00.000-08:00

More little boys that I love.

214-233

2010-03-01T13:38:00.000-08:00

210-213

2010-02-28T13:00:00.000-08:00

204-209

2010-02-28T12:50:00.000-08:00

My darling little brother.
He made himself into a "tooky samich."
For those of you who don't have little siblings, that's turkey sandwich.
And he made sure to add "pickuls". ;)

201-203

2010-02-25T06:37:00.000-08:00

Draw me a map, brennie.

188-200

2010-02-18T12:45:00.000-08:00

What happens when you have an insanely creative brother, crayons, and play-doh.

184-187

2010-02-18T06:22:00.000-08:00

Guess which one is Eli's.

151-183

2010-02-17T15:41:00.000-08:00

How to peel an orange.

141-150

2010-02-09T10:12:00.000-08:00

Making bread. Mmm...

133-140

2010-02-09T06:57:00.000-08:00

Our 98 year old piano...with a lego clone trooper helmet.

126-132

2010-02-09T06:54:00.000-08:00

Ragrolling Grace's hair.

87-125

2010-01-25T18:31:00.000-08:00

A conglomeration of random pictures. :)

62-86

2010-01-18T13:55:00.000-08:00

Making cupcakes and frosting them in an UP movie style. :)

...

Eli wanted to eat them all.

55-61

2010-01-17T12:52:00.000-08:00

Making butter. Grace had to do it for school...so...we now have fresh butter.

...

and mom and grace have sore arms. ;)

2010 in 2010 blogroll

2010-01-15T12:44:00.000-08:00

If you are inspired to do your own 2010 project, I'll add you to the official 2010 in 2010 blog roll.

To be added, there's only a few things you have to do:

First of all, email me (click on contact hannah) with your 2010 blog URL so I can link back to you.

And secondly,

Take my link and put it on your 2010 blog. This is in order to direct more people to join into the project, and to credit me for it, in order to not have a lot of loose threads floating around.

Thanks for being a part of the journey.

THOSE DOING THE 2010 JOURNEY
***Emily*** ::: Painted Sunsets PhotographyKailyn ::: Still Memories of 2010

THOSE INSPIRED BY 2010
Evergreena ::: The Adventures of Evergreena and Her Camera

51-54

2010-01-15T12:00:00.000-08:00

Sam. :)

42-50

2010-01-12T18:27:00.000-08:00

The ride home from dance yesterday morning. Mom said that Eli asked to come see me, so he came along. :)

I busied myself taking random pictures. ;)

41

2010-01-10T19:34:00.000-08:00

Someone got a little tired watching Iron Chef America tonight...

39-40

2010-01-10T19:26:00.000-08:00

Pages from (one) of my History books. American History this year.

34-38

2010-01-10T19:25:00.000-08:00

Friday night was scrabble night. :)

31-33

2010-01-07T10:19:00.000-08:00

I was looking at a picture I took of my brother Caleb and I, and Eli came up to me going, "Cheese, Hannah! Cheese! Piccer me, piccer me! Cheese!" So I had to take one. :)

My brother, Brennan, playing Gobblet with my mom.

30

2010-01-06T19:56:00.000-08:00

Bye, Abby, I'll miss you.

Have an awesome time in New Zealand.

Love you.

26-29

2010-01-05T20:11:00.000-08:00

My lunch on Monday. How exciting. ;)

Nothing like a tortilla, ham, spinach, tomatoes and an avocado. :)

16-25

2010-01-05T19:52:00.000-08:00

Is that a good pear, Eli?

9-15

2010-01-03T07:33:00.001-08:00

Baby, it's cold outside.

8

2010-01-02T12:54:00.000-08:00

Proof of my addiction.

although, looking at it now, there was still more to eat. ;)

1-7

2010-01-01T12:33:00.000-08:00

Chloe and Grace playing mind games they got for Christmas.

As you can tell by Grace's look, it wasn't going very well.

The Journey

2009-12-31T06:44:00.000-08:00

~~The Journey?~~
~~To take two thousand and ten photos in the year of 2010. To see a photo progression through the year. To discover the photographer inside.~~
~~To find me.~~
~~In pictures.~~ (see here and here)

The Journey now? To embrace the equipment that I'm using at the moment (a GE point and shoot and photoshop CS4) and be the best photographer I can. To not limit myself based on what I have and do not have, but instead, break through the bounds of what I can and can not do. To celebrate life.

Because that's what it's all about.

The Photographer

2009-12-30T18:04:00.000-08:00

Hannah is a thirteen year old who loves beauty and has a passion for capturing that beauty in any way that she can--be it in writing, artwork, music or photography. Anything that can hold a moment, touch a feeling, or spark a dream--that is why she does what she does.

She believes that God has placed her upon this earth for a purpose, and she is going to fulfill that purpose no matter what the cost may be. Her life is for Christ and she loves him--loves him so much that it aches. Looking into God's word and into the scriptures is enjoyable for her, as she likes to delve into the deeper parts of them--and try to figure out the meanings.

Other hobbies that she has include dancing, singing, playing the piano, graphic designing, and laughing.

After all, everyone needs a bit of laughter.