Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Our Barcelona Trip Blog - Montreal travel photographer Hera Bell


Although this Blog is more about my portrait (glamour, boudoir)  work I would like to announce you that our travel blog Anthony & Hera Adventures.com   is once again being updated.

I started updating it this morning. The first two days of our Barcelona trip in May 2013 is up and running. I will try to update on regular basis. I have two weeks material to cover.

The first two days contains 24 photos, one video clip and a comprehensive travel log written by my husband Anthony.

Here is the link:

hola-barcelona-sunday-may-19-2013-our first two days






Saturday, July 27, 2013

Dream Wedding Gown- Montreal Portrait Photographer Hera Bell

A Dream...

This image I just finished reminds me of the song L'ete Indien of Joe Dassin. Listen to the words you would understand why. I grew up with that song. When I fell in love years ago I started daydreaming kissing him again by listening to that song. At the age of 18 I arrived to the country where L'ete Indien takes place.

Yes, I dream a lot. I turn them into reality in my photos. Instead of calling myself a painter, I am called a photographer.

Location was shot by me with Canon 5 D Mark III in West Island. The wedding gown is by an Italian wedding gown designer. The session happened in my studio.
 
It is a collage.
 
 
 






Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Creating Old Fahion Vintage Photos In Photoshop... Montreal Portrait Studio Hera Bell

I am commissioned to create a very special wedding album which will look and feel 100 years old. The bride wore a very antique gown to the wedding. Everything represented the year 1913. It was held at an estate. Only 80 guests were invited. Everyone was dressed to fit the époque.
 
I am in this mood aroud these days editing over 700 images this way. Since I have no model release to share the images with you,, I tried the technique on a recent studio shot which I have a model release.
 
The subject was shot over a paper backdrop. The fur (background) was shot with cell phone. Then the texture was applied over...
 
Voila the elements.. Everything is possible... The wedding shots will not however have the dark texture. Therefore they will be less in darker mood and have more grain... To see what I mean please visit my other Blog post:

 Creating old fahion vintage style photos.
 
Let me present you... Organic Dreams...
 
 
 
 
 




Sunday, July 14, 2013

Creating Realistic Digital Photography Collages-Montreal Glamour Portrait Photographer Hera Bell

Today I would like to share with you another realistic photography collage from the same photography session in my West Island photo studio which took place last Monday with Karima.

In the morning I visited Hudson's Finnegan Market with two photographer friends of mine. After having some drinks at Willows In I returned home.

 



Around 3pm  my husband and I we decided to go into town. I brought with me my Samsung  Galaxy SII cell phone.

In the past I could print up to 16"x20" size prints from my cell phone snaps. So I was lazy to carry any other gear.

I noticed the reflections you see below. I composed as it and snapped the shot. Here is the un-edited shot.



Here it is the final image with Karima in it. Karima was photographed in my studio with two Bowen strobs and my camera Panasonic Lumix GH2.




I hope you like the impact of the final image. I hope you notice the realistic aspect of the digital collage. Please pay attention to the shadows and to the harmonious nature of the warm tones from two different cameras and two different shots.




Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Digital Light Painting Art Versus Photography-Montreal Glamour Portrait Photographer Hera Bell

During the film era I had experimented with light painting with slides. It was mainly on still life subjects.

Several years later, my good friend Howard and Ronda and I experimented with light painting with our digital cameras in my old downtown photography studio near Lachine Canal Montreal. We used flash lights and created portraits of each other.

I have always wanted to push the technical and artistic envelope when it came to do things beyond a snap shot, beyond what just comes out of a camera.

I have always said that styling your images sets apart a visionary photographer from a photo snapper.

But that alone it isn't enough in the industry today.

Few weeks ago I photographed this barn on the way to Toronto. Bright day light. Hand held shot. Nothing extraordinary. Here is the unedited version as it came out of the flash card. The RAW file size is reduced.




Karima and her daughter Mimi were in my studio as my clients 7 years ago. We did a mother and daughter photo session. Since then we have kept in touch. Karima is an art lover.

Last Monday, Mimi and Karima were in my West Island photo studio. 7 years later they were as beautiful as they were back then.

The entire session although happened in studio in front of a backdrop, the final images were going to be digitally transported to other locations.

I could have very easily transport the Lady In Red to the day light shot of the barn. It had to be much more different. I wanted  the drama.

Everything was re-created in Photoshop. And it did take me less then 20 minutes. Much like in the old era darkroom, I burnt selectively to create the night shot.

Voila... Lady In Red Under The Moon Light...




In real life, no luxury glamour portrait client would pay you and stand at night in the middle of a field, infested with bugs, just to get photographed.

Yes models would do it for a portfolio shot. Fashion magazine editorial art directors would do it, because they have the budget to hire the models, photographers and teams to make their vision possible.

But why slave around photography? The only thing you need is to have the artistic vision and the technical know how to create the same vision in Photoshop.

Convenience versus inconvenience...  Convenience would always win.




Monday, July 1, 2013

Visions- Montreal Portrait Photographer Hera Bell



"An artist is not paid for his labor but for his vision."

 James Whistler