MYPIE MYFOCUS - February

I am honoured to be MYPIE's (Miramichi's Young Professionals and Involved Entrepreneurs) MYFOCUS for the month of February!! Take a look at the article and be sure to visit the MYPIE website for the full story! www.mypie.ca/my-feb-focus.html

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Each month MYPIE will focus on the outstanding accomplishments and achievements of one young professional or involved entrepreneur who demonstrates the vision of building a vibrant economy and sustaining long-term opportunities for the Miramichi region.

Please join us in celebrating this month’s MY Focus.

Amber Libby
NBCC Student - Business Administration Sales & Marketing

What brought me to Miramichi? NBCC
What made me stay? The people 
I graduated high school three short years ago in St. Stephen, NB. I then went on to study Arts with plans of becoming an elementary school teacher. Almost two years ago, I left Fredericton, St. Thomas University, and an education in Arts to begin the Business Administration program at NBCC. Looking back now, I can’t believe how much that decision changed my life. I was a student studying an area she was not as interested in as she had thought she would be. Now, I am a student, a small business owner, and an active volunteer in the wonderfully supportive city they call, “The Miramichi”. The business program has provided me with great opportunities and knowledge that I am continuously grateful for. I have great teachers, classmates, and contacts in the area and it has been worth every bit of fear I felt when I made the decision to change paths. 
I made another great decision about this time last year. I had been playing around with the idea of photography for a little while, and I had heard about a six week class offered by Larry Lynch at L5 Media. I bought a new camera, a Nikon D5000 (which I still shoot with today), and I registered for the class. I learned so much in so little time, and after constant practice and experimenting, I discovered that I enjoyed portrait photography more than any other kind. I started taking pictures of my friends and family; anyone who would let me! I then created a facebook page to share my photos and get feedback. Well, this is where things started to take off, I was getting great feedback and people were asking me to do paid shoots! I can’t begin to express how important social media has been to my business. Good word of mouth and lots of volunteering got me to where I am today; owner of Amber Eye Photography.

Unexpectedly, photography became my passion, a talent I didn’t even know I had. Every time I pick up my Nikon I learn a little more and I am always setting personal bests and making sure that I see improvement in every shoot. Amber Eye Photography has grown so much over the last year, I am proud of the progress in my business and I can’t wait to get to the point where I can invest more time and money into it. My photography services include: weddings and special events, graduation photos, family photos, promotional photos, and speciality portraits. I am always looking to grow my portfolio, challenge myself with new ideas, and shoot with fresh angles and styles.

I have experienced firsthand how effective and important networking can be for a business owner. I came to this city knowing no one, and now, I have a network of great people that support me and my business and encourage me to keep focused. I have found my place in Miramichi as a board member of MYPIE, a volunteer at the Big Brothers Big Sisters Boys and Girls Club, an involved student at NBCC Miramichi, and a young professional in the community. I see opportunity for growth in this city, and in return for its warm welcome, I want to do what I can to make this city thrive with excitement and innovation.

I believe I have become a part of this place; I believe I have become a part of something great.  

Check out Amber Eye Photography on Facebook and don’t forget to ‘like’ the page!

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Business Card & Brochure

Here is a virtual version of my business card and information brochure.

     Inside Panel                                        Back                                           Front

Photography, Forever

...Unless I become blind I guess!

I have always had an interest in photography, but I didn't really believe I was capable of good enough photos to become a photographer. A little over a year ago I purchased a new camera, the Kodak Z980, this was my gateway to the drug called photography! Meet the Kodak Z980:

This 12 megapixel, optical zooming, double A battery eating, kodak moment making monster of a camera was my first high-end (or what I believed was high-end) digital camera. They say you never forget your first, well this rings true in my situation. This was a great camera, although we only spent a short couple months together before I grew out of it and wanted for something larger - a real "high-end" camera - a DSLR. Before I purchased my DSLR, I used this baby... talk about zoom! I don't have much use for zoom as a portrait photographer BUT it is still a cool thing to have. The great thing about this camera is that you did not have to buy a fancy lens to do it! Zoom ZOOM zOoM all you want, because this camera does it well! I still have this camera because I haven't been able to let go of it, since it did lead me to true love, passion, and success. This camera was the start of everything, photography is a part of me now... I'm known for it. I don't even know what I would be known as if I wasn't a photographer! ..then again, maybe I don't want to know! haha!

So... when I realized my interest and passion for this thing they call photography, I decided it would be a good idea to take photography classes. I enrolled in a 6-week photography class at L5 Media in Miramichi with Larry Lynch. The course was 12 hours in total, which doesn't seem like a long time - and it isn't - BUT the amount I learned from the program was incredible and completely beneficial! Learning the basics can take your photos to a whole new level. Knowing the basics is essential in taking your creativity and amplifying it with quality. Before taking the course I invested in a new camera: a DSLR - the NIKON D5000.

Talk about excited! I had never made such an important investment towards my future, until I bought this masterpiece! This is my Nikon, my best friend, and my companion. I have never loved something so much! This is more than a camera to me, it has gotten me through so much! It has taken my photography from amateur to semi-pro...and I continue to learn and grow as a photographer due to the quality of my camera. I have not grown out of this one, and I probably won't for a while. I love my Nikon.

For a long time I couldn't find my groove, I didn't understand passion and I definitely didn't have one. Yes, I have always been creative but there was nothing that I wanted to do all the time and not get tired of it. There was nothing I was interested in that I could call an 'escape'. You know how most people have sports or talents that they can practice to get their mind off the heavy things in life? Well, I found mine...I'm sad it took so long! Whenever I am upset or confused about things, or just weighed down by life in general - I take a trip with my Nikon. The world is in my control through that lens - I control what I want to see, I control what angle I want to see it in, I control what is in focus, and I control what is not. This has helped me to see life in a way I haven't before... I have learned to focus on the important things (like your passions) instead of letting the unimportant things drag you down. I could focus on things like being hurt by someone, being lied to, being lonely, or being failed by those who I never thought would fail me...OR I could take all that energy I would use to feel empty, bitter, or hateful to improve how I capture the world through my lens. I could use that energy to revamp my business, to improve my knowledge of photography, and most importantly, to spend time with the love of my life; My Nikon. By spending so much time on photography, I have been able to come to grips with what is unfortunate in my life and overcome all of it because I realize it will never be as important to me as photography. No matter what happens, no matter who treats me bad or who does me wrong; I will always have photography & hopefully, I will always have my Nikon.

Since this is something no one can take away from me, no one can tarnish, and no one can compare to...I thought it would make for a great ink :) Here is a picture of my (soon-to-be finished) tattoo! The quote wraps around my back and says "Eyes like a shutter, Mind like a lens"


This is the story and journey of my photography as of yet! It's long but I could've rambled on forever, I kind of love this topic! I hope that all of you have a passion for something and that it helps you get through the rough and nasty stuff life tends to throw our way. Hey, it might even be photography... you can't knock it until you try it !!

Picasa Gallery Update

Click on the Eye of Amber Eye Photography to take a peek at all the new photos I have added to my gallery on Picasa Web Albums. Let me know what you think!

Better Angles = Better Photos

Jim Zuckerman - Eiffel Tower

The thing that separates a photographer from a 'picture taker' is creativity. Anyone can take a photo of the Eiffel Tower, but it takes creativity to make that photo different from all the others. Jim Zuckerman, a famous photographer took the photos above, he did not change them so much that you couldn't recognize the famous structure BUT he did choose effective angles that make them stand out when compared to other photos. For example:

 

These photos of the Eiffel Tower are very mundane and normal, could have been taken by tourists with fancy cameras. Don't get me wrong, the photos are beautiful, but... do they have much interest? The quality is great, but they don't portray any creativity.

If you want to improve your photography, focus on creativity. Ask yourself, does this photo make the viewer take a second look? Does it stand out? For what reason? Are there other angles that could make for more interest?

In photography, straight on or centered is not always the best way to take a photo. It is usually the most unoriginal thing you can do. Try for better angles, get closer, get right in there and snap that shot - even if it means balancing on one foot or cramping yourself in a awkward position - it WILL pay off when you get a photo worth talking about.

One important rule to consider in this area of photography is the "rule of thirds" - google that! Basically, when taking a picture, imagine a 3x3 grid over your photo. Instead of capturing the object of focus in the center block of the grid, try it in the other blocks... this is called composition.

Composition in my photos:

 

See how none of the photos are centered on the object I'm trying to emphasize?

Try out this concept and share your photos with me! amberclibby@hotmail.com

Blogging: Day One (And I mean a full day)

SO, this is my first post ever in my first blog ever! I won't even pretend that I know what I am doing, or that I don't have a lot to learn... because I do! 
Amber Eye Photography is my tiny little side business while I am in school (for Business Administration). I have a huge (and I mean HUGE) passion for photography. It is my release, my escape when life gets me down. In photography - like in life - I am learning new things every day! My NIKON D5000 is my best friend that can get me through just about anything. When I am down, we run away together and discover the world through a different eye, through a different lens. 
I am creating this blog to share my photography with the rest of the internet, to gain feedback, to teach what I know, and to inspire others.
Photography is fun, endless creativity and that is how I want this blog to be! 

Stay tuned...