I white balance every photography I take. It is an easy step that can take your tinted photo and make it look new! White balancing a photograph can also be extremely helpful when you are documenting your work.
How to White Balance a Photograph: First open you JPEG file in Adobe Bridge (I use the CS6 version). At the top of the screenshot you'll see 'open in camera raw' icon. Click that. Next, click the third icon from the left in the toolbar in the top corner. This is the white balancing tool. Now click a neutral color in the photograph (white or gray). Keeping moving your mouse around clicking different areas until you have your R,G,B numbers all the same, or very close in range. The R,G,B number are located below the color graph on the left hand side. Your photo is now white balanced. If you have any questions feel free to comment below. Here is a youtube video if you need more help. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLE4Q_w1fEY

Photoshop can be a great tool for photographers. I use Adobe Photoshop CS6. When you are making edits to a photograph in photoshop you need to make the edits using layers. Having a layer per each edit will help if you need to back track and it can also keep the photograph in its original form if you aren't happy with the edits made. Most people edit a photo by going to image>mode>adjustments, this way your edits will be made with out layers and you could lose the original image potentially.

​How to edit the photograph with layers: First open your image in the Adobe Photoshop software. Then go to the control panel on the left and at the very bottom of the panel you should see a strip of icons (starting with a 'link' icon and ending with the 'trash' icon). To make an adjustment layer click the circle that is half white (the forth icon from the left). The you will see a tab slide out. Here are your adjustment options. Choose an option, make the edit, then exit the tab. You will see a layer has been made with this edit. To go back and edit the same layer, tap two fingers on your mouse pad and a tab will slid out, at the top it will say 'edit adjustment' and will open up the edit tab again. To see the edit you made on the image click the eye on the edit adjustment layer, and re-click it to see the difference. You can continue this process with each adjustment. For every adjustment a new layer will be made. Comment below if you have an questions, here is a link for more information.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=osz9ERuygtI

This artist recently was introduced to me in one of my classes. I am currently doing a piece inspired by his work...more to come. Check out some of his images on his website! 
http://stephenshore.net/index.php

Recently I visited The CAC: Contemporary Art Center, in downtown Cincinnati. The DAAP MFA students have their final thesis work on the second floor of the CAC. It will be up until April 10th. The work was very inspiring and eye opening. Two of my favorite pieces were a woven rope wall piece (left) and a large wood installation (right). Both pieces were large in scale and carried a presence. They were incredible. They journey the students traveled to reach this point showed in every piece. One of my favorite concepts in the exhibition was about photoshop and digital imaging taking over the human figure. Software's capabilities are endless when it comes to fixing the flaws on a figure. 'Flaws' being the beauties-- the unique traits of each individual shape. Overall it was a great show and I highly recommend checking it out!
CAC Address: 44 E 6th St, Cincinnati, OH 45202
http://www.contemporaryartscenter.org/calendar/2016/03/28/university-of-cincinnati-daap-mfa-thesis-show

Last week I had the opportunity to interview artist Kim Krause. A very knowledgable well-know/developed artist located here in Cincinnati. He is on the academic board for the Art Academy. He shared fantastic insight about his experiences prior to where he is now, as well as significant advice for  young artists. He repeated, keep creating. Try not to get wrapped up. As artists we need to be selfish. We need to set aside time and create, read, find ourselves, and really explore. We need to be selfish. We need time for ourselves. He made all of these eye-opening points. I never used the word selfish in my art practice, but honestly its true. Staying humble is a quality all artists should stay true to. Thank you Kim for the insightful conversation and meaningful words. Please check out his site, he is an amazing artist and person. ​http://www.kimkrauseartist.com/

Today, in one of my classes we had a speaker come in, Andrew Higley. He is a musician and photographer. He discussed some basic lighting tips for documenting work, then he started talking about his experience in DAAP to where he is now. 
I really enjoyed hearing his story, because I could relate to it in many ways. I am concentrating in photography and often deal with the conceptual aspect of my work. I am a formal photographer. Photography gives me a new outlook. I don't take pictures for a huge underlying concept, but simply because I am indulged in the results of a camera and the experimentation I get with the technology of a camera.
Andrew described his experience in DAAP that sounded very similar to my experience above. Andrew is very successful and doesn't feel the urge to always showcase his work in gallery spaces. I agree. I don't see my work fitting in a gallery either. I am much more interested in the formal qualities photographs can offer. 
http://www.abhigley.com

Recently I have been studying building's forms. The raw edge contrasting to the bright, natural, blue color of the sky. Architecture has always been an interest of mine, but in a more intimate way-- showcasing only details of the architecture. Now, I am experimenting with the building as a whole, but still composing it in a beautiful way. http://www.rachellwoodard.com/cincinnati.html

Alberta Pane Gallery's cube at the The Armory Show in New York was one of my favorites. Alberta Pane gallery is located in Paris, France. They showcased artist, Esther Stocker's work in New York this past weekend. There were several large black and white acrylic paintings and large crumpled paper balls 'thrown' throughout the space. I felt this sense of youth in the cube. It reminded me of passing notes in high school to one another, throwing them across the room before the teacher noticed.
https://www.thearmoryshow.com/
http://www.galeriealbertapane.com 

http://www.artlurker.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/image-object-postInternet.pdf
The Image Object Post-Internet, By: Artie Vierkant
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Here is an interesting article I wanted to share about Post- Internet art. 
The two quotes below really stood out to me when I read the article. 
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"First, nothing is in a fixed state: i.e., everything is anything else, whether because any object is capable of becoming another type of object or because an object already exists in flux between multiple instantiations."
Once our artwork is published on the internet, it is no longer a fixed state. Our artwork is now capable of being unfixed, meaning copied and pasted, downloaded-manipulated-then posted... Viewers have control over your work now. Artie emphasizes that our work will always be in a flux state now; all because of the internet. 
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"Attention has always been a currency, but with the proliferation of networking methods and infinitely alterable and reproducible media, that attention has diverged and become split amongst anyone and everyone who wishes to seek it."
​This is another interesting comment Artie makes. Attention being a currency. Why do we strive to get attention from friends and often strangers? Are the attention based posts of your artwork, a 'selfie', a seductive post, or funny post? There are artists on social media who are solely driven by their followers to create art. If you are only driven by attention, are you really enjoying the creation process? The posting and creation then turns into a habit rather than an act of passion. Society has been deeply affected by social media in both positive and negative ways... The art world is enhanced, but also cheapened by mass production. I've realized that there will always be this gray area when it comes to post-production artwork. A subjective gray area. 

http://utabarth.net
Recently, my professor introduced Uta Barth to me. This woman is a master of subtle color-- just color combinations in general. Her composed images are so quiet and free. They have this sense of relief that I crave. I just wanted to share my favorite series of hers, 'Compositions of Light on White 2011'. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.