how to create a .gif outfit post

I've been creating .gifs for my outfit posts lately. I like having the .gif in addition to still photos because you can show movement and (depending on the photos) more of the outfit.

Here I am going to show provide a tutorial on .gif outfit posts so you can do this for your blog too! .gifs are pretty easy to create if you have PhotoShop. (I am using PhotoShop Elements 10 by the way!)

Before we begin - start with your camera.
Make sure your camera is set on the option for shooting continuous frames. Below is a photo of what it looks like on my Nikon D3100. (If you don't have a DSLR read the tip in the first step!)

1. Take the photos!
Have your photographer hold the camera as still as possible while he/she holds down the shutter button as you pose. You can twirl in circle, walk forward to the camera, or do multiple poses. (If your camera doesn't have the continuous shutter option, try having the photographer take multiple shots while you move in extreme slow-mo. It will seem funny in the moment but it might work!)

These are all of my frames:

2. Open all the photos in PhotoShop and start layering. 
Simply drag each new photo onto the first photo in order, with the first photo as the bottom layer, and the last photo as the top layer. Try not to do too much editing unless you can get the photos all to match.

3. Resize the image.
You'll probably need to resize the image to be able to save it in a .gif format.
Click "Image" then "Resize" and then "Image size..." I currently set mine to 500 pixels wide at 300 pixels per inch.

4. Save it as a .gif.
Go to "File" and click "Save for Web." Set it to GIF and check the boxes for Animate and Loop. I set my frame delay at 0.2.

And you're done!

Click here to see the original post from the gif above

Hope this tutorial helped! Let me know if you've created some .gifs - I'd love to see them!

xo-ally

snapshots 01/17/13

I finally have my nail polish organized! I got these small, glass containers from Target for $3.99 each. Now the only thing is that each container is perfectly full, so adding to my nail polish collection might be an issue.....

I like to sneak in spring color into my winter wardrobe whenever I can! My poppy orange-red Kate Spade necklace is perfect for the task.

The trees looked so beautiful today because of this weird freezing fog we're having. Instead of being covered in snow, the branches were covered in mini icicles. It felt like walking through a snow globe this morning when I went to class!

Speaking of winter - a winter white outfit post is coming soon, as promised! I have the outfit planned and just need to wear it :)

xo-ally

a light snow at night

just a tad too blurry! :/

Coat: H&M Rings: Kate Spade, Henri Bendel Shirt: Nordstrom Pants: F21 (old, similar here) Boots: Ralph Lauren

The first snow of the season came shortly after daylight savings. I wanted to do an outfit post, but there was barely any light! (And it was only 4:30pm!) It was the first time I've taken night photos with this camera, and quite a few came out blurry (like the full-length one in the middle). I'm excited I got it to work, though! I kept my aperture wide and shutter speed at 1 second. I'm excited that I know how to work light settings at night - this will come in handy during Christmas time and taking pictures of all the lights!

xo-ally

sally hansen salon effects nail stickers

I recently tried the Sally Hansen Salon Effects nail stickers. I received them as a gift about a year and a half ago, and finally decided to try them for Halloweekend! The majority of the sparkles were green and silver, which were perfect with my mermaid costume.

Pros: Easy to apply, no nail polish smell, no mess, no need for a top coat (but base coat is recommended)

Cons: price - they're $7-9ish, the price for one set is the same as a whole bottle of nail polish, and not all of the stickers stuck.

I'm guessing that not all of the stickers stuck because they're so old? This was my first time trying this, so I don't have anything to compare it to.

Since I had three "unpolished" fingers, I just applied a beige color to let the sparkly nails take the spotlight. Overall, I've been pretty happy with the nails and have received plenty of compliments on them. Even though they're a little pricey for just one application, I'd consider buying another box.

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On another note, I am proud to say that I was able to capture my depth of field (blurriness of the background) perfectly in the photo above! I shot that photo on the manual setting on my SLR camera. I was so happy! Oftentimes, I test the shot and throw my hand in front of the lens to see if my settings are correct (how I got the photo above).

So I tried it to test indoor lighting, and it worked, for the most part....

The subject (hand) is in focus, and the background is blurred! Hurrah!

...and then when I tried having myself as the subject, it didn't. Fail! 

Ugh. The lighting ended up being overexposed in this photo instead of casting the glow it did on the hand test shot. I want to figure this out. I think it would make my photos look much cooler. Sigh. I will continue to try.

Any tips for camera settings to get a shallow depth of field???? If anyone can help a girl out...I would love you forever. :D

xo-ally

practicing photography

I'm currently taking a photojournalism class and have learned a good amount about photography so far. It is so nice to take a class, because I have a nice SLR but don't really know how to use it (except for the handy auto setting). This class briefly covers the camera basics (shutter speed, aperture, all that good stuff) as well as concepts. Here are some photos I've taken so far. They're not perfect but I can see improvement compared to before the class!

I feel like photography is something you improve with every time you practice, and even professional photographers still get better with time. Hopefully I'll keep improving!

xo-ally

yellow in photos

I got my Nikon DSLR camera two Christmases ago, and the photo quality is great! I'm still learning how to use it, and I often use the very convenient Auto setting... (Don't worry, I'm taking a photography class this fall!) So far, the camera basically does most of the work for me. One of my favorite aspects of the high quality photos is the color! Blue skies look magnificent and yellow just pops.

Here are three unedited photos that show how great yellow looks!

This photo opportunity was too tempting to pass up! A fire hydrant is basically a bland item on the street, but on the sunny day, I just had to get a shot of it because it is yellow.

I took this at The Colosseum in Rome! This was a random, tiny little sign.

One of the guys from GIF sleeping on a ferry bench...he is going to KILL me if he ever sees this photo on here!

I'm excited to take the photography class in the fall and get more great photos! On the manual setting. Hopefully. We'll see! 

xo

3 great street style looks from Lookbook

Lookbook is a great site to browse for cool, fashion-foward street style inspiration as well as amazing photography. Here are a few of my favorite looks I found today!

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The jacket makes the simple black outfit so interesting! The pup is cute, too.

[photo]

A great way to wear colored denim. The shoes are so unique!

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That zebra bag is amazing! I really like that shade of orange with the electric blue on the bag.

xo