New website x2

Hi hi hi hi. It's been a while since I posted here, but just in case, I can now be found at http://www.amberwilkie.com. Come say hey! Oh, and if you need someone to photograph your wedding or do engagement or family portraits, I'm your gal. Take care!

Revised, Prettier, Larger

I finally got around to building a new website (with the help of some very talented people associated with WordPress). It is here. The new site, which I called Amberture in what is either a fit of cleverness or extreme narcissism, features much, much larger pictures which will hopefully load quickly. You'll also find more detailed commentary about how I took and processed the images (or none at all - much less blather about non-photographic stuff) and a more attractive interface.

Thank you for visiting!

You can still find me on Flickr where I'll be posting lots of stuff but if you want to see only what I think is the best, head on over to Amberture.

Couldn't Do It


The Sagrada Familia: 401 (341/366), originally uploaded by Amberture.

You may have noticed that I quit blogging. By "you", I mean David (and sometimes George). That's because I put way more pictures on Flickr and it's double the work to come over here and blog about them. So I'm closing up shop here but am still very actively posting there. Check out my photostream!

I'll also be setting up another blog in the future. I'm not sure what the format is going to be but probably more like a portfolio than an ongoing conversation with the world. I'll put the link here when I get around to that.

So thanks for reading and take care!

Thursday, November 20, 2008


325/366 Trash Cans, originally uploaded by Amberture.

Wednesday, November 19, 2008


324/366 Rays the Steaks, originally uploaded by Amberture.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008


323/366 Art Envelops You, originally uploaded by Amberture.

Monday, November 17, 2008

Saturday, November 15, 2008


320/366 Three Doors, originally uploaded by Amberture.

Today I took a tour of closed and locked up St. Elizabeth's Hospital. We weren't allowed inside any of the buildings (unlike previous tours...) but there was a lot to see and photograph. Anyone that knows anything about me or my photography knows that decay, industrial devolution, and rotting old barns are some of my favorite subjects.

From the flier we were handed during the tour:
"St. Elizabeth's Hospital was a landmark in the mid-nineteenth century social reform movement that sought to provide care fo the mentally ill. Dorothea Lynde Dix, a noted American social reformer, philanthropist, author, and educator, helped establish St. Elizabeth's as the Government Hospital for the Insane in 1852. Its purpose, according to the March 3, 1855, legislation that organized the hospital, was to provide 'the most humane and enlightened curative treatment of the insane of the army and navy of the United States, and of the District of Columbia.'"

This photograph came out looking similar to how you see it now - the vignetting was ambient due to an overhanging porch roof. The RAW file looked quite a bit muddier than you see it here but Photoshop cleared that up on auto. I pushed the contrast and sharpened it up a bit; moved the dark levels down just a tad. I experimented with some high-pass sharpening but wasn't pleased with the result - it seemed to put tiny specs of white into the shot and just didn't have the right feel. I have to say I'm very pleased with this one, particularly with the gradient of light moving down.

More St. Elizabeth's photos in my Flickr.

Sunday, November 16, 2008


321/366 Jingle Bells, originally uploaded by Amberture.

Friday, November 14, 2008


319/366 FotoWeekDC, originally uploaded by Amberture.

Tonight I was a volunteer for the kick-off party for FotoWeekDC. I must have opened 200 bottles of wine. It was incredibly fun - I was in my element. I should have been a bartender or the like. I love having that power over people and telling them to all go f*ck themselves. You can wait for your free booze!

I will take the swank out of your fancy-pants party anytime.

Thursday, November 13, 2008


318/366 Advil, originally uploaded by Amberture.

For a week now, I've had excruciating pain in my upper left wisdom tooth. I've been to the dentist and consulted with my oral surgeon and there's nothing to be done except treat the pain until I can get them out. Because of the wonders of our health system, if I wait until January 2nd, I save $500 on the operation. $500 is a great deal of money for me and I intend to wait and suffer.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008


317/366 Noise, originally uploaded by Amberture.

I thought my outfit was really hip today but you can't see the best part of it as I'm squatting down. I had on textured tights and black snow boots. I looked hip.

But the godforsaken picture is far too noisy. I'm used to a point and shoot that gives me an agreeable noise level, regardless. My D80 thinks I know what I'm talking about, and it's becoming a problem.

Veterans' Day, Tuesday, November 11, 2008


316/366 In Bed, originally uploaded by Amberture.

George willingly submitted to having his photograph taken today. I must not be pestering him enough or he wouldn't offer.

Took this guy at medium zoom (check the exif) on a tripod. The overhead light is rather dull so I popped on both of our reading lights to give the background a bit of punch. I like what's going on on the sides but we definitely needed more light on us - nasty shadows on my face.

I just love George. He's so great.

Monday, November 10, 2008


315/366 Mickey Pin, originally uploaded by Amberture.