A writer and editor for over a decade, Ariel Meadow Stallings is the author of a book called Offbeat Bride: Taffeta Free Alternatives for Independent Brides, the editor of offbeatbride.com maintains a blog at electrolicious.com, and manages a local semi-regular literary event called Salon of Shame, where Seattlites gather to drink and exploit their younger selves by reading from their worst adolescent writing: middle school diaries, high school poetry, etc.

Originally from Bainbridge Island, Ariel grew up in a log cabin and studied Sociology and Communications at the University of Washington. She has written up and down the Left Coast, crafting articles for San Francisco-based feminist zines and Amazon.com reviews and several things in between. She’s been on The Today Show, she works at Microsoft three days a week taking pictures of cool employees, and she has bright pink hair tips.

Since she’s mostly a casual photographer who does other things for a living, we thought she’d be a great choice for Featured Picniker, to showcase how great casual pictures can look with just one or two Picnik Effects. And because four of us in Team Picnik are getting married this summer (that is, two of us are getting married to another two of us), who better to feature than an offbeat bride?

Picnik: How did you first hear about Picnik, and when was that?
Ariel: Picnik was recommended to me by a friend last fall, but it wasn’t until it was integrated with my beloved Flickr that I really started playing with it.

How has Picnik changed your life?
I have a history of mocking friends who used to spend so long post-processing their photos that by the time the shots were shared, no one really cared any more. For example “Oh, I love these pictures of Burning Man … from 2006.” At the same time, I recognize that just slapping ugly-but-timely photos up on Flickr isn’t really all that great either. Thanks to Picnik, now I can get my pictures online fast … and get them looking hot-cha-cha-cha good with only a couple clicks.

How many people have you got started using Picnik?
Good question … hmm, probably a half-dozen or so? When I stared editing more photos in Picnik, my Flickr friends started noticing and asking what Photoshop filters I was using. I was all gloaty about saying, “None, suckas!”

What did you like the most about Picnik when you first started using it, and what do you like the most about it now?
Initially, I was just happy to easily be able to edit my photos on Flickr without having to get photo software involved. Then, I got really into the pro effects. Now I’m obsessed with the Picnik Firefox plugin that lets me take screenshots and immediately edit them in Picnik.

What do you use to shoot with?
I have a Canon Digital Rebel XTi for the important stuff, and a little Canon SD800 point and shoot for the fun stuff.

Heroes or Lost?
Battlestar Galactica.

What inspires you to pull out your camera?
Usually people. Portraiture is my favorite, although my wide angle lens has given me a new appreciation of landscapes.

If any feature of Picnik were to be renamed after you, which would it be?
Probably the Orton Effect, which I love so much that when I was doing this photo shoot, I was actually thinking about the effect as I was taking the photos.

Which feature of Picnik would vastly improve any wedding album?
Depends on the wedding. For a traditional wedding, definitely the Orton and Holga effects for dreamy and classic feels. For a funky and offbeat wedding, it would have to be the Lomo and Cross Processing effects.

What’s one new feature you wish Picnik could have?
More photo effects and a graduated tint, as per Picasa. Also, I wish I could save photos at a higher resolution.
 
Our selective tinting feature has a fairly obvious (and very popular) application, so, finally, do you have any advice for the conventionally-colored professional wishing to add a little color to their tresses?
Oh, do I ever!

This entry was posted on Friday, July 11th, 2008 at 11:29 pm and is filed under picnikers, flickr. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.