What's New?
Oil Painting of Peanut Butter and Jelly
Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwich - 5x7 on Gessobord Panel. Ok, so this oil painting was much more challenging than I expected – I almost wiped it clean about halfway through, but pushed ahead, and finished in one sitting! It's not perfect, but it's done… and MOST...
Oreo Cookies and Milk Oil Painting
Oreo Cookies and Milk – 5x7 Original Oil Painting Who can resist "Double Stuf" Oreo Cookies??? (Yes, it's really one "F", not two.) With a nice, cold glass of WHOLE milk???!!! I haven't done much food photography lately, so it was fun to dust off my flash and shoot...
Original Oil Painting of Broccoli
Original Oil Painting of bunch of broccoli by Irene Liebler 8×10″ on gesso board
37th Shoreline Arts Alliance IMAGES Show
It was a packed night at the 37th Shoreline Arts Alliance IMAGES Show – Connecticut’s oldest annual juried photography competition and exhibition, where I'm happy to say, two of my images were accepted: Mobile Home and Wayward Hamster, which received an Honorable...
Victory Theater – The Final Curtain?
Photography of the Victory Theater in Holyoke, Mass.
Inspired by Salmagundi’s New Member Art Show 2017
I feel very honored and humbled to have one of my photographic images in the New Member Art Show at the Salmagundi Club in New York City. The Club is such a treasure filled with amazing artwork, and even more amazing people. I was joined by my friend, Elise Paglino,...
“Swan Night” 2016 Picture of the Year
This image of my friend Marcelle won Picture of the Year in the Fine Art category at the North Haven Camera Club. Congrats to EVERYONE! It was a fun year of learning and sharing. Here's a gif showing the different layers. All original photos. Natural window light. I...
Red Devil
My kids are working behind the scenes in the lighting department in the high school play this year, and sometimes my daughter comes home with random colored gels that are otherwise destined for the dumpster. I decided to use the red gels that she rescued from the high...
Burning the Candle at Both Ends – Photo Illustration
Burning the Candle at Both Ends. We all do it. We push ourselves to extremes – meeting deadlines for clients, juggling multiple jobs, writing papers for teachers, studying for exams – often working into the wee hours of the night, getting little to no sleep. It's a...
Photograph: Bottles with Smoke
I recently joined the North Haven Camera Club and participated in my first group competition – the theme was “Bottles”. Step one was finding some interesting old bottles, so I called my neighbors Lynne and Deb who used to own Azteca’s Restaurant in New Haven. Their...
Portrait of a Wanna-Be Cowboy
I recently helped my husband with a ukulele video where he wore his straw hat and freshly grown “Novem-beard”, so I thought it would be fun to photograph him as a cowboy. I used 2 lights: a beauty dish with a 30-degree grid on the left, and a medium softbox on the...
Photographer, Mary Ellen Mark
And now for something completely different! Mary Ellen Mark is a documentary photographer. Kind of voyeuristic. She comes from a time (not too long ago) when magazines would send her across the globe on assignment for 6 months or 3 years to document prostitution,...
The Many Faces of Mr. Biggles
Portrait Study: DAVID BAILEY This week's featured photographer is David Bailey, a "problem" kid with dyslexia in 1960's East London. After a series of dead end jobs, he served with the Royal Air Force in 1957 where he bought his first Rolleiflex camera. The 1966 film...
Live Photography Demo at North Haven Camera Club
In early November of 2014, I had my first-ever opportunity to do a LIVE photo shoot at the North Haven Camera Club, to show how I put together a series of images to build a final image. The concept for my proposed image was about college, and whether it was worth it....
“Winterized” Portrait Photography
Portrait Photography Study: DAN WINTERS. Dan Winters is a famous American portrait photographer, illustrator, filmmaker who most recently shot Benedict Cumberbatch for TIME magazine. He knows how to control his light, and does brilliant things with color using film...
IMAGES 2015: CT Photography Competition
It's time once again for Connecticut's 34th photography competition. Artists' Award Reception: Sunday, March 22, 3pm - 5pm (Awards presented at 4pm) All events take place at the Mill Gallery @ Guilford Art Center, 411 Church Street, Guilford, CT. This year I submitted...
Addicted to Coupon’s Portraits
This week I finished up my 8-week portrait class featuring, photographer, William Coupon. He started out in the Big Apple, shooting the punk scene, and ended up creating portraits of presidents and celebrities like Bush, Clinton, Miles, and Mick. Here's a summary...
Portrait Photographer Study: Jeanloup Sieff
Jeanloup Sieff had a thing for buns and wide angle lenses. Born in Paris to Polish parents, Jeanloup (1933-2000) made a living shooting commercial photography in NY in the 60s for Esquire, Harper's Bazaar, Vogue and Elle. He loved nudes and often focused on the...
Herb Ritts: A Legendary Photographer
PORTRAIT STUDY: HERB RITTS From selling rattan furniture to movie producers in West Hollywood in the late 70s, to shooting glamorous photos of his actor friends in the 80s, Herb Ritts carved out a beautiful life for himself… sadly it was cut short at age 50. We've all...
Portrait Study: Peter Lindbergh (A “Ladies” Man)
This week's portrait photographer is Peter Lindbergh. He's known for his black and white, evocative, natural poses of women, with soft lighting, and aloof, uninterested expressions. His models often look like they're just waiting around, sometimes looking vulnerable,...
Over the Moon for Sarah Moon
Sarah Moon is a French photographer born in 1941 into a Jewish family forced to leave occupied France. She went to England and there studied drawing. She modeled from 1960 to 1966, and turned to photography in 1970. In 1972, she shot the Pirelli calendar, the first...
Karsh Portrait Study
This week we're studying Yousuf Karsh, who was a master of lighting, and best known for his iconic portraits of Queen Elizabeth II, Albert Einstein, Winston Churchill and Ernest Hemingway, to name a few. Here's a link to his work on Google. And here's a link to Karsh...
Back to Photography School for Me
Hello, friends! I'm happy to report that I've started a new 8-week portrait class with my favorite teacher, Mr. Don Giannatti from Phoenix. It's good to be back! The first assignment is based on the work of Victor Skrebneski, a famous fashion photographer from the...
My iBook Portfolio
Here’s the iBook version of my portfolio on iTunes, with a kind review from One9Design. “Irene’s work is magical, whimsical, and surreal. The fact that this caliber of work is available for no cost is unbelievable. Get it now while you can. In a few years you will see...
My Inspirations
It's a wonderful time to be an artist. The world is at our fingertips and in our back pockets… there are so many inspirations on the internet. Here are just a few of my favorite photographers: • Don Giannatti’s Project 52 PRO workshop • Joel Grimes • David Hobby •...
“Man in the Red Jacket” PDF Download
A behind-the-scenes look at “The Man in the Red Jacket”. All of the images in this book were created while participating in Don Giannatti’s Project 52 PRO workshop, using techniques and Photoshop tricks I’ve learned from him, and others online over the past two years,...
Liebler & Liebler at the Guilford Free Library
Whew! Lots of friends and family came out to see our show at the Guilford library despite the torrential rain! Thanks everyone!!!! It was great to connect with old friends and meet some new friends… • Here are a few pics taken by my dear friend, Sandy, and a link to...
Video: Irene’s Photography Shown in Photoshop Layers
During the month of October, some of my photography was exhibited at the Guilford Free Library in Guilford, Connecticut. This video was shown during the Opening Reception to help explain my process of layering multiple images into one final composite.
Photos of Feathers from Kevin, the Peacock
Remember Kevin the Peacock? Well, his owner came by to pick up his feathers today, so I took a few quick photos. Here's a link to the composite photo of Paige and her peacock.
Photoshop Composite: One Man’s Trash Is Another Man’s Treasure
Photo Illustration by Irene Liebler – "One Man's Trash is Another Man's Treasure" Project 52 Assignment 31: Here's The Brief, by Don Giannatti: "An old saying that we don’t hear much anymore, but it always reminds us that some folks throw out what other folks love. I...
My First Try at an Animated GIF
I already loved Photoshop before making this animated GIF, but now I REALLY, REALLY love it! The timeline in CC is very intuitive and makes it easy to keep layers organized. The only thing I had to Google, was how to "rotate" key frames in the timeline. Not just...
Birds of a Feather…
A new image created with the help of my friend Paige, and her pet peacock, Kevin. Behind-the-scenes to come… (update: I got distracted and made an animated gif instead.)
Is Someone Holding Your Feet to the Fire?
Sometimes our feet are held to the fire by others, and sometimes we have to hold our own feet to the fire. I prefer to be in charge of my own two feet. Another image from the series with Abigail Connolly. Featuring hot fire from my friend Ralph's 40th birthday party,...
The Little Bird Has Returned to the Nest
The young woman who left the nest last September to attend Cornell as a freshman has returned. Strong and proud. Rachel is an Engineering/Material Sciences major who aced all her classes while still managing to keep up her busy social life and blog. Now she's back...
“Between Two Rocks” Photoshop Tutorial
A 4-minute tutorial showing Photoshop compositing and masking techniques using the brush and pen tools, as well as how to composite flying hair using the Blend - Multiply settings. The "Hair" portion starts around 1:58. Model: Abigail Connolly Music by: KGB - “Call It...
Between Two Rocks and a Hot Place
I've had the phrase: "Caught Between a Rock and a Hard Place" stuck in my head for a while, and had the idea to do this shot. Thanks to Abigail for posing, and for my friends Ralph and Alisha for the massive bonfire. We were at their house for Ralph's 40th birthday...
Steam Punk World’s Fair 2014
Some shots from a recent adventure with Olivia and her friend Anna to see Steam Powered Giraffe at the Steam Punk World's Fair in New Jersey.
Photo Illustration: A Little Bird Told Me
"The girl had high hopes for another message from the prince, but the flamingo was just blowing smoke."
Smoke
One thing leads to another. Lighting dandelions on fire brought me to recognize the beauty of smoke. I used incense, and a black poster board for the background. One speed light was enough to light up the smoke without overexposing.
Dandelions on Fire!
So when your 15-year-old tells you that dandelions catch fire very easily, and shows you a cool picture on the internet, you have to try it for yourself, right?
Photography Headshot Posing Tip: “Do the Turtle?”
Directing a model is a skill that every photographer needs to have, and a recent shoot with Olivia gave me an opportunity to practice! One of the most important features of someone's face is the jawline. Unfortunately, if a person sits or stands naturally, without...
Photoshop Tutorial: “One Man’s Trash is Another Man’s Treasure”
Photoshop Tutorial: "One Man's Trash is Another Man's Treasure" This shot was created in Photoshop and took about 5 hours. Here's a 13-minute video showing the process, including false starts and lots of trial and error. Photo Illustration by Irene Liebler – "One...
A Bird In The Hand
A photo illustration called "A Bird in the Hand". This proverb refers back to medieval falconry where a bird in the hand (the falcon) was a valuable asset and certainly worth more than two in the bush (the prey). Other languages and cultures have their own version of...
Sister Butterfly
"The caterpillar does all the work but the butterfly gets all the publicity." ~ George Carlin This is Rachel's portrait, a companion piece to Abigail's butterfly portrait. Now if I could just get their brother to agree to model as a dragonfly… The stages of a...
Portfolio PDF Download
Click on the image to download my book. And, if you have an iPad, here's the iBook version.
Colorful Jellies!
I recently went to Mystic Aquarium, CT to photograph sharks, and was immediately distracted by these beautifully tangled jelly fish. Their long spindly tentacles kept getting entwined with each other, yet they managed to free themselves and keep floating along. Here's...
Who’s Afraid of a Little Fish?
The dark ocean So mysterious And beautifully terrifying. When I was six-and-a-half my parents took me to see JAWS on the big screen. Needless to say, I think I was permanently damaged. The most gruesome part of the film that stuck in my memory is the floating leg...
Butterfly Portrait with Rachel Connolly
Last week I did my first butterfly portrait with twelve-year-old Abigail Connolly. This week I had the opportunity to work with her older sister, Rachel, who was on spring break from Cornell. She's been in my shots many times before (ie: Sign of the Times) and is...
Hangin’ at the Connecticut IMAGES Show-2014
It was a gratifying day at the 33rd Shoreline Arts Alliance IMAGES Show – Connecticut's Annual Juried Photography Competition and Exhibition, where four of my images were accepted. There were 144 entrants with close to 900 photographs submitted. Most were digital, but...
Printed Book: The Man in the Red Jacket
A behind-the-scenes look at “The Man in the Red Jacket”. All of the images in this book were created while participating in Don Giannatti’s Project 52 PRO workshop, using techniques and Photoshop tricks I’ve learned from him, and others online over the past two years,...
Photo Illustration: Abigail with Butterflies
This is Abigail. A talented young woman who is spreading her wings and learning to fly. She's a singer and musician who plays the piano, upright bass, electric bass, ukulele, drums and sax. She's also a phenomenal ballet dancer and all-around nice kid. She just...
Changed by a Hurricane: An Interview with Photographer Irene Liebler
Several weeks ago, I was asked by Tamya Smith at SLR Loune to do an interview. Needless to say, I was deeply honored. It went live the day I was in NYC with my friend Sandy, at a Kelby One Photoshop Workshop by RC Concepcion. Here it is. My SLR Lounge by Tanya...
Photo Illustration: Playing with Fire… and Peppers
Peppers don't stick to red jackets very easily. This photo illustration was created for a book cover design titled, "Cooking with Chili" with a general layout provided by the art director. My idea was simple enough, but a bit challenging, technically. Step One: Get...
Burger Float
My latest image of the Man in the Red Jacket had strange beginnings. It went from being a menu cover design with flames, a flying Miata, and red hot type to a simple, square, whimsical image. Same burger, two very different uses. Here are both images: I shot the...
I Coulda Been a Contenda…
A very dramatic shoot with an unlikely subject. Rudy Gosteli is a happy-go-lucky guy, yet he was able to appear moody and dejected instantly … as soon as I said: "act like you coulda been a contenda." I was going for a Joel Grimes look – using 2 giant softboxes on...
A New Photography Series: “Becoming Red”
I started a new series, with a new model (Abby), and a new theme. "Becoming Red" is about a girl becoming a woman. I know it's been done before, especially Little Red Riding Hood, but I have to get it out of my head. My goal is to make 10 or 12 new images by the end...
A New Book: Behind-the-Scenes with “The Man in the Red Jacket” Photography Series
It really IS a wonderful time to be an artist. It's easier than ever to create, publish, and share your work with the world. Here is a behind-the-scenes look at “The Man in the Red Jacket”. All of the images in this book were created while participating in Don...
BTS Project 52: 2012
Here’s a time lapse video I created using photos from Project 52-2012 assignments. Over fourteen hundred photos in four minutes. A lifetime of learning in fifty-two weeks.
BTS Project 52: 2013
A behind-the-scenes compilation of my weekly Project 52 assignments, showing the trial and error, and problem-solving that is photography.
A Day at the Beach in York, Maine USA
While in Maine, I was playing around with a fun App called 8mm. Here's a quick video I shot with my iPhone and edited in Premiere, using my friend Pete's music. I did not set out to make a video while on vacation, but realized when I got home, that I had enough...
Little Girl with Great Big Plans Video
"Little Girl with Great Big Plans" was inspired 100% by Hailey Bartholomew and Sue Bryce, and their Creative Live workshop called "Promoting Your Studio with Video Showreels". My video was an exercise in following their recipe (almost to the letter) and learning their...