Thanks for the Memories

This is the post that was meant for Thanksgiving Day as a tribute of thanks to all of you. A mushy love post written not only to you fine ladies (and the few fab men that read once in a great while) but also to the folks at ClubMom for providing this platform where a year and a half ago I  began this journey of writing about one of things I love the most in this world; Photography.  I know, it sounds so dramatic. And I guess it is a little bit because...

Are you sensing the vibe here yet? You know that looming feeling that the other shoe is about the drop. Hard and with a sudden 'clunk' because it's a high heeled number on a finely buffed out hardwood floor. Yep, it's that kind of drop. Ready?

...ClubMom is shuttin' down the blogs. I know it may be old news to many of you (I've been getting the inquiring emails to prove it) but I will admit I didn't find out until just before the holiday and I'm still in process mode. I'm not that surprised really but I am disappointed for sure. As far as the big picture goes, it certainly isn't the end of the world, but it is the end of a chapter and I am a bit sad to see it come to a close. I'm sentimental like that. But, I'm also one of those kid of gals that knows that this just means something wonderful is on the horizon. And surprise surprise, I've had this something wonderful in the works for a while, it's just taken more time to get it going than I had anticipated and now, here it is, the perfect time to begin the latest installment.

Does Shutter Sisters ring any bells? I've only been talking about my "next project" in one form or another for months now and if you were at BlogHer you may even have a token of the project in your hands. Talk about pressure. Nothing like giving out free stuff to market your "soon coming" blog only to not launch it for what feels like forever. But, I digress. The fantastic news is that I will be launching Shutter Sisters soon. And it looks like I'm going to be able to seamlessly transition from Picture This to Shutter Sisters. Coincidence? Nah. Just Universal synchronicity at it's finest.

So, what's this new blog all about? I guess the title gives it away but there are some elements that will make it unique...some of you even know bits and pieces...but that's for another post. And believe you me, I will be talking about it a lot soon, very soon. Today, I just want to let all of you know how very thankful I am for all of you. Your comments and questions, support, encouraging words, and perhaps most of all, the images you have created and shared over the last year and a half or so have inspired me so deeply. I am beyond glad I have had this place to call home and that I now have all of you to call my "shutter sisters".

And as far as the details...well, I haven't gotten that far yet. I do know that I WILL BE POSTING HERE until they unplug me which is going to be sometime at the end of December and I will be carrying on My Best Shot Mondays until the bitter end when I will probably parlay them over to Mother May I. Just because I enjoy them. And, that's all I got for you today. Just a gigantic virtual hug to you and a load of appreciation for everything you've given me here at Picture This.

Putting the Fun in Monday

Well, it's Monday and both of my girls are now in school. All day. It feels amazing. I have been waiting for this day for a long time...the day I reclaim my life. For a few hours anyway. I will actually now have almost a full work day to get my work done in. Crazy, isn't it?

My vision? To get my work done during work hours (OK, and a little time for Yoga) so that in the evenings (when I usually am pounding away on the keyboard under some sort of deadline) I can do other, more self-nurturing things. Like reading, crafting, relaxing. It sounds so wonderful, it makes me want to cry. Anyway, with the creative nudges from blogs like Melody's latest blog Wrapped Emotions, MamaSaysOm, flickr groups like this one, and Magpie Girl's Creativity Challenges there's no telling what might happen.

My husband was out of town this weekend so I stayed up until the wee hours playing. And I came up with this.

 

My Playful Best Shot for today may just be the beginning of a new artistic phase for me. I am giddy with the possibilities. See what a little taste of freedom can do for a mom?

What inspired you this week?

Picture Hope

I want to share a very cool story with you. It's about what Susan spelled it out in her post Finding Hope in Photos at Snapshot Chronicles.

I am a firm believer in the magic of synchronicity. You know, fate, serendipity, the secret, or whatever you want to call it. Whatever it is, I don't at all consider it chance or coincidence as I hold close the thought that all things are connected and that so much of our lives unfurl in a really "meant to be" kind of way. Yes, I'm into that kind of thing and I don't care who knows it.

Here's the perfect example of happenings that all worked together for a greater good.

A lovely and generous friend put out an email asking for some support for a photographer friend of hers who was on a mission, so to speak. See, Leah's friend Katie had a plan. She had a plane ticket to Uganda and it was going to be a chance for her to make a difference in the lives of the people there. Her thought was something that was inspired by the acclaimed documentary Born into Brothels. She wanted to give the people, but more specifically the children of this village she was visiting a voice; a way to express and empower themselves through photography. I was moved by the idea but really didn't have the resources to help out in ways she was asking. Namely photographic equipment.

About two weeks later I got an email from wonderful Susan who told me that HP offered to give me some equipment (for posting about the Everafter Photo Contest) with the request that I donate it to someone who might be in need of it. Wow. Are you thinking what I'm thinking? Hello HP generosity!! Within minutes I was reminded of Leah's email and Katie's need and the next morning I gave Katie a call with the good news. I call that synchronicity at it's best.

So, Katie is soon off to Uganda to fulfill her dream and make a difference in the lives of the children she will be working with. Susan and I of course are so wanting to be involved so Susan came up with the great idea to get our children in on the project. Right up my alley! So, as Katie's kids shoot pictures of their world, our children will be shooting photos of theirs. We plan on posting some photos from Katie's trip and compare them to those that our children take. I can't wait to see what comes of it and I'm thrilled I'll get to share it with you.

Slanted (More or Less)

I decided to do a little Tabblo of these quirky Little Pony shots (I told you great minds think alike Maile) and briefly touch on where the diagonals come into play in each of them. You will have to click over to the Pony Tabblo page to read the explanation.

Although what I have been saying here this week is that you can create the tilt in your images to give them some interest, it's not always just about a flick of the wrist. In fact, sometimes, the diagonal is there, even when you don't even know it or you don't even try. Check out Carrie's series of her daughter and her serenading husband. The first and the third shots in particular are highlighted beautifully by that gorgeous diagonal of the instrument. Just lovely. That's what I mean when I said that there are other ways to get that element in without making your subjects askew.

There is much about good compositional elements that is intuitive so things happen "by accident" but really it's us capturing an image through an intuitive process and that's a beautiful thing! Tomorrow I will point out a few more of my favorites of YOURS that you've shared this week. There are so many great images you guys...I am really impressed. But what else is new? You guys rock! If there is anything you want to point out about the subject, please share...and links?? Keep sending links. It's been so cool to see your creative juices flowing! And thanks for the input on the Cheerios photos. It's helped a lot. I'll let you know which I submit when I finally do it!

And speaking for contests...YES! ANOTHER ONE!! The wonderful Susan gave me the heads up on some great photo contests that Hewlett Packard is hosting with SnapFish in conjunction with the release of Shrek the Third. Check out the prizes and prepare to be dazzled. The first contest deadline is TODAY (so sorry I'm tardy in announcing this) so dig through your stuff and see if you've got something that fits the "cast of characters" theme. Something tells me you do. But, if you can't make this deadline, they have more themes coming. Just check out this list! I think this is like the contest mother-load. And if you enter these, you'd better tell us because we are all about supporting one another around here and we will soooo vote for you. Out of all of us cool photographer women, somebody's bound to win something!

2 Prong Approach

So, let's talk diagonals. Yesterday's shot was plain and simple where my subject was at a diagonal angle in the frame. But, there are many other ways to use the alluring diagonal line in your images. I was totally taken by Melody's BSM yesterday of her boys on the dock. The line of the dock in fact was at a wonderful angle and so were the boys all lined up on it. Do you see it?

Now, look at this one. It was taken at the same time as my photo from yesterday (obviously) but this slant isn't as pronounced at the other. With the more subtle approach and the cropping, I think it's even more effective. Course, the expression isn't nearly as captivating but from a compositional standpoint, I think it works better. It draws you in a little more maybe.

Now, I am going to ask you to take a look at a Flickr set called "am" (as in the morning hours) to see a variety of images shot at the same time, using the same subject matter, and using various angles, some creating nice diagonal examples. In these cases, I am using the subject to create that line BUT, as we saw in Melody's image, there are other ways to achieve a more interesting image via diagonal lines. I saw a number of them yesterday and I'll give some examples later in the week. I encourage you to shoot sets like this and try different angles of the frame. It's really cool to see which twist or turn floats your boat. We all see things differently.

Looking at this shot you can see the diagonal she's making with her arm, and the stripes, and the slight angle of the bowl. That's 3 points that all have intersecting angled lines if you were to draw lines all the way through the image. Are you getting me or have I lost you? I think it's a great example even though it's not nearly as obvious as the other's I have shown you. None the less, it works. Seriously though, am I at all making myself clear? Feedback? And by all means, this week is sharing week so post some links of shots you think might display this stuff and we'll talk. The odd part is, when you start to recognize it, you'll notice that a lot of your favorite images will have these diagonals...it's so much a part of good images (in any medium) that the eye is attracted to it without knowing why.

But, beyond looking at my "am" set for that alone, I NEED YOUR HELP! Hence the 2 Prongs of which I titled this post. Please help me decide which shot to enter in that Cheerio's Contest over at Modern Mom. Leave comments either here or over there with your top picks. I cannot decide. I am short circuiting due to a cuteness overload and because I love every picture of my daughter (doesn't every mother) I need another set of eyes (or lots of sets for that matter) to give me a hint of what to submit. Will you help a girl out? The deadline is Friday so I need to make a decision. Oh, the agony. Any of you entering? Who couldn't use $500? Come on...it'll be fun.

Write On!

      When I’ve done book reviews for MotherTalk before, I usually use my other blog but in the case of Writing Motherhood by Lisa Garrigues it’s a different story all together. I felt that a book about documenting life with children through writing would really compliment what we talk about here at Picture This; documenting life with children in photographs. It is a good fit, don’t you think?

     I was giddy to get a copy of Writing Motherhood just by the title alone as I am already a huge advocate of women writing their way through motherhood. In fact, the sole purpose of my own books (Waiting for Baby and Baby of Mine) is to do exactly that; encourage and inspire women to record their unique motherhood experience (I guess that’s why they are considered 'Motherhood Memory Albums') through writing and pictures. It’s no wonder I was on board before I cracked the book. But, when I dove in I was delighted to find more than just words to rouse the inner writer, I found a mother’s treasury rich with creative nourishment for any woman seeking to express herself in attempts to hold on to her sanity, memory, identity, or whatever the case may be. And believe it or not, I think that even if someone didn’t think they were interested in writing, they just might be after a few pages of Lisa’s book. It’s got that kind of effect.

     Ms. Garrigues herself is a brilliant writer and this truth is evident on every page. She weaves her own personal and poetic stories throughout each chapter which makes reading her book such a pleasure. The tone is soothing and her words so fluid, I often forgot I was reading what I thought would be a traditional ‘how-to’ book.  Although I rarely leave the bookstore without something from the self-improvement section (I know, it’s ridiculous) I found it refreshing to read a book that offered illuminating insights as a way of gently guiding the reader,  more than by hard, strict rules. Lisa even makes mention of being more of a guide than a conventional teacher (love that!) and reiterates that there are no rules to Writing Motherhood. Oh Holy Freedom! Obviously, these ideas resonated with me and I felt on many points her words could have been those that I have shared with you all about my photography philosophies. It was validating and exciting for me to read those same ideas from someone else on writing. It’s as if now, I have been given permission to write whatever the heck I want (without editing, rewriting, guilt) and although I guess I knew it all along, now I can exclaim, “Lisa said it was OK!”

     Although Writing Motherhood is bursting with information, it’s not the least bit overwhelming. Early on Lisa encourages the reader to “skim the book to get a lay of the land” which was soooo liberating for a self-proclaimed skimmer like myself. She’s a pro on the subject of Writing Motherhood as she has taught the subject before (we learn early on) and it’s obvious she’s been around the writer’s block before. She has a way of gently addressing each little brick of worry we use to built our walls of resistance so when you begin, there really are no excuses which I really love about her approach. Fear of the blank page? She offers writing starts to get past that. Hate the drudgery of imposing writing exercises? She extends “invitations” to write in which we are able to accept or decline at our own will. Don’t consider yourself a real writer? She gives us a chance to write our own disclaimers, first thing so we can forgive ourselves our imperfections. Don’t have enough time? She assures, and I quote “each chapter can be read in 5 minutes” and she is true to her word. I hope you are sufficiently convinced that this book is for you or as Jenny mentioned at Three Kid Circus Auditions in her review, a perfect Mother’s Day gift.

     Lisa Garrigues is a fellow mother, an eloquent writer, a nurturing guide and a welcome muse and within the pages of Writing Motherhood has given us an invaluable resource, a companion to lean on and hold close as we explore innermost selves and begin to tell our own stories as we join the chorus of what she refers to as “the universal song of motherhood.” Let us sing.

'Guest Star' for a Day

Maile, of the delicious Daily Relish asked me to share some of my trade secrets with her readers. Remember when she was gracious enough to write me a post about lighting? Well, we did a swap thingy, so if you are interested in reading some of my "pro" tips on how to better work with clients, pop over and read yesterday's post. And even if you're not interested in going pro, there are still some things there that might be helpful as you take pix of your own children.

Happy Shooting.

Some Light Philosophy

Thinking about using reflectors has got my mind swirling. And then by wonderful serendipity, the theme this week at Mama Says Om is light. What else? I love it when that happens.

Back to reflectors...I've talked briefly about using one to manipulate light. To get more of it, or less of it. To bounce some up or down or sideways. To find the light you need and make it do something different than what it's already doing just to get the perfect shot. And oddly enough, I'm having a hard time articulating the 'hows' because I think more than anything, when I see the light that illuminates my subjects softly, sweetly, perfectly, I know it. No formula. No hard rules. I just know it. And for the most part, I'm not using a reflector because I'd rather not make the light do anything it's not already doing. Instead, I'd rather observe and appreciate it exactly how it presents itself to me. Through my reverie of light, I have learned to see what works, not only for the camera (how much light I need for the exposure), but for me. What will work in an image that will make me happy with the end result. What stirs my soul, gets me laughing, or makes me feel like my heart could break. All of that goes far beyond the seeing. It becomes feeling.

So, where am I going with this? I'm not sure really. It's just fascinating to me, as I have had to kind of dissect the way I create my "art" and analyze it so that I can better share it, that it's not always that easy. And I don't always know how to explain it and I wonder if I really want to sometimes. But because photography can be such a technical medium, breaking it down in order to instruct by steps seems the obvious way to teach it. I guess, it can be on certain levels yes, but the feeling part...ah, that part that makes your heart race or soar, or nearly stop in your chest? It's rarely spoken of. Everyone is so concerned with what's technically correct. But, that's not what is most important to me. If something you've captured makes you squeal with delight, that's enough. If you are touched by an image you see, there's nothing else that needs to be said. It just touches you. That's all. That's what matters.

For me, and this is something I know to be true, everything I see (from behind the camera or not)involves light and all of it's beautiful subtleties. Every minute of everyday it changes. I admire the soft light that turns every baby into a cherub and takes the edge of the harshness of the world and makes even the most absurd of life's moments light. It's intangible and nearly impossible to explain but still, it's what I see. It's what I am drawn to. The illumination of what is beautiful; that what I look for everyday and what I want to share in my images. And through our daily conversations here, I can only hope that you might find your inner artist who knows what she loves and can capture it in photographs, on her own terms, through her own vision, driven by her own passion, lit just as it is meant to be. But, no books can teach her how to do it; that's your job.

Do You Think Outside the Box?

Most of you know I am often found offering a plethora of advice over at Minti. I've got a whole list of goodies I've shared over there. Just recently I have begun a series (I've only gotten as far as 3 posts at this point what with all the setbacks of late) but I think so far they are some great tips.

So why am I sharing this with you? Well, because they are photo tips (what else?). More specifically they are simple ideas to help any parent take endearing and meaningful pictures of their kids. My intention is to offer tid bits that you might not normally think about. As far as I'm concerned, every parent is a family historian and my goal is to help empower the parent behind the camera to take better family photos for the sake of remembering all the fleeting moments of our children's lives. These are short, concise thoughts that are easy to implement into the average families photo regime. Pretty plain and simple. Just kind of encouraging others to think outside the photo box.

I wanted to extend an invitation to all of you, my super-talented readers, to think of your own photo tips that you might be willing to share with other parents out there. I have probably a dozen more of my own ideas to post in the series but I would love to hear YOUR IDEAS too.

If you think you've got something to share that is noteworthy, please either leave it here in a comment (although that might be a little difficult and lengthy), email me with the idea (subject Idea for Minti and if possible a photo that demonstrates it) or go over there and post it yourself (you'll need to be a member first but it's quick and easy to join). Remember, if you share your idea with me you are giving me permission to either copy your email or rewrite the idea for a Minti post, as well as use the image along with it. I WILL be sure to give you all the credit by mentioning it's YOUR idea in the post and link it to your blog or wherever you'd like, so let me know in your email where I need to link to you.

I can't wait to hear your ideas and thanks for getting involved. It's all about helping each other and inspiring one another to be better photographers, isn't it?

Seeing the Light

I have been getting email after email asking about lighting. What kind of lights do I use? What kind is best to buy? Any tips and tricks for lighting? I really hate to disappoint but I find I keep having to respond that I'm not a lighting aficionado. At least with artificial light. I don't like to use it, ever, unless I have to. I have learned how to use it when I have to but honestly I never like the results as much as what I capture with natural light. It's not my thing. It doesn't come naturally to me and it really doesn't interest me at all. My "studio lighting" set up is big, archaic and inconvenient and that kind of thing just tends to stifle my creative juices. I haven't set it up for over 2 years. I'd rather have the challenge of having to find the light. Having to get as much light as possible out of seemingly impossible situations. And THAT, I can do pretty well. My clients are always surprised when I find the one little place in their home with the best lighting. Bedroom, kitchen, even bathroom. I have used every room in the house. I really have. And because I can recognize good light and I can harness it, I am usually successfully in my results. Gosh, that makes me sound like some kind of superhero of light. Cool.

In other words, just because you are shooting indoors, you do not need a flash. Not always anyway. Obviously, for starters, you've got to find windows and find the place where the light is coming in the brightest (not as in direct light--as in indirect, soft light) and put your subject there. Learning to see where the light is strongest/best is a great way to start. It just takes looking very carefully at the nuances of light. And studying it. Seeing the way it hits a subject. It's subtle stuff and you have to kind of train your eye to see it. But once you do see it, it can become second nature. I don't even think about it anymore. I just know it when I see it. It's even odd for me to articulate it. I hope to try and challenge myself to try to teach you how to see through photos but it feels impossible. I'll keep brain storming at better ways to explain than just these long winded posts.

As far as how to face your subjects once you've found the light, that's kind of up to you and your taste. You can use the lighting as sidelight which shows more of the direction of the light and also will give you the portrait- like highlights and lowlights on your subjects face which can be wonderful and very effective for some shots. Other shots you'll want flat light. I personally love flat light. I think it's, well, flattering. And it's easy because the light just lands on the face and kind of washes the details out. Sound strange? Well, I use flat light with babies (soft and dreamy) and I used too with brides (soft and dreamy). Moms usually love it too...I know that flat light is my friend and I love to look soft and dreamy personally. Not all photographers are hip to the flat lighting like I am. And sometimes it's not as effective as others but you'll need to move your subject around (by rotating them in slightly different directions) as you experiment to see what YOU like. The direction of the light and how it hits your subject will give different vibes and serve different purposes. If the windows aren't giving you the light you need, try a door. An open door. I stand outside while my subject is right inside the door. Perfect light almost every time. Try it. Unless you're in the middle of an ice storm and then, you can save it for a warmer day.

NOW, let me also tell you my secret...it's in the eyes. The eyes are my gage in seeing whether the light is good or not. If my subjects eyes look dark (with no glimmer, no highlight) or if they have dark circles under them, then I know they are not facing the proper direction. It only takes subtleties of movement to get them properly lit. Just watch their eyes and follow their lead. If they look bright, chances are you've got a good shot in the making.

These kinds of observations are how I gage what I am shooting. That's why I like natural light. I can SEE what I am going to get before I get it. And I move my subject around until I find it. With the flash, the image always looks different than what I are see. Pet peeve. I hate that. I like to capture what I see. It's just my thing.

I do realize however that it's not always that easy finding the light. Everyone doesn't live in So Cal where the weather is a sunny 70 degrees everyday. If I lived somewhere with a real winter, I might be out of a job. But, I don't. And I'm not. Lucky for me. But even when I have to find creative ways to manipulate the light, I can usually find a way. One of the most brilliant tools is the photo reflector. This baby will take the light you do have and either make more of it, redirect it, channel it, use it as back light, side light, whatever, so the light works best for your needs. It's handy and affordable and one of my favorite things to use when I need a little help. If you don't have a real one, you can use almost anything for a reflector. In this post, XXX said she used a white piece of foam core. Resourceful girl! I have a white wall (my neighbors house) that reflects the afternoon sun right into my living room for an hour or so everyday and it's like magic hour around here. I just love it. My dark living room gets this gorgeous soft glow that can't be beat. I know it's really hard to imagine without seeing a visual so maybe I'll try to show you how it works through pictures. Hmm. I wish you could come over and see for yourselves! I'll see what I can do in the next few days and get back to you one that. I have even used a glare off of a car windshield more than once to kick up the light when I am shooting somewhere outside. It sounds strange but there are all sorts of ways to find light when you need it. Who knew?

But, I know that I am not alone in my quest for natural light. Photographers like Maile at Relish Portrait Studios have the natural light thing down to a science too. Go over to her blog and see for yourself!

Tomorrow, I will attempt to talk a little about artificial light (gasp) because so many of you want to know. And speaking of the fabulous Maile, she'll be writing a post about her take on lighting at Daily Relish, just for us. You won't want to miss it. She's a master of the light box so I know it will be helpful! Seriously, she's great at natural light and artificial. The total package. Lucky.