Whatever Makes Your Heart Soar...

"Sunshine in Your Heart"

I am seeing many blogs and articles lately that I suppose are there to challenge the average photographer. Posts about what's long out of style, what's the latest cool look, where the money is being made, where the money should be spent. Some make a living out of sticking their nose up at the learning photographer still calmly mucking their way through the world of pro photography, and some make a point of telling you to embrace every obstacle and seeing where it all leads.

In all of the mumblings, and overwhelming advice, I hope there are those who still encourage all artists and hobbyists alike to embrace whatever makes their heart soar. I mean it. If art is an expression of the artist's vision and purpose, then how important is it to stop emmulating everyone around you and just be you. Don't worry about what the trend is on 500px, don't fret over the fact that everyone else seems to have their act together, and don't sacrifice what only you can bring to your art for the chance to blend in with the thousands of others who are desperate to copy anything deemed the very best. Because at some point, on a whim, the powers that be will suddenly have a new "very best"... and it starts all over again.

As I work on a new business strategy (yep, STILL working on it... but that's okay in my world) for my photography, I still try to retain a grasp on who I am as a photographer and artist. Yes, I strive to grow. Yes, I try to hone my craft. But I cannot do well if my best is someone elses. Sometimes my need to just be me results in wandering through the local park and coming back with an image like the one above. An image to remind me that no matter what else I do with my skills, this is who I really am. I'm not sure we make an effort to know ourselves that well. We're too busy trying to keep up with everyone else and an industry that seems to be gathering momentum faster than a tornado in a trailer park.

Before you do anything else with your craft, make sure you remember to do whatever makes your heart sing. Whether it hangs in a gallery or hangs out on a website (or just hangs out in your craft room at home), make sure it's all you baby.

Thanks for the ramble gang.... and I'll try never to end a post with "it's all you baby" ever again. Well, hardly ever.

Change It Up!!! ~Floral Friday

Rainy Day Magnolias, a photo by C.Duncan's Photography on Flickr.

Every creative person I know gets stuck. Moments where you're in a rut. You have artist block. Nothing seems new. Or interesting. You'd rather bury yourself in a carton of Super Chocolate Caramel Explosion ice cream and watch reruns of Wonder Woman... well... some of us anyways.

Thought I'd share my go-to list of things I do to switch things up and gain new inspiration. If you've been doing photography for many years, these will be old hat to you. But if you've never tried these, it can put the excitement back into photographing whatever comes your way. Here we go;

Set An Absurd Boundry ~ We all know the ideal conditions for shooting inside, outside, whatever. So give yourself a specific shooting condition and only shoot that way. Only landscapes in the rain. Only portraits at twilight. Shoot every day for an entire month only from your backyard, or along a specific stretch of road. Force yourself to get creative. And tell others about your
self-inflicted project so you follow up.

Use Your Gear... All of It! ~ Use your lenses in creative ways. Wide Angles for portraits! Yep, you heard me. Figure out how to get creative with your perspective and the POV you shoot from and get some cool portraits. Stop reaching for the obvious lens choice. Use your telephoto first when photographing architecture instead of the wide angle. Force yourself to see within a tighter, less chaotic frame. It's simply thinking outside the box but sometimes we're in a comfortable rhythm and can't see anything else, then wonder why our images seem uninspired.

Face Your Weaknesses ~ If you steer clear of macro nature shots because you can't seem to get what everyone else gets in the lens, start exploring what else you can aim a macro lens at. Over the course of a month, those skills will grow. If you avoid portraiture in general, start with a fun project with your family making crazy faces, or only your dog for a few weeks, in different light, in different locations, and hone those portrait skills you were afraid were non-existent. What you learn about yourself you'll be able to apply to what you do love. Or it may open up a new vocation for you completely. And how exciting would that be.

Invoke The Buddy System ~ Invite others to participate. The more the merrier, and everyone stays motivated, feeding off each others energy and experiences. This is what my friend Dave Pratt and I did with our Epic Personal Photo Challenge... we opened it up to anyone who loved photography and every two weeks a new person picks a theme we have to shoot in. We reveal all our images on the same Sunday and discussion runs rampant on what our individual approaches resulted in, and new ways to see a subject. It's fabulous and very inspiring. The fun is injected back into the act of photography, and you can tell by looking at the images each week. You can click the link above to join us if you'd like....

So have a fabulous Friday gang, and let's inject some inspiration back into our photography. Just change it up!

Crazy Days ~ Telephoto Tuesday

"Dandie & Penny Forever"

Things around here have been nuts. Between tax season, approaching weddings, kids getting ready for secondary and post secondary education, working on our house, trying to lose weight, starting a new photography portfolio and attempting to maintain my stats in scrabble (vitally important I know), you can start losing perspective on what's important. Every day feels crazy, or busy, or both.

That is, until you wander through the local cemetery one day with the camera. Suddenly what seemed important and what IS important becomes super clear as you stand surrounded by nothing but graves. Dandie and Penny don't get a second chance to switch perspectives. But we do.

Now I'm not going to go all morbid or mushy on you. But sometimes I'll be honest, I get caught up in the wrong things that vie for my attention either work related or day to day. I'll be keeping this image somewhere close to my work area from now on. It's going to be my reminder to strive for what's most important in my family and my work, and to remember that the fluff, the extras, and the frills are okay but should never hinder the journey.

As we like to say in the photography world (and in all cheesiness), "Let's stay focused!"

I think Dandie and Penny would heartily agree don't you?

Life Vs. Photography

"Pretty in Pink"

Things have been sporadic here at the blog this year. As a mom and wife who is trying to build a portfolio and career in photography, sometimes life wins out and photography takes the backseat. Not for long mind you, but it happens. And it's not a bad thing. My family has to know I'm there for them no matter what. So I'm in a season where I work on my photography in and around my other aspects of life. If you're a parent and a spouse, you totally know what I mean.

And I don't care if you do travel photography (one day, one day), baby portraits, commercial, or fine art... at some point we realise just how big a balancing act it is. In fact anyone who works from home will understand. Heck, anyone who works, period, will understand the juggling skills you need to balance your vocation and your family life. After seeing some remarks and comments on various blogs and sites and emails from frustrated parents/spouses/photographers, I thought I'd post these thoughts on the blog today. When it's life verses photography, sometimes life wins hands down.

So what am I trying to say today....?

I just want to say, hang in there. Find a way to work on your dream while waiting for the laundry to dry and the skunk aroma to work it's way out of your dog again. Set up your day so you have even one hour to be creative, then go back to deciding what's for supper tomorrow and where your youngest might have left his new glasses when he went to the mall. Make sure your family knows that they can even join in on your learning process... make them your models, give them a cool job to help with on your next shoot even if it's a (gasp) school day, or make a day of scouting new locations together, and get their input on what looks exciting.

Hang in there and keep shooting. Keep shooting and keep sharing. Keep sharing, then let life win out for a bit. It's going to happen whether you want it to or not.

Thanks for the ramble gang! And don't give up!

How To Enjoy The Process! ~Wide Angle Wednesday

"Rafaga At Sunset"

So yesterday's post received some great feedback. The emails came in all day and it would appear we've all gone through the feelings I described. Which makes today's post a no-brainer. It's easy to say to keep photographing, and intentionally enjoy the process it provides, but how?

Decide What's Ultimately Important To You. Then Eliminate the Rest.

This means you may need to rediscover what you absolutely love about photography in general and your photography in particular. Actively using your camera will do that for you. Use this time to photograph what you love that's accessible right now. Start using what images you do get to hone your true style. Make the point of the photograph to express what you feel or know or love about it. Not how many hours work went into it, how many new programs you used or could have used, or if the location is popular to anyone else. Go back through your files and round up the past images that really got responses and interest from viewers or fans and make sure you know WHY they worked or evoked those responses over others.

Eliminate the Rest

Thought I skipped this part didn't you? This is a hard topic for photographers desperate to start working or to find their niche in the business world. While you are establishing for yourself who you are behind the lens, don't try to be everything to everybody just to make a buck or get some exposure somewhere just for the sake of exposure. Eliminate the distracting offers. Take something on only if it's where you belong and have the established skills for. In the meantime, start using your strengths while you shoot. And in the genre you love. With subjects that speak to you. Anything that doesn't fall into those perimeters, ask yourself if it's important to your growth as an artist to keep aiming your camera at it, at least for now.

Know Who's In Your Corner

I did a post last month that really resonated with a few of you about the four types of people you need in your life as a photographer. The Critical Eye, The Beacon, The Cheerleader, and The Partner In Crime. They each have something valuable to offer so don't lose that connection. Take one of them out for coffee, get chatting online and on the phone regularly. Do a photo day with them. Get them talking about how they dealt with being overwhelmed, striking out on their own, and how when mistakes happened they got back up or changed direction. If these relationships are solid you can ask them for their perspective and advice and they'll happily give it. Usually because at some point someone invested in them the same way. Photography in this day and age is more about community than ever before. Don't forget that.

So get out there. Circumstances or what-ifs can't stop you. Enjoy the process of photography your way. You never know what you might discover. Just remember discovery is the point. Throw some fun into the mix and you're on your way to emerging from yesterday's "fog of despair"

Keep shooting. Enjoy the process.

Thanks for allowing me to ramble once again.

Don't Despair. Keep Shooting. ~ Telephoto Tues.

"Steel & Steam"

You feel like packing it in. You feel like your passion is growing stale. Everyone seems to be doing it better, with better gear, in better locations, for better money. The dreamer in you feels suffocated. The enthusiast within is limp with worry. The practical personality in your head says, "lets just switch to scrapbooking and be done with it."

Scrapbooking? What? (No disrespect to scrappers everywhere. It's a very serious calling I know.)

If you're anything like me, you've been there. It's not easy finding your particular vein of photography, your style, what you'll bring to the table that hasn't already been done, and most importantly, why and when it'll come together for you. And you want it so badly too. But some days it's like fighting your way through a thick fog. On a roller coaster. After having too many chili dogs. Okay, forget that last part. If you can.

My point... all this really means is that it's time to make the process, or your journey on the roller coaster in the fog, count. Make "now" count for something. Something that will feed into your final destination when you finally decide on where you want to end up. Sounds simple. Sounds cliche. But I've seen it transform my own attitude towards my photography. Even just recently. So don't despair. Keep shooting.

The image above was the result of a desperate jaunt at the north end of the city. If it seems that I've been in an industrial type photo groove lately, you'd be right. I forgot how much I love it. Grit. Smokestacks filtering light on the street below. Odd colors. Rampant decay. Layers of steel. The incessant puffs of steam no matter where you look. I had been bemoaning the fact that I haven't had to work on a location recently. That I wasn't breaking any new ground with any new skills. I was doing a good job of talking myself right into the first seat on the roller coaster in the middle of a hail storm, never mind the fog. What brought the sun back out? What kept me from trading the Nikon for some scrapbooking lessons? I kept shooting. Enjoyed the process only. And this was one of the shots from what I thought would be an exercise in futility. It won't be every body's cup of tea, but that's not the point of the image. The point is realizing photography equals discovery. Now I have a little bit better idea of where I'm headed. And you will too.

I'm not sure who this post is for. I just felt like this was a good time for this benign ramble. That there might be others like me who need to know this happens to everyone. So don't despair. Until you know where you want to go with all of this, keep shooting. The act of taking photographs will propel you towards the right destination for you, whether it feels like it or not. Leave the scrapbooking to the pros.

Tomorrow, join me for Part II... "How To Enjoy the Process". I'm off to find me a decent chili dog.

Thanks, and have a good one gang!  

Find A Quiet Spot ~ Telephoto Tuesdays

"The Sprites of Spring"

Too many grey days in a row always sends me scrambling for my gear. No more sitting in front of the computer screen at that point, or tidying my work space yet again. On the dull winter days I have to get out. One of my favorite places to haunt on just such an occasion is our very own

Royal Botanical Gardens.

It's quiet, it's bright, and it's beautiful. I instantly relax. I don't even pull out the Nikon right away. There are comfy benches along each pathway through the greenhouses that invite you to stay a while and let all the greens and colors and textures reveal themselves in their own time. My eye begins to notice tiny buds opening, tiny fruit ripening on gnarly branches, and these tiny tiny iris type flowers poking up out of the colorful mulch in the photograph for today. I can find spring here. It's refreshing. And I can photograph it and carry it home with me.

It's lovely. I leave feeling rejuvenated.

I can't stress enough how important it is to find a quiet spot, or a beautiful spot, (a goodly distance from your work place) and let it feed your creativity every once in a while. No deadlines, no emails, no pressures. For twenty minutes, for an hour, for a weekend. It builds YOU back up and gets you to a place where you can go back to all the other things with a better attitude and with purpose. Even just writing about it here makes me feel better!

So, find such a spot this week if you can. And take some time to breathe. Or to be inspired. I know you want to.

Thanks for the ramble gang. If you're ever in Ontario, please make time to visit the RBG too. No matter what time of the year!

Getting Inspiration!

"When I Think of You..."

I needed to start my week inspired. It's as simple as that. Where do you find your inspiration or motivation to jump into that vocation you love, no holds barred as they say? Books? Galleries? Your neighborhood?

I gain inspiration all those places too of course. But when I need an instant boost to the creative juices, I turn to some of my favorite bloggers and photographers. And I thought, why not share them with you! These go beyond just photography for photography's sake. These never cease to make me sit up and say to myself, "Self... when was the last time YOU shot with that kind of obvious passion?"

So here are the go-to sites I choose specifically when I need to be inspired:

* Dream Tomorrow, Live Today, Cherish Yesterday

* Cranial Aperture

* Naturally Beautiful Photography

* Confessions of a Pioneer Woman

* PixelatedImage

* Dan Jurak's Alberta Landscape Photo Blog

* Daniel Casares Roman (Color Humano)

I poked through all of them today, and what do you know? I feel fired up and ready to photograph and explore in a way only I know how! That's how inspiration works. Find the one thing that will get you excited about your tasks today, and let's all get crackin'....

Happy Monday gang!

It's Glorious ~ Floral Friday!

"Bloomin' Sunshine"

I love a challenge don't you? Right now I'm preparing to try some new avenues within my photography for the coming new year. I'm reassessing my skills, deciding what needs an overhaul, where I might be wasting my time, and how I want to present it all. It excites me. It intimidates me.

It's a glorious process.

I'm going to try to include this process here on the blog... my attempts at change, what I'm getting inspiration from, what I fail at... all of it. My hope is that it'll help someone else out there step out of their comfy zone and embrace a different approach to whatever their own passion is. And as always, I'll keep posting photos!

Anyways, that's my plan over the next little while... just in case you see some changes! Have a groovy Friday gang, and thanks for the ramble!

The Muse ~ Exploration Thursday!

"Cascades"

What do you use as a muse, to allow yourself to be inspired? Something colorful? Your favorite subject? Your favorite location? Interesting weather? Music? Literature? What talks to your creative side so thoroughly that you then have to grab your camera, your pen, your paintbrush and fill that desire no matter where you are or what you felt prior to.

Tomorrow will be my Remembrance Day tribute on the blog, so I thought I'd post Floral Friday early and ask these questions of you today instead. Why? Well, here's the thing... I asked a talented beginner photographer these questions in a conversation not that long ago, and they couldn't answer me. No definitive reason why they pursue photography. Or what they use to gain inspiration.

It doesn't have to be a complex reason why you love to photograph anything, or pursue anything. I think one of the best reasons to do what you love is because it brings you joy. Simple right?

The rush of color, the tangle of shapes, and the sweetness of the subject in our photo for the blog today is enough to make me anxious to pick up my Nikon right now and find a subject to enjoy and share.

So, think about it? What's your muse?

Really Marvel ~ Exploration Thursday!

"Autumn Hosta"

Just a quick post today, so let me ask you photographers a question.

Are you taking the time to marvel at what you put in front of your lens?

Or are you just a photographing machine, you're inspired of course, but it's not till you work on the images that you see the treasures you've found?

Obviously there are scenes and moments we just have to go with the flow and we appreciate the entire experience later when we're back in our work spaces and homes. And maybe I'm the only one who's learning to appreciate the process as it's happening, but when did you last marvel at that structure you love to photograph, or the details in those butterflies in your garden.... or the swirling vortex of design found in a single hosta leaf like today's post, even before you took the image.

Oh we marvel at the latest lenses, we are in awe when a newer more efficient camera is created, and we're even enthralled by certain up and coming world photographers. But are you as equally enthralled with the material at your disposal for photography?

I only ask, because I'm seeing a pattern when I review past images with this question in mind. The images where I took the time to be curious, appreciate and marveled at life's intricacies have a better dynamic than the ones I took just because they seemed like a good idea at some point. And I edit them with much more care as a result as well.

I guess it's an obvious observation, the things you're are passionate about, and marvel about, and revel in, are the things you are going to capture the best... but as I discover how complex I am as a photographer, these realisations help me become better at how I choose to photograph, and what I choose to photograph. And I'm hearing a lot of other photographers say they still don't know if they have a style that's unique to them alone... so I'll ask you again. Do you have something that makes you stop and marvel at it's uniqueness and design? Start there.

Thanks for the ramble folks! Have a good one!

Pure Joy ~ Floral Friday!

"Crowning Glory"

When was the last time you took your camera out just to explore? No daily quota, no must-have money shot, no pressure to perfect technique.

Just to allow the camera to be guided by your eye. By whatever delights you. By whatever intrigues you. By something pretty just for pretty's sake. Experience the joy of photography at it's most simple.

Set aside the expectations that we artistic types are always placing on getting "the" moment and just go with the flow for a weekend. Then try it for a whole week. I dare ya to try it for a whole month...

Dunno why I had this thought today... but some of us are trying SO hard that we've forgotten how to enjoy the process. Get your eyes off the results, and put your heart and soul into the "doing".

Start this weekend. Make it a good one.

And thanks for the short ramble friends.

Being Propelled~ Exploration Thursday!

"Ready For The Skies"

In just about everything we pursue and work hard at, we have good days and not so good days. Days where we feel like everything is truly going according to plan, (like when I spent a morning photographing nothing but planes, see image above) and days when we seriously think throwing in the towel is our only option. Often those days appear back to back and we sit in amazement thinking, "how can I be so confident one minute and so tortured the next?"

I know I'm not the only one. And you'd think it'd be easier when I'm doing something everyday that I obviously love, but there are so many jobs that you take on that fall under the title "full time photographer" that pull you daily or weekly from the actual act of picking up a camera, that sometimes I ask myself "why bother? I just want to shoot!"

I came to a realization the other day. No matter what kind of chore you have in regards to your passion, no matter how unglamourous it is, you can take it on successfully if you know what propels you. It can be something practical like needing to earn an income, or it can be more personal like reaching the much dreamed about goal of traveling one day, or having a gallery showing in New York. I will admit, I first pursued photography six years ago simply to get out of the house! That's what propelled me to constantly pick up the camera. That's changed now, but I have days where I have to remember that my vocation is always being propelled by something, and IF I remember that, I can get through the odd "throw in the ol' towel" moments. And if I'm really paying attention... I learn something about my craft and myself every time I do. How about you? Need to remember what propels you?

Thanks for the rambling thoughts today folks! Have a good one! 

A New Love ~Mono Monday!

"Catalina PBY-5A Canso"

Propellers, gears, wheels, rivets, wings. I had no idea I would become so enamoured photographing planes on an outing last week. But I think I spent nearly four hours within the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum in Hamilton, Ontario, and easily came home with approximately 400 images to sort through. And images I'm so excited about too.

Sometimes I visit a new location with the camera and I have to feel my way around for a while, get a feel for it's story or it's possible subjects. Sometimes I return to my desk knowing there's only one or two gems to be harvested from all my efforts trying to really see the true essence of a place or thing. Often you really make those first visits, scouting visits, so you can have a good handle on the best time to be there, and how best to approach photographing an area.

This was not one of those times. The obvious potential was nearly overwhelming, and it did not take me very long to find the less obvious rhythm and approach to photographing the museum either. Every plane had fabulous light, or details, or presence. And the space itself, the hangers where they display these thrilling workhorses of our war heritage, for me ended up being a subject all it's own with fabulous angles, spaces, lines, and light. Before I knew it, four hours had passed and I was dying to get back to the computer with my load of images. That's when I knew I was in love.

And the craving for B&W? I can alleviate it here, in many of the images to follow over the coming weeks. I saw the potential for mono in nearly everything. And I shot with it foremost in my mind, as I composed, as I assessed the light and the angles. I was a kid in a candy store friends.

In fact... yep... still giddy!

The shot for today was taken from underneath the wings of a massive PBY-5A Canso. It is tempting to try to get the entire plane in a shot, and the space is big enough to, let me assure you... but I didn't want just any shot. Especially when you considered the backdrop of the girders above in the hanger's ceiling. The Canso itself is white which only adds to the multiple dimensions of the composition for me. And the giant propellers? I was in awe.

And a bit of history. The Catalina first flew in 1935, and apparently was used for naval rescue and reconnaissance for a period of time before it was used for more industrial purposes.

Quite a few other photographers there that day, but none of them got up close and personal with the planes from what I could see. But I have to say... I wasn't looking at them as planes. I was looking at them as designs, as lines, as spaces, as powerful shapes. And when you remove the label, you remove yourself from the average approach. And you find a new love.

I'm already yearning to return... and I've only just skimmed the surface of images to edit or post. A few are already up on my website here. And here also. A new love, a new photographic obsession.

War planes! Who knew?

Hope you all find something to thrill you into picking up your camera with fresh eyes this week! Have a good one, thanks for the ramble friends!

What's The Plan? ~ Floral Friday!

"The Peony And I"

I find myself wondering what my next direction is in my pursuit of photography as a vocation. Sure I have some small projects on the go, and some sessions coming up. But as the fall season approaches and the lazy days of summer dwindle, I feel compelled to have a game plan. And so far? I don't mind being honest...I'm stumped.

The social connections around the Internet have made it very easy for folks starting out to find information, support, education... everything that can jump start your career. But sometimes all I see are very talented people with cameras spending every waking moment maintaining profiles, threads, and streams, and I wonder - All these photos, all this talent... is anyone actually printing them? Selling them? Pursuing something more? Is anyone venturing out of web land long enough to really be a photographer? Am I?

Not easy answers to find, and never the same answer for everyone. All I know is I need a plan, a road map. And then I need to supply myself with everything I need to endure the journey. I have the feeling I need to seriously up my game. The question becomes how?

I posted this image today and thought about the simple act of getting a great peony photo. It wasn't that simple. It was actually a process. I must have wandered around getting shots of every peony I owned, started with simple compositions, typical close-ups with the bursts of petals only, and then the approach evolved. I had to watch my perspective, get creative with the composition, and be aware more of my gear possibilities. Wait for light to soften, time things well, and change how I saw the blossoms all together. And when I got the above shot, I knew.

I guess I just answered my personal "how". I need to change my perspective, try a new approach, be ready with my gear, and use what I already know. Timing will be important, wait for conditions to be right, and stop thinking inside the box when it comes to my pursuit of photography. Huh. A good starting point anyways. After that? Who knows.... I'll keep you posted.

Thanks for the thoughtful ramble gang. Have a good one. 

Guest Post With Wanda Judd! ~ Exploration Thursday!

"Pemiquid Point, Maine"

I am very pleased to present a very sweet and talented lady as our guest here on the blog today. I first became familiar with Wanda Judd's work over at BetterPhoto and since then have followed her career over at flickr and Facebook. We'll include links to view her images on other sites below, but for now, let's hear a bit from Wanda about how she started out and what she loves about photography!

"I am first daughter, wife, mother and gram…as a result of these I became photographer. I like to say that I was fired and no one told me…I basically woke up one day and realized that my son and daughter had actually grown up and didn’t need me any more and I had never done anything just for me, something that would give me inner pleasure. I decided to take up photography…I knew nothing about apertures, f stops, how to change a lens…I bought a Nikon camera. Looked for lessons…discovered workshops at The Disney Institute at Disneyworld…. I had no idea how lucky I was to be in the company of these great professionals…Moose Peterson, Bob Krist, the late John Netherton, Jay Maisel ( I recently took another workshop with Jay and learned as much about life as I did photography), Jill Enfield, David Middleton, Beth Wald, Steve McCurry…I was hooked and attended all the workshops they had until they closed the Institute. After that I found Maine Media Workshops in Rockport ME…my first class there was with Alison Shaw and it was certainly a learning experience…it was there that I learned an amazing lesson of light. We had gotten up at 3am and drove to see the sunrise in a wonderful area of summer cottages. I saw the amazing light And saw how fast it was gone…it was at that moment that I knew for me photography was a spiritual experience…it took me a while to realize that what I do and like and put together is in fact art…a deeply personal form of art that gives me peace and pleasure and one I can get lost in..I lose all track of time when I'm shooting and do a fair amount of talking to myself when I shoot."

"When I first started in photography, I did the predictable flower shots, macro, intimate, deep into the soul of the flower and while I still love the flower … It did not take long to discovered that I love abstract photography, architectural photography, photography with motion, movement and softness…I am well aware that there are two kinds of photographers..the tech ones and the art ones...and while it takes a bit of both to make a good photographer, we do lean in one direction over the other.... I have a dear friend who is an amazing tech photographer but admits that he would love to have "the eye"..."

"One of the things I learned early on is to Simplify, Simplify. As a result I very seldom look at or take a whole picture…I look at segments of a photo I am about to take...I think I also look at life in segments as well..."

"I did not come to digital until three or four years ago…I loved film (slides) and the discipline it took to get just what I wanted. Since I started with digital I fell in love with all the periphery that goes with it…I love seeing a shot and knowing or feeling that I will add softness, overlays, punch up the depth of color with HDR…”The eye sees what the mind knows”.

"I have recently been shooting with my iPhone and this year have had two iPhone shows…featuring only iPhone shots…one a shared show at our state Capitol and a solo show in Richmond’s river district…and I was amazed at how well these shows were received."

"I have two mentors… Alison Shaw and Tony Sweet and am inspired by their creativity."

"The lighthouse seen above, was taken at Pemiquid Point in Maine while attending a workshop with Alison Shaw…It was shot with slide film…with a soft focus filter…the color was just as it greeted us before sunrise. When we arrived there and saw the sky and color, I simply ran to make my shoots and the total excitement I felt when I saw the sky is something that I will always feel when I see this shot…the composition was also so exciting in the viewfinder , the peace and joy and excitement at seeing this and knowing it was right will always be with me…"

 

"Lincoln Memorial"

"The Lincoln Memorial was taken the second day of shooting on a trip to DC …I simply was not pleased with what I did the day before and went back the next day…when I turned my camera at the angle, it was pure excitement seeing it in the view finder and knew that again it was right…"

"The Keyboard"

"The ‘Keyboard” I fell in love with while walking under a railroad bridge and when looking up saw this amazing site…it looked like a giant keyboard and I had to stop, put up the tripod, get down on my knees and shot away…

I love being a part of Betterphoto, Facebook, Flickr and FotoBlur…a great way to learn, to see, to grow as a photographer…."

My very special thanks to Wanda for agreeing to be our featured guest today! You'll miss out on some fabulous art and photography if you neglect to take some time to click on the highlighted links above and view the rest of her galleries. If you sign up for her mailing list at her website, you'll be updated on any shows or projects she's involved in. And I know she'll be pleased to help you with an order if you feel moved to purchase a print...

This is a lady who's work moves and inspires me every time I look through her galleries. You can sense the wonder and care that goes into every image... it's been an honor to collaborate on a guest post with her today!

Thanks again Wanda for being so inspirational, and to all my readers have yourselves a super day! Be sure to leave a comment or two for Wanda below and let her know if you enjoyed becoming acquainted with her photography! 

Let Yourself Be Inspired ~ Mono Monday!

"A Melody In Her Smile"

(1/200 sec.@ F2.5, 50mm prime, ISO 125, late day shade, handheld)

Sometimes I have to break away from my routine and find an example of something inspiring to try out for myself. I usually end up learning something in the process too, which is a delightfully fulfilling bonus. Like the time I was inspired to take up soccer back in the late eighties and discovered not only is it an effective form of exercise if you stay upright, but that I have a natural propensity for falling in molehills when doing drills running backwards. That cast on my arm and I were inseparable for about eight weeks. Ah, good times.

But back to 2011. This weekend I went looking through other blogs that I find inspiring, just to see if I could find something to motivate me to break out of my routine. I thoroughly enjoy a blog called The Pioneer Woman (and no, she doesn't know I'm making mention of her site here but if you haven't heard of her, you have a lot of enjoyable catching up to do) and she tackles the subject of photography along with other various life skills... and I have always loved her laid back approach to photographing people, especially her kids. Needless to say, I've been trying to be a little more laid back myself lately, and also trying to widen my love for portraiture. Let's face it, architecture and nature will be my first loves (er, first and second loves... or tied for first loves...) but there's something to be said for being able to know how to take engaging photos of your family and have fun at the same time, and I'll be honest, portraits (candid or otherwise) usually stressed me out in the past. I noticed how spontaneous and lovely the pics were on the PW blog and decided I needed to practice that more.

So, without having to find a fantastical location or set up any lighting, heck, without having to put shoes on for that matter, I asked my daughter if she had a few minutes to stand around and do nothing outside. And being that she's a teenager and they seem to naturally love to stand about doing nothing, she said sure. So I proceeded to take her out back and shoot her! Hahahaaa... small photographer's joke there folks, relax.

A shot like this is just this simple... I stood on the deck above (interesting vantage point, photography 101) and she stood below with the massive clematis climbing the fence behind her. And I told her that I was just testing some aperture choices with my handy dandy portrait lens so just to bear with me. And as I tweaked my exposure she'd make silly faces (of which she has banned me from showing to the blogging world) and I'd be aghast which in turn would make her laugh... and voila. I ended up with fifty or so very natural candids, fresh looking and still of a professional quality with a shallow depth of field that emphasized her eyes and softened the rest. And many of them make really nice B&W's. A delightful bonus to be sure.

Are you inspired by others in your field? Do you have blogs that not only teach you but change your mind or attitude towards other aspects of whatever you pursue? Break away from the norm, you might just find a love for something new!

Thanks for the Monday ramble folks! Have a good one!

Determination~ Mono Monday!

"Evening Over Lake Ontario"

(1/50 sec.@ F/8, ISO 200, 18mm fl, pattern metering, late overcast light)

Recently I participated in a live workshop online. It was being taught by a fairly celebrated wedding photographer. Yep, you heard me right. I spent an entire weekend being inspired by a wedding photographer. But Christine, you say, you're a fine art photographer. What in the world would one have to do with the other?

The answer is simple. You can find inspiration anywhere. Actually, I should say it this way... you should find inspiration anywhere! And the workshop with Jasmine Star couldn't have come at a better time. To be honest, I was feeling a little like I had hit a wall with the photography. Tapped out. Drained. Perhaps a little pointless. Maybe I was doing something wrong? Maybe I was never going to learn how to make a career out of this vocation?

Instead, what I heard during that webinar was how to keep pressing through, how to never let the big dogs intimidate you, and how to be patient, to let your photography take it's time and become what it needs to. And above all, to be yourself. Sounds like a theme on this blog I know, but that's because it's crucial to growing. The speaker didn't so much teach about wedding photography as share exactly how she learned to become a pro at photography, period. I had desperately needed to hear that. And I connected with her evident passion and joy for sharing what she loves. Exactly why I blog about my photography journey in the first place.

In the image above, there's a wee lighthouse on the horizon. (If you click on the image it should give you a bigger version.) There are days my calling as a photographer (or as a mother, or as a best friend, or as a business manager, or as a singer or...) is like the photograph posted; you can barely make out the guiding light on the horizon but it's there just the same. And you may have to be brave enough to leave the safety of the shores, navigate through the rocks and obstacles of doubt and fear, and head into rougher waters in order to approach the lighthouse on a larger scale, but all of that isn't meant to stop you from doing what you love. It's just meant to give you new things to master along the way.

I had to decide after the workshop just how determined I really am to make this a career. My full time vocation. Ever have those moments? That "do I give up while the gettin's good" moments, or the "I couldn't stop if you paid me moments?"

How 'bout you? Ever struggle with plunging head first into a new project, or continuing with one when it becomes harder to see the finish line? Believe me, I know the feeling! I'll cheer you on if you cheer me on, deal?

Thanks for the ramble folks, have a great day pursuing what you love!