Merry Christmas!

So now that it's officially winter I thought I'd share a few tips I've personally found helpful to shooting in the snow. Living in the middle of Alaska for the last 15 years I've picked up a few tips.

With all that white everywhere it can be difficult to find the correct exposure, your camera always wants everything to be based on a middle grey but in the snow that's not appropriate.  So I've found bumping up your exposure +1 helps to get your subject exposed correctly and your snow look bright and not dull and grey.

If you are lucky enough to be shooting in the snow on a sunny day try changing your aperture to f18 or above and adjusting your shutter speed and ISO accordingly, making sure to keep your exposure at +1. Makes for a beautiful starburst effect.

Sometimes it's hard to remember that there are great colors out there when everything seems white but just keep yours eyes open and you'll find colors all around! If you live where I do (and let's be honest, you probably don't) sometimes it's just to cold to go out and shoot for too long if at all.  On those days make the best of the warmth of indoors, but don't forget to adjust your exposure back down! (trust me, that tip will come in handy!)

I hope Santa makes all of your dreams come true! Merry Christmas!!  ~C

Focus Word

Last years focus words

It is that time of year when I start thinking of my focus word for the year.  I try to really think about what I want to accomplish in my personal, professional, creative, physical, and spiritual. 

This year:

1. Photography -- use my DSLR more and start another 365.  (I actually completed one this year)

2. Art journal -- daily entries.

3. Personal -- well that is personal.  =0)

4. Professional -- get a job and make some money instead of just spending it.

5. Physical -- as always I want to get off of my butt and have a consistent regimen.

6. Spiritual -- this one is personal but for the most part I want to be a person who is kind and does not judge people or make them feel less than whole.   I also strive to not allow someone to take my wholeness from me. 

I almost thought of having WHOLE again this year but I think it is time to move on.

Here are some from my list this year......

Individual
Peace
Active
Determined
Resolve
Courage
Empower
Thrive
Grow
Reflection
Embrace
Grace
Action
Possibility
Be
Strength
Organize
Soar
Dare
Believe
Faith
Center

How about you?  Do you chose a word?  Have you chosen yet?

Same old, same old?

“If you keep on doing what you’ve always done, you’ll keep on getting what you’ve always got.” - W. L. Bateman

Not that I want to rush through Christmas to get to year’s end, but I have been thinking about the direction of my photography over the past year and where it might be headed in the year to come.

I always seem to consider my equipment first and how it could/should be better, when in reality we all know good photography starts in the eye. There will always be the latest, fastest, best, most advanced gear to desire, debate, and drool over! Ugh. So I’m not sure that’s always a valid concern.

Or do you, like me, stop and ruminate whether or not you are in a creative ebb, experiencing low mojo, or just in need of new different editing software? ;)

Do you ask yourself, how can I take my photography to next level? What the heck is the next level? Do I need to go to the next level? Ugh.

Rather than invest in more, new, different equipment, should I invest in my photographic education? There’s always something we can learn right? Every time I’ve watched a webinar or a class on Creative Live for instance, I either learn something new or relearn something I’ve forgotten or haven’t tried in a long time. And there's always tutorials from Adobe and trust photographers available on youtube.

Also within the past few weeks I’ve watched this TED Talk by artist Phil Hansen several times – it’s got me thinking!

This guy really went to some amazing creative lengths to rethink his limitations!

So what are some creative dimensions we can visit as photographers that are so far outside-the-box we end up back in it? Pinhole camera anyone? Can we go outside of the basic elements of photography (camera, lenses, "film", software) and reinvent our medium? I mean it's not like I'm a painter and I'm going to try sculpting for a new perspective... I want a drone! Now there's a different perspective!!

Goodness, I’ve got a lot of questions going on here. Take some time and think these through. Then will you please come back and comment and help us all rethink our coming photographic year, our next level, and our shared creative journey? No idea will be too ridiculous to entertain after watching Phil Hansen use hamburger grease to paint a portrait, lol!

p.s. Same old, same old does work for cookie recipes doesn’t it? ;)

On an end of year side note: I found this post to be helpful in corralling my wildly spinning disorganized thoughts. It’s at least given me a framework of goals that some might also find helpful regardless of your organizational savvy-ness.

Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas, & A Happy New Year to you all!

A new way of seeing

Last month I had the privilege of participating the Traveling Lens Project. I thought it would be just the thing I needed as the daylight hours were beginning to wane, the view was starting to dwindle, and the opportunities for creative expression started spiraling towards their seasonal slumber. Well at least I think it's that way for me anyway.

Coincidentally, Lensbaby's tag, seeing in a new way, made me think about how when the seasons change I also need to make changes in order to remain sane. Can I get an “Amen”?

I recently read a post that mentioned four principles that will lead to breakthrough creativity. Goodness I’ll be happy to just “breakthrough” winter, ;) The four principles were:

1.    Relax

2.    Expose yourself to new ideas and new perspectives

3.    Get ideas crashing into each other

4.    Work Hard

It seems like winter is the time to experiment and/or change up the crafts for me. How about you? Do you find yourself diving into a new craft or revisiting one you haven’t touched in a long time? What new ideas or perspectives have you got in the works through these winter months (or spring depending on where you are located)? Are you planning on trying something different or maybe just crashing a couple of ideas and seeing what comes of it?

Since having played with the mobile Lensbaby for a week, I’ve been thinking about getting out my dslr Lensbaby. I will be doing that soon and from what I gathered from that post there’s no need for me to organize my brain since apparently that adds to my creativity ;) Thank goodness! Wish I could say the same for my bedroom closet!!

Meanwhile, sharing some “cutting room floor” shots I don’t think I shared on Instagram or with the Traveling Lens Project .

  (music credit: Brandon Heath)