iPhone Photography and Apps

In the last couple of years cell phones have really improved the cameras.  That has created a little crutch for me.  I really neglect my DSLR.  I have suffered a little guilt over it. 

I have changed my view on this recently and decided to embrace my phone and the apps that are offered. My goal with photography has always been to express myself creatively.  I am going to venture to guess that I am not the only one that feels this way.  We can do this with our phones.

In all three of these photos I used the VSCO and Mextures apps.  It has been so much fun to see what I can create with them.

I'm curious.  What apps are you editing with?  What are your favorites?  Do you use editing tools?

Getting the nerves out!

I'm not sure if this will be an "inspirational" post or not, but I'd like to share my most recent experience because I think some may relate: 



Knowing that I had this blog coming up, and some pro-bono work at the end of the month, I brought my camera along with me for an afternoon at the park this past weekend. So, there I was clicking away at my children, trying out some different settings and making myself shoot entirely in manual. I was having fun (despite my daughter's lack of enthusiasm for the shoot) and totally in my element and comfortable. 

A nice family came up to me and asked if I was a professional photographer. I was confused at how to answer this one- what makes a professional? I don't do it for money, but I've come to know my camera pretty well in the past years and have taken a fair amount of portraiture sessions for others ...but of course I just say that I take pictures for family & friends, smile, and ask them if they wanted pictures taken. They told me that they had no pictures of their year old baby (I believe they were Amish so it shouldn't really surprise me but it totally did!) and asked if I could take one and mail it to them. Of course I was excited to do this for them and went about my work. During this photo shoot I was such a ball of nerves! I don't know if it was the fact that I wasn't prepared to take pictures for others that day or because I felt pressure since this really would be their only baby picture, or just basic lack of confidence in my skill...whatever it was, it was not the norm for me but at the same time it did give me a surge of energy! Afterwards, they were really excited to see the images in camera and even asked for some of themselves as a couple as well. 


When we were completely done, I practically ran to my car and it took me a bit to get back to my zen. I ended up having to wind down my day by taking some calming pictures of pretty flowers...phew, now I was back in my comfort zone! 

So anyways, after taking portraitures for people on and off over 3 years I still sometimes get pretty nervous, especially during the initial "icebreaker" stage. I'm attributing this partly to my personality- I don't really like to be 'front and center'; I'm definitely a more laid back kind of girl, (which I believe comes across in my photography), and partly to my limited experience. What I hope is that over more time my anxiety will recede so I can stop feeling like I'm "faking it" as a photographer and spend more time really enjoying the entire process with the people I am not familiar with. 

Does this resonate with anyone else here or are you all pretty comfortable behind those lens? Any advice for a rookie who hopes to overcome it one day? :) 

Thanks and have a great, hopefully sunny, week! 

Male vs Female Inspiration

photo credits: orbeq, jnsilva, samalive, anthonyn1cholas

One day I realized I follow a lot of women photographers on Instagram. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but what is up with that?

I was following a few guys, my son (hardly posts), a few young guys from church (my friends’ sons), my nephew…ok you get the picture.

Then one day, I’m not sure how, I stumbled upon some aerial shots of NYC. Man, they were awesome, I love NY, used to live there. They were shot by jnsilva . Then you know how things cascade, you start looking through someone's stream, and that leads you to someone tagged (samalive) or someone who commented (anthonyn1cholas) , and pretty soon you forgot you had water boiling for pasta and the pot is half empty and you’re thinking “wait, what day is it, and when did I last let the dogs out?” Or is that just me? ;)

Anyway, the guys I found and continue to find and their amazing pics were making me think about the difference in how men and women see & edit what they photograph. I started to see that sometimes there was a very different, rad world that men were photographing. Other times, was it that much different than some of the women I follow?

I began to notice that the guys’ shots appear to contain more contrast, or maybe it’s just what they photograph. They seem to, and this is probably key, “chase the harsh light” amazingly well! There’s even a IG hashtag for it #chasingharshlight. I’m not sure I have ever had that in mind when setting out to shoot!

The men also seem to prefer sharper more detailed shots, that are symmetrical, often times with their subject smack dab in the middle or lines leading to the center and/or disappearing.

*Sigh* so much inspiration, so not enough time (hours in the day, summer, free, or golden) I’ve been trying to remember when out shooting to experiment with what I am learning from these guys. These last two shots are mine. 

Share with us who you follow on IG that inspires you to think outside of your usual shooting style? Or show us how you've been pushing out of your envelop style to gain some different insight or creative mojo?

Some guys more to check out:

wrongrob

orbeq

scottborrero

littlecoal

andrewjasonleung

jmetheridge

Family Photo Shoots

…Paint my face and call me Ronald…

(image credit to tattoodonkey)

Because that's what I feel like when taking

FAMILY PHOTOS!!

YEP…I SAID IT…

THE FAMILY PHOTO SESSION

        How many of you have had that one photo session where the sweet and loving child just wakes up from a nap and isn't in the mood to meet new people and really doesn't want a camera in his/her face.  He may scream and cry and run away…until…yep, until…you reach in your bag of tricks and pull out…None other than a new TOY!  What! This funny looking girl who is holding a black circle mask over her eye (camera);  she has Toys! 

   

       All of a sudden, he wants to be friends with you! Phew…crisis averted…until, that toy has lost it's luster and he is back to crying and running.  All the while, the family is trying to maintain composure and smile pretty with their newborn in hand.  How many of you are laughing right now because you know this happens. 

      So, what does every good clown do…we pull out a new trick! Maybe you have to put that dirty and slimy favorite dump truck of his on the top of your head in order to get him to look up and quick snap a picture!  Now you have dirt in your hair and slime..but you have a picture of the boy!   So after fighting to get that perfect family photo, maybe you are too tired to fight the beautiful little tyrant, so you let him run and play and be happy…and then… only then… do you get the perfect caption for that family.  The only way to describe that family…is just by that.  Let the tyrant run free and let him play and catch the perfect shot that the parents will look back and laugh over because that is the "real" family.  They weren't the picture perfect family that you see sometimes in magazines.  They were the family with dirty kids and running boys and moms just shaking their heads and dads laughing and waiting for the boys to "crash"  

     So, overall, yes…we are clowns! We have to race with the kids, we have to jump and "quack" and "squeak" and fly around like planes.  Why?  Because we want to capture that kid in his or her natural sense.  We want them to be remembered for who they really are at that age…and that may be grumpy! or wild and running free!  It's ok. 

   

   So put on your wig and don't forget your red nose and get out there and be silly! 

     WE ARE PHOTOGRAPHERS! 

Happy Photographing!

lensbaby love

No big insights or tips or creative lessons this week...just a few pretty pictures.

~C

Finding your creative mojo

I like to play with random photos in Photoshop to spark some creativity.  Layers, textures and random actions.  Just play.

Finding a way out of a photography/creative rut can be difficult. Ruts are going to happen.  It is just a part of the creative process.  I have been researching how to get out of creative ruts for years. I think it is different for everyone.  Knowing yourself is half of the battle.

Ask yourself some questions:

1.     What music do you listen to when you create?

2.     What famous photographer inspires you the most?

3.     What photographer on Instagram/Flickr inspires you the most?

4.     Do you like black and white or color photography?

5.     What is your favorite movie?

6.     What is your favorite place close to home?

7.     What is your favorite place in your home?

8.     What makes you the happiest?

9.     Other than photography what other hobbies do you have?

1.    What do you do to pamper yourself?

Steps I take to inspire creativity:

1.     Take care of my responsibilities first thing in the morning

2.     Exercise

3.     Plan my day include creative and pamper time

4.     Turn on music

5.     Let my creative juices flow

What do you do to get out of creative ruts?

Instagram: 

This week just post what is coming to you.  Enjoy your time this week and show us what is happening around you.

More rescores:

http://www.pikaland.com/2009/04/16/inspiring-creativity-9-tips-to-be-more-creative/

http://psychcentral.com/lib/20-ideas-from-creativity-connoisseurs-to-inspire-your-imagination/0009876

http://www.creativitypost.com/education/how_to_inspire_the_next_generation_of_creative_thinkers_and_innovators

http://www.theguardian.com/culture/2012/jan/02/top-artists-creative-inspiration

THIS WEEK I'VE GOT . . .

N O T H I N G

 

 

I don't know about you guys but there are some days, weeks, months that I feel like I will never take another good picture - EVER! That I have used up all of my creative juice. Sometimes the slumps end quickly, sometimes they go on for weeks. With 4 kids ranging from 16 - 5 and involved in many activities, I get wrapped up in getting them taken care of and neglect my creativity at times. I wish I could say that I always stop and enjoy the moments (because they will be gone before you know it), but it isn't always the case.

 

 

What do you do to get out of the ever-dreaded creative slump?

 

 

For me it's not always the same answer. A few different go-to things I try to get me out of the slump are new lighting techniques -

 

Or a new editing technique -

Or I buy a new set of actions that I've had my eye on for awhile -

Sometimes it takes getting away from it all and remembering the beauty that surrounds us, and taking pictures that I've wanted to take.

Many times I try to remind myself that the slump is telling me that it's time to grow a little more as an artist, or it's time to refocus, decide what's important and if I need to keep going in the same direction in my life.

I would love to hear what you guys to if you ever have this problem!