Sunflowers and Let's Share a Moment

While driving through Italy we passed this field and I made my husband pull to the side of the rode so I could get out and snap this photo. It was so gorgeous and such a beautiful moment that I wanted to capture. I had seen many other fields during our trip but always from the busy highway. So this was the first one that I actually had access to.

On Saturday, July 28, Shutter Sisters is holding a share a moment day (or many moments). All you need to do is take a picture of whatever you are doing and share it on any of your social media platforms. Be sure to tag it #ssmoment and #hdmoment (they are working with Hagen-Daz and your photo may be chosen as one of the photos featured in Hagen-Daz's 50 Summer Moments e-book coming out this fall...yum!).

It is going to be so wonderful to share moments with all of you. We hope you will participate in sharing a collective moment together.

Flowers Before/After

Now that summer is here, I am having so much fun playing around with my camera and creating artistic images with found objects.

A couple of weeks ago, I stumbled upon this terrific vintage scale at a consignment store (the store was conveniently located next to the camera shop that I dropped my camera off to get the sensor cleaned).  I saw this scale, and was reminded of an image that one of my favorite artists/photographers and taken.  If you follow this blog, you know I am talking about my friend Kim Klassen...love her!

Anyway, I thought I'd post a little before and after shot of my new scale (and some flowers I dried from a  month ago) processed with Kim Klassen's Peony texture from her Beyond Layers class.

Before

After

Focus--One Little Word

Lately, I've been feeling anything but focused.  The end of the school year activities combined with planning our summer vacation and keeping on top of various work projects has me running in what feels like a million different directions......

So on Friday, when I received my Beyond Layers word prompt (we received a word each day this week and so far this is the only one I've done), I found it to be serendipitous that the word was FOCUS.   You see, FOCUS is also my one little word for 2012 and I lately with all that is going on......I've lost track of it in both meaning and practice.

So thank you Kim for this great prompt and for inspiring me to find a quote that incorporates my one little word---a quote that I truly love and one that I plan on putting into greater practice.

Fun with Text

This week in Kim Klassen's Beyond Layers class, she posted an amazing tutorial on how to use text and a clipping mask to create some fun photos.  I seriously love this class!  It has been a great way to feed my creative soul!

Texture Photo--Before and After

If you have been following our blog, you know that I am a huge fan of Kim Klassen and her textures.  She is simply amazing!  Her beautiful work has been a huge inspiration for me and has opened my eyes to a whole new way of creating art through photography (even if it is just for me).

Throughout the past year, I have learned so much through Kim's classes, inspirational Flickr groups, and by just plain old experimentation and while I still have a lot to learn, I thought I'd share a few before and after photos to give you a sense of what you can do with textures....... (and not to sound like a broken record, but I highly recommend you taking one of her classes or joining Beyond Layers --a round two group is forming).

So with that said....I'll walk you through one of my texture photo shoots........

Today, I set up my little photo shoot on my porch.  I clipped some lavender from my garden (it grows on the other side of the screen)  and found a pretty pitcher (an awesome garage sale find) to place it in.

My porch is the one area in my home that gets nice afternoon light and is where I  most often take my still life shots.  I love the old trunk (I've schlepped that thing from coast to coast as the dings and dents can attest to) and use it as my table a lot.   After placing the table lamp on the floor and getting my Photoflex disc out, I had a nice little set up and was ready to start snapping.

After taking nearly two dozen shots at various angles.....I decided to work with the photo below (I actually think it looks quite nice even straight out of the camera):

f2.8, ISO 200, 1/160

My dog, Lulu (who is always following me around) was very curious about my antics.....

Next,  came the fun part.....playing with textures.  I won't get into all the details here but I cropped the photo, used a couple of layers of  Kim Klassen's  texture Phoebe, adjusted the saturation,  added a little text and voila.......created this:

I really love how it turned out.   And while I may never print this image, it was a great way to spend an hour or so of time on a rainy day..........

Spring is Here! Wordless Wednesday

I had fun over the weekend playing with textures and photos.  This one uses Kim Klassen's texture, Lola.

ISO 500, f 2.5, taken with a EF50mm Macro Lens.

Six Word Memoirs. What is Yours?

by Kristina

A couple of weeks ago, Kim Klassen introduced the Beyond Layers group to  SMITH Magazine and the Six Word Memoirs.  I had not heard of this project until her post and then two days later I saw links and references to it popping up all over the place...funny how that happens.....

Little did I know that there is a series of bestselling books on the subject and that the project has been featured in numerous magazines and tv and radio programs.  You can see the full  list of press coverage here.  It is impressive!   And  check out this video regarding the book; you will be inspired!

Inspired by the website and encouraged by Kim to come up with my own six word story, I've been writing down various versions at night over the past couple of weeks.   It is actually a great exercise.  It has made me think about where I am, where I'm going, and what I want to be........

Here are just a few of my six word stories.......

• Midwestern gal living the California dream
• Worrywart who is learning to relax
• Thought it was one; had two
• Forty-four and wanting much, much more
• Grateful for family, friends and camera

What is your six word story?   You can share it on Smith Magazine's Website and if you'd like to share it with us, please leave your story in the comments below.

By the way, if you have not signed up for her Kim's Beyond Layers class, it is not too late.  It is 52 weeks of inspiration, motivation and creative challenges.  I am loving it!