Actions

When I first discovered Actions, I was like a kid adding toppings to a cupcake. "I want the gummy bears, oreos, M&Ms, sprinkles, peanuts..." And just like a real sugar overdose, my creation would come complete with a stomach ache at the end. Eventually you learn that less is more. And I found myself narrowing my usage to the same 4-10 ones. By far, my favorites are from Totally Rad Actions. I haven't edited a single session in six years without using them. This a little before/after from a recent session, done by increasing contrast (33%), using "Pool Party at 67%, then "Warm it Up Chris at 26%. I use this combination a lot because I love the combination of warm over cool tones. But my single favorite thing about their actions (that I think sets them apart from the rest) is "YING YANG". It gives you the ability to choose where you want your image to be lighter and darker. The flexibility is amazing.

And the awesome peeps at Totally Rad Actions have been nice enough to offer a free set of presets to one lucky person today. Just enter by commenting on this post, and the winner will be announced tomorrow. Good luck! :)

Update on Friday, April 16, 2010 by Maile Wilson

And the winner is Glenda at hzgrace2@gmail.com!! Congratulations! And thanks for all the great comments everyone! :)

one word project: hold

It seems like yesterday that we were packing up holiday decorations and ringing in the new year. It's hard to believe we've already made it to April. As the year speeds by, we think it would be nice to take a break, to put the world on "hold" for a minute before we rush through the end of the school year and into all the activity of summer. To celebrate this idea, we've chosen the word for HOLD for April's One Word Project. When I think of this word, so much comes to mind. Holding hands. Holding hearts. Holding back. What is it that holds us together both internally and as a community? There are so many ways to interpret this. We're excited to see what you come up with in the OWP Flickr pool as you explore what "HOLD" means to you. This month we welcome Epiphanie Camera Bags as our sponsor. Epiphanie makes beautiful camera bags for women. But beyond that, they are are company who is dedicated to finding ways to support women who are holding on to their dreams. Happy April! :)

give-away!

What's your latest epiphanie? Leave a comment here, and enter to win a free camera bag of your choice. Or read details here to find out how you could win a brand new Canon Mark II or a $2500 gift certficate to Southwest Air.

Have fun and good luck! :)

**UPDATE**

Chosen by random integer generator: The winner of a new camera bag of their choice is Christina from My Topography!!! Congratulations! Thank you everyone for playing! I had so much fun reading through all these really thoughtful posts. :)

exposed

I've been working on a project which required me to spend some time yesterday going through various photography quotes. I found this one here, which got me to thinking: how important is your intention when you're photographing someone? We sometimes change the traditionally aggressive terminology that's associated with photography. Instead of taking a picture, we make one. We don't shoot or capture, we save moments. But then I thought of a friend of mine who goes out of her way to take unflattering photos of people. She always means it to be a joke. But when you're the unlucky one who gets caught in her lens, the word "captured" most definitely describes how it feels.

This got me to thinking about the whole process. It can be a mutual exchange of exposure and trust. And it can also be a violation, like the paparazzi who stalk people waiting for a chance to expose something embarrassing. But what makes it embarrassing? I think it's the idea that a vulnerable piece of us would be carelessly spotlighted for others to see... and worse, judge.

So when a person allows you to take their picture, they're essentially saying that they trust you with their vulnerabilities. This makes it such an honor and responsibility, and also a special challenge if you don't know much about the person. Sarah Rhoads is one of my all-time favorite photographers. She recently went to Thailand, and had some really interesting things to say about her approach to street photography. She talks about how it's not easy to walk up to a stranger and ask if it's okay to take their picture. But I think it's the willingness to be vulnerable first which opens the door for someone to trust you enough to expose them. 

I would love to hear your thoughts on this subject. How do you bridge the gap between trust and exposure?

strength

I was going to begin this post by saying, "I believe in the idea that we can create our own destiny", but it sounded naive. So I deleted and replaced it with "I used to believe in the idea that we can create our own destiny" which sounded cynical, so I deleted it too. The truth is that I believe both statements, but not enough to make a declaration either way. While I'm so inspired by people who appear to live their lives by design, I'm skeptical about how much of it is an illusion. How much are they too, chasing the illusive "I'll be happy when..." pot of gold? We're so comforted by the notion that we have a certain level of control over our lives. We work and prepare...we invest in our 401K. Then the economy takes an unprecedented turn which changes everything. Or an unspeakably tragic earthquake crashes an entire city on top of itself. Turns out that what we thought we could count on, (including the very ground beneath us) is sometimes only an illusion of stability. And this is unsettling because we are so infatuated with the notion of certainty. The trouble is that we're fascinated by an illusion.

Maybe contentment is nearer when we make peace with that. Maybe we can actually coexist with the reality of not knowing, without feeling compelled to control, or explain, or make sense. Maybe it comes down to the idea of faith in a God who can somehow make sense out what seems to be nonsensical. I don't remotely claim to have all the answers, but I know this is how I find my strength.

How about you?