finding beauty in your home

"I adore her (Sally Mann) work, and I subscribe to her basic notions of photography - shoot what you know, and - you can find great images right in your own backyard. One of my best friends and I have an ongoing discussion surrounding this topic - he thinks he needs to pack up the car and get away somewhere for a few weeks in order for the photography muses to show him the way.

I have to admit, I waffle during our discussions -- there are times when I'm convinced I need to pack up a few cameras and a bag full of film and head back to Havana - or to some faraway place -- but then I realize that some of my most favorite images were taken within a 10 mile radius of home."

- Bob, the brilliant photographer behind No Traces.

I love this.

Because sometimes I do forget. The simple joy of a piece of chocolate cake and a glass of milk. My children playing lying on the living-room rug, the gentle evening light. The delightful sound of someone laughing, or falling rain. Sometimes I forget that simple, truthful beauty can be found in every little corner of my home.

Gather up the joys and the love, capture the beauty of your life in your home and share the links to your images in the comment section below.

And don't forget to leave a comment here today for a chance to win your own copy of America at Home with your own custom cover. It's the fourth post of our Sundays at Home series for November.

lightness

"I felt filled with a tremendous lightness, as if every breath I took was expanding inside me" - Nam Le, The Boat

What photos make you feel light today?

photographing photos

There's something very endearing about Kathya's photos. They exude simple beauty. They tell lovely stories. Their sense of warmth draw you in like a big, soft blanket on a chilly day. And they make you hungry.

Kathya's On my little white table Flickr set is one of my favorite places on the Internet. Her digital photos of Polaroid shots (like the one above) are brilliant composition-wise, and the unique way she uses natural light and color always sprinkles some kind of magic into my daily life.

"The reason why I chose to take a digital photo of a Polaroid was mainly because I liked the idea of film in digital" Kathya says, "I'm a big fan of analog photography and that's what I mostly shoot, but sometimes I enjoy the clarity that digital brings."

Have you tried this? If not use Polaroid photos, old photos (younger/older shots), opposites (night/day or before/after), etc. and take photos of your photos! The possibilities are truly endless. Show me your best shots and please leave your links in the comment section below.

friday’s featured resource- inspiration for Polaroid photos

Inspiration comes in various forms. And though some of the most enlightening moments in my daily life have come from very ordinary things such as an ad in a magazine, handmade knitted scarves, a quick note from a friend or tiny shoes -in a rush and completely unexpectedly- my personal creativity is constantly moved, challenged and encouraged by the wonderful photographers whose sites I visit every day.

I know I've already shared a few of my favorite photographers and Polaroid photos here, but if you like to shoot with a Polaroid camera and want to experiment, go a little further in your vision, I think you might like the following artists for their unique use of light and original, brilliant compositions:

Mia magic
Fieryeyed
Erica
E*airfuly
Manda
Miel et Soleil

What about you? Are you addicted to a photographer? A photoblog? Share the sites and artists that inspire you every day in the comment section below.

(Also, if you shoot Polaroids, don't forget to join Polanoid.net. Some of the most amazing photographers share their work on the site. Every new member receives a 5 euro coupon for unsaleable.com where you can get good Polaroid products and can take part in fun projects and challenges.)

street photography

Lately I’ve gotten a bit tired of shooting with my Polaroid cameras, and what I usually do when this happens (quite often!) is that I try and learn something new about photography: portrait, medium formats, photojournalism, documentary and even sport photography. Exploring different genres and formats not only allows me to widen my perspective on life, but it also helps me experiment, discover what I like, what I don’t like, and eventually expand my understanding of my own creativity.

This is how my interest in street photography has grown into an abounding source of inspiration.

"Street photography often tends to be ironic and can be distanced from its subject matter and often concentrates on a single human moment, caught at a decisive or poignant moment. On the other hand, much street photography takes the opposite approach and provides a very literal and extremely personal rendering of the subject matter, giving the audience a more visceral experience of walks of life they might only be passingly familiar with."

A moment, a conversation, a gesture. Beauty, excentricity, simplicity. Joy, sadness, boredom. Small, big, exuberant or discreet.

My friend Jolayne is very good at blending in the scene as if she belongs there and taking photos while walking down a scanty street and the rain is pouring down. Even with her mittens on. I love how she sees something that catches her attention and is able to spontaneously take a picture of it. I am more self-conscious. I am very shy. I hide in the crowd of tourists, I turn off most of the "bip-bip" sounds of my camera and unashamedly take my kids with me as a solid alibi.

Street photographer Markus Hartel writes "just be yourself and act naturally, don’t be sneaky or overly “in your face” and everything will work itself out with practice. Let the camera be an extension, a part of yourself as opposed to the intrusive instrument it can be".

Have you tried street photography? What do you like about it? Share your photos, and share your tips! If you’ve never tried it before, grab your camera, walk around in your neighborhood and see what happens.

Some of my favorite street photography links:
Myla Kent
Ying Tang
The hardcore street photography Flickr group