negative space can be so positive and other thoughts

-quote by Goethe, shot with the Lensbaby Super Wide

Yesterday I had the chance to participate on a live web chat panel hosted at The Motherhood.com with some very exceptional ladies! Between myself, Amie Adams, Aimee Giese, Angie Warren and Me Ra Koh we could have shared for hours on end without coming up for air. Alas, time flies and we barely scratched the surface! If nothing else we realized that more than anything sharing photo inspiration can be just as fun as shooting! I guess that's exactly why Shutter Sisters came to be.

Musing on all photo-centric thoughts and ideas I wanted to share today got me thinking about this time of year and how soon after Halloween we will be looking to creating holiday cards. Don't tell me you haven't thought about them already. I so know many of you have.

Last year we started really early (like Oct 7, yikes) and wrote up some posts on the subject and called it Great Greetings. I'm not going to reinvent the wheel here so allow me to lead you to the series, in case you either missed it or need a refresher.

And to add a 2009 post to the series today, let me offer one of my favorite ways to create a great card (holiday, birthday, invitation, or just cute notecards). Let me tell you, it's all about the negative space. The more you leave, the more room you have to drop in the perfect sentiment. See the featured photo above. Don't get me wrong, negative space for the sake of compelling composition alone is awesome. I do it all the time. But if you're mindful about it when you are shooting pix for your cards, you can make room for the words that go with it. And remember, this is not just a motherhood thing. This trick goes for any kind of shot, for any kind of card.

And on that note, what are you thinking about for your cards this year? Or are you thinking about it yet? Share your thoughts and if you're so inclined, you can share your card from last year. I'll break the ice. Mine was a small and simple collection of images. I love simple.

Now, it's your turn. Let's see it!

Comments

[Melissa]

While i was walking around at our local Botanical Gardens today i was thinking about cards.
My 10 year old has come such a long was with her use of the camera so i thought it would be nice to use her photos this year for the front of the card. Maybe next year another child will use theirs and so on. I have enough kids to keep me going for 5 years!

[Marcie]

What a wonderful image and sentiment. Love how the shadow balances out the written words.
I'm a big fan of negative space and like to use it as often as I can. Was trying to think of what words I might put to thie image:
http://www.marciescudderphotography.com/index.php?showimage=936

[Vanessa]

here's mine from last year: http://www.flickr.com/photos/vanessa_r/3069829000/in/set-72157607454214429/
and, yes, i'll admit it, i have already started mulling over what i'll do this time round! thanks for the inspiration, as always... love this idea!

[georgia]

i was not really reading shutter sisters this time last year, so i missed that series, which is why i appreciate you "reinventing the wheel". i can't wait to check out your links.

on that note, i try to find images ll the time that i can use words with. more so i can practice typography, but i have been thinking more in terms of creating greetings for my etsy shop, too. so i know i have to be more mindful before i take the picture. your example is just perfect. i really like it.

i did this one a while back and remember thinking it would make a good card {not christmas}. maybe to give to a graduate or something--someone who is going out on their own.
http://itsjusthowiseethings.blogspot.com/2009/07/good-advice-to-duke-ellington.html

[amber]

great site!!

found you through a link on a friend's blog.

yep.. going today to take our family pics for christmas cards.. but that's as far as I've got. haven't a clue what card to design/ pick. etc. :) hopefully once I see the pictures I'll get inspired!!

blessings to you guys.

amber~

[melissa]

just received my matchy-triped-elf-looking jammies to photograph my kids in for the christmas cards this year. can't wait!

[brittany]

last year I was stuck in bed acting as a human incubator for growing twins, but this year I've already been thinking about it...

but here is a recent birthday card I did:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/43773191@N00/3990772078/

[Amanda]

I had extra time around the first of the month, so got onto Shutterfly.com, assembled and ordered our Christmas postcards -- we vacationed in Yellowstone a few weeks before, so I was still buzzing from that and it was fun to search through the bazillion shots for the perfect picture for the cards! Cards, envelopes, address labels ready -- just need to buy Christmas stamps, then stuff envelopes. That's gonna wait til after Thanksgiving, tho.

[karen]

I'm wondering how you added the Goethe quote to the photo card? In other words , how do you add text to a photo you have already taken?

[Kate @ Little House]

We did a photo card for the first time last year... http://www.flickr.com/photos/30297021@N02/3113888743/
and the creating was a lot of fun.

Not sure what to do for this year..... please say I don't have to think about Christmas yet? :)

[Gail]

Just made this birthday card for a friend...lots of negative space here!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/22733432@N08/4057496828/

[Toni | Daily Vignette]

@ Karen - you need photo editing software such as Photoshop or similar - even Paint will work to add text. If you contact me through my website, I can give you better instruction and tips, etc. http://dailyvignette.com

I've been busy designing cards for clients and have some templates for sale, but for actual photos for my cards??? Haven't come up with anything yet.