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« home away from home | Main | sorrow, like the wind, comes in gusts »
Tuesday
Feb032009

Pure Magic

DateTuesday, February 3, 2009 by AuthorTracey Clark

 

Over the last few weeks I, like many of you have been shooting more than ever just to keep up with my 365 attempt and now, the One Word Project. And although it’s taken some adjusting to eek out time from my maxed out daily routine, I am finding the extra moments I am spending with my camera soulfully gratifying and creatively invigorating.

 

Shooting everyday helps keeps me accountable while visually translating my word opens my mind and pleasantly challenges me to keep focused on my intentions. The trouble is that now I’ve got all these photos to deal with. Uploading, processing, exporting, and more uploading can stifle anyone’s photo flow. I can feel a collective nod as I type these words.

 

I don’t have any grand answer to making these many steps any less daunting but I can tell you that if you can figure out a way to make them more efficient (or non-existent even) you’re onto something.

 

Enter the Straight Out Of the Camera concept (aka SOOC).

 

Remember the old days when you got what you got and there was no easy way to change it? It’s kinda like that. And although I wouldn’t give up my editing software to safe my life, I am rediscovering my appreciation for an image just the way it was captured. No enhancement. No manipulation. No nothing. Just you, your camera, and the subject at hand. And if all goes well some magic.

 

If I told you that getting back to the SOOC way of shooting is totally liberating, would you believe me? Are you willing to give it a go? If for no other reason but to take some of that editing time off of your plate? I’m not suggesting switching over completely. I love Lightroom too much for that. But perhaps just putting that little extra something into each shot...giving yourself a chance to love what you are creating as it happens, straight out of the camera.

 

Do share a favorite SOOC today and remind us of that kind of magic.

 

Comment61 Comments

References (1)

References allow you to track sources for this article, as well as articles that were written in response to this article.
  • Response
    Response: My Magical Place
    by Debbie Schinker at Schinker's Shutterbug Site on February 3, 2009
    Truth be told, most of my pictures are SOOC. There's something - elemental? pure? challenging? - about trying to get it just right that way. Here's one of my most favorite SOOC magical shots on my photoblog...

Reader Comments (61)

this is a such a great reminder that photos don't have to be post-processed! thank you :)

this one is as is from my camera, other than a slight crop - does that count, kind of? :)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeanamarie31/3246522227/
February 3, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterJeanaMarie
I'm new at this site. Found my way here trough Daily Practice. I have entered a sooc image at flickr.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/35021747@N02/3249421699/in/pool-sooc
February 3, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterFrida
This one - is pretty much SOOC. It was a grey day...I wanted to enhance and sharpen the colors...I left it alone.
A little dull...a little muted...but what it was:
http://www.marciescudderphotography.com/index.php?showimage=677
February 3, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterMarcie
here there is a gift from friend...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/23206424@N07/3249506893/
February 3, 2009 | Unregistered Commenterkosenrufu mama
I LOVE this shot. I'm new to any sort of decent camera but have an inkling that I may be an SOOC girl. I'm finding it hugely satisfying.
February 3, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterKirsty
Hi again, sorry for the inconvenience but I put my image at my webhotell instead of putting it up at flickr.
Here's the link to the image SOOC - Sead Pods.
http://www.pixelbloggen.se/shutter_images/IMG_2872_sooc.JPG
February 3, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterFrida
I can't post a shot - pathetic eh? But I agree wholeheartedly. Sometimes the prospect of screentime keeps me from shooting. Now this girl needs some SOOC freedom!

The image above is just gorgeous!

www.lifeinkathmandu.blogspot.com
February 3, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterLaurel
I am still a SOOC person becasue I can not figure out my photoshop and with 2 little ones running around the house, its all I can do to keep up with 365, I heart faces and ABC photo mem
February 3, 2009 | Unregistered Commenterapril
Oooh, I found one in my massive files of stuff to work on. It never occurred to me to NOT tweak something, but I was really pleased to find this: http://www.marcievargas.com/2009/02/have-mercy.html
Now I will be taking a more critical look at my photos to see if they do really need fixing up.
February 3, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterMarcie Vargas
Thankfully I'm just lazy enough and my computer is just slow enough that there's no way I can post process my photos, apart from a small tweak in white balance if it's off. I call it my "composition challenge" to make it feel like an asset to my photographic journey ;o)

I'm honored to be the featured oneword today, what a wonderful way to start off my very early morning!

http://shuttersisters.com/onewordproject/2009/2/3/depth-by-tumblieweed.html

http://www.flickr.com/photos/28479290@N05/3245723376/
February 3, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterShawna
Okay, this one - http://mindwhisperingsphotography.blogspot.com/ - probably doesn't count, cause I did make it b&w after the fact, BUT I paused to breathe (my oneword) before taking it and took only one shot. I keep mentally referring back to Susannah's (unraveling photography) post from a while back and noticing that indeed, when I take shot after shot of one thing, usually the first one is my keeper. And if I pause and take another, closer look, that shot's often a keeper too. So I'm working on reeling in that greedy pointer finger that seemingly devours what I see in frantic (I'm gonna lose this moment) clicks...
February 3, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterElizabeth
This is by far one of my most favorite SOOC:
http://americana.visualblogging.com/archives/11454_1807447140/315959

Most of my shots on americana are SOOC, just cropped or shrunk to fit. I think sometimes photos are better that way.
February 3, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterJen
i've not had much time lately. i struggle with this as well. i find myself zoning out by the end of the day, just to recuperate. one way i zone out is by editing photos. (it's just plain fun, and i've got no tv) alot of my old photos are SOOC. i must say you've inspired me to get off the screen and back into my heart tracey!

here are two of my favorite SOOC photos
http://flickr.com/photos/camerashymomma/2850318244/
http://flickr.com/photos/camerashymomma/2925575208/
February 3, 2009 | Unregistered Commentercamerashymomma
with a little one at home, i rarely have time to edit most of my shots. this is good and bad, and like you said, it means so much more when one turns out just like you hoped.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sivyerfamily/3240105168/
February 3, 2009 | Unregistered Commenterbrittany
That Lensbaby...well, it made me return to my roots of manual shooting and SOOC. I have found I take more time to actually think about and create the shot I am looking for. Here is a result of doing just that.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ldb/3249391432
February 3, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterLu
Who knew that the way I take all of my photos had an acronym: SOOC! At some point I'll have to learn how to use post-processing methods, but I'm a 'for fun' photographer and will learn more from my mistakes than from fixing them, or so I tell myself :)
February 3, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterLee
I am no purist by any means, as a matter o fact, I am far from it. I love having the ability to transform an image within editing software. However, having said that, sometimes it's better to leave well enough alone!

http://www.wayfaringwanderer.com/2009/01/in-light.html
February 3, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterWayfaring Wanderer
I'm mostly SOOC...but just because I don't know how to edit. Here's one of my favorite recent pictures of the same kind of flower as yours:
http://lifeatthelindsays.blogspot.com/2009/01/365-28.html
February 3, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterCandi
SOOC is pretty much all I do. With homeschooling, homemaking and family loving there isn't much time for mucking around with lots of editing. Although I can appreciate that editing is an art for some. Here's one of my recent SOOC shots:
http://fimby.tougas.net/winter-barberry?size=_original

taken on a winter's walk when I needed to get away from all the aforementioned responsibilities:
http://fimby.tougas.net/winter-search-red
February 3, 2009 | Unregistered Commenterrenee @ FIMBY
Oh, I love those moments of everyday magic, when you look at your camera's viewfinder to see some combination of light and color and composition that is both beautiful and true.

http://mary-simplethings.blogspot.com/2009/02/refresh.html
February 3, 2009 | Unregistered Commentermary
Wow...GREAT shot!! So lovely. ~ M.
February 3, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterMariella
Just recently, I posted 2 pure SOC (no cropping either) that I was pleased with. i very rarely do any enhancements the images I post, but I usually crop. My daughter believes in framing in the camera and until recently would never do anything to her images - not even level adjustments. So I think she taught me to be more careful with the framing of an image.

http://spreadingwings08.blogspot.com/2009/02/ripples-ruffles.html
http://spreadingwings08.blogspot.com/2009/02/day-of-painting.html
February 3, 2009 | Unregistered Commenterspread your wings
Beautiful shot, Tracey!

I know, I edit things all the time and just getting a nice shot that you don't edit is so liberating.

This was one of my favorites from our trip out to Sonoma last spring. Totally SOOC.

http://thelandofka.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/dsc_0307.jpg
February 3, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterStacy
Do you shoot in RAW? I find even the most perfectly exposed photo needs post attention.
February 3, 2009 | Unregistered Commenterdeezee
I tend to be one of those almost anal people about making the image "right on" sooc. It's only been since getting Lightroom that I have begun to tweak them a bit. But for the most part, nearly all my photos are sooc. The thing I LOVE doing is turning them into black and white or sepia more than other kinds of enhancement or manipulation. That said, I have several sooc favourites so I'll give you two that are fairly recent postings:

Spruce tears:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/27458974@N00/3233753903/

and Charlotte's home:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/27458974@N00/3216461556/

Enjoy the magic!
http://dianeschuller.aminus3.com/"
February 3, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterDiane Schuller
Not sure SOOC shots would be any good to present. I just love PS CS3 too much.
February 3, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterAshleigh
There is something very satisfying and magical about SOOC. I sometimes have a hard time deciding if I should edit or just leave it as it was captured with my camera. Here are a few of my most recent SOOC.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ewhitaker/3245278876/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ewhitaker/3244444443/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ewhitaker/3245220286/
February 3, 2009 | Unregistered Commenterliz
I often edit the really great photos, just to tweak them a little. This photo didn't need anything!
http://flickr.com/photos/ridethewavesoflife/3218335303/
February 3, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterBridge
I did one just for this article tho (then it's back to my editing:)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/30588897@N06/3250911686/
February 3, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterAmy
I love it when an image is perfect SOOC! It makes me feel like a kid in school again, that moment when everything you've learned comes together and you get the right answer! Although more often than not, it's just a lucky shot!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/shartreuse/2886093972/
February 3, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterShar
I love it when magic happens...when I pull open the shots and get excited.
http://flickr.com/photos/charlaneg/3248085652/
February 3, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterCharlane
Almost all of my shots remain SOOC, because I am so inexperienced at using editing software! Here's one of my recent favorites:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/planetmfiles/3242160429/
February 3, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterGayle
I didn't think I had a good non-edited shot. I guess I did. I'm good at seeing what can be. sometimes, I get a shot back, and it's not what I thought it was, so I am learning to give myself permission to create, to see what I missed. Still, every once in a while, I find exactly what I saw in my camera.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8702729@N02/3250289819/

Great post. I come here every day for inspiration! I'm having wonderful inspiration overload!
February 3, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterKelly
I completely agree. After a while it can get overwhelming to worry about post processing everything, especially when you take so many photos each day. One thing I notice about my photos SOOC is that I wish that they were a little more vibrant or saturated. I use a canon rebel and I used a friends Nikon recently and the blues of the sky were so much more BLUE. Does anyone know if there is a set of parameters in camera that will capture colors as more saturated? Is this something one could download onto the camera? Thanks in advance for any advice!

Here's an SOOC shot of a praying mantis I took this fall:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/aimabo/2866102495/in/set-72157607352148841/
February 3, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterAmy Kingman
This one is pretty much SOOC. I still can't figure out how I got so lucky with it. :-)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/faither81/3210549345/
February 3, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterFaith
This is definitely my favorite recent SOOC shot.

http://flickr.com/photos/queenofsheba/3232196343/

Your post rang so true! I am trying hard not to let the process destroy the joy I get from shooting my images.
February 3, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterSharon
The only editing software I have is Picasa and sometimes I feel left out by not having Photoshop.
Here's a couple of my favorites:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7550209@N04/3199807657/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7550209@N04/3243233944/

I liek the second one because I gave myself 30 minutes away from the family and went exploring.
February 3, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterJeannette
Tracey, that image is stunning!!

Here's an image I came across and was surprised it wasn't processed yet. So here's my sooc:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dolcepics/3251248742/
February 3, 2009 | Unregistered Commenterlaura-dolcepics
i would say that 95% of my photos are SOOC. i don't have an editing software, unless you count what comes with iphoto (which i rarely use, except for some cropping).

this is one my recent favorite SOOC shots. it captured the light just the way i had pictured it.

http://flickr.com/photos/59735955@N00/3182354031/
February 3, 2009 | Unregistered Commentergonzomama
ALL my photographs are straight out of the camera or rather printer !

http://www.creativevoyage.co.uk/node/144 holga with a slide film
February 3, 2009 | Unregistered Commentercreativevoyage
Hello Shuttersisters,

I love Picnik and most of my photos are messed about with in some way!
This one was a surprise in that i just tried it with a frame and then left it. Everything else just made it look worse!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nickythomasphotography/3180877594/

have a lovely day folks.

Nicky x
February 3, 2009 | Unregistered Commenternicky thomas
Here are a few of mine that I was pleasently surprised, even more so since they are from a lil pooint and click:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/18572605@N02/1889118863/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/18572605@N02/1889119411/
February 3, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterLauren
I shot in manual mode last weekend. It was a great adjustment but a wonderful learning experience.

http://lifesignatures.wordpress.com/2009/02/03/the-park-raw-and-uncensored/
February 3, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterPuna
Oh, how I long for the summer and evenings spent chasing lightning bugs....

Here is my SOOC:

http://stephwiese.squarespace.com/shutter-sister-pictures/summertime/
February 3, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterSteph Wiese
Feeling nostalgic, are we?! :-)

The vast majority of my Flickr photos are SOOC. I'm still using a P&S and only discovered post-processing using Picnik a few months ago. And I just got Photoshop Elements for my b'day in December, but haven't really figured it out yet! Here are two of my favourites where I wouldn't change a thing:

Sunset in Florence
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jagspace/2266640151/in/set-72157603913313770/
Floral macro
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jagspace/2651800046/in/set-72157606064294651/
xox
February 3, 2009 | Unregistered Commenterjag
excellent challenge tracey! i really needed to refresh my viewpoint. thanks.

http://flickr.com/photos/22496405@N03/3250815327/
February 3, 2009 | Unregistered Commenterrobin-bird
This one is SOOC, LOVE my new 5d Mark II. No time to edit. I found if I strive for perfect edited photos then none of my photos will ever be shared; so lately I just don't bother editing. http://littlebitofcandy.blogspot.com/2009/02/i-heart-faces-eyes-have-it.html
February 3, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterCandace
It's hard not to edit on these days, because the images we can find inside the previous images we had, with all these great tools now, are great. That's what drives me in editing, anyway.
But still, I shoot film, and I love it, and never edit anything from there.
And I have a few SOOC shots from the digital...:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/juliealvarez/3175731572/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/juliealvarez/2910446266/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/juliealvarez/3166795155/
February 3, 2009 | Unregistered CommenterJulie Alvarez
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