soak up the sun

"I'm gonna soak up the sun
Gonna tell everyone
To lighten up I'm gonna tell 'em that
I've got no one to blame
For every time I feel lame
I'm looking up I'm gonna soak up the sun" ~song by Sheryl Crow

I just get these lyrics with every fiber of my being. I need sunlight like I need air.

Perhaps living in a colder, wetter, climate than some amplifies my search of the light. I never take the sun for granted. It is a real need of mine. One that I feed through photography.

If the sun is shining, you can bet I will be pointing my lens to the sky, shooting straight into the light,capturing the magic that only sunlight can supply. Manifesting itself in beautiful images of rays, sunbursts, rainbows, and baths of warm light, also known as flares. I clearly remember capturing my first flare and I was hooked.

Whenever I am in need a rut breaker, that is my go to move. I go outside, aim at the sun and shoot! It simply feels good. I am so drawn to images of light and flares that i started the Flare Fridays group on flickr. A place where we can all celebrate the beauty of light magic. Many ask me tips on flares. There are SO many different types of flares I find it hard to give a simple answer. One tip I find useful is time of day. I find it easier in the early morning hours or evening hours, when the slant of light seems to produce such beautiful results. High noon can be tricky,but not unattainable. Don't get frustrated, just keep on shooting and tilting your camera ever slightly to catch wonderful prisms with your lens.

I can'texplain why I love it so, but the images seem to warm me as much as the sun. They give me an instant boost of happiness.

Are you a sun worshipper too? Show us what you've got! Go on out and shoot up at the sky. What light magic have you captured lately?

Image and words courtesy of the ever-popular Kristen Zecchinelli (aka Mainemomma) who shares a great tutorial on Flare on her blog. Check it out!

Comments

[kaytee]

sunrise!
http://missredphotos.blogspot.com/2009/06/blog-post.html

and the sunset on the beach:
http://missredphotos.blogspot.com/2009/07/beach-bonfire.html

[Marcie]

Living in the northeast - and especially this particular summer - I feel the need to soak up the sun as often as I can.
These past weeks I've been doing it in fields of wildflowers such as this:
http://www.marciescudderphotography.com/index.php?showimage=843
and this:
http://www.marciescudderphotography.com/index.php?showimage=846
and this:
http://www.marciescudderphotography.com/index.php?showimage=850

[Dani]

My favorite thing about summer is when the sun starts to set, the pool starts to empty out, you can still smell the grills from dinner, and h ie cream man is making his last rounds around the neighbor hood.

Took this not too long ago, love, love, love the lighting.

[Dani]

Would help if I posted the link.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/36197392@N06/3666423183/in/set-72157619281711048/

[Vanessa]

some of my recent sun-worshipping moments:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/vanessa_r/3711228706/in/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/vanessa_r/3711232474/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/vanessa_r/3699314872/in/photostream/
xoxoxo

[jody]

Woooooot!! As soon as I saw the flairs and started reading the story I knew this was about my friend Kristen!!
She's over the moon about flairs. I love em..if only I could capture them like she does!!

[hilde]

ah, yes the Goddess of Flare!!! love her work...;)

[mary]

Kristen, your photos are always amazing! And I can totally understand your sun worship. We've had lots of rain in NJ all spring, but now we're starting to see more of the sun...

Here are some of my favorite flares:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/9068078@N05/2418908624/in/set-72157608124602343/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/9068078@N05/2842344879/in/set-72157608124602343/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/9068078@N05/2938438518/in/set-72157608124602343/

[Karen Mowrey]

Kristin is fabulous and has me totally addicted to flare! Never really understood it until her tutorial now I am always seeking it!

[renee @ FIMBY]

Yep, I am a sun worshipper and fellow Mainer and this past June we haven't seen a lot of sun. But this is a new month and the sun is shining once again!

I took this is the evening sun. I taking photos of flowers back illuminated by the light with some flare or "sun spots" in their somewhere:

http://fimby.tougas.net/June-daisies

http://fimby.tougas.net/Bergenia-close-up

[camerashymomma]

hey momma!
soak it up, seek it out. yes!! although this time of year in TX we mostly hide from the sun, stare at it through windows in rooms filled with AC, i still am mesmorized by this blinding light, best viewed before sunset for us when it's cooled down to a mere 102 degrees
http://www.flickr.com/photos/camerashymomma/3706021482/
or my new favorite, seeking out the sun while finding reprieve from the heat while under water
http://www.flickr.com/photos/camerashymomma/3707844631/

great post, k!
xo

[leaca]

Hey K! Nice to see you posting on here. I was doing a session today and the light was amazing. We have been so blessed with beautiful sunshine this year and I am loving it.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/leacayoung/3715769491/

[Grey Street Girl]

Kristen is just amazing in so many ways and her Flare Fridays are just one of the fun and beautiful things she does to make the Internet a better place.

Here's my little Flare Friday contribution:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/greystgirl/3466544169/in/pool-859270@N23

[CDScott]

Here's mine!

http://courtneysablogger.blogspot.com/2009/07/here-comes-sun.html

[Alicia]

AWESOME flare shot above! Ever since I found your blog/flickr, you've continued to inspire me to shoot towards the sun with all of your lovely flare shots!

Here's a recent one I took... It created an awesome silhouette at sunset. (2nd to last photo)

http://aliandsethinthecity.blogspot.com/2009/07/simple-things.html

[Toni | Daily Vignette]

I'm always chasing light. I love the different effects it can give you. I had an agricultural shoot not long ago and was able to catch the sun at various moments:

Behind a tractor:
http://dailyvignette.com/2009/06/23/its-got-flare/

Reflecting off of a combine:
http://dailyvignette.com/2009/06/29/pea-picking/

On a different day, bouncing off of some leaves:
http://dailyvignette.com/2009/06/28/abstract-light-sunday-spotlight/

[georgia]

i posted this yesterday for the challenge over at The Four blog.
http://itsjusthowiseethings.blogspot.com/2009/07/four-challenge-no-13.html

i did not know it would turn out to go so well with the S.S. post for today, too.

i am such a sun soaker-upper! i try to go out in it for at least a half hour every day. i used to soak it up all day at the pool, but i'm trying to be more smart about my skin now.

[Jaana]

all such pretty shots! http://www.flickr.com/photos/dxeechick/3642169619/

[kosenrufu mama]

ohhh, i love the sun in this season, now in italy is so hot and the sun is on all day long!!!!!
http://esterdaphne.blogspot.com/2009/07/free.html

[Elizabeth]

A blue sky and a little lens flare...nothing better!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/esabet/3714245125/

[Julie Alvarez]

I've been a lazy flare catcher lately! I hadn't been posting any flare at the group, because I am late with everything right now!
But I love that group and the idea of it.
(Of course, you always catch the greatest flares, K!)
Thank you for this!

[lifeineden]

Such good luck! I just tried this out for the first time this weekend after being inspired by all you ladies on Flickr! Here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/32837589@N07/3713851463) is my capture this weekend, or you can check it out on my blog (http://lifeineden.wordpress.com/2009/07/13/sunflare/).

That Sheryl Crow song is also a family mantra for us. Not only because of the idea of relaxing and just enjoying life, but also how it reminds you to be happy with how things are ... "It's not getting what you want, it's wanting what you've got." We love that.

[Papillon Sky Photography (Amy)]

Kristin, you are my hero! I love your photos and am so excited to read your post here! You inspired me to start looking to the sky for flare and other beautiful things, and I really think I have started to understand the light more and how to photograph it at all times (even high noon when the photo books say you shouldn't!)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/papillonsky/3714269430/

[Angie Muldowney]

The (very) cheap plastic lens on my 'vivitar ultra wide and slim' point and shoot film camera gives a unique lens-flare effect when shooting directly into the sun...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/angies/3527059966/

[ginny]

I've only recently started really playing with the sun and flares. Here's one I took today, I'm glad I lucked out on this with my first shot as it was just way too hot and too bright to stay out too long!

http://ginny73.blogspot.com/2009/07/36.html

[lilia]

Yay Kristin!!! I do adore flare - it's just a joy, and you are soooooooo gifted at capturing it!!

Here are some of my favorite flare shots:

from a recent creek walk: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pumpkinoodle/3714044229/

on the farm with a sunflower: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pumpkinoodle/2838413399/

with a bright red bug: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pumpkinoodle/2848317441/

my only front pager: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pumpkinoodle/1494875967/

at the park: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pumpkinoodle/551109368/

in the woods with cobwebs: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pumpkinoodle/574207939/

xoxo,
Lilia

[amy]

everytime I see kristin's flares (or anything of hers for that matter!) I'm inspired to play in the sun, but fall short on the flare, one of these days I'm going to get it!

[Jen]

Just started following this blog...I love it!

Here is mine: taken recently during Karen Russell's class. My first shot of lens flare, as a rainbow!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/38812006@N06/3719350568/in/photostream/

[Aimee Greeblemonkey]

Kristen, we were talking about you and how great you are at flare at PhotoPlayDate this weekend! So timely!

[Kelly]

YOU are a ray of light !!

[kristin]

thank you SISTERS!!!!!

what a pleasure to read everyone's comments and click on your wonderful images of light! keep on shooting up at that sun! magic happens.

xoxo kristin

[BlessedMess]

Just the other day...I love my neighbors tree almost as much as some nice light.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12418609@N00/3711624634/

[kellie h]

seriously!!! I love L.O.V.E the sun in my face. My huzbin laughs at me about it....keeping the visor up in the car, in restaurants when the waitor/ess ask if they can close the blinds to get the sun off my face and I say no way and insisting on having our house face west (so my bedroom, family room, play room all have the sunset)

great post & photo!

[Steph Wiese]

The sun in my hand.

http://stephwiese.squarespace.com/shutter-sister-pictures/whatever-dreams-may-come/

[jenica]

a little corny: http://www.flickr.com/photos/onelittleone/3731143838/
and a little one: http://www.flickr.com/photos/onelittleone/3731143590/in/photostream/