Sharing the Spark

We are beyond thrilled to announce our brand new regular column Point of Focus that will be featured in Digital Photo Magazine. We will be sharing our Shutter Sisterseque photographic passion on the pages of the widely respected publication, both in the hard copy of the magazine and also in the new digital version via Zinio. Yes, you can now get DP Mag for your computer and/or ipad. Enter balloons, streamers and crowd cheers here. 

We kick off our column in the current issue with a story, in true Shutter Sisters style, along with some tips and tricks on how to stoke your photographic spark. You'll have to check it out!

In honor of our first column, share with us today how you keep your photographic spark fired up. Got any tricks of your own? Let's get a list going of how you let your photographic heart wander.

And let's toss in a giveaway too. We've got 3 copies of the current issues of both Digital Photo Magazine and their sister publication Digital Photo Pro. We'll randomly choose 3 winners so leave your comment (you have until Thursday midnight EST to be entered in the giveaway) and share your spark.

And winners are Jessica, Suddenly Susan, Tonette B. Check your inboxes ladies. Yay you!

Comments

[liveloveandserve]

My boyfriend keeps me excited about photography! When I'm tired of taking pictures, he'll encourage me to get out my camera, take me to a beautiful park, and get me excited again to take pictures.

[Kelly Decoteau]

I fire up my photographic spark by visiting blogs and websites of photographers admire. It's inspiring to see their newest work. I don't try to be a copycat, but it pushes me to come up with my own new, creative ideas.

[CheyAnne]

Sometimes I wonder where my spark goes and then I will notice the light. It's always about the light and the way it falls on or across something. Light brings is all together for me and my spark gets fired up again. I hope I win a copy I would love to read your issue
peace n abundance,
CheyAnne

[Michelle H]

Sometimes I really have trouble keeping my spark, and then I remember that I do photography more for me than for others, so I find new things to shoot that I haven't tried before. Most of the time I don't know what I'm doing, so I mess with my settings, try my best, and the spark comes back with the excitement of trying something new.

[judykayrocks]

The minute I see the light, the morning sun goves way to, or I hear the song of the geese coming back to spend their summer's again on the beloved prairie, I jus have to grab that camerao' mine!! I can't even begin to put it into words, the RUSH I get from it. Altho, I'm truly a novice, a recent emptynester, with a new found PASSION!! I so love this sight, that I stumbled across recently, all things being PROVIDENTIAL...I just bought your EP book, that I can't wait to devour. Thank you "sisters" for all your inspiration, wit & talents. Blessings to you all & keep it com'n. jdykrx

[Brandi Prather]

My photographic spark comes from life. Every passing moment is opportunity to cherish forever and simply using a len allows me to capture it. So, I get my inspiration from life and understanding that a life is so delicate.

Brandi.

[Misti Tracy]

When I feel like my creative energy is zapped, I turn to my favorite music and open up a magazine. Works every time! :)

[Marcie]

Some days the spark is hard to find. Usually - just going out for a walk with my camera gets me started!

[Juju]

My spark can be low occasionally, but a sweet look or cute pose from my dogs sends it flaring again. They're my muses!

[Claudia]

it's just a rule: make a photo every day. It just adds to my happy life to do it every day. When I don't, well, you don't want to know.

[Laura Shields]

This year the National Geographic All Roads program has sent me into our public school system in Santa Fe as a photography mentor. My one class has 40, count em, 40 students and, of course, this is because buget cuts require larger classes. Regardless, my task is to inspire these young adults to look at things closer, with a spectrum of oberservation considerations. THIS keeps me inspired! When I am effective at conveying ideas and information, the response from the students is the ultimate of satisfaction. You can feel their minds growing with huge leaps. It is incredibly fulfilling work and I MUST stay inspired, for them.

[Alexandra Karl]

Sometimes I go to the American Orchid Society and use my macro lens or to the Morikami Japanese Museum and Garden for a stroll with my camera. Anything, anyplace to slow myself down and just shoot for joy, wonder and withoout purpose instead of shooting for the purpose of "making a living." Spmetimes, a go early to meet a client and look around and photograph a few things without feeling rushed. Also, I read Shutter Sisters to be inspired!

[Cathy]

I am new to the photography world and am loving it! However, , I recently took a class and found it hard to find things that i wanted to photograph to try the different techniques. I live in Indiana and it was overcast most days and brown...

[jamie g]

I get inspired by looking at other photographers' work, and by taking part in online communities (like Picture Inspiration) which challenge me to expand my horizons.

[sally sloley]

congrats. can't wait to see the new column.

[Sandee]

I have a project 365 going (my third). That helps keep me motivated to learn & try new things. Reading the Shutter Sisters blog certainly helps. :-)

[shirley]

Sometimes you just need to visit a new place, like farmer's market:

http://www.shirleybehindthelens.com/2011/03/scenes-from-farmers-market.html

[Lindsay H]

I keep the spark by having a photography buddy, we encourage each other to keep shooting, go on photography adventures & work together to better our craft.

[Jess]

I would LOVE to win a copy of the mag and Congrats to all of you! I JUST posted a little trick to my blog. Here it is...

http://jessicavescera.blogspot.com/2011/03/today-i-practiced-using-bracketing.html

[Sarah]

My spark is to often look at all the cool things on Photojojo.com and imagine how I could use them creatively - and to peruse the blogs of the shutter sisters of course!

[Siobhan Wolf]

Reminding myself to really look, to really see. It is so easy to get washed away in the negativity of the world sometimes. Looking purposefully with eyes on love brings it to the surface.

[Ali]

When I need to see something new or look at something old in a new way - it provides a spark...

[Suddenly Susan]

I try to carry my camera with me everywhere I go. I also shoot photos even when I don't feel like it. Sometimes after I've downloaded my pics, I'm so glad I didn't let my "emotions of the day" get in the way of shooting.

[Darlene]

it's a part of life for me - I have always carried a camera with me - I shoot at least one photo a day - life inspires me and to get the extra spark I check out other blogs and Shutter sisters.....

[Lennie]

Like all of us, I do lose the spark every once in a while. I have found my iPhone has been the key to revival. Somehow, because it's supposedly "not a REAL camera" (even though in my heart it is.....), there is the freedom to just, well, shoot. It always brings me back around.

[Kat]

How exciting! Congrats! I find that just getting out in places that inspire me keeps my photographic spark going. It may be something familiar, like the park near my home, or it may be wandering the back streets of a new town to get a feel for the place. All it takes is a scooter in an alley for me...
http://www.kateyeview.com/2011/03/back-alley-bliss.html

[Maya]

I've felt so 'busy' that I have not been bringing my camera out as much as usual. Just read a comment about not letting her mood get in the way of her photos. Hmmm.....I like that. :)

[Gabi]

Congrats on the column!!
Sometimes when I feel that I'm loosing my spark, I just sit and look at our photos. Bringing back all the memories always puts a big smile on my face and gives me the extra energy and joy for taking the new ones.

[Danyelle]

I look at blogs and magazines to see new techniques and interpretations.

[Roxanne]

Photo blogs! That is the number one way for me to feed my spark - and Shutter Sisters is right at the top of that list.

[Deborah]

I just recently found a local photography club and attended my first meeting last week. I was inspired to find people from my own community with the same interest, men and women alike. Besides that, BIg Picture Classes have really given me the spark to take photos daily, which is something I absolutely love doing!

[Deirdre]

That's great. Your column will really enhance that magazinge.
I keep my spark going by always carrying my camera with me -- absolutely everywhere I go.

[Kathryn]

Wow, that sounds amazing, congratulations. My spark has definitely been ignited recently when I upgraded my Rebel XT to a Canon 60D. I'm seriously in love with it and have been experimenting whilst out on some nature walks.

[Brooke]

I look to others for inspiration. When I need a pick me up, I open flickr and explore. Or browse through blogs. It really does get me excited to get out with my camera again.

[Marite]

With each seasonal change there is a new spark. As I get older, my eyes tire easily, yet everyday I still seem to find something that holds some sort of a beauty I must share. Being new to Shutter Sisters I enjoy the wonderful community filled with sooo much talent that only helps the spark to ignite. Oh, and yes I too carry my camera with me everywhere :^)

[Teressa]

Congratsulations! I love reading photography blogs and looking at magazines to help me find my spark. But it also gets the travel spark (flame) going.

[Simone]

What keeps me 'sparked' is always imagining a photo from life's most ordinary things and having my camera on hand to capture it!

[Jill]

Congratulations!!!

This is one of my favorite magazines, and I regularly pull old issues out because there is always something that sparks my mind and curiosity. So happy that you will be featured regularly in there now!

Loved the top image - Build Extra Time Into Your Day.

I did that for the first time yesterday - and it felt great!! Only 10 minutes but here's what it looked like:

http://humbirdhum.wordpress.com/2011/03/23/the-long-way-home-2/

[Chelsea C]

Wow congratulations how exciting!! To keep my spark fired up I like to take regular photo walks...I always find something to photograph! And it is especially fun to explore a new area. I also love to look at others for inspiration and ideas, and participating in challenges, photo scavenger hunts, trying out new techniques or editing styles, and my 365 all keep the creative juices flowing!

[lifeineden]

You ladies rock! That is spectacular.
I think what keeps me going being surprised. I know that it is important to have a vision and all that -- but what most inspires me is when I capture something totally unexpected, or take a so-so image and make it sing with PP. That keeps me going back for more.

[Jennifée]

Cool - congratulations! I wonder if I can find that magazine in Norway - I hope so :) The only thing keeping my photographic spark alive right now is my Android camera phone. The many processing possibilities available in the apps and the fact that it's so small and easy to shoot with are just what I need now that my mind is almost completely taken up with getting used to a new job.

[meredith winn]

yippee!!!

[Jessica]

This site helps a lot, as well as Tracey's online workshops and Flickr. I also have my 365 project to keep me motivated. I am not a quitter. ;)

[Trude]

Congratulations!! That's so exciting!! I take a day trip to somewhere I've never been, or haven't been to in a long time. Luckily SoCal has lots of hidden spots! :)

[Through the Lens of Kimberly Gauthier, Photo Blog]

Congratulations, what a fantastic honor. Gives me hope for my humble blog. I'm so excited for you. I already subscribe to the magazine so please take me out of the running, but add my excitement to yours!

What really keeps me going are the challenges. I love doing photography challenges. Coming up with a unique way to look at something is excellent. Probably appeals to the creative side (photography) and the analytical side (accounting) me my persona. Here are a few of challenges I completed recently...

scavenger hunt sunday: http://www.kimberlygauthier.com/challenges/photography-challenge-scavenger-hunt-sunday-2/4297/

food photography in a dark restaurant (my own challenge): http://www.kimberlygauthier.com/challenges/project-365-n-joy-sushi-mill-creek-wa-food-photography/4287/

model eyes, self portrait challenge: http://www.kimberlygauthier.com/challenges/selfie-magic-how-do-you-get-model-eyes/4266/

[melody]

Since I am challenging myself to the photo a day project, I am constantly seeking out my spark. Almost always, I find it in nature!
And congrats also!!

[Elizabeth Crocker]

It's spring time. I am finding new sparks everywhere, but the afternoon sun to sunset time and all the flower-filled yards that I drive past on my way home from work is a great spark for me.

http://www.thewayiseeitthroughmylens.blogspot.com

[Erika]

I find my spark in online classes like Picture Inspiration at BPC and blogs like Shutter Sisters. I also love to explore on Flickr.

Congrats on the new column. Love the magazine and look forward to future issues.

[kat]

My two young daughters serve as inspiration to keep my spark alive.

[tara]

ha, good timing. i was lacking any spark today but brought my camera with me anyway (as per usual in this 365) hoping i'd see something, anything as i drove the kiddos to a play date. it wasn't until our drive home when the fading light was hitting the fence at the horse park just so. i pulled out the camera and oh no! i had an inexlicable -E- flashing. with daylight now fading fast, i was getting desperate and pulled out the iphone for some shots of the power lines on the way home. i'm almost afraid to look at what i got.