the muse of connection

1. wildflowers and sunshine via instagram, 2. flare me. first iphone selfie. this is a whole new learning curve!, 3. 横顔, 4. Ghost leaf, 5. Open the doors...., 6. green, 7. Bad mother alert, 8. Untitled, 9. Watching Monsters Inc, 10. Paper thin, 11. Fresh cut peonies, 12. sunflower

A few weeks ago I went right out and got myself an iphone. It wasn’t exactly that simple or that easy. It came after months—ok years—of deliberating, debating and planning. And after all that, I still hesitated. Until one day, I didn’t.  And then, it was that easy. I walked right in and got myself an iphone.

I cannot claim it’s the best thing that has ever happened to me, but I will say, it’s pretty great. The ironic thing is, it has absolutely nothing to do with the phone. As you can probably guess, it has everything to do with the camera. But not just any camera. The camera that gets transformed by the apps.

I’m not a gadget and gear girl nor a techie so I haven’t taken much time to load up on igoods. But what I have found are some of the super-fun photo apps that I had only dreamed of using.  Enter Instagram; my new favorite photo toy.

Yes, I am having a blast with it. The whole world looks like a photo to me now (even more so than usual) but in a totally different light.  I am seeing all the things I want to share. I am compelled to capture all the stories I want to tell. Because the most compelling part of Instagram is its instant connection to the rest of the world. Sure, it comes with and easy and awesome 1-click edit tool that turns your snap into a little work of art. But the fact that almost immediately after you shoot, your image is shared. And—just like that—you’re connected. Your image is shared. Your vision is expressed. Your story is told.

I am fascinated by this new wave of creative connection. Of sharing without saying a word. Of shooting exactly what we want to share, when you want to share it. It’s empowering, it’s liberating and it’s really fun.

In the name of our many muses and the many ways we connect with each other, let’s share some of our favorite visual stories and let's comment! Let’s click around today and really see each other for who we are; sisters who find joy, strength, encouragement and inspiration through our connections.

Share your links, comment, tweet, facebook, flickr, instagram; let’s talk today in all of these places. Let’s show each other how much our connection means! If you want to hashtag it, use #ssconnect. It will be like our own secret handshake. I can’t wait to see you out there connecting!

Oh, and please, come find me on Instagram! I’m traceyclark (how totally original of me). See you there!

Comments

[Marcie]

Lately - I've been enjoying making up imaginative stories that come from my images:
http://www.marciescudderphotography.com/home/2011/6/7/sailors-wives.html
http://www.marciescudderphotography.com/home/2011/6/6/the-headmistress.html
And - what fun! I'll be sure to tweet about today's connective post!

[camaca]

I adore Instagram too.
I'm Going to follow you.
My Instagram Image this week:
http://aifonejant.blogspot.com/2011/06/la-diagonal-feia-olor-fez.html

[Chantal]

I am working on 365 project with Instagram, check it out

http://365project.org/chantaliaans/365

[Puna]

I feel like I'm the only person in the world without an iPhone. Yes, I feel lonely. However, thank for paving the way for us photographers with a new creative tool. Yes, I'm inspired!

http://lifesignatures.org/wordpress/2011/06/june-8-world-ipv6-day/

[Andrea]

The pictures you posted are beautiful! Inspiring! I am not sure in what way my picture fits in today, but I am looking back on a week of friends visiting and going through the heap of photos I have taken. I am using the opportunity to remind myself of what is dear to me, the precious stories of everyday life and try to not forget to count my blessings.

So this is a piece of my life, of what I witnessed and what I loved:

http://www.andreahandl.de/?p=415

[Morgen]

I love Instagram! My mom has an iPod with a camera and uses it. We share pictures of projects we are working on and the kids. She loves it. I keep trying to encourage her to connect with more people, it is such a great community.
I use it to document my road races http://instagr.am/p/EQTwq/
I use it to document my city http://salamandermuse.wordpress.com/2011/04/03/the-cherry-blossoms/
And I use it to capture the beauty of my job http://instagr.am/p/FM1-3/
I love it!

[Tammy Lee Bradley]

Thank you for including my flowers in this lovely collection. Such a nice morning surprise. xo tam

[Jennifer M.]

I love Instagram. I've met so many wonderful (and creative!) people on it.

[urban muser]

the iphone camera took hold of me about a year and a half ago, and after some resistance, instagram got me about 2 weeks ago. they are an obsession! i have a habit of using my iphone to take photos on the nyc subway! great post tracey. see you later on instagram :)
http://www.urbanmuser.com/2011/06/underground-eye.html

[Rebecca]

I love it too! I play with it all the time and my husband always jokes perhaps he shouldn't have gotten one for me because I never put the thing down! I am simplystated on instagram :-)

[PHope]

I love your iPhone snaps! I've recently fallen for the Hipstamatic app. Here's a quick shot I took of my little nephews:

http://petinahopephotography.wordpress.com/2011/05/31/portrait-brothers/

[Imelda]

Tracey, I think you've seen my obsession with Instragram with having 1000+ images already shared. I love the simplicity and when I took a social media break from twitter, facebook, any location networks and many other online tools, i never stopped using Instagram and Flickr. I could never STOP taking photos and sharing them. Glad you found it and are enjoying it as much as I am.

I love using hashtags to participate in 'groups' on Instagram. For example I found a #TexasTuesday tag yesterday and was able to discover so many great Texas photos and I also got many other Texan friends to play along. Community baby!

Find me on Instagram: imelda
Twitter: @imelda
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/imelda

Happy Shooting :D

[Heather]

I totally understand since using my iPhone I have seen things in a totally different light, things I may have not stopped to capture otherwise. My family is used to me being a total photo nerd now! well mostly!
I use instagram and I also use hipsstamtic a lot!

A pic with my iPhone that shows a bit of my everyday space
http://www.flickr.com/photos/toliveinspired/5720180284/in/photostream

and another everyday detail gussied up
http://www.flickr.com/photos/toliveinspired/5540385252/in/set-72157625599641081



A non iPhone capture that tells a story- my mothers hands
http://www.flickr.com/photos/toliveinspired/5766626378/in/photostream

[hillary]

I LOVE INSTAGRAM! just discovered it last saturday. and boy. i'm telling eveyone!

here's an article i posted today sharing what i know to make it easier for others to join in the fun!
http://www.eyechai.com/blog/2011/6/8/photoflow-instant-bliss.html

my name on instagram: eyechai

would love to see you there!

[MaryR]

I'm totally loving instagram also I'm @amarycano
i've been posting a minimum of one photo a day and love that my photo of my grandson "watching monsters inc" is featured up above...thanks!!

a post from today
http://www.flickr.com/photos/10990536@N07/5811344315/

[Gail O]

During the past year that I have owned my iphone I have added at least 18 camera related apps to it...It is incredibly fun and terribly addictive! and I am less self conscious when using my iphone camera in public places than I am with my DSLR:) I have been on Instagram for a few weeks and am rather obsessed with it...my name on it is: gailo_oliag. Hope to see you there! I have a few of my Instagram pics on Flickr here... http://www.flickr.com/photos/22733432@N08/5812711054/in/photostream
http://www.flickr.com/photos/22733432@N08/5812144825/in/photostream/

[Misty]

Funny, I just wrote about this too!

http://mischief-making.blogspot.com/2011/06/more-puppy-and-some-iphone-stuff.html

I came across another photo editing ap called qbro that I like even more than Instagram.

[Jeanette Verster]

Oh I love my iPhone, and I'm doing an i365 posting via Instagram to Tumblr
http://jenty.tumblr.com/
And I'm @jenty on Instagram

[vanessa]

I SO want an iphone just for the camera. I think I could live without the rest of it, but I do get a bit of jealousy every time I see a wonderful upload from a phone.

[angelica]

I've been addicted to my phone camera too! But I actually have an android phone. Like everyone else, I've been seeing so many awesome pictures through instagram and other iphone apps so i've been looking for something to mimick those things on my android. Right now, i'm trying vignette demo and FXcamera.
Here's a pic I shared on a IHF challenge...
http://ayphotodesign.com/2011/06/06/from-a-distance-i-heart-faces-challenge/

I'd love an iphone but for now...trying to make do with what I have. =)

[Cherie]

Don't have an iphone....yet, but do have an ipad with instagram and camera+
pretty cool stuff!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/colopyfam/5767777701
http://www.flickr.com/photos/colopyfam/5774142576
http://www.flickr.com/photos/colopyfam/5719774379

[mae]

so glad to see you on instragram! i love seeing all of the non-prompt-of-the-day shots from my Picture Color and Picture Inspiration friends. i feel like i get to know them better by seeing more of their photography.

here are two of my favorites:
west park http://flic.kr/p/9pKjHk
cruising home http://flic.kr/p/9aG1bt

if anyone's looking for more instagram friends, i can be found at pmaelee. happy shooting!

[Maery Rose]

I feel so out of touch. I've never heard of instagram. But as soon as it's time for a new phone, it will be an iPhone. Anything to make sharing photos faster and easier sounds good to me.

[Asiye]

i am also guilty of being a wee bit obsessed to instagram. I am denizyildiz -pls find me i would love to get to know more instagram girl! Following you now.

I started doing my review of the week with my instagram shots rather my "proper" photos : http://latelierivedi.blogspot.com/2011/06/review-of-my-week.html

and here is my instagrid view: http://instagrid.me/denizyildiz/ - super online link to share and see ones instagram pics...

[Darlene]

Awesome images with your iphone! I don't have an iphone yet, but my daughter does. I've been thinking about it and maybe by the end of summer I'll just do it!

Right now I'm connected to my friend during her pregnancy. Such beauty and magic!

http://www.whimsicalyearsphotography.com/blog/2011/06/leas-maternity-session/

[Tricia]

I completely agree with you about the iPhone---and instagram is my favorite tool/toy on it too! I hemmed and hawwed over getting one for a long time, then finally bit the bullet about a month ago. Can't wait to see your photos on instagram! I'm @eatingisart. Hugs, Tricia

[Jofabi]

Love this post!

Got my iPhone in September last year. Don't know when I found Instagram, but I am hooked too. First I used Hipstamatic a lot. It is what you say, the strength of Instagram is that you can post your photo on the social media. And it is great fun to share.

It is like my iPhone is glued to my hand sometimes, just can't stop photographing my daily life. I recorded our renovation from February till April and it has become a wonderful composition.

Good to see you on Instagram!

Love,
Jolanda

[keishua]

Oh, i love my iphone for photos, too. I has really made me want to capture the beauty of daily life. Plus, it's like having a studio in my hands. I love this mash-up.

[Microsoft Office 2007]

Here is one of my favorates.
http://windows7sp1.org/

[christian louboutin shoes]

Thanks for sharing !
http://www.christian-louboutin-shoes-pumps.com

[Suzuki Swift]

The following article actually established my very own little brown eyes towards the several merchants which usually organizations currently have by means of internet marketing.i like to read informative blogs and this blog is also so good and helpful.thanks for taking time to discus this topic..