window light

"In the right light, at the right time, everything is extraordinary." Aaron Rose

What could I possibly say about the magic of window light that you don't already know by now? Window light is simply magical and it has been the inspiration of painters and photographers for hundreds of years...

I personally love to capture the contrast between light and dark areas, creating a certain mood that is equally beautiful for still life and portraits. But windows are also great for silluetting, for capturing texture and for lighting food. I also often shoot toward the window to get a glowy and dreamy background. The point is: No matter what you shoot and how you shoot it, as Aaron Rose says in his quote above, "in the perfect "window" light, everything is extraordinary." So this is one sure way to elevate your day and find beauty wherever you are.

It's your turn to share now. Look around and find the best window in da house for a quick shoot. What are your favorite ways to shoot that perfect ray of light coming through? Show us a favorite window shot today.

routines

goji berry tea, calendar and dark chocolate. yum!

Most of life is routine - dull and grubby, but routine is the momentum that keeps a man going. If you wait for inspiration you'll be standing on the corner after the parade is a mile down the street. Ben Nicholas
 

Call me crazy, but while most people go around cussing routines, I'm the odd girl who loves and thrives in it. I do realize though, that repetitive action can lead to boredom and a lack of new ideas, and I also think that everyone can absolutely benefit from stepping out of their norm and what is comfortable, to see the world in a whole new light. 

But having a structure... Oh that feels so good to me! Routines give me a sense of peace and order.  I don't see them as a limitation, but instead, a framework to be present, recharge, practice a skill, refine my process, and create more efficiently. 

A new constant for me is a hot beverage + calendar planning every morning. Although on most days I get everyone else's day on the right track way before I get to do my stuff, as soon as I am on my own, I reset my energy and focus by taking 30mins to review, prioritize, plan and sip. This has become such a great little routine, and it has increased my productivity by at least 50%.

How about you? Does routine frustrate or nourish you? How can you hold space for new/ sweet things within that same old routine of yours?

Share with us your routines pictures (and views) today.

the open road

Afoot and light-hearted I take to the open road,
Healthy, free, the world before me,
The long brown path before me leading wherever I choose.

Henceforth I ask not good-fortune, I myself am good-fortune,
Henceforth I whimper no more, postpone no more, need nothing,
Done with indoor complaints, libraries, querulous criticisms,
Strong and content I travel the open road.

Song of the Open Road, Walt Whitman

***

I came across these words from Walt Whitman just at the end of 2011, and immediately felt a rush of energy, adventure and possibility. It whispered to me "Go. Do the things you want to do. The road is wide open."

And of course, I couldn't resist.

A minute later, my "word" came to me: Free. Free to be, to do, to go, to shoot whatever my heart desires. Free of road blocks... And especially the self imposed!

So, maybe you've already got your word already, but maybe you don't. Either way you can join me on this. Close your eyes and see what pops up when you reflect on what you want to shoot this year. Don't be timid. Go big. Is it pictures of your life? Is it editorial, advertising, stock? Is it a project you've kept in the back burner for while? Perhaps you want to step it up professionally. Or maybe what your dream is to just make time to shoot {period}. Whatever it is, if what comes up for you feels like a *super delicious* secret desire that burns your core and gives you butterflies in your stomach... You've got it. That is it. Now imagine the open road. Feel that you own it (because you really do own it). This road is totally yours to conquer.

The time is now.

"These are the days that must happen to you".

Go.

Today I invite you to share images of open roads, paths, passages, doorways, or whatever may remind you that the road is wide open for you and that you, my friend, are leading the way (your way) in 2012.

Black and White

Shot with PX600 Silver Shade

I just spent a couple of weeks in England, and the gloomy, short days, really got me in the mood for shooting black and white. After some practice, I decided to put together a list of the five top things I learned while shooting b&w:

1.When shooting black and white, the shapes in your scene are very important, because in high contrast, they will tend to stand out. Watch for diagonal lines (and/or other opportunities) to build drama and guide the viewer's eye. Keep an eye on textures, shadows and highlights ~ use them to your advantage whenever possible, and avoid them when they might be too distracting.

2.Watch also for the negative space (white) and try to create a nice balance between shape x negative space, foreground x background, black x white.

3.Grays can be pure magic. Achieving beautiful grays is part of working out a good exposure setting. If you overexpose your shot, for example, you will get more whites and loose a lot of the detail in your grays. Try also to find a good balance of blacks, whites and grays, to avoid creating a flat image (with too much gray and no high points).

4.Gloomy days are great for dreamy, soft, B&W images, because they are low in contrast and allow you to get a better range of tones.

5.Nostalgia, sadness, loneliness and all sort of deep emotions are really emphasized in b&w. Use that to your advantage in the creative process. Push the mood with your medium.

How about you? Any b&w tips you would like to share today? How about some b&w images? We'd love to see.

Thankful

For love, family, good health, friends and abundance.

For all those precious (extra)ordinary moments we create and capture everyday.

For all the little things that make it worth it in the long run.

For sharing the creative path and this online space with you.

*

Wishing you a Thanksgiving holiday full of goodness!

Whether you are in the US or not, feel free to share images of what you are grateful for today.