Tag. You're it.

So, I was tagged by Sheri for this little self-portrait photo thing.

How to play the game:
1. Sit down.
2. Take a picture of yourself right now. don't primp, just snap one!
3. Upload it.
4. Tag 3 people to do the same.
That's all!

I'm bending the rules a little bit because for one, I converted my shot to black and white (is that allowed?) and I am tagging ALL OF YOU to play along.

Grab your camera, sit down and click a shot of yourself, get it up on your blog or at Flickr and leave us the link. We want to see the real you, right here, right now.

Word Up

As February comes to an end—where does the time go?—we wrap up the first month of our One Word Project. With the rich list of words that you all brought to the project, the images that have been gathering in our Flickr pool have been inspiring and inventive. What an experience it has been! Exceptional work sisters. We so appreciate the focus from all of you this month. It has made this project such fun!

Tomorrow we begin a new month of the project, where there will be one word (the same word) for all of us to interpret. We’ll be announcing the mystery word, new sponsor and fantabulously fun giveaways in tomorrow’s post but for now we want to acknowledge all of the awesome shots you shared this month. Thank you all.

A special thanks to Lensbaby for sponsoring February’s One Word Project and for encouraging us to mix things up and bend the rules sometimes.

We’ll end with the announcement of the winner of Lensbaby Composer—drum drum roll please—Leaca of Simply Blogged who’s tender image of amore carried us away. Congrats to you Leaca. We know you’ll be a great mama to your new Baby!

Today, as we wind down the month and poise ourselves for the next, please share a link to your favorite shot from the project (something you shot or something from someone else). Come on, inspire us.

Study of a Creative Life

I grabbed the hyper-detailed directions and dashed out Saturday morning towards Canton, GA to capture the first episode of my new digital documentary series focused on creative souls in the south. Artist Melanie Eberhardt and I have been friends for many years. There's a great ease about our relationship, where conversation and laughter flow effortlessly and we leave each other feeling nourished, inspired, and really tired.

There's also a hefty bit of mileage and wrong turns between us, but I knew I wanted the first episode to feature Melanie in her own space. Aside from being one of the most creative people I know, she lives a colorful life in a small trailor on four acres of land at the end of the tire tracks, off the gravel road. She shares this space with four Arabian horses, pony Joe, a (once-stray) pot-belly pig, twelve cats of various shapes, colors and tail-lengths, a (once-stray) Cockatiel, and a (once-abandoned) spit-fire Daschund/Laborador Retriever mix named Lucky.

"Promise me you will not clean your house," I said firmly. "I mean it. I want the real you. The real studio. The real space. And don't wear anything you wouldn't normally wear. People need to see the real you." And when she greeted me at the door with her torn bluejeans and muddy boots, I knew all would be well. I captured nearly 10GB of still images, video and audio of Melanie and her world that day. Watching. Studying texture and motion. Searching for details. Asking questions. Digging deep. Freezing moments in time. Shining a bright light upon a significant soul.

Tell me about the creative people in your life.

The Six Questions Featuring Anna Kuperberg

We're over the top delighted to be hearing from the amazing Anna Kuperberg for our Six Questions series. Remember when we said there are really  Eight Questions but participants only have to answer Six? Well, Anna graciously went above the call of interview duty and addressed all Eight of our burning questions. Lucky us. Enjoy!

What's the story behind this photo? 

I love this photo because it is a mix of planned and unplanned. The horse just showed up at the wedding, on the other side of the fence. So I brought the bride over. I planned the light, which was a remote flash held off to the side by my assistant. I remember being frustrated waiting for the flash to recycle, and I could not take photos as fast as I wanted, and the horse was moving, and the light was changing because it was dusk. But then this moment happened, where the bride looked down and she looked so thoughtful and gorgeous, and everything came together in that moment. I think she looks so relaxed and contemplative because I was messing with the flash, and she didn’t know I was really taking a photo. So it was a moment of her really being herself.

What was it that lit your photography spark? Do you remember a particular camera, course, person, roll of film?

I’ve wanted to be an artist as long as I can remember. As a kid, I did all kinds of things: drawing, painting, and making a mess with Play-Doh. My mom took a lot of photos and I would always beg her to use the camera. The camera was like this precious thing and she would say, be careful, don’t break it, don’t waste film, you can only take one photo, or something like that. So it was very exciting and special to get to use the camera. I remember once taking photos of a cat outside when I was eight years old, and being very disappointed once I got the photos back, because the flash was on and I didn’t like how it made things “too white.” I was frustrated at not understanding how the camera worked and I wanted to figure it out.

What's your photo philosophy? Does it reflect your life philosophy? 

To me, connections between people are very important and very interesting. And I should include animals too. This shows up in my photos and it is part of my life philosophy as well.

Where do you look for inspiration?

I love both raw gritty photojournalism and also highly stylized set ups. I also like writers who are on the border between fiction and non fiction, for example right now I am reading Kurt Vonnegut and I love his style. I like movies that are beautifully shot and lit. But I also like documentaries that show something about humanity, even if the technical quality is bad. So I think I’m attracted to the line between what is real and what is the artist’s interpretation.

What would you say is one of your 'signature' editing tricks, themes or style? What do you think makes an image recognizable and uniquely yours?

I don’t really have any tricks but I do have a quirky sense of humor mixed with a deeply sentimental side. That usually comes out in my photos.

What aspect of your photography are you constantly working on, trying to improve?

I think the hardest thing for me is that I photograph weddings, dogs and babies, which are naturally romantic and cute. It would be easy to stop there. Anyone loves to look at something pretty even if it’s shallow. But I try to push it further, so it’s something more multilayered, or more subtle, or more important.

If you could go anywhere in the world for an epic, weeklong photo excursion all by your luxuriously unhurried self - regardless of money, time or childcare issues - where would you go and why?

Nepal. I have never been there but my understanding is that it is both visually beautiful and very poor, so it’s a place that needs attention and one way to do that is with great photos.

Are there women out there that you consider your shutter sisters? Who, and why?

My friend Amy Deputy has a very deep soul. Also Linda Wallace has a better sense of humor than I do, and it really shows in her photos. Also Angelica Glass in Brooklyn is a wedding photographer who really breaks rules and isn’t afraid to be herself. That’s the best quality in a shutter sister!

Be sure to visit Anna's website (if you haven't already) and check out her blog which will keep you up to date on her whereabouts, including when she's teaching her next Kuperskool workshop. The inspiration never ends!

The Six Questions featuring Millie Holloman

Rockin’ photographer Millie Holloman is our second stellar sister to answer our Six Questions. Here’s what she’s got to say.

What's the story behind this photo?

This photo was taken during an engagement session in the country. We were walking through this golden field in the same city the couple grew up. It just felt right to have them lay in this field together so I asked them if they would and of course being the awesome people they are, they agreed! I cropped it this way because I wanted you to feel the romance and sense how they were there in this timeless place with no worries in life but only love! It also has an aspect of secrecy which I love. Just think, anyone could drive by and look at that field and never see them there... The truth is... this photo takes me there because it could be anyone really and what a splendid afternoon!

Where do you look for inspiration?

I look for inspiration in every day life... I know that sounds cliché but it is so true! It might be something I see someone wearing, a place I have never shot, a photo in a magazine, a simple statement, a blog or website. In the right moment something incredibly simple like a shadow or bubbles could inspire when I start thinking of all the possibilities!

What would you say is one of your 'signature' editing tricks, themes or style? What do you think makes an image recognizable and uniquely yours?

My editing style is very crisp and clean with a touch of sharpening. I really try to keep things looking natural although every now and then I do spring for a texture or unique edit because the image needs something more. I think what makes people think of us is, bright natural colors with emotion, energy, personality and fun moments. When you mix it all up, it just works and blends to really give a great story and feel!

What aspect of your photography are you constantly working on, trying to improve?

For me it is more like what I am not? I always think there is room to learn more, if my pea sized brain can retain it that is. This year I am resolved to learn more about lighting and really study both studio lights and strobes so I am even more comfortable with them both. Last year was working with flare from natural sunlight which was soooo much fun!

If you could go anywhere in the world for an epic, weeklong photo excursion all by your luxuriously unhurried self - regardless of money, time or childcare issues - where would you go and why?

I would go anywhere that I could just sit and enjoy life all day long while shooting only the simplest most beautiful things I could find. This place must included one of those huts that you have to walk out over the water to get to and the water has to clear and beautiful. I have just always wanted to do this and can’t imagine how relaxing it would be, of course it would have to include massage!

Are there women out there that you consider your shutter sisters? Who, and why?

If by that you mean other women in photography who I can’t live without, then YES! Kelly Moore, Davina Fear, and Lauren Clark. These girls are AHHH-Mazing friends that are better than a girl could ask for. We all teach Love Affair Workshop together and we have managed to create an amazing bond of friendship where we can inspire one another, share deeply, lay out our struggles openly, laugh, cry and be real without any fear or reservation. I love these girls with all of my heart and think everyone needs someone like them in their life!

You can find Millie Holloman, her gorgeous work and the super-cool photography team that make up Millie Holloman Photography on the website and blog. They not only shoot events and families, they offer workshops, the truthbooth and an all-around good time.