elements of style

If you ever watch TLC's What Not to Wear, then you've heard Stacy and Clinton tell countless women to look for "color, texture, pattern and shine" to create stylish outfits. And although creating a trendy look is different than taking an interesting photo, some of the same principles apply. It's about mixing contrasting colors and textures to draw attention to your subject. Not only can we be on the lookout for interesting textures, colors and patterns but unique perspectives and compositions. And when these elements are used sparingly, the results can be pretty eye-catching.

Do you have any examples of a photo that includes all or some of these elements of style (color, texture, pattern and shine)?

receiving line

I'm still hungover. The wedding was Saturday. It's Monday morning. And it wasn't even so much the wine, despite me being a human champagne composter (waste not, want not). It was the truffles and the cream cheese tarts and the bruscetta and the cake and the cheeks sore from smiling. Everyone's cheeks were sore, I bet. An abundance of happiness to the point of facial cramp.

With a pro photographer to take care of a short burst of family portraits, my lovely cousin asked me to be the candid sneak throughout the day, and so I was. I'm so carried away with editing that I'd entirely forgotten my Shutter Sisters turn, and so I rifled through the ones I've done so far to share one with you.

I love it because it is so very her. Quick to laugh, generous of spirit. Which is infectious. Which is why I've still got a headache, but happily so.

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Today, share with us your captures of weddings and other special events, and tell us a little of how it felt to be behind the camera on that day.

Sunday School: Props!

I can't tell you how thrilled I was when I showed up to my friends Kim and Andy's house for a photoshoot and found a HUGE bouquet of red balloons in their living room!  Kim thought it would be fun for the photos, and she was right.  That big splash of red was just the right accessory for a colorful shoot, and not to mention the perfect match for Kim's boots.  I don't shoot portraits often, so it was a good lesson for future reference.

So what are some of your favorite props to use on photoshoots?  Please share your tips and links to images in the comments below.  And since it's Giveaway May, leave a comment (by Monday night at midnight Central Time) to be entered for a chance to win a set of 12 fine art photo cards, yours to choose from this collection. 

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Congrats to Marcy of The Glamorous Life Association!  She wins a dozen photo cards!

cute overload

Sometimes I'm amazed at how amused I can be by some of my kids toys. It's as if we have all these little personalities hanging around the house; googly eyes, goofy crooked grins and furry bed-head. It often feels like at the most mundane moment something catches my eye that just plain makes me laugh.

Today, I urge you to go on your own cute overload scavenger hunt if for no other reason that to bring a little levity to Monday. We can all use a good giggle now and again.

The flower button

There are times when I'd rather not lug around my dSLR camera (most recently a weekend trip to Kansas City). On these occasions I just don't want to be weighed down with a bulky camera but still want the option of capturing memories or interesting scenery. And that's where my trusty point and shoot comes in handy. I have learned a few tricks along the way to help these photos seem like higher quality photos than they truly are. Of course, composition plays a large role in a successful photo, no matter how fancy your camera is. And learning to find the best lighting can take any photo to another level. But often, my favorite tool is the "flower button". On my camera, this button is a small flower icon on the back of my camera right next to a mountain icon. I would imagine my camera's manual would tell me the precise name for this function, but I prefer to call it the "flower button". Its job is to act as sort of a macro lens by focusing on something in the foreground while providing a very shallow depth of field. It's great for flowers, but I have also used it for portraits or architectural details, such as an iron fence. Most newer model point and shoot cameras will have a similar function, but it may have a different icon or be called "macro". I am always surprised at how quickly that nice shallow depth of field can instantly transform a boring snapshot into a more striking image.

Do you have any tricks for having more control over the quality of your point and shoot photos? I'd love to add to my bag of tricks.