new growth

There's nothing better than the color of new blades of grass in the spring. After months of a dry, brown yard, new grass growth can instantly change my mood. It evokes such a feeling of starting over and new life. Combine that with beautiful evening light and some bokeh and I'm in heaven. I love being able to capture a small part of that feeling in a photo. Photography has increased my sense of awareness in many aspects of life. But the details of a new season are always at the top of my list.

Do you have any uplifting spring photos to share?

the eyes have it

When in doubt, I go searching for the tiny details. I turn my focus on something small, something revealing. Closer closer, let me closer into a piece of you. This has always been my way of making life look clean. Making life look neat and tidy when it is anything but. Get closer closer to crop out the distractions that keep you from the truth.

Because this is the truth of the matter: he blocks me out now, this five year old. He doesn't allow the intrusion of lens anymore. Not as much as he used to. And I respect that of him but I find myself lonesome for this connection. He and me sandwiched between a glass lens, the most vulnerable and trusting place to be. When he grants me permission I am all tongue hanging out like a puppy eager to please, to snatch up this piece of his heart he so generously offered. And when he does, and the image is sealed in pixels or film, all our moments sitting creekside come rushing back. All the goodness and sunshine and raw emotions of the day come spilling out from behind a solitary blue iris. Perhaps because he shields himself now is why i have begun to cherish these images so much more.

So, today, because I just can't get my fill of it... show me your eyes. Yours, his, hers, theirs. They are beautiful and full of wonder, and they are more revealing than we ever acknowledge.

And to celebrate Giveaway May leave your comment (by Thursday night at midnight Central Time) to be entered for a chance to win your choice of one 5x7 fine art print from my etsy shop!

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Congratulations to Kate S. @ Little House who won the print of her choice!

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 six questions featuring Nicolle Null

I am truly happy to introduce you to one of my most recent blog crushes, talented photographer Nicolle Null who keeps an inspiring site called Sacred Lotus where she shares daily links to beautiful design, illustration and photography, and whose film and Polaroid images are the perfect, delightful combination of great composition, style, emotion and a deep reverence for nature.

Nicolle kindly accepted to answer our Shutter Sisters interview. Here are her answers:

1. What's the story behind this photo?

This photo is a self portrait polaroid that I took last year while doing a little shoot to celebrate polaroid week on flickr. It incorporates my love for flowers, the outdoors, and film photography. It also symbolizes the act of gathering and giving.

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

I have always loved photography ever since I was little. My grandmother introduced me to the work of Ansel Adams when I was around 5 years old. His black and white film work was so dreamy to me when I was a child and still is to this day. I think though the big thing that really lit my spark was the birth of my son and our move from California to Oregon. I had a little Nikon point and shoot that I took everywhere with me and was constantly shooting him and all the beautiful nature that Oregon has to offer. Over the years I did a lot of reading about photography and taught myself the basics and then made the jump to a Nikon D40 DSLR. That camera was awesome and taught me a lot. Then after I got used to that one I upgraded again to a Nikon D300, it's the main camera I use now and I have to say I love it!

3. Where do you look for inspiration?

Everywhere! That might sound silly but it's just so true. Life inspires me, people inspire me, music, nature, the little details... there is just so much I find fascinating about this world we live in. I'm a very visual person so I often find myself spending way to much time looking at flickr and soaking up all the amazing images you can find there. 


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

Shooting people is something I really want to focus on this year. Learning to give models direction is another thing that I want to improve. I'm not good at telling people what I what from them when I'm behind the camera. That's why I use myself as a model a lot in my photography. I'm easy to work with. ;)

5. 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?

Oh that's an easy one. Japan! It's an amazing place filled with so much beauty and history. It's a dream of mine to go and photograph the blooming cherry trees, geisha girls, and the magnificent temples.

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

Wow this is going to be a hard one because there are so many, this interview could go on for a very long time!

Ok let me start with just a few people that have given me encouragement and have inspired me in many ways over the years. First would be the lovely Lori Andrews. I have been friends with Lori for years now and she always has such lovely things to say about my photography and has inspired me to try new things and to think outside the box.

Next would be my good friend Bree Walk. Whenever I wanna geek out about photography or just hit the road to find some old abandon run down building to shoot in. I can always count on Bree to be there with her trusty camera in hand. She is defiantly one of my shutter sisters for life.

Another amazing lady that I admire is Whitney Johnson. I like to call her the queen of polaroid portraits. That girl knows how to take amazing polaroids, plus she is super fun to be around!

All the girls from PDX Photo Adventures have a special place in my heart too. Last but not least is another one of my favorite creative people, miss Jenny Vorwaller. Jenny is a wife, mother, photo taker, jewelry maker, artist, and world traveler who always has something beautiful to share. Her film photography work is just beautiful and inspires me so much. I feel very lucky to know so many amazing talented women!

Thank you so much Nicolle!

You can find out more about Nicolle's work on her Flickr Pool and blog.

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.