Pure Magic

Over the last few weeks I, like many of you have been shooting more than ever just to keep up with my 365 attempt and now, the One Word Project. And although it’s taken some adjusting to eek out time from my maxed out daily routine, I am finding the extra moments I am spending with my camera soulfully gratifying and creatively invigorating.

Shooting everyday helps keeps me accountable while visually translating my word opens my mind and pleasantly challenges me to keep focused on my intentions. The trouble is that now I’ve got all these photos to deal with. Uploading, processing, exporting, and more uploading can stifle anyone’s photo flow. I can feel a collective nod as I type these words.

I don’t have any grand answer to making these many steps any less daunting but I can tell you that if you can figure out a way to make them more efficient (or non-existent even) you’re onto something.

Enter the Straight Out Of the Camera concept (aka SOOC).

Remember the old days when you got what you got and there was no easy way to change it? It’s kinda like that. And although I wouldn’t give up my editing software to safe my life, I am rediscovering my appreciation for an image just the way it was captured. No enhancement. No manipulation. No nothing. Just you, your camera, and the subject at hand. And if all goes well some magic.

If I told you that getting back to the SOOC way of shooting is totally liberating, would you believe me? Are you willing to give it a go? If for no other reason but to take some of that editing time off of your plate? I’m not suggesting switching over completely. I love Lightroom too much for that. But perhaps just putting that little extra something into each shot...giving yourself a chance to love what you are creating as it happens, straight out of the camera.

Do share a favorite SOOC today and remind us of that kind of magic.

Upping the Ante

 

Photo taken with my new Lensbaby Composer

We all have our irrational fears and insecurities that hold us back from taking the next step in our respective life journies.  When it comes to photography, I admit that I have many fears.  One big one is that I'll wake up one morning and find that I'm unable to "see" photos through my camera, that I've lost my intuitive approach to capturing the image I'm after.  Another fear is that I will totally mess up a photoshoot, or that people won't like the photos I share, or that every image I take will just start looking the same.

While the year is still newly fresh and dreamily hopeful, I'd like to face some of these fears.  Instead of playing it safe, I'm choosing to up the ante.  I want to challenge myself to learn new things, even if it means I may have to read a book or manual or two, or that I'll have to finally overcome my life-long avoidance of familiarizing myself with the basic laws of physics.  I plan on taking more shooting assignments.  I'm going to figure out how to find my sweet spot on my new Lensbaby.  I want to capture lensflare that I actually like.  I'll try to shoot with a visionary purpose at least some of the time, instead of the haphazard, aimless route I normally depend on.

I don't know if all this is too much to hope for, but I'll be darned if I don't at least TRY.

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Speaking of new challenges and to-do's, we at Shutter Sisters are excited to launch our newest feature: The One Word Project.  Many of you have already shared  what your One Word will be for this month.  If you haven't already and would like to join in, see complete details here.  The word-of-the-month for February is yours to choose, and you can submit your One Word inspired photos to the Shutter Sisters Flickr group for your chance to be selected as the daily OWP featured photographer.  February's OWP is graciously being sponsored by LENSBABY, so one lucky participant will win a Lensbaby Composer at the end of the month!

If you've already begun participating in the One Word Project, please share something you've captured so far.  Or share with us an image in which you succeeded in upping the ante by doing something new or challenging.

Announcing: The One Word Project

You've inspired us! Thanks to an impromptu 30-day photo challenge idea exchange discovered in the Shutter Sisters flickr group and a little "one word" creative inspiration from Ali Edwards, we're mashing up the best of both ideas to bring you the Shutter Sisters One Word Project starting in February. Each month, we'll choose one word to guide creative inspiration for your shots. Then you do your best shooting, and we'll feature one of your images daily here in the site, and select one award-winning image at the end of each month to win a super cool prize from one of our fabulous sponsors.

February's One Word Project is Brought to You by Lensbaby

The word of the month? You choose.

The cool prize? a Lensbaby Composer – the ultimate selective focus SLR camera lens!

Here's how it works:

1. Pick a word that best represents you or your focus. Your word should inspire images throughout the month of February. If a word doesn't come immediately to mind, scan Ali's extensive list of words to inspire you.

2. Once you've selected your word, share it here in the comments or blog about it in your space and leave a permalink to your post here so we can go check it out. The project begins on Sunday, February 1, but you can join the project any time after this date.

3. On February 1, begin shooting images that visually represent your word. You can shoot, tag and share your best photographs in the Shutter Sisters flickr group every day or whenever you feel moved to do so.

4. TITLE each of your One Word Project images to include your word (e.g., Hope, Love, Courage, Peace). TAG each of your images as follows: "oneword (month)" (e.g., "oneword february", "oneword march", "oneword april", etc.). Tagging is important as it's the only way we can find and enter your images in our contest.

5. Beginning February 1, check the new One Word Project page daily within this site to see if your image is featured. The first award-winning photo of the month will be chosen by the Shutter Sisters team and announced on March 1, along with the new One Word Project for March.

We've created a discussion thread in the Shutter Sisters flickr group to manage questions and answers. If you have any questions, check for the answer or post your question here.

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As for my word... it's Motion. I started a series of "motion experiments" – video captures with the Nikon D90 SLR this weekend, and intend to push this concept through the month of February. I'm intrigued by the idea of capturing motion in the form of still images.

What's your word?