one seed

One seed… One idea... One little bit of hope…

All it takes is a seed of an idea to spark something you can nurture and grow.

What seed do you have in your head? What creative project, practical idea, hope or dream would you like to grow. Share with us here today.

Today you could start to make it happen.

Trust the process. Make your acorn grow into a mighty oak.

exhale

When life gets hectic and we forget about ourselves it's important to check-in from time to time. Take a moment to do a little self-reflection today. Find a quiet moment and ask yourself some check-in questions: How do I feel today? What am I grateful for? What could make me happier?

Lately I'm craving time spent outdoors alone with my camera. I'd love to find a quiet spot and spend the morning shooting for fun. It's been a while since I've done anything like that but I know it would be refreshing.

If you have a recent self-portrait or just a photo that prompts some self-reflection please share it with us today.

the heart in our art

"Photography is more than a medium for factual communication of ideas. It is a creative art." -Ansel Adams

What defines art? I think this might be one of the great debates of this time. Perhaps made even more controversial in this age of digital photography, is photography art? Of course I fall on the YES side of this debate.  We are artists, our creative tool of choice being our cameras.  ALL cameras; "toy" Holgas, to Polaroid, to old school film, DSLRs, and IPhones. Photography is the blending of art and science. It allows us to express an emotion through the use of a scientific device, our camera.  Learning various techniques and the science of photography being only one part of our art.  The vision, eye and heart of the photographer being the other crucial part of the equation.  Paraphrasing something Ansel Adams once said,  there is nothing more boring that a technically perfect rendering of a fuzzy visual concept. I agree. The technical side of photography is a piece, but not the whole of our art. Sometimes we allow ourselves to get overwhelmed with the gear and science of it all, that we begin trying too hard,  or even worse, put our cameras down. Do not get bogged down with all the techie terms, buttons, and processing of this medium, return to the reason you pick up your camera, the passion, the heart, the emotion. 

Pick a favorite shot and share it here today.  Processed or straight out of the camera, iphone , film or dslr.  Fear no art.

Share your heART with us today. 

Have you seen totally rads awesome new actions?

a subtle retouch - mouse over to see the before

I'm super psyched about Totally Rads new action set, Pro Retouch 2.0. Wow...it's crazy..... I can't imagine how pumped pro photographers/retouchers must be. It's really quite incredible.

Retouching is a LOT of work...very tedious.... Totally Rad has made the process easy....and dare I say fun!?! Honestly, this set would be fab for any and all. I love it!

I put together a little video for you to check out...A little walk-through retouch.... 

For more info on Pro Retouch 2.0 zip over to Totally Rad and check it out. They have lots of demos.... so you can watch the magic unfold. It's awesome. Well done Totally Rad! 

View on Vimeo

In honour of today's one word prompt.... something white... today's photo was taken in my favourite place.... the 'white room'......with a little Pro Retouch magic and a black and white conversion. We'd love to see your 'something white' photos..... Be sure to tag them with #shuttersisters so they are easy to find and enjoy.

aim high

These days all photographers seem to let loose and aim high at the sun, letting the light sip into their pictures unapologetically. Let's face it. We all love flares! I wonder who was that first guy though, that broke the rules and showed his pictures with streaks and dots on it, just for the sake of sharing a pure feeling versus a well practiced technique. I'd hug this guy, wouldn't you? 

This made me think about real life too, and the fact that it might be nice to break some of our own self imposed rules once in a while. Even if it is just to see what happens, like in a photo experiement. It could turn out surprisingly beautiful and moving. It is our audacity after all, that brings on innovation and (dare I say...) more beauty to our lives and the world.

So I wonder, what sort of rule, small thought or confinement, you could choose to break today? Be playful. Be bold. Aim high. Whether you are aiming with your camera or just your heart, choose to do something that will bring you a godly feeling.

Then join us with a flare shot today, so we can all share in on your magic.

Remember to tag your images with #shuttersisters so all sisters can find and enjoy!