work

I've enjoyed the benefits of both working in large offices and working from home and both have their positive aspects. But it's nice to have a furry companion while I work to make the the environment more comfortable and conducive to creativity. How do you prefer to work?

Today, share your 'work' photos.  Be sure to tag your images #sselevate and play along with us.

RadLab by Totally Rad - True Awesomeness

mouse over to see the before 'RadLabified' and Texturized image

Today, I'm super pumped to share a little video review of Totally Rad's new Photoshop plug-in, Rad Lab! If you've used their actions or presets, you already know that Totally Rad is amazing! But, Rad Lab is BEYOND amazing. 

'RadLab is a revolutionary new way to style your photos.  Unlike using Photoshop actions, RadLab allows you to get instant previews of how your image will change.  You can layer together effects, called Stylets, in infinite ways, and customize your Recipes with simple, intuitive sliders.  RadLab comes with 78 Stylets for you to use, and operates as a plugin for Adobe Photoshop and Photoshop Elements.'

It's seriously sock-dropping stuff, my friends!

Please take a moment to check out my little vid... then run on over to Totally Rad and check it out!!

I processed today's image in RadLab and then added a little texture to seal the deal.
I just can't help myself! I'm a texture addict!

How 'bout your? Have you been doing any creative processing lately? Maybe you've tried something new, or just changed things up a little. Share with us today!  We'd love to see.

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p.s. Don't forget that we are giving away one $100 Paper Coterie gift card EVERY SINGLE DAY of September! Is that not awesome? Share a comment each day before midnight EST for a chance to win that day's random drawing. Be sure to leave links to your story shots!!
Soooo exciting!!
 

The Daily Practice

I've had a lot of cameras in my life but most of them were point-and-shoot. Right before my son was born, I decided I wanted the new Canon digital SLR.  It was really expensive and I had no photography training at all. I loved taking photos but I didn't know anything about aperture, lenses, or even the settings on an SLR. After months of pondering, I decided I was going to get it. I couldn't stop thinking about it and I knew that was a sign.

Right before I bought the camera, my husband and I went to Venice Beach with his 35mm and he taught me the basics: shutter speed, aperture, and ISO. I am a computer programmer, so understanding the technical bits wasn't too hard for me. What I needed to work on is what I call the magic of photography: seeing the light and developing my eye. Over the years, I realized that I was improving but I wasn't consistent and I couldn't tell if my better  photos were due to luck or because I was getting better at photography.

This is when I started the daily practice.

For the last three years, I've been taking photos every single day. Every day. Bar none. Some days it's photos of my children or backyard and other days it's more interesting things like views of San Francisco from the Golden Gate Bridge or the redwood trees. I'll admit that most days it's flowers. I've taken hundreds of photos of flowers. And tens of thousands of photos of my kids. And while the subject matter might be boring to others (and sometimes even for me) it's done much to improve my photography.

The daily practice means that I can notice subtle changes in light better. I take many of my photos in the same area: my house and its vicinity. So, I am quite familiar with it and I can now notice the slight changes in light due to weather, time of day, or other factors. This has helped me figure out how to pay attention to the light. What different types of light does to the photo. It's also meant that I can experiment with different shots at the same light and see what happens.

The daily practice means I can focus on the photography more. I am not just grabbing my camera when I am trying to capture an important moment. When you're trying to "catch" a moment, you don't always have time to play with the settings in your camera. You are focusing on getting the picture, not optimizing the quality of the photo. Whereas, on many days, I am taking my photos during a perfectly ordinary moment. There's no butterfly that's about to fly away. I can slow down and adjust my settings. I can play with the aperture and see the effects of depth of field. I can focus on the photography and not on getting the shot.

The daily practice means I can develop my personal style. I take a lot of photos of my kids. Every night I download these photos and go through them. I notice which shots are technically better than others. But I also notice which shots are more interesting to me. What photo stirs emotions and why. For example, through taking these shots I've discovered that I favor closeups. I like photos where my kids are looking down and there's a hint of a smile or acknowledgment of the photographer but it's not posed.  I favor the right over the left.  Small, subtle differences that make my photos mine. Seeing the pictures night after night helps me notice patterns. Notice changes. Improvements.

I know that the idea of taking photos every day might seem overwhelming and too time-consuming but, like most things, the biggest part is showing up. Just getting up and doing it. Starting the habit of carrying your camera around with you. Choosing a special time in the day to snap the photo. Wherever you are, whatever you're doing. You can do more focused efforts like choosing a month to specifically address aperture and another month to do portraits only, etc. Or you can just snap something everyday and look and learn from what you get each night. The most important part is to just do it. Grab that camera and take photographs. Again and again and again.

Until it becomes a daily practice.

On a much more personal and practical note, the daily practice has also meant that I've captured thousands of our ordinary moments. What makes us who we are and the reality of our daily life. I know that regardless of how great I get at photography, I will cherish this more than all else.

Please share with us one of those ordinary day captures from your own life as we celebrate the daily practice. And if you have any tips, tricks, or insights on keeping up with your own photography practice, let's hear them!

Image and words courtesy of Guest Blogger / Honorary Sister Karen Grunberg of Karenika.

let's talk tech

Technology has become a near seamless part of our everyday lives. From our phones to our cameras to our computers (and beyond) we not only fully accustomed to technology, we are utterly dependant on it. And we don't even think about it much anymore. Except when we can't find WiFi or we are somewhere that doesn't have good cell service (yes, there are still places like that). All this and yet, I am still blown away that many photographers now have never even shot film. They've never needed to. I'm not sure I'll ever really wrap my brain around that! I am well aware that totally gives away my age, by the way.

For as much as I enjoy shooting the simple stuff...breakfast,  bubble blowing, bath time, etc...I love capturing slivers of technology. Everything from Wii remotes, iPods, DS's to our new family iPad can be just as charming as any other "prop" from daily life.

Today, in honor of the brand new tech resource site, Cool Mom Tech (yet another brainchild of the clever gals behind Cool Mom Picks) we want to see images expressing your relationship with the technology in your life. Show us what you got and how you work it, technically speaking.

order

It happens every year at this time; the overwhelming feeling that the chaos of summer "fun" has gone on long enough. I'm not one to wish away my life, but in this case, I am really really ready to get a little order back in my life. 

We've all heard of spring cleaning but what about fall?

I get the same sense of urgency this time of year to get things sorted out and straightened up. To get back into the swing of a set schedule. To sweep out the sand, put away the sunscreen and rediscover my sanity through some well-needed structure.

Are you feeling it? Are you looking for a little order in your life? Show us how you get your ducks, er apples in a row this time of year.