Shutter Sisters

One subject, many viewpoints

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The Shutter Sisters Flickr Pool is overflowing with amazing photographs and talented artists. In fact, there are so many that I almost missed some gorgeous photos of one of my favorite things…Easter eggs. Coloring eggs is a tradition I clearly remember as a child, and something I still do to signal the start of spring and my excitement for the season. As I looked through the pool at some beautiful egg photos I am reminded that one subject matter can be photographed a thousand different ways. I love seeing how other artists view the world around them.

I want to share some of my favorite egg photos from the Shutter Sisters pool, before the moment passes us by:

All in a row, backlit by the sun

Muted pastels, shot from above

Marbelized in a bright yellow bowl

In a basket, already found

Graffiti eggs, lined up

Natural in the grass

Painted by little hands

Rainbow colors, back in the carton

On display

Drying off

Diptych fun

Simply white

If you have any egg photos to share with us, leave them in the comments and the Shutter Sisters Flickr Pool!

starting fresh

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I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the dying act (at least for me) of actually printing photos and putting them in albums. Somewhere along the lines my normally strict photo album routine took a nose dive. It makes me sad to think that two or three years of vacations, birthdays, and special memories aren’t recorded in a tangible book for my future children and grandchildren to look through. Or even for myself to look through. And the reason I haven’t printed any photos for a couple years is partly because of this neurotic idea that I can’t start a new photo album right now unless I get completely caught up on all the past memories. In other words, it’s all too overwhelming to think about…so I don’t. I imagine it’s the feeling that extreme hoarders are overcome with when trying to start the process of cleaning out 10 years of pizza boxes from their basement. Or the reason it took me two hours to clean and organize my bathroom today. Avoidance and fear.

And I have another theory about why my photo albums stopped suddenly. Blogs and Facebook are to blame. Ever since I began posting my favorite photos online, I’ve lost the sense of urgency to have a real live picture to hold in my hands. It’s as if once a picture has been put on the internet, it has been recorded in the universe and I can move on. And while sharing photos online is nice and instantaneous, it doesn’t change the fact that sifting through a book of photographs, page by page is a beautiful thing. And something that future generations will enjoy. Imagine sitting in a nursing home on a laptop opening folders of photos. It’s just not the same.

So I recently came to the conclusion that my best bet is to start fresh and forget about the lost years of printed photos. If I decide someday to go back and print them, so be it. But for now I am staring a new photo album this summer, no exceptions.

gathering inspiration

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This sign hangs outside an art gallery in Lincoln, NE and I snapped this shot after spending time inside viewing some wonderful art. It’s always inspiring to visit a gallery and see how other artist express their creativitiy. And it may be the graphic designer in me, but I was instantly drawn to this graphic metal sign. But I also tend to become more visually aware after purusing an art gallery or museum. It’s as if my eyes are opened again after witnessing the work of other artisits. The way they view their world may be different than the way I view mine, but that’s the beauty of art. We can inspire each other to look around and find ways to translate our vision into art. And no two viewpoints are alike.

What other genre of art inpires you to be more creative? And are there any specific artists that refresh your view of the world?

at home

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There’s something special about photographing a baby in their home environment. It’s nice to know that these photos will be around for them to see when they are all grown up. Those early days of babyhood will eventually fade from their memories, but the photos will be present to spark some recognition of a toy or room in their house. Images like these are as important to parents as they are to the kids who will someday flip through albums and reminisce.

These lucky little ones will have a wonderful record of their first loving homes. Have you taken any photos that will be a valuable addition to the family photo album?

 

ordinary beauty

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I ordered some wool felt for some possible craft projects I have in mind. But when the package arrived I was more interested in taking pictures of the felt than using it. The beautiful colors and textures along with the way each piece was carefully rolled up and tied with a piece of twine just begged for a photo. This seems to happen pretty often where I’m more excited to take a photo of an item or situation than use it, eat it or live it. I would imagine I’m not alone in this because as photographers, we often see beauty around us that others may pass by. It’s what sets us apart as artists.

What do you find yourself more excited to photograph than to use?

 

Custom Photo Valentine’s

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I love paper and cute cards. I love photography. So anytime I can combine the two, I’m a happy camper. And since Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, I created a fun Photoshop template to share with all of you! These cute little enclosure cards fold up to be 4″x4″ and because they fold up they don’t even require an envelope! You just choose your own photo and drop it into the template. Then print it, cut it out and fold it up.

I chose a piece of scrapbooking paper that had stripes on one side and was white on the other side. Then I printed my finished card onto the white side, cut it out, folded it up and sealed it with a sticker. You can choose any patterned or colored paper as long as it’s white on one side and any fun sticker you have lying around.

I hope this template inspires you to spread a little photo love this Valentine’s Day! XOXO

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD TEMPLATE.

 

winter wonderland

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I am embracing the snow in Omaha (although I haven’t been the one shoveling our driveway). No one was prepared for the extreme winter conditions we are experiencing right now. And it is making life a little difficult due to longer commutes, dangerous temperatures, and school closings. But I happen to think it’s quite beautiful, and if the temperature outside wasn’t 1 degree I would be out there taking pictures all day. Not only because of the beauty of it all, but so that I can look back in 10 years and say “remember that year that we got 28 inches of snow in the month of December?”. “Remember when there were snow drifts in our neighborhood that were 10 feet tall?” I have proof. And isn’t that what photography is all about? Capturing a moment or memory so that we can have proof that it happened?

What proof of winter do you have in your neck of the woods?

angel

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I’m lucky to have a spouse that is often a willing participant in my artistic endeavors. Occasionally I have a slightly off-the-wall idea and John is usually the one I turn to for help. In this case, it went something like this…”so I was thinking that we should go in the backyard and take pictures of each other making snow angels in a foot of snow. And by the way it’s 5 degrees outside” Not only did my husband gladly take part in my little project, but also climbed over the railing of our deck and jumped backwards into the yard so he wouldn’t make any footprints in the unmarred snow. But what we didn’t really realize was that this particular snow had a thick layer of icy crust on top. So when John fell backwards to create his snow angel, his limbs just sort of stuck there all bent in every direction and he reminded me of the Scarecrow from the Wizard of Oz. I think our whole neighborhood heard my laughter. Eventually he was able to break through the crust and make the classic snow angel. And while my vision didn’t exactly match the outcome, it ended up being a memorable moment and a I got a pretty cool souvenir. I ended up turning this little diptych into to/from tags for Christmas gifts this year and they seemed to be a big hit amongst friends and family.

Do you have a willing model? Someone who will humor you when you have an idea for a photo?

sunrise/sunset

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It’s hard for me to see a sky like this and not run to grab my camera. A sunset this beautiful almost seems too good to be true, like I need proof that it actually happened or no one would believe me. It’s amazing that something that happens everyday, like the sun going down, can still manage to produce such a spectacular scene. It’s ordinary and extraordinary at the same time.

I’d love to see some more outstanding sunsets or sunrises. Leave your examples in the comments!

Abundance

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My favorite thing about this photo is the way the pumpkins seem to be spilling out from every corner. The multitude of pumpkins and fall colors reminds me of a cornucopia. I think we can all recall drawing or coloring a “horn of plenty” in elementary school in the weeks prior to Thanksgiving. It’s a symbol of fortune, beauty and abundance, meant to remind us to be thankful.

Your challenge today is to take a picture of an abundance of something you find beautiful. It could be anything from paper clips to apples. Just fill your frame with your items and show us what you come up with!