Shutter Sisters

full circle

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I know I’m not the only one drawn to circles. I actually believe there is something within us, something Universal, even inherent that makes it so. Simply said, the shape carries a kind of magic.

Looking for some cirlce symbolism I found this list. It was exactly as I had suspected. A circle symbolizes so many amazing things. Here are, some circle symbol meaning keywords to contemplate:

  • Inclusion
  • Wholeness
  • Focus
  • Unity
  • Nurturing
  • Cycles
  • Initiation
  • Everything
  • Perfection
  • Womb
  • Centering
  • Revolution
  • Infinity
  • Mobility
  • Completion

Share with us something that drew your own attention full-circle.

List discovered on whatsyoursigndotcom

get happy!

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Summer is the season of play and yet I cannot even remember the last time I took the summer seriously with play in mind until this summer! Play can lighten our burdens, connect us, make us feel young again, and help heal our wounds. Play is an essential part of life and yet we can so easily shirk it off the older we get.

There are a million ways to engage in the power of play! Today pick one and do it up. We want to see you get happy!

on the fly

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The other evening on the way home from shooting an event, I saw the strangest thing. A massive flock of crows were swirling around the tops of a small outcrop of tall trees. It was such a spectacle cars drove by slowly, all watching the almost eerie display. I rolled my windows down to hear the birds squawking and cawing in a loud mysterious symphony.

I had my camera right there with 3 shots left on my card from the shoot I just left. I whipped a u-turn and pulled over in hopes to catch the birds dipping and diving overhead against the evening sky. By the time I got out, the frenzy had died down and all that were left were a few crows on the line, like I might have found on any other day. As if nothing had happened at all. Sigh.

I pointed my camera upwards and clicked off the last shots anyway. I had stopped after all. Why not? When I got home, I discovered the shot featured here. It was the very last of a long day. It might not translate all the action that had taken place mere moments before but there was a sense of calm that happened to be just as perfect.

Have you captured anything on the fly lately that might have come as a delightful surprise? Something you glad you quickly clicked off, just because?

 

best face forward

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When you’re open to seeing the good, it will reveal itself.

What a delight to look up from putting away pots and pans in the bottom cupboard, to find this smiling face looking at me.

I enourage you today to put a smile on. You never know who or what might smile back. Of course, we’d love to see anything you’d like to share that gives you a grin.

treasure

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As I look through the millions of pictures I have taken over the years, I realize I have collected the things that I treasure most; the thing I hold dear. My family, friends, pets, nature, my daily life, experiences, adventures, beauty and love, to name a few.

It’s what we all do as photographers. We are treasure collectors.

What better word to use this month then than treasure? We knew you’d love it too. And we can think of no better word to describe the jewelry of BelKai Designs, our sponsor for the month. If you haven’t heard, we’ve paired up our own photographic treasures with the designs of BelKai and the Capture Collection was born. Sea, Sand, Sky, Wish and Taking Flight…the beginning of our Collection.

And we are looking forward to introducing more of these offerings this month. And maybe even a giveaway or two.

But, more than anything, we encourage you to share with us your photographic treasures with us this month. If you’re not familiar with the way it works, head over to the One Word Project about page and then add your images to our OWP Flickr pool. You might just find your treasure featured here.

Happy treasure hunting!

girl seeking whimsy

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When I think about the whimsy in my life, I default to the obvious; life with daughters. Dressing-up, imaginary play, fairies and princesses, tea parties, bubble blowing and balloons. But there are many women that not only welcome whimsy into their daily lives, they use it as inspiration both in their creative work and their style sensibilities.

A recent visit to a Trina Turk clothing boutique inspired this in me. The shop was full of splashy color and styles that were fresh and fun. Every detail accounted for, each element was deliciously thought out. My sister and I each had our cameras shooting little things here and there and from floor to ceiling the boutique made me feel dizzy with whimsy. It was delightful.

Where do you find the kind the kind of inspiration that makes your grown-up heart sing? Share with us the whimsy you’ve discovered lately. 

equal parts

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Having a 12-year-old foodie in the house is equal parts bliss and tempatation. I couldn’t resist these cookies she made on a number of levels. Obviously.

Share with us today the power of two (or more). Whether it’s a before and after, a sequence of something, a collection of sorts, a gathering of goodness, or just plain incriminating evidence revealing the truth of the matter, share with us something that reminds us that there is always more to the story.

Appetite

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In the past year I’ve gone from hungry to satiated; in my daily life, my career, my outlook, etc. And now that I am where I am (which is right where I’m supposed to be) I am hungry again. Voracious even. But, swinging the pendulum back, I am totally satisfied with my life as it is. Right now.

A friend and I tried to tackle this idea this past weekend; of having a grateful heart, being totally present and content with the way things are while at the same time craving more.

I know the two ways of being might seem contradictory but I don’t think they have to be. I have recently shared over on the the I am Enough Collaborative, that I have come to the place in my life where I am good with who I am (it still amazes me that after 40 years of trying to internalize that, it can be stated in such a short and sweet sentence). But that doesn’t mean I’m not going to stop dreaming. I’ve got an appetite for living my best life. And yet, in the same breath I know that exactly how things are right now, and who I am is enough, which makes any angst of what ‘could be’ or what desires I have for the future vanish.

In other words, I’m licking my chops looking forward to the future and all the good things that will be stacked on my plate but those things aren’t needed to feed my self-worth. That isn’t the part of me that’s hungry anymore. Therein lies the difference of my past and my present and in turn, my future.

So, do you see the two sides co-existing?  How do you live contented in the present while you dream big for the future and still remain centered?

I think it’s all in how you look at it—is it me or does it always, always come down to perspective?

served

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– a pint of Bear Republic Pale Ale served at Beechwood BBQ.

Although I’m the first to admit no place is off-limits as far as my camera is concerned, I don’t usually make a habit of turning my meals into photo-shoots. This weekend I made an exception. The occasion? Date night at a local restaurant I had a feeling I would love. I was crossing my fingers that things might look as good through my lens as I had heard they tasted.

Oh, they did.

When was the last time you took the liberties of capturing what was served up in a picture? Something delicious from your own kitchen perhaps? Or have you done what I did and taken a photo field trip at a local restaurant? Share with us something that satiated your picture pallet or quenched your creative thirst or both.

can you Picture Summer?

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I’m not the kind of mom who counts the days of the school year down until summer. No way. And I’ll be the first to admit that I enjoy my time far too much. But, this year there are two little words that are getting me more excited than usual for the coming season: Picture Summer!

For those of you who joined us for Picture Spring, I do hope you come along for our Summer saunter too. The prompts all all new with a twist on the season! For those of you who didn’t participate but are determined to join the splashy summer inspiration, then pop over to the Picture Summer registration page and sign up for 30 days of photo fun. The more the merrier!

In celebration of Giveaway May and the fact that I am bursting at the seams about Picture Summer, we’ll be giving away 3 free registrations. Just leave a comment between now and Sunday at midnight to be entered in the random drawing. And while you’re here help us all get into the spirit of summer by sharing something splashy!

The winners of the Picture Summer registrations go to Lucy, Vanessa, Mama DB. Congrats ladies!!