Shutter Sisters

fish out of water

By

These early days of motherhood have been quite the challenge for me when it comes to my photography. Truth be told, (I don’t know what I was thinking…) I did not expect that I would be spending so much time at home, and that I would be shooting more at home as well.

As it turns out, I’m feeling like a fish out of water! Shooting at home is totally out of my comfort zone. I’m noticing that it feels very strange for me to photograph my home, my belongings, my family… I realized that all these years I have been focused on capturing only the outside: my travels, people, models on location, etc. Staying close to my heart is making me feel vulnerable. Do you ever get that? I suspect good expressive photography can come out of exploring these emotions. But I definitely need some warming up, which is why I’m sitting with this delicious book for inspiration and guidance.

In the meantime, since many of you are masters at documenting your lives, would you share with me some of your best domestic shots today? Show me those jackets hanging by your front door, the light coming through your window, your walls, your meals, even those dust bunnies under your bed. I want to be inspired by the real deal. Show me how to open up.

Comments

  7. Hi,
    I really like taking photographs at home – most often inspired by my kids and kids of my friends.
    But friends at their homes are a great subject too.
    Thank you for the post, it reminded me some good moments.
    Wish you great time staying at home, full of expiration and new ideas.
    Masha.

    Here are some of my images –
    about kids:
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/masha_tkacheva/5044155874/
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/masha_tkacheva/5044168846/
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/masha_tkacheva/5044155882/
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/masha_tkacheva/5044155884/
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/masha_tkacheva/5043567009/

    about friends:
    http://www.photoline.ru/photo/1238018132?rzd=au
    http://www.photoline.ru/photo/1238198891?rzd=au
    http://www.photoline.ru/photo/1051017299?rzd=au
    http://www.photoline.ru/photo/1051017299?rzd=au

  9. I definitely hear you! I'm home with two little ones most of the time and I'm constantly challenged to find new material right around me or to see things differently and appreciate the beauty that exists right here, right now – even in the mess.
    Not my greatest composition, etc-wise, but a meaningful photo all-the-same, and I care most about meaningful:)
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/lillianclaire/5036890299/

  13. be gentle with yourself new mama.
    it is such a life changing event, and soon you will find your way in these new waters.

    myself now being a momma to 3 souls, so much of what i shoot is home centered. it can be chaotic, messy, but beautiful and cozy. i love a napping child, an unmade bed full of soft thrifted sheets, wash hanging in the sun, and creating at a favorite corner or table. this is my most recent fave of my young ones waking up and going right to their craft table. a quiet morning moment.

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/14811117@N02/4937333347/in/set-72157621920540902/

    i also made a set just for the love of my home….
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/14811117@N02/sets/72157621920540902/with/4937333347/

  16. I find that I do a lot of photography at home because I can find so much inspiration here. Where I live, the grasses and hills are brown for the majority of the year and I find I become uninspired to do landscape images. I'll do macros, abstracts, around the house, cooking and shots of the grandkids:

    http://www.pbase.com/skiingrn1/image/103407262
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/50434777@N00/5040910864/
    http://www.pbase.com/skiingrn1/image/123686927
    http://www.pbase.com/skiingrn1/image/109252502

    You can have a lot of fun with the items and people in your home.

  21. A lot of my photography happens at home. It's a great setting because there's no pressure. I can take my time, arrange elements as I see fit, or maybe chase the cat around the room with my camera for half an hour (about how long it takes me to get a good, in-focus photo of her).

    Here are a few flower macros from last week on my back deck. Looking at them you would have no idea that I took them at home.

    http://quotidian-photography.blogspot.com/2010/09/getting-closer.html

  28. yes it makes me a bit tender…it was while home with Trey when he was little that my love for photography bloomed. Go with it. I think you will fall in love with it:)

  30. i've always used my home – and gardens – as a photo lab … for as long as i can remember. this past year, since i retired, i've done this more than ever. don't think there's an inch of my home that hasn't been photographed (including every flower in the gardens, and probably every bug and butterfly!). here's a small sample set:

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/moonpiepuck/sets/72157624958607333/

    and speaking of photographing the dust bunnies … i actually took this picture of the debris i swept up one sunny day last winter. i thought it was telling that even sea glass could be found in the pile!

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/moonpiepuck/5045857981/

  32. I take so many photos at home. Like other posters, I'm mama with a little one, so home is where I feel most comfortable whipping out my camera.

    I don't upload to flickr on a consistent basis. But you can check out my blog as I post a few photos there.

    Have fun discovering a new path of inspiration!

  33. It's been so cool to follow your journey into motherhood 🙂
    Here are some of my domestic shots:
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/hannahmayo/4446355016/in/set-72157623994739396/
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/hannahmayo/4352849392/in/set-72157623994739396/
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/hannahmayo/4317831446/in/set-72157623994739396/
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/hannahmayo/4825451910/in/set-72157623994739396/
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/hannahmayo/4710262765/in/set-72157623994739396/

  37. These are two of my favourite domestic images. I'm still learning how to use my camera. In this case I was only JUST starting to get out of the "training wheel" modes, with Aperture priority. Check out my blog entry for two shots of the morning sunshine on my pillow. 🙂
    http://ceilidhontherun.com/?p=384