Shutter Sisters

New vocabulary

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Remember when flare referred to the number of goofy buttons a waitress wore on her suspenders? And F-stop sounded like a train destination? Depth of field makes you think of deep sea diving and composition is something that Mozart is famous for. I won’t even mention what exposure or ahem…pocket wizards might evoke. Perspective is what you’ll hear if you ask my opinion about the state of the economy (ok, not really. It’s what you’ll hear if you ask me about the last episode of Teen Mom or Real Housewives). And then we have aperture and bokeh, which are barely real words at all.

Digital photography has become a largely self-taught subject and it certainly took some time for me to learn the vocabulary. But thankfully the fancy words and definitions take a back seat to the most important thing, the imagery itself. Nothing can replace the act of practicing and playing with your camera to create beautiful photos. If you are still learning the ins and outs of photography, don’t be intimidated by the confusing banter or complex gear you may encounter. Have fun exploring and experimenting until everything starts to makes sense.

Now’s the time to ask a question about photography you’ve been dying to ask! There is a community of sisters here waiting to help. Or, if you are feeling like you’ve mastered most photo skills, share a tip with us that you wish you’d known when you started out.

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I shared on my site several times after Camp SS, that I fell hard for California. When I arrived home after that amazing trip I struggled with my surroundings. Everything looked so dull and lifeless, and quite disappointing after the beautiful scenic beaches of California. It took me weeks to get back in the groove…settle into my world, appreciate the beautiful open space of this place we call home.

Then the winter cold hit fast and hard…..it was really shocking…..walking on the treacherous ice made me uptight and just plain cranky….. But winter seemed to settle, soften, relax….and we’ve sinced been blessed with so many amazing days, allowing us to soak up the crisp air and just enjoy the beauty around us.

Thank you winter for your gentle spirit this year….

Today I share a shot of our ‘winter’…..  the open lake we walk each day….. Winter’s snow, frost, starkness, solitude, it’s all truly poetic….. Don’t you think?

I’d love to see your winter… perhaps you have no snow, a little snow… or maybe even tons…. Share with us a little peek of your world today…..

http://shuttersisters.com/3345/

the open road

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Afoot and light-hearted I take to the open road,
Healthy, free, the world before me,
The long brown path before me leading wherever I choose.

Henceforth I ask not good-fortune, I myself am good-fortune,
Henceforth I whimper no more, postpone no more, need nothing,
Done with indoor complaints, libraries, querulous criticisms,
Strong and content I travel the open road.

Song of the Open Road, Walt Whitman

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I came across these words from Walt Whitman just at the end of 2011, and immediately felt a rush of energy, adventure and possibility. It whispered to me “Go. Do the things you want to do. The road is wide open.”

And of course, I couldn’t resist.

A minute later, my “word” came to me: Free. Free to be, to do, to go, to shoot whatever my heart desires. Free of road blocks… And especially the self imposed!

So, maybe you’ve already got your word already, but maybe you don’t. Either way you can join me on this. Close your eyes and see what pops up when you reflect on what you want to shoot this year. Don’t be timid. Go big. Is it pictures of your life? Is it editorial, advertising, stock? Is it a project you’ve kept in the back burner for while? Perhaps you want to step it up professionally. Or maybe what your dream is to just make time to shoot {period}. Whatever it is, if what comes up for you feels like a *super delicious* secret desire that burns your core and gives you butterflies in your stomach… You’ve got it. That is it. Now imagine the open road. Feel that you own it (because you really do own it). This road is totally yours to conquer.

The time is now.

“These are the days that must happen to you”.

Go.

Today I invite you to share images of open roads, paths, passages, doorways, or whatever may remind you that the road is wide open for you and that you, my friend, are leading the way (your way) in 2012.

my word

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It’s here again.  That time of year when I ponder my word for the year. The one word that will define everything that I want to accomplish in the next 12 months.  

Last year, I selected the word PURPOSE.  I sit here and review my list of things that I wanted to accomplish. I feel so inadequate.  All the healthy meals that I planned on making, all the practice time at my harp that did not happen, the books that I wanted to read… 

Then I shake myself off and remember… The joy of helping our oldest sons complete home-schooling and start their new lives.  The excitement of building new communities with amazing women.  The quiet times in our “almost empty” nest with just one son still at home.  It was in these moments that I found my PURPOSE and more fulfillment than I ever expected.  

As I embark on a new adventure of home-schooling our youngest son and with the knowledge of what made me the happiest, I am selecting my new word for 2012… NURTURE [nur-cher] 1. to feed and protect   2. to support and encourage   3. to bring up; train; educate.  

I am inspired by my selection and look forward to helping those around me.  Have you selected your word or did it find you?  Share with me your thoughts for the upcoming year.

Finding Bliss

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It’s just over a week into the new year and even though I promised myself that I will be more present and remember to breathe, I’m finding it a little difficult to do right now.  I also think it’s because it’s January, my least favorite month of the year.  That sweet little square tile above (an awesome gift from the fabulous Leslie Adams) sits on my desk where I see it everyday and this week it’s been taunting me.  Create Your Bliss. What the heck does that mean?!  How do I create bliss when my life is so hectic right now??  And then I realized, bliss can be anything I want it to be.  Tomorrow, my house will be mine again.  After three weeks at home for the holidays, my husband goes back to work and my kids are officially back in school.  Tomorrow morning, my bliss will be a cup of coffee with my favorite creamer in my favorite cup while wearing my favorite slippers in a blissfully quiet house.  I now know that creating my bliss doesn’t have to big or showy or dramatic.  It can be as simple as a cup of coffee.  Creating my bliss isn’t so difficult afterall, and that’s a good thing. 

Today, inspire us. Share with us how you create your bliss.   

beyond the boundaries

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Have you ever been asked to shoot a photograph of a subject that you were resistant to? Or perhaps someone requested a specific style of photograph that you didn’t think you could achieve?

I have found that quite often that little voice in my head is intuition at work. The voice might say, “Not a good fit” or “Just say no”. I am usually really glad when I listen to that voice.

But there’s a fine line between intuition that’s going to save you from doing something you might regret and the voice that speaks less of self-preservation and more out of fear. Fear of the unknown. fear of failure. Fear of being pushed beyond our comfort zone. That voice sometimes sounds similar to the voice of intuition but it’s a totally different voice. Telling the difference between the two is something I’m beginning to better understand.

I was recently asked to shoot something that felt, well, challenging. The voice in my head asked, “Can you even do that?”. Hmmm. It wasn’t a big deal at all and nothing important was riding on my decision so I felt no angst about it but it did get me thinking. I mused on the request for a while and kept myself open to the idea. Before I said yes, or no, I tried it. I decided to turn the whole thing into a postive experience, challenging myself in a playful way to try to shoot through a new lens.

Needless to say that it worked like a charm! By allowing myself to be gently pushed past my boundaries, I not only captured some fresh photographs that I love, I was actually energized by the whole experience.

What happens when you push beyond your own boundaries? What does the voice in your head say? I would love to hear your thoughts and see your images!

let nature be your teacher

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“Come forth into the light of things, let nature be your teacher. ” – William Wordsworth

I was the first person coming down the slopes. The one who would stop every 5 minutes just to take in the glorious landscape or lie down on the freshly fallen, cushy snow. And some days the wind blowing on my face would move me to tears. Spending time in nature, whether in the mountains or at the beach, is always a humbling, exhilarating experience that reminds me to slow down, delight in the simple things in life, embrace the unknown and live each moment wholeheartedly.

Today share with us how nature inspires you. Share what nature teaches you.

keeping up

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My creative motivation is constantly changing. I go through cycles of brilliant inspiration, self-doubt, and just plain laziness when it comes to photography. I am currently in the lazy phase, which also happens to coincide with my inability to keep up with what everyone else is up to these days. Between Flickr, Facebook, Pinterest and a million amazing blogs, I often wonder how everyone does it! It seems like the whole photography community is participating in a project to keep themselves inspired through the winter or even the entire year. It can be a bit overwhelming for me, which sometimes translates into a feeling of inadequacy. Why can’t I get it together and be inspired like everyone else?

But one of my New Year’s resolutions is to take it easy on myself. I sometimes need a reminder to keep that internal dialogue to a minimum and to just go with it. I’m not perfect and I’m not like everyone else. So I am giving myself permission to pick up my camera when I feel like it and to let my creativity come and go as it pleases.

Do you ever go through cycles of creativity? And if so, how do you deal with the ups and downs?

my little word

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If I’m honest, I never got the one word thing initially…. choosing a word to set for your year, it just didn’t make sense, could that really work?, I guess it’s just my British cynicalness raising it’s ugly head… That was a few years ago… before I completed my 365 gratitude project, which totally changed my view on life, opened my eyes to possibilities, and took my photography to a different level, (if you’ve embarked on this journey, I’m sure you will feel the same by the end).

Then last year I made a deal with myself to choose a word, but I didn’t put it out there, still not convinced it could actually make a difference… so I kept my word close to my chest, thinking that by sharing it, I would jinx it (yes, I really do think that way sometimes). It’s interesting now that my word was believe… I wanted to believe in myself more, believe things could be possible, believe change would happen and maybe I needed to believe that choosing one word it might actually have an impact…. and to my surprise it did. 2011 turned out to be a life changing year in so many ways. I even got to see my word across Macy’s store in New York on New Years Eve, and I would have never believed that was possible back when I chose it last January!

I wanted to share this here, for those who aren’t sure about setting a word or intentions for 2012, that I was like that too so don’t feel the pressure, you don’t have to put it out there, you can keep it secret, and use it just for you. I know what it feels like to see everyone else embrace this project and not feel ready to jump in. Take your time…. but even I see the magic it can bring…

I wish you all a happy start to this year, (my new word is fly,) I can’t wait to see how it all unfolds for me and you….

hello soul hello business

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Sometimes I forget what it was like way back when; when I was bright eyed and bushy tailed, just out of college, eager to begin a creative career. I had no idea what it was going to be, but I knew it was going to be awesome. Seriously. I had NO idea. Not exactly the kind of thing a father wants to hear from his new college grad but I didn’t doubt it for a second. I knew that I would forge out a creative career for myself; somehow, some way , doing something I loved.

I found photography. Or maybe photography found me. I’m not sure which.

But it could have been anything I suppose. I was open. I only had a few simple (yet imperative) criteria. It had to be something that I was passionate about, something that coaxed out my most creative self and allowed me to be me.

Fast forward to now and my path from there to here might sound enchanted. I won’t deny that there was a little of that along the way but for the most part it took a lot. A lot of work. A lot of learning. A lot of time. A lot of perseverance. A lot.

Way back then, there wasn’t the internet the way it is today. There weren’t ways to find the other people in the world that were trying to do the same thing I wanted to do, the same way I wanted to do it. It made it that much more difficult and often that more isolating.

Enter the splendor of the World Wide Web! We are alone no more! I cannot even imagine what my path would have looked like if I had the bounty of creative resources that there are today. Communities, classes, websites, women, inspiration, encouragement, support…the list goes on and on. And it’s bright and shiny and full of beautiful potential!

If you are uncovering and discovering your creative bliss—whatever it may be—I want to encourage you to take full advantage of all the amazing offerings that are out there, right at our finger tips. Leap. Learn. Launch. Run. Jump. Fly. Just go for it! You’ve got nothing to lose. It’s never too early or too late to become an entrepreneur; to pave your way as successful creative, making money doing what you love.

The new e-course by Kelly Rae Roberts and Beth Nichols, Hello Soul Hello Business is exactly the kind of opportunity I wished I had way back when I was starting out. Two incredibly enthusiastic, crazy talented, and business savvy women willing to spill the beans on all the stuff I wanted and needed to know. I may not have had them then, but I have them now and all I have to say is let the revolution begin!

Share with us what you’re excited about this year? Are you taking a leap? We can’t wait to hear all about your awesome plans! Hello 2012! And if you choose to start your year with Hello Soul Hello Business, I’ll see you there.