Shutter Sisters

Just be you

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I am taking away one big lesson in life and photography from SS Oasis this year:

“We each have a very unique way of being, seeing, and shooting.”

I know it has been said before… But I’m so moved by the fact that we each have a very unique point of view. If you look at the photos tagged with #ssoasis on Instagram, you will see what I am talking about. Several times sisters gathered around the same subject, under the same light. And yet, every picture turned out completely different. 

Do you know what makes you the awesome photographer YOU are? 

Today, show us a picture that shows your very own personal style and visual voice.

today

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“There is no such thing as an empty space or an empty time. There is always something to see, something to hear.” -John Cage

What did you see today? I mean really, really see? What made you stop? What had you reaching for your camera? Won’t you please share it with us here today?

just play

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While here at Oasis, we are connecting on so many different levels yet each person takes away their own experiences.  In just the 24 hours that we’ve been here I’ve heard: be in the moment, take care of you, laugh, connect, relax, breathe but  most importantly, just play and have fun.  I know, so much easier said then done sometimes.  But here at the gorgeous and fantastically fun Ace Hotel, there are no hard and fast rules.  From hulahoops to tutus to just laughing and having a good time (and of course, having a camera present makes it even that much better!), there is definitely a lot of playtime goin’ on and that is always a good thing. 

How about you? Show us how you connect through play.  We’d love to see. 

A Dream In Tangible Form

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The greatest achievements were at first and for a time dreams. -James Allen

Sometimes there is something that happens, some big thing (light a lightning bolt of awareness) or some small thing (a sight or smell or sound) that reminds you of the tiny seed of a dream you once had. You’re taken back to the time when that seed just began to take shape and you can trace back the markers along the way; the little successes, the setbacks, and the many milestones. You are reminded of the journey and how nothing was ever wasted and that what you knew and felt, intangibly, deep in your heart would eventually be made tangible in some way.

Shutter Sisters began as a seed of a dream. And now, here I am sharing my thoughts in a hotel room at our second Shutter Sisters gathering, Oasis. Today, tonight, this week, I am reminded that this dream of mine has come true, in large part, because of all of you; those of you sharing this special time at Oasis with us, and those of you who are sharing this sacred space online with us every day. You are all my dream weavers. You have shown me my dream in tangible form. I am deeply grateful.

What do you dream of today? Share the seed and let’s watch it grow together.

weekending by Kendra

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Kendra L. shoots images like this with her iPhone 4S and Canon 5D MarkII, shares her weekends with friends and spends every moment she can outside hiking or playing in the garden.

You can find her on Flickr as Triana T.

What does your ideal weekend look like?

Today’s prompt: reflection

Sunday’s prompt: nature

a californian postcard from a london girl

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It’s the quintessential shot of California… and I saw it… felt it and then captured it.

What have you been shooting lately?

The silhouette and reflection of the surfer are my favourite part… Don’t forget tomorrow’s prompt is reflection.

Happy Friday!

october

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October

by Robert Frost

O hushed October morning mild,
Thy leaves have ripened to the fall;
To-morrow’s wind, if it be wild,
Should waste them all.
The crows above the forest call;
To-morrow they may form and go.
O hushed October morning mild,
Begin the hours of this day slow,
Make the day seem to us less brief.
Hearts not averse to being beguiled,
Beguile us in the way you know;
Release one leaf at break of day;
At noon release another leaf;
One from our trees, one far away;
Retard the sun with gentle mist;
Enchant the land with amethyst.
Slow, slow!
For the grapes’ sake, if they were all,
Whose leaves already are burnt with frost,
Whose clustered fruit must else be lost—
For the grapes’ sake along the wall.

October will be over befor we know it. Take some time to capture the colors and share them with us here!

playful you

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“It is a happy talent to know how to play.”- Emerson

Today’s one word prompt is whimsy. Whimsy can be a tricky thing for us “adults”.  As children we were once endless fountains of play, pretend, imagination and fun.  We paid little to no attention to what we looked like,  or who was watching.  None of that mattered. All that mattered was the play.  As a mom I get to witness this wealth of carefree-ness each day in my children,  I spend hours photographing their play and joy.  Photographing myself in that same spirit of play was so much harder. What would I look like? (Why did i care?) Someone might see me! (maybe it would make them smile) So little by little I began to practice being more playful in front of my camera.  Capturing myself in moments of joy and whimsy through self portraiture.  Some days pulling in my little muses for a little photo fun. They are the masters of the silly faces!

When Meredith and I embarked on creating our first self portrait e-course,  we sat down and came up with a list of themes, one of them was “whimsy”.  Funny thing about that theme,  so many women balked at the idea of capturing their silly side,  that “whimsy”  was just not them…  but you know what?  Once they took a deep breath, and leaped into the fun, they wound up loving some of those images the most.  Seems all we all needed was a little nudge, permission to throw off the shackles of adulthood and just be silly. 

Today I challenge you to capture yourself in the joy. Blow bubbles. Hula hoop. Make funny faces. Put on a mask. Maybe a fuzzy mustache. How about a tutu. Photobomb a friend. Sticking out your tongue and crossing your eyes is encouraged here. Get silly with a friend or your family. Watch the laughter unfold. Share your images and thoughts with me here and don’t forget to tag your images, #shuttersisters.

Today get in touch with that little girl inside you.  She will thank you for it.

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Interested in digging a little deeper into self portraiture?  Meredith Winn and I are launching our brand new e-course this fall, NOW YOU : Digging Deeper.  Registration is open now.  Class begins soon.  Join us!

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Congratulations to Amy Gillard documentary moment winner of the book Lens on Life: Documenting Your World Through Photography by Stephanie Calabrese Roberts. Thanks for all of your submissions!

inside outside upside down

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How we view the world through our camera lens often helps us shape the world we experience in our day to day life. One of my favorite photographic perspectives is the simple act of reflection and inversion. This post processing “flip” lets my world become the abstract surrealist version of life that I often perceive in my imagination.

The morning I saw this image in the puddle reflection, we were both feeling something in the space between mother and son. It was a hug and a tug of parenthood and childhood. We were bridging a gap and it conjured up memories and old stories long forgotten. I wanted to document the feeling of this morning in a way that didn’t show a particular expression, but instead, painted a picture of how I felt from our conversation.

Since I have a camera with me absolutely everywhere I go, my son is used to this fact even in his rebellion of it. I now find myself explaining my process to my son, as he is often the witness to my creative spark (and with reluctance to have his photograph taken these days) I hear myself telling him, “I’m focusing on your shoes, the details of your face with be lost in this puddle reflection.” By talking outloud to him about my process it puts him at ease that I won’t try to sneak in a picture of him unwillingly. This also gives him the ability to be part of it the process. So, when we view the final image, perhaps he carries that vision with him as he ventures out into his world. And the next time I see him gazing into puddles looking for another dimension, I will smile to myself at the future he might hold in his own imagination.

Do you seek reflections? Abstractions? Do you flip your images to create an optical illusion to wrinkle your brow with a millisecond of confusion? Show us how you play with photography by sharing your images in the comments below.

Lens on Life: A Book Giveaway for Your Documentary Moment

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I’m not sure when that fear began to subside. That crazy grip of motherhood that clings so tightly it nearly refuses to let go. Because what if she falls? What if he gets stuck? What if she can’t find her way? What if he forgets how to stop? What if she lets go? What if he doesn’t come back?

“What goes up, must come down,” I whisper and let her go.

In the spirit of my excitement around meeting so many of you at Oasis next week, I’m giving away a copy of my latest book, Lens on Life: Documenting Your World Through Photography today!

Just leave a comment with a link to one of your favorite documentary moments before tomorrow’s post appears here on Shutter Sisters and I’ll award a signed copy of the book to my favorite.

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Congratulations to Amy Gillard documentary moment winner of the book Lens on Life: Documenting Your World Through Photography by Stephanie Calabrese Roberts. Thanks for all of your submissions!