Shutter Sisters

on doing something different

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Until now I’ve been fits-and-spurts with my camera. A hundred (or two, or three) at once. Every couple of weeks if even that, fifteen or twenty shared on flickr at the same time. A daily photo practice? Distant. Deluded. I figured I’d try just the same, starting with a photoblog that might, maybe, lend a little more accountability than flickr.

Daily practice on the mind and days later, we notice bright blue eggs in a robin’s nest tucked into a nearby cedar. And so we started with regular peeking. Three days ago they hatched. Three days ago I put my camera by the front door. Two days ago I saw this. Today I saw this.

In the spirit of today’s most excellent giveaway, I’d like to know: what have you done differently lately in your photography? Are you playing with ISO or white balance? Do you have some new actions, a coveted lens? Did you take a course, discover some new inspiration? Or are you just trying out a new practice?

Comment here between now and midnight Thursday 5/ 20 for a chance to win a 16×24″ fine art print of one of YOUR images on the famed watercolour cotton rag paper by Hahnemuhle, courtesy the wonderful (and internationally-shipping) Atlantic Photo Supply, one of the oldest and most reputable labs in Canada. This is the paper I use. It’s beyond gorgeous. You’ll see your photography in a whole new way, with one of these prints.

The only question: will you keep it for bragging rights, or will you gift it to some lucky loved one? Go!

Congratulations to Erika, our 93rd commenter! You’ve won the fine art print. Atlantic Photo Supply will be in touch to make it happen — can’t wait to hear how it goes. Anyone who is interested in the cotton rag paper of Hahnemuhle — the favourite of the printing artists at Atlantic Photo Supply — can go here to order any print you like and have it internationally shipped. Thanks everyone for playing along!

Comments

  1. Right now I’m trying to get better at changing the aperture from wide open to smaller ones a little bit more often and with a little more thought behind. But it’s hard. I love the bokeh I get when wide open so much ;).

  7. I am coveting a fish-eye lens… 🙂
    Such amazing, amazing pics I’ve seen lately w/ a fish-eye.
    Anyway, beyond that…I am signed up for 503 photography’s online workshop to start shortly so I can continue to learn about lighting, flash, everything!

  8. Beautiful image, Kate! I have a bird nest in the barn – Pheobes.
    My new thing that I’m experimenting with are some of the actions from Florabella. I’ve been playing around with them over the past couple of months – some work with some images, but not all. However, yesterday I tried the milk & honey action, which has a couple hazes added in, and I really love the effect. The first 3 images have that action, the last 2 is a sweet vintage.
    http://www.whimsicalyearsphotography.com/blog/1907/babysitting-at-stones-edge-farm/

  10. Lately I bought a macro lens so I have been testing the waters with that a lot. Its very interesting to look at normal things I would never take a photo of and think of them as subjects. Trying to turn those little subjects into an interesting shot and making sure the focus is perfect on the correct part is something else entirely. Its so much fun and is such a contrast to my normal landscapes and HDR photography.

    http://www.nekphotography.blogspot.com

  12. I love the ability to shoot film with still cameras these days. The thought that I can really complete a story with this combination is joyfully inspiring

  13. I’m trying all kinds of new things… Picture Spring, reading the manual (gasp!), plus two books on how to use my Canon 7D. It’s all consuming!

  14. I bought a (wired) flash trigger system that lets me get my flash off camera. It arrived late last week and I have been sick ever since it came through the door. I’m doing a photo a day project for the year and I’ve managed to take a photo every day while I’ve been ill but I have NOT managed to play with the flash. I’m looking forward to it livening up my project again – I’ve been stagnating a bit recently.

  15. I’m a little bit in the doldrums right now with my photography…I went back to work and that’s gotten me off course. I need to find my creative mojo again! I’m hopeful lthe summer sun (when it does arrive!) will lure me outside again with camera in hand.

  16. I took Picture Spring, which really got me looking at my world differently. Now I’m taking "Get Out of Auto Mode" which will hopefully get me looking at my camera differently!

  17. i recently took a step up from my point-and-shoot, and got a canon G11 (still P&S but with lots of manual capabilities).
    so my challenge is to start learning how to use the manual settings and do more with my photos.
    i’m learning a lot here, by the way — thanks!

  18. I have been doing Project 365 (one photo a day for a year) and have really been trying to focus on COLOR. Bright, saturated, beautiful color. I still love the vintage/desaturated look, but lately have really been drawn to subjects starring primary colors that really pop!
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/sarahsshot/4616327454
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/sarahsshot/4609432971/
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/sarahsshot/4604990544/

    Next on my list? Capturing glorious candid moments. I don’t shoot portraits very much, but really want to work on capturing some artistic candids the next time I am with my friends and family.

    I recently discovered this site. It is fabulous and I know I am going to learn a lot. Thanks!

  19. I want to to a lot of things with my photography – learn to shoot in Manual, become more skilled in capturing people (not just things), and finally figure out Photoshop.

  20. I started a 365 photo blog project in November. It’s sometimes is really hard to find something creative to shoot at 8:30 when the light is fading fast and I’m lost for ideas. This is when I usually end up with a photo of a flower from my garden or one of my dogs. I’m trying really hard to take the photo before the light fades and some of the results have been fabulous!

  21. I have been experimenting with outdoor light at different times of day lately….trying to step outside my comfort zone.

  22. Last month I took Picture Spring, which had me shooting every day. I started shooting in raw for the first time with the class and learning more about processing my shots in ACR. I’ve learned about presets (oh joy) which can save me an extra million minutes if I can commit to only one up front…but its so hard to decide sometimes. I’m starting to remember to change my ISO for the first time, and sometimes I’m adjusting my aperture. Next stop (excuse the pun) getting out of auto mode for good! I’ve signed up for Picture Summer, so the goal is to be no longer using the "P" and moving on to an AV, Tv or M. I might even introduce myself again to A-DEP, nearly 20 years after our first encounter in Photography 101 with my (then) brand new Canon EOS Rebel! In the meantime, here’s a self-portrait (another new practice) I took last month using a tripod for the very first time, processed with a preset, using the timer: http://www.flickr.com/photos/46922592@N00/4585079329/in/set-72157623919364776/

  23. Oh, those sweet baby birds. How wonderful to get such a close view of the action.

    Every week I participate in a weekly photo challenge on Flickr. This week’s theme is "black."
    This has helped me in so many ways to learn about my camera and the functions but most importantly I’m learning a lot about myself as well.
    Here’s a link to the photo challenge set if you would like to take a peek:
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/6riddles/sets/72157622865224518/

    P.S. My 5 year old daughter loved the pictures of the birds. "Wow … that is sooo cool!" I agree.

  24. My 365 project has kept me inspired to try new things. Some have turned out better than others, but it’s fun to experiment. Just the idea of keeping my camera around and using it EVERY day has been new and so rewarding.

  25. What an amazing giveaway. I’ve never experimented with different papers; I’ll have to give it a whirl. Lately, I’ve been playing around with my iphone because it’s convenient and it’s always with me and the photo quality is not bad. Thanks for the chance!

    P.S. Marcie–I love, love, love your daily inspirations!

  26. Learning as much as I can about photography, shooting in manual mode, and taking a photo a day for my blog. My 8 year old son helps remind me every day to take a picture so it is fun to share photography with him.

  27. I recently purchased a 50mm f 1.4 and it hasn’t left my camera. Also, I trying to avoid using actions as much as possible and, instead, I’m just doing basic adjustments in RAW and then a curve bump in PS. Loving my images so far.

  28. I’m experimenting with apertures more lately, love the buttery softness of 1.8 on my 50mm, but want to lock in what aperture I need to have faces in focus while still getting a decent bokeh in the background for portraits.

  30. I’ve been working with my accessory flash. I enjoy shooting in natural light but since I’ve been asked to photograph a couple of events, the accessory flash has been dusted off. And I hate it – dubbed it The Black Widow.

  31. It’s amazing all the little things we miss that we see every single day.. The simple things that are beautiful…. So I’m shutting my eyes and just clicking… :0)

  32. I’ve been playing with my shutter speed. I am still drawn to use the automatic settings on my Nikon but I know it’s best to spread my wings and learn. I am also entering a local photography contest. I am a bit nervous but I am up for it. It’s theme is our local lakes (we’ve got a hundred at least) so I’ve got a wide spread of opportunity. Love your image. My life mantra has become "roots and wings" so it particularly appeals to that part of me.

  33. I’ve just been trying to get out and practice, but I also have a couple new Photoshop actions. School has been really busy for me, so just getting a few shots in can be tricky.

  34. that is a super great giveaway! and wow i love your baby birds.
    something i am doing new? hmmmmm… i guess just really using my 50mm which is purely manual focus. no longer relying on autofocus controlling my dof.

    happy spring kate!

  35. I started a 365 last year, but wasn’t able to maintain it past about 180 days. This year, a photo friend and I decided to do some weekly practice, and post it together. It helps us stay accountable so that we actually do it every week. http://www.twobirdsproject.com and we have a different theme every month. Some of them are harder than I expected and really push me to think about what I’m shooting and why.

    That paper is GORGEOUS!

  36. I am trying and trying to get back into taking more photos. I went through a huge dry spell and have a had a hard time coming back to my camera.

  37. I just rented a Nikon 18-200mm lens. The first time I’ve gotten to play with a telephoto of any sort. I’m renting it for a week so I can take some candids at a wedding and hopefully produce a photo book as a gift for the couple. I’ve only taken about 20 pictures but I’m already pretty much in love.

  40. I just got a macro lens, and am absolutely loving spending my time looking at the world in this whole new way. It’s like a new world is opened up to me, and I am able to see the detail in everything! I definitely want to try my hand at a daily photo practice. I too am the type to pick up my camera in spurts, but I don’t like it. I want to do so, so much more! Maybe a daily challenge is exactly what I need?? <3

  42. I have my first external flash coming in the mail tomorrow from BH. I’ve been so terrified and intimidated by flash photography up until now but I had some extra money and figured now’s the time to jump.

  43. right now, i’m playing with a new 70-200 2.8 lens. i also like to play with a slow shutter speed…doesn’t always turn out they way i hope it will…but i keep playing!

  44. I am trying to take landscape shots with something in the foreground to show scale…..nothing earthshattering, I need to learn sooo much, but for now I see a difference in the visual composition as a way to increase my skills with my point and shoot that may spill over to my dslr.

  45. Of late I am playing more with ISO and my aperture.

    I love love love their paper I am going to order some of my fine art prints for the house in it for sure!

  46. I have always avoided my on-camera flash like the plague. But, lately, I’ve been experimenting with using it as fill flash – adjusting the flash exposure and other settings to see what happens. Very interesting!

  47. what a wonderful giveaway – perfect! Just recently signed up for an ecourse on actions.

  48. I shoot in manual mode, but just recently I have been using my in camera’s light meter to set my shutter speed. I know it sounds silly to only being doing this new now after all these years, but for some reason I didn’t know or just did trust it. These shots are SOOC
    http://www.wishfulthinkingblog.com/wishful-thinking/2010/5/13/patience-bumble-bee.html

    I have also been trying to understand light better and really pushing myself away from auto WB too. that one is tricky!
    I played in photoshop a bit with textures with this one, but the color is what I wanted from the camera
    http://www.wishfulthinkingblog.com/wishful-thinking/2010/5/15/saturday-morning.html

  49. I am constantly amazed at how much there is to learn about photography. I am always reading and trying new things. Most recently I have made some homemade bokeh filters in custom shapes. I have used them on candles and stringed lights. It is such fun and I am anxious for a gorgeous day to capture the ocean’s sparkle with the filter to see how it turns out!! Thanks for such a great contest!!

  50. I’ve been trying to trust my camera and it’s abilities by putting it on P….and usually with great success!

  51. I’m taking a class here, soI am trying out all of the bells and whistles on my camera. I am trying to carry my camera with me whereever I go so I don’t miss a shot!

  52. I am trying to do the exact same thing, I started a blog as well and am documenting my trials and erros with photography. In addition, any research I do…I post…easy reference for myself and others later. Here were yesterday’s shots.

    http://jamie-solorio.blogspot.com/2010/05/shot-of-day_19.html

    I have also never experimented with other photo papers, so I am hopeful that I am choosen!:)

  53. I am learning to do macros, which is a world unto itself. I can’t find a class, so I am reading blog posts for ideas. It makes you look at light and depth of field in new ways.

    Just looking around at things I see everyday in a new way — an a macro way — helps me appreciate the world around me more.

  54. I am rediscovering the world on a macro level. I find tiny treasures on a grand scale every single day.

  55. I’ve been playing with backlighting and flash a lot recently. Need to get back to my every day practice.

  57. I am trying to figure out manual on my camera. I am taking many classes to see what I can learn.

  58. I only switched from point and shoot about 2 months ago, so everything is new and different to me! But I just found out about photoshop actions and haven’t slept in days! lol They are way to much fun to work with!

  59. i have not done much differently lately. but i am okay with that, because i know that very soon i will be, as my sister will be giving me her nikon d40… a slight upgrade from my canon s5. i can’t wait! it will be like rediscovering photography, i think.

    what a wonderful shot of the bird you shared today!

  60. I am working on actually transforming digital images into prints. So much lives only virtually and I am sifting through and exploring how to best showcase my work. First up is going to be Father’s Day gifts for both my husband and my own dad.

  61. without the funds to buy a new one, but with the desire for something different and challenging, i bought an old 50mm 1.8 lens from a guy on ebay. now i am learning to meter my just what i see one the screen (with a lot of bracketing!) and manually focus. but i am getting the hang of it, i think, and loving the unique challenge that it offers!

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/sivyerfamily/4582943976/

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/sivyerfamily/4582937876/in/photostream/

  62. I am trying to remember that a flash generally doesn’t perform at its best when it’s wide open. Also (and less successfully) trying to dig deeper into color management and learn about HDR.

  64. i just happened upon your blog through Hang On Little Tomato’s blog. . . i did recently take a photo class & am starting to venture with aperture & shutter priority modes. you can do something new & different w/photography each & every day!

  65. I’ve been practicing with flash, gradually getting better at using it for fill, and I’ve also been trying to only use my 50mm lens to focus more on composition that way without the distraction of my zooms.

  66. One of my intentions for this year was to make photography more a part of my life. To that end, I made the simple change of taking my camera with me wherever I go. That in itself has made a huge difference — I’ve made it easier for myself to take pictures. I’m also learning to use Photoshop Elements (Photoshop will come next, if I need it), which also encourages me to "play" with my photos. Generally, my goal is to find ways to make photography fun, since something that’s fun is more likely to get done over something that’s considered a chore.

    Finally, I’m a bookmaker, and I’ve begun to combine photographs with other media in creating artists’ books. It’s a wonderful new area of exploration for me.

    Thanks so much for your blog and the time you put into it. It’s one of my favorite stops in my day.

  68. I’m also doing Project 365. I’m trying to shot all the photos on manual.

  70. I recently took a course on shooting in manual so I feel like I’m still working on all of it, but I’ve been especially working with changing my focal points and doing it quickly enough to catch the right shot of my active 3 year old!

  72. I must said that I almost always use the automatic mode on my camera..and so now I try to anderstand and to play with the manual mode ;-))
    thanks for the giveway 😉

  73. I’m looking at things differently. I still shoot my normal wildlife and nature shots, but I’m really bringing an aspect of fine art into some of my shots. I’m really enjoying it!

  75. Last fall my work was accepted in a local gallery, but I have yet to swap out the existing images for new ones because I don’t have the budget. A wonderful new print would be amazing – and I would submit it right away for display!

    The next goal I have for my photography is to work exclusively with a normal lens – probably a 50mm 1.4. I like the idea of moving in and framing your own shot instead of letting the equipment take over.

  76. I’ve upgraded into a new lens and that is keeping me quite engaged for the moment. Also, I’ve been experimenting with aperture which has been a bit of a revelation. Love the bird photo and the giveaway opportunity. Thanks! 🙂

  77. I’m still working on coming out of Shutter Priority and into Manual all the time. I’ve also returned to my LensBaby recently for people pictures and not just still life. 🙂

  80. I’m taking John Greengo’s Fundamentals of Digital Photography on Creative Live (it’s FREE!) and learning tons. I’ve taken my camera off of auto and set to manual and am having lots of fun learning.

  81. Right now I’m trying to take "everyday life" shots. I’m far from daily practice, but when I pull out my camera I’m just trying to document the ordinary. For example — the other day I shot our entry way to show the mix of shoes and sizes (my husband and I). Just little stuff about how we live and who we are.

    I would keep it – I need more art on my walls!

  82. Holy guacamole there are 80 comments already!

    Doing Picture Spring with Tracey taught me a lot about patience and waiting for the right light. It also re-introduced me to the diptych – which I love from my standpoint as an animator and editor – telling a story with two (or more) photos.

    Although these two photos aren’t strictly a diptych, they tell a story.
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/7687752@N03/4621609443/
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/7687752@N03/4622644472/in/photostream/

    And… I can’t wait to see those little birdies fly….

  83. me? i think i’m trying to do too many things at once, actually!! (aren’t we all?) so slowing down and taking it one day, one photowalk, one picture, one edit at a time… is my latest challenge. (i’m also looking forward to an upcoming birthday and the promise of not one but two! new lenses 😀

    if this gorgeous giveaway goodie were to be bestowed upon me… i would do my absolute best to keep, yes i would… i think i would justify it as an early birthday present to myself perhaps? i’m thinking that’s allowed, right? 😉

    thanks for this lovely post. and the glimpse of your beautiful birdies in their nest!

  84. I recently took an online course that helped me look at the world differently and define my asthetic. And I’m looking at many photos a day for inspiration. Hopefully I’ll get to the point where all of the photos on my blog will be mine.

  85. I’ve carried my cameras with me since my granddaughter was born in January. I routinely find myself detouring to catch sights around the city–downtown sculpture garden, cemetaries, or just the blue sky over the spring-green trees. Amazing how you see things differently when you are ‘thinking photography".

  86. I am actually trying to take LESS pictures, but be more focused about the ones I do take. I don’t want to just snap the same old pictures of my kids doing the same things they do every day…but maybe take a close-up of my girls’ eye as she is watching a butterfly, or my son’s hand as he is batting a ball…

  88. Lovely photos! I was in a rut myself and took Picture Spring, and got all excited again… now I’m having issues with my card reader… so …..stuck with photos on my camera I cannot view and edit and love… but, there’s always something right? : ) I definitely need to get more of my photos out of my computer and up on the walls… this would be a wonderful prize!!

  89. oohhh those birdies are sweet!. how exciting for your family to watch.

    i’m loving my new lens 50mm 1.4

    that paper looks dreamy, i’d LOVE to win!

    x.

  91. Oooo what a great giveaway! Lately I’ve been doing hardly any processing in Lightroom, in fact I’m hating what my old favorite Kevin Kubota "Auto-Boost" preset does! Really love what this means for me in terms of further developing my style and getting it exactly how I want it in camera. Progress! 🙂

  92. I am experimenting a bit with textures over my photographs. I challenged myself to go outside and "find" textures in my own backyard. Some of the good ones were the rusty underside of a wheelbarrow and my bulkhead. I layered them over a photo or two in PSE and I really liked the effect. I must do more! 🙂

  95. A couple weekends ago we were invited to a birthday party in the country on a farm. It was complete with sack races and tug of war! Well, I was so excited to take my Nikon D50(which was collecting dust) and get some great pictures. Thankfully I took about 400 pictures because more than half of them didn’t come out! I did learn alot about exposure and capturing action. Even though their is a big sky and lots of light you still might have to use fill flash and if your in the shade and slow the shutter to catch the light remember small children are moving fast so they might come out like a big blur. That’s the problem with trying to learn photography in the in between moments of motherhood and working. I tend to have to learn things over and over. But I still love it! Because in between the mistakes you get pictures like this one http://rirealmom.wordpress.com/2010/05/17/the-end-of-a-magical-day/

  96. I recently bought some new actions and I’m having fun experimenting with them. I also just got my new camera a couple months ago, so we are still getting to know one another 🙂

  97. I have been trying presets in Lightroom 2 and have entered several photography competitions. I never felt I could really compete in anything until it came to my passion of photography. I have also become very active in my local camera club. I am also taking 3-4 workshops when I can. I’ll be in Maine for a Joe Rossbach workshop soon.

  98. I have had a nice SLR for a couple of years. But, not I am really starting to venture out in to the manual world!!!! Everything is new.

  101. awesome giveaway!
    I have been trying to learn new things w/ photoshop so that I can really hone in on my branding. I just created a blog header w/ a template, all by my little self, and although its pretty basic, I’m proud of it! I would like to develop my own logo and it’s in my head…just need to figure out how to make it on the PC 🙂
    http://www.frecklesanddimplesphotography.blogspot.com

    oh, and although I enjoyed your post, I am currently despising anything related to birds – they are in my PVC piping in my bathroom fan and are totally skeeving me out!!

  102. I took two three hour classes on Saturday. I have changed my ISO a few times since then.

  103. I started this year with the goal of shooting only in manual and really so far so good. Just this last week, I’ve wanted to start playing around…so I’m playing arund with ISO. Sometimes it’s so high it frightens me! LOL!

  104. I’m going with what the weather gives–lately it’s been rain–shooting impressionistic landscapes through a rain drenched window.

  105. I’m on my 3rd year of taking photos every day. It’s a huge challenge some days but so worth it. I’m also looking forward to a continuing ed photography class starting next month.

  106. I’m learning all about my new camera. While I have miles to go, I’m loving the adventure!

  107. I’m playing HDR. It’s hard to tell what sorts of results I should be shooting for!

  108. Well, it’s sort of cheating, but what I’ve done differently with my photography is to get a new camera! Today is my birthday, and I am the proud owner of my very first SLR. So I’m looking forward to lots of playing–and lots of inspiration from shutter sisters!

  109. I received a telephoto lens for mother’s day, so I’m trying to figure it out. I just got my 1st T1 and all I can do is hope that I can figure out how to take better pictures. I’m new to this and I love it! But i have a lot to learn.

  110. i’ve been shooting from the hip more often these days. and occasionally being pleasantly surprised.

    Also, i’ve been sifting through old photos and creating groups of images to <gasp> actually print and hang on our walls! This is a long time coming… so this give away would be perfect!

    Thanks for the sweet new life of baby birds.

  111. I’ve pulled out my manual recently (how did I never realize that little AF button was there???) and I’ve purchased Florabella actions, which are perfect for spring in their pastel-iness!

  112. I am constantly fidgeting with white balance. Such a simple setting makes an enormous difference in getting just-right SOOC photos.

  113. Right now I’m trying desperately to master shooting manual indoors. I’ve been taking pictures of random things – playing with the settings until I can figure out what works best for my camera. It’s maddening. But, I will keep practicing until I have mastered it!

  115. Working on a 365, so I’m usually trying something new. This week I was trying to get better results with continuous focusing as the dogs chased each other around the yard…still no good shots…but it’s a process. Sites like Shutter Sisters help inspire and motivate to keep trying something new.

  118. My husband and I shoot together, so it was only natural that we would go to a photographer’s conference together. What a great conference. It has forced us to analyze where we most want to focus our time. I’ve been practicing shooting on shutter priority. It will be a great asset when we’re shooting animals in action.

  119. I am trying to learn photoshop (elements 8). I have lightroom and love it but I wanted to learn about layers, textures and actions. Nothing has made me feel more dumb and overwhelmed as this elements has. I just can’t seem to get my brain around it. Lightroom was sooo easy. I just jumped in and started playing and now have it down pretty good. I am not able to do that with photoshop and it’s so frustrating for me. Am I the only dumb one? I really want to learn this.

    I also have made a point to bring my camera with me more…like this fishing outing with my family.

    http://awebert.wordpress.com/2010/05/20/day-81-eveing-fishing/

  120. I too started a photo blog/journal to keep myself more accountable to practice my photography. I’m working on the composition of my photographs and looking for what would make an interesting background for my subjects. I’ve been looking for an e-course too.

  121. i’ve been trying different angles lately. next adventure…take my camera off the automatic setting!

    thanks for the giveaway…if i win, i am keeping it for myself!

  122. I would make a photo for my daughter who is going off to college in August. A photo of all of us… the 9 in the family… a photo of love.. one she can hang on the wall and think of us when she’s missing us!

  123. I’m challenging myself to shoot fully manual. And, believe me, it’s a challenge some days. But I see the results in bits and pieces in my photographs, and it keeps me going.

  124. Oh what a cool giveaway!

    I just did 2 years of daily photos and am enjoying the rest this year. I am going on a photo walk in a few weeks and can’t wait!