Monday, February 28, 2011

Snap!

A treasury I created...  All camera stuff (surprised?)!

Snap! 

Saturday, February 26, 2011

My Red Shoes

The better part of my day was spent with my camera today.  I really needed to get in some time with it.  As always, everything else falls away while I'm making pictures.  It helps me to be in the moment.

I began by playing around with some of the items I brought home from the dollar store.  But I didn't feel ready to put my camera away after that, so I wandered around the house, looking for new subjects.  I made a few shots of my husband's work boots, then remembered my shiny red shoes in the closet.  What could be happier on a cold winter day than to put on a pair of shiny red Mary Janes? 

Friday, February 25, 2011

And Winter Rages On

More snow.

I always find February to be the hardest month.  Yes, it is the shortest, but it sure doesn't feel that way.  I do try to make a habit of appreciating every day (life is short, after all), but some months just drag. 

It's cold.  There are no long weekends (unless you are fortunate enough to live in one of the provinces that celebrates Family Day).  Winter isn't near done yet.  And it just keeps snowing.

So, desperation is seeping in.  Of course, long winters mean fewer photographic opportunities.  At least for someone like me, who doesn't care to trek through knee-deep snow with cameras and lenses, praying the flakes don't start to fall and threaten my precious equipment.  Besides, I don't like to be cold.

I headed back to the dollar store today to see what I could see.  A bag of possibilities now sits on my kitchen floor, waiting to be captured.  My camera has been resting for far too long (any more than a few days is too long for me!).  My goal is to lose myself in creativity sometime over the weekend, forget about the cold and the snow, and just make pictures.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

It's Clean-Up Time Again

Clearance Bin

I just reduced a number of photos in my Esty shop to half-price.  I'm making room for new ones by marking down those that have been in there for awhile.  This is a chance to purchase photography at a good price; each half-price photo is only being listed once.  That means that when the listing is purchased, or when it expires, it will not be renewed.  Keep checking, too, because I will be adding more of these deals periodically.

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Updated and Uploaded

My website has now been updated.  Along with my new banner and avatar, every page has new photos.  Here is the link:

http://www.photoworksbydawn.com/

Friday, February 18, 2011

I've Found Pages!

For awhile now, I've wanted to add more pages to my blog.  I don't know if it just suddenly got easier, or if I've finally clicked on the right option, but I found it!  As you can see, I now have a page for tips, links, treasuries, and about me.  My goal is to update the "Tips by Dawn" page often, so if you are looking for quick ideas for your own photography, check this page often.

I am also continuing to work on my website, which is almost ready for posting.  It means spending lots of time on the computer lately, but I am getting lots accomplished!

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

I am my own Worst Critic!

Truly, I am.

Fact:  I get totally lost in photographing.
Fact:  I feel like jumping up and down when a shot is working out as well as (or better than) I'd hoped.
Fact:  Photography consumes me.  Yes, I think about other things, too (like my children, of course!).  But not a day goes by that I don't also think about photography.
Fact:  I like my pictures.
Fact:  I am never totally satisfied with where I am - photographically speaking.

It's like a hunger.  I always want more.  Maybe that would be more like an addiction, I don't know, except without the side effects of course.  Then again, maybe there are side effects...  Like forgetting to cook supper, for instance!

So when I look at my pictures, I am always thinking about how they could be better, or what I can work on next to improve lighting, composition, or angles.  Could I have used a different f-stop?  Should I have taken more photos with a different light source?  And so on.

I suppose this is what keeps photography from ever boring me.  There is always something to learn.  And I always feel that I need to get better at it.  It is a challenge that I embrace:  It keeps me learning, experimenting, and open to new ideas

So...  What next?  Some more abstract, I think...  I'll have to work on that one!

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Cool App and Other Notes

Just found the coolest app on Etsy!  (Check it out at right.)  It's called a pocket shop, and it's like a mini slide show of all my pics in my shop.  Love it!  Many thanks to http://www.etsy.com/shop/magicjelly for creating such a great little tool!  I'm going to add one to my website, too.

Speaking of my website...  I have begun working on some updates.  Can't believe how quickly a year can go by - and how many new photos I've taken since I last updated.  So keep an eye out; I'll post a note here and on Facebook when it's ready.

I'm working on another project, too.  One that may take awhile and will hopefully turn into something great.  It's too soon to tell, but if it does, you can be sure you'll hear about it here!

Got any ideas for new pictures?  I would love to have some comments from any readers...  It's cold here right now, and the creative juices are a little chilled.  I've always got a few new things in mind, but it would be great to have some reader-inspired inspiration!  :)

Monday, February 7, 2011

Even the Bathroom

It's not exactly a saleable piece, but I really like this shot of a toothbrush.  Another of my discoveries from my day wandering around the house; it makes me wonder what I would find if I did this every day!


In Inner Excavations, there is a suggestion to carry your camera with you everywhere for a day.  I fully intend to try that, and am constantly imagining what I would take photos of once I do.  Nothing is really stopping me from doing it, except that I want to choose a day when I am not working (taking photos while teaching may prove a little awkward - not to mention frowned upon!), and on the weekends I tend to lazier mornings so do not think of doing this until halfway through the day.  Once I do, I will post some of my photos.  This toothbrush would fit well in a day like this!

Saturday, February 5, 2011

Art in the Closet



This is another of my shots from a couple of days ago, on my search for accidental art.  Two wire hangers created a neat shadow and a monochromatic composition.  It's all about keeping your eyes open and being ready to discover the extraordinary in the ordinary. 

I feel lucky that I am able to see beauty everywhere, that I can recognize that even the most mundane items can become interesting subjects.  It has taken much practice, but when I slow down and look closely, I can find art anywhere - even in my closet!

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Around the House

It's the middle of winter, and it's time to get creative!  The cold days have kept me in; summer gardens and sandy shores are but a memory.  Although I miss the heat and the ease of that season, I can no more keep my camera put away than I can stop eating.  Photography is so much a part of me that I cannot separate from it for more than a short while; even when I am not making pictures, I am thinking about making pictures.

For about an hour today, I wandered around the house looking for items that could be subjects for new compositions.  I looked at the house plants, the lights, and the dishes.  I explored the bathroom and the closets.  No corner was safe!  It has been awhile since I have simply played around without a goal in mind, and it was both eye-opening and satisfying. 

I have always been a believer that art is everywhere...
...and so I found it.



This is one of the compositions I made, the lines of stacked laundry baskets criss-crossing like plaid, a pattern without purpose.