Top 10 of 2011

Finally... here they are... my top 10 photos of 2011! (I think... I keep changing my mind!)

At the beginning of every year, I take studio portraits of my children... and while I look at this picture and think of 10 ways that I would now shoot it differently (& better!), it has made my Top 10 because it did show me that I was much improved from the year before... oh yes, and because my oldest would be mad if she didn't appear in the Top 10!

This show was taken near Bridal Falls, BC... and was a personal triumph in that I managed my favourite water effect without a tripod! (A tree stump came to the rescue!) You see, when you travel with 2 small children 90% of the time, your backpack is full of snacks and emergency supplies - no room for useful camera accessories like a tripod!

Captured with the aid of my junior assistants... who were more than willing to oblige in blowing every dandelion clock we could find, along the Vedder Rotary Trail, to get the shot! A great shot with a great memory to go with it. 

Captured at the Vancouver Aquarium - I just loved the grace and calmness of these jellyfish and managed to grab a few great shots of them, that day.

I love this shot for 2 reasons - 1. Because I am proudly showcasing the produce nurtured by my own fair hand in our own back yard (my Dad would be so proud!) and 2. I am (successfully!) using a technique that was taught to us by Scott Kelby at his "Light It. Shoot It. Retouch It. Live" seminar in Vancouver, last year (LOVED the seminar and learned a lot - highly recommend it if he ever comes to a town near you).

Captured on the beach at Whytecliff Park, near Vancouver - I was enjoying a great day out shooting with 2 good friends, and we had just dived under cover to shelter from a sudden rain shower when this little fella popped onto the beach with a slightly unusual snack on his beak - a poor unsuspecting starfish! I braved the wet and tried to stealthily get closer... he kept inching away and turning his back on me! Patience prevailed, and I got my shot just before he threw his head back and gulped it down.

I was experimenting with slightly different angles, and just captured a shot that I love - simple as that!

This was taken as an assignment for a photography course I did, last year. I had not attempted much still life prior to the course and discovered that I actually really enjoy it. 

This shot was taken while I was experimenting with using festive lights to create great bokeh. How could you not love a cute face like that?!

This is probably my favourite shot of the year. Whilst on a "Girls Day-Out Shooting" with 2 great photo-loving friends, this was shot at sunset at Point Atkinson Lighthouse in West Vancouver. My aim of the year was to capture a scenic shot that I would want to hang on my wall - this was it... and was worth the scary walk through the pitch-black forest back to the car!

Cabin Fever

Our weather has been crazy, this week, and after 4 school "Snow Days", we are suffering from a teensy bit of Cabin Fever. This has been intensified by the frustrating fact that this weather has generated conditions for some fantastically-stunning photography, but I can't go out there and get any!!!!

Many local photographers are almost giddy with the opportunities out there, but as a responsible Mother, I am unable to justify dragging my gorgeous wee girls out in -25 degree windchill for the sake of my art. (Not to mention the lack of 4x4 transport to get us to the best spots! No, wait... the 4x4 would be needed to just get beyond our driveway!) Oh well... I'm sure I will have plenty of opportunities when they are old... patience, grasshopper... my time will come!

Silica Gel

It seems that many DSLR's don't like moisture (wusses!)... and, for most of the time, it is easy to avoid giving your beloved camera a shower - you just cover it up in the rain, don't take it swimming or, if you are a diving fanatic like my old school buddy in Australia, you invest in some serious waterproof casing.

However, it is easy to overlook that sneaky condensation moisture that nastily screws up your camera when you have been out shooting on a freezing-cold winter day, and then hastily rush back into the warmth of your heated abode. This evil moisture has been known to claim at least 1 friend's DSLR amongst its hapless victims.

A handy solution, passed onto me a few years ago, included the use of silica gel packs in your camera bag - you know... the little white packs you get when you buy a new bag or piece of tech, that you are told to throw away. Don't throw them away any more! Just pop them in your camera bag, and when you come in from the cold, pop your bag in a cool part of your home to warm gently. Any moisture that does happen to build round your camera will be absorbed by the gel balls in the packs. (Every now and then, I take out the old packs and replace with new ones.) Now, I can't promise it will work for everyone in every situation (I can't afford the lawsuits!), but it has worked for me up til now (touch wood!).

Of course, you will now find that you can't find any packs in your house... because you threw them away, of course! Another handy hint? Ask friends and family to keep theirs for you - you'll soon build a happy little collection.

Instagram

Well... my January has been a wee tad busier than anticipated, and whilst I had every happy intention of releasing my camera from it's Lowepro cocoon on a regular basis, life has just found a way of keeping it in there!

Of course, I can't possibly leave my life completely unrecorded (that would just not be me), so I have had to fall back on my trusty, pocket-sized sidekick - the iPhone! Now, I know the quality isn't quite spectacular, but I have discovered a way to satisfy my creative urges enough, and that is with the Instagram app - a snazzy little app that adds a little "je ne sais crois" to your "snaps". And the double bonus? It's a free app, of course. Gotta love free! :-)

Adobe Launches Lightroom 4 Beta!

For the past few days, I've been getting some cheeky teasing emails from Kelby Training about something coming that was "Big, Huge and Live"... and my initial reaction? Meh...whatever! I'm cynical and have a very limited Photography budget, so figured it was gonna involve something I couldn't afford (hmmm... sounds like so many things in the photographic world, doesn't it?!).

I was wrong... it was something very cool... and (even better) FREE! Adobe just announced that they were making available a pre-released Beta version of their Lightroom 4, and it is not going to cost you a penny! How cool is that?! !

Now, I am a girl on a PSE kinda-budget, so this is like having 5 Christmases all at once, for me. Yeh, I know that it is only temporarily available (until March), and it is just a Beta version - so there may be a bug or 2 and support is limited, but I am still one happy camper for now. I have only had an hour or 2 to "play" so far, and have nowhere near delved beyond its basic editing functions ... but I am sold already! (Not sure how my hubby will feel about this!)

If you fancy joining the legions of willing Adobe-loving guinea pigs, you can download Lightroom 4 Beta HERE... and if you are planning on a "play" with this yummy little piece of software, you may also find this site useful - http://lightroomkillertips.com/ .

Loss of a Legend

I roll my eyes at the term “Moms with a Camera” (aka MWAC). It sounds like a fairly harmless expression but, in case you’ve never heard of it, it is a term to describe the growing group of amateur DSLR-owning Moms who start part-time photography businesses, and can often undercut experienced or formally-trained pros, on account of their low overheads etc.

Whilst, to a large degree, I understand some of their frustrations (helped by way-too-frequent evidence from many that the camera does NOT make the photograph!), I have an interesting consideration for them, and one to encourage any good aspiring Photographer battling the prejudice as they start out – the late, great Eve Arnold,who passed away last week at the grand age of 99, was a suburban housewife when she first started her career!

Yup… that’s right, the inspirational pioneer who became the first female member of Magnum, the woman behind so many iconic and powerful images (varying from statements of social injustice to classic Hollywood royalty), the holder of many accolades including an OBE for services to Photography, the woman who broke the mould and defied prejudice was… once upon a time… a Mom with a Camera... in it's literal sense! Ironic.

Many a lesson can be learned from this legend - I just hope I can be a good student.

Project 52

Just like last year, I am throwing some of my energy into another Project 52 (or, at least, intending to!). In case you have never come across the term before, it means I will be following a list of 52 subjects for the 52 weeks of the year, and aiming to shoot a photo that fits the theme of that week.

Last year started well... but life happens, aaaannnd... I kinda slacked off a bit after a few months. At this precise moment, I have every intention of keeping up with this year's, but since I am already a week behind, the forecast doesn't look good!

This year's list is coming courtesy of MCP Actions - they are running a far more attainable Project 12 themselves (maybe that would be a better idea for me? Hmmm... let's just see how things go...) - but they ran a Project 52, last year, and it is their list of suggestions that I will be using.

So... let's get cracking with the first 2 subjects (yes... I know... slacker!):

Week 1: "Something around the house"

Week 2: "Illustrate a song"

Time to drool and dream...

Yesterday was an exciting day for us Nikon fans - Nikon finally silenced the rumour mill with it's announcement of the fabulous D4. What would I give to get my sticky little paws on that fabulous piece of technological gorgeousness?! I have never wanted to know the identity of 6 lucky numbers more!

I have read the specs, seen the photos, read the reviews and read Joe McNally's Blog on his testing experiences, and am now comtemplating how much you can get for a kidney on the black market, these days! (I only need 1, right?!)

First Post! How exciting. :-)

Greetings & Salutations! Welcome to my new Photography Blog.

"What's this all about then?", you may be asking... well, it is really a wee self-indulgence, fueled by a passion to share my sessions, achievements, lessons, inspirations, thoughts, news and so much more!

I have been surgically-attached to a camera for a few years now, but rarely would I admit to the love of my craft among my peers. Why? Well, the world of Photography can be quite a scary one - filled with scrutiny, stereotyping and for-want-of-a-better-word snobbery. It is the lessons and experiences of 2011 that have encouraged me to finally step forward with confidence and admit "I AM a Photographer!". Obviously to many old-school pros, I still have a long way to go... but then, anyone who says they know everything in this field are either lying or delusional - the best still have much to learn themselves.

“ Which of my photographs is my favorite? The one I’m going to take tomorrow. – Imogen Cunningham

So... enough waffling and explanation... on with the show!