Shrew’s Daily Shutters

December 31, 2007

With Camera in Hand We move into a new year…

Filed under: Uncategorized — shrewspeaks @ 9:10 pm

This image of my niece and nephew taken on our Thanksgiving Day Photo Shoot illustrates beautifully what I feel this New Year’s Eve.

I think of all we have shared in past Guest Shutters and Shutter Challenges and I look forward to traveling into 2008 with you all, camera in hand and laughter at the ready.

2008 will bring many new shutter challenges, Mini-Shutter Gourmet Dive Tours and the big daddy of them all our Newport RI trip. Along the way, I am sure there will be surprises, improvements and learnings…I am thankful to be sharing all this learning and laughter with each one of you.

Happy New Year’s dear friends.

Now, get out there with camera in hand.

Our Friends at PhotoJojo have done it again…

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: — shrewspeaks @ 2:22 pm

    Okay, PhotoJojo did it again with another fabulous MUST read article,
    19 New Year’s Photo Resolutions”

    image courtesy of PhotoJojo

    Some of the tips like PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE we are already doing (so I guess we should resolve to keep doing them) but there are some great resources linked-  Twelve Essential Photographic Rules from PopPhoto.com, how to make DIY fisheye lens (I think IvoryHut has already done this, did ya Ivory?), and the ever popular seldom observed Back up back up back up!  Even if you don’t read the article…back-up your precious images.

    Visit the Article

    Thanks to the editors at PhotoJojo for their terrific work.

    December 30, 2007

    Oh Joy, Oh Rapture…

    Filed under: Shutter Challenge — Tags: , , , , — shrewspeaks @ 2:27 am

    Joy is the sweet voice, joy the luminous cloud.We in ourselves rejoice!And thence flows all that charms or ear or sight,All melodies the echoes of that voice,All colours a suffusion from that light

    Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772–1834)

    Renae

    Chocolate makes me do that too!

    Awe…

    See, once again we are talking food and similar reactions

    Is it the stuffed doggie, the penguin shoes or the leggings that inspire such a smile?

    CHEEEEEEEEEEEEESE!

    Brc Ummm, jubliant is the word that comes to mind. Nice.

    Karmardav writes“Traditional joy on Christmas morning: my daughters’ opening their Nintendo DS’s.”

    “Quiet joy on Christmas Eve. I used a different setting on my camera for this one (night+portrait) and although this came out slightly blurred, I’m very happy with cozy feel of this picture. “

    Jenfera

    “My stepdaughter and my neice with their little cousin on Christmas Day. I like how just being around the little ones makes the big ones smile more!”

    IvoryHut Her niece, sleeping in after a late night spent watching “Happy Feet.”

    MusicMaven

    This is Duane with eyes so blue and joy filled at his brother’s wedding.

    Shrew A little girl picking her family’s wreath.

    I would have had more, however my macbook has decided that the start up disk is full and doesn’t want to run until I do a little computer cleaning…Well, with the Giants playing the Patriots tonight…I say be darned I choose football!

    GREAT JOB EVERYONE!

    Now for the January Challenge; due January 20th…

    David Hurn and Bill Jay in “On Being a Photographer” discuss the value of capturing a series of images. Not a photo essay per say but rather different distinct views of your subject. One photograph may be the lead image, the one that makes you go “oooh” but each supporting image helps to complete the total vision of the subject at hand. This method teaches the photographer to not give up searching for the most complete communication of their subject.

    Well, as fate would have it, I was reading Layers Magazine last night and living legend Rick Sammon authored an article “Evolution of a Photo Shoot”. In the article Rick shares images he took in a series that lead to capturing such memorable images as a young Kenyan girl for National Geographic. I encourage you to take a trip to your local Barns and Nobel or Borders to check out this great magazine. (It is made by the good people at NAPP…aka Kelby and Crew.)

    Rick closes the article with this thought…

    “I share these images with you not only to illustrate the evolution of my photo sessions but also to encourage you to keep shooting even if you think you’ve already taken a good photograph. If you keep in mind that a photo session is an evolving process, you will not only have a better chance of getting the shot you want, you won’t be frustrated if you don’t get your keeper with your first shot.”

    So…”how does this all impact me?” you ask. Umm…drop the ‘tude…I promise not only will you grow from this, it will be great fun.

    Here’s the challenge.

    Choose one subject in one time frame…and capture at LEAST three distinctly different images of the same subject in the same setting. That means…stay with the subject…change your angle…use zoom/macro…or get a larger perspective. Want a great example…see Pdub Ree in her keeping it real style is a perfect example of following the subject in a series.

    Send the best three in to shrew@mac.com via flickr by January 30th.

    This challenge will chase those post holiday blues away.

    Go Giants! Congrats Patriots a well earned 16-0 win.

    Hooboy, NE teams just killing NYC teams this year.

    December 28, 2007

    A must read…

    Filed under: Gear tips — shrewspeaks @ 10:41 pm

    I will be posting those terrific Joy pictures tomorrow…(so if you haven’t gotten your submission in yet now is a good time) 


    Image from CameraPorn.net

    The good folks over at Camera Porn (don’t get fooled by the name they take this stuff seriously); have posted a great easy to read article on camera safety when traveling…read the article here.

    See ya all tomorrow. 

    December 24, 2007

    Remember, George; no man is a failure who has friends.

    Filed under: Westfield — shrewspeaks @ 4:50 am

    How true this quote is. Thank you my dear friends for reading, for posting comments, for sharing your work and for making this little creative corner of the internet a true exchange of ideas and support.

    I am off to my sister’s in the wee hours of the morning and won’t be back home until Boxing Day. I wish you all peace, health and happiness for this holiday season.

    Although it’s been said, many times many ways, Merry Christmas to you

    December 23, 2007

    Gal Shop

    Filed under: Westfield — shrewspeaks @ 3:33 am

    This past Friday, all the gals in my family (sans Mom) went shopping. On our outting we stopped into Williams-Sonoma for a quick look around.


     
    My, my, my, don’t my sisters look serious here? They are examining these tongs I had opened…see I just simply touched these tongs and they sprung open. I tried closing them and when they wouldn’t close I put them back. So Sister 1 (on the left) is showing Sister 2 (on the right) what I have done. Now, you must know, I am the youngest…by more than a decade, so my sisters do take great delight in my antics.

     
    I can only assume Sister 2 has said something to the effect of “Why must she touch every gadget she sees?” making Sister 1 racked with hearty laughter.

     

    Both enjoyed the moment greatly…and just between us…so did I.

    We had a great day of laughter, razzing, helping each other shop and in general just being with each other. It was the perfect preamble to Christmas.

    December 22, 2007

    Better 1 or Better 2

    Filed under: Uncategorized — shrewspeaks @ 2:18 am

    1

    2

    Well?

    December 21, 2007

    Photojojo – Thanks for the link Tojo

    Filed under: Techniques — shrewspeaks @ 11:54 am

    Okay everybody…here is a great article(s) from Photojojo on all sorts of How to’s for Christmas photos…take a read…it is awesome.

    Christmas Shopping

    Filed under: NYC — Tags: , , — shrewspeaks @ 2:05 am

    OKAY…New challenge deadline!

    Get those photos to me by Thursday the 27th! Now…get shootin!

    December 20, 2007

    December Joy Challenge…

    Filed under: Uncategorized — shrewspeaks @ 9:45 pm

    Okay, I hear everyone…would you all like a week extension? 

    Would those of you who have completed your task (and I have seen some good ones!) mind if we extend the deadlin to next Thursday the 27th?

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