Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Creative Sprinkle in 2011


So what does 2011 hold for Creative Sprinkle?
As you know, 2011 brings the start of a new job for me, and I have made a personal commitment make sure Creative Sprinkle benefits from the change. I'll continue to share things to help you explore your creative side while opening up more about what is going on in my own creative journey. The good and the bad.

What will be new, is my plan to better integrate my marketing job into Creative Sprinkle. Creativity isn't relegated to art. It is a way of life. I am a better marketing communications professional when I allow my creative side to come out and play. On the flip side, if you have a creative business, marketing communication skills are a critical part of the success package. So you will see a little more of the "marketing" me here in 2011.

That being said, my personal goal for 2011 is to delve more deeply into my exploration of what it means to be an artist and a writer. There will be lots of scrumptious photos, delicious projects, and kick-butt creative inspiration.

Posting Schedule
I'm leaning toward one major post per week on Wednesdays with secondary posts some weeks. That way, I can learn the ropes at Saint Francis University without putting too much stress on myself to publish multiple times a week. Of course, I welcome guest posts to help me through the transition period. E-mail me if you are interested.

2011 Sneak Peek
  • Care and feeding of a creative soul
  • Exploring your BHAG (big, hairy, audacious goal)
  • Art as therapy
  • Creative approaches to your creative business

So what does 2011 hold for you?

Sunday, December 26, 2010

Christmas Photos

We had a wonderful Christmas day celebration at my sister's house. It was a great opportunity to practice some of the tips Trish Hummer shared in her guest post series: Shooting Better People Pictures.

Rob, me, and my beautiful niece

 We "stacked" our group photo.


My niece with her DS
I focused on faces.


My nephew as Boba Fett
 I made head-to-toe shots count. The socks are authentic Boba Fett!


Rob and Greg inspecting the blasters
 And I shot when they weren't looking. I have a whole series of shots with Rob and my brother-in-law Greg, making sure the Clone Trooper blasters were "ready" for the kids to use.

Monday, December 20, 2010

Longer Days Are On The Way


Monday Pick-Me-Up: Longer Days on the Way
Yes, we have a lot of winter in front of us, but after tomorrow, the days will get progressively longer. How's that for a Monday pick-me-up.

Winter Solstice and a Lunar Eclipse
Greetings to the winter solstice which falls on June 21 this year, and for an extra treat, you can usher it in with a lunar eclipse tonight. If you or your kids love science, you'll want to hop over to NASA's solstice lunar eclipse site for lots of activities surrounding the event.

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Shooting Better People Pictures (Part 7)

Today's post brings a close to this week-long photography series: Shooting Better People Pictures by Trish Hummer of Everyday Images by Trish. 
Part 1:  Digital photography basics and great full-body shots
Part 2:  Focus on faces and shoot when they're not looking
Part 3:  Being silly and letting kids be kids
Part 4:  Capturing relationships and shooting groups
Part 5:  Doing what they love and going faceless
Part 6: Shoot multiples of expressions
Part: 7: Great lighting, the unexpected, and indoor sports
Shooting Better People Pictures (Part 7)

Tip 12: Take advantage of great lighting
When you see great lighting, run for your camera and start shooting.




Tip 13: Embrace the unexpected
If something unexpected happens, just keep shooting. The photo that you didn't intend to take often ends up being a keeper.







Tip 14: Keep your friends close
When taking pictures in interesting settings, try keeping your subject close to the camera instead of off at a distance.



Tip: 15: Find the story in the sport
Indoor sports are tough, especially if you don't have a big fancy lens. Leave the action shots to the pros, and focus on the images between (and around) the action. That's where the story lies.



 

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Shooting Better People Pictures (Part 6)


This is Part 6 of a week-long photography series Shooting Better People Pictures by Trish Hummer of Everyday Images by Trish. 
Part 1:  Digital photography basics and great full-body shots
Part 2:  Focus on faces and shoot when they're not looking
Part 3:  Being silly and letting kids be kids
Part 4:  Capturing relationships and shooting groups
Part 5:  Doing what they love and going faceless
Part 6: Shoot multiples of expressions
Part: 7: Great lighting, the unexpected, and indoor sports
Shooting Better People Pictures (Part 6)

Tip 10: Shoot Multiples
Shoot multiples with changes in expression. These never disappoint me. With little ones, I might ask them to show me what they look like when they're happy, when they're sad, when they're scared, when they're surprised, etc. They love this game and I think the resulting images look great framed as a series.









Tip 11: Shoot Funny Faces

Or shoot multiples with each person giving you their best funny face.

Friday, December 17, 2010

Shooting Better People Pictures (Part 5)



This is Part 5 of a week-long photography series Shooting Better People Pictures by Trish Hummer of Everyday Images by Trish.

Part 1:  Digital photography basics and great full-body shots
Part 2:  Focus on faces and shoot when they're not looking
Part 3:  Being silly and letting kids be kids
Part 4:  Capturing relationships and shooting groups
Part 5:  Doing what they love and going faceless
Part 6: Shoot multiples of expressions
Part: 7: Great lighting, the unexpected, and indoor sports

Shooting Better People Pictures (Part 5)

Tip 8: Capture people doing what they love.
Shoot people doing what they love and you'll always get good pictures of them, whether they are focused on the task at hand or showing you what they're up to.



Tip 9: Faces aren't always required.
As much as I've emphasized faces, I should point out that you don't always need to see their faces for it to be a good picture and to instantly be relevant to the subject. Some of these images might not hold much significance to an unrelated observer, but to those who know and love the subject, they can have great meaning.



Thursday, December 16, 2010

Shooting Better People Pictures (Part 4)


This is Part 4 of a week-long photography series Shooting Better People Pictures by Trish Hummer of Everyday Images by Trish. 
Part 1:  Digital photography basics and great full-body shots
Part 2:  Focus on faces and shoot when they're not looking
Part 3:  Being silly and letting kids be kids
Part 4:  Capturing relationships and shooting groups
Part 5:  Doing what they love and going faceless
Part 6: Shoot multiples of expressions
Part: 7: Great lighting, the unexpected, and indoor sports

Shooting Better People Pictures (Part 4)

Tip 6: Capture Relationships
Look for pictures that reveal something about people's relationships. It is very helpful to take picture of people relating to one another so that you can avoid the awkwardness of relating to the camera. The manner in which people interact is often evident in their pictures together.









Tip 7: Shooting groups
When shooting groups of people, avoid having people stand shoulder to shoulder. Try to stack them so that you fill more of the frame with their faces. Or ask them to do something other than just standing and smiling. When shooting large groups, look for smaller subsets within the group. (This works great whether while shooting or in the cropping stage.)






Have examples of your own to show? Leave a comment with a link or share them at the Creative Sprinkle Flickr Pool.

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