Diane Jarvis-Schuller

A few days ago, after reading a poignant post over at Shutter Sisters, I made the decision to begin my own 365 project.

For the photographers who pop by and visit here, you’ll all know what a 365 project is, but for others here is the simple explanation of what it’s about. A 365 project involves taking at least one photograph each and every day of the year. It has different purposes, among them: incentive to take photos of your daily life or the life around you; to help photographers grow; to be sure not to miss recording important moments in your life; to keep the creative juices flowing, for some it’s a chance to begin building a body of work; and so on.

For me however, the main reason for commencing this project was something Meredith said, “There is something important and beautiful to remember and be grateful for every. single. day.” That statement, in particular, is what set off a spark in me. Although I don’t plan on limiting myself to only photographing that which I’m grateful for, the reason is truly worthy of embracing. And if I’m being truly honest, there was one other thing she said that nailed it for me. She said, “… if I were able to pick up the phone and call my mother each day to share one thing that happened that day I would. But I can’t.” Well I can’t either and I wish I could. This project then will be moment(s) in my day that I would share, if I could, whether they are moments worthy of celebration or moments of the mundane things we need to do during our day-to-day life. A snapshot within my day.

I’ve begun my project, though not on the first day of the year, as most photographers tend to commence this type of project. I also won’t be posting most of the images here (at least I don’t think so). For now, I’m posting them quite informally over at my Flickr account, though I will likely share an occasional one here. Since this is my business-related photo journal, I didn’t think it was the venue for my casual 365 project.

Have you taken on some form of ongoing project? What did you learn or how did you grow as a result of participating in that project?

In recent weeks I have finally been able to resume work on a part time basis. This has allowed me time; time I’ve spent getting out and experimenting with my camera. Any time I have the freedom not to worry about technical details and simply get out and take photographs for the fun of it, the results are always like a treasure chest.

Like any treasure chest, what I’ve found in that treasure chest excites me and adds to my list of photographic treasures. I’m thinking I should create a simple slideshow to insert here in my photo journal simply to show the results of my recent photographic experiments and free time expressions. A few years ago, I did some of these and a few turned out, but the other day I tried two different versions of what you see below. I love the results and ended up keeping most of them; only a few hit the trash bin.

With this one, although I love the red from the Amur Maple, it’s the imperfections emphasized that I find of interest. It’s an explosion of fall colours coming right at you!

Those of you who know me well, are likely cocking your head and wondering about these since you know my stance on fake blur. Well this isn’t fake blur (blur created in Photoshop rather than in camera). I love a photograph in which the photographer has adeptly created a lovely soft blur (called shallow depth of field) behind the sharply focused main subject. The blur you’re seeing here is created in camera and definitely not in Photoshop. That’s why I find these so exciting. Any creativity that is done in camera, to me, is like opening a box of treasures. Although I must have about two dozen keepers from my recent experiments, here is my favourite. I love this one so much, I am so tempted to blow it up really large or maybe even on canvas — something with texture.

Although I took these on two separate days in the past week, I am still overjoyed with the opportunity to rev up my creative juices. What about you? What have you done recently that revved up your creativity?

PS: I will create a slideshow to show all my ‘keepers’ and will post it here by tomorrow morning. I have a wedding rehearsal to attend later today otherwise I’d do it now.

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Photographs Never Forget! Keeping memories alive with custom albums and portraits.

Huh? You’re probably thinking I have that old cliche turned around. You’re right, I do.

For those using film and not digital, the darkroom is where the final processing occurs for photographic prints. Ansel Adams is known to have worked magic in the darkroom ‘finishing’ his masterpieces. Now that so many of us are using digital, a darkroom still exists — it’s the digital darkroom. I’m no master in the digital darkroom though I’ve been spending time in that digital darkroom practicing, experimenting, and even stretching the limits now and again. Today’s image is a result of some of that practice.

The image above, as it came straight out of the camera (SOOC), was nice enough but I thought it had potential for altering it somewhat to give it a more vintage feel. Using my Lightroom 2 software, I created a negative applying specific levels of processing. I’ve found it so much fun to experiment and play around in this way. Recently I also created my very first high-key image which can be done either in the camera or in the processing. I took an already somewhat overexposed image of a horse, increasing the exposure in the digital darkroom, made a few other minor adjustments, and ended up with a more artistic version that you can view at my photoblog. I was really pleased with the results.

This image of a bloom on my Easter cactus has been through the digital darkroom. Using Lightroom I was able to make it appear like it was created with Velvia film. Velvia film is known for having brighter colours and deeper saturation, among its other attributes. While in that darkroom I could have just as easily made this black and white, sepia, or many other options for final processing. Remember the beautiful close up of that clematis and the pink peony I offered for desktop wallpaper? The colours were more brilliant and crisp but I reduced that brilliance, purposely desaturating both images to give them more of a faded old-time feel. All done in my digital darkroom.

Then again, I could run a photo through that digital darkroom, leaving it as it came straight out of the camera, but add one small touch: a bit of vignetting (that darkening of the edges) like with this box of cupcakes. The only difference between the film version of processing and the digital version is that one is done with chemicals and one is done with the computer. I hope you’ve enjoyed walking through my digital darkroom.

In what ways do you like to experiment or play around with any of your creative pursuits (gardening, photography, painting, crafting, sewing, woodworking, or …)?

“Creativity involves breaking out of established patterns in order to look at things in a different way.” ~ Edward De Bono

I’m back from my relaxing and regenerative trip to the city. It’s storming or perhaps, more correctly, I should say we’re having a winter blizzard today. (The photo, however, is one from an early winter storm but today it is white everywhere with no dead grasses showing in the field. I don’t feel like going outside to get a photo to show you how intense it is — sorry!) It’s 15 below C, with a wind blowing so hard that the snow is running parallel to the ground, and drifting everywhere. My husband couldn’t get his car out of the garage this morning because there’s a 5 foot drift in front of the door. He was able to get the snowblower out the side door to make a pathway out to the highway and used the SUV to get to work. Just part of life north of 55.

I have a mountain of ironing to do, several work related projects to get done, and am finding writing inspiration from this book by Christina Baldwin.

Storycatcher: Making Sense of Our Lives through the Power and Practice of Story

“Story is the heart of language. Story emotionally moves us to love and hate and can motivate us to change the whole course of our lives. Story can lift us beyond the borders of our individuality to imagine realities of other people, times, and places; to empathize with other beings; to extend our supposing far into the universe. Storytelling — both oral tradition and written word — is the foundation of being human.” ~excerpt from cover jacket of Storycatcher. 

So tell me, what stories are you catching these days?

Take a risk. Fly out of your comfort zone.

“Don’t refuse to go on an occasional wild goose chase — that’s what wild geese are for.” ~Author Unknown

{Photo taken April 21, 2008 here in Alberta Canada. Canada Geese, Trumpeter Swans, a variety of ducks, plus Northern Pintails in flight.}

 

Don’t forget to enter my giveaway — draw being made on March 17! Have a weekend full of exploration.

If any of you have played the post processing game by Laura at Dolce Pics, you’ll recognize that right away. If you aren’t familiar with “What’s Your Play?” it is a weekly photo challenge in which Laura posts one of her straight out of the camera (SOOC) shots and challenges others to play with it. The idea is to play with the post processing to come up with something other than the original. This is my first time playing What’s Your Play.

It was 42 degrees below zero this morning and, although it has warmed up, is still 27 degrees below zero. Instead of being productive doing other things, I felt this would be a good day to play with some post processing.

 

[caption id="attachment_1003" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Laura's original sooc"][/caption]

Using Lightroom 2: for this first one I cut back the Exposure, increased the Blacks, lightly tapped up the Clarity, increased the Brightness, reduced the Saturation, warmed the Temp, played with the Hue in highlights, and added a strong Vignette. The result is a bit of an antique feel.

[caption id="attachment_1004" align="aligncenter" width="576" caption="My first 'play'"][/caption]

 

[caption id="attachment_1006" align="aligncenter" width="576" caption="My second play"][/caption]

Using Lightroom 2: for this second play I changed the White Balance, tapped back the Exposure, increased the Contrast & Blacks, really increased Clarity, touched up the Vibrance & Saturation a bit, went back and increased Brightness somewhat but then needed to again increase Contrast. Played with the Tone Curve, then just ever so slightly with the Shadows, and to finish I added a hint of Vignette so it’s barely detectable. This was intended to be more enhancement rather than a different type of effect as the first one I did.