Baby Bump

As a photographer I have always been able to fully appreciate the saying, "A picture is worth a thousand words". However, I've always said that a picture is worth a thousand words and a million emotions. There are just some pictures that make you speechless, and words cannot describe what you feel when you gaze upon it.

I have found my latest speechless photograph. I see such confidence and beauty every time I look at this photograph of her. She's fearless, yet, vulnerable. She is strong and soft at the same time. There is just so much to be seen I can't seem to find all the words needed to describe it.

The maternity shoot I was so privileged to take part in the other day was, by far, a very unique and special shoot for me. It was with one of my very best childhood friends. And we had such a great time together, laughing at eachother, giggling at silly things, ("do something cute with your feet Tiff!")  talking about our boys playing together, growing up, about us getting older, just having a really nice time.

One reason why this shoot meant so much to me is because when we were in our early teens she and I set up a 'studio' in my room and took two rolls of pictures of each other. We modeled clothes, changed out 'props', it was a full on fashion shoot! :) This recent shoot brought back a lot of really good memories.

I've always thought her to be one of the most beautiful women I've ever known, and this shoot proved it all the more!

XOXOXOX Tiff! I can't wait for our next shoot together!

How to uniquely display your family photos

We all have family photos hanging in our home. We cherish them! They bring us joy and comfort every time we look at them. But the trend now is to showcase your family art in new and exciting ways. Now, you don't just take the print and stick it in a pretty frame and find a great place to hang it.... no, it is much more than that now. We all have a personal gallery that is just waiting to be showcased to friends and family! Just imagine, walking into a home and the very first thing you see is this great center piece on the wall, it just screams "Look over here! This is my family and this is how much we love each other!"

So, just how do you go about this? How can you get that gallery effect in your own home?

Well, first of all we need to be sure we are selective with our photos! Yes, we all love every goofy and fun picture we have of our spouse or kids. I admit, that even I have some silly photos in frames too! But, as for a gallery level showcase, picking the right photo is key! Remember, though, this display should speak to YOU, most of all! Don't pick pictures that you think others will enjoy and leave out your true favorites! This is your home, your wall, and your memories... be sure to use the ones you love the most! Having said that, if you are picking more than one photo to showcase, be sure to keep a theme somewhat. For example, if you have kids in your family, take a family photo, center it on the wall and surround it with pictures of each member individually. That's just one idea! There are so many more! Just be creative, but be you!

Second, you need to frame it correctly! Frames are meant to enhance your photos, not distract the eye! The frame is not the subject, it's the accessory! Also, if you are showcasing more than one photo, keep the frames in the same category.... they don't have to be the same color or the same size or shape, but they should compliment each other and look cohesive. If you like the new frame-less canvas print look, which I personally love, then have fun with that too! Go with unusual shapes and sizes!

Another quick tip for a fresh approach to your family wall art.... go color blind! Black and white photos can have an entirely different effect on your subjects! Color is fun and bold, yet, in my opinion black and white photos are more dramatic and interesting! It's personal choice, of course!

Here are a few links to give you some ideas:

http://thebumbleinthebee.blogspot.com/2011/05/tutorial-repurposed-frames.html

http://www.flickr.com/photos/55397648@N00/4931320253/

http://puremotif.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/hollyryan_metalprints.jpg


Be sure to share this post with your friends!!

New feature post.... look for it soon!

Just an FYI, I am working on a new feature post, "What NOT to do in everyday photography". This post will be a regular series in my blog. I will address simple mistakes everyone has made when taking a picture. I will show you what NOT to do, and then what you can do to avoid doing it again! Most tips are very simple and super easy to remember!

For example, have you ever taken a photograph of someone indoors, and you realized after the fact that it was completely washed out by the flash? Or how about when you take a quick snapshot of a giggling friend and it turns out blurry. Or perhaps you have taken a picture while at the lake or the beach and it was prettier in your mind than in your camera!!

I will take one subject at a time. Take a sample photo of what NOT to do and what it should look like done correctly. I will be using my Olympus digital camera to take the photos, so you will see that you don't need a fancy DSLR to take great looking pictures!

What I would like from you, my faithful readers, is either a suggestion on a specific subject you would like to learn to help you improve your photographic abilities, and/or photo submissions, you may submit photos that you personally have taken that didn't turn out the way you had hoped, and I will address the problem. You can email the submission or request to me @ bobbie@bobbielyons.com Be sure to include your name, describe what you wanted to accomplish in the photo. (You may only submit photos that you have taken personally, no vulgar or nude photography, I will need your consent to post them in my blog. I reserve the right to refuse any submission and delete submissions at any time without notice)

Subjects can vary from camera settings to editing tips and tricks! So keep a look out for the new series! Be sure to share the info with your friends too! Everyone has the ability to improve their photographic skills and I am determined to prove that you don't have to be a pro to be a good photographer! You will learn how easy it is to take great looking photos with your family camera!


Until next time my Snap Happy Friends!

Paul Cezanne - A work of art which did not begin in emotion is not art.

Artists are often times asked where they find inspiration. How do they come up with their work? What drives them in that particular direction?

Well, as a digital artist myself, I can tell you, it isn't so easy to explain. It's not always the same. In fact, it rarely is. It can be a sound, a smell, a taste or a memory that rushes into my heart and I feel the urge to express it, but, not in words, in pictures.

You see, inspiration means something different to each one of us. Let me give you a list of words that relate to Inspiration:

Motivate -Drive
Stimulate -Animate
Spur -Enliven
Incentive -Breathe
Cause -Emotion
Sympathy -Warmth
Ardor -Zeal
Passion -Thrill
Love -Affection

All those words can describe how, at one time or another, I was inspired to take a photograph. For example, I was given a flower by my husband. It was a stargazer lily. It wasn't for any special occasion, it was just a gift. But, that flower meant something to me. He may not have realized what he did, but, I felt it right away! It was the same type of flower as the first bouquet he bought me. When he gave me the first one I thought I had never seen a flower so beautiful! When I received the second one, it was even more beautiful! I was instantly taken back to a place where love was new, the air was sweet and life was light!

I took photographs of that second lily. Quite a few actually. But when I see those photographs I am reminded of so many different things. The lily itself is long gone, like so many things, it eventually dried up and was thrown out. But, it's effects on me are just as strong and vibrant as when I look at the photographs I took so many years ago of that Thrilling, Passionate, Inspirational flower.

If you are an artist that is struggling to find inspiration, my advice to you would be, don't look so hard. Inspiration is not an elusive creature found only in sporadic bouts of whimsy! Rather, take a deep breath, let things go, release your inhibitions. You will find inspiration in places that you wouldn't have dared looked! That's why 'looking' for inspiration is not recommended. Let it come to you.

It can be at the grocery store when you spot an almost unbelievable bright lemon that causes an overwhelming emotion of youth and vigor to swell up inside of you and thus inspires you to shoot photos a baby girl in a lemon colored dress holding a giant lollipop, or waiting at a red light when you see a compassionate stranger help an elderly man cross the street and you are inspired to photograph the legacy of an entire family and the history of an whole generation as told in one shot of an old mans wrinkled hands, or even when you lay down at night and close your eyes and get a faint whiff of the lilac bush outside your window and it reminds you of how beautiful your grandmother was to you as a child and how sweet she made everything smell and taste so you are driven to photograph a vintage pair of women's shoes by a crystal clear stream of water.

To some those photographs may sound odd, but to me, they have meaning, power and emotions. That's what inspiration is. It's not something you can learn, buy, borrow, steal or otherwise create. It's spontaneous. It's genuine. It's organic. It's free. It's real.

So, what inspires me? What motivates me in a certain direction? One word - LIFE.

May your life inspire you, no matter what your occupation. May you find the breath, love, zeal and incentive to get better at whatever it is you do, photographer or not!

As always, be SNAP HAPPY!

My new passion...

I absolutely love working with infants!!!

New additions - New adventures

Well, we found out this week that we are expecting! So, we are both very excited and can't wait! As far as the business goes, it will be an added subject to my portfolio, as a dear sweet friend put it! This just gives more reasons to take MORE pictures!!

Warmth

I felt so honored to be inlcuded in such precious moments with this amazing family. It was exciting for me to meet and get to know them a bit. Layah was fantastic to work with and she has such a warm smile that can really melt your heart!