Creativity with Photos

366 Days of Creativity Week 21 in Review: May 20th-26th

​You may have noticed I've been branching out with trying to tell a story not only with the creations, but with how I photograph them.

I got my first DSLR for Christmas, and pretty much treated it as a point and shoot after one time I tried to mess with it and pretty sure I got a setting off (turns out I did).

I had an art retreat coming up and was signed up for a photography class so I knew I wanted to at least know the basics of my camera and photography.

With that date inching closer, it finally motivated me to sign up for a class at Everyday Photo Class. It was 2 hours and my head hurt at the end but it was so good. The exposure setting was easily fixed and I now knew what all the buttons on my camera meant and some cool ways I could start experimenting with my photos.

Then I went to a  Squam Art Retreat and took a class from Amy Gretchen. And it wasn't about how to use your camera, it was about how to take a photo. It was awesome. As someone who pretty much just took photos to remember and scrapbook, I would not have called my photos interesting. 

Now I was given a whole new way to look at taking a photo and think about all the elements of composition. Just like with any craft, there are rules to be learned, and then broken uniquely to you. 

How do you view the world? What could you take a photo of today (use your cell phone, I promise it's fine) to tell a piece of your story or a moment of your day?

How can you use taking a photo to really notice your surroundings and see the world differently? Even if you don't have a camera, capture your shot in your mind. Savor it.

For now, I hope you will indulge me as I have some fun experimenting and exploring a whole new world.

​I can tell you, I wouldn't be anywhere near this world if I didn't take it one step at a time and use what I had when I had it. So whatever you are wanting to do, remember that. Begin with what you have, be daring everyday, don't expect perfection, be you, believe. 

---

Days 141-147

Day 141
"Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all." -Helen Keller

---

Day 142
"To get something exciting and new in your art you almost always have to give a belief or idea you already have." -Gwen Fox

---

Day 143
​"I always have to remind myself that nothing I write will be perfect in its original form. As Anne Lamott says, you have to let yourself write a really shitty first draft so you have something to play with when you begin to edit. Editing is so much more enjoyable, I find." -Susannah Conway

---

Day 144
"Making art is about finding the true self - not who everyone has told you that you are, but the person you are truly." -Brigit O'Connor

---

Day 145
 "A picnic is a state of mind and can be made anywhere." -Susan Branch

---

Day 146:
​"To achieve greatness, start where you are, use what you have, do what you can." -Arthur Ashe

---

Day 147:
"There are connoisseurs of blue just as there are connoisseurs of wine." -Collette

---