There is Beauty All Around

We live in such a beautiful world and sometimes I think we are so busy to even look up to see it. Taking pictures of inanimate objects, buildings, and landscapes to me is one of the ways I take time to look at what is all around us. 

Here are some tips for inanimate objects, landscapes, and buildings:

1. Angles - angles are everything. Sometimes you won't be able to get straight on from the subject of your photo, but that's ok! Angles give your picture a dynamic that is hard to create any other way. 

2. Color - The exact color you see is hard to create in photography. The world is so fluid and changing. Be ok with the colors you get, use photoshop if you want to. But most of my landscape pictures do not have color editing. 

3. Impeding Objects - use them to your advantage! I love obscuring buildings with trees or flowers! It gives dimension and life to your picture. Not to mention a personal touch. 

4. Be adventurous! - crawl in the dirt, climb a tree, stand on a cliff (carefully). You will get some really fun shots that will be really hard to recreate giving them a one of a kind look! 

Through the Eyes of a Child

Have you every thought about how the world looks through the eyes of a child?

How big everything is compared to you, yet still being willing to try new things. Children are some of the bravest individuals I have ever met! That has been made clear to me on multiple occasions by my baby sister. Every time I take my baby sister (I do mean BABY, she is two years old) to play at the park, I am astonished at what she is willing to take on. Today alone, she climbed up a ladder that was twice her size and wanted NO help from me going down the slide.

I have started to capture some of these moments, so I am starting a "line" of photos that I am going to call Through the Eyes of a Child. Mind you, I will limit what I display on the blog for safety and anonymity of my sister. Sadly, my favorite pictures I capture include her face! Drat!

Since I do not take a camera with me everywhere, which I really should start doing, a majority (if not all) of these images will be taken on an iPhone.

If you have any ideas of what activity I should capture, please email us at ographies@gmail.com.

Here are a couple of images from the last few visits to the park!

"I freezin' sissy!"

"I chasing it."

Defining "Good"

Have you thought about what being a good photographer entails?

Being good. Scary concept sometimes. We set out to be "good" at something, and it's kind of hard to measure when we get there. Is it the number of Likes on your Facebook page? Or the content on your blog?

I always thought that there was a "type" of person or style you had to be. Like you had to work to become similar to the other photographers out there. 

But overall, being "good" is what you make it. Failing and succeeding is all in the journey. 

Now don't get me wrong; there are going to be people who critique your work or who do not like your style. That is okay! When it comes to creativity, you have to be brave and put your big girl (or guy) pants on. We get knocked down, but you need to stand right up again. 

Coming up with your own style is key! 

Be able to distinguish between constructive criticism and someone just disagreeing with your style. Be willing to take in the critiques! Chances are, they were in your position not too long ago. 

One of the biggest keys to success is taking chances! All the great creators of the world were once thought to be crazy, right? I mean, look at Apple. 30 years ago, if you had told someone that there would be a device that fit in your pocket that could carry all information known to mankind, they would have thought you were insane. Here we are today, though, with iPhones and all kinds of SmartPhones that allow us to access loads of information in seconds. Maybe you will be the next Steve Jobs of photography!

There are a lot of skills that you will need to develop to help you become successful and "good," but we all are still learning. 

So "good;" throw that word out. Be willing. Be daring. Just be YOU! Because that is good enough.

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day from the ladies of Ographies!

We hope you are surrounded by those you love! Make today beautiful!