Fresh

What an amazing week of submissions! 

I picked "fresh" because I wanted a theme that offered a lot of room 

for interpretation and creativity and, boy, you all rose to the challenge. 

Not only did you provide fresh subjects but also interpreted them with fresh perspective, 

spring-time stories, near-touchable textures, pops of color and brilliant composition. 

What a beautiful collection of work!

 It was hard to narrow my picks down to only 11. 

Here are the top 11 images:

Jenna Hobbs/ Hobbs Photography

This image tells the story of a fresh new day, visiting the chicken coop

 to gather eggs in the early morning light. The sunflare on the coop's roof 

and the rim light on the children add romance and a hopefulness to the story. 

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Danielle Aisling/ Aisling Images

I love the composition of this image.
 It's a fresh perspective on the mushroom and the texture and reflection adds dimension and interest. 
The light coming from above leads my eye right into the subject. Just beautiful!!




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Lorna Oxenham/ Lorna Oxenham Momtography

The colors, tone and light in this image really drew me in. 
It speaks to me about fresh from the garden. I can almost smell the fresh flowers! 
Also, I feel it tells the story of childhood simplicity, fresh life and 
the fresh possibilities from the Earth. 





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Ashlee Conner Tomes/London's Bridge Photography

I enjoyed the dream-like quality of this photograph. The fresh blooms of spring mixed with the blur, light and airy colors really added to the spring symbolism. The flowers reaching up to the light also gave me a feeling of hope and new life. 





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Andrea Snyder Martin/Andrea Martin Photography

You really cannot have a fresh theme without a newborn. The fresh life so filled with potential. I picked this image because of it's near perfect rosy-pink newborn skin color. 
Also, I really felt like the yawn spoke of the breath of new life.





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Elena Blair/ Elena S. Blair Photography

Fresh touchable skin! I really wanted to reach through this image and feel this baby's sweet soft skin. This simple, well-lit, beautifully focused image brought to mind a whole story of a freshly bathed baby. I could practically smell the baby powder. Lovely!




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Nicki Bosch/ Nicki Bosch Photography

This is also a masterfully told story using window light and lovely composition. It brings to mind the quiet moments after a warm bath, with a freshly clean and contented child. I love everything about this image, especially the rim light.




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Megan Sullins/ Happenstance Photography

You would think making a photo of eggs in a basket would be easy, but it's not! To get the right balance of light and dark and create dimension and interest in such a simple subject requires patience and vision. Yes, this is fresh eggs in a basket, and it's also a fresh perspective with beautifully executed light and composition. This image reminded me of Josef Sudek's images of eggs. Very nice!





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Liz Arcus/ Liz Arcus Photography

I love this image. Not only is it in the fresh outdoors, getting fresh and clean, but also Liz offers the viewer a fresh perspective. I can almost smell the fresh air. Lovely!




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 Kristen Laurence/ Kristen Laurence Photography

There is so much to love about this photo: the simple bouquet with a bright pop of color against the white dress; perfect use of focus and blur; and the delicate leading lines of her arms. For me, this image is like a breath of fresh air; simple and clean. A lovely place for the eye to rest. 




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And the winner is...

Sarah Howard Rypma/Sarah Rypma Photography LLC

I kept coming back to this photograph throughout the week and every time I did I saw more. At first I just noticed the bright fresh fruit and the delicate drop left on the white plate. Then I noticed the fresh perspective offered by the close crop and the boy's gaze as well as the framing of the crisp white plate. And finally, finally, I noticed the boy's reflection in the spoon! A masterful composition combined with storytelling elements that keeps my attention. For me that's art! It's taking our work beyond the mommy goggles of a cute kid to the masterful combination of visual elements. Awesome!





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Thank you all for a wonderful week. I learn something new with each weekly challenge and this week was no different. I enjoyed seeing everyone's contribution and creativity.
 Keep the fresh-thinking going. Thank you to the Snap Mavens for having me. 
This is a terrifically supportive community and I felt lucky to be included this week.

Juli Isola
Juli Isola Photography
WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | GOOGLE+
www.juliisolaphotography.com
www.facebook.com/juliisolaphotography 

{Fresh} Mavenista Style

This week we present to you our own interpretations of the theme

"Fresh"

Phyllis Meredith Photography

I am so in love with all of the newness and freshness that goes along with spring here in New England. Fresh life, fresh air, fresh starts, fresh flowers.... Everything seems new and possible with the turning toward Spring.

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Jujujems Art and Photo Studio

Who will tell whether one happy moment of love or the joy of breathing or walking on a bright morning and smelling the fresh air, is not worth all the suffering and effort which life implies.

Erich Fromm

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A/Z Photography

"April hath put a spirit of youth in everything" - William Shakespeare

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Alethia Rains Photography

Each day is a little life: every waking and rising a little birth, every fresh morning a little youth, every going to rest and sleep a little death.
~Arthur Schopenhauer

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Photography 2204

You may have a fresh start any moment you choose, for this thing that we call 'failure' is not the falling down, but the staying down.

Mary Pickford

Please join us next week as we welcome two new collaborators!

The Maven Flyer Vol. 9

Welcome to 

 The Maven Flyer

Vol. 9

For the week of April 28, 2014

Here we will offer suggestions for places for you to submit your images

for sharing and competition.

If you have or know of a sharing community or theme, please let us know

by emailing the name, link, and specifics to 

snapmaven.info @gmail.com

At this time you will need to visit each page to learn the specifics of the pages 

rules and deadlines for sharing images.

Happy Sharing Everyone!

Snap Maven ~ Art, Weekly Favorite, Experiments

Distorted Beauty~ Object Used In An Unusual Way

In Beauty & Chaos~ Symmetry, Weekly Favorite

Evoking You~?, Weekly, Favorite

The Dark Room~Happy, Weekly Favorites

The Gratitude Collaborative ~Dreamy

Fantastically Flawed~ Pensive/?

Spark~Home

Giggles&Goldfish~Everyday Favorites

Picture Me Project~Include yourself in the image somehow!

We Were There Too~ Get in the photo with your kids!

Lemonade and Lenses~Weekly Favorite

Mozi Magazine~Weekly Favorite

Seniorologie~ Weekly Favorite(senior)

Love Photographs Beautifully~Self-Portrait

Measure In Love~ Hearts

Photographer's Connection~Weekly Favorite

Privizzini's Passion Photography~Hands

Photo Artistry~Weekly Favorite

Angie Marie Photography~Graceful

Light Inspired~ Yellow

Snap Junkies~ Monthly Favorite

M4HP~Moody

Everything For Photography~White

Simple Sally~Window(s)

30 Minutes in the Life~?

Life Defined Project~We

HAPPY Picture Contest~Multi-Color(NO FLOWERS)

Reflections~First Thing in The Morning

Sweet Little Muse~Vintage

Little Bellows~Grandparents

Photo Corner~ weekly favorite

In Your Own Light~Sunset

Seek Emotion~Our Life
That Other Photography Page~Vibrant
By The Light~ Open themed natural light images
Life's Experience p52~ Food
 Fleeting Lights ~ Warm
The Monochromatic Lens~Weekly Favorite
My Beautifully Chaotic Lifestyle~ Beautifully Chaotic
Let the Kids Dress Themselves~ April Favorite
SHOTMagazine~ open, one photo per day
Faradiddles~ Unfocused
The Organic PhotograpHERS~ Film
A Day in the Life~ ?
Honestly, Photography  ~ Home
Light Reflections ~ Contrast

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That concludes the links for this week!

If there is a link you'd like to see here, please let us know at

snapmaven.info@gmail.com

Please allow 2-3 weeks for addition to The Maven Flyer

Same goes for errors, though we hope to get those fixed right away.
Future issues of The Maven Flyer will be posted on Monday evenings.

You can't get featured if you don't submit!!

Go for it!

This Week's Judge: Juli Isola

This week's Judge is Juli Isola of Juli Isola Photography. If you are not familiar with her beautiful work, or want to learn more, read on, and click the link to visit her page!

1.       Tell us about yourself...

I’m a natural-light family and beach photographer in San Clemente, California. I spend my days raising my three daughters (ages 15, 13 and 5) with my amazing husband. My happy place is the beach, where I find inspiration and peace.  I have a degree in journalism and worked for a number of years as a PR professional. Then after my two older daughters started school, I went back to school and got my early childhood education units and taught preschool for 3 years. I find all this, as well as life experiences, contributes to my photographic  style and preferences.

2.       What ignited your passion for photography, and what fuels it now?

I’ve always been interested in photography, like most people who are photographing today. When my older girls were born and little, I spent a bunch of money for portraits because I appreciated good photography. I noticed that the portraits were beautiful but not necessarily natural or capturing our every day. So, when our bonus baby was born (8 years after my middle daughter) I decided to invest in a camera and learn how to use it. What I found, along with getting more natural, every day images of my family, was that photography gave me the opportunity to focus on the beauty, joy, and love unfolding in the daily chaos of family life. From that realization, photography went from a way to record moments to a spiritual practice. Photography continues to be a source of joy as well as a way to center myself. It’s helped me discover more about who I am and why I’m here.

3.       What's in your camera bag right now, what do use the most? the least?

In my bag I have my camera (Canon 60D), my prime lenses (35mm 2.0, 50mm 1.2, 85mm 1.8) and, at the moment, a Speedlite because I’m challenging myself to understand flash photography. I go in phases and right now I’m in a 50mm phase, so I have been using that the most. I probably use my lenses equally but in phases. And, I rarely use the flash.

4.       What's your dream project or shoot?

My dream shoot is very natural, relax moment of connection between people. I’ve been dreaming about a farm table shoot with candles, strings of twinkly lights, flowers on the table, a bottle of wine and 5 of my closest girl-friends all sitting around laughing and connecting. I think there are so few opportunities to photograph women in a naturally beautiful way.  Both my online and in-person girl friends have been such a tremendous source of strength and inspiration for me. I just want to capture the beauty that radiates from them in photographs.

5.       What is the biggest challenge you face as a photographer?

My biggest challenge is turning off the negative self-talk and objectively seeing my work. Sometimes I have my mommy goggles on and other times my-own-worst critic glasses. Honestly, I have really benefited from submitting photos to weekly online challenges because it requires me to look at my photos creatively from the perspective of a theme. Regardless of whether my images get selected or not, I benefit because I took a moment to look at my work from a different perspective and risked putting it out there.

If you had $500 to spend on photography...

How should you spend it? I shouldn’t spend it…I should add it to my savings for a Canon 5D Mark III!!

How do you wish you could spend it? On a class or workshop and some Lensbaby glass.

How would you really spend it? An external drive, printing my fine art photos and creating a custom logo.

7.       Is there any one thing you wish someone had told you at the very beginning of your photography journey?

The feeling of discontent or inadequacy is the thing that will move you forward. When you have moments of confusion as to what to do next or you feel completely lost and overwhelmed, just remain open because the guidance and growth will come. That frustrated, defeated feeling really is a great indicator that you are moving into the next phase of development. The insight will come. Maybe you will see something online or find a book or talk to a friend and, even if it seems insignificant at the time, it will move you forward. 

Thank you so much, Julie, for joining us this week!! 

Feature Friday with Erin Konrath!

We've invited Erin Konrath, of Erin Konrath Photography, to share a bit about one of her personal projects!  Read on to hear her thoughts on her 365, and enjoy some more eye candy while you're at it.

Erin said:

"I am on year two of shooting daily.  A 365 isn't for everyone, nor is it the end all be all in furthering your learning or journey.  But it works for ME and if you are thinking about it I highly recommend at least trying it out.  That's how I started.  Thinking, "Well, I'll at least TRY."  And now here I am.  On year two and I can't imagine not having daily shooting in my life.  The results are so tangible...I can SEE the progress, leaps and bounds, from where I started.  Even in these few short months of 2014, I have come even farther down this long and winding road that has no end.  This year I continue to play with light, with shadows and reflections, with emotion. With it all, actually.  I still can't get enough of this crazy obsession of mine and I am so happy I get to share a few favorites with you here.  Thank you again, Snap Maven and Sonja Hardy.  You are the bestest of the bestest!!

website  | facebook

Balance

What a great week everyone, wow!

 Thank you so much for participating and sharing your take on the theme ‘balance’, 

I enjoyed going through all of them. 

And just as I suspected, it was a difficult task to get this list down to only 11, 

there were so many beautiful and creative images.

 Congratulations to everyone.

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Cassandra Hamilton Photography

The amount of dark chaos and light calm in this image are very effective. 

Add to that the tiny head poking out in the middle of all of that 

and you have a very balanced and visually intriguing photograph.

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Kate Suzanne Photography

This just works on so many levels. 

The composition is balanced by the placement of the subjects in relation to their surroundings. There is the element of alternating light and dark plus the literal balance of the kids. 

Fantastic!

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Gina Yeo

The vertical format and centre placement of the chair, 

really bring you into this image. 

I love the small window of light balance by the large expanse of dark. 

Plus the little girl teetering on the chair looking out

 add a literal balance element to this as well.

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Everyday Little Moments

I love the symmetrical balance created by the windows and climbing vines in this image. 

My eyes are drawn equally to all the contrasting shapes, colours and textures.

 Then finally to this centrally placed little girl, all tiny in size compared to the other elements.

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Juli Isola Lifestyle Photography

This beautiful image draws the eye equally to both the girl on the left

 and the reflection of her on the right, and would not work without either in the frame. 

That combined with the amount of light vs. dark 

and you have a very balanced and compelling photograph. 

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Rebecca Waldock Photography

I love the creative take on this theme; a boy playing with girl toys. 

A ‘balance’ I think we (who are parents) can appreciate and relate to. 

The composition, shapes and colours also add to the visual balance of this image.

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Kelly Tonks Photography

Perfect symmetrical balance is achieved here.

 I love the path that takes you straight up to the centered subject, 

who adds some visual intrigue by not being perfectly symmetrical herself. 

The textured plants and smooth sky add another element of balance to this photograph.

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Indira Klotzer Photography

I love how literal this image is. 

The composition and mirrored shapes of the children on the teeter totter. 

And a size contrasting Dad planted right in the middle 

add up to balanced balance in this photograph.

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Lori Dozier Photography

I love how everything radiates from a centre point in this image. 

The similar but not identical ‘shapes’ on either side of the balancing feet

 and the reflection of those adorable bunny pants all add up to great visual balance.

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AMP Photography

This visually stunning image is comprised of a few balancing elements. 

The colours, textures and shapes created by the clouds, land and water balance out 

the figure who is literally ‘balancing’ out in the water. Amazing!

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And the winner is...

Erin Konrath Photography

I wanted to write a small essay about why I love this image, so I knew it was the ‘winner’ for me. The balance of the kids on the sofa, the balance of the background shapes and lines, 

even the dark chair is balanced by the dark cabinet in the reflection. 

It’s so visually intriguing and not one element could work without the other. 

Simply outstanding Erin!

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Thank you again Snap Maven for having me this week, it was a joy and an honor.

Sonja Hardy 

Bobo + Peep Photography

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