Thursday, June 30, 2016

Meet This Week's Judge: Danielle Stevens!


This week, Danielle of Danielle Stevens Photographer asks you to go 'into the wild'. Summer is the perfect time for an outdoor adventure, but before you go on yours, explore Danielle's photography and inspirations here!


1. Tell us about yourself...
I live in upstate New York with my boyfriend and our son. I studied photography at Pratt institute and dreamed of being a photojournalist. I have photographed my son in that style for years, and decided a year ago to only take on documentary and adventure sessions for families. When I am not behind the camera I like to do printmaking, visit farmers markets, find fun new restaurants and coffee shops, and be outside as much as possible.


2. What ignited your passion for photography, and what fuels it now?
The beginning of my photography journey was kind of slow, I took one class in middle school, one in high school and one in college before I really committed to making it a career. I remember totally falling in love with being in the dark room in 7th grade, being given a rolleiflex by my teacher in 10th grade who saw that I had a love for the art, and seeing it as a therapeutic outlet while I was studying Biology in college. I had always loved traveling, learning about new cultures, and studying life in other areas of the world so I thought it would be smart to study Biology. I also loved soaking in the pages of my parents National Geographic magazines and secretly wishing I could one day work for them and take pictures. It hit me one day that I could pursue that passion and I would be much happier for it! What fuels my passion now is being able to give the gift of documented history of a time in my clients, friends, and families lives. To be able to present people with images that depict them honestly and beautifully is what keeps this passion I have burning strong.


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

I have a Nikon D800 and 35mm 1.8 lens which hardly ever leaves my camera. I also have my Nikon fm10 film camera and a couple of rolls of film, my lensbaby spark and some batteries and memory cards. I use the D800 and 35mm 1.8 95% of the time, I use my film camera the rest of the time, and since I have been freelensing more I hardly ever play with my lensbaby. 


4. What’s your dream project or shoot?
Seeing as I love travel, learning about new cultures and documenting peoples lives, my dream project would be capturing the lifestyles of children and families around the world.


5. What is the biggest challenge you face as a photographer?
I think my biggest challenge that I am still trying to navigate is trying to find the balance between documenting my life but also being present.  I want my son to feel like I am fully there with him and not only interested in taking his picture. I swear whenever I leave my camera at home it's on days with the most amazing light when we end up somewhere I least expected! My attempt at being present end up backfiring because all I can think about is how amazing the scene in front of me is instead of enjoying it! For that reason I try to remember my camera, but leave it in the car and if I do leave it at home entirely I just tell myself that this is a moment for me to remember in my own mind and learn to be happy with that.



6. If you had $500 to spend on photography...How should you spend it? How do you wish you could spend it? How would you really spend it?
I should spend that money on optimizing my web presence, I wish I could spend it on attending a workshop, I would probably spend it on a new lens.


7. Is there any one thing you wish someone had told you at the very beginning of your photography journey?
I wish I was told the importance of learning business, marketing and graphic design in order to run a successful business. I wish these were requirements during my studies or at the very least have been given the advice by any one of my professors to seek out that knowledge independently.
Additionally I wish I was told to follow my heart from the beginning. I started out shooting anything that came my way and soon felt my love for this career start to fade. I loved my clients, but wasn't crazy about my work. I felt it was one dimensional and didn't speak on any level other than being a pretty picture. Ever since switching over to going fully documentary I am creating work that has depth, shows emotion and human connection, and can honestly say I am proud of.




Tuesday, June 28, 2016

{dream the impossible}

What a great honor to Guest Judge on the Snap Maven, one of the first photo communities I ever joined and one that continues to enrich my photo journey. Thanks to all who participated in the {dream the impossible} theme...you didn't make it easy! Can I pick my favorite 15 or 20? 

Top 10 in no particular order: 

What a clever way to capture a child's imagination using a dinosaur and a shadow....two of the best childhood imagination tools possible!





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What little boy doesn't dream of being a baseball pro? This image uses fantastic composition and color, and I love the way the child's baseball t-shirt and the wall featuring the dugout and stands tie it all together.





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I went back to this one again and again because it has so much joyful emotion and because it looks like the little girl is flying on a horse...a little girl's dream!





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I love how literally Desra took this theme, and what a gorgeous black and white conversion. It makes me wonder what the child is really dreaming, and is it to float in a hot air balloon or visit France like the pillow suggests (super cute pillow, by the way)? 




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Well, it's no surprise that this stunning image is from Solas Images. Lisa's work has never disappointed. Such a beautiful conversion, composition, and the idea that hard work can help a person achieve their dreams.




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What a gorgeous work of art! When I chose this theme, I did think of making a journey, whether by boat or spaceship or imagination!




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This is such a beautifully created portrait, and wouldn't we all like to be super heroes? I think we all can be in one way or another. Just absolutely perfect and shows so much detail in a simple portrait.




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Another very talented photographer and one of the first I ever learned about in my photo journey, this image has such a timeless and film-like look. I love the idea of embarking on a journey via sailboat, headed for who-knows-where. 




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A very clever photograph, dreaming something impossible in the ways of science and what we know to be real and true. I love the expression on the boy's face, the leading lines and the shadows.




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This image tugs at my heartstrings. We thought for many years that parenthood was impossible for us, but miraculously we are blessed with two little girls. This image makes me think of every time I dreamt of holding a baby just like this and thinking it impossible. 





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And the winner is....
This image just blew me away. It is everything in an image that I'd love to capture of my little one. The colors and light are amazing with the child's hair, clothing and dinosaur tying into the sunlight and grass. My two year old is a big dinosaur fan right now, so this reminded me so much of her, and I know she'd be all about riding a dinosaur. Everything about it is perfect. 


Thank you all for submitting the most beautiful and incredible work. It really was {impossible} to choose. You are all so talented! Thank you for having me, Snap Maven! 

♥Aubrey Dettmer at Applewood Photography

Monday, June 27, 2016

The Maven Flyer Volume 27

Welcome to 
 The Maven Flyer
Vol. 27
For the week of June 27th, 2016


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
Include "Please Add This Page to the Flyer"
in the subject line so we won't miss it.

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 ~'Into the Wild' 
Clicking Moms ~Summer
In Beauty & Chaos~ Weekly favorite and ?
The Dark Room~ Flawed
Snap Love Grow- Weekly Favorite and "kindred spirits"
 Fantastically FlawedEvery summer, like the roses, childhood returns.
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)
Photographer's Connection~  Weekly favorite
Photo Artistry~  Weekly favorite
Light Inspired~patriotic
Journey to Artistshare whatever you want to share 
Reflections~ Weekly Fave
Little Bellows Weekly favorite
The Monochromatic Lens~Weekly Favorite
SHOTMagazine~ open, one photo per day
Minimalist Mondays ~Weekly fave
The Snappy MamaEXPRESSIONS( all of June)
In shadow of life~BW weekly favorites
The Snap Society ~ Weekly favorite
Life Unscriptedweekly favorite
Dear Photographer~Where the heart is
Sham of the Perfectfamily documentary favorites
Fearless and Framed~ Honestly documented
Inspire me, Inspired be.- Get in the frame
Soul Focus - Out of the box
Dads in the wild - Month long {the every day dad}, + Weekly favorites
Our Weekend Stories ~ Moody
Share Six- earth

<<<>>>

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
Include "Please Add This Page to the Flyer"
in the subject line so we won't miss it.
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!


If you would like to receive
The Maven Flyer
in your inbox each week
please sign up
HERE.

Friday, June 24, 2016

Meet This Week's Guest Judge: Aubrey Dettmer

This week, Aubrey of Applewood Photography asks you to "dream the impossible" Enjoy her beautiful personal work as you learn a bit more about her here:



1. Tell us about yourself:

I am a 33 year old wife of 10 years to an amazing & very patient man, and mother to two beautiful daughters. Born and raised in small town Indiana, we live on 5 acres in the house my husband grew up in, surrounded by corn and soybean fields. We have 2 barn cats, a small fluffy white dog named Mademoiselle Foo Foo and 3 pet goats. I bought my first DSLR over 5 years ago in the hopes of using it when we had children, which is my favorite way to use it. I work part time for a local credit union and take on 2 photo sessions a month through my business Applewood Photography (named after our farm), generally family or children sessions. I love coffee, the German language, anything Irish, reading, drawing, piano and I am a huge monster without LOTS of sleep.


2. What ignited your interest in photography? What fuels it now? 

I have two very different sides: an analytical side (I work at a credit union and have a degree in Accounting) and a creative side. I've always loved drawing and piano, but when we bought our first DSLR in the hopes that we could someday have children to photograph, I was hooked. I was always frustrated when I couldn't draw exactly what I see, but with photography, I basically can!

I am now fueled by my two beautiful daughters. I fear the day when they're grown and I don't have their funny antics and daily discoveries to photograph. I am obsessed with good light, which doesn't always come easy in an old farmhouse, but I've come to learn a lot about my house from photography.


3. What's in your camera bag? 

I rarely even use a camera bag unless I have a session. What I use daily is my Canon 6D and Sigma 35mm, which sit on top of the piano for easy access. I rarely use anything else, but once in a while I'll use my nifty fifty, and I never or almost never use my 70-300 f/4-5.6. I would loooove to get an 85mm or 135mm...but money.

When I do have a session, I use my 6D and 50mm, and carry with me an extra camera body, my 35mm and 2 flashes (which I also rarely use now).


4. What's your dream project? 

My dream project...hmmmm. Just to keep my daughters tiny and photograph them for the rest of my life? ha ha But really, I'd love to photograph farmers and what they do and the land they work on. I think farming is such an important legacy, and in our area, there are a lot of subdivisions sprawling over what used to be woods and farms, so that we're losing a big part of the history of our area. I'd love to show what farmers really do to put food on our tables.


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

The biggest challenge I face is time. When I first started, I didn't have kiddos, so I was looking for something to cure my boredom, a passionate hobby. I take way too many photos of my kids and often feel overwhelmed with the sheer volume of editing. When I have a session, though I've cut way back, it's tough to find the time to edit.


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

Hmmm....how should I spend $500? Probably a little marketing, or maybe outsourcing. But I would loooove to buy a new 85mm or 135mm lens. And I really would probably spend it on a lens.


7. Is there any advice you wish you had been given at the beginning of your journey?

I wish someone had told me to do photography my way. Don't worry about the other photographers in the area, about price-hopping clients, or those who don't like your style compared to another photographer. I started out just about killing myself by charging $35 a session (I really shouldn't have been charging at all...my work was so bad!) and doing whatever the client wanted. Now I determine when and where the session takes place, and I will turn people away if I already have 2 sessions in a month booked. It's necessary for my sanity. I try my best to make the client happy, but I have a family that needs me too, and capturing my own family's memories is the reason I bought a camera in the first place.




Tuesday, June 21, 2016

{the moment I realized}

My favorite thing about this image is that it looks timeless the older kid jumping with confidence and the younger appearing to be a bit hesitant.
The moment I realized my favourite photos of these two are when they are doing what they do best...having fun!








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This isn't the first time that I have been in "Awe" of one of Natalie's images. I love her edits and believe she captured a true moment of a son looking up to his dad.
[ the moment I realized ] that I was no longer your #1.








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Wow!!! I think the black and white edit for this photo is spot on! Don't you love how he is drinking through the mask?
{the moment I realized} you are exactly who you are meant to be!








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Simple and stunning. 
The moment I realized that you can control the light. 

A self portrait









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I was blown away by this photo and the caption (the moment I realized that you won't fit in my arms like this much longer) fits it perfectly.
The moment i realized... that you won't fit in my arms like this much longer.








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Smiles like this are infectious and a moment I wouldn't every want to forget.
The moment I realized that..getting the moment is more important than getting it right. This was the picture that helped me choose my name. 







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Her daddy is a Hero. The sadness she feels now will be overpowered with pride when she is older. The soft colors are perfect!
The moment I realized her heart was going to be broken over and over again as a military child and there is nothing I can do, because i'm not daddy. 







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Kristina, I think we have all been there before. LOL. I love the center composition and all the symmetry.
The Moment.... you realize - Hey, I took this photo before..... and it turns out you did, two years ago!







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Our children are absolutely the best thing that can happen to us. I think you have captured a moment they will love to look back on in 10yrs.
The moment I realized that you are the absolute best thing that ever happened to me.








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This photo has very surreal feel to it. The black and white give it a very timeless touch. Great job Olivia!
The moment i realize that your imagination has no limits. 









and the winner is....






I was blown away Sherly's photo. The reflection, and tones of the edit are absolutely amazing. As a Dad, her caption struck a chord with me. Our children do see everything that goes on in the world which is both exciting and freighting.
the moment i realised you....saw everything that went on in the world.


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Thank you Snap Maven for allowing me to judge this past week!
Mike Wade

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