Snap Maven: August 2016

I love this underwater image or this girl, she looks so comfortable and relaxed under the water whilst the others play around her! I love the feeling of calm it evokes, great shot!

Meagan Dwyer Photography

I love everything about this image, the girl's expression, the conversion to black and white which works so well in drawing the attention to the girl amidst the surrounding of a beautiful environment.

Kevin + Stephanie

Oh this image is the epitome of childhood, running through the long grass with the sun shining creating strong shadows. I love the golden tones in this image and the crop is perfect!

Reflections of life

This image just popped right out at me, those sandy hands at the forefront of the image, the details of the little grains of sand so perfectly captured. A great example of kids getting messy and enjoying nature.

‎Sea Green Photography

What is not to love about this image, I love the reflection of the child and sky in the water and the pop of green against all of that lovely blue!

Vicki Winston Photography

I feel like I can feel the movement of the wind blowing through this girl's hair, this is a beautifully natural moment captured and I love the moody black and white conversion.

‎Hello Olivia Photography

So I am a bit of a sucker for silhouettes and this one is totally awesome. I I love the ripples in the water and how she is so perfectly placed in the middle of the whole scene. The beautiful sky, the amazing light and the framing of the trees in this image all work together to make a fabulous shot.

‎Cara Hodge Photography

I kept coming back to this image, something about the way she is looking it to the lens and her expression make this image both powerful and strong. I love the juxtaposition of the young girl in a forest full of old trees.

Rose-Greim-Fotografie

This image is full of fun, a child doing what children love best, getting totally covered in mud. The child looks ecstatic and I love the little bit of sun flare coming through!

Natalie Thomas Photography

This image is so adorable, I love the tones and the enquiring little mind of the child sitting in the long grass. A great capture of childhood!

And the winner is.....

Carrine Powers - Jupiter Hue Photography

Oh my goodness I am so in love with this beautiful, stunning image. That amazing light, the bokeh, the depth of the tones and the moment captured in this shot are all totally breathtaking and I love how it captures what looks to be a magical moment of enjoying nature.

Friday, August 26, 2016

Feature Friday with Little Bit of Magic Dust!

Sanda of Little Bit of Magic Dust was the winner of our 'inspiration' challenge two weeks back, and we're thrilled to learn more about her and her gorgeous work!

1. Please tell us about yourself...

Hi, my name is Sanda Stankovic, I live in Melbourne, Australia. We are a household of 2 pretend adults, 2 kids and 2 (what was until last year 3) dogs. So, I have plenty of photography subjects.

2. Can you describe your style in 3 words? Why those words?

Genuine, everyday, ordinary. I try to take photos that we can all look back on and evoke emotions that were associated with that time and place in our family's history. A bit like when a certain smell takes you back to your childhood. I try to do that with photos, record the life as is but edit it in a way that paints a picture of how I am experiencing that moment. Photography is my hobby which allows me to develop the taste I like, when I have time. It has been somewhat of a slow process I must admit.

3. What sparked your passion for photography?

I adore animals. The physique of dogs initiated it all-the athleticism of dogs, getting that wow action shot became an obsession. I had a very modest camera but it was quite fast, so it all started there. My kids took it to the next level, no doubt because I wanted to turn it into more whimsical, story telling kind of photography.

4. What's in your camera bag right now?

I have the most simple gear. Most of my photography is with my 50mm 1.4g nikon lens and d700 camera. I am happy with those and it took me a while to use that lens well. I have been dying for a 24mm 1.4g, hopefully I add that one soon. I do have 85mm lens and a lensbaby but I hardly ever use them.

5. What is your dream shoot or project?

Snow. I have never done any photography in show. I would love to try it. Another thing is a studio dog shoot. I would love to do that one day. I dont have a studio and one day I would like to have a small one at home.

6. What are some of the misconceptions you had about photography and photographers at the beginning of your photography journey? Have they changed, and how?

My major misconception was that photography should be easy if you are gifted. I have given up many times and started again because I got discouraged at how bad my photos were. There is, like with anything else truth to that, but like with everything else, you really have to try, and try hard and really practice to improve. I also tried to imitate others, use all the rules of what makes a good photo and although there are some basic rules I follow, I found that they stressed me out and made it really not fun. So I really just do my own thing now and hope I grow in the process.

7. What advice would you give to newbie photographers? What advice do you wish you'd been given at the very beginning?
Two things: do not underestimate the power and importance of editing. Editing is such a delicate art and it can really take a photo to the next level or totally ruin it. I would invest in learning the basics of editing early on if you plan on editing your photos. The second thing is to learn the power of light in photography. The angle at which a photo is taken can dramatically change the story.

Find more of Sanda's work here:

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Feature Friday with Corinne Trively Photography!

Corinne Trively Photography is the winner of last week's 'my life in monochrome' challenge, and she has graciously given us a peek into her camera bag as well as her advice for new photographers!

1. Please tell us about yourself...

My name is Corinne Trively, I live in beautiful Central Pennsylvania, although I am from Pittsburgh and spent 13 years living in Montana, where I met my best friend and husband. We have three children, 4 dogs, and 2 cats who keep us endlessly occupied and who are daily subjects of my photography! A few of my favorite things (besides my camera) are quiet moments at home with my family on the weekends spent pouring cups of tea and snuggling, long hikes with my dogs, and simply observing the beauty all around me.

2. Can you describe your style in 3 words? Why those words?

I would describe my photography style as natural; I look for the beauty in the average everyday moment and seek to bring it to it's full glory through my images, moments that are relatable and identifiable to the viewer. Soulful; if I feel inspired to shoot something or someone, it's because what I am seeing has moved my soul in some way, even the most mundane seemingly unpoetic moments stir my heart and soul. Unposed; I'm really not interested in manipulating a situation to shoot, I love shooting interactions that are real...that is what really inspires and excites me!

3. What sparked your passion for photography?

A few years ago, when I first started my photography journey, the thing that sparked my passion to learn and shoot and create art was a long time love and obsession of works of great photographers...I have always loved the medium of still images, even as a kid. I honestly never imagined I'd get to the place where I am now in my journey. As my children grew older and a bit more independent I saw an opportunity to tap into a longtime dream and passion of my own, and literally just decided to go out and spend a few hundred dollars on a camera with a kit lens ( I didn't even know how to turn it on, no exaggeration)! I fell in love that very day!

4. What's in your camera bag right now?

Right now in my camera bag is my Canon 5d M3, my Sigma Art 35mm 1.4 lens, my Canon 24-70 F/4 lens, and a couple of Lara bars...cuz a hungry photographer is a grumpy photographer, and we can't have that! Those are my 2 go-to every day lenses I love to shoot with for the most diversity, that allow me to shoot in the story-telling way that I love.

5. What is your dream shoot or project?

My dream photo shoot project? Wow, that's a tough one! Well, this may sound simplistic, but lately I've been dying to go to a nursing home and spend a day documenting elderly folks. I'm very interested in how our culture treats groups of very elderly people, and I would love to tell their story through my lens...one that not many of us have an opportunity to hear about and learn from.

6. What are some of the misconceptions you had about photography and photographers at the beginning of your photography journey? Have they changed, and how?

The biggest misconception of photography at the beginning of my journey: that I would never gain the respect of other photographers to whom I looked up and admired and were inspired by. I still pinch myself when I get messages and comments about my work from photogs whose work I adore who say, "hey, your work is good"! This is a very supportive, encouraging and generous craft, there are many of us who are willing and eager to help teach those who need a few tips along the way!

7. What advice would you give to newbie photographers? What advice do you wish you'd been given at the very beginning?

Probably the best advice I could offer newbie photographers would be to shoot. Shoot every day, all day. Practice, practice, practice...read, watch tutorials, study works of pros who you admire and love. Learn to look for not only the light, but moments that will make a great image. Work hard...pour your sweat, blood, and tears into learning all you can...your hard work and dedication will pay off and will show in the beauty and quality of your work. Don't give up...it's not always easy, but nothing great comes without lots of work! There really isn't any advice I wish I'd been given at the very beginning of my journey...I always believed in myself, and that's when we are able to realize the dreams we have for ourselves. Support will be there from others when you need it, but if you don't stay humble and believe in your abilities, then nobody can give you any magic bits of advice to help you succeed!

Find more of Corinne's beautiful work here:

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Thursday, August 25, 2016

Meet This Week's Guest Judge: Hayley Hay

This week, Haley of Hayley Hay Photography has asked you to share how you make contact with nature. We're glad to have her here - enjoy her photos and thoughts on photography!

1. Tell us about yourself...

Hi, I'm Hayley, a Brit, married to New Zealander, together we have been living as expats for 3 and a half years in the beautiful French speaking part of Switzerland, watching our two little boys grow up in the great outdoors, swimming in the lake, skiing in the mountains and speaking French every day to their buddies! Our boys are our life and my passion is to document as much of their lives as possible. I love exploring new places, running in the idilic Swiss countryside, discovering anything new that presents a challenge and that ultimately results in a sense of achievement. I love life, laughter, and happiness. That's me in a nutshell.

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

My story is a typical cliché, it was the birth of our first son that ignited my passion and it has continued to grow with the birth of his younger brother. Together they have a magical synergy - they grow up so rapidly and change so quickly that I feel the need to freeze small moments in time to create memories through images!

Other than my own children, I love to capture happy memories for others, there is nothing better than the feeling that you have made someone's day by cementing a memory of their child in exactly the way they had hoped!

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

I'm a Canon girl, I have a 5D mark III, which I love and several lenses that I go between depending on how i feel. I probably use my 70-200mm the most and more recently my wide angle lens 16-35mm which has brought a whole new feel to my images. Then I have a heap of memory cards, batteries and flash! I also have a few little props for trying out tricks such as my little copper pipe which I shoot through to get a beautiful ring of sun rays around my subject, it's tricky but fun!

4. What’s your dream project or shoot?

I don't think I really have a pre-conceived idea of a dream shoot or project, for me my dream shoots are when I've captured the perfect moment between two people or if I get an epic shot. I used to think that having a totally styled shoot set up would be awesome but now I realise that some of my favourite images are taken in the most boring places rather than against stunning scenery or with beautifully styled models. I guess my dream shoot would be for the stars to align and everything to go swimmingly during a shoot. I love it when I come home so excited to get the images on my computer to edit them.

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

My greatest challenge has been managing my time as a photographer, I never quite feel on top of my work and constantly have a pile of editing to get through. Also running your own business is hard at times, I'm not very good at switching off, I should allocate times and hours for working but I tend to be answering emails at all hours and editing until late. Most definitely my biggest challenge is finding a better balance between work and life!

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

How should you spend it?

I should probably spend it on investing back in to my business, marketing and advertising, updating my website etc. All the stuff that doesn't massively excite me!

How do you wish you could spend it?

All on props and kit, lenses in particular, I have too many already but I could go on and on!

How would you really spend it?

I would probably spend it on some kind of course to improve my skills either with the camera or in post processing, I love learning and don't mind paying out for a good workshop or course as it pays off in the long run in my work! There is always so much to learn with photography!

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

While I think it is really important to master the technical side of photography and understand the rules and various techniques, sometimes I think it is so easy to get hung up on getting everything technically perfect that you miss some of the art and important moments that don't necessarily matter if they are slightly out of focus. In fact some of my favourite images that I have nearly binned, are those that would probably be considered as photographic errors. I wish someone had pointed this out to me in the beginning, to enjoy my art, take in the moment rather than trying too hard to accurately present what is in front of the camera but rather to feel the emotion.

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Tuesday, August 30, 2016

The Maven Flyer For the week of August 30th, 2016