Friday, September 30, 2016

Feature Friday with Mari Sierra Photography!

Mari Sierra Photography won our 'childhood emotions' challenge last week, and as she was recently featured on Snap Maven (check out this post!), we invited Mari to share a project with you all.  Keep reading to discover more about Mari's 'Alice in Wonderland' project!

"Hi! I’m Mari, I don’t know if I should call myself an artist, a photographer or a creative… I’m a bit of all."



"Lately I’ve been working on a personal project and I guess it’s more of a dream of mine. Since I was a kid I’ve loved fairytales, no matter if they were a movie or a book. I must say that photography might be my passion but reading has always been my addiction and my escape… So it shouldn’t be a surprise that my project dreams involve my favorite stories!"


"I’ve been wanting for a long time to create an Alice in Wonderland series of images, I’m a big fan of the Tim Burton’s movies because they move my imagination and I feel very drawn to their cinematic style. So I took the chance to create my own Wonderland world when I found a little patch of moss forest when visiting a relative’s Ranch last month." 



"Luckily I took with me some of my daughter dresses including one of Alice (she loves to play dressing up as most girls her age) and took my kids, nieces and nephews there to have a mini session. It was not easy to reach the place, it’s in the middle of a ravine but the older kids were amazing helping me with the little ones… by then we were all tired and sweaty so enough said the little girls were not very cooperative! But isn’t that the curse of a mom photographer? Still, I enjoyed photographing them but had to make haste because the little girls (3 and 4 years old) were getting crankier, the down side of the session was that I didn’t have time to change lenses and only use my Lensbaby composer."



"When editing the images I found out that is much more difficult to make a composite when shooting with the blurry images Lensbaby produces, they are dreamy alone but adding the different elements to the composite was a challenge. My first tries were using background from the movies and I really liked them but because of the copyright issues I could not use them, so it took a while to find stock images I love to create the world I was imaging."




"I know I did it all backwards, you shouldn’t compose around a given image instead starting with the idea and plan the images around it but even though it was harder and probably took more time to achieve I enjoyed the process and the challenge to try recreate my dream."



"I hope you enjoy the images as much as I do, they still a work in progress for me and I will work in some other fairytale projects in the future… it would be awesome if you get inspiration to try your own creative project no matter if you start backwards like me, it’s all part of the learning curve and it’s good to put that muse inside our head to work sometime! ;)"




Find more of Mari's beautiful work here:

Thursday, September 29, 2016

Meet This Week's Judge: Lisa Simon

This week, Lisa of Lisa Simon Photo has asked for your quiet moments. Hopefully, you are enjoying one of those right now, and can enjoy Lisa's photos and photography journey.


1. Tell us about yourself...

My name is Lisa Simon and I'm a natural light monochromatic photographer based in the northwest suburbs of Chicago, IL. Married to my dear husband for 12 years, together we have two children, ages 8 and 5 (girl and boy). I've loved working with clients, but my first passion is documenting my children's day to day lives.



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

It started with my kids and it still comes back to them. Always.


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

Nikon D750 and two lenses: 35 1.4 and 70 - 200. My 35 is on my camera body 99% of the time.


4. What’s your dream project or shoot?

My children in the great outdoors.


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

Capturing my kids in their moments, but also allowing myself to be a part of those moments. It's a bit of a fine balance.


6. If you had $500 to spend on photography...
How should you spend it? I'd apply it to a new lens How do you wish you could spend it? New lens How would you really spend it? New lens :)


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

Dare to be different. It's okay that your work is not for everyone. Do what speaks to you as an artist, and whatever happens will happen. It will take time, patience,and LOTS of practice, but you will find your way (and your style).




Tuesday, September 27, 2016

The Maven Flyer For the week of September 27th, 2016

Welcome to 
 The Maven Flyer
For the week of September 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 ~the quiet moments
Clicking Moms Weekly Fave
In Beauty & Chaos~ Weekly favorite and Family
The Dark Room~weekly favorites
Snap Love Grow- Weekly Favorite and {Rock Star}
 Fantastically Flawed
'Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened.'
-Anatole France
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~  Action
Journey to ArtistA Deeper Understanding
Reflections~ Weekly Fave
Little Bellows Weekly favorite
The Monochromatic Lens~Weekly Favorite
Minimalist Mondays ~{Insects) and weekly favorite
The Snappy Mamaon hiatus
The Snap Society ~ Weekly favorite
Life Unscriptedweekly favorite
Dear Photographer~
“In your light I learn how to love. In your beauty, how to make poems. You dance inside my chest where no-one sees you, but sometimes I do, and that sight becomes this art.” 
Sham of the Perfectfamily documentary favorites
Fearless and Framed~ Honestly documented
Inspire me, Inspired be.- Weekly Favorite and Autumn Colors
Soul Focus - {What wonders await}] 
Dads in the wild - {weekly favorites} 
Our Weekend Stories ~ {on the farm} 
Share Six- Black and White
By HeArt- {{Inspired by the great Henri Cartier-Bresson}}
<<<>>>

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.

{childhood emotions}

As parents to four children ranging from ages 4-9, my husband and I experience the many different emotions of childhood quite frequently in our home. Capturing those emotions and looking back at the images later can really bring back the memories from that specific moment- seeing all of the submissions was quite awesome for me.



This image is just the sweetest thing- her excitement is contagious, and the negative space leaves me wanting know just what she is so excited about.







Not only are the tones in this photograph absolutely superb, but the subject is embracing childhood emotions to the max. So so good.







The perspective of this one is perfect. It really emphasizes on just how upset this little man is- emotions captured wonderfully.







This right here is childhood in a nutshell. I could practically hear him yelling 
(probably about something not very major).








I LOVE everything about this image-- from the tones, to the expression, to the baby's gorgeous eyes.









This little girl is gorgeous, and her laughter captured in this photo is just perfect. Plus, she's got rocking glasses.









Oh my goodness! I saw this one and instantly smiled! Her happiness is just beaming through this photo- and the perspective is wonderful!









The bond between siblings is truly beautiful, and Brandi did a perfect job at capturing it. Plus, I am a sucker for a moody black and white, and this one did the trick for me. 










This little girl's excitement is amazing! I feel proud for her, and I don't even know her! SO good. 










This one got me good. I love how happy and excited she is- plus the black and white conversion is pure perfection! 












And the winner is....






Childhood doesn't get better than this-- pure elation mixed with beautiful tones and the most perfect light leak. SO SO well done.





I LOVED getting to see all of the submissions for the Childhood Emotions theme! Thank you so much for sharing them with me. 

Jen Fredette
Mountain Pearl Photography 

Sunday, September 25, 2016

Meet This Week's Judge: Jen Fredette!

This week, we welcome Jen of Mountain Pearl Photography as she invites you to share your varied interpretations of "Childhood Emotions". Enjoy her interview and photos as you get those last submissions in!


1) Tell us about yourself:

I am the wife of an amazingly supportive husband, and together we have four far-too-witty children. We live together on a 20 acre homestead west of Missoula, Montana. We have a furry German Shepherd, a fluffy kitten, a flock of hens, and a goat named Cookie. 

Now, the reason I am here :) I am the owner-operator of Mountain Pearl Photography, an on-location portrait and wedding studio. I also own Mountain Pearl Media, a marketing, graphic and web design company specializing in helping the modern-day business owner thrive.



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

No doubt about it, my family ignited the passion. I had always been taking photos, but when we started having kids, the image-taking increased immensely.

Now, it is the need, the urge, to create gorgeous imagery. Be it an image of on my children, a bride & groom, a new baby, a nature-inspired image, or a family, I just yearn to create images.

 

3) What's in your camera right now? What do you use the most? The least?

I am a Sony girl, through and through. My main camera is body is a full-frame a850. My go-to lens (use this baby 98% of the time) is my beloved 85 1.4. In my bag is my 70-200 (use it for wedding ceremonies), 50 1.7, 50 macro, 135, and 16-35 wide angle. I definitely use my 16-35 the least. I also have extra batteries, memory cards, and business cards in the my camera bag! 


4) What's your dream project or shoot?

My dream project is solely done in monochrome. I am a black and white junky, and wish I could edit all my sessions in just black and white. 


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

Definitely the biggest challenge I face is staying positive about my work. I need to remind myself every once in a while that I am worth it, that I am talented, and that I belong in this crazy "game" in the world of photography.


6) If you had $500 to spend on photography:
How should you spend it?

On a new 50mm lens

How do you wish you could spend it?

On a new camera (but that's enough!)

How would you really spend it?

On a new 50mm lens :)


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

I wish someone had told me what I now tell new photographers-- never compare yourself to other photographers. It doesn't matter what they are doing, who they're booking, where they are being featured-- what matters is that you stay true to yourself, and you just do you. 




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