Fotoart Photography Photoblog

the year ahead {victoria portrait and wedding photographer}

We are half way into January and I should make a list of some sort which I could call new year's resolutions, goals for this year, a business plan or some other title.  But this year, even though I love making lists, I only have one major goal.  

My resolution for this year is to be inspired and creative.  

Ha, easy enough, you might say, with all the inspiration out there from magazines, internet, available apps and books.  But I not only want to be inspired, but I want to turn the inspiration into creativity.  

I already started the year with project 333, which is a year in pictures.  333 are the days I want to document, one picture a day of moments that are easily forgotten otherwise.  Knowing me, there will be days I won't be able to shoot.  The project is posted on my personal facebook page and I will post a few images on my blog as the months go by.

This project was inspired by two other amamzing photographers I met at Barb Uil's workshop last year:  Rebecca Chalmers and Lindsay Burnham Nichols.  And we all have been inspired by Barb Uil's book ‘For The Love’ …  which is a must get if you have children and love pondering in photography.  

 

     ”A simplistic guide and adventure into opening up your world and allowing time to breathe, time to love, and time to embrace what you have.  An invitation to explore your creativity, whilst also recording the moments that your heart tells you that you must. 

     “For The Love” is a gentle reminder to mums, dads and grandparents that we need to slow down, record, and remember these precious days.

     “For the Love” is a guide to keeping a detailed time- line of your children and their life for them to cherish forever. And to create gifts to share with others. It’s all about creating just for the love of it.”

So many creative ideas in this book, just for that, it is worth the purchase.

And while I am recommending books, here are some more that have been an inspiration to me:

"Expressive Photography" - The Shutter Sister's Guide to Shooting from the Heart

"Within the Frame" - The Journey of Photographic Vision - David duChemin

"The Photographer's Eye" - Composition and Deisgn for Better Digital Photos - Michael Freeman

"Learning to See Creatively" - Bryan Peterson

And naturally, as I love my iPad, there are some amazing photography apps out there to get your creative juices flowing:  

500px  (has a tendency to crash but the images are amazing)

The Telegraph

The Guardian Eyewitness

Reuters Galleries

FlickStackr

Swiss Press Photo

If you can add to my list, please post a comment.  I could add many more links of blogs as well, but then my post could get very very long.  And lastly, one more thought:  always have a camera with you.  I purchased the little Fuji X100 and that is my constant companion because you never know what you might see.

So, enough words said, here are a few images from project 333.

check out jala yoga {victoria portrait photographer}

I met Tracey last year and she asked me if I could take some yoga pictures of her.  A very new project for me which I loved doing.  Her kids were so much fun and totally into Yoga like their mother.  The poses Tracey and  her partner came up with had me in awe.  Tracey used some of  her pictures for her new website:  jalayoga (click here).

I openend the site several times just to listen to the music.  As many of you know I am a big music fan and constantly on the lookout for new tunes.  I love the piece Tracey has on her site.  She also has three playlists under "what's on my "Ypod".  I have to check all these out as well.  I also love her "clap your hands and say yeah".  Go check it out.  

Tracey's teaching schedule is also on her site.  Needless to say she is not only a super nice person but also an amazing yoga instructor.     

yoga session

I really enjoyed taking pictures of Tracey, her children and Maria.  Tracey and Maria are both amazing yoga instructors and I was in awe just watching them work together.  Tracey teaches at three different locations and also has her own studio which is called Jela Yoga.  We took the images for Tracey's  new website which is to be launched very soon and I will add the link to my resources below.  They really inspired me to take up Yoga again.  For now, here are just a few of my favorites.