Old jar full of marbles collected along the way
Cottage Life
Now that I have a pretty good internet connection here at the cottage I thought that I would once again visit one of my favorite websites... phototips.biz. This is where I first jumped head first into photography. Photo Guru Jimmy puts out an amazing albeit quirky weekly video podcast packed full of practical tips and how-tos to really make your photos shine. There is an active forum where you can put up your photos and ask for advice or just show off if you have a hankering. This is also the place where I first started doing my "project 365". Everyday I would take a photograph and post it on the 365 forum. It really pushed me as a photographer knowing that I would have to come up with something new and different each day. I loved it and got to know a lot of people from far and wide. It was a social outlet as well, a way of keeping up with the friends you'd made. Jimmy also surprised me about three quarters into my year by highlighting my photographs with a slideshow on the video podcast. What an honor. I also entered one of the many challenges and won with this picture of the "bearded one" in the category "inside-outside".
It was a great community. You could compare notes with people from all over the world and some just across the fence. When we decided to move out into the woods we knew that online access would be somewhat limited. I thought at the time that I would be able to keep up by stopping by a wifi coffee house after work but it soon became evident that it wasn't going to happen. I couldn't spend all my time in Starbucks and even if I could the videos just wouldn't stream well, and I began to lose touch. So it's been well over a year and a half since I've had any contact with the phototips community. Yesterday I went back. There are a lot of unfamiliar names and it's gotten bigger but it's still the same wonderful community. I had a great time checking on and marveling at the progress made by the other "then-newbie" photographers. I actually logged in and uploaded a couple of pictures onto the "whipping post" a forum where people will give you their honest opinions and helpful critiques. Today I made the step to start once again on my 365 journey. It's tough and sometimes overwhelming but it really helps train the eye to look for photo opportunities. So here is my today's 365... let the new adventure begin.
Day 1 project 365
A little Christmas Cheer
A little trivia. While looking through vintage christmas cards I found that one of my favorite artists turns out to be Margret Evans Price. She was a popular children's book illustrator and also the co-founder of Fisher-Price toys. One version of her signature found on many of the best examples of vintage Children's cards is a simple "M E".
Margaret Evans Price (American, 1888-1973) was a Western New York artist, painter, illustrator, writer, muralist and toy designer. She was primarily known for the many children's books that she wrote and illustrated or collaborated on, murals, frescoes, still lifes, animal, historical, figures and portraiture. She worked in oils, watercolor, gouache and pen & ink.
Margaret Evans Price
Before and After
Before
I hurriedly took this shot this afternoon. It was in dim light and I wasn't able to get a tack sharp image. I liked the subject matter though so thought that I would play up the art side in tone and texture.
After
A little pen and ink, some vintage tint added, and finished off with a canvas texture...
Pause for Thought...
A real classic and sometimes our theme song...
Until next time... Say Cheese :-D
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