Be Original

"Insist upon yourself. Be original." -Ralph Waldo Emerson
I stumbled across this hot topic being discussed, the idea of being original in your photography, and the importance of discovering yourself. Your own style, your own eye, so that you can truly become your own artist.
Sometimes when browsing on Flickr or even Facebook, I see the same ideas being done over and over. Sure there is probably no truly original idea, most everything has been done before. But it's when I see the same shot, sometimes taken at the same location, same pose, etc., over and over that I think a photographer really becomes less of an artist, and more of a great replicator. The hard part is finding out who YOU are. Your style, the inner artist within yourself. We all get inspiration from one another. One of the best ways to improve your photography skills is to view great works of photography, but with that you have to blossom into your own photographer. Find yourself, and be original.
Here is the link to the discussion I was reading, http://www.seethelightworkshop.com/blog/?p=202

{low down, throw down with morgaine owens)

the first time i saw morgaine's site/blog i fell in love and found myself still looking at her work an hour later. she has amazing style, an amazing eye and incredible photography. every time i look at her stuff i am inspired, i smile and i find myself just sitting a staring at her images.
if you already know her, then you know exactly what i'm talking about---and if you are not familiar with her, read all about her and then head over to her site and be ready to be amazed!!

i'm happy to introduce morgaine owens to you....

{photo taken by Justin Demers - Still Motion}

Name:
Morgaine Owens

Business name:
Morgaine Owens Photography, but I'm in the middle of rebranding, so the name's going to change soon...

Location:
Vancouver, B.C. Canada

Website/blog:

www.morgaineowensphotography.com as well as www.pure-newborn-photography.com

Tell us one sentence to describe your photography: A relentless pursuit of revealing the common beauty all around us.

what's one thing that everyone should know about you? I could easily jump up in the middle of a conversation and bounce around the room wildly!

How long have you been doing photography and how did you get started: I graduated from the Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design with a bachelor's degree in painting and photography in 2003, and started my business shortly after. I shot my first wedding in 2000 while I was still a student, but photography really started for me by watching my mum when I was little, excitedly purchase a new film SLR and proceed to take a bazillion photos. She's primarily a nature photographer, and does it for her own enjoyment, but that passion must have rubbed off on me somehow. She would enter her photos into the local fair and often win ribbons. It still makes her so happy to be taking pictures of EVERYTHING. When she got that new camera, she gave me her old one, the one my Grandad had given her... so thanks Mum for giving me a start!

What did you want to be or think you would be when you grew up?: I didn't have any particular dreams of jobs as a child, but I did really, really want to take dance lessons. Ballet, modern, ANYTHING that was dancing. I didn't end up taking any classes at all until I was an adult. I learned bellydancing for a while, and now I've been taking tango for a while. LOVE it! I think the only thing that crossed my mind as a career option, was when I was about 10 or so, my Grandmother mentioned that I should be an interior designer. She explained to me that, because I really loved to arrange furniture and decorate my room over and over again in new ways, that there was a job for that. I was excited about that idea, because it seemed to be something that fit with who I was... My Mum has told me many times about how, as a 2 year old, I would neatly arrange all of my toys in my toybox. I would then proceed to take one out at a time and play with it, then return it to it's spot and take another to play with. I know, weird behavior for a 2 year old, but even as a teenager, my room was always organized and things deliberately placed for maximum aesthetic appeal, and I'm sure you could have an interesting conversation about this with my husband!

If you were given $500 today, what would be the first thing you would do?: Go out for a relaxing dinner with my husband and put the rest in the bank for that trip around the world that we'll take someday.

Where do you go to find inspiration?: My inspiration comes from my emotional and spiritual experiences as a mother, and so much comes from the natural world. I love to be near the ocean, or in the ocean, or in trees somewhere. I'm blessed in Vancouver to have an abundance of nature within arms reach, even though I live in the city. There are forms and patterns and colors and textures that are absolutely amazing. Try separating a spinach leaf in two and look at the inside color and texture... so beautiful. I'm always happier when I have a garden, and can spend time with plants and dirt and bugs and the sun and the air. I love to grow food and eat it. It's a magical thing. I also gain inspiration from other artists. I'm lucky to live near a neighborhood full of art galleries. I take my son to see the new work all the time.

What type of sessions are your favorite (children, e-sessions, weddings, newborns....) and why?:
I care most about the deep emotional connections we have with one another as human beings, and how that is uniquely expressed by each person. It can be subtle and tender or loud and passionate... so amazing and wonderful and vital to our existence! So any time I get to witness this love, I'm happy. I especially like couple's sessions for this reason. My very favorite, however, is newborn sessions. The love and the amazement and wonder of life are so fresh for the parents, and of course I get to welcome a new soul early in their lives, which also is magic and an honor. As well, the sessions tend to last longer than regular sessions, and the ambiance is very focused and subdued, which makes it kind of like a meditation for me. I like that.

What equipment do you use and if you had only one lens to use...what would it be?:

My gear includes a Canon 5D Mark 2, Canon 5D, 50 1.4, 24-70L, 70-200L, 24TS, speedlite 580ex, and I regularly rent other lenses to try them out... particularly macros and primes. If I only had one lens to use it would be my 50 1.4. It's got beautiful ability for low light and bokeh, and is great for portraits.

What moment in your life makes you smile every single time you think about it?:

The moment my son was born, I looked around the room and declared to each person: "I love everyone in this room! I love you, and I love you, and I love YOU, and I love you and I love you." I was definitely on an endorphin high. So funny, but so beautiful at the same time.

What is at the top of your wish list right now?:

To be able to continue to grow my business to the point where I can build my own studio and also take some time each year to travel with my family.

Tell us the best advice that you have ever received (photography related or life in general):

I was apprenticed to a First Nations Elder in wildcrafting, which is selectively harvesting plants from their natural habitat for consumption or medicinal purposes, and one time we were out, he noted that the next week would be the time that the wild strawberries would be ready. As we were looking at the plants and smiling huge smiles of anticipation for the ripe strawberries that were coming, I announced that I would bring a huge pail the following week so I could pick as many as I could. My mind was filled with the amount of strawberries I could pick and how many I could freeze and how I would enjoy strawberries all year... when he quietly said "No, you'll bring a small pail and fill it and leave the rest." I began to protest and repeat my desire to bring a huge bucket for the windfall I was going to enjoy, when he repeated his statement. "No you're going to bring a small pail and fill it and leave the rest." It wasn't until later that I realized that so many other animals in that area depend on the wild berries for their survival, and Morgan was teaching me about greed, even though I didn't realize I was being greedy, and he was very kind and gentle about it, and let me figure it out for myself. A great learning experience, and advice for living that can be used in any circumstance... it feels good to think and feel beyond your own needs and wants to caring for those around you.

If we surprised you at your house today, what would be the first thing we would notice?

That I don't have much furniture... In fact I don't even have a bed. My home is very small, and I have hardly any belongings. I love it this way. It allows me to feel light and organized and my home is easy to clean in about 30 minutes. My main room is my office, client meeting area, natural light studio, baby playroom, and at night... sleeping room for me and my husband. It easily adapts to each purpose. I love that kind of simplicity. The thing that I do have is a small art collection. That I'm keeping!

And lastly.....when we started the maternal lens, all of us filled out this questionnaire and shared our answers....now it's your turn :)

What is your favorite word? BLIMP! such a great sounding word... and I love the shape and how the older, original ones look like seed pods. The modern variety, mmm, not so interesting.

What is your least favorite word? debt

What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally? Hearing a great live musical performance. I particularly love live opera. Hearing someone use their voice in such a beautiful way is very inspiring. As well as symphonies. A great symphonic performance can keep my on an emotional high for weeks. I remember being at the VSO for a performance of Borodin's Polovtsian Dances, and the person I was with at one point jumped out of his chair with arms raised and yelled YES!. I wish I had done that too. It was how I was feeling, but my manners were more intact then. I'm working on it. See the above question: "one thing everyone should know about you"

What turns you off creatively, spiritually or emotionally? Insecurity. Fear. Self-doubt. The usual.

What sound or noise do you love? Anything underwater... even if it's just the bathtub.

What sound or noise do you hate? car brakes screetching... or nails on a chalkboard. Don't know which one's worse.

What is your favorite curse word? Dammit. I've been known to swear a little too much at times... I'm working on it!

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? Professional hot air balloon operator... or grandmaster of the Japanese Tea Ceremony in my own tearoom.

What profession would you not like to do? anything to do with endless amounts of number crunching and paperwork or a job where everyone dislikes you. Taxman, parking officer, tow truck driver... That sort of thing.

If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? Well done.

now, leave some blog love for morgaine and make sure you visit her website and become a follower of her blog....

a big thank you to morgaine owens!!!

photo of the day {thursday}

Taken by the talented mainemomma{kristin}

photo of the day {Wednesday}

I fell in love with this shot the second I saw it! The crisp blue sky against the warm oranges of the trees, the pinup girl-meets-flower child...just LOVE this shot by Ashley Whitmoyer . She's not afraid to be edgy and it's quite refreshing - check out her stream and you'll see what I mean.

Also, be sure to stop by the TML flickr pool!

from the {idea file} : wearing fall foliage

One of my biggest flickr faves of all time is THIS SHOT by Anastasia Volkova . (Go ahead, go look...it's worth it!) I have no idea how that gorgeous headpiece was crafted, but I figured it couldn't be that hard to come up with something similar, so I gave it a shot. Although making and wearing head garlands is not a new idea, it's one that I think we should see a lot more of.

Here's my version:

Yes, this is me and mini-me. Last year I was willing to put on makeup and curl my hair for a good self portrait, but that phase didn't last long. Ha!

Anyway, making a head garland is super easy, especially if you are just using it for some pictures. I started the garlands by cutting strips of construction paper (about 1.5 inches wide) long enough to fit around our heads. I used a glue gun to hot glue leaves from our yard onto the paper strips, starting with larger leaves and filling in with smaller ones. After the paper strips were pretty much covered in leaves, I fit them around our heads and stapled the ends together to form a circle. Again, fill in anywhere there might be paper showing. That's it! Super easy and FREE! If you want to construct a garland that will last longer, you could use artificial leaves and felt for your band with velcro to make it adjustable.

Head garlands are perfect accessories for little girls, dreamy high school seniors, and romantic brides! They are a great way to incorporate the beauty of the season into your images. In addition, you can collect some leaves and berries, any pretty things you can find outside, and gather them into a bouquet, perfect for keeping busy or nervous hands picture-ready.



Photo by Shannon. :)

Go forth and forage for fall foliage! If you make a head garland this fall, be sure to share the pictures in our TML flickr pool!

Photo of the Day { Tuesday }

Love this black and white portrait of father and son. What a treasure! Love the crop, the conversion, and look at that little smile! This was taken by Jolie of Jolie Ann Photography. Love!

boo!

from GHOULIES and GHOSTIES

and long-leggedy BEASTIES

and things that go BUMP in the NIGHT,

good Lord, deliver us

~scottish prayer~

HaPPY HaLLoWeeN!

{low down, throw down with tara leigh}

i've been waiting all week for this!! :)
i'm so excited to share her with you....although, i'm sure most of you already know her and love her! maybe you'll love her a little more now! :)

i would like to introduce you to tara leigh.....she is quite amazing! her style is off the charts and her photography is beyond inspiring.

Name: Tara Leigh (last name Cook, but we don't need to know that) :)

Business name: Tara Leigh Photography

Location: New York, NY

Website/blog: www.taraleigh.com, www.taraleighweddings.com, www.taraleigh.com/blog

Tell us one sentence to describe your photography:
full of life, joy, and delight.

What's one thing that everyone should know about you?: i make a mean meatloaf... am intensely loyal to my friends (being an only child, my friends are my family)... i'm a giant sappy mushball and will probably cry at every wedding that i shoot.

How long have you been doing photography and how did you get started: about four years, this is my first year of full time business.

I'm in a very rural part of the country and always fall in love with your "big city" images...tell me what you love most about living and shooting where you do: the city never fails to offer up a ton of edgy and urban backdrops. there's an energy here that you can feel every time you leave your front door and step out into it. electricity perhaps. it takes you over. however, i am OBSESSED with tall grass and reeds and other forms of nature not readily available here. whenever i see it, i scream 'THERE, TALL GRASS, STOP!!' and instantly make whoever i'm with go stand in it :)

What did you want to be or think you would be when you grew up?: for a very large portion of my life, i wanted to be a spy. i got accepted to the naval academy in highschool and would've gone into military intelligence, maybe work for the CIA. then a gymnastics injury kissed that dream goodbye. strange how life takes you down different paths. ha. also, a writer. i was an english major in college and originally moved to new york to pursue book publishing, network, and learn that industry. one giant layoff later, i'm now doing something that i'm truly passionate about full time... making people smile.

If you were given $500 today, what would be the first thing you would do?: buy a plane ticket to europe... i'm obsessed with travel. there's also that hugo boss black leather motorcycle jacket that was on sale a few weeks ago and i tortured myself over (but didn't buy).

Where do you go to find inspiration?: my clients. my friends. my colleagues and fellow photographers... fashion magazines. my closet.

What type of sessions are your favorite (children, e-sessions, weddings, newborns....) and why?: that's hard, since there are pieces that i like about all kinds of shooting. i would normally say engagement sessions... because it's amazing to get to see two people at the beginning of their life journey together. but liz already stole my answer... so i'll say "lifestyle/portrait work". my very favorite kind of session is one where i get to spend a few hours playing dress up, helping someone get past that "i don't photograph well, i'm not beautiful" mindset... and then showing them how very beautiful they actually are. you can change someone's life but simply taking a photograph of them. that's really powerful.

What equipment do you use and if you had only one lens to use...what would it be?:
i shoot with canon 5ds, and was thinking of switching one of my setups to nikon, just for the variety. both brands have pros and cons. ONE lens. you're funny. i was addicted to the 50mm f/1.4 until i got the 24-70mm f/2.8 L. now it's rare that i ever take it off my main camera.

What moment in your life makes you smile every single time you think about it?: my eighth birthday.. my mother made me a life-size barbie cake. it was epic, and quite delicious. OR... it was the first day after i made any big decision about my life and just went for it. moving to new york was a big one, since this place has greatly shaped the kind of adult that i've become. and i met my boyfriend here... and he's rather fantastic too.

What is at the top of your wish list right now?: more L glass... i PINE for it.

Tell us the best advice that you have ever received (photography related or life in general): stop comparing yourself to other photographers. it is one thing to draw inspiration from and learn from them, but completely destructive and counter-productive to compare yourself. we are all artists and have something different to say and offer.

And lastly.....when we started the maternal lens, all of us filled out this questionnaire and shared our answers....now it's your turn :)

What is your favorite word? awesome

What is your least favorite word? no or can't
What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally? laughter, openmindedness, fall colors, big collared jackets and winter hats.

What turns you off creatively, spiritually or emotionally? grumpiness and closemindedness...

What sound or noise do you love? laughter... especially of the guffaw or giggle variety

What sound or noise do you hate? overhearing someone else yelling at their children... can't handle it.

What is your favorite curse word? how young are your readers?? because my answer is c*********!! :) d******** takes second place {haha, yes--we censored her. sorry, tara...i think we are asking for trouble with this question. we will need to switch it up :) }

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? twelfth grade english teacher

What profession would you not like to do? plumber
If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? it's only just begun...

now, leave some blog love for tara and make sure you visit her website and become a follower of her blog....

a big thank you to tara leigh!!!