It is snowing hard today. As much as I love the snow (I really do), and we did go outside, I thought it was a perfect day for taking photos around the house. I decided to work on stills. And then I visited Beth over at I Should Be Folding Laundry and noticed that this week’s You Capture is color. I also visited the sites of many talented photographers who participate in Beth’s photo challenge. I was inspired. Btw, I “heart” Beth’s work. She is one of my faves.
Our house is full of toys, so my subjects came right off of the kids’ toy shelves. The first of each couplet is taken with no flash and the second is taken with flash. I have to be honest, I am not a big fan of using flash, but then again, I am not as familiar with it. Perhaps with time and effort I can get to a place where I see the value in both natural light and flash . . . what do others prefer? Why? Anyway, here’s my attempt at “color.”
1. Rose
2. Rose
1. Tea pot
2. Tea pot (*yuck, but I made an agreement with myself to show all my attempts).
1. Tea cups
2. Tea cups
1. Tangerines
2. Tangerines *(I actually like this one).
1. Puzzle House
2. Puzzle House
1. McDonalds *(I am a health nut. This toy came as a “ha-ha” gift from my brother, Uncle Mike, :-) ).
2. McDonalds
1. Umbrella
2. Umbrella
{ 10 comments }
Hi Jessica – Great pictures. Are you taking a specific photography class? I started with a mentor last month, but my work looks nothing like yours.
Also, I was looking at your Montessori pages and I’m wondering where you found the cubed units and baskets that are in your livingroom. I’m trying to find something similar that looks quality like yours. I tried to find your contact but couldnt find it. Thank you! Jane
Jessica Reply:
February 2nd, 2010 at 5:09 pm
Hi Jane, I am taking the Aperture 2 course, which you can purchase at Barnes and Noble. I am also following Chris Orwig in his Visual Poetry, which has an online component to it. I have approached local photographers about the possibility of working as an assistant or simply shadowing, however, I have received mixed reactions. Hopefully, someone will come along who wants to work with me and help me grow as a photographer.
We found many of the Montessori items at consignment and thrift shops. I think the brand for many toys is Melissa and Dug (the puzzle house is from a consignment shop though I learned it is an Ikea product). Also, Annabelle and Levi just received toys and practical living items from the catalog Small Hands (or Tiny Hands?), as gifts from their grandparents. Annabelle got a great indoor hopscotch mat and child sized rakes and shovels, which she and the neighborhood kids love to play with. I hope that helps!
I love it! We havet that tea set, but our teapot is a different color… Missing you and your inspiration. Thanks for keeping up the blog.
Jessica Reply:
February 2nd, 2010 at 5:10 pm
Glad to be here, sharing our adventures with you, :-) I have you in my thoughts. When are you due?
Lovely —- all of them! I really needed all of that bold, saturated color this morning! Thank you! :)
Jessica Reply:
February 2nd, 2010 at 5:11 pm
Great! Bold and saturated color . . . I suppose those are great ways to escape winters brown landscape, eh?
i’m not all about flash either. i’ve made myself use flash a time or two recently and was happy with the results, but i don’t like the way people flinch away from the bright flash – lol! your shots look great, i really love the umbrella!
Jessica Reply:
February 2nd, 2010 at 5:12 pm
Thanks Alice. I will keep at it with my flash . . . I’m trying to experiment with portraiture right now too so I’ll have to experiment and see whether folks flinch away from the light too.
This is a great post! I don’t like using a flash either, but yours turned out really well. I’m having trouble picking out which ones I like better. I’m liking the flash with the tea set and the oranges, but not as much with the rose and umbrella. I think I have that tea set too, but ours has polka dots (check my color post). I really don’t like using a flash on people, but I have started doing it more indoors because I rather use a flash than have them turn out blurry.
Jessica Reply:
February 2nd, 2010 at 5:13 pm
You can also try increasing the ISO on your indoor shots; a great feature on digital cameras. I will sometimes go all the way up to ISO 3200 to get inside photos of the kids.
Thank you for the feedback on my photos too. I need this!
I’m taking on photography too (no classes or mentors, unfortunately). I’ve read in photography books and heard from camera store owners that the flash that comes on a camera is pretty much useless–very glaring and unflattering, to say the least. However, you’ve done well with it: the photos with the flash aren’t bad at all, they’re beautiful too. What camera do you use?
Jessica Reply:
February 2nd, 2010 at 5:14 pm
Well, I used the flash on camera but it a flash that I purchased separately. It is the SB-600. I use a Nikon D90. Thank you for the feedback . . . I’ll keep sharing what I learn regarding flash and taking indoor photos with lights and natural light too.
Great photos Jessica, I appreciate seeing this color on such a snowy day.
I never use my flash, it tends to unnaturally brighten a photo too much creating ‘hot spots’
The rose is really pretty, I look forward to seeing more of your photos! Have fun!
(The McDonalds toy through me for a loop lol sounds like something my brother would do!) ; )
Jessica Reply:
February 2nd, 2010 at 5:15 pm
Thank you, :-) Lol, on the McDonalds toy too. My brother could live on Mickey Dees, and I pretty much shop the organic and natural food aisles of grocery stores. We’re so different . . .
I love your shots too! I agree about the natural light vs. the flash. My problem has been that usually I don’t seem to have enough natural light in my inside pics to be able to go without the flash. It frustrates me sometimes.
Anyway, your shots are beautiful! I love the little teacups and teapot. My daughter had a Classic Winnie the Pooh teaset that she loved when she was small. Slowly over time pieces have broken, and it always made me sad. So many sweet memories attached to that. Now I find whenever I see a teaset like that I have an urge to buy it, even though she has gotten older and isn’t as drawn to them anymore.
Jessica Reply:
February 2nd, 2010 at 5:17 pm
I have a “thing” for teapots too. Before I got pregnant I started to collect them but then I never put any on display for fear that they’d fall or hurt my little ones. I suppose when Annabelle grows up and the kids both grow out of our need to keep breakables out of the way, I’ll bring the colorful teapots out. I guess I could photograph them . . . :-)
Love the cups photo. I think it’s great that you also show the not-so-great shot, shows the progression. What a great idea though to use things that are around the house and then be able to make them look so special.
Jessica Reply:
February 2nd, 2010 at 5:18 pm
I hadn’t thought about that “hings that are around the house and then be able to make them look so special”. I simply wanted to seek out color for Beth’s photo challenge. There is so much color inside and outside, even with all the brown . Just out side my window I see the snow coming down and lime green shoots coming up among the snow . . . Mother Nature seems like she is getting ready to change, though I heard that isn’t what the Groundhog said today, lol.
hi again, jessica, thank you for commenting on my ruins photos. i just take photographs because i like to. i’m not a professional, just somewhat obsessed :) at least, my daughter would tell you that – lol! i love a good photo. thanks for the question. i am enjoying looking through your blog – you have some awesome color shots here!
Comments on this entry are closed.