Picture Inspiration, Week 10

Welcome to another Picture Inspiration and One Little Word | Captured update. This week's Picture Inspiration prompt asked us to turn our creativity towards our kitchens. My immediate response was the photograph of the forks I took for Picture Winter. My second thought was about an image of our kitchen chandelier which I created as part of Kim Klassen's Skinny Mini Photoshop e-Course. But while I wanted to create something new, I found that after Picture Winter, there wasn't much left in my kitchen that had not already been photographed. I needed something new, something fresh. And then I remembered a package that arrived on my doorstep earlier this week...

Let's back up for a second. I have always believed that my iPhone created sub-par images relative to my DSLR camera (with one exception). But I've been seeing amazing images that others have created with their smart phones (like Stephanie Roberts and Anne Schillings) and wondered how I could do the same. So this week, I finally went ahead and bought Stpehanie's book on mobile creativity, The Art of iPhoneography.  (In case you're not following along, that's the package on my doorstep that I mentioned earlier.) After devouring it in one sitting, I had a whole new perspective on shooting with my phone. 

I now realize that iPhoneography does not have to be disposable. Even though I have little control over the usual variables (e.g., lens, ISO, aperture, shutter speed, etc.), I still have control: over app selection, over filters, over processing choices. I didn't have to settle for the image that I took. Nor did I have to settle for that image with a single pseudo-retro filter applied. By considering the various apps up front and then layering the various processing capabilities, I could create a well thought out image. So that's what I've been up to and that's how I've been trying to grow this week. With these tools in my phone, I could look at the objects in my kitchen with fresh eyes. 

 

As a side note, Stephanie Roberts' and Jen Lemen's have undertaken an amazingly inspiring non-profit endeavour, Lens on Life. In their own words:

We partner with local schools and organizations around the world to host our programs led by a volunteer community of seasoned photographers. Lens on Life provides education, resources, community, and promotion and sales of participants' creations in the form of photographic prints and products to help sustain financial resources to support Lens on Life programs and the continuing education of its hopeful, young photographers around the world.

If you have upgraded your 3G iPhone or are planning to, please consider donating your old phone to the project. Learn about other ways to get involved and support Lens on Life here.

See you next week!

Comments

[Stephanie Roberts]

Mae, thanks so much for buying and sharing your thoughts about the book. I'm glad to hear that it's inspiring you to create. Best to you.

[jill conyers]

Cool shots. I've seen amazing photos taken with smart phones. Thanks for linking up with OLW Captured :)