Still waters

The seasons have changed and things aren't the way the used to be. I followed Him to this place and I'm happy to be here, but sometimes I find it to be very quiet. And sometimes quietness becomes too much. The unanswered question, the eagerness for fresh direction and the small things leave me feeling like I'm in the middle of a ocean of stillness. When music is silenced, the check-list is completed and distraction of business has ceased, the quiet often becomes deafening.

Stillness can be too still.

Sometimes I find my little office becomes a vast, placid sea where I paddle towards an unseen goal day in and day out...alone. What I wouldn't give for one wave, one ripple of movement! In the distance the rest of the world is buzzing and spinning in constant motion. It is hard to be ok with silence in today's world. We mask our inner loneliness with being busy. It's almost frowned upon not to have a jam packed schedule. The need for stillness is forgotten and when we do stumble upon it (not on purpose mind you), the absence of movement is like an unpleasant chill.

I've been in this place many times. I remember the deep sense of loneliness that washed over me in college. Everyone was dating...but not me. Weekends were quiet. I felt alone. I remember when I battled an unknown sickness for years. Out of the blue I'd be immobilized by pain. No one could help and no one understood. I felt alone. In those times I found that the quietness and the loneliness turned into something beautiful. I wouldn't trade any of it for the world. His voice became more clear. I learned new things. My soul was transformed.

So when the chill of stillness comes, I can offer it up to God. He has a purpose for it if I will only accept it. In the words of Job "should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?" (Job 2:10) For we know that "in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28) I don't think it's a coincidence that the Word says "He leads us by still waters" and then says "He restores my soul" immediately after that. Like it our not, I need those waters of quietness and solitude. It is there He renews me for the journey ahead. Thus, I choose to embrace the still waters in which I find myself today. Tomorrow may hold much commotion and business, but today my heart will sing, "whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say - It is well, it is well with my soul!"

Friday Photo Tips!

Hey guys! Today I thought I'd share a few little tips on photography I've picked up along my journey. I've been so blessed by others who have shared their knowledge and I want to pass along the blessing. I'm self taught, so I've really appreciated those who are willing to share their expertise. I am so very thankful for those people! I know there are a lot of phenomenal photogs out there and I'm no super pro by any means, but I do want to share what I do know! A lot of you may have learned all of this stuff already, but some of you may not! Everyone starts somewhere! Hopefully I can do several of these, and if you guys like it I will get more and more advanced with each one. :)  

1. Find diffused light!

Diffused light creates soft edges between shadows and highlights. It softens textures, lines, and contours. I love diffused natural light in photography. Oh, it gives me goosebumps sometimes. The key is finding the dreamy, goodness. The better the light, the better the photos. First of all, you can shoot at sunrise or sunset. The light is often much softer and will look much less harsh on the face. You can also do some neat things with backlighting (which I love). In the middle of the day the light comes down directly from overhead. The result brings very unflattering shadows on the face. If you can't shoot at sunrise or sunset find a shady spot somewhere, or a place where the light bounces off something (like a white wall) before it gets to your subject. A cloudy day is also perfect for shooting because the clouds act as a natural diffuser. If all else fails, it is good to have a big reflector and diffusor. (They don't cost much either! I keep mine in my trunk at all times!) They have saved some of my shots when I wasn't able to find a spot where the light was perfect. If indoors, find a window and use the natural light there.

2. Focus on your subject's eye

This is the one thing that will make photos look super sharp. If the eye is not in focus, your photo will look blurry. No one was their nose in focus when they're eye is not. It just doesn't look good. Always go for the eye and the rest will fall into place. That is the rule, but it can also be broken. For some shots you may want to focus on something else, like hands, a prop, etc...

3. Less is more, especially with editing

I've always loved editing. Even when I just had a point and shoot, I would edit my photos in whatever software came with my computer before printing or uploading. I knew even then that adding a little contrast and color can do wonders. However, it is really easy to go buck wild when you first get some good editing software. I remember when I started playing around in Lightroom for the first time...I may have over edited some photos...just a touch. Haha. I learned very quickly that less is more with editing. Here's an example of a before and after from a recent shoot:

photo_tips

Straight from camera                                                             After a little editing

All I did was add a little contrast, some warmth and a little brightness with my presets. I try to get my photos to look good in camera so that I don't have to do as much in post processing. Personally, I think it's best to keep a photo clean. Editing trends will come and go so try to keep it pretty minimalistic. There's definitely a delicate balance between improving a photo and ruining it. Even if I do a lot of work to a photo, I try to keep it looking natural.

4. Try a something different

It's easy to get in a rut with photography...so try something different! Don't shoot straight on one time. Try shooting up from the ground or down from a chair or ladder. It's amazing what a different angle will do for a shot. If you normally shoot at sunset, shoot in mid-day. If you shoot outdoors, try indoors. I almost always shoot outside, but a few months ago I took my camera to a concert. It was dark with very little light, so I had to think about everything differently. I ended up getting some shots I really liked, including the ones below. The experience stretched me for sure.

ntb

5. Do self portraits

It can be rather challenging to get a good photo of yourself with a tripod. Let it stretch you! Being limited with a tripod really forces you to think outside the box. It also can be a good time to test out different poses. You can see how they look on yourself before trying it with another person. I have found this is a good way to get out of a rut as well. Just go out with you and your camera one day and see what happens!

6. Follow the rule of thirds

This helps greatly with composition. What you do is imagine 3 lines dividing your image both vertically and horizontally. You want your points of focus to fall a third of the way up, or a third of the way to the left and so on and so forth. This rule based on where the eye is naturally drawn. Here is an example:

rule of thirds

My subject's eye is right on line in the top right third of the photo. Naturally, your eye is going to be drawn to the spot. Her hand falls on the other line, which is also a good spot. Now, you get get really technical with this and create brilliant balance in you photos. This is definitely something that's fun to experiment with, but like any other rule of photography and art...it's made for breaking!

Where did you guys pick up your tips? Was it online or from someone you know? Anyway, I hope you guys took away at least a little something! If you like this, let me know in the comments and I will keep sharing!

Have a great weekend!