I know how much you are missing Take One Shot, right??
I have a new blog ( and a new website ).
Check it out here: www.carasoulia.com
or here: www.carasoulia.com/blog
You can sign up to be on my email list at the bottom of my homepage. You will receive a message when there is new content on the blog.
3/9/12
1/30/12
I've Moved! New Address!
Hey! Do you miss me?
Well, I have a new blog... check it out: carasoulia.blogspot.com
This will mostly be dedicated to professional sessions, but there will still be some personal photos and maybe even a good story or two.
Sign up if you are interested or you are just missing your daily dose of Take One Shot :)
Well, I have a new blog... check it out: carasoulia.blogspot.com
This will mostly be dedicated to professional sessions, but there will still be some personal photos and maybe even a good story or two.
Sign up if you are interested or you are just missing your daily dose of Take One Shot :)
1/6/12
project wrap up
I kinda miss being here. But I kinda love my freedom right now.
I'm trying to figure out what's next. hmm it could take me all winter.
In the meantime, I made this little video of highlights from my project 365. I kinda like to turn the music up loud when I watch it...maybe you will, too....
Hope you like it!
www.vimeo.com/carasoulia/takeoneshot
PS, I started a new project365 which is strictly on flickr here, if anyone is interested. much less talking, much more clicking
I'm trying to figure out what's next. hmm it could take me all winter.
In the meantime, I made this little video of highlights from my project 365. I kinda like to turn the music up loud when I watch it...maybe you will, too....
Hope you like it!
www.vimeo.com/carasoulia/takeoneshot
PS, I started a new project365 which is strictly on flickr here, if anyone is interested. much less talking, much more clicking
1/1/12
Project 285
OK so I didn't make it to 365. I started out on January 1st absolutely determined to post a photo every day. But this is a pretty unrealistic expectation as a mom of two young children. I only made it to 285 (the beginnings of this project 365 can be found here). I wish I could say I made it to 365, but I am beyond thrilled and proud to look back at all that I've learned in the last 365 days. And I am certain I took more than 365, more than 3650, possibly more than 36500 photos this year.
I had been planning to just showcase my favorite shots of the year, but I think it is just more fitting to summarize what I think are the defining Moments of my yearlong photographic journey. These might not be my "best" photos, but represent for me some incredible a-ha moments.
First a few basics. These are things that can probably be found in chapter 1 of any photography book, but since I have an aversion to 'reading instructions before operating', I stumbled upon these by accident.
1. The Moment when I learned about the rule of thirds.
By pure luck I snapped this photo and it forever changed my photography. It truly was the beginning of me thinking more about composition. Not just snapping photos randomly. How much better a photo can be if the subject is just slightly off center.
It led to things like this:
and this:
and this:
2. The Moment when I discovered how to control my depth of field.
Experimenting with a 50mm lens and a lilac tree outside my house I figured out how to create shallow depth of field (aka fuzzy background). It took so much effort back then. I stood outside and froze my fingers off trying to take this shot:
Such a simple but powerful concept to master. Large aperature = fuzzy background. I mean, there's more to it than that, but at This Moment, it was all I knew.
Knowing how this works led to shots like this:
and this:
and of course this:
3. The Moment when I started paying attention to the light. All the time. From the moment I wake up until the moment I go to bed.
Ah, the light. It's really everything in photography. I struggled a lot with backlighting in particular in the beginning. Now it is my favorite. It's the type of light I seek out.
I practiced on unsuspecting Riley:
It led to stuff like this:
and this:
and it led to my love of silhouettes.
4. The Moment when I changed my perspective
Just like anything in life, don't forget to look at things from all different angles. You never know what you might find out.
By chance I took this one day:
which led to this. One of my all time favorite portraits of the year.
5. The Moment when I reminded myself to have FUN.
I can't lie, there were days I was annoyed with the whole project 365. Always having to find a shot. Always trying to think of something new and creative. And going through periods with lots of bad pictures. Sometimes it felt like a chore and I wasn't happy about it.
But then I would learn a new trick about my camera and things would be fun again.
Like panoramas!
and light painting!
6. The Moment when I started to think about telling a story with a photo.
I ran downstairs at this family's house to grab a second memory card and when I came back up the stairs I distinctly remember seeing the doorway and thinking it framed the family so well. This moment was so natural and unplanned. After all, I wasn't even in the room. That's what made made it soooo good. I could barely get to the shutter fast enough.
A light went off in my head that day. It's great to be up close with people, making connections, talking. But it's also important to remember to step back and get the whole scene.
7. The Moment when I realized photography allows me the opportunity to give back.
This is something I've been trying to find in my life for a really long time. And also something that is seriously lacking in my day job. It was a major epiphany when I realized I could use photography to help others.
Here are some of my favorite shots from my charitable photography pursuits this year:
9. The Moment I decided to go public.
I had been planning to just showcase my favorite shots of the year, but I think it is just more fitting to summarize what I think are the defining Moments of my yearlong photographic journey. These might not be my "best" photos, but represent for me some incredible a-ha moments.
First a few basics. These are things that can probably be found in chapter 1 of any photography book, but since I have an aversion to 'reading instructions before operating', I stumbled upon these by accident.
1. The Moment when I learned about the rule of thirds.
By pure luck I snapped this photo and it forever changed my photography. It truly was the beginning of me thinking more about composition. Not just snapping photos randomly. How much better a photo can be if the subject is just slightly off center.
It led to things like this:
and this:
and this:
2. The Moment when I discovered how to control my depth of field.
Experimenting with a 50mm lens and a lilac tree outside my house I figured out how to create shallow depth of field (aka fuzzy background). It took so much effort back then. I stood outside and froze my fingers off trying to take this shot:
Such a simple but powerful concept to master. Large aperature = fuzzy background. I mean, there's more to it than that, but at This Moment, it was all I knew.
Knowing how this works led to shots like this:
and of course this:
3. The Moment when I started paying attention to the light. All the time. From the moment I wake up until the moment I go to bed.
Ah, the light. It's really everything in photography. I struggled a lot with backlighting in particular in the beginning. Now it is my favorite. It's the type of light I seek out.
I practiced on unsuspecting Riley:
It led to stuff like this:
and this:
and it led to my love of silhouettes.
Just like anything in life, don't forget to look at things from all different angles. You never know what you might find out.
By chance I took this one day:
which led to this. One of my all time favorite portraits of the year.
5. The Moment when I reminded myself to have FUN.
I can't lie, there were days I was annoyed with the whole project 365. Always having to find a shot. Always trying to think of something new and creative. And going through periods with lots of bad pictures. Sometimes it felt like a chore and I wasn't happy about it.
But then I would learn a new trick about my camera and things would be fun again.
Like panoramas!
and light painting!
6. The Moment when I started to think about telling a story with a photo.
I ran downstairs at this family's house to grab a second memory card and when I came back up the stairs I distinctly remember seeing the doorway and thinking it framed the family so well. This moment was so natural and unplanned. After all, I wasn't even in the room. That's what made made it soooo good. I could barely get to the shutter fast enough.
A light went off in my head that day. It's great to be up close with people, making connections, talking. But it's also important to remember to step back and get the whole scene.
7. The Moment when I realized photography allows me the opportunity to give back.
This is something I've been trying to find in my life for a really long time. And also something that is seriously lacking in my day job. It was a major epiphany when I realized I could use photography to help others.
Here are some of my favorite shots from my charitable photography pursuits this year:
8. The Moment I decided to just do it.
My favorite picture from my first ever real photo session. Thank goodness for sweet kind Tina who couldn't have been a better first client! And I am happy to now call her a friend.
My favorite picture from my first ever real photo session. Thank goodness for sweet kind Tina who couldn't have been a better first client! And I am happy to now call her a friend.
Opportunities I never expected arose this year. I am so glad I accepted the challenge of shooting a wedding in August. Scary, fun, nerve wracking and exhilarating, all at the same time. It made me feel like I can do anything if I put my mind to it.
9. The Moment I decided to go public.
I introduced my website back on my 100th post. Since then I've made some changes. It still feels weird to put myself out there like this, but I guess I just have to get over it.
This marks the end of my Project 365. I am quite certain I will continue to post here from time to time, but it won't be daily.... thank goodness! I can get some sleep again :)
Thanks to all of my faithful readers. I really appreciate your emails and comments and support.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thanks to all of my faithful readers. I really appreciate your emails and comments and support.
12/31/11
12/30/11
12/29/11
empty attic
After living in our attic for the last nine months, Poppy & Gigi moved out today. They left for Florida this morning. Right now I'm looking at a long winter of doing all my own laundry and my own grocery shopping. Not to mention my own menu planning and cooking. School drop offs and pick ups. Dry cleaning and dish cleaning. The list goes on. You know, all the things that millions of working mothers all over the world seem to manage without the help of their mom and dad. I've been so spoiled and will be missing all the every day things that Poppy & Gigi did while they were here.
But it is the not-so-every-day things we will all miss the most. Saturday night pedicures with Gigi. A bottomless can of chips and snacks always on hand in the attic. Episodes of dinosaur train after bath snuggled on the couch. Fast twisty swings in the garage with Poppy. 5 o'clock glasses of wine with Gigi (for me, not the kids). 'Emergency' trips to the grocery store for random missing ingredients in the kitchen. Seeing the moon through the skylight in the 'apartment'. Custom designed, hand sewn halloween costumes, not to mention buttons replaced, holes fixed, etc, etc!
The attic is empty now. Except for the bed, the couch, and some plants for me to kill take care of.
Oh, and some peanut shells I found under the couch.
12/27/11
before the tree comes down
a little fun today with bokeh (aka blur)
the kind that can only come from Christmas lights
here's our sad, saggy, neglected christmas tree. some lights went out around the 21st and we never bothered to fix it.
now how about this? same tree, same shot, same camera settings, just with some strategic focusing. so pretty!
and better yet with a subject in the foreground
the kind that can only come from Christmas lights
here's our sad, saggy, neglected christmas tree. some lights went out around the 21st and we never bothered to fix it.
now how about this? same tree, same shot, same camera settings, just with some strategic focusing. so pretty!
and better yet with a subject in the foreground
12/23/11
operation christmas prep
sadly this is the only photo I took today. christmas prep is in full force here. kids decided to set up camp in the kitchen where all the action was taking place.
12/22/11
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