I’m so excited to say that my dad came home from the hospital last night!  Yes!  He really did!  After 45 days, he’s back home.  We still have a very long road ahead, but I couldn’t help but cry when I saw him finally resting in his own home.  So thankful.

Needless to say, there has been more unexpected events this summer than I can count.  Some of them I’ve shared, some of the news is still to come.    But can I just say I LOVE Wii!  In those first few weeks of my dad being in the hospital, life was turned upside down, and one day I came home and found Gina playing Wii with the kids.  It was to hilarious not to shoot!

Look at those faces!  HILARIOUS!  For those of you who love Wii and love Photo-Recipes, try this out over the weekend!  Send me what you get!  (You are waiting for those intense facial expressions!  )

Photo-Recipe:

There is a coffee table right in front of these guys, so I sat down on it and shot them straight on.  I wanted to be eye level with them, so that it when you looked at the image it felt like they were right in front of you.  I set my aperture to f/2.8.  My shutter speed was 1/60th of a second (or it may say 60 on your camera).  That is a slow shutter speed in some ways which can cause motion blur or camera shake, but since they were sitting in the same spot and not really moving anything but their arms—it works.  There is a lot of natural light in this room, so I was able to have my ISO down to 200.  I took a bunch of shots in a row so I could get as much diversity as possible in their facial expressions.  At first they were all a little self conscious of me shooting, but after a few minutes they forgot about me.  So hang in there for the shot.  It’s so worth it!

And a big thanks to Wii for helping my kids stay entertained on several afternoons when mom was at the hospital.  Plus, I have to thank my beautiful sister-in-law, Carmen, for convincing me to buy a Wii in the first place.  Love you Carm! 

Have a great weekend friends!

xoxo,

Me Ra

Two weeks ago, I posted a Photo-Recipe on how to deal with full sun.  All three of our SOAR! Recipients were assigned the task of trying this out, and they did an amazing job!  I encourage you to check out their posts on the SOAR! blog.  They rocked it!  In fact, I wanted to share Linda’s with you.  If you missed it, I know you will enjoy this!  (thanks Linda, and girl, GREAT job!)

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One of the goals I set in last week’s business coaching exercise was to improve my photography skills. The further I progress on this SOAR journey the more I realize the need to break this goal down into realistic and manageable actions to prevent me from becoming frustrated and overwhelmed by the very thing I profess to love. I think the past six months has taught me much about the skills and techniques I need to work on and practice to become the kind of photographer I aspire to be. Now is the time for me to truly acknowledge I can’t acquire these skills all at once. As Me Ra says in this week’s photo exercise – it’s time to slow down!

How to shoot in full sun is something I defiantly need to learn and practice. Here in Sacramento by around 8.30am I’m in trouble, so finding the conditions to do this exercise was not a problem. Finding a cooperative model on the other hand was and it’s finally time for me to wise up and say NO to practicing on my children. It’s just not fun for anyone and slowing down with those two monkeys in tow is certainly not an option. Even my shameless bribes and pleading don’t buy me much time. But this weekend my options were limited and I had to work with what I had.

So here is my little Racoon eyed Jack… around 10am facing into the sun.

Here he is turned around with his back to the sun and half a chocolate chip cookie in his tummy just to get him to do it! Much better, but to me it feels somewhat flat. I’m really starting to get a feel for the style of image I want to capture and I really want to see those catch lights in the eyes.

So we found some open shade on my neighbors front porch and tried again. There was a strip of direct sunlight on the concrete in front of him to reflect the light back into his face and light up his eyes a little.

This exercise was a great way for me to start observing and working with available light. Not so great on the moving people around but I’m going to try it again later in the week with a more cooperative model! Look forward to seeing what you learned from this exercise along with your images over on the SOARORITY forum.

Take care,
Linda

Two announcements to make today!

One, we had an amazing panel of people help pick our Seattle/surrounding area mom.  Her family has been contacted, and I’m so excited to spend time with her this weekend!  We will share all those details soon!  Thank you so much to every woman that submitted.  I tell Brian all the time that I’m so glad I don’t have to make the decision because I never could.  All of your stories were so wonderful to read.  I’m keeping my fingers crossed that I will get to meet each of you somehow sooner than later.

Second announcement!

The submissions to be a part of my second book with Random House are coming in strong!  They are DIVERSE, BEAUTIFUL, AMAZING…seriously, I’m on a inspirational roller coaster just seeing all your different expressions of creativity with the camera!

This classic face is from Nickie in Alaska!  Thank you Nickie!  I LOVE it!

You’ve got ONE week left from today to get your photos submitted! This is your chance to get your work published with me and Random House!  Don’t be afraid, just go for it!

What am I still looking for?

–great soccer shots of the kids!

–examples of high, grainy ISO that is turned black and white

–any before and after samples that show how the dramatic difference in what you learned, so others can learn (you will need to upload each image seperatley)

–how your choice of White Balance made all the difference

–examples of Metering and Manual mode making all the difference!

Don’t miss this awesome opportunity!  Deadline is next Wednesday, July 28th!

For all the juicy details, CLICK HERE!

xoxo,

Me Ra

If you loved Airika and Gerald Pope’s first four Wedding Photo Tips, you are going to really LOVE  tips 5, 6, and 7!   Ready for the rest of this awesome Wedding Photo Tips post?!  Here we go!

5.  Know Your Surroundings—Scout Before Shooting

We can’t stress enough how important it is to scout the locations that you will be shooting ahead of time. We try to do this before the wedding day AND at the same time of day that we will be shooting there. That way, we know that the lighting conditions will be similar to what we’ll experience on the wedding day. Sometimes we’re not able to scout a location before the wedding day, simply because the destination is too far from our home. In this situation, we ask our clients to send us any photos they may have taken during planning visits and then we arrive about one-two hours early on the wedding day so that we can fully scout out the location before we start shooting. Some people may think we’re crazy for doing that much research, but I can’t tell you how many times being familiar with our venue has helped us work efficiently & creatively when faced with scheduling or weather-related challenges.

When scouting, look for hidden or unexpected spots where you might be able to capture a unique photo. Select a spot for the first look (if applicable), the couple’s portraits, wedding party, and family photos. It’s also good idea to identify some indoor or covered areas that will be a good alternative for photos if the weather is not favorable. If you’ve done this prior to the wedding day, communicate this information with the couple and their coordinator so that the involved parties can be ready & waiting in the appropriate photo spots. Knowing and communicating your plans will save time, and will ensure that you, “the photographer” are not the reason a couple’s wedding is running late.

6. Backups—Required.

If you can’t afford to purchase a full set of backup equipment yet, there are other options. You can rent equipment, or you might be able to find another photographer friend who’s just getting started that you can share gear with on wedding days. However, if wedding photography is something you are going to be doing long term, you will eventually need to invest in backup gear.

Secondly, always backup your images! Download your memory cards as soon as possible, and don’t erase those cards until you have at least two copies of the photos on separate hard drives, preferably in two different places. This may seem tedious, but two copies is the bare minimum. We keep three-four copies in separate places (main computer, backup drives and online) at all times.

Remember, there are no second chances at weddings, and you don’t want to risk losing a couple’s wedding memories because you weren’t prepared. Do whatever it takes to preserve their images.

7.  Details—Everybody Loves Them!

No matter how busy, stressful, or rushed the wedding might be, make time to shoot the details. Get photos of the rings, the flowers, the venue—anything and everything that adds interest and personality to a wedding. Your brides have worked hard to create these details, and they want to remember them. Not only that, but these are the images that photo Editors look for when choosing which weddings to feature on their blog or in the next issue of their magazine. And brides usually love getting their wedding featured!

We especially love capturing a creative detail photo of each couple’s wedding rings. We try to incorporate an aspect of the couple’s wedding, whether it is one of their details, their colors, or just something quirky that we’ve found throughout the day.

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Airika and Gerald are dear friends, and Brian and I can’t thank them enough for posting their gorgeous photos and awesome wedding photo tips!  Hope you’ve enjoyed this as much as I have!  They spent hours making these two posts, and we are all better photographers for it!  Thank you so much Airika and Gerald!  We love you two, xoxo, Me Ra and Brian

Airika & Gerald Pope (a.k.a. “The Popes”) are a husband and wife photography team. Although based in Seattle, they are passionate about artistically interpreting wedding stories for couples in love all over the globe. To connect with them and their work, you can visit their photography blog at www.blog.thepopes.com

When MeRa first asked us to write a guest post for her blog, a million ideas started running through our heads. The one idea that stuck out above the rest, however, was to write a post for those of you who have never photographed a wedding, or who are perhaps preparing to shoot a wedding for the first time. These thoughts are just a few of the things we wish had known or done before photographing our first wedding. We’ve tried to include some application notes along with each piece of advice. We hope that these ideas will help guide you toward becoming a better wedding photographer. Happy reading!

~ The Popes

1. Second Shoot—A Lot

If we could go back and start all over again, I think that we would second shoot for at least 5 weddings before jumping into photographing one on our own. When we were first getting started in wedding photography, the entire wedding day process was a bit overwhelming.  By second shooting, you have an opportunity to simply shoot while also seeing how another photographer works. Not only will this help you get the feel for the flow of a wedding day, but it will also allow you to gain experience shooting without the added pressure and responsibility that comes along with shooting a wedding on your own.

The best way to find second shooting opportunities is to find photographers in your community who typically shoot by themselves and often need (or wouldn’t mind having) a second shooter along. Community groups like the Seattle/Tacoma PUG (there is a PUG in every major city) are great ways to connect and meet other photographers.

2. Have Confidence—Or at least pretend that you do.

I know that for those of you who follow MeRa’s blog and/or have attended her Confidence Workshops this isn’t a new concept, but having confidence is key when shooting a wedding. For us, this means more than simply knowing how to use our equipment. It’s about our attitude and demeanor, starting with the very first time we meet with a couple. It’s about having trust in your ability to capture a photo, to tell a story, and to provide your clients with images that they will love.

We spend a lot of time with the bride and groom on their wedding day, and when they look at us, we want them to see the energy and excitement we have and know with confidence their wedding photos are going to be awesome. If we take a bad photo (yes, we ALL take them!), we just smile, keep shooting and pretend like it was one of the most beautiful images we’ve ever captured. True story! It’s important that you don’t let any personal doubts affect your interactions with your clients. If you have confidence, your clients will feel relaxed and your photos will look great!

The best way to gain personal confidence is through experience—get out there and shoot—a lot. You can do this through second shooting, do portrait sessions for friends or family, or attend local classes and workshops.

3.  Always Have a Contract—No exceptions!

Whether you are shooting for coworkers, neighbors, family, friends, or even your spouse everyone signs a contract! It will protect you and your client, and it is one more opportunity for you to clearly communicate to your clients what they can expect from you. If you could perfectly communicate everything with your clients, then you would prevent most of the disputes that people run into.  The problem is that people aren’t perfect, so get it in writing.

If you don’t know where to start, you can check out the Professional Photographer’s of American (PPA) website. You can also have a lawyer draft a contract specifically tailored to meet the needs of your business. We have a lawyer who we love, and I know Me Ra has a great one too, so if you need a recommendation, please don’t hesitate to reach out to one of us.

4.  Plan Ahead—Then, Be Flexible

Weddings can be a little crazy, to say the least. That being the case, it’s important to do everything you can to be prepared. We always meet with our clients for a pre-wedding consultation a few weeks before their wedding to walk through the photo schedule and make sure they have reasonable expectations for the day. This helps us to identify any scheduling “problem areas” and gently address them with the couple before their wedding day. For example, if a couple is in love with one of our past weddings where we had three hours of creative portrait time, but they’ve only given us a 15 minute time slot for photos, then they need to know that we cannot accomplish the same type of photos in such a short amount of time. However, if they love our documentary work, then 15 minutes is probably going to be all they need for us to be able to capture the photos they’re looking for. The key here is, and always will be, communication.

You may find it helpful to have a clause in your contract that requires a pre-wedding consultation. Not only will it help you to be better prepared, but your clients will love knowing that you have thought through their day enough to be able to advise them on their photo schedule. However –don’t forget that this is their day and ultimately, your job is to serve them, regardless of any scheduling decisions they may make.

Wedding Photo Tips 5, 6, and 7 are coming up on Monday!!

Airika & Gerald Pope (a.k.a. “The Popes“) are a husband and wife photography team. Although based in Seattle, they are passionate about artistically interpreting wedding stories for couples in love all over the globe. To connect with them and their work, you can visit their photography blog at www.blog.thepopes.com.

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*Are you a Seattle mom? If so, enter to win Sony Camera, Private Lesson
with me, and more! You’ve got 24 hrs left to enter! Details here!
http://tiny.cc/bloomwMeRa

Have you always dreamed of coming to a CONFIDENCE Workshop, but don’t yet have the budget for it?  Are you a beginner when it comes to using your camera, but have a BIG heart for taking photos?  Do you feel like you keep hitting a mental road block with your photos, and just wish you had some one-on-one private lessons?!  Are you in desperate need for an upgrade on your camera, or maybe you don’t even have your own camera but you do have a photographer’s heart?  Do you wish you could take all the private lesson time and keep practicing it with award winning DVDs?  Are you a mom living in Seattle and/or the greater surrounding Seattle area?  Are you and the kiddos home next weekend, July 24th and 25th, for me to pay a personal visit?  Do you think I’m crazy yet?   

If you answered “YES! Me Ra, you are DESCRIBING ME!”, this is a SPECIAL, SPONTANEOUS opportunity for YOU!  It’s a way to thank you for being a faithful, beautiful blog reader!  If you happened to tune into today’s blog and answered YES to the above questions, this could be your lucky summer! 

Here’s the deal, you’ve got 48 hours to post your story in today’s blog’s comments.  All of you have to do is tell me why you are the one I should come see!  I’m looking for moms who are beginners when it comes to using their Point-and Shoot or DSLR, but also CRAZY, passionate about capturing photos of their kids.  And they don’t mind letting the world know how serious their passion is by posting their story in today’s comments!  I’m looking for moms who have been praying for a lucky break and in desperate need of one!  I want to help you bloom! 

What am I going to bring you? 

1. For starters, I’m going to show up at your front door like I did with our SOAR! Recipients and bring a whole lot of CONFIDENCE just for you! 

2.  I’m also going to bring you your own set of our Award Winning DVDs, Refuse to Say Cheese and Beyond the Green Box! 

The list keeps going! 

3.  Yes, thanks to Sony, I’m even going to bring you a NEW Sony camera!  It’s my FAVORITE, sexy, copper brown, easy to use DSLR!  And it’s not just my favorite, but a whole lot of other women’s favorite too!  I’m actually working on a blog post of their photos so you can meet our latest copper brown Sony A330 owners that live from Alaska to Italy!

4.  And I’m going to set aside FOUR hours of my private time, so you can throw your camera manual away and learn hands-on with me!  I’m going to teach you some of my favorite, summer sizzling, Photo-Recipes, plus lots of Photo Tips and Tricks to turn all those “Happy Accident” snapshots into consistent, beautiful photos of the kids! 

All you have to do is post your story in today’s blog comments before Friday morning, 9am PST.  It’s really that simple!  Remember to include your name, the age of your kid(s), whereabouts you live, how to contact you, and most important, your story of passion!  Tell me why I should come see you this summer in Seattle! 

I can’t wait to meet you!  Get your story posted today!  Deadline to submit your story is in 48 hours (Friday morning at 9am PST)!

Let’s help your photos and creative spirit bloom this summer!

Much love,

Me Ra

p.s.  If you are not comfortable posting your contact email and phone number on our blog, no worries.  After you submit your story to the blog’s comments, send an email to info@merakoh.com with your personal contact info.  But please remember, you must post your story in today’s comments to qualify! 

p.s.s  The summer fun and opportunities just keep growing!  You’ve got two weeks from today to submit your favorite images to be published in my new book with Random House!  CLICK HERE for details on how to submit!

The sun is out, and summer is in full gear!  So how do we deal with the bright sun?  Here is a Photo-Recipe that I did for you and our SOAR! gals.  I’ve got five easy steps to improve your outdoor photos when bright sun is breathing down your neck.  And yep, it’s the second Monday of the month which makes this post our July SOAR! Photography Exercise!  Follow the SOAR! blog this week to see what our recipients learn regarding outdoor lighting!

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The key to working with outdoor lighting is slowing down.  We’ve got to take a deep breath and slow ourselves down before we start shooting.  We’ve got to become aware of where the light is, the direction the light is coming from, and how the light looks on our subjects.  When we don’t slow down and pay attention to the light, we end up rushing into photos that look like this!  Look familiar?

Step 1: Slow down—breathe.  Resist putting the camera to your eye until you’ve taken note of the sun’s position.

Step 2: Ask your subject to move out of the harsh tree shadows.  Try again.

There are two types of photos that a lot of people send me during the summer.  One is the first shot with the tree shadows.  Two, is the bright nosed shot.  Uh-oh, not good!  That shadows are a little better than the first image, but the dark eyes and bright nose aren’t going to work either.

Step 3—Try a different spot where the sun is behind your subject’s head.  And since it’s the second time you are moving your subject, don’t beat yourself up if they feel like they’re going cross eyed with all the moving.

The more attention you pay to the sun, the less you’ll have to move people.  Right now, it’s important to practice moving people which helps you slow down.

The above photo of Pascaline and the bright sun is better than the first two.  But we can get it even better if we hang in there.  See the bright sun on her nose and cheek?  I want to get rid of that if possible, so that the light is balanced on her face.  Notice that the two patches of bright sun aren’t super big, they are small “hot spots” on her face.  This means, I don’t need to move her to a different spot.  I just need to have her shift a little.

Step 4: Have your subject shift in one direction or the other to get rid of those small hot spots.

If you notice in the photo before this one, Pascaline was standing face on.  For this photo, I had her shift to the side so she was standing at an angle.  The hot spots on her nose and cheek are a little bit smaller now, but let’s shift just a tad more.

Step 5:  Shift again!  I will sometimes have my clients shift four, five, six times until BAM! I see the light on their face that I’m looking for.

I purposely took these photos at 1pm when the sun was in the WORST spot for the sake of this learning experience.  See how the sun is still making hot spots on the top of her head?  I can’t escape that because the sun was right over our heads.  Some people use reflectors to create a natural shade, but I don’t like carrying anymore with me than I have to.  And to tell you the truth, I can live with the hot spot on her forehead because her face has a great, even light.

Finding the best light is a process.  Let it be a process.  Give yourself freedom to slow down and watch the light change on their face—with every shift you take.

Sometimes we feel like we need to shoot fast, to prove to ourselves and the subject that we “know” what we are doing.  But as our confidence builds, we can give ourselves more and more freedom to slow down and enjoy the process of searching for the best light.

For this month’s SOAR! Photography Exercise, get out in the bright sun and trouble shoot the light.  Take a couple photos of what you don’t want so you can study them, like I did above.  Then try moving to open shade or turning your subject’s back to the sun.  Remember to not stop there but to shift the subject ever so slightly until you see the light you are looking for.  And then, lift your camera to your eye and take the shot!

When your done, post your Before and After photos on the SOAR! forum, SOARORITY!  We’d love to see them and give you feedback!

More to come this week!  Including 7 Photo Tips for shooting weddings!

Enjoy your outdoor lighting this week!  And Happy Monday friends!

xoxo,

Me Ra

*All photos were shot at 100 ISO, 2.8 Aperture and 1/1600 (or 1600) Shutter Speed.

For more SOAR! Photography Exercises, CLICK HERE!  For more Photo-Recipes and Tips, CLICK HERE and scroll down!  To watch our award winning DVDs with lots and lots of Photo Exercises that anyone can do, CLICK HERE!

Genie here.  I’ve got great news!  When Me Ra walked into her dad’s hospital room yesterday morning, he was making business calls as if he was back in his office!  Me Ra also got to take her dad outside for the first time in 14 days.  Thank you again for all your prayers and support.  Her dad has another surgery tomorrow, but he is doing better every day!

Over the last couple years, Me Ra has shared fun Photo-Recipes on how to capture fireworks!  Why not re-post them so you can get your cameras ready for an AWESOME 4th of July!

CLICK HERE to read one of our readers’ favorite Photo-Recipes on capturing fireworks!

For a second Photo-Recipe on capturing Fireworks, CLICK HERE! Part 1, of the blog post, is about capturing the fireworks between a bride/groom, and Part 2 is about capturing 4th of July fireworks!  Enjoy!

Oh, Me Ra also LOVES it when her readers email their results! You can email your firework images to info@merakoh.com.

You never know, you may find your photo featured on her blog or the newsletter! (surprise Lori Momberg–you talented lady!

Have a wonderful 4th of July from everyone here!

~Genie

Carey Schumacher, owner of Barefoot Memories, is our guest photographer today! She’s an AMAZING everything – mom, photographer, friend. You can read more about her from her interview a few months ago. Thank you Carey so much for stepping in with some on-the-spot coaching!

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There I was on the morning of Father’s Day, waiting for my clients at the beach in La Jolla.  It was a gorgeous sunny day, and I was not the only photographer at the beach.  Nearest me was a dad with his tripod, setting up the camera for a group family picture on the beach, self-timer style (had I more time, I would have gone over to him and offered to hit the shutter for him).  A little further away, there was an adorable family in photo session garb accompanied by what appeared to be a nice female professional photographer.  Smiling to myself, I watched from a distance as the photographer followed the family around, photographing candid moments of mom, dad, and their cute little toddler daughter.  I really enjoy watching other photographers enjoying their work & creating great photos for their clients, and those moments were no exception.

Then the photographer did something that made me literally slap my head in confusion.  I was dumbfounded.

Because of the low tide that morning, the beach gods were graciously granting us beautiful open shade alongside some rocks that had been under water not 8 hours prior.  I was planning on using that same shade when my clients arrived — it’s too good to pass up!  This photographer took that awesome shady gift and set up the family for a group family photo with everyone looking at the camera, but she put dad & baby in the shade and had mom squatting there next to them with her face in the full sunshine.  With you in mind, Me Ra Koh readers, I took this pic from a distance & blurred out the faces, so I could show you what I saw:

If she was planning on cropping out mom or creating some artsy over-and-under-exposed artwork (which, I admit, could have been her plan the whole time), she was using some very creative lighting strategies to accomplish her goal.  If her goal was to create a traditional evenly lit family image, that posing and lighting strategy was NOT going to work.  She had a flash on her camera, so that would help light up the dad & the daughter, but there’s no way the flash could light them up enough to match the sunlight that was hitting mom’s face.

If she had only put them in the shade so that ALL of their faces were lit the same — oh what a gorgeous family picture she could have created!!

To the photographer, if you happen to read this:  I’m so sorry to be dumping all over your technique!  If you know me at all, you know I love sharing knowledge and helping fellow photographers improve.  This blog post of mine is being written to that end:  to help emerging pros improve.

I’ll say this in the nicest possible way I can:  If you don’t know how to handle lighting at your shooting location, you need to PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE and LEARN LEARN LEARN until you start charging for your photography.  There are a LOT of new photographers entering the world of professional photography, and you will set yourself apart from the new masses when you improve your skills!  Having a creative eye is one thing.  Being able to search out and identify good lighting and bad lighting situations on-location is another.  Combine the two, and you’re on your way to Awesomeville!!

Had I been at that photographer’s side, and had she given me permission to share my two cents, I would have advised her to pose the family so that all of their heads were in the shade.  I would have also recommended that she position herself so that a brightly lit surface was behind her.  With bright sand or a sun-drenched rock face behind her, all of that awesome sunlight would bounce off the bright surface, onto her family’s happy faces, and back to her camera.

Here’s an example from later that morning, when I had my clients in some shade:

I’m not saying this is an award-winning photograph, but all three people are evenly lit without using a flash, and the little boy’s eyes are bright and cheery because of that bright surface behind me.  If he were looking at me with a dark surface behind me, his eyes would be lifeless.

Just for kicks & giggles, here are some more images from that session on Father’s Day:

That little dude wasn’t too thrilled about the crashing waves, but he was ALL OVER racing with dad, so that’s what we did!
For that image, I had my camera set to Av mode (I choose the aperture, the camera chooses the shutter speed) at f/2.8.  The important thing is that I had my camera set to “evaluative” or “matrix” metering (sometimes called “pattern”).  That way, it didn’t just try to get good exposure on the subject, which would have washed out the sky.  Instead, the camera took the whole scene into account when choosing a shutter speed, and chose one fast enough to keep the sky blue.

But for this picture, I had to change my settings:

If I had used matrix metering in that cave, the camera would have tried to expose the dark walls of the cave, and the boy would have been totally over exposed.  So, I switched to “center-weighted” or “partial” metering.  I was telling the camera to look more at the boy and forget about the surroundings (the dark cave walls).  So the camera chose a shutter speed that would expose his face, leaving the walls of the cave pretty dark.

So there ya have it:  some tough love for new pros, and some beach tips for you, too, all in one Carey blog post.

Me Ra: We’re all praying for you and your family here at Chez Schumacher!  Please let your dad know that we love him and are praying for God’s hand upon him to be loving, healing, constant, and keenly felt.

by Tracey Clark, guest photographer and founder of Shutter Sisters

The more I open my eyes to the visual language of the world, the more I discover. More peace, more compassion, more kindness, more togetherness, more beauty, more love.

I have considered myself “a photographer” (both in hobby and in career) for nearly 20 years. 20 years! And even still I know that with each photo I am learning, not only about photography as a medium but about the world around me and even more about myself.

I believe in everyday magic—in any and every capacity—so I guess it shouldn’t be a surprise to me that beautiful things appear before my eyes everyday from seemingly out of nowhere. Inanimate objects display hopeful human gesture, heavenly light creeps in illuminating what is important, and tiny treasures that can so easily go overlooked gleam and glitter, begging to be noticed. The more I acknowledge the visual language of the Universe, the more is revealed to me. Even in the most unlikely places, at the most unexpected times love can appear.

I was finishing up a photo shoot yesterday and packed up my camera bag wearing a satisfied smile on my face, grateful for the opportunity to have a career doing what I truly love to do. I had the privilege of spending the afternoon capturing images of a local Buddhist Zen Monastery. It was an amazing experience. As I walked around quietly shooting all the details of the enchanting temple I watched each picture come to life, listened to each click of the shutter and heard my own rhythmic breath; inhale and exhale. As I walked back to my car still beaming from being in that creative and content place within the temple and within myself, right at my feet was yet another whisper of love. A small heart shaped leaf lay on the grass. I unpacked my camera and honored the moment. So unbelievably grateful for the gift I nodded, I hear you.

Tracey Clark is a photographer, writer, teacher, friend, sister, wife and mother. She is the proud founder of Shutter Sisters, the collaborative photo blog for women with a passion for photography. Tracey also teaches her daily photo-prompt e-class “Picture” series at Big Picture Scrapbooking where her next class Picture Summer starts on July 1^st.

She shares her thoughts and images at TraceyClark.com where you’ll also find inspiring stories from amazing women at her latest offering The I am Enough Collaborative. Tracey is honored to be featured here at Me Ra’s blog and is a huge fan of Me Ra’s work and goodness.