Update on Project 365

I am so glad I decided to do this!! It's not as easy as it may seem but the challenge gives me something to look forward to every day. I look at everything and everywhere I go differently. I can look at something or down the street and see a photo in my mind...it's totally funny to me. Something will catch my eye and with in a few seconds I'll say to myself either "that would be a cool shot" or "nah, not that great".

During the week it's a little harder for me to get good photos. When I get up first thing I have to do is start getting ready for work, then work all day and when I leave all I have on my mind is getting home but as I'm driving home I'm looking around for places to stop at in the near future for photo ops. During the week I also do some research online for places to go on the weekends to really spend some quality time with my camera and endless possibilities that are out there.

I also have been looking up photo ideas. I found a lot of great suggestions on scrapjazz.com. I googled photo ideas and their website came up. I loved what I found so I emailed myself a list of what the ideas and links. Here is what I found so far. All great ideas! I'm excited to try all of them.

Photos looking up:
* If you encounter rainy weather take a scenic shot of the sky full of ominous-looking rain clouds or maybe a rainbow if you're lucky.
* Take a photo of your favorite restaurant sign.
* While indoors at your hotel, take a shot of the stairwell going up or the beautiful lighting fixtures.
* Squat at the base of a statue and take the photo looking up towards the head; that makes a statue look super tall.

Lower angle perspective rather than eye level

Reflections:
* Start becoming aware of light and reflections. Keep your eyes open to all the possibilities, from the reflection on the side of a toaster to the reflection in the glass of a store window.
* The best time of day for capturing a reflection on water is mornings, followed by afternoons.
* Focus on the reflection to get a clearer mirror image. Focus on the subject to get a softer reflective image.
* Use a higher aperture so that the whole landscape will be in focus.
* Pay attention to wind and boat ripples in water and how they alter the reflections.
* Note if the water is causing glare on your subject and adjust your angle accordingly.
* Check to be sure you do not unintentionally get yourself in the picture, or any flash glare.
* Use reflections in mirrors and other objects to show more details and angles of your subject.

Beach photos:
* Early morning (7:30am) or early evening
* classic look for the beach with your best clothing choices being white shirts with khaki, pastel, or neutral-tone pants or capris. You will definitely want to avoid bold colors, stripes, or plaids. You also will want your group to coordinate.
* just do a web search on "beach photographers Hilton Head, SC" or use the name of your favorite beach.

“Hidden Treasure Locations”: http://www.scrapjazz.com/topics/Photography/Ideas/1658.php

Macro Photography: http://www.scrapjazz.com/topics/Photography/Ideas/1614.php

“Picture Your Words”: http://www.scrapjazz.com/topics/Photography/Ideas/1293.php

Capturing a sequence:  http://www.scrapjazz.com/topics/Photography/Ideas/1235.php

Self Portrait: http://www.scrapjazz.com/topics/Photography/Ideas/1165.php (using a timer)

Plexiglass Photography: http://www.scrapjazz.com/topics/Photography/Ideas/743.php

Homemade Backdrops:  http://www.scrapjazz.com/topics/Photography/Ideas/550.php

Macro, Plexiglass and beach photo ideas are my favorite ideas. As well as the looking up perspective.



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Here are a few of my recent photos for the project (can also be seen by clicking on the Flickr Box at the top left of my blog).

We were walking in downtown last night trying to decide where to go for dinner. This small old theater in town isn't really used anymore.
B&W over a color photo, used the eraser
Diffuse glow on the B&W
played with the contrast & brightness
added a lens flare
(1/30/2009)

Small part of The Petaluma Adobe. 

Only adjustments made on this one was contrast.

(1/25/2009)

My handsome husband.

diffuse glow
Render, Lighting Effects, Omni
(1/29/2009)

The old and current bell outside 

the San Rafael Mission aka Mission 

San Rafael Arcangel. This is up the 

street from my work. I got to work 

20 min early so I took a walk up the 

street and took a couple of photos.

Just did a little contrast change and cropping.
(1/23/2009)

To see more...Shannon's Flickr Photostream

Win a $25 coupon towards digi scrap items!!

As you know I am on the Creative Team for E-ScapeandScrap.net. There is such a variety of Designers and kits available in ES&S's store, better known as The Nifty Boutique so this is a really cool opportunity to add some fabulous kits to your digi kit collection. C'mon! Who amongst us doesn't like that...I know I always love getting new kits to work with.

ES&S has a super fun way and that is a new challenge called "#1 Song Layout Challenge at the Nifty Boutique". You can find out what the #1 Song the day you were born here. Create a layout and submit it to the ES&S gallery in the #1 Song Layout Challenge section for a chance to win the $25 coupon to The Nifty Boutique.

For all the easy details check out The Nifty Boutiques Blog!! While giving your chance to win free kits I'm sure you'll have a blast creating a layout using a song.

Have fun! Now I need to go make one myself...just for fun!

**P.S.** Be sure to check The Nifty Boutique's blog for final submit date!

Project 365 2009 ~ I'm going to do it!

I had no idea such a thing existed until I was looking through some fantastic photos taken by Kami on her Facebook page. I asked her what it was and the second she explained it to me I knew I wanted to give it a shot (no pun intended).

Project 365 basically is taking a photo a day. Considering I have taken such a huge interest in photography and learning what I can this is perfect for me. The best part is that there aren't really any rules and in the end I get to remember my whole year over again, day by day. In addition, it allows me to improve on my skills a little at a time and be as creative as I want to be.

Obviously, this project started for some the first of the year and I'm am jumping in almost a month late but so what...it's all about fun. Besides, I have already taken over a couple of hundred photos this month so far so I think I'm pretty good.

I will be sharing my photos via Flickr and you'll be able to see that right on my blog so you too can see what I've accomplished. I can't say whether I'll update my photo a day in Flickr every day but I will certainly try to update it weekly to be sure I keep up on this. **I'll also include the photos in my Project 365 ~ 2009 album on my Facebook Photography Page: Shannon Purcell Photography**

What's going to make it even more fun is I've joined a group of extremely creative ladies that have already started so we'll all be a great inspiration to each other.

I hope I have the willpower to truly keep up on this daily. Wish me luck!!

Here is my first picture taken since I joined today.

Fun techniques in Photoshop Elements (4.0)

Here's what I did for this photo and layout. First I used diffuse glow on the photo. When you have the photo you want to use selected click on "Filter" at the top menu, then "Distort" from that drop down menu and then "Diffuse Glow" from that drop down menu. In there it gives you a preview of what the diffuse glow will look like on the photo and you can adjust how much you want to alter the photo. In this case I used a high percentage because that is the effect I wanted.

Then I put the photo on the background of my new layout. I started a new layout by creating a new white background. Once the photo was added to the white background I selected the photo and then selected the eraser tool. I used the brush version of the eraser tool so that it would be uneven and random when I used it around the photo. When I erased the amount I wanted I then put a Drop Shadow on the photo giving the photo the effect you see here in the layout. (Click the layout for a larger view to really see the effects).

I had no idea it would turn out like this but I love it. It so amazing what one can come up with if you just spend a little time playing with all the options in a program like this.

Kits used for this layout:
Magical Swirls by Kitty Designs at OScraps
Your Heart by Vinnie Pearce
Frame It by Ruth Davis at E-Scape and Scrap
Live Laugh Love blog freebie from Createwings Designs also at OScraps
Moments by Fei-Fei's Stuff also at OScraps

Thanks for reading my blog and give those techniques a try!!

Moments Like These

This is a photo I took of my husband on our day out a couple of weeks ago. He was willing to be my "model" while I practiced my photography skills, lol. What a trooper. :)

Kits used:
Moments from Fei-Fei's Stuff
Magical Swirls by Kitty Designs
I Live For by Vinnie Pearce



My goddaughter, Jessica during our snow weekend at my friend's family cabin. 01/10/2009.

Most of the kit was created with the new Crisdam Design's kit "Be Mine" and the word art is from Vinnie Pearce "Heart" freebie.

*Gorgeous*

I created this layout with the ACOT January Creative Team One Word Challenge ~ Gorgeous in mind.

A couple of weeks ago my husband and I spent some time out and about and we took some amazing pictures (many of them can be seen at Shannon Purcell Photography. He somehow managed to get some great shots of me and really made my day. I used one of the pictures he took of me and cropped it to come up with this.

Kits used:
Moments by Fei's Fei's Stuff
Dotted Frames by Fei's Fei's Stuff
Magical Swirls by Kitty Designs

TFL!

Fabby Blog Award!!

Carrie from Carrie's Corner and Jess from The Examined Life gave me the Fabby Blog Award! Thanks Carrie and Jess!! :)

When you get this award you are to list your 5 addictions and return the glory to 5 other Bloggers who you think have Fabby blogs.

Not sure if I have 5 "addictions" but let's see what I can come up with.

1) Photography
2) Digital Scrapbooking
3) Grey's Anatomy (I hate when I miss a new episode!)
4) Cooking shows
5) Comedies (sitcoms, comedians, Jeff Dunham!!)

There, did it, lol. :p

Now for the fun part. Passing out the award to other blogs I think are fabulous.

1) Kreations by Kami I absolutely looove her designs.
2) Fei-Fei's Stuff She has some of the cutest freebie's and designs.
3) Jopke I also adore her freebie's as well. I've used them in several of my layouts.
4) Living Our Love Song This is one of my favorite online friends. She is so passionate about her family and the things she does.
5) Jeanne Marie's Scraps One of the most fun people to chat with.

Please check out all of these blogs made by some wonderfully fun and very cool women.

Shannon Purcell Photography

Just a little something I started on Facebook. "Shannon Purcell Photography" I am getting serious about wanting to delve more into photography. One of my New Years Resolutions for 2009 is to take a photography class. This is a big deal because I have never made new years resolutions before. Never really cared for the tradition of doing that but since 2008 was such a rough year for me in so many aspects I decided since my 2009 is already starting off a great deal better than 2008 I would go out on a limb and give it a try.

My husband and I decided to do some new years resolutions together as a team. One that we have chosen will be a great thing for my photography obsession. We have decided to go out for a drive and/or hike at least once a month since we both tend to be homebodies (nothing wrong with that per se). Anywhere we go I will be taking a camera which can only help my photography skills and portfolio...as amatuer as it may be. ;)

One part of my Christmas projects/gifts

This year I made desktop calendars. I found the idea for this at A Cherry On Top. You can see it here.

It was a really fun project and everyone loved them! (Click on each for a larger view)

2009 Calendar for my Mother-in-law:


2009 Calendar for my Sister-in-law:


2009 Calendar for my Sister-in-law's boyfriend:


2009 Calendar for my Father-in-law:


**Credit for digital kits and elements used can be found in my gallery on ACOT**