The Creative prompt for August is REFLECTIONS. This can be so much fun, whether you find them in a mirror, or a window, or a puddle – it’s one of my favorites.
Or perhaps rather than taking the prompt literally, you can interpret and create with another type of “Reflection” in mind.
I will be sharing what I create on Social Media with the Hashtag #ODTReflections, I hope you will join me!
If you want to follow me on social to see my “REFLECTIONS” creations, you can find me on Facebook (On Davis Time), Instagram (@OnDavisTime), and Twitter (@TressieLDavis).
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Tressie Davis is a blogger and photographer located in Chelsea, MI.
The July Creative prompt is SHADOWS. I keep meaning to get more creative with shadows, and then I keep not doing it so I’m hoping that a month long creative prompt will get my ass in gear. If nothing else I will hopefully have my eyes open this month.
I will be sharing my SHADOWS creativity on Social Media with the Hashtag #ODTShadows, I hope you will join me!
If you want to follow me on social to see my “SHADOWS” creations, you can find me on Facebook (On Davis Time), Instagram (@OnDavisTime), and Twitter (@TressieLDavis).
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Tressie Davis is a blogger and photographer located in Chelsea, MI.
The creative prompt for June is HANDS. I honestly have no idea how I’m going to approach this for an entire month – the only photo I have ever taken of hands that I actually like is the one in this post. It is my youngest and my Father in Law.
That being said, it is one of my favorite photos ever, so maybe I need to try harder to look at hands in a new light. Or maybe I need to get creative and interpret this prompt in a different way. We’ll see how it goes.
I will be sharing my HANDS creations on social media with the Hashtag #ODTHands. I hope you will join me!
If you want to follow me on social to see my “HANDS” creations, you can find me on Facebook (On Davis Time), Instagram (@OnDavisTime), and Twitter (@TressieLDavis).
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Tressie Davis is a blogger and photographer located in Chelsea, MI.
When I first got into photography one of the first things I was taught was that the best camera is the one you have with you. These days for almost everyone that is a cell phone.
Yes, there are always going to be things that I will break out my big girl camera for – sports of course, and professional portraits. But in so many cases I am loving the photos I am getting with my phone, and you certainly can’t beat the convenience. If you just happen to be driving down the road and the sun looks like this how could you not stop and take a picture?? This is just one of the many times I was thankful for my cell phone camera.
And cell phones are not just for landscapes. While you may not have the ability to have the flexibility you do with a ”real” camera, Moment Lenses can help you up your creative game – here are some photos I took with my Moment Macro Lens with my iPhone 11 ProMax. (Note you will also need either a Moment Case / drop in lens mount, and/or a Moment Lens Mount to use them).
I upgraded to the iPhone 13 ProMax in December 2021, and haven’t yet used my Moment lenses with it, but here are a few of my favorite recent shots taken during my ODT Challenges – Maizie during the ODT Lights Prompt in January and the Chelsea Clocktower for the ODT Frozen Prompt for February.
My beautiful Maizie Blu
Chelsea Clocktower reflection in a frozen puddle
For proof that you do not need the latest and greatest phone to get good pictures – check out this picture of a grasshopper that I took with an iPhone 4 and no additional lenses back in 2012. Still not sure why he cooperated, but I was happy!
iPhone photo of a Grasshopper
There are times that I wish I had my professional camera with me, but I know that if I take the time to go get it the moment will be lost so I can’t take the chance – especially when you randomly encounter nature that is cooperating with you. How often do you get a garter snake or crayfish to pose??? Yes, both of these images were taken with my iPhone.
For the record (and full transparency) I do edit my cell phone photos, but I also do that on my phone. Most of the time with PS Express, as it is included with my Photoshop subscription. However I don’t do anything too fancy – usually just brighten and contrast adjustments, sometimes clarity if needed. Snapseed is also a great editing app, and is free.
So in a nutshell – yes some cameras are better than others. But the best camera will ALWAYS be the one you have with you, even if it’s your phone!
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Tressie Davis is a blogger and photographer located in Chelsea, MI.
Well enough people told me to Go to Hell, so I finally decided to do it. Literally.
And what better day to choose, than the warmest day of the year so far? 80 degrees in April? Whoa – it was meant for a day in Hell.
I’m normally a better planner when we go on trips, but this one was totally spur of the moment. My youngest son Bob and I grabbed our phones (and money for lunch), plugged in 4045 Patterson Lake Rd in the GPS and headed out with nothing more than the Hell, MI website telling us what to expect.
The first thing we noticed when we arrived is what a welcoming place Hell is. Everyone from the time we arrived to the time we left was extremely friendly, helpful, and attentive.
Which made us feel very comfortable walking through the Gates of Hell.
From there I tortured Bob with the obligatory pictures with the face cutouts.
We obviously couldn’t do everything there was to do in Hell because um…some of it required reservations and we didn’t bring anyone to get married to – yes, you can get married in Hell.
But we very much enjoyed looking at all of the art and humor displayed on the grounds
Spring is Around the Corner
We ate lunch at the Hell Hole which was excellent – they have everything from salads to burgers to pasties. We had burgers, but I’m really regretting not trying the pasties – guess I’m gonna have to go back.
After lunch we visited the gift shop where we bought the most amazing post cards, and mailed them from Hell’s official post office – they even get singed on the way out! I knew just who would appreciate my mail from Hell…
Once I spotted the Locks of Love Bridge, I knew there was no way I could leave Hell without locking Rob in – so now he is trapped FOREVER. I bought a lock at the gift shop, and they let me borrow a sharpie to write on it, but you can bring your own lock too – there were so many beautiful locks on the bridge!
Other things to do in Hell? Enjoy ice cream at the Creamatory at Screams (the ice cream was excellent), visit the Hell Saloon, play putt putt golf, be Mayor of Hell for a day, buy a piece of Hell and get a degree from the prestigious Damnation University.
Instead of those things, I took more pictures…because of course I did.
One of my favorite spur of the moment trips to date – would definitely go again. If you find yourself in SE Michigan you should definitely GO TO HELL.
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Tressie Davis is a blogger and photographer located in Chelsea, MI.
