It seems that the photos I am most proud of or cherish the most are never “technically” perfect – at least not in the conventional measurements of composition, focus, clarity, story, art or whatever.  However, they are perfect in a way that those measurements could never describe.
I created this image as part of the Dogwood 52 photo challenge, for the week 7 theme “Portrait: Faceless” with a description of “Tell someone’s story without showing their face”.
I love freckles in general, but there no freckles that I adore more than the ones on my little guy’s face. He is not covered with them, but has just the perfect smattering across his cute little nose.
When I saw the Freckles contest on Viewbug, I had to enter. I immediately took Mister Robby out to the front yard and told him to sit on the sidewalk. The beautifully engaging smile? That was all him, and it makes the image don’t you think?
Did I mention that I am a Viewbug member? I love this site for inspiration – if you’re interested in photography check it out!!
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Tressie Davis is a blogger and photographer located in Chelsea, MI.
Lacking Inspiration? Try one of these 5 Creativity Apps
Before anyone beats me up, yes I know these are all ios apps. I have an iPhone, sorry. I tried to look up Android versions and did not find them, though the LearnPhoto Developer indicates he is working on an Android version.
Step up your photography game with LearnPhoto 365. The free version of this Photography Assignment Generator app includes most of the same functionality as the paid version, and you may never need/want to upgrade. The menu of this app is very straight forward, and you may choose your assignment from a list, or allow the app to choose one randomly for you. Categories include camera settings, composition, creative techniques, creative thinking, fun with light, landscape and nature, photographing people, randomizer and various subjects. Within each of these categories you will see an additional breakdown of lessons or challenges related to the category, and when choosing those, an explanation and assignment using the technique. The app allows you to save your favorites to revisit time and again. The “challenges” option is possibly my favorite part – within challenges you will find options for 365/52/30, Selfie 365, scavenger hunt, weekly portrait and 30 day subject, each of which breaks down into a list of shots to accomplish. Of all of the apps in this article, this one is my favorite. (photographer much? ha)
Do you need inspiration on how to overcome an obstacle, or general brainstorming? Oflow is the solution. Choose from a list of methods including Backtrack, Free write, Start at the end, etc, or allow the app to choose a random method for you. Within each method are instructions on how to utilize it. This app allows you to save your favorite methods, write notes and set reminders.
A virtual pack of creativity cards, Whack Pack will generate ideas, give advice, and generally just point your brain in a new direction. “Give me a Whack” will bring up a card with a simple concept. Turning that card over (story) will give a story/outline of the concept and why it is beneficial, followed by questions to ask yourself
Art Prompts ($ .99 ios plus in app purchases available)
In their words: an endless supply of creative inspiration for artists! This is the first app I’ve used that combines multiple genres, styles and mediums (including photography, yay). Choosing the “mixed” tab will give you a medium, a style, a genre and a word to use for inspiration. Other tabs will give you one of the options (for example a style) along with sketches and colors for inspiration.
Ok I know I said that the first app was my favorite, and maybe it is but Brain Sparker is definitely a close second. The free starter pack comes with 200 spark cards to “trigger new ideas and fresh thinking”. The cards include probing questions, inspirational quotes and images to prompt ideas. You may purchase additional decks individually for $ .99 or VIP Access for $2.99 – I chose the VIP access and now have access to all decks and the app allows me to choose which decks to include in my shuffle at any given time. Decks include the starter pack, New Year pack (goal setting), Blogger pack (titles for crafting blog posts), Coach’s pack (probing questions for powerful change), innovator pack, quotes pack, words pack (trigger words for focus and clarity), and writers pack (story starters for creative writing). Even when I don’t need inspiration I love browsing through these cards!!
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Tressie Davis is a blogger and photographer located in Chelsea, MI.
I released a relaxed exhale as we left the cruise ship and began our walk down the path to the beach, enjoying the happy laughter of our kids as they raced ahead, cool breeze flowing through my hair when…”excuse me, will you take our picture?”. I awkwardly accepted the offered point and shoot and even more awkwardly try to figure out how it works as my dear husband says “you picked the right person, she’s a PHOTOGRAPHER“.
I wanted to slap him.
I don’t know why I am so uncomfortable with the title being blurted out like that. Is it because I perceive that other people will assume I should know how to work ALL cameras as I stupidly fumble with theirs? Is it because I know in this moment, this light, this location they will get nothing more than a snapshot (some photographer, they will think when they review the photo) or is it in fear of the dreaded “me too!” As every Tom, Dick and Sally is now a “professional photographer”? Or horror – if they really ARE a photographer, are they secretly judging me by the quality of their requested snapshot?
At that moment, it was a little of all of the above I think.
Am I a snob? Maybe. Sometimes. But paradoxically I am also supremely insecure about my own abilities and wonder what my place is in the photography world. Permanently ensnared between confidence and insecurity, flowing one way or the other with the wind – I’ve heard enough stories to know that I am not the only photographer/artist to feel this way.
So the next time I’m on vacation and I am the one that stops an unsuspecting passerby with “excuse me, will you take a picture of us?”, and she looks at me awkwardly as her husband pipes up “you asked the right person, she’s a PHOTOGRAPHER!’, I will smile warmly and say “me too”.
Riley and me in Grand Cayman (2011)
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Tressie Davis is a blogger and photographer located in Chelsea, MI.
