Saturday 30 May 2015

Composition Tips from Steve McCurry


Do you ever wonder why some people just have a natural ability to take AMAZING photos? Is it natural or is it learned? Maybe it's a bit of both. 

If you have a creative soul, I think it most likely comes natural - you see things creatively and thus take beautiful pictures as the camera lens is an extension of how you see the world. 

I think I'm a bit of both! I can envision how I would like a photo to look, I take the shot (or in my case many, many shots). Then rely on my editing abilities to bring the image to life. In the editing room, it's easy to move your photo around to create the lines and symmetry you need for an eye-pleasing photo, it only takes a few minutes and you'll be glad you did!

If you don't have a creative bone in your body, or need a gentle reminder, I found this video with some simple tips from Steve McCurry that will help you to take AMAZING photos! 


Video: Watch NOW




Composition Tips with Award Winning Photographer Steve McCurry

The 10 tips he outlined are pictured below so you can check back on this post for reference. 

#1 Rule of Thirds


Photograph by Steve McCurry

#2 Leading Lines
use natural lines to lead the eye
Photograph by Steve McCurry

#3 Diagonals

Photograph by Steve McCurry

#4 Framing
use natural frames like windows and doors

Photograph by Steve McCurry

#5 Figure to Ground
Find contrast between subject and background
composition tips with steve mccurry cooph (5)
Photograph by Steve McCurry

#6 Fill the Frame
get close to your subjects
composition tips with steve mccurry cooph (6)
Photograph by Steve McCurry

#7 Center Dominant Eye
It gives the impression the eyes follow you
composition tips with steve mccurry cooph (7)
Photograph by Steve McCurry

#8 Patterns and Repetition
Patterns are aesthetically pleasing but look best when interrupted

Photograph by Steve McCurry

#9 Symmetry
always pleasing to the eye
composition tips with steve mccurry cooph (9)
Photograph by Steve McCurry

#10 Rules were meant to be broken.
Enjoy yourself and photograph in you own way and style.
steve-mccurry-photographer-portrait

Saturday 23 May 2015

2015 in 2015 Challenge


I'm always looking for a way to keep active, and I find it very hard to keep motivated. When I stumbled across this challenge on Run the Edge Facebook page just after Christmas, I immediately checked it out and wanted to take part! 

2,015 rte banner


The challenge is simple; 5 miles a day, every day for the year which totals 2015 miles! You could do it yourself or as part of a team, you could walk or run or a combination of both. I asked two of my friends to join me so we could combine our walking to reach the 2015 miles (3242 KMS) together! 

We named our team "FITCHICKS" as we are going to use our FitBits to keep track of our daily steps and KMS. And because we are using our FitBits to help keep tracking easy, we have each challenged ourselves to walk 2015KMS in 2015 (1252 miles each) in total steps! As this is a US based challenge, totals are entered in miles, so we'll have to do the conversions when entering our results.

As an avid scrapbooker, I have kept myself motivated by taking pictures along the way. It's been amazing to see the transformations of the creek at Kiwanis Park throughout the first part of the year, it seems to be different every time I walk by. Sometimes, just knowing I am making an album to track this journey, helps me to get out for my walk.

If you are interested in a challenge like this... you can start anytime, simply register at the Run The Edge sign up page and start walking/running! You don't have to complete 2015 kms/miles - choose your own goal - 5KMS a day from June 1 - Dec 31 is 1070KMS and completely doable! 

Take the pledge, get moving and why not take some photos along the way to celebrate your accomplishment and to help keep you motivated... it's fun and you'll feel happy you did!

Happy Scrappin' & Walkin'!
T.

Did you know 10,000 steps...
is about 1.5 hours of walking
a distance of 7 KMS  or 4.35Miles
burns 405 Calories


Check out some of the photos and album pages I've completed so-far....








Digital Scrapbooking Kits Used:


Sunday 17 May 2015

Make the SWITCH to Panstoria!

It's easy to make the switch!


Please use the links in the blog to purchase your software so that it will be linked to my account and contact me should you have any questions or require a consultation.


Ordering your Memory Manager / Storybook
1. Go to www.photos2albums@blogspot.ca and click on the program you want
2. Order the program, you will be asked to create an account with Panstoria
3. Once ordered, you can immediately download the program
4. Follow download instructions on the screen
5. Open the program
6. Insert Activation Code
7. You're Done – yay!!

On a computer WITH existing Memory Manager / Storybook, your programs will open and operate just as they did before! (You may have to direct the programs to ‘find’ the files on your computer (usually located in Documents) see below for instructions.



On a NEW computer WITHOUT existing programs
You have just got a NEW laptop/computer and want to install and transfer your current content, projects & vaults. Now this is a bit trickier, as you are switching computers and there is more involved with making sure you save Vaults, Projects, Content & Activation Codes. Here is a step-by-step guide.



  Memory Manager to Historian
1. SAVE your Memory Vaults to your NEW Computer - this can be done two ways:
    a) SAVE the vaults to an external hard drive or USB (locate the file on your computer - usually in documents - right click to copy and then paste onto the device/new location) then copy from the device to the NEW computer (this give you a backup on your device)
    b) Have the file transferred to your new computer (this is sometimes done for free or for a small fee when you purchase a computer)
2. Follow steps 1 - 7 above to order the Software.
3. Go to the Welcome Page and click on "Open another Vault" 
4. Go to where you store your vaults on your computer or external hard drive
5. Open the vault
6. Everything is there the EXACT way it was in Memory Manager!



For Storybook / Artisan:
First, SAVE your Activation Codes
1. Open Storybook
2. Go to Manage Content
3. Click Activation Codes
4. Click 'Make a Backup Copy"
5. Save the copy to your desktop
6. Close the program

Next SAVE your Content and Project Files
7. Locate where you store your content & projects on your OLD computer
8. Copy them to the NEW computer or to an external hard drive or USB then to new computer
9. Order & Download program as in Steps 1 - 7 on previous page
10. Open the program

To IMPORT CONTENT into your NEW Artisan
11. Go to 'Manage Content'
12. Click 'Add folder to library'
13. Locate where you saved your content on your computer
14. Click OK to import
15. Open the file you saved with all the codes.
16. Go to the Activation Codes
17. Click on Add New Code
18. Paste the copied codes, click okay

To import your PROJECTS into your NEW Artisan
19. Go to the Welcome Page
20. Click Open Project
21. Locate where you saved your projects file on your computer or external hard drive
22. Click OK to import 


Download and Consultation Service:
To help you make the switch, I offer a one-on-one download service. I will come to your home and help you with this process. This usually takes 1 hour for downloading onto an existing computer and 2-3 hours onto a NEW computer depending on the file sizes and time it takes to save and import vaults, content etc.
I also offer a photo album design service to complete albums for you!
Fee is $25 per hour.

Please use the links on the website below to purchase your software so that it will be linked to my account and subscribe to the blog for ideas, inspiration and updates.

Saturday 2 May 2015

2 MORE Done - YAY!

I have sooooo many projects on the go! Does that sound familiar? Family albums, trip albums, school albums, sports albums; and oh, so many more.... it can be overwhelming to get your album projects completed!

You need to set a Goal or a Challenge for yourself!

My goal is to complete two - 2 page layouts of my Vegas Digital book IN ADDITION to my regular scrapbooking. And let me tell you, even as an avid and experienced scrapbooker, it's not easy! But sometimes, simply just knowing that I must complete those pages has me editing photos or importing content here and there during my 'spare time' (does anyone really have that anymore???) to help me get those pages done on the weekend.

So, here is this weekend's completed page layouts! Remember, I like clean lines and little embellishments on MY pages - I like to focus on the photos and story. I do like the new way of layering and layering of embellishments, but I simply 'can't' do it in my albums - lol.

Enjoy,
T. :)

Want to create your own digital scrapbooks?
Historian Photo Organizer and Editing Software: Order Now
Artisan Digital Scrapbooking Software: Order Now
Digital Scrapbooking Papers, Templates & Embellishments: Order Now


The Pool


the Corridors 
(still thinking of the proper word for 'corridor' in a hotel, it will come to me before the book is printed, but for now - this is the title!)