focus52|2012 {week fifteen} april 8 to april 14

posted by on · 9 Comments

Welcome to Week Fifteen, 52'rs! I hope you're all having a wonderful Easter holiday weekend. I've spent my long weekend having follow up surgery (nothing serious, don't worry). In fact, I'm either still there right now or flat on my back on the couch. Thanks to the beauty of scheduled posting, focus52 continues whether I'm here or not. And thanks to the beauty of my trusty little iPad, I can browse through your photos and not be bored silly while I recuperate. Yay! I love technology :)

This week, we're going to return to our photography fundamentals. This week, it's all about ...

Perspective by definition is the way in which objects are seen by the eye based on their spatial attributes. Shooting an object at eye level and then shooting the same object from a higher lever will create a difference in spatial attributes between the two images you've taken of the same object.

In plain english? Shoot it from a different angle and you have a different photograph :)

I'd like you to take some time this week to play around with perspective. Find a subject and shoot it from every angle you can think of - up high, down low, from the side, from the back ... you get it. There's been many a time I've fought for the right perspective, taking dozens of shots before I reach that a-ha moment when I know I've nailed it. You can have the most gorgeous photo opportunity in front of your lens, but if your perspective is wrong, the result is going to be less than thrilling.

In sharing your photos this week, I'd encourage you to include a few where your perspective was perhaps not so great. The ones that missed the mark before you got your keeper shot. You might want to try a diptych or even a small collage. I think it would be super interesting to see how you arrived at your final shot.

Of course, and as always, it's totally up to you. Whatever you choose to do this week, follow the prompt or no, come back here and link up your work when you're done (weeks run Sunday to Saturday, don't forget!). Links must be to the direct URL of your actual work, not just to the site it's posted in, and may be a link to your blog post or to your flickr photo (again, the actual photo, not your entire flickr stream). Also, please don't link and run - try to find some time to visit at least a few of your fellow 52'ers. That's half the fun! And don't forget the flickr pool!

Remember, you do not need to use the prompt in order to come back here and share.

I hope you enjoy your week of gaining a little perspective ;)




focus52|2012 {week fourteen} april 1 to april 7

posted by on · 14 Comments

April Fool's Day today! Did anybody get you? Leave a comment here and tell us all about it! I have to say, fooling people is a lot easier on a weekday, rather than a Sunday. Especially when you've slept in and forgotten all about it ;)

Easter is also approaching this weekend. Since not all of you celebrate the occasion, I've chosen to just give a fun little nod to it with this week's prompt.

That pretty much leaves it wide open to whatever you'd like to shoot this week, whether it be Easter related or not. I happen to love soft pastel colors in photography and can't wait to see what this group comes up with. I hope you have a bit of fun searching out some soft, pretty colors.

Whatever you choose to do this week, follow the prompt or no, come back here and link up your work when you're done (weeks run Sunday to Saturday, don't forget!). Links must be to the direct URL of your actual work, not just to the site it's posted in, and may be a link to your blog post or to your flickr photo (again, the actual photo, not your entire flickr stream). Also, please don't link and run - try to find some time to visit at least a few of your fellow 52'ers. That's half the fun! And don't forget the flickr pool!

Remember, you do not need to use the prompt in order to come back here and share.

Have a fun week, 52'rs!




focus52|2012 {week thirteen} march 25 to march 31

posted by on · 8 Comments


Welcome to week thirteen, 52'rs! Yes, you're in the right place. I couldn't stand those snowflakes hanging around here one second more so I had a little fun today designing something new and fresh. I think it's the nice weather we've been having - I have a bit of Spring Fever. And keeping with last week's theme of minimal, well ... here we are. Keeping it simple. What do you think? Do you like the new look? Summer is around the corner and I'm sure my much loved bunting flags will make a return visit to the site, but for now I'm kinda diggin' this :)

On to this week! Speaking of having fun ...

Stack it, pile it, make a mighty tower of stuff! Find some things (or people) (did I say that?) around the house or outside and start stacking! I think you can get pretty creative with this one. Just be careful! I am NOT responsible for any injuries or mishaps :)

(seriously - be careful)

Whatever you choose to do for week thirteen, follow the prompt or no, come back here and link up your work when you're done (weeks run Sunday to Saturday, don't forget!). Links must be to the direct URL of your actual work, not just to the site it's posted in, and may be a link to your blog post or to your flickr photo (again, the actual photo, not your entire flickr stream). Also, please don't link and run - try to find some time to visit at least a few of your fellow 52'ers. That's half the fun! And don't forget the flickr pool!

Remember, you do not need to use the prompt in order to come back here and share.

I hope you have fun! Don't break anything ;)




focus52|2012 {week twelve} march 18 to march 24

posted by on · 7 Comments

What did you think of our flickr pool and link up here this past week? Isn't it SO awesome to see the group flooded with all of those gorgeous green images? I love doing color prompts for that very reason. You guys did an amazing job last week. If you haven't had a chance to look at the submissions, I urge you to head on over and take a peek. Great stuff.

This week, we're going to focus on another one of my favorite photography styles (from the sounds of things lately, there aren't that many that I don't prefer. heh). Our focus52 prompt this week is ...


I try (and often fail!) to live my life by the KISS method. KISS =Keep It Simple Stupid. You know, stop making things difficult, stop cluttering up the works ... stop overdoing it basically. It can be most refreshing to just keep.it.simple.

Now, if we go ahead and apply this to our photography, what is the result? Clean lines, uncluttered images, a clear and clever view of our subject.

That's not to say that a minimalistic style is an easy one. Nope. Since you're taking it down to the brass tacks so to speak, you need to pay greater attention to the placement of your subject and the point of view you wish to present. Make your photo interesting. Out of the collage above, I think the best representation of minimal would be the scarf (in my opinion). It's framed in a pleasing manner and gives a bit of thought to what might be happening outside of the frame as well. The paper cranes are a pretty good representation too, with the reflections and hint of a second crane adding a bit of visual interest.

But what do I know. The subject of minimalism in art and photography is wide open to interpretation and personal preference. But basically, at the heart of it all, less is more. Or, y'know ... KISS.

For a REALLY good article (much better than anything I could attempt) and some stunning examples of minimalism, go have a read here. Awesomeness.

I think that once you start exploring this week's prompt, you're going to like it :)

Whatever you choose to do for week twelve, follow the prompt or no, come back here and link up your work when you're done (weeks run Sunday to Saturday, don't forget!). Links must be to the direct URL of your actual work, not just to the site it's posted in, and may be a link to your blog post or to your flickr photo (again, the actual photo, not your entire flickr stream). Also, please don't link and run - try to find some time to visit at least a few of your fellow 52'ers. That's half the fun! And don't forget the flickr pool!

Remember, you do not need to use the prompt in order to come back here and share.

Have fun this week!




focus52|2012 {week eleven} march 11 to march 17

posted by on · 6 Comments

Welcome to week eleven, 52'rs! If you're anywhere near a calendar, or somebody with Irish blood running through their veins (and at this time of year, that includes just about everybody, doesn't it?) then I'm pretty sure that this week's prompt will come as no surprise ...

Again, I'm giving you two choices here ... luck or green. And it's totally up to you how you wish to interpret either one of them. Or both of them! Have a little fun this week with the prompt. It's the exactly right time of year to do so! Embrace your inner Irish :)

Whatever you choose to do for week eleven, follow the prompt or no, come back here and link up your work when you're done (weeks run Sunday to Saturday, don't forget!). Links must be to the direct URL of your actual work, not just to the site it's posted in, and may be a link to your blog post or to your flickr photo (again, the actual photo, not your entire flickr stream). Also, please don't link and run - try to find some time to visit at least a few of your fellow 52'ers. That's half the fun! And don't forget the flickr pool!

Remember, you do not need to use the prompt in order to come back here and share.

My apologies for such a short post this week. Time got away from me a wee bit and I didn't want to be too late getting this up. I'll be back to my overly-wordy self next week.

Enjoy your week 52'rs! Watch out for those little green men!
(and that horrid green beer that's so much fun but oh so nasty. heh)