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Mae Dricken sees the world through a camera lens. Her images capture the wonder and delight of everday life and for Mae that means her 12 grandkids and the world that surrounds them. Mae lives in Wisconsin and takes every opportunity during the warm months to photograph the flowers in bloom and her grandkids chasing butterflies. Winters, however, can be long and dreary—but not for Mae. In her photo book Winter in Wisconsin Mae focuses on the beauty of winter—sparkling snow, shimmering ice, gleaming white snow cover against piercing blue skies. More of her nature photography can be found on her Shutterfly Share site MD Photography Photo Journal. |
How does Mae photograph the wonder of winter and the power of nature?
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Consider composition. Mae goes for a different angle to create eye-catching compositions. Take the photo through a window, doorway or even a tree trunk.
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Find a focal point. Shoot something ironic or misplaced, like playground equipment in the dead of winter.
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Shoot wide angle. Wide angle lenses are commonly used for landscapes because they will allow you to include more in the frame and open up perspective. Mae likes to shoot long fences or paths to show great distance.
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Lisa Hanson is a professional pet sitter and her services come with a bonus. Each pet owner gets a “While You Were Away” photo book—a collection of beautiful images, shot by Lisa, to show what Fido was up to under Lisa’s care. Lisa is always thinking of new ways to capture the personalities and stories of her furry clients. Favorite Pet Portraits is a collection of favorite pets that Lisa’s either sat for or met along the way. |
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What’s the best way to capture the spirit of your fluffy friend?
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Get low and close. Whether playful or soulful, every pet has a unique personality. Capture it with close-up shots at eye level (their eyes, not your).
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Lots of light. With black animals especially, it is important to give them lots of light from all sides to bring out their features and detail.
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Share your passion. Lisa has posted many of her shots on her Shutterfly Share site Pet Portraits. Lisa has taken her work a step further by altering the images in Photoshop to create pet-inspired art prints.
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Lisa McCully loves pictures old and new. She is never without her camera and her family and friends expect to say cheese when Lisa’s around. As the family historian, Lisa has made and published over a dozen photo books chronicling the everyday lives of her family, friends and coworkers. Her greatest muse these days is her granddaughter Kyleigh for whom she created a heartfelt and poignant photo book The Magic and Wonder of Kyleigh. When it comes to photographing Kyleigh or any member of her family, Lisa says more is more. So she keeps pressing the shutter and uploading her images to her Shutterfly Share site Lisa’s Photo Time. Lisa keeps all of her photography and a lot of other memory markers—including movie ticket stubs, postcards from around the world, her cross-stitch collection, and her Nascar memorabilia—scanned and preserved forever. |
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Want to capture the essence of everyday moments? Here’s what to look for:
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Details. Smiles are usually plentiful but don’t forget about feet, hands, details in clothing, books on the desk, sports equipment, an unfinished piece of birthday cake and the hand on the coffee cup.
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Get sneaky. Photograph people when they aren’t watching. You’ll catch a softer more natural subject, in a moment of thought or relaxation. People look their best when they don’t know you’re looking.
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Don’t recreate the wheel. Lisa’s layout is simple. You can replicate it using the “Make One Like This” feature for photo books. With the click of a button the photo book will appear with the same layouts and back grounds as the original. Simply upload your own images and place them where you want.
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