Attention to Detail

Connecticut Colors

Although I tend to love big sweeping landscapes, often, its the little details that make those scenes work.  Patterns, textures, colors, catching something at just the right moment…  They are just as important as a good sunset or a nice foreground.  Macros and details are an art form and skill set in their own right.

Peruvian Salt Harvest

A while back, I began putting together my “Free Banner Thank You’s”…just a little way to say I appreciate you guys.  My gift to you?  A spruced up FB page.  Now, when I go out on photo excursions, I try to keep a full eye our for nice landscape compositions, and half an eye out for “detail” shots.

Factory Folige Facebook Banner

I happened to be going through my “to-be-edited-still” photo folders, and it occurred to me that often, those very same “details taken with a purpose” shots are some of my favorite.  They’re not a big moody landscape or an emotional portrait…but they’re cozy, they’re interesting and they have a quiet confidence to them that I like.

West Coast Shamrock

For those of you who haven’t done so, check out my FB Page, like it, and then enjoy the banners folder.  For those of you who already have liked my page, you have my gratitude.  Word of mouth is my only form of marketing.  Your support is my inspiration…it helps me make time for just one more edit when I’m tired, and just one more photo-trip when I’m poor, and just one more sunrise when the warm bed is calling.  Your support helps me book weddings, and music promo gigs, and keep food on my table.  I couldn’t do this without you guys.  I’m so glad we’re taking this photo journey together. ❤

Sending gratitude your way.

XO

Shannon

Happy Earth Day!

Celebrations should have gifts, don’t you think??  Therefore…my gift to you, my friends….or at least to my friends who are on Facebook…is a free banner!

Sea Lions Facebook Banner

It’s not much…but you know…starving artist and all that. lol  If you’re on the FB, come find me!  (Like it.  I double-dog-dare-ya!)

This image of sea lions napping was taken at La Jolla in California.  As soon as I saw the jumble of yellows and browns of the sea lion families, I fell in love.  Not only were they adorable, but the range of colors among them was fascinating.  (Can you tell I’m an “earth tones” kind of person?)

Those of you who know me, know I’m a tree hugging kind of gal.  And Earth Day…a reminder to respect and protect the only planet we’ve got…well…that is my kind of holiday.

There is so much that can be said about saving the trees (so we can make enough oxygen), or recycling (because we’re running out of places to bury our trash) or preserving water (so the ridiculously cute sea lion babies have a safe place to grow up)…but I won’t.  That’s what the EPA is for!  An authoritative voice on what you can do to help the environment.  Authoritative in a pleasant suggestions sort of way. 🙂  Go here to read about some small things you could do to keep Mama Earth kickin’ for the forseeable future.

Oh…think baby sea lions can’t persuade you?  Think again!

Baby Sea Lion

<insert girly excited squeal here>

This little guy was about 50 feet from me, alone on a rock, enjoying a sun bath.  I called out to him, and he turned his face my way…just enough time to capture this shot.

Dear Baby Sea Lion…I heart you.

My Gift To You!

Shamrock Banner

Every now and again, I like to give a little something back to you guys, my online-friends.  Those of you on Facebook who follow my page…well…you already know about my occassional give aways.  The rest of you though…well…what the heck?  You don’t like free stuff???!!??

 

If you’re on the FB, please stop by my photo page and click the like button.  I promise not to hit you with a million quadrillion bazillion annoying updates.  Just purty pictures, the occasional interesting or inspiring something-or-other and…oh yeah…did I mention free stuff??

 

One of the things I like to do is put out timeline banners for y’all to use if you so choose.  Maybe you really love seals and sea lions, but…hey…you weren’t with me on this last trip I made to California.  That means you couldn’t take a photo of the awesomeness that was baby sea lions.  But maybe…just maybe…I took a photo or two with you in mind.  And maaayyybbbee I’ll be posting it on my page in the next few days for anyone (you, sea lion enthusiast extraordinaire) to use as their banner. Only way to know for sure is to follow my FB page, right?

 

Do it. 🙂

Two Questions

1) Do you Facebook?

2) Do you like free stuff?  (Like, legit free…not like…here’s the flu, hope you enjoy.)

If you answered yes to both, I highly recommend you hop on over to the Seeing Spots FB page for some gifties.  I started putting together free Timeline Banners as a way to show my appreciation for all of your continued support.

Mt. Washington Banner

You guys are amazing, you help keep me motivated to work harder, be better at what I do and are a solid reminder of why I love photography so dang much!

XOXO
Shannon

The Interwebs

Today, a photographer has to be so much more than a person with a camera. At the very least, to run a business, most photographers need to be proficient in email, become a master of online marketing and learn to use social media (Facebook and Twitter, for example) as a means to understand their clientele. For me, it also involves the use of search engines to research, online shopping for the best deals on camera equipment, google earth for location scouting…and online photo communities.

Now, in my mind, online photo communities and forums can be an invaluable resource for inspiration, education, networking and constructive feedback. There is, of course, varying degrees of quality for all of those items based on both the skills of the community contributors and the intangible “standard” that all participants adhere too.  In other words some forums…G+ or pbase, for example…tend to be supportive environments compared to some URL’s where the M.O. is less civilized.

Another great resource for the evolving photo enthusiast is YouTube…I’ve found that for editing in particular, seeing a video of someone’s signature method is helpful!

It seems that the modern photographer needs to have their hands in several pots.  They need to find time to develop relationships with clients on the FB, tweet about the newest trends, learn from upper echelon artists on G+, get feedback and inspiration from their community of choice (pbase.com, flickr, etc), market their wares at zazzle/cafepress/redbubble, learn the newest masking technique on YouTube, research with Goodsearch.com (shameless plug!  Choose “Second Chance Ranch Equine Rescue – East Longmeadow, MA” at your charity of choice and they’ll receive a penny for every search)…find your way with Google maps, write about your experiences with WordPress (double shamless plug?)…and….  Oh yeah!  You need to find time to actually practice your craft and shoot a few frames.

This is what I call multi-tasking...

Piece of cake, right?

So seriously…find me at:
www.seeingspotsphoto.com
www.pbase.com/seeingspotsphoto
https://seeingspotsphoto.wordpress.com/
www.facebook.com/SeeingSpotsPhoto
www.zazzle.com/skalahan
https://plus.google.com/?tab=wX&gpcaz=7c5e53f4#110144804314450410619/posts

seespotsphoto@yahoo.com

Product of the week: http://www.zazzle.com/happy_holidays_card-137367144163460445