Assignement #5: Playing together.

Hi Guys...I failed to post this last night, since I have a home full of strep. Kevin is been sick and if you have a husband you know how that goes.

This week's challenge is titled "playing together". Maybe a good opportunity to get some family game night going...happy creating!

Maria

Assignement #4: I will never forget

Hi everyone...I am Just back from Atlanta from an amazing week of photography and friends. Got home to my mom who's visiting from Costa Rica and having a blast spending time with her.

So as I sit here writing about this week's new challenge my only thought is all I have to do and how I really just want to spend quality time with her...The everlasting challenge: a balanced life!

For this week, lets think about the little things we never want to forget. For me is as simple as my oldest wonderful eyelashes, or my youngest snuggled in bed with me every morning...lets think about details and capture them on camera.

Also, one of the members of the group had the great idea of getting an email out every Thursday morning reminding us of the week's challenge, so I thought it would be great to get you guy's email addresses. If you want to get a reminder email write your email in the comments below or sen it to me at maria@mariamoorephotography.com

thank you and have a blessed day

Maria

Assignment # 3: He loves me so...

Hi everyone. I don't know about you, but this rainy dreary weather is killing my creativity! I am so behind!! I promise I will catch up and this is a proof that life gets in the way.

For all of you that have been posting pictures, thank you!! I enjoyed looking at your images and reading the stories behind them.

For this week the challenge is: He love's me so! Yes! it's time to photograph your spouse. Good luck to you...

Happy creating...

52 Challenge, Assignment #2

Hi everyone, I have really enjoyed looking through your images and seeing some of your cute kids.  Thank you so much for sharing and I hope you are as excited about this as I am.  However, probably you already felt how this challenge might be harder than it appears. Life gets in the way and things come up...but the important thing is that you stay constant in your commitment to capture your children in a creative way- at least once a week. If you fall behind, don't throw the towel, just try to catch up and post as you can.

I have to admit that I don't have this week's challenge ready yet. I will soon and will share here. This weather is killing me!!!! Remember that it is important to follow the challenge and try to spin it your own way...give it some though and you will see how your creativity will come through.

This week's assignment is: "then and now"

So what does this mean? It could be interpreted as: Baby yesterday and grown child today? What they used to do compared to what they do now? Who you were and who you are today? The evolution of your own life? surprise me :)

Remember to post just ONE image (this image could be made of several in one)

ready, set, go....

xoxo

Maria

PS. To find more about this challenge click here. 

52 Challenge: Assignment #1

I went to bed last night so exited about the huge response to this 52 challenge (looks like we have over 25 people), and this morning even more had joined us. It will be so fun and I promise it will be life changing...If you have someone that you think might love to do this...share the link on your FB page and invite them. The more...the merrier.

JOIN the challenge

To be able to join there is a few things you got to do, very simple steps but it will take you a few minutes to get all set up: (you probably need to be on a computer).

1. I made a group on Flickr exclusively for us and that is were we will be posting and sharing our images every week
2. The group's name is:  MM52challenge2013
3. Click on the name and it will take you to it. If you already have a flickr account simply join the group, if you don't you will have to set one up. I made a new one for this and it just took a few minutes, I even created a new yahoo email for all of the interactions notifications to go there.
4. Once you are in our Flickr group you are all set.

The rules 

Images will be about loved ones/people/pets. There needs to be at least a human's/doggy's/cat's body part in it. No photos of stuff please.

Challenges will be given every Wednesday, and you have one week to post your images. Sign up for my updates in Maria Moore Photography Facebook page so you don't miss the blog post about each week's challenge.

"If you have nothing nice to say just don't say anything." Keep this in mind when commenting on others work. This group will have photography pro's as well as mom's and dads with regular point and shoot cameras and camera phones. Everyone is welcome and the images will not be criticized based on image quality. This is not a photography forum, but a personal photography challenge...I do promise you will improve your photography skills, just because when trying to create an image one can't help but grow. 

Be accountable for yourself and keep other honest as well...meaning: You need to post images each week for each assignment. There are always things that come up and make it difficult for us to follow the scheduled assignments, however, since we are allowing any kind of photo...even iPhone ones, there is no excuse not to post yours.

Be creative with the weekly themes/assignments.  I will give you a theme and this can mean different things to different people. You will interpret it as you wish and will use your creativity to create an image that talks to you and others. Take a day or two after assignment is given to think about what you want to do. Set up a situation or activity with your loved one that will promote the creation of these images. Remember the whole point of this challenge is not just to capture your children/family/loved ones as they really are, but to create memories along the way. For example, if the theme is food...why not set up a cookie baking afternoon for your kids and neighbors. Snap hundreds of images....look through them and show us the ONE that moves you.

For each week you are allowed only one image. This image can be a collage or storyboard of several ones that tell the story. When posting of Flickr  tell us about the image you created, and why do you love it.

This is your challenge, images need to be created by you.

This are not portraits-they will be a documentation of your family life in 2013. Do not change your home, don't wait for it to be clean and spotless-you want to remember your life like it is. 

If you are into Photoshop, Lightroom,  Aperture, Instagram, or any other image editing software out there you are welcome to edit and retouch tour images, but please don't go crazy with it. Years from now you will wonder why your kids have yellow washed out faces and alien shiny eyes. Less is more.

First week's challenge

The theme this week is "what they love"

ready set go....

My baby girl loves her Ipad. I love sneaking and finding her illuminated with Ipad light...something about the dark room and bright face makes me swoon. This images were taken with 200 mm so she never knew I was there. love that!

52 challenge 2013

Not long ago I was exclusively a stay at home mom...and my love for photography started with my kids.

I 've had some time off to slow down and enjoy my family during the holidays. And this has given me some new perspective and view of my life, and of the ways I have chosen to spent it in the last years. Somehow all I knew has become clear. 

This last couple of years have been not short of incredible for me. My business has blossomed, I have grown as a photographer more than I ever dreamed off...have made hundreds of amazing images, created many memories for hundreds of wonderful families, seniors and tiny babies. Documented weddings, births...and everything in between; and have done it with passion and love for every single client. I have evolved from natural light photographer to a full time Strobist, have became a certified Professional Photographer, have mentor some wonderful photogs and made so many friends along the way.

But...somehow in between the craziness and excitement of this full life and successful career I've missed two years of my kids lives. I know...its sounds extreme...But sometimes I feel that way. And when it comes to capturing them and their changing bodies, faces, hearts and personalities I have failed badly. Its just hard when the camera is work and you don't feel like working when at home trying to relax. But Hey...photographing my children well is/was the main reason picked up a camera at the beginning of all this....

So this 2013 year, as part of my New year resolutions I am starting a 52 project/challenge and thought it would be fun for some of you to join me...and that way we can help each other along the way and keep honest.

The requirements are simple:

1. I want you to photograph the ones you love. Kids, spouse, mother, yourself...pet. No random pics of flowers and stuff like that.
2. You can use your phone camera, DSLR, point and shoot camera, ipad...etc
3. Every week I will give you a challenge, for example "what they do", and you can interpret it as you wish and be creative with it.
4. At the end of each week you and I will post our images on a special group folder I will create on http://www.flickr.com/ and will share a little something about them.
5. With each challenge I will share with you some photography tips and tricks to help you along the way to improve your personal photography skills. 

so.....??? what you think? Are you interested in challenging yourself to photograph your children before they grow old!!!??? I know I am.....

Comment here if you are in and give me your email so I can give you more details...

xoxo
Maria Moore

And because every post needs images to go with, here I share some images I took of my baby boy today while he was playing with his new Knex that Santa brought. Image lit by natural window light.  He just loves those and I am amazed of how he follows directions and builds absolutely anything. He is too cute for words...he makes my heart happy!

thank you for stopping by.