July Photo Swap

Yesterday I received my first Scent of Water Photo Swap package in the mail. Oh, I am not worthy! Leanne at The Stitching Room neatly packed several photos, one in a frame, a couple of her cards and a darling handmade notebook. She took some phenomenal photos to interpret the July theme "In Motion." Naturally, the nature pics grabbed my attention first - water flowing around rocks in a stream. However, the one that makes me stare at it and daydream is one that captured fire licking around pieces of wood. Campfires are a favorite activity of mine. I could watch them forever, poke at them and watch the ends of the sticks glow in the night. She captured some unique shots of the everyday - an umbrella in the rain, underneath which is her son running. It's unearthly and awesome. For the cooks among us a delightful capture of a kitchen concoction being stirred, which is buttery and creamy. My daughter in particular loves the shots she sent of an amusement park. The handmade notebook feels good in my hand, and will fit nicely in my photo bag to jot down notes about my work.

This was my first photo swap and I can see I need to step up more. The poor recipient of my gift received a handmade card and two photos. It's definitely time to get more creative.

What I've enjoyed about the photo swap is observing the talents and interpretations of a theme, and the sharing and delightful comments from people across the globe who enjoy playing with their cameras. Shooting around one topic made me think differently about the way I photograph objects. I didn't want to do it the same old way so I experimented with all manner of manual settings and positioned myself differently to get shots. It was a terrific exercise, and I'm grateful to Diane at Alberta Postcards for inviting me to join the group. It was a kick!

Now.......I'm ready for the next topic. Bring it on.