A Photo a Week Challenge: Golden Hour

Aloha! Sorry about the two-week hiatus from the challenge. We had the opportunity to go on a cruise around the Hawaiian Islands. I don’t like to give advanced notice of being gone (i.e., empty house) for two weeks, so I didn’t announce it.

But that means that for the next few weeks, at least, you will be flooded by images from the beautiful isles of Hawaii. This image was taken just before sunset at Three Tables Beach on the North Shore of Oahu. Golden hour is the time just before until just after sunset. It creates the perfect lighting for photography and is a photographer’s best friend for outdoor shoots. If you can catch this time on a beach, all the better!

IN A NEW POST CREATED FOR THIS CHALLENGE, SHARE A PHOTO OR TWO (OR MORE) WITH PERFECT LIGHTING (IN YOUR OPINION).

Everyone is welcome to participate, even if your blog isn’t about photography.

Here’s how it works:

1. Each week, I’ll come up with a theme and post a photo that I think fits. You take photographs based on your interpretation of the theme, and post them on your blog (a new post!) anytime before the following Thursday, when the next photo theme will be announced.
2. To make it easy for others to check out your photos, title your blog post “A Photo a Week Challenge: (theme of the week)” and be sure to use the “postaday″ tag.
3. Come back here and post a link to your image in the comments for this challenge.
4. Follow nancy merrill photography so that you don’t miss out on weekly challenge announcements.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Local

If you ever find yourself in Bountiful, Utah, stop at Vito’s for lunch. Best sandwiches in town.

For more from this challenge, visit the Daily Post’s Weekly Photo Challenge: Local.

Cee’s Black & White Challenge: Indoor Walkways, Hallways, and Elevators

For more from this challenge, visit Cee’s Black & White Challenge: Indoor Walkways, Hallways, and Elevators.

A Photo a Week Challenge: Inanimate Objects

As a photographer, I am constantly asked to photograph live subjects, especially people. No big surprise. Every now and then, I get requests for photos of non-living things, like this beautiful table a friend built. He is thinking of selling it, and asked me for some pictures of it for advertising. It was a fun, short session, and the table is so beautiful, it was a joy to work on these photos.

IN A NEW POST CREATED FOR THIS CHALLENGE, SHARE A PHOTO OR TWO (OR THREE OR…) OF INANIMATE (NOT ALIVE) OBJECTS.

Everyone is welcome to participate, even if your blog isn’t about photography. Here’s how it works:

1. Each week, I’ll come up with a theme and post a photo that I think fits. You take photographs based on your interpretation of the theme, and post them on your blog (a new post!) anytime before the following Thursday, when the next photo theme will be announced.
2. To make it easy for others to check out your photos, title your blog post “A Photo a Week Challenge: (theme of the week)” and be sure to use the “postaday″ and “Photo a Week” tags.
3. Come back here and post a link to your image in the comments for this challenge.
4. Follow nancy merrill photography so that you don’t miss out on weekly challenge announcements.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Blur

For more from this challenge, visit Weekly Photo Challenge: Blur.

A Photo a Week Challenge: Tilted

Have you ever tilted your camera on accident and then thought “Wow, that works!” If you have some time to work with your subject (or subjects), try some shots with your camera tiled from slightly to wildly and see what happens. It can add a unique twist to a commonplace image.

IN A NEW POST CREATED FOR THIS CHALLENGE, SHARE PHOTOS THAT ARE AT A UNIQUE ANGLE.

Everyone is welcome to participate, even if your blog isn’t about photography.

Here’s how it works:

1. Each week, I’ll come up with a theme and post a photo that I think fits. You take photographs based on your interpretation of the theme, and post them on your blog (a new post!) anytime before the following Thursday, when the next photo theme will be announced.
2. To make it easy for others to check out your photos, title your blog post “A Photo a Week Challenge: (theme of the week)” and be sure to use the “postaday″ and “Photo a Week” tags.
3. Come back here and post a link to your image in the comments for this challenge.
4. Follow nancy merrill photography so that you don’t miss out on weekly challenge announcements.

Cee’s Black & White Challenge: Music

I couldn’t resist Cee’s challenge this week. I have been involved in music longer than anything outside of my family.

From a recital at my sister’s house. The performer is Larry Green, a professor of music at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah.

Next, a black and white version of my piano student at her high school concerto night.

This one is of a very good friend, Kelly DeHaan, who is the resident music director for Hale Centre Theatre in West Valley City, Utah. He was conducting a master class about picking the right audition song. In this picture, he is accompanying one of the singers he invited to perform for the class.

And finally, my nephew and his new wife (now my niece!) dancing the Macarena at their wedding reception with many of their family and friends joining in.

For more from this challenge, visit Cee’s Black & White Challenge: Music.

Selected as a Featured Post on Cee’s next challenge, Bathrooms and Outhouses. Thanks, Cee!

A Photo a Week challenge: Profile

I have a confession to make. I enjoy profiles more than standard portraits. I know that sounds a little off for someone trying to build a business as a portrait/wedding photographer, but it’s true. I think you get some of the most interesting expressions when your subject isn’t looking at the camera. Sometimes you capture a pensive look, sometimes something more mischievous.

IN A NEW POST CREATED FOR THIS CHALLENGE, SHARE A PHOTO OR TWO THAT INCLUDE AT LEAST ONE SUBJECT IN PROFILE.

Everyone is welcome to participate, even if your blog isn’t about photography.

Here’s how it works:

1. Each week, I’ll come up with a theme and post a photo that I think fits. You take photographs based on your interpretation of the theme, and post them on your blog (a new post!) anytime before the following Thursday, when the next photo theme will be announced.
2. To make it easy for others to check out your photos, title your blog post “A Photo a Week Challenge: (theme of the week)” and be sure to use the “postaday″ and “Photo a Week” tags.
3. Come back here and post a link to your image in the comments for this challenge.
4. Follow nancy merrill photography so that you don’t miss out on weekly challenge announcements.

A Photo a Week: Anticipation

If you ask a child, waiting is not fun. However, most adults have learned the value of savoring the feeling while waiting for something good to happen. In my research to be a good wedding photographer, I learned that most brides lament the lack of pictures of the couple kissing. However, I find the moment before the kiss is actually a better shot. You can feel the anticipation and joy in the moment. (And there’s the added bonus that the couple’s faces aren’t obscured by being squished into each other.)

This shot was taken at Heathrow Airport many years ago when I traveled to England with two very good friends. We were waiting for the rest of our luggage to make its way off the plane, onto the conveyor belt, and into our anxious hands so that we could truly begin our adventure.

IN A NEW POST CREATED FOR THIS CHALLENGE, SHARE A PHOTO OR TWO THAT SHOW ANTICIPATION.

Everyone is welcome to participate, even if your blog isn’t about photography.

Here’s how it works:

1. Each week, I’ll come up with a theme and post a photo that I think fits. You take photographs based on your interpretation of the theme, and post them on your blog (a new post!) anytime before the following Thursday, when the next photo theme will be announced.
2. To make it easy for others to check out your photos, title your blog post “A Photo a Week Challenge: (theme of the week)” and be sure to use the “postaday″ and “Photo a Week” tags.
3. Come back here and post a link to your image in the comments for this challenge.
4. Follow nancy merrill photography so that you don’t miss out on weekly challenge announcements.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Minimalist

A good friend lent me her very nice lighting setup for a wedding shoot. She brought it over a couple of days before the wedding so she could teach me how to set it up and I could play around with it a bit. This is a small part of a quick photo I took of her, and I love how the lights reflected in her glasses. Thanks, Renée! The lights worked great!

For more from this challenge, visit Weekly Photo Challenge: Minimalist.