photo a week – Page 38 – nancy merrill photography

A Photo a Week Challenge: Red

In images, color (or the lack of it) is as important as what is in the image. Sometimes, the color is the reason for the image. Red roses are iconic in our society for many things: love, wealth, success. The red of blood can mean life or death. In the movie The Sixth Sense, the director purposefully had something red in every scene (now I dare to you watch the movie without looking for it).

IN A NEW POST CREATED FOR THIS CHALLENGE, SHARE A PHOTO OR TWO THAT HAS RED AS EITHER THE MAIN OR AN ACCENT COLOR.

Look for the red in your life, or use your photo editing software to enhance or create images that represent red to you. Then blog them and post a link to your masterpieces here.

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. Follow nancy merrill photography so that you don’t miss out on weekly challenge announcements.

A Photo a Week Challenge: From Color to B&W

With so many photo editing programs out there, it’s really easy to manipulate and change images on the a computer. One of the basic changes we can make is to change a photo from color to black and white. However, true old-school b&w film is processed in a completely different way than color film, and most of us have watched a colorized movie that makes us go “Eh, not what I expected.” Because the medium and process for color and b&w are so different, it can be challenging to make a color photo really pop in b&w. I’ll use a picture from Baby R’s photo shoot to demonstrate.

Here’s the color version:
(I just have to take a moment to say just how cute this little guy is.)

Now, here’s the image in greyscale with no manipulation:
(Yes, he’s just as cute in black & white.)

And here it is in black and white with contrast, saturation, and exposure edits to really make it feel more like it was taken on b&w film:

IN A NEW POST CREATED FOR THIS CHALLENGE, SHARE A PHOTO OR TWO THAT YOU’VE CHANGED FROM COLOR TO B&W.

The sky is the limit on this one (or maybe even higher). Get creative with your camera software (so many cameras have photo editing features installed), Adobe® Photoshop® software, Apple® Aperture®, or whatever software you like to use to edit your photos. Then blog them and post a link to your masterpieces here.

(All products and services that are referred to in this post are or may be trademarks of their respective owners.)

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

Here’s how it works:

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. Follow nancy merrill photography so that you don’t miss out on weekly challenge announcements.

A Photo a Week Challenge: The Look of Love

Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day. For many people, this is the day that represents love. Love comes in so many forms (romantic, platonic, familial), it’s hard to pin it down. I like to think of love as an action instead of an emotion. This picture is from my nephew’s wedding two years ago. While I have many pictures of the bride and groom, I adore this picture of the bride and her father. I also love the look that the groom is giving his new father-in-law. Every day we choose where and how we give our love, not just on Valentine’s Day.

And just in case you think I’m neglecting the person I choose to love, here he is looking at me with so much love in his eyes it stops my heart:

IN A NEW POST CREATED FOR THIS CHALLENGE, SHARE A PHOTO OR TWO THAT YOU FEEL REPRESENTS LOVE.

All you need is love. Love makes the world go round. Love changes everything. Love means different things to everyone. Find images of love to share. Then blog them and post a link to your find here.

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

Here’s how it works:

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. Follow nancy merrill photography so that you don’t miss out on weekly challenge announcements.

A Photo a Week Challenge: Trapped

This little sweetie came with her mom to a church youth activity (we toured the State Capitol Building), and she was not happy about being strapped in her stroller. She really wanted to roam free, like the big kids.

IN A NEW POST CREATED FOR THIS CHALLENGE, SHARE A PHOTO OR TWO THAT YOU FEEL REPRESENTS BEING TRAPPED.

There are so many ways that things or people can be or feel trapped. Some are good for us, and some are not. Blog an image that shows someone or something trapped and post a link to your find here.

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

Here’s how it works:

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. Follow nancy merrill photography so that you don’t miss out on weekly challenge announcements.

A Photo a Week Challenge: The Eyes Have It

I don’t know what it is about baby eyes, but they sure can melt your heart. This little cutie showed up at a baby shower a few months ago, and I couldn’t resist taking a few pictures of him. He was so easy-going and a natural when the camera pointed his way.

IN A NEW POST CREATED FOR THIS CHALLENGE, SHARE A PHOTO OR TWO OF SOME OF THE EYES IN YOUR LIFE.

Eyes are one of the first things we notice about other people, and they convey so much that we don’t say out loud. Blog an image of your favorite eyes and post a link to your find here.

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

Here’s how it works:

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. Follow nancy merrill photography so that you don’t miss out on weekly challenge announcements.

A Photo a Week Challenge: View

When you look to the east from my office building, this is what you see. Well, this is what you see on a really good day. On a bad day, like today, all you see is hazy smog and an outline hint of mountains. The Wasatch Front of the Rockies Mountains is one of my favorite views. People I’ve talked to who are visiting Salt Lake City for the first time almost always mention how much bigger the mountains are in real life than they thought they would be. Pictures don’t do them justice.

IN A NEW POST CREATED FOR THIS CHALLENGE, SHARE A PHOTO OF YOUR VIEW.

Get creative and find some unique and interesting views in the world around. Blog an image of a favorite view and post a link to your find here.

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

Here’s how it works:

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. Follow nancy merrill photography so that you don’t miss out on weekly challenge announcements.

A Photo a Week Challenge: Square

I love looking at different shapes. I love how they form our world, and how variety creates beauty. I also love baking. My sister introduced me to a square cupcake pan that I finally got around to using. It is amazing and fun.

IN A NEW POST CREATED FOR THIS CHALLENGE, SHARE A PHOTO OF SQUARES.

Look around and find the squares around you. Blog an image that represents squares to you and post a link to your find here.

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

Here’s how it works:

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. Follow nancy merrill photography so that you don’t miss out on weekly challenge announcements.

A Photo a Week Challenge: Children

I realized that I missed last week. Sorry if you were looking for the weekly challenge. This week I have chosen children for the theme. I love shooting pictures of children. They are so unpredictable. Sometimes they’ll look right at the camera. Sometimes they will only let you take funny pictures of them. But however they react to the camera, it is always surprising and interesting.

IN A NEW POST CREATED FOR THIS CHALLENGE, SHARE FAVORITE PICTURES YOU’VE TAKEN OF CHILDREN.

Blog your image or images and post a link to your find here.

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

Here’s how it works:

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. Follow nancy merrill photography so that you don’t miss out on weekly challenge announcements.

A Photo a Week Challenge: Friendship

Websters Dictionary defines a friend as “a person who you like and enjoy being with”. Friendships spring up daily; sometimes it’s obvious that two people are going to be friends; sometimes it’s a complete surprise to everyone.

IN A NEW POST CREATED FOR THIS CHALLENGE, SHARE A PHOTO THAT SHOWS WHAT FRIENDSHIP MEANS TO YOU.

What defines friendship for you? Lifelong sharing? One shared moment with someone you may never see again? Blog an image that represents friendship to you and post a link to your find here.

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

Here’s how it works:

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. Follow nancy merrill photography so that you don’t miss out on weekly challenge announcements.

A Photo a Week Challenge: Frozen

Utah rarely gets freezing rain. This morning we woke up to one of the worst commutes in a long time. The airport is shut down, and the city is slowly deciding to send people home and shut down.

This branch is outside my kitchen window, looking into the backyard. I was fascinated by how the ice has encased the wood.

IN A NEW POST CREATED FOR THIS CHALLENGE, SHARE A PHOTO THAT SHOWS WHAT FROZEN MEANS TO YOU.

So many things can freeze: water and cold temperatures, fear, surprise, photography (a frozen moment in time). Blog an image that represents frozen to you, whether it’s weather related or not, and post a link to your find here.

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

Here’s how it works:

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. Follow nancy merrill photography so that you don’t miss out on weekly challenge announcements.