I’ve been experimenting with animating some of my images. Come see some of my holiday ones.

The original image of the stockings is at the top.

I’m using an app called PhotoLeap that lets me add these cool animations. Too much fun.

By Susan E L Lake 

©2022 SusanLakePhotography.com

For those of us who must view the world through a bus window (not the best way but the only option for some of us), the question is always “which side of the bus is going to get the best pics?” I can tell you from personal experience it’s NEVER the side I choose. It’s much like check out lines at the grocery store . . . 

As a result, the great shot of the Taj Mahal or even the reindeer in Norway grazing on a lawn is likely to be on the OTHER side of the bus. Shooting through a sometimes dirty bus window across an aisle and past the folks sitting near the “good” side isn’t a very successful option.

So what’s the solution? It’s not to dash from one side of the bus to another as tempting as that might be. Instead I’ve found crowdsourcing to occasionally be a wonderful compromise. Folks love to show off their great shots and when I encounter one of those “wish I’d gotten that” images, I ask if I they would consider sharing it with me. Since I rarely if ever encounter anyone who is actually making their living doing photography, I’m not asking for them to “give” me their livelihood. Instead they are usually thrilled that someone actually wants one. 

If one is “showing off” with an apple device (iphone or ipad) using airdrop is a quick and easy way to do this. If that’s not possible, there’s always texting or email as a transfer method. I do keep some homemade business cards that I carry in a card case which makes it easy to just hand that off with maybe a note of what image I want. 

If someone airdrops the image, I try to make a note of their name so I can assign proper credit. If one is using an apple device, “pulling down” the image reveals a line with a caption space. I put their name and details there. 

I assign these crowdsourced trip images to a separate folder when I’m sorting trip images just so I know these aren’t “mine.” But again, I’m not a professional who is publishing photographs that I must certify as my own work. If I were, this would be more important.

Crowdsourcing doesn’t have to be done with complete strangers. A recent visit to North Carolina with family was a great example of ways to use this option. In one instance my husband and I had gone to a museum and I forgot to take a photograph of the front showing its name which I wanted as part of my trip record. My daughter was going the next day so I asked her to capture it for me. When I looked through her pics from that day, I realized she’d also got one inside that I hadn’t so I asked for it too. My son-in-law takes great photos and I often ask for some of his also. And even my granddaughter (who knows how much I love flowers) shared some of hers from a garden I had been unable to visit. 

Since photographs are all about “memory” for me, you may wonder why I’d want crowdsourced photos of places I hadn’t seen. And it would be a good question. Everyone will have different set of “rules,” but the one I use is if the image adds something to my own memory (such as a brief glimpse through a bus window), then I want it. In my granddaughter’s case, I was at the Biltmore with her and wanted to go to the garden but couldn’t. Having flower pics were a wonderful consolation prize and gives me a reason to promise myself a visit in the future.

Many of us over the years have purchased post cards of iconic images as a reminder of places we’ve been. Adding someone else’s photographs to my own is somewhat the same. It’s always more satisfying to take the shot yourself since your “eye” is going to be different from someone else’s, but there are times when it’s a great compromise. Give it a try.

By Susan E L Lake 

©2022 SusanLakePhotography.com

For those of you who follow me on Facebook, you will have seen me often posting “morning play” photographs. These are images that I have modified using a variety of apps on my iPad. This is not the same as editing for contrast or sharpening to make my images look just a bit better. Instead, I take a photograph that I think is fun or interesting and modify it in myriad ways. I may distort it, add interesting borders, or even turn it into a whole ‘nother look. It’s play, pure and simple. I’m not trying to create exquisite artwork although if I truly like the outcome, I may upload it to my Meural (my magical frame that I talk about here.) I’m just exploring. I try first one look and then another. I’m just having fun.

Do you see that word “fun” that keeps showing up? I think “morning play” is an important activity because too often we take photography seriously aiming for THE shot. Some  of us spend hours tweaking, cropping, and adjusting to get the perfect shot. I am as guilty as others. By letting my self to “play” with images, I release the goal of perfection and just get to enjoy the image which still triggers those wonderful memories I’m aiming for. 

So what apps do I play with. There are countless ones: some free, some expensive, and those in-between. The one I spend most of my time with is Photoleap by Lightricks. I bought it using a Christmas iTunes gift card making a purchase I would NEVER have done on my own. It’s one of those that falls into the expensive category, but I “bit the bullet” and purchased a lifetime subscription so I’d always have it (or until the company quits supporting it). As a result, I use it often trying to assuage my guilt figuring “if I paid that much for it . . .” I have to say I’ve gotten my money’s worth.

There are others that I have acquired over time when they were “free for a short time.” These Apple apps (although there are likely Android versions) include Trigraphy, Moku, Glaze, Brushstrokes, and Deep Art Effects. 

What I like about all of these is that while I have Photoshop experience that would allow me to create similar changes, I can use these apps to create modifications instantly without having to use a complicated Adobe process. I’d have more options if I did use dedicated software, but I’m willing to make the trade off. 

So what kinds of things do these apps let me do. I can create frames, I can erase parts of the image, I can merge multiple images, I can adjust the colors in unexpected ways, I can jazz things up or tone them down. In short, I can play with my pictures exploring new looks. I can mask parts of an image or change its impact. I don’t start out with the intention of creating a particular “look,” but instead I just explore and experiment. Most of the outcomes are not particularly worthwhile, but that’s okay. I’m just playing so there are no expectations. Some days I love what I do, but most of the time I delete my efforts. Give it a try. You might be surprised how much “fun” you have.

By Susan E L Lake

©2022 SusanLakePhotography.com 

One of the things I find myself photographing on my travels (even brief trips to a local restaurant) is food that is served to me. Some folks ask “How come?”. I’m always taken aback because it seems so obvious to me, but then upon reflection, I realize it is not. But I do have very good reasons to carry my phone to dinner with me each night and even at breakfast. It’s because beautifully plated food is art in its own right. The chef or even an ordinary cook has taken the time to carefully place food in such a way that it is not only beautiful to eat but lovely to behold. For me it’s one of the delights of cruising. 

One of the things I often photograph are flowers in my yard. Yes, they are pretty, but they are also temporal. That bloom will never appear again in the same way. By taking a picture of it, I capture that ephemeral moment. Food plating is exactly that. Within moments, the plate too beautiful to eat is disturbed with my first “bite” of fork. No longer is the perfect symmetry apparent. No longer are the complementary colors separated just enough to create impact. If I don’t record that event, it will be lost forever.

Often real effort is made to make food look as good as it tastes. When that doesn’t happen, I have to admit to being disappointed. On a recent cruise that was brought home to me far clearer than I expected. The food I was served was good (often very good), but I found myself dissatisfied.  I couldn’t figure out why. I was not going hungry that’s for sure. The food was hot and tasty. But it wasn’t pretty. 

A secondary reason to record “food art” is that it also gives  me a record of “ideas” to try at home. I’m not a good “plater” so I need all the help I can get. Reviewing what others have done gives me ideas to try at home. They act as great models and I think I’m actually getting better at it.

 Meanwhile, I’ll continue to capture food for the eye as well as taste buds.

We’ve all seen those sitcom episodes where an unsuspecting guest is invited to see a family’s vacation pictures. It just goes on and on and on. The family loves it. There are countless “oh, yes, remember when dad fell off the cliff” comments. As someone who hadn’t been there, though, it’s mind numbing at best. So how does one take pictures you and others want to see? That’s the goal of this blog.