Lines and repetition create movement through the frame.  They draw the eye to a particular point.  

Either find or create an interesting line-up of items today.  

The only way I’d get this close to a snapping turtle is if it was a baby! Was it hard to shoot it? Yes! Was it worth it? Double yes! 

If getting up prevents you from getting down, shoot from where you’re most comfortable. The important thing is to get the “camera” on the level with your subject. It's a whole different world down below!

Once upon a time there was a little girl who lived in a village near a forest....

A fairy-tale is an enchanted, mythical short story belonging in the folklore genre. The word fairy- tale can also be used to describe something exceptionally happy, as in having a fairy-tale ending. If you tell a far fetched story or tall tale, it might also be described as a fairy-tale.

Today you get to choose your own fairy-tale!  Are you going to dress up and act out a scene? Or, has there been a fairy-tale ending to your day that you can photograph?  Maybe you might want to tell a tall tale in the form of a photograph.

Me, I dug into the depths of my tickle trunk and headed out to the woods....."What big teeth you have Grandma".  

As you go through the day consider the little and/or big things that you do just for YOU! 

Maybe you routinely pick up flowers at the grocery store, get your nails done, set aside time for a peaceful stroll along your favorite trail or meditation on the living room floor.  Maybe you meet friends for a round of pickle ball or  book club; or, simply grab a coffee or take out after a long day!

I took a few minutes to pick some daffodils on my way home from work.  

It's the fifth of the month again! Time for your monthly "My World" seasonal photo. Some of you are photographing the same spot each month, or using a letterboard, or meeting friends for coffee and pastries! Let's see what your World looks like today!

Yellow is such a cheerful color.  It seems to be the color that epitomizes happiness.

As you go about your day today, look for a little bit of happiness in the color yellow.  It may be a flower, someone's clothing,  some sunshine, or you may be surprised to find happiness in an unexpected place.  Be open and be happy!

Whatever water you can find today will be good. If you, for some reason, can't get outside then look towards your fruit bowl or your flowers.  Spray them gently with some water and photograph the drops.

What sort of water will you find today?

Someone was having some healthy fun while staying healthy! 

What does staying healthy mean to you? Exercise? Food? A good habit? Inspire us with your photo. 

High Five!

Did you know that the number five symblizes freedom, curiosity and change?   I interpret this as an opportunity to go out and explore or go on an adventure....to find five items!  I set out on an adventure and found a burned out car in the bush and was intrigued by it's 5 lug nuts!  If you cannot get out, a still life is a great back up plan.  

Share a quick snap of something that is part of your everyday! 

Today is a blank canvas for which all of the other prompts have prepared you.

Keep your eyes open and have fun!

A mother's job is to nurture those in her care.  Whether you nurture children, pets, or plants, you are important in the lives of those for whom you care.  As we celebrate Mother's Day in the U.S. today, show us those who have been entrusted to your care or the person or persons who have nurtured you.

In your photos you do not need all of the object to be in sharp focus.  But make sure that the focus is on the bit that you want to be sharp.  

Put the sharp focus on the thirds, this really helps to draw your eye. Nigella's are in season here and is a different sort of flower to the normal.  I focused on the twirly bits.

Remember it is Macro Monday so try to get in close and show us the interesting bits in sharp focus.

Negative space is a simple, but powerful way to draw the viewer’s attention to the subject. It can also heighten the story you want to communicate, such as fear, awe, or, in my case, the punchline! Uncluttered backgrounds like an expanse of empty sky, open water, or a blank wall work. Let that space take up much more of the photo than the subject. If you are not in complete control of the background--a seagull overhead for instance--put that healing tool to use and wipe it out. 

Negative isn’t always negative. Used well, it can be very positive! 

ar-tis-tic having or revealing natural creative skill

What a fabulous word for this group!  We are a creatively divergant group.  As photographers we create artistically every single day.  We are supportative and appreciative of each other and I love that we are not a competative group, but instead learn from one another while encouraging each other to carry on.

Many of us have artistic skills outside of photography.  We are a group rich in musicians, painters, dancers, knitters, sewers, book binders, weavers, florists, bakers, quilters and even flower print makers, to name a few.  

What is your artistic talent outside of photography?

When something is larger than life, it is more exciting and interesting than anything else around. It attracts a lot of attention and becomes the stuff of legends. 

Since 1858, the Mickey Coffee Pot has been a towering fixture in NC. It stands over 7 feet tall and can hold up to 740 gallons or 11,840 cups of brew!

Share something that caught your attention today!

Today is Challenge Day!  The challenge is to recreate the image shown above with your own twist. Today we are going to intentionally blur the pages of a book.

To create this image, I had my camera on a tripod and the settings were ISO 500, 42 mm, f5 and 1/8 sec. I used natural light coming in through the window. I pressed the shutter and then flipped the pages.

Find a book today and have fun blurring the pages. Play around with the shutter speed until you get the blur you want. The objective is to have everything else in the scene clear with only the pages blurred.

Have fun!

Are you ready for a scavenger hunt!  Today's the day.  Our prompt is "In a Box".  I decided to do a little rhyme with today's scavenger hunt.  I used the same box for each of the photos but you could use a different box for each if you'd prefer.  For today's scavenger hunt find something old, something small, something floral, ending with them all.  I took a photo of each item and for the last photo, I placed them all in the box together attempting to arrange them in a pleasing way. 

Happy hunting!

Did you know that seeing faces in things is called pareidolia.

So whilst out and about today, see if you can find a face in an object.

What expression will you find today?

Stacked; verb, past tense; a number of things arranged in a stack or stacks. (definition from the Oxford Dictionary) 

What is the difference between stacked and piled, you may wonder? According to my research, a stack is neat and orderly and a pile is messy. You might see stacks of pancakes, papers, rocks, books, or even stacked heels today. Let your imagination run wild and take a photo of any stacked item you find. Have fun!

It is technical day!  Today we are going to try physiogram light painting!  Don't be scared.  The word is big but the technique is simple!  

Simply put, a physiogram is a picture of a light pattern caused by a swinging light and captured by using long exposure.   

Here is the step by step process

1. Hang a torch or laser pointer from a piece of string from the ceiling.
2. Set your camera exposure to manual, and use your smallest aperature and a low ISO setting.  Set your shutter speed to 30 seconds (you can experiment with what works best for you). Put your camera on 10 second timer or use your remote.  
3. Place your camera on a tripod that can face upward (or put your camera on the floor facing up) and place it directly under your hanging light. 
4. Turn on your hanging torch.  Turn off all the other lights.  Swing the torch, and press your shutter button on your camera remote to start the exposure. 

It's that easy!  Experiment with different exposure times, coloured lights or multiple light strings!  I used the flashing emergency light on a small flashlight. 

There are many, many light painting techniques including spinning steel wool, waving glow sticks, and writing words with light from a flash light or sparkler.  Try light painting today! 

Let's try to capture a unique perspective of our subject, by shooting from a low angle. This can be achieved by positioning your camera below eye level, on the ground, or looking up at your subject. Can't wait to see how low you go! 

Earlier in the year I bought myself these Lego roses.  I used them for a prompt in January I think.  At that time, I had completed four of them.  I've since completed the whole dozen and the accompanying baby's breath.  I am in love with them and have them in a vase on my dining room table.  This was my first venture into the Lego world and I think I'm hooked.  I see more Lego in my future.

What are you currently loving?  Photograph it and show it off to us!

Look! Up in the air! It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s a steeple! It’s whatever you want to shoot that’s pointing skyward! (Just don’t hurt your neck looking.)

“The most pathetic person in the world is some one who has sight but no vision.”
― Helen Keller

Today is Picture Me day with a focus on our eyes.  As photographers, we think of our eyes as our most valuable asset.  Being legally blind, I have to agree with the words of Helen Keller.  I don't have the sight that most of the world does.  It is "vision" that helps me to feel confident picking up my camera every day.  It is also difficult for me to want to photograph my eyes up close because I have nystagmus.  So, my photo today reflects all of those things.  

For those of you who have beautiful eyes, be grateful for them and show them off today!  And if you don't, show us how you relate to your eyes.

I decided to go big or go home with my “scissors!”  I also put them to work! 

My photo's impact depends a lot on diagonals as a compositional tool (no pun intended). The eye is led around the image by the angles within the shears, the diagonal line of the fence, and the pops of orange. It’s a popular technique dating back to the Renaissance. 

While you’re photographing your scissors today, give diagonals a try. They can take this simple subject and turn it into art.

To be alone means to have no one else present. 

 By isolating your subject within a large amount of space, you can get some very satisfying results. It may show isolation, sadness or complete peace of mind. 

Today photograph one item, alone! It can be one person, one tree, one boat, one building or anything you find....alone!  

There are lots of ways to frame your image; with structures like doors and windows, with bits of nature like the branches of a tree, or literally with a picture frame. What will you choose? 

I grew up in a very low tech world.  There have been so many technological advances during my lifetime; it's hard to keep up!  Many low tech items are now obsolete or are gracing our museums! 

A lot of people still hang their clothes on a clothesline to dry.  Sometimes the low tech way really is the better way! Do you still hang on to low tech ways or devices?  Let's take a walk down memory lane today and revisit some of our favourite low tech devices and systems.

The art of letterwriting seems to be vanishing from our culture. It makes me a bit sad as a letter preserves a piece of the sender forever. The handwriting and writing style are unique and the contents can snap a piece of history. I have a collection of letters that my parents and grandparents wrote. They are special treasures to me. Do you have any letter collections? If not, you can write a letter today!

This time of year, much of my "free" time is spent in the greenhouse or in the garden.  In reality, my time spent tending to the plants is doing chores, but they don't really feel that way.  I enjoy this time more than I do most other chores.

Are you doing chores today?  Having fun? Or mixing the two together?  Where do you stand?