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That may strike you as a bit pessimistic, but we think this whole New Year’s Resolutions thing has gotten a bit out of hand. This New Year’s, instead of making difficult resolutions anyone would have trouble keeping, then feeling bad about it when you fail, why not pick something that’ll make you feel good every time you do it? Here’s a few fun photography resolutions we’re considering this year. Pick one that you think you’ll enjoy and start 2007 with a smile. |
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Party photos are tough to take, especially if you’re the host and your guests are camera-shy. A surefire method to great snaps? Power to the people! Yes, friends, the photo booth is back. And it’s not just for drug stores and shopping malls any more — several enterprising photographers have reimagined the humble automatic photographic machine as the life of the party. Here’s a couple of our favorites along with instructions for rolling your own: Mark Van S’s Futuristic Digital Photobooth [via A VC] The Shine Flickr Photobooth The Do it Yourself Digital Photobooth
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No, we’re not talking about
 Photography isn’t just about capturing a moment, it’s also about seeing the ordinary in a new light. A wise photo teach of ours once told us that no matter where you are, no matter how ordinary your surroundings may appear, there are always great photographs to be made. You just need to figure out where and how to look. Here’s a fun exercise for gaining new perspective on the ordinary: examine how your world might appear to someone much, much smaller than you. Whether your star is an old G.I. Joe, a Barbie, or a mini Steve Jobs, this exercise is sure to give you fresh eyes. Here are a few examples to get you started: Slinkachu’s Little People Karin Stack’s Believe You Me Ernie Button’s Cereal Landscapes |
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They call it jowling, and here’s how it’s done: Grab a friend. Ask him to loosen his facial muscles, then shake his head side-to-side, fast. Now fire away. (Use flash for best effect.) It’s so ridiculously fun and easy, there’s a whole website devoted to it. Check out the hall of fame, the how-to video, and the top jowls. Remember when you made fugly faces at your sister, and your mom said your face would get stuck that way? This is what it’d look like today if she’d been right. Jowlers.com p.s. We also really dig David’s studio-lit jowlers at Ironic Sans. (Those are his pics above.) |
Exaggerated faces that look like they’re made of playdough, expressions that scream cosmetic surgery gone horribly, horribly wrong…|
Sound good? Then we’ve got the perfect photo project for you! Armed with a camera and a few simple tools, you too can conquer the art of the impromptu street portrait. Find out how in this simple tutorial by our friend Youngna. How to Shoot Impromptu Street Portraits |
This weekend, spend some time outdoors, explore a new neighborhood, hone your portrait-taking skills, make strangers smile, and walk away with some amazing photographs.|
Look at me contains his work: cherished family photographs lost or thrown away, snapshots of time long gone, simply forgotten. The ability to take a glimpse at the world though another’s eyes is what makes photography such a poignant art form. Sometimes it’s the photographs that were never meant to be seen by others, photos no longer cared for, that are the most evocative. The names and stories are unknown, but the images, and the narratives that we cannot help but create, are waiting to be recovered. Next time you find yourself at a flea market and see a box of forgotten photographs for sale, do yourself a favor and give them a new home. What you find may just inspire you. Look at me See also…
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In 1998 Frederic Bonn found a few photos scattered on a Parisian street and decided to put them on the web. Eight years and 572 photos later, he’s still doing it.|
His aim is simple: to take a single portrait of every family member, every year. The results are jarringly beautiful and thought-provoking. 25 years collapse in an instant. You can breeze through this in a second, if you want. But do yourself a favor and spend a few minutes really looking at these faces. We think it’s never too late to start this photo ritual. (BTW: Our friend Ely notes, and we agree, that Nicolas has clearly become a player by 1998.) Diego Golberg’s Family Portrait Ritual |
If we could turn back time, we’d find a way to make our parents follow the annual ritual that Diego Golberg has been practicing since June 17th, 1976.|
Miranda July, the woman who wrote and directed the delightful “Me and You and Everyone We Know”, publishes quirky “artistic assignments” that get you thinking outside of your norms and acting creatively. Remember art class in elementary school? Finger painting and collages and pottery wheels? This is like that, but ten times more fun. You’ll be surprised at how good it’ll make you feel. Here are some of our faves: Assignment #11: Photograph a scar and write about it Assignment #27: Take a picture of the sun Assignment #30: Take a picture of strangers holding hands Assignment #39: Take a picture of your parents kissing Assignment #50: Take a flash photo under your bed Set aside some me time and dig into a few. There are no due dates, and you’re guaranteed an A+ in feeling good. Miranda July’s Learning to Love You More |
Ever feel like you need a boost of artistic inspiration? Something to jolt you out of a creative rut? We’ve got just the thing.