3 Things : playing with printing + a giveaway

Hi There
Right now my favorite paper is the Staples brand generic satin finish 4x6 paper. This is awseome stuff ... just like the matte from the developer.
Photo challenge, I would like to play more with photos on transparency and vellum. I have done a few and they have all smudged.
have a great day
keltie johnson

Hi Ali, I need to work on exposure. I think that is the key to getting great shots.

This stuff looks great! I will have to see if I can find it here in NZ.
I love to take photos and my personal favourite tip is simple dont pose, be free and trust me I take oodles of photos :O)

My only tip would be to always be ready. I always have a small point and shoot camera and two batteries in my purse in case I need to take a spontaneous photo. And don't be afraid to play with the settings of the camera.
Isabelle

My tip is to always have a camera around because you never know when you're going to need it.

My advice will be nothing new to regular readers of your blog (and fans of your work). And that's just to take photos of all the everyday moments. So many people I know only take photos at "events" (preschool graduation, birthday party, Easter, Christmas) not realizing that the true events of a life are made up of all the simple moments within a day (discovering a ladybug, painting a picture, giving a baby a kiss or a grandmother a hug, etc). Layouts and projects I've made using photos like this are my absolute favorites.

Hi Ali, my favorite photo tip is that I've started using the aperature priority mode on my Canon Digital Rebel, and using a large aperature, small f-stop to get only part of the photo im focus and the rest blurred. I'm loving the result.
Audrey

This prinitng your photos on vellum looks
so cool. i love to take pics of my family and friends in real moments. They always want to pose,so it is always a challenge.
Thanks for al the great inspiration

What I want most to work with my photos is for it to blend. I don't want to show off how much money I spent on decorations, or have everything in a frame or on a gallery wrap, I just like to subtely enhance the feel of the picture.

Thanks for focusing on just the photos and words this week - how liberating to take your challenge! 1) My unoriginal favorite photo tip would be that I upload my pix to Costco and then I do all of my editing and printing there - love their sizing options. 2) I have an unreal photo wish - I would just like to have someone come on over to my house and show me how to use Photoshop, or to be on speed dial, so I could just call and wouldn't have to read a manual.
Have a wonderful week!

My photo tip is, take lots and lots of pictures, the more I take the better I am becoming.
Pam

Just wanted to say I love this whole words and photos week... and there are some awesome tips in the comments already- all my good ones were already taken, I think!
Thanks for all your inspiration!

I'm still learning about my digital camera and by experimenting I learn so much...I often think that I need some professional know-how advice? I just think that the camera is such an awesome device. I got my first camera (Nikon) as a wedding gift from my husband 25 years ago and right now our 18 year old is using it for a photography class (she has already mastered digital) and I am amazed at what she is doing and learning. We have several different lenses that my husband and I used to interchange and I hope that she gets to experiment with these as well. Thanks for the chance to share in a passion.

My best tip is to take a picture that you know you will like... then try from a different perspective--High--low...angled, close. After a while you will start to find other ways to see things. Right now I am all about the MACRO setting and getting really close!

First thing Ali, you totally rock girl!! Out of all the leaders in this industry you are by far the BEST. Ok, back to photography, I am totally in love with my 50mm lens. What a difference it makes in portrait photography. Just needed to get use to myself being the zoom.

Ali, again I find so much inspriration on your blog! For photos, this year I am taking a photo a day...and I am finding I'm taking more photos of my everyday life. I am capturing more of those little moments. Love seeing these pictures coming back from the printer - I am so inspired to scrap them!

Hi Ali,
I've always loved taking photos, after having worked as my high school's photo editor a billion years ago. I think my composition and camera skills are okay, but now I find two areas that I find to be a challenge for me. First is... taking photos of my three preschoolers (ages 5,4 and 3) who are constantly in motion. I love the IDEA of getting them in the same frame, maybe even a portrait? Maybe this is more of a Mommie issue? The other thing I'd like to focus on is avoiding always zooming in on my subjects. Ali, I love how you use some of the "white" space for journaling. I rarely have this space in any of my photos.
Thanks for your inspiration!
:) Paula

I just recently discovered the Papermill store online and loved browsing through their collection. My favorite photo tips are to take lots and lots of photos and don;t forget to hand the camera over once in a while so you can be in the pictures as well.

Ali, as always you are such an inspiration. Loving the topic of words+photos this week. My tip is to remember to change your perspective. Lay down...get to your kids level. Get up....look down. Change it up and your photos will be much more interesting.

My favorite tip for taking photos is to take several pictures of the same thing from different angles - at the same level, above, and below, from the sides, etc. You are bound to get at least one great one!