Take pictures of the things that hold your memories, have sentimental value, remind you of a happy moment or have a story. Be creative and artistic in your crops. The creative crops, journaling (or at least museum type matting and labeling), subjects chosen and publishing is what sets this apart from an album or a scrapbook. It will truly be…your life as ART!

What kind of things would I take pictures of for this project?
There are so many little things that are special every day in our lives. It’s hard to say now what will set something apart to be one of those special memories that you will cherish for years to come. Just because an image is not used in this project does not mean that you cannot use it in your family album or scrapbook. I suggest taking the pictures, choose your favorites, and then give yourself the option of changing your mind on the final images until you are ready to publish. Time will make it more clear, and you have nothing to lose because you will always have the picture…even if it is not included in the final project.

swing, deck, slide, sandbox, basketball goal, doorway measurements, Christmas stockings, favorite stuffed animal, special piece of jewelry, a flower given to you, day trips, vacations, get togethers, etc.

You can take this project to the next level by journaling about what is in the picture.

How often? Is this like project 365 where I take a picture a day?
That is the great thing about this project. The schedule you set is up to you. If you want to take a picture a day and choose ones you want to include in your finished work, you can do that. If you want to set a schedule where you want one image a week or take one day a week to work on this, that will work, too.

How will I know when it is finished?
Well, depending on how you choose to publish it, this could be an ongoing project through your life. Things in our life do not stop being special to us, and you want to keep capturing life. You can just choose different ways to publish it or create different volumes if you choose to do this in a book or slideshow.

Ways to Publish Your Work:

• Calendar
• DVD Slideshow
• Collage
• Wall Screen
• Hardback Book (museum tagged [white border with a descriptive word or title underneath the image or words on one page with full bleed photograph on the next – it just depends on how much journaling you want to include in your book)

Starting and Organizing a Photography Project:

• Write out your idea on paper. This is where you will brainstorm and record your ideas.
• Setup a folder on your computer for this project. Include an area specifically for photographs.
• Begin taking your pictures.
• Process your pictures as you go or all at once depending on the project. I think setting aside a specific day or time of day to work on the project will help keep in the front of your mind and keep it from being too overwhelming with too much to do at once.
• When you want to include words and are at a loss, try including a poem or lyrics to a song if it is for personal use only.

My Personal “My Life As Art Photography Project”

I’m taking pictures of the things that hold our memories, have sentimental value, remind us of a happy moment or memory or have a story.

My children are grown now. I so wish I would have started this when they were little. Imagine all of the beautiful memories you would have over the period of all those years. Most of those things are long gone now for us. Some of those things we still have. I’m just going to have to look a little harder. I may find it in a Christmas tree ornament or stocking, an old toy we saved, or a special blanket. You will be surprised where you find your story – it may be in a small detail. It often is.

If your children are still young and at home, you are so blessed that you can do this now while everything is still so fresh in your mind. One day, it will not be so easy to recall.

When I am finished I will have it printed in a hardback book and make copies for my children. What a beautiful heirloom this will make! I can also make a calendar, collage, or dvd slideshow.

Join our flickr group and share YOUR pictures! We would love to hear your stories, too!

My Life As Art Photography Project – flickr Group

Or if you have them on a website, include a link to share and inspire others!

Think you would feel a little weird whipping out a card when it is not really for business?  I probably would at first, too, but it is so practical.  And if that doesn’t make you feel any better then think about all the trendy moms you would be joining the ranks of in the latest craze.  One day everyone will probably be thinking, “Who doesn’t have a contact card?”

These go by many names: mommy and me card, contact card, calling card, or business card (trust me…we all run a business whether we work outside the home or not).

Here are some ideas of what you could include on your card:

• name
• telephone number
• address
• e-mail
• blog url
• facebook url (If you haven’t created your own url yet, be sure to do that.)

I have a couple of files for you to download to make your own.

If you have an image editor that reads psd file, that is probably the best way to download the template

[dm]4[/dm] – Best for people who have an image reader that reads psd files and with a faster internet connection since it is a larger file.  The main advantage to this file is that it is a layered file.

[dm]3[/dm] – This file can be used in any image editor.  You will just have to have a little working knowledge on how to insert your image and information over mine.

Printing Instructions:  To print you will either need to find a lab that prints business card size files or use an actual business card printer.  Another option would be to put several on a larger blank image (like an 8×10) and printing it as an 8×10, and then cutting them yourself. This may even be the best option since printing as an actual business card usually involves a certain quantity.

I confess.  I am a sentimental gal.  You will find very few material things that mean more to me than my pictures.  As a matter of fact my “most valuable” material things are worth very little monetarily.  For this reason, I think meaningful picture gifts are perfect for so many occasions.  Now before you go grabbing any old picture of yourself and slapping it in a frame to give to someone, you might want to think that one through a little more.  I do believe there are certain picture etiquette rules that apply here for giving things like this for a special occasion. It’s one thing to give grandma a framed picture of yourself because you just got the prints back and wanted to share one with her, but it’s another thing to wrap that up and think it is the birthday gift of her dreams.

Keep this one rule of thumb in mind when giving pictures as gifts:  It makes the picture more special if it is a picture you either took of the other person or if it is a picture of you and the other person.

Always surround yourself with things that mean something, things that move your spirit.  What meaningful and thoughtful gifts these would be for that someone special.  You will never have to worry if they have one like it already, it will not be re-gifted or thrown out.  Give those who are special to you something that will warm their heart and move their soul when they see it.  These gift ideas also make great gifts for yourself, too.

Occasions for Photo Gifts

• Christmas
• Mother’s Day
• Father’s Day
• Birthday
• Valentine’s Day
• Anniversary
• Graduation
• Going Away
• Coming Home
• Wedding Gift
• Baby Gift
• And always remember that gifts are great any day.  They do not have to be for a special occasion.  As a matter of fact, sometimes a gift for no reason at all even means a little more because it was not expected or required.

There are so many meaningful ways to share pictures as a gift.  Remember, too, the importance of handwritten words when making your gift.  There is something about seeing someone’s handwriting that makes the words even more special, so if your photo gift calls for any writing, make some of it your own handwriting.

• Recipe Book – This is a great gift idea for a mom to give her children!
• Fine Art Coffee Table Book – This could include family history, pictures with inspirational words, journal, favorite memories with a particular person.
• Calendar with same type of pictures as above.
• DVD Slideshow
• Put old family pictures on DVD – Be sure to scan at a high resolution for printing. Also make sure none of the images are copyrighted.  Any professional image will be copyrighted.
• Have an old favorite image restored, printed, and framed.
• Create your own art prints – These can be used for note cards or framed prints.  Subject ideas for art prints:  flowers, landscapes, nostalgic family heirloom or place (i.e., lake house, favorite vacations spot, great grandparents home, church – could be church where parents or grandparents were married or family church, childhood home, etc.)
• Create a room with a view – Take the picture from your special place that you want to remember and frame it in an old window frame.
• Calling Cards – These go by many names: mommy and me cards, contact cards, business cards, calling cards, etc.  They are perfect for sharing contact information with everyone and would be a fun gift to do with a very social person.  Click here to learn more and download a free templage to use to make your own.
• Special Times/Special People - Take pictures of your family and/or friends throughout the year at get-togethers and such and print them for them and put in an album for a special day.
• Create an album/scrapbook for each child – Include cards, drawings, certificates, and pictures from their life.  Include family pictures, too.
• Keep a photo journal for your child from birth.  Just think how precious this would be for him/her to have one day.
• Photo book of favorite things – This would be great for a child to have of all the things he holds dear.
• A child’s favorite toy book – Take pictures of your child’s favorite stuffed animal or doll as you would a day in the life photo session (i.e., Mr. Bongo loves to play the piano, plays hide and seek with [insert child's name here], favorite food for lunch, etc.) This way not only will you capture a special part of your child’s life by using their favorite toy but will also capture what they love to do at this age.  Think of the things your child loves to do, especially things they love to do with their stuffed animal or doll (i.e., tea party, soldiers, sport, instrument, food, games, how the favorite animal or doll looks forward to seeing them in the morning, loves sleeping with them, etc.)  Include all of these special moments in your book.  Be sure to include cute little words to go with it.  This will be so priceless for them to have while they are young and when they are older.  What a great way to start teaching a non-reading child to read.  This can be made into a book and/or a DVD slideshow with words and music for watching on the television, too.
• A day in the life session – Take the same concept from above and use for a day in the life session (i.e., “Mommy & Me”, “Daddy & Me”, “My Brother/Sister/Grandmother/Grandfather/Best Friend/Cousin & Me”, etc.)
• Art Book – Take pictures of your child’s artwork and have it printed for them!  How awesome for them to be “published”.
• Give the gift of a photo session – And I don’t mean the boring traditional photo session.  Find a photographer who specializes in capturing connections and the real person. This would be a great thing to do for mom and dad or your grandparents.  Imagine hiring a photographer who really knows how to capture grandma and grandpa and the 50+ years of history they have together.  What a treasure that would be for everyone…forever.
• Boudoir Session – This is fun to do just for yourself.  Every woman needs to be in touch with their inner sexy love goddess.  But, if you are married, your dear hubby will think he has died and gone to heaven.
• Close-up Art Photography – Make art from your photography. It’s a beautiful way to express yourself creatively while making art for your home, Christmas or note cards, or a gift for someone special.

Who would not love any of these photo gift ideas!

~Tammy Cobb

Top 5 Reasons to Take More Pictures

• Memories fade – As much as we would like to think we would remember a special moment forever, the sad truth is that most of our memories fade with time. Our pictures help us to remember the times we never want to forget.
• Pictures bond.  They give us roots and history.  It is always nice to have the pictures to go with all of the fun, crazy stories.
• It creates a visual history for future generations.
• Pictures are priceless treasures.  When people lose everything in a house fire, that is the one thing that is irreplaceable to them.
• Life can change in an instant. I hear countless stories of people who either just had pictures made before life changing news, tragic accident, or death and people who missed the moment before it passed to be gone forever. My brother told me one time that there are no guarantees in life and that we are only guaranteed the moment we have right now. He found out he had a brain tumor within a year and was dead within four years. There are no guarantees, so never wait for the perfect time. It may not come. And if it does, then you can just take more pictures, but meanwhile you have pictures that you may not have another opportunity to get. Trust me. I know. I write this just a few steps away from my precious mother who is near death as I am wearing a sweater that I purchased for her a year or two ago for us to do pictures. She wanted to feel better first. Better days never came.

I’m so glad I got this picture of us together last year.

She died last week just barely over a year after I took this picture. As I finish up this article that I started earlier this month, it is her birthday today.  She would have been 89 years old today.

I had no idea it would be the last one of us together…ever.

While it was not the amazing, professional picture I had hoped for, I now treasure it. I still can’t help but think what pictures I would have of us together today if she would have realized there would not be better days ahead.

How to handle people not wanting their picture taken or not liking the way they look in pictures.

Tell them their perspective will change in ten or twenty years. As they get older, they will most likely look back on an image that they did not like of themselves when they were younger and absolutely love it fifteen years later.

We can probably come up with many reasons for not taking pictures.

• I’m having a bad hair day.
• I’m not in the mood.
• I will miss too much of what is going on because I will be behind a camera.
• Everyone hates it when I take out my camera because they hate to have their picture taken.
• So and so never likes how they look in pictures and always complains.

These reasons pale in comparison to why we should be taking pictures.

The more pictures you take, the better. Especially in the age of digital where you can take pictures without the cost of film and developing.  The one word of caution I give here is to actually print your pictures and back them up…several places including off site in case of a fire.

Take lots of pictures.  The perfect one you want could be the very next picture you take. Or the very next picture you take could be the last chance you would ever have.

~Tammy Cobb

Here are a few of my favorite Photoshop Presets for CS2. It’s hard to find presets for CS2, so here are a few that I created.

6 Adobe Photoshop CS2 RAW Presets – Speed up your workflow with presets!

basic black with vignette preset basic black without vignette preset

film look with vignette preset film look without vignette preset

mocha black with vignette preset mocha black without vignette preset

$30

When you receive the presets, place them in your settings folder:
Document and Settings – Owner(username) – Application Data – Adobe – Camera Raw – Settings

Original image: