Free Fall Printables Round Up
A round-up of free fall printables to help you decorate for the autumn season on any budget!
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Mini Home Tour: Powder Room
Today I’m sharing a mini tour of our first floor powder room. It’s tiny and just perfect for the main floor of the home. It’s so convenient to have a bathroom on the main floor, and we don’t have the hassle of cleaning another large bathroom.
Our past two residences each had two bathrooms so we’ve had to outfit this bathroom with a few new items. Again, it’s really small and didn’t need any renovating when we moved in so the process has been pretty simple. I love the mirror, counter, and sink (it’s copper!) and selected a mix of neutral accessories to coordinate with them, which was fairly straightforward.
I’ve spent a little bit longer choosing art for the room. The inspiration for the Bath, England theme came from the postcard set. I’ve saved tons of postcards over the years and have been sorting through them since we moved for my kitchen clothespin display. I hadn’t thought about the Bath postcard set in years but was so happy to find it again. It fits the room so I went with it. I bought those postcards over 15 years ago so of course, I don’t have a link online. They’re done in a similar style to this watercolor postcard of Oxford.
Once I’d settled on the postcards, I knew that I wanted the other art pieces to be drawings or paintings (or prints of drawings or paintings). I have tons of photography displayed around the house, and it’s nice to mix up the wall art with a few other mediums. The drawings / paintings theme led me to A View of Lansdown Crescent, Bath. All Posters runs sales frequently, which means you can pick up this print (and many other prints) for 30-50% off or more if you watch their promotions.
It took me longer to settle on the final wall art. After months of combing Etsy and All Posters, I decided to search Pinterest, where I came across the artist Chris Lee. I was hooked right away. (You may remember me sharing this little story and mentioning the artist in a favorites post.) Of course, then it took me a couple more months to decide on a few pieces (Milsom Street, Sally Lunn, Lansdown) and get them printed and framed. But they’re finished now and up on the wall, completing this little space of the house.
Several people have commented that they think it’s fitting that the bathroom has a “Bath” theme. I promise this was a complete coincidence.
Thus far I’ve also shared home tours of our guest bedroom and kitchen wall art. Check them out if you haven’t already! I’ll continue to share one or two home tours monthly.
Anyone else tackling home projects lately?
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Photography 101: Never Stop Learning
This photo is one of my first attempts at back lighting a subject, a brand new skill for me.
When I published 5 Tips for Improving Your Photography back in July, Natasha mentioned in a comment that an additional tip should be to never stop learning. Her tip is so fabulous that I’m devoting an entire post to the topic. It is way too easy to stagnate in any field, creative or otherwise. If you don’t make a conscious effort to keep improving your skills, you’ll flatline. Over time, bad habits may creep in and you’ll even decline. Regardless of your skill level, it’s so important to keep learning everything you can about your field.
Keep an article open on your smartphone
You never know when you’ll find yourself with a few minutes to wait while you’re checking out at the grocery store or your kid is finishing soccer practice. Using these precious minutes to read about photography is a great way to work on your skills and stay current in the field without a lot of effort. Save articles on Pinterest to read as you have time and/or bookmark sites with regular photography blog posts or articles such as Fstoppers or PetaPixel.
Keep a couple ebooks on your Kindle or other eReader
Personally, I find it refreshing to mix up reading longer fiction and nonfiction with shorter photography ebooks. It’s easy to read a couple chapters here or there without losing your momentum because there is no overarching story. Last year I bought a photography Ultimate Bundles pack, which is going to keep me set for photography ebooks for quite a while. I checked out the bundle because it included Tasty Food Photography, which is a must read for any photographer, even if you never plan to photograph food. More recently I picked up the first and second books in David McKay’s new series, both of which are great. (Of course, you can also read my photography ebook, too. No pressure.)
Subscribe to a few favorite photography YouTube channels and/or podcasts
Subscribing to a YouTube channel or podcast is a simple way to support a content provider while keeping up on their latest releases. Currently, the only photography YouTube channel I follow closely is Photorec TV. I know that you’re probably already sick of me talking about Photorec here, but Toby is awesome and I love being part of his supportive community. I also recommend KelbyOne and Tony & Chelsea Northrup. If you want to start listening to photography podcasts, check out this list from the Digital Photography School. There are also tons of stand-alone webinars and video photography resources such as this workshop from Shuttertalk.
Read your manual
DSLR and mirrorless cameras are extremely powerful. Most likely you don’t use quite a few of your camera’s functions. This could be a great opportunity to understand more about the light meter and how to use it or to learn back button focusing. If you don’t have a specific skill to work on or component of your camera that you’d like to understand better, read your manual anyway. You never know when you’ll pick up a new tip or trick to improve your skills.
If you don’t want to read your camera manual, think about reading the manual for your flash or another piece of gear. Again, flashes and other DSLR and mirrorless accessories are powerful and often feature manual settings that can really transform your photography.
Experiment with new gear
New gear is a slippery slope. Getting new gear is always fun. It doesn’t necessarily make you a better photographer, even if it’s a high-quality piece of gear. However, it can get you out of a creative rut or force you to try a new technique. For example, maybe you’ve always wanted to work on your landscape photography but are lacking a wide angle lens. Or maybe you want to step up your portrait game but don’t own a high-end prime lens. Maybe it’s time to take the plunge.
Renting is a great way to experiment with new gear for a fraction of the cost of buying new gear. You can simply have the fun of playing with gear that’s way out of your price range or can try before you buy. Some sites, including both of the following sites, have opportunities to put rental charges toward future purchases. I’ve used BorrowLenses several times and been very happy with them. Their prices are competitive, and you can opt to ship your package to the local FedEx store right at checkout so you don’t have to worry about being at home to sign for a package. Lumoid is another great option.
Try a new editing technique
There are virtually limitless editing techniques and Lightroom and Photoshop tricks to learn. Search your favorite YouTube channel and watch a few videos you may have missed before, and do a general YouTube or Pinterest search for videos on a technique that’s always interested you but you’ve never attempted.
Seek out new photographers to follow on Instagram, Flickr, etc.
If you’ve grown tired of your current Instagram or Flickr feed or you just don’t feel like you’re learning much from the current mix of photos, add a few new accounts into the feed. One of my favorite ways to find new accounts to follow on Instagram is to check out the “following” tab under the favorites section to see the photos the accounts I follow are liking. The explore feature is another way to gain exposure to new accounts that may fit your interests.
Mix up your routine or find a new challenge for yourself
Virtually all of the previously mentioned suggestions will inspire you to mix up your routine or seek out a new challenge to help you keep learning new technical, composition, and editing techniques. If you don’t want to do something as involved as renting or buying new gear or learning a complex editing method, simply take a walk in a new area of town or challenge yourself to edit a whole set of photos in black and white. Look into opportunities to attend conferences and events, too. Connecting with other photographers may be just as inspiring as sitting through great presentations or visiting exhibition booths.
Do you have any tips to stay current in the photography field?
How do you keep learning new shooting and editing techniques?
More photography resources:
5 Tips for Improving Your Photography
Making the Transition from Auto Mode to Manual Mode
Top 10 Common Photography Mistakes to Avoid
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Friday Favorites – 9/16/16
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My new bowl from Alisa Burke. I’m not sure where I’m going to display it permanently. For now, it’s hanging out on my kitchen island, and I love seeing it there every day. Also, if you haven’t checked out her free coloring pages, go check them out now. She’s still releasing a new page weekly. Alisa also recently released a new set of for purchase coloring books, which are available over here.
The same day Lindsey Stirling’s new album, Brave Enough, released (obviously, it’s awesome, go check it out), I also started listening to Every Open Eye by Chvrches and Fishing Blues by Atmosphere, both of which are fabulous. I don’t even really know what to say about them, hence I’m mentioning them in a favorites post and not a music-specific post. All of these albums are streaming on Prime so have a listen for yourself.
Dan O’Donnell is my single favorite person to listen to on the radio right now. In addition to news reporting, he fills in regularly for several local shows I listen to, and he also recently got his own podcast. Not surprisingly, he’s had great coverage of the recent Milwaukee rioting (which now has its own Wikipedia page…).
Pexels.com. I am always on the look out for image sites with high quality, free creative commons or other commercial use licensing for my own articles and for clients who want images with articles. For the past four years or so, my go-to sites have been Flickr and Morguefile. Pexels kind of blows everything else I’ve ever found out of the water for both quantity and quality. Recently, I used some of their photos for this new article and this newly overhauled article.
Grammarly. I can’t believe I just started using Grammarly this summer. I should have started using it ages ago. When you write 30,000 words per week, it’s really easy for little mistakes to slip through the cracks. Grammarly helps me correct mistakes on everything from emails to blog posts to client articles. Plus, you get a weekly report with activity, accuracy, and vocabulary with your own stats and a comparison to other Grammarly users (i.e. you were more accurate than 80% of other users). So amazing for grammar nerds like me.
Back in my July favorites post, I mentioned wanting to try making Asian Ramen Noodle Salad and Chopped Brussels Sprouts Salad With Chicken and Walnuts for weekday lunches. Since then, I have made both dishes. The Ramen salad is awesome. The prep is quick, and the flavor just gets better over a few days. The Brussel sprouts salad is solid. The dressing is awesome, delicious and really different. The prep is a little involved. Don’t wait until you’re hungry to start making it. I like Brussel sprouts a lot, but the Brussel sprouts flavor is really strong, even when you cook the sprouts and add the dressing. I think in the future, I would substitute half the Brussel sprouts for cabbage or another vegetable with good crunch and more subtle flavor. Next up, I want to try Lindsay’s garlic herb chicken salad, and I think Heidi’s slow cooker Thai chicken soup will be perfect as the weather gets a little cooler.
For my fellow photo geeks. Hilarious.
Finally, now that we’re back from Montana, we’re planning our next trip: New Orleans! We’ll be there for a short stint this fall for a conference, exclusively or nearly exclusively in the Lower Garden District, Central Business District, and French Quarter. I want your personal recommendations for restaurants, tours, jazz, etc.
What have you been loving lately?
Feel free to leave links in the comments!
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Preview for Doors Open Milwaukee 2016
This coming weekend, September 17 and 18, 2016 has arguably one of the best events in Milwaukee: Doors Open Milwaukee. For two days, more than 150 buildings in the city open their doors to the public free of charge. You can visit churches, government buildings, museums, art studios, theaters, hotels, and more. The event also includes ticketed tours and family activities, including Family Passport. It’s truly a one of a kind opportunity to explore the fantastic city of Milwaukee for free.
If you’re brand new to Doors Open, I recommend starting downtown at the U.S. Bank building or City Hall and then exploring other Doors Open sites in the downtown area, as there are many located in this region. If you’ve been to previous Doors Open weekends, I recommend studying the building list and making a game plan ahead of time so you’re sure to hit a few new sites.
Here are a few peeks of some of my favorite sites from the past two Doors Open weekends. Please keep in mind that the buildings list changes from year to year. As of publishing this post, with the exception of the Avalon Theater, all of the sites featured here will be open for 2016, but this is subject to change at any time without notice.
Down in the stacks at the Central Library. A must see Doors Open location!
View of 794, the Summerfest Grounds, Lake Michigan, and beyond from the U.S. Bank Building Observation Deck. The Observation Deck offers 360-degree views of the entire city and Lake Michigan.
Inside the U.S. Bank Building, looking up
Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist
Basilica of St. Josaphat, another must see Doors Open location. If you’ve never been in the Basilica, use Doors Open as an excuse to take in the magnificent architecture and learn a little of its history.
Bay View Printing Company. Please pay the printing company a visit in 2016. It is such a neat business, and the staff is very friendly.
Milwaukee skyline from one of the rooftops in Walker’s Point. There are multiple Walker’s Point buildings that open up their rooftop levels during Doors Open.
Inside 88Nine Radio Milwaukee. You can tour the majority of the building and visit the rooftop garden during Doors Open.
Part of the 88Nine Radio Milwaukee rooftop.
Milwaukee Blacksmith. So neat to watch blacksmith in action. If you’re in the Third Ward, stop by.
St. Stanislaus Catholic Church
A few other personal recommendations for 2016:
Calvary Cemetery Chapel
Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church
Forest Home Cemetery
Best Place at the Historic Pabst Brewery
MSOE Grohmann Museum
Iron Horse Hotel
The 6th annual Doors Open Milwaukee runs 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Saturday, September 17 and Sunday, September 18, 2016. The website features the full list of participating buildings and ticketed tours. Don’t forget to tag your images #DoorsOpenMilwaukee on Twitter and Instagram and explore the hashtag throughout the weekend.
Are there any Doors Open sites you’re looking forward to visiting in 2016?
Feel free to leave them in the comments!
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