Our weekend assignment is to go out and shoot nature. You can shoot details, wide shots - anything that catches your eye. It can be in a park, during a hike, in your backyard.
We have included an entry from our Photo Editor, Jim, for your inspiration. Jim, when not at AOL, spends time shooting nature and maintaining his Hiking Journal, which grew into a successful small business, Blue Bison Studio. So his blog entry should also give you some ideas about how you can make money from your lovely images.
Jim's blog:
About 4 1/2 years ago my wife, Karen, and I started walking every morning before work to get more exercise into our daily lives. Soon after that, we also began to take short hikes on the weekends in the many parks in our area. Since we both enjoy photography and nature, we began taking photos during our hikes and started an online journal at www.bluebisonstudio.com/hiking to document and share our hiking experiences with our friends. Here are a few samples:
So far we have more than 280 hikes documented.
At the end of the first year, we used images from our hikes in a desk calendar to use as Christmas gifts for friends and family. We were encouraged to produce the calendar for sale.
The following year, we registered the name Blue Bison Studio, LLC (www.bluebisonstudio.com) and produced our first calendar for sale. A year later we also started selling greeting cards made from our photographs and a small business was born.
The hiking is fun, it gets us outside and we enjoy our time together. Also, the creative part of producing the journal, calendar and cards is very satisfying.
We have had two photo shows at the Historic GreatFalls Tavern in the C&O Canal National Historical Park in Potomac, Md. The proceeds from the sale of the photographs were donated to The Friends of the Great Falls Tavern's C&O Canal Boat Fund.
We also are scheduled to do another show as part of the City of Gaithersburg's Art in Public Places project in 2007.
We would love to see some of your nature photos - share links in the comments section below.
- Jim
21 comments:
I bought a new lens last week and went out shooting ...the link to my journal entry. http://journals.aol.com/rap4143/MyDayMyInterests/entries/2006/10/29/new-lens-photos/1700
Betty
Well this is my first time commenting and participating on your blog. Hope you enjoy my photos.
http://jottingsfromjersey.blogspot.com/2006/11/weekend-assignment-nature.html
Take Care!
These photographs are incredible! I think I would be embarrassedt opost mine, now. LOL
Beautiful photos! Here's mine taken a few weeks ago.
Susan
Wow!
I wish i could take photos like that. Very nice.
I have 3 of mine on this entry. Haven't put many in the journal because I'm not sure how much people want to see that kind of stuff.
Fred
http://journals.aol.com/ravenjuiced/those-eyes-that-the-cherubim-dre/entries/2006/11/02/four-years-to-shape-a-life-part-4/985
Here are mine for now - but I 'll have more tomorrow!
http://journals.aol.com/jlester961/YarnsandTallTails/entries/2006/11/07/screaming-meemees/2503
Here's some more!
http://journals.aol.com/jlester961/YarnsandTallTails/entries/2006/11/09/walking-on-the-chain-gang/2504
I certainly can't take pictures like the ones shown here....but I do enjoy snapping a shot or two when I'm out and about. These pictures are from my recent Gatlinburg, TN trip:
http://journals.aol.com/inquestoftruth/InQuestOf/entries/2006/11/12/inquestof-the-weekend-assignment/1516
~Meg
I agree with these other comments.... awesome pics.... here is a link to my journal.... last few entries not nature oriented... but many of them are... some pics are alright, mixed in with the mediocre... but most entries from Alaska which just screams of natural beauty. http://journals.aol.com/nomadicnut/AnnsRamblings/
these photos are breathtakingly beautiful...i decided to make an entry anyway. :)
gina
http://journals.aol.com/rbrown6172/Ginasspace/entries/2006/11/12/weekend-assignment---nature/667
Those are some beautiful photos. I have a few from my archives the last of Oct and around the first of Nov. Helen
My shots pale next to your examples but here is my photo album. They are mostly nature shots.
http://journals.aol.com/midwestvintage/MyPhotoJourney/
Julie
I took this photo from our front yard.
I ran for my camera and got the shot.
Two minutes later...the rainbow was gone.
Mary Louise
http://journals.aol.com/mlrhjeh/MARYLOUISESPHOTOSHOOT/entries/2006/11/12/-a-promise-for-fall/3422
that is very pretty who tock those photos
Looking At Great phots is something i love to do ,the great part about it is that i think i can take some great shots to ,i think its something i can learn ,heres some of my photos i took while in Isola Di Ponza ,an island in italy
HTTP://LEMZO.PHOTOSTOCKPLUS.COM
PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER TRYING TO DO THE SAME THING PLEASE EMAIL ME ANY HELPFUL TIPS THANK YOU BEAUTIFUL PICTURES GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR BUSINESS I WISH YOU WELL PLEASE VISIT
Hi Jim,
I just wanted to say that your photos are outstanding ! I'm a working professional photographer myself. If you want to see some of my work, Go to http://www.RobValineimages.com
Beautiful photos. I started feeding birds again and took http://journals.aol.com/rap4143/MyDayMyInterests/entries/2006/12/07/more-birds/1749
Betty
These are so incredible that I wanto to learn photography! I have started a blog just to keep in touch with friends "back East" while I am living (and hiking) in Utah.
http://journals.aol.com/utphotostuff/out-west-photos-and-stuff/
It's been fun.
Nice work Jim...professional grade! I love photography but lack the professional equipage. I did start moblogging today though, with my Q Smartphone and it's 3.6 megapixel camera. I'm taking pictures of landmarks in the Pacific NW and blogging about the Wireless Internet access for AOL's Mobile Web...or lack thereof. Please check out "MoLater..." at http://journals.aol.com/thecolumbiagorge/molater/
Thanks
SC
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