Getting Crafty in the Studio

This weeks Blog Post is based around my new etsy wooden wall art listings.  I am going to take you step by step on the development of these simple, yet detailed home wall art decor plaques!

 So I was planning my next project in my studio and I was starting to narrow down the search.   I wanted something that was appealing, creative and above all unique.  I’ve worked with wood in the past and it is by far one of my favorite materials.  I love the rustic feel and look of wood art!  I decided to try my hand at developing some new wooden signs that you could hang up in your living area to be used as home decor.  I decided to go small with 4″x7″ wooden planks in order to expand the potential placements of the wooden art decorations.  With a smaller product you could hang it in various places such as above your coffee pot, on your refrigerator or if you wanted to decorate a small bathroom area you could make that happen as well!  So I ordered all the materials listed below!

• 4″x7″ wooden planks. -Used primarily for cooking fillets of Salmon and Steak Cuts-
• Super Glue
• Mod Podge
• Twine
• Sanding Block
• White Paint
• Bobby Pins
• 4×4 Still Nature Photography Prints
• State of Georgia Template
• Sharpie Markers of Various Sizes

Step One

Utilize the sanding block to sand down edges of wooden planks. Note: Make sure sanding block is not too rough, but rough enough to leave a smooth finish around corners and edges.

Step Two

Use a paint brush to paint the wooden planks. Note: Make sure to cover both sides as well as edges and corners.  This is by far the messiest and most time consuming portion of the craft so plan accordingly.

Step Three

Wait for paint to dry and then use Mod Podge to paste the image onto the newly painted wooden planks!

Step Four

Utilize the remaining white space on the wooden plank by tracing a symbol next to the image . After it is dry put another coat of Mod Podge on top of the entire plank in order to seal the image.

Final Step

Now the tricky, yet creative process of attaching the twine to make your wood art officially a hanging wood art piece!  I really had to think about the proper solution to the problem of hanging my wood art, and I believe my solution is both crafty and creative.  I decided to use bobby pins.  I would have never guessed that bobby pins would be my solution, but they worked so perfectly.  I used super glue to both glue the bobby pins to the back of the wooden planks and also glue the twine to the bobby pins themselves.  It turned out that 10” of twine was the perfect amount to cut off for the mount!  It was a hilarious, yet confident end to a day of crafting and I am so happy with the finished product.

So there you have it a new etsy listing is born!   I hope you enjoyed my short yet revealing insight into my esty studio!  Please take a look at my recently updated website http://www.stillnautrellc.com as well as my store!>> https://www.etsy.com/shop/StillNatureLLC

Youtube Launch!

I have decided to start a Youtube Channel. Still Nature Photography Youtube Link .  This is an alternate way to reach viewers and supporters through a means of online video content creation.  I want to give the viewer a first person perspestive at life behind the lens at Still Nature Photography.  I also hope to created some videos that are educational to both novice and expert photographers.  I want to connect with people on a personal level, and give my supporters another means in which to connect with my photography business.  Creating a Youtube channel was not only necessary, but served as the ultimate tool to create a professional and personal relationships with my support base.  Please take a look at my channel and subscribe to be the first to view new video releases and upcoming projects.  Feel free to contact me below if you had any new video ideas, I am really looking forward to hearing your input and suggestions.  In the meantime sit back and relax and enjoy my Youtube page!

Introduction Video

A dramatic “video short” depicts life on Tybee Island before the arrival of an approaching storm.  I feel that it is always best to travel by bicycle on this barrier island.  The Island is quite small, I usually pack up all my camera gear and load up on my beach cruiser when I venture out to shoot videos or capture photos.

Click Here to watch!

Marshland Daydream

I stalked this heron at low tide on Tybee Island Georgia.  I found it to be an extremely peaceful scene with the birds chirping, the marsh grass swaying and the gentle tide rising. It made for a surreal location for one of my favorite shorts thus far.  I hope you enjoy this video short entitled Marshland Daydream!

Marshland Daydream Video – Click here to watch

http://www.stillnaturellc.com

Etsy! Click Here to Shop!

The Rule of Thirds

There are many simple tricks and tips you can use in order to make your photos come across as more powerful and pleasing to the eye.  One of the easiest tricks to adopt when you are out taking photos is the “rule of thirds”!  I am going to try my best to explain the rule of thirds to you by using three easy steps.

Step One: Locate the subject matter of the photo.

Step Two: Divide the photo into thirds.

Step Three: Place the subject matter on one of the dividing lines!

It is as simple as that, when looking at an image our eyes naturally look for lines and shapes.  The human eye is looking to fully understand what is laid out in front of it, so naturally the eye wants to condense the photo into easy to read shapes and lines. Cropping the photo using the rule of thirds is just a way to simplify your photo structurally so that it appears less cluttered and easier for the eyes to glance at and really focus in on the subject matter at hand. An example of the perfect use of the rule of thirds is featured below in my portrait entitled “Wildlife on the Herb River” . The subject matter is the two birds on the river.  Notice how I’ve shot and cropped the image so that both birds fall on two of the dividing lines?

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Now here is the part where you get involved!  I want to challenge you to keep the rule of thirds in mind next time you are out with your camera whether it is an i-phone or DSLR camera, take time to see the image unfold before taking that next shot.  What is the subject matter of your image?  Does your image follow the rule of thirds?  Is your image clean and organized? Take some time to really appreciate the composition of your image and  people that view your image will also start to take notice!  Well thanks for tuning in to my brief discussion on photo composition and the rule of thirds.  I hope you learned something valuable! Below is a few more of the pictures I have take this year that really apply to the rule of thirds, use them for some inspiration!

http://www.stillnaturellc.com