Life isn't a Matter of Milestones, but of Moments

“Life isn't a matter of milestones, but of moments.”

That message from Rose Kennedy sure resonates with me now. With the social distancing impositions to manage COVID-19, we are faced with all sorts of new moments and opportunities to capture them with our smartphones. Here are a few images that caught my attention over the last few weeks.

Public places adapted to the situation:

Vibrant colors during morning walks:

And tight cropped images of blooming and patterned things:

Throughout this historic period, I hope you make time to capture the moment. Photograph things of beauty, good times with family, and objects of interest to you. Play with editing tools, make time to remove photos from your smartphone to free up space, create products with your images and do something wonderful!

Of course if you need help with any of this, I’m here for you. I look forward to booking classes again where we can celebrate life, travels, friendships and family.

Stay healthy,

Cynthia

Break is over. I'm back!

We all have our road blocks and the last six months certainly tossed a few along my life’s highway.

I am slowly settling into 2019, putting those trying times behind me, and have been fortunate enough to already enjoy some great adventures. If you don’t already, follow me on Instagram or Facebook (under Thumb Print Images) to see what I’ve been up to with my smartphone photos. Hopefully something I post will inspire you, as so many people that I follow inspire me.

While traveling or around town, I love shooting the local architecture, looking for unique doors and arrangements for tight shots as well as beautiful skyscapes and buildings. Pathways always make for great shots too. Remember that it’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see! Try to see around your subject and take it all in before pressing the shutter button.

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Most people don’t realize that if you use good photography basics while shooting with your smartphone, you can create amazing artwork. One of my latest crazes has been taking pictures out of the plane window and converting them into black & white images. I recently printed a selection of three and framed them with simple black metal frames. They look great in my new office area. I cover some smartphone image editing techniques in the Smartphone Photography Basics Class and also provide more extensive information in the Editing and Image Management Class.

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Let’s make this happen!

I’ll be adding new classes to the calendar through the next few months. If these days don’t work for you, contact me to Book a Party! You simple choose a date, gather your friends, and away we work, together. Visit the CLASS page for more information. I create classes for Team Bonding in the workplace, Girlfriend Wine Time, family reunion gatherings or whatever other fun time you’d like.

Have a great summer and let me know if I can help you capture your favorite moments in time.

Ciao!

Gratitude and Pinkie's New Home

Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday. We celebrate with a huge gathering of friends and family who bring an assortment of culinary dishes. There is always great laughter, story telling and reminiscing, and pure joy that flows through the evening. And as each minute of our time together passes, gratitude permeates my heart.

Gratitude follows through in our every day adventures. Even when daily life dishes up those mean or selfish people, I can guarantee you that a little slice of joy will be served up your way. You just have to stay tapped into that gratitude to appreciate it when it does. I ran into a dear friend at the grocery store who had been going through difficult times in her marriage. I put her in touch with one of my Thumb Print Images students, a brilliant licensed marriage and family therapist. My friend was so grateful for the introduction as following sessions have pretty much saved their marriage and brought them closer than they had ever been. What does that have to do with smartphone photography you might ask? Well, nothing really. Although the people we meet along the way in our everyday adventures, and the ones I meet through Thumb Print Images classes are pretty darn amazing.

I am grateful to have met you, to share your talents with others, and hope to continue to keep in touch. Sharing your stories and smartphone photography images sure brings me joy!

That brings me to Pinkie. Most of you know my childhood nickname is Pinkie, named after the portrait painting by Thomas Gainsborough which hangs at the Huntington Library in San Marino, California. When a friend who was along on a group golf adventure with us this past February heard that my nickname was Pinkie, she shared this sweet story about how her mom has this cherished little porcelain figurine of Pinkie. The figurine was now in her possession after her mom had passed and she wanted me to have it. We finally got together for the exchange and I was so touched by the gesture.

While I should be posting pictures of pumpkins and family at this time, I’m sharing Pinkie, in her new home.

The rest of this year will wind down quickly. I hope it brings you many happy times which fill your heart with gratitude and peace. I know that I, for one, have much to be thankful for.

As you approach your table this Thursday or during any eye catching meal, try the Foodie App. It’s a fun way to play with your food.

Keep in touch! New classes will be added to the 2019 calendar soon including a Portrait Smartphone Photography Class.

The Greatest Gift

"My Father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person;

He believed in me."     Jim Valvano

 

My father was an educator.  He encouraged all four of his daughters to get a college degree, two of us went on to graduate school.  He mentored our creativity with art projects and indulged us with almost every household pet you can imagine.  And he never drew the gender line predominant in the common thought of that era that little girls are suppose to just look pretty, learn to cook and marry well.  He taught us things like how to change a tire (that sure came in handy while driving through the backwoods of Tasmania in the 1980s) and tune the car; the correct way to trim a tree right (which led to a lot of climbing and getting into trouble being on the rooftop or in the garage rafters), and gave us a keen interest in watching and playing sports (my sister Andrea has always been Dad's sports pal).

He believed we could do "whatever you put your mind to doing".

I got my love of cars from Dad.  It wasn't necessarily the biggest engine or how fast they could go but more how they looked as well as a continued appreciation for fine lines and beautiful features.  These photos were taken on my iPhone 8+ at a recent car show.  They embody my love of the auto machine as well as creative ("thumbprint") expression.  I hope you enjoy them.

The greatest gift I can give my Dad these days is time. We are blessed to have both parents still guiding us as they walk towards 90 and 94 years young.  So for this Father's Day I'm taking Dad to a Car Show in Folsom and then out to breakfast. 

No tree climbing.

We Must Use Time Creatively

Martin Luther King once said "We must use time creatively".  I like that, it resonates with me.  I don't think I would be very happy without some form of a creative outlet.  I went from being an Art Major to working in the corporate world back to being a watercolor artist.  I eventually traversed to portrait photography after getting married and wanting an at-home business while raising our kids.  Portrait and Event Photography has been fun over the last few decades but the connectivity of social media and the ever improving cameras on smartphones prompted me to create Thumb Print Images.  

Our smartphones are always with us as we travel through life's daily adventures.  Whether we are spending time with family and friends or on the trip of a life-time, there is an easily accesible camera at our fingertips.  Yet I find that so many people are intimidated by their smartphone camera settings or just aren't happy with their images.  And if they aren't the type of person to learn through YouTube or Google, well, improving their photography talents can be difficult.

You can improve your smartphone photography and editing skills through classes with Thumb Print Images.  Classes are always held in small groups to give you the best hands-on learning experience.  You will learn to avoid common mistakes by coming to understand the importance of light source, good composition, and basic editing.  Step up your social media posts with creative editing techniques, use of filters without overkill, and the ability to add text to your image.  Organize and store your images without having to purchase additional space.  

Images of mosaics Smither Park, Houston TX.

I add classes each month.  If those dates don't work for you, Book A Party! with your friends and let's get a date on the books that does.  Let's use time creatively.

With joy,

Cynthia

Good Bye to 2017, Never to be Forgotten

Like most years, 2017 flipped through her days quickly and ended all too soon.

Thankfully, we have images.  

They help us Feel.  

Joy, Humility, Sadness, Love, Companionship, and more.  

They hold our memories and allow unlimited revisits.

Make the most of your images.  

Edit them in a way unique to what you want to convey, share them and give joy to others, and preserve them for endless revisits over the next upcoming years.

Happy New Year!

With joy, Cynthia

When words become unclear, I shall focus with photographs.

“When words become unclear, I shall focus with photographs. When images become inadequate, I shall be content with silence.”
— Ansel Adams

There are a lot of social media images being posted this month with hashtag #DOT, 30 Days of Thanksgiving.  So I joined the campaign on both Facebook and Instagram to show, in smartphone photographs, my daily gratitude through the month of November.

Recently our adventures took us to the Silverado Resort in Napa, California.  I am very thankful to have experienced a joy-filled weekend with dear friends while I was wine tasting, laughing, and enjoying the kind and generous magnitude in each personality.   Yet all around us was this blanket of stunning reality in the devastation which hit this area just last month.  I have no words, only my images.

We knew the area was extremely hard hit and that the homes that we had rented were in good shape so we decided we would go anyway to support the Napa economy.   However, none of us were prepared for what we saw as we drove around. 

The Thankfulness from this adventure was not only in what we experienced together as friends.  It was from what we experienced from individuals in the wineries, restaurants, and locals we met while walking around.  Napa wants you to know they are ok, they want to see you, and they are there to give you their best.  #NAPASTRONG and they are.

Create Lasting Memories

Life is full of adventure and, if you are like me, you want to enjoy those moments through your pictures as best you can.  Knowing how to take good pictures and edit them into something artistic, or simply with more clarity, requires some skill.  And even though most of us have a great camera on our smartphones, there are still so many things to learn when photographing the next travel adventure, family reunion, or walk-about.  Here's a few pics from my most recent adventures:

HOUSTON ART CAR SHOW - April 2017:  The people watching was as exciting as the car creations!  We always toured some great Houstonian sites with my niece Adrianne.  She is an amazing research guru on everything cool and artsy, anywhere!

BIG TREE FOREST and CRESCENT LAKE, OR - June, July 2017:  When it's hotter than you know what, you get out of town.  We had never been to the Big Tree Forrest and decided to go on a hike, then hit Murphys (a great little town!) for lunch. It was a nice day trip. 

In July we usually head to the family cabin and hang on on the dock, swim, eat, paddle board and relax a lot.  Even the dog was relaxed.  I don't know what those four were staring at, but it seemed funny enough for me to shoot a pic.  And what is the 4th about if you're not roasting marshmallows?  The little guy is from next door.  He finds us more fun than his own family.

How you shoot, crop and edit an image is unique to you.  Like your own thumbprint.  As you can see, I love tight cropped pics that draw your eye in, high contrast, B&W filters, food shots, architecture and more.  My images are sometimes lightly edited, other times more artsy.  It all depends on what I am trying to convey, how I choose to put my thumbprint on the file.

Thumb Print Images offers smartphone classes in The Basics of Photography, Travel Photography, Portrait Photography, Creative Editing, and Photography in the Workplace.  You will find the current schedule under the CLASSES tab.  (The Portrait Photography Class will come in handy for your next holiday card!)

If the current class schedule doesn't work for you, then Book a Party!  Just email me with when you'd like to gather your friends and I'll create a special class product for you to forward to your friends.  You share the link, they order the class, and we all meet at a visually inviting place to learn smartphone photography skills, apps, products, and editing!  A fun time for all!  I'll even bring the party favors.

Keep cool!

Where Are You Going and Where Have You Been?

That was my first blog one year ago when Thumb Print Images began.

Happy Anniversary!  It's been one year since Thumb Print Images started offering classes on how to take better pictures with your smartphone.  Since then, my life has been filled with beautiful memories and images from travels, family adventures, and daily life.  When you always have your smartphone with you, there is always an opportunity to capture the moment adn share it with others.

"Which one of my photographs is my favorite?  The one I'm going to take tomorrow."

- Imogen Cunningham

New adventures for all of us are as near as tomorrow.  For me, April brings the Houston Art Car Show, May is our daughter's Graduation and the 2017 Roseville Greek Food & Wine Festival, and who knows what the summer holds.  I look forward to each day and what it presents.

There will be new opportunities for you too!  Classes are in the works for a Wine Tasting & Photography in Amador County late Fall 2017 as well as a Photography Class in Italy sometime 2018 under the brilliant guidance of Experience Italy. 

So who's interested!?  Email me your thoughts, I love feedback.

Take better pictures with your smartphone as you travel through your next adventure.  Thumb Print Images offers classes in Photography Basics, Creative Editing, Portrait Photography or you can Book a Party and we can create a class for you!

There is Beauty in the World...

... so much beauty in the world! 

Northern California has been drenched in rain and the flooding has been a challenge for many.  We've been very fortunate not to have the water levels impact our home but close by there are a lot of changes to the landscape.  I walk the American River Parkway whenever I can and, when I do, I am always grateful for the breathtaking elements from Nature, which she never fails to deliver. 

Even in the rising waters which threaten so many, there is Beauty.

This image was taken with my Samsung GallaxyS7 Active and modified on my iPad with the Mextures App, which isn't available for Andriod phones.   Mextures is great for light leaks, texture, grunge and all sorts of other applications. 

In my Creative Editing Class you will learn how to create your own beautiful images from landscapes and other pictures.  Classes are added all the time or you can gather friends and schedule your own time.

Enjoy!

What Do You Gift the Person Who Has Everything?

Because honestly, most people do have just about everything they need. 
But do they know how to use what they have?  Do they know how to take great pics with their cell phone or tablet?

Probably not.  If they are like most people, they haven't made the time to toggle through their phone/tablet settings and don't understand the basics of good photography.  And they aren't the types to You-Tube research or Google tutorials because, let's face it, some people just don't learn that way. 

So give them the gift of learning in a fun, "hands-on", small group environment! 
 

Give them a Gift Certificate to a Thumb Print Images Class!

Click HERE to purchase the gift certificate or visit the Classes page.

The Next Class is Within Site!

 

Sunday, SEPTEMBER 11, in downtown Sacto 

Class size is limited and there are just a few spots open so grab a friend and sign up under the "Classes" tab!

Learn how to take better pics through understanding light source, composition, and editing.  Take your pics from ordinary to pop! Classes are geared for the "very basic" to "knows some stuff" photographer so there is something for everybody in the Thumb Print Image classes. 

and... 
For those of you with a pretty good knowledge of cell phone photography, the Editing Class is the right one for you to further enhance your skills, fix images from lighting and composition issues, and create fun artsy images.

Class size is always limited to give you the best "hands on" help so grab your pal and sign up soon. 

If you'd like to schedule a specific time and date in your location (I'm happy to go most anywhere but some restrictions may apply), contact me to make that happen for you and yours.

Summer School Can Be Fun!

The summer classes have been a blast and I've enjoyed being able to share great photo tips with some wonderful people.  The level of talent in participants has varied from "very basic" to "knows some stuff" so there is something for everybody in the Thumb Print Image classes. 

If you are ready to learn some great cell phone or tablet photography techniques, join me in one of my next classes where you will learn how to take better pics through understanding light source, composition, and editing.  Take your pics from ordinary to pop!

For those of you with a pretty good knowledge of cell phone photography, the Editing Class is the right one for you to further enhance your skills, fix images from lighting and composition issues, and create fun artsy images.  Click on the "CLASSES" tab for more information.

Class size will always be limited to give you the best "hands on" help.  Grab your pal and sign up soon, or contact me to schedule another time that works best for you.

In the meantime, here are just a few "before" and "after" images from recent classes.  Enjoy!