You Are Loved Doily Clutch

I can't get over how fabulous this one-of-a-kind clutch by sewlola on Etsy.com is.



Seems like it would make a great gift for a loved one.

Surprise Me! Photo Note Card Sets

I'm working today on condensing ZoiShop on Etsy.com.

I've replaced my photo cards with one solid item: a Surprise Me! photo card set of 8. These sets will contain randomly chosen cards from my photo card collection, so every package is a surprise. But don't be scared, it won't be a bad surprise. I personally love all of my photo cards.



To purchase these nifty sets you can click the image above.

Hope everyone is having a great weekend.

Now back to condensing!

Good Morning Saturday

Happy weekend loves!

One of my favorite things about the weekend is getting to veer off my usual quick scrabbled eggs breakfast into pancake world!



But these aren't your regular run-of-the-mill pancakes, nope. They are oatmeal-flaxseed pancakes. And they are oh-so-good. Top them off with some blueberries and some banana for a scrumptious and nutritious breakfast.

What are your favorite breakfast foods?

Revisiting Some Favorites

There's something about going through a multitude of photographs that has always captured me so completely. Today, I took some time to revisit some of my favorite photography, some of which I haven't seen in way too long. The following are some of my favorite images by some of my favorite photographers.

Gregory Colbert:





Sally Mann:





Zena Holloway:





What are some of your favorite photographers and images?

Photography 101: Shutter Speed

This is my first Wednesday Photo 101 blog post. Now, I know some of the stuff I post about photography may seem like easy concepts, or something everyone should already know. But the reality is, just as I don't know the complete basics about painting or knitting (nor any really even though I love doing both!), not everyone knows basic photography concepts, especially when dealing with manual use of SLR cameras.

So, I'm beginning with the main basics, one of which is shutter speed. Shutter speed refers to how much light your camera is letting into the frame; how long it takes your shutter to click shut between when you press your capture button and when it actually closes. Think of it as your capture time.

The shutter speed on your SLR camera can be controlled with the shutter speed dial (see image below), usually located on the top right of your camera. And will be displayed in increments such as: 1/800, 1/600, 1/400, 1/250, 1/200, 1/125, 1/60, 1/15, 1/10, 1, 2, 4, 8, 15, 20, 30. Whole numbers refer to complete seconds, while fractions are based off of one second, so a capture time of "1/15" is one-fifteenth of a second.



The less the light you have (the darker it is), the more light you'll need, so you'll want to have a slower shutter speed so you capture light for a longer period of time.

The more light you have in your surroundings (the sunnier it is) the less light you'll need to let in for the frame to come out well exposed. Therefore, you will want a faster capture time so less light comes into your frame.



(A fast shutter speed helped still-frame the bee in mid-flight (top) and to minimize the amount of light in my electricity pole photography midday (bottom).)

For a shutter speed of one second or more you will most likely require a tripod since any movement made during a long capture time will distort the image. With a tripod, a slow shutter speed can come in handy if you're trying to create movement in your image.

When you slide the shutter speed dial past the slowest increment your camera will say BULB. The BULB setting means that your camera will capture light for as long as you are pressing down your capture button.

While a fast shutter speed can help capture great still-frame moments, slower shutter speeds can be great because they're they create movement.



(Movement, which can be achieved with a slower shutter speed can be great in sports photographs (top), and night photography that captures lights (bottom).)

To learn a few basic shutter speed techniques click HERE.

Hand Dyed T-Shirts

I love this vintage camera hand-dyed shirt by WrenWillow on Etsy.com.

Getting Strong - A Great Tool for Entrepreneurs

Now, I know this isn't an exercise blog, but I'm writing about it today because I highly believe in empowering your body as a tool. That's not to say I'm a work-out guru, at all. I go through phases where I'll work out for a few months and then get too busy and stop. But this year, I've really decided to stick with it, and I have for almost three straight months now. And the changes in my body, mind, and spirit are considerably noticeable. I have more energy, I don't get discouraged as easily, and my temperament is so much better. I laugh more. I feel healthier, and I'm not just speaking in terms of physically. I truly believe that exercise is a great tool for the roller coaster that entrepreneurs constantly go through.

My favorite workouts, hands down, are those of celebrity trainer Jillian Michaels.



You may be hesitant because there's so much hullabaloo about her, but she kicks arse. And she's not fake about it. She's not overly cheerful nor speaks to you as if you were a child in her videos, which all rock and can be purchased on Amazon.com for under $10 (plus shipping).



She offers a variety of workouts from Yoga to weight training to core-oriented. The best part of all, they're fun to do. They're challenging in just the right amount, so you never get bored with them. If you're looking for a way to get energized or simply for a new workout routine, I'd highly recommend looking into some of Jillian Michael's routines.

Day 24, 25 & 26/365: Hello Spring!

Happy spring everyone! We start the new season here in the Bay Area with an overabundance of rain, which left me taking indoor photos. Not that I mind, I've gotten used to setting up my lighting equipment in a flash, and composing new photographs from in house items. I am looking forward to the warmer weather spring will bring though, I can't wait for summer. The beach, the sun, the ice cream!

Below are my weekend photos from my 365 day photography project.