The Blog - Page 6 of 8 - The Difference Academy - Photography TrainingThe Difference Academy

Cultures connect

By Lynette Eby on February 24, 2014 in The Difference

The past week I’ve been thinking about how to really connect with the people around you, and around the world. What is the secret? I’ve gone on about a dozen trips where some of the people hang out with the people they’re traveling with, and some really connect with the locals.

So what makes the difference?

1. Of the biggest ice-breakers while traveling to some countries is, you guessed it, a camera. Of course in other countries you’ll just look like a tourist, but either way pictures hold great memories of past times. Cameras open so many doors, especially with kids. It’s something to be sensitive about, because not everyone may want their picture taken and the same code of politeness applies to privacy in other cultures, but it can be a wonderful way to connect.

I

2. Play some games, interact or just hang out where you can. People are the same around the world, we all want friendship.

3. Take time to relax and kick back. One of the differences from our North American culture to many others is the way that we’re more uptight and rushed. Often a good way to get to know people is by slowing down the speed long enough to get into their pace.

4.The Rules are simple; just have fun and be yourself.

Was it worth it?

By Lynette Eby on February 20, 2014 in The Difference

“Realizing how blessed you are and how many things you really don’t need, and what the true value of how great my life is, and how many good things I have in it. Brings back these moments of: the traffic wasn’t so bad, the weather wasn’t so bad, was it worth it? Absolutely. –Participant in Help Portrait

This video was produced by filmmaker Sam Siske, who has some other amazing work featured on his website.

Help Portrait

By Lynette Eby on February 16, 2014 in Inspiration, The Difference

Sometimes we think that helping people can only happen through traveling the world and finding a remote tribe somewhere in the wilds of Africa or Papua New Guinea, or through doing something exotic that will interest people.

Not exactly.

Let me introduce you to an organization called Help Portrait.

Help Portrait was founded by photographer Jeremy Cowart, to be a community of photographers coming together across the world to give their photography skills back to their local community. Their basic mission is to find people in need and take their picture, or in other words people who’ve never had professional portraits done, because they can’t afford it. They do this through hosting local events where everything gets done in one place: set up, make up, hair, posing, photographing and printing.

The stuff you hear is pretty amazing like one woman who said “last time we had our picture taken was 24 years ago at our wedding”…..it’s awesome to be able to hand them that picture you just took, and see the joy they get from it. – Seth Haley

Coming soon: More about local and community events by Help Portrait.

Photo Credits: Seth Haley

iPhotography

By Lynette Eby on February 12, 2014 in iPhotography, Mobile Photography

I’ve been writing and featuring different stories from pro photographers with dslr cameras, but recently saw some work done by an amateur photographer with a cell phone camera and was impressed by the focus and detail in what was taken with an older phone. (iPhone 4)

These photos were taken with a cell phone macro lens mounted on a tripod.

The iPhone lens kit is actually fairly inexpensive, running from about $30 – $100, and is simple to use. It’s a great option for travel and I personally use a cell phone camera while I travel, as I like to be able to whip it out and snap a quick picture without drawing to much attention to myself. I’ve been checking into this mobile phone lens kit, but had never seen photos taken with any of the lens’. “The proof is in the pudding,” they say, and from the photos above I’d say there’s potential for some great photography.

If you’re interested in seeing more mobile photography head on over and follow en_amored to see her past, and future work using this kit lens.

Failure is an Option

By Lynette Eby on February 9, 2014 in The Difference

"To live a creative life we must lose our fear of being wrong."  Joseph Chilton Pearce

That’s pretty much it, isn’t it? The key to getting started in anything is being willing to fail. The interesting thing about trying and failing is after you’ve practiced that for awhile and patch up bruised pride, again, one day you wake up and realize how much experience and practice has sharpened your skill and built your courage.

After that the rest of the way doesn’t look so hard.

Bon Voyage!