CasaSugar

Photographer to Watch: Kari Herer

CasaSugar — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 11:00:05 -0700

I came across the work of Portland, ME-based photographer Kari Herer on Etsy and was absolutely swept off my feet. She does commercial, portrait, and fine art work, but it's her floral photography that really gets me.

Fresh peonies and hydrangea make wonderful subjects for anyone behind the camera, but take a look at Herer's work and you'll be convinced she's truly a stylist at heart. Here, she's arranged and captured a delicate magnolia on a gorgeous botanical illustration - buy an eight-by-10 print here for $25. In Peony No. 9364, flower buds prove to have strength in numbers in her well-composed arrangment. A pinecone in a teacup? Unusual, but ethereal. Herer's composition is flawless and she almost gives her subjects a vintage feel, which I adore. See more of her work when you read more.

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DIY: A Fab Photo Wall

CasaSugar — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 10:00:36 -0700

I love this instant-art idea, used in one of the Superior Deluxe Rooms at the Portland Ace Hotel. It also seems like it's begging to be DIYed.

Find out how to create something similar when you read more.

You can re-create this look by measuring your wall, and then selecting white matting for each photo, and mounting the matted photos along your wall. Or, you can simply use a découpaging technique to fasten the photos to your wall directly. See how to do the latter below.

Measure your wall, and then estimate the number of photos you want to use for each row. Space the photos evenly. You may want to cut out pieces of paper that are the same size as your photos, and then gently tape them to the wall. Experiment until you have the dimensions and spacing that you like the best.
Lightly pencil in the space where each photo should be. Use a ruler, measuring tape, and level to make sure the photos are even.
Lay down a drop cloth or newspaper on the floor below the wall you're covering.
Open up your windows, and make sure the room is well ventilated.
Using a sponge brush, apply wheat paste to a small portion of the wall.
Now, line up the first photo, and apply it, burnishing out any bubbles with your hands as you press it onto the wall.
Continue to apply wheat paste and press your photos onto the wall, lining them up neatly until the wall is covered.
Make sure you've burnished out any bubbles. Sometimes using a credit card here will help.
Now, allow the wall to dry.
Using a synthetic bristle brush, apply a coat of Polycrylic Protective Finish, which will protect the pages from peeling, scuffing, and other damage.
If your adjacent walls get messy from applying the Polycrylic, you can easily clean it up with a sponge and some warm, soapy water.

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Cool Idea: Poladroid

CasaSugar — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 14:00:02 -0700

Ever since Polaroid decided to discontinue its instant-film products, I've been trying to snatch up all of the 600 film I come across. But, that gets pricey, considering the film costs nearly a buck per development. You know how I love my Polaroids, though, so it puts me in a pickle. I just came across probably the coolest thing I've seen in ages though, making those worries vanish as instantly as . . . a Polaroid picture. Poladroid (also Geek's Site of the Day) is a software application that easily creates high-resolution Polaroid-like pictures from your digital photographs. The application is free, and easily downloadable. So, I gave it a shot and it couldn't be more simple. Just drag and drop your photo from where it's saved to the camera graphic in the program. Then, you "shake" the picture by moving it with your mouse, and it will slowly develop. When the image has finished developing, it will automatically save to the original folder. As you can tell from these photos, the results are pretty marvelous. You coulda fooled me.
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DIY: Clothespin Polaroid Trellis

CasaSugar — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 11:11:50 -0800

I finally got around to one of the many DIY projects on my To Do list this weekend. I tend to make it a habit of taking Polaroids whenever my friends show up at my house, as a visual guest book, if you will. So for some time, I've had a stock full of Polaroids to display, and too many to frame individually. I'd been playing around with the idea of hanging them from rows of twine on a wall, but wanted an impermanent yet handsome way to attach them. When I stumbled upon these Susy Jack* Studio Clips ($5 for 5), I knew I'd found my solution. While I do highly recommend the Studio Clips because they're simply lovely, there's no reason you can't use traditional clothespins to make what I'm calling a "Clothespin Polaroid Trellis."

Supplies:

1 ball of twine
Clothespins or Studio Clips
Thumbtacks (2 per row, colored to match your wall or molding)
Scissors
Polaroids, other photos, or souvenirs

To learn the steps, read more

Using the twine, measure the width you'd like your rows to be, leaving about an inch extra for the knots, and cut. We'll call this R1.
Cut the exact same width for as many rows as you'd like. We'll call these R2, R3 and so on.
Again using the twine, measure the height you'd like your trellis to be, or just cut enough twine to span the height of the wall from eye level down, and cut. We'll call this H1.
Repeat this cut once more. We'll call this H2.
Tie a basic knot at the very top of H1, and repeat for H2.
Knot one end of R1 below the knot on H1, and the other end just below the knot on H2.
Decide how many rows you'd like. If you want 4 rows, then tie three more knots on both H1 and H2 spaced equally about 6 inches apart.
As in #6, knot one end of R2 to the knots on H1 and H2, and continue with R3, R4, etc. until you have as many rows as you desire.
Using thumbtacks, tack each knot (each place where a row of twine meets the height of twine) into the wall. A molding, as on my wall, is a good place to set your trellis, or even an unadorned window.

Clip your Polaroids or other mementos, using the clothespin. And, voilà!

Susy (of Susy Jack*) specifically designed the decorative papers for the shape of her Studio Clips. But, to make your own, cut your paper of choice to the size of the front of the clothespin. Then, using Mod Podge, adhere the paper to the clothespin, and let dry.

Let me know if you have any questions, and send in photos if you resolve to make your own Clothespin Polaroid Trellis.

Gift Guide: Gifts For the Nostalgic Photographer Girl

CasaSugar — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 09:19:09 -0800

Everyone has a nostalgic photographer friend. She snaps photos of anything and everything; you wonder whether she's ever experienced the world without a camera lens. She created a photo blog of the birth of your first born. You wound up staying up 'til 4 a.m. with Heath Ledger last night, but forgot to use your camera: it's okay—your nostalgic photographer girlfriend took five rolls of film. You get the point. She's there for you when you don't even know you need her. So, this holiday, please refrain from buying her another sweater: buy her something she'll really love and appreciate. I've rounded up a handful of gifts that will put her archives of photos to good use, at various price points below. If that's not good enough, this hand-crafted, vintage Brownie camera clock ($165) is nostalgic for another time, and will look charming in any home.

Share Photos of Su Casa and More!

CasaSugar — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 08:48:05 -0800

Whether you're into decorative painting, collecting junk, or growing orchids, you probably take lots of pride in - and photos of - your home-related pursuits. Since decorating is all about ideas, I want to see the great ones you've come up with in your own homes. So I've got a group on TeamSugar called Su Casa, where readers can share snapshots and stories related to home decorating, crafts, organizing, and gardening.

A Su Casa post could be anything from a photo of your favorite room to a tiny nook you're tickled by. Think of it as a Look Book for home style. If I see something I like in Su Casa, I might end up featuring it on CasaSugar, so don't be surprised if you get an email from me!

To learn how to join and post in the group, read more

To join the Su Casa, just follow this link and click "subscribe" beneath the photo on the left-hand side of the page. Once you're subscribed, click Share in the upper lefthand menu of any TeamSugar page and choose what type of post you want to create. If you have just one photo and some text, create a Blog; if you have a gallery you want to share, select Photos.

TeamSugar has a great primer on how to create a blog post, so check that out if you've never posted one before. Here's a rundown of the basic process:

Add a Title and the Body (content for your post). Don't forget to click Check Spelling link and Upload an Image to make your post stand out!
Post this to a group? Click on the drop down menu and select the Su Casa group. You will only be able to see groups you're subscribed to, so if you haven't joined Su Casa yet, you will need to.
Click on the drop down menu and choose the Home and Garden Channel and add some keywords (use a comma, if needed!) in the Tags text box. Then click "I'm done" to view your post!

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Photographer to Watch: Noah Webb

CasaSugar — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 09:25:51 -0700

Photographer Noah Webb was born in Gold Beach, Oregon, but grew up throughout the state of California. This California influence is prevalent in his work, from images of car washes and classic garages to surfers on sunset beaches.

In 2000, Noah graduated with an MFA in photography from the California Institute of the Arts. Since then, he has been shooting for various clients as well as exhibiting his art. In 2001, he made it into the Surface Avant Guardian issue, which launched his career. In 2003, some of his images were included in the book Sensation. Since then Noah’s work has appeared in some of my favorite home publications, including Dwell, Domino, and Real Simple. A mini-booklet he made of his fine art body of work called Teleport recently won a PDN Self-Promo award.

To see a gallery of Noah's beautiful photographs, just read more

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Fab Fall Photos: Twinkle's Finland

CasaSugar — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 12:39:16 -0700

Twinkle posted photos on Team of some beautiful fall scenes, and even though they look like they might have been taken in Vermont or Ontario, they are in fact from Finland.

Twinkle writes:

We live in a tiny seaside hamlet on the West Coast of Finland that has about 200 residents, most of whom speak Swedish as a first, and in some cases, only language. The area is part of the Kvarken Archipelago which was recently declared a UNESCO World Heritage site. The landscape is comprised of forests, wheat fields, inlets, and islands dotted with the occasional summer cottage or farm house. The closest city is 20 miles away and has roughly 57,000 inhabitants, so we’re not too far away from civilization. Autumn here is typically pretty miserable with chilly temperatures, lots of rain, mud, and gray skies. Leaves seem to fall to the ground within days of turning, and I often miss my chance to get any fall foliage shots. This autumn, however, has been gorgeous with fair skies, mild temperatures, and very little rain. So I couldn’t pass up an opportunity to get out and photograph my neighbourhood in all its glory. I especially love the beautiful leaves set against the traditional red ochre painted houses.

Take a look at the gallery for more of Twinkle's beautiful fall photos.

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Fab Fall Photos: AimeeB's Apple Picking

CasaSugar — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 10:00:46 -0700

These great photos from AimeeB are making me homesick! I used to go apple picking every autumn with my family, too, and it's such a fun fall tradition. AimeeB reports that she now has four bags of apples in her kitchen, and is ready to start making some crisps or tarts. Maybe this YumSugar apple buckle recipe will tempt her.

Any other Casa readers have some fab fall photographs to share?

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Taking Fab Fall Photographs: What to Capture

CasaSugar — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 08:05:38 -0700

I recently read some great tips on taking fall photographs over at PhotoJojo, and had to pass the tips along. Here are some suggestions for what to photograph this season.

Take leafy portraits. While you’re busy raking those leaves up in the backyard, don’t forget the leaf fights, leaf forts, leaf heaps… they’re fun and the spontaneity will give you opportunity for dynamic portraits.
Some seasons only give you a few possibilities for how to frame your shots outdoors-not so with fall! Get up close for detailed leaf shots, or take a step back and take in a technicolor landscape. There’s so much change come fall that the only thing you need do is look around you (or look up!).
Too windy to get those up-close macro shots of leaves? Try bringing some leaves home. With some good ol’ Scotch tape, stick the stem to a large open window that has some natural light coming through it, so that the leaf lies flat against the window. Now set up your camera and start snapping. Voila, brilliant leaf close-ups!
Capture a tree-changing time-lapse. Try taking a photo of the same tree, from the same spot, once every day for the next month. Take the shot around the same time every day if you can, and watch as the tree slowly transforms before your eyes.
Leaves and trees aren’t the only thing to photograph in the Fall. Visit a farmer’s market and snap some of the beautiful colors and shapes of Fall fruits and veggies. Go apple-picking or stop by the pumpkin patch.

What are you taking photos of this autumn?

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