Take Photo

First of all I'd like to congratulate Anne Highfield who is today's highlighted Painterly Mobile Artist. Anne recently achieved the distinction of earning Honorable Mention for two of her images in the category of Still Life in the 2013 Mobile Photography Awards. Today Anne is the chosen artist in the ongoing series of Painterly Mobile Artists. The photographers are chosen from the Flickr Group - please join us if you enjoy editing mobile photos in a painterly way.

When I was fourteen years old, I remember discussing careers with my mother and telling her that one day I wanted to be a photographer. Being the practical woman that she was, she quickly responded that photography was a hobby, not a career, and suggested that I save my money to buy a camera. Ever mindful of her role in nurturing my talents, she bought me my first camera, a Pentax K-1000, for my high school graduation. Thirty years later, with the exception of just a handful of classes, I have never formally studied photography, but I love it just the same. I am now an elementary school teacher and enjoy the time that summers and unexpected snow days afford me to devote to other pleasures like photography.

I became interested in iPhoneography in 2011 when I took a weekend class with Karen Messick, a well-known iPhoneographer from Maryland. This art form immediately appealed to my longing for simplicity and convenience, and has become a creative outlet that provides balance and beauty in my life. I love how I can spontaneously slip away from life for a while, with my iPhone in hand, and make art - no tripod, no fancy flash, no big batteries involved.

My mother would be happy to know that although I have not made a career as a photographer, I have spent time sharing my love of photography with children. I have taught a digital photography class for children living in a homeless shelter, and this summer I will be teaching my first mobile photography class for children through my local community arts center.

This photo was taken in March, 2014 during a snowy walk to the Chester River in Chestertown, Maryland. I love what my iPhone does with a gray sky, so I never pass up an opportunity to go out looking for photos on a snow day. My editing began with the addition of some vintage and drama filters in Snapseed. I then applied some painterly effects in Glaze and blended those back with the original image to give the whole photo a softer feel. Although the heavy editing eliminated most of the faint snow falling, a few large snowflakes in the sky became distracting, so I removed them with TouchRetouch. Finally, I applied some additional textures and warm tones using Distressed FX.