Good morning, this was a very impactful read for me. I am a beginning photographer and I have no idea how to create these panels. Currently all I have come up with is google photo collages. Could you help me understand how to create these panels? I would appreciate any help.
Thank you very much Jon, I am glad you enjoyed the post.
I created my panels in Adobe Indesign, but you can also do them in Photoshop or in the print module in Lightroom and then save them as jpeg's instead of printing. Alternatively you can use an app such as inCollage (https://photoeditorapps.com )which will provide you with grids that you can populate with your own images.
Another interesting and inspiring idea, Gill - using panels. I have done this before but had forgotten about it. And photo sketching is a wonderful term. I call it “going for a walk with my camera”. I too like to experiment and try different shooting techniques on the same subject. It keeps the creative juices flowing.
Thank you so much fo you comments Susan, I am glad you found the post inspiring. I love walking with the camera and taking little sketches of parts of the landscape that I can then combine together to form a more detailed picture of a place. I have always been inspired by artists sketch books and like to think about it in the same way. It definitely keeps the creative juices flowing. 🙂
Great post Gill- and beautiful sketchbook panels. I am pretty motivated, but very occassionally I just can't be bothered with a long drive. Instead, I just pick a nearby location and go out to do something a bit different with the camera like an urban timelapse or some street photography. I am usually back in the bush the next weekend!
I think doing something different is a great way to deal with lack of motivation. Trying a different discipline often seeds ideas and gives us the impetus to get back out. I think if we always do the same thing photographically we can become a bit stale.
Love these panels and how you put them together. Great idea and well worth trying. Last January, for various reasons I’d not been out with my camera for ages. Weather wasn’t good, did what was my usual walk. Had a listed of ten words in my head that a friend had come up with for our ‘Make 10 Photos - January’. And I made a photo to match each. Didn’t do a panel. But felt really motivated at the end. Would certainly try and do panels when I’m not inspired in future.
Thank you very much Pat, I am glad you like the panel idea.
I think doing anything different from our usual approach is good for motivation and inspiration. I think the word idea is great and can lead to some interesting images that you might have overlooked otherwise.
The thing I like about panels is they force you to be creative. You have to think about the images as a whole rather than individually otherwise the panel doesn't work.
Well, that's a day I wont get back again.😂. The walk was a bit of a non-event, my fault, I just picked a place I'd not been before and it turned out to be not that interesting.
I managed a few shots that were passable, nothing brilliant but would do for the panel challenge.
The panel on the other hand, boy, what a rabbit-hole that led to. I figured there's be some YouTube tutorial on how to actually make one in Photoshop, I was wrong.
I've eventually come up with a process of sizing my selected 9 images to all the same 1x1 crop in Lightroom, then selecting all of them and opening them up as layers in Photoshop, then just using the move tool to drag them around into a grid., flattening the finished grid and extending the canvas to create a border.
It sounds like you have had a very eventful time Ross! I am sorry the walk wasn't that inspiring, but I am glad that you managed to get the panel to work. It is possible to make these panels or grids in the print module in Lightroom, populate them with images and export them as Jpegs. Sometimes I think this is easier than using Photoshop. I'm glad it worked eventually and I hope the experience hasn't put you off having another go in the future. 🙂
Thanks for that Gill, I'll give that a go as well. Now that I've got the hang of my Photoshop technique, it's actually pretty easy, at least to make a simple grid anyway. There's always an issue or two but that's good for the grey matter to keep ticking over. 😊📷
Some beautiful images Gill - I particularly like the multiple exposures. Taking a photowalk and sketchbooking images into a grid is a great way of playing when we're demotivated, as well as learning different ways of seeing and presenting work, I have to agree. I love the chocolate bar quote...I do a lot of walking with my camera but end up not presenting the images - this has given me a few ideas now, so thank you.
Thank you very much for your comments Lin. I agree, I love the discipline of putting panels together and think it forces me to be more aware of what I am shooting and more creative with my individual shots.
Gosh this blog really rings true with me too! The grey days stifle all creativity and the East winds have been cold as well! But as you say - the Cow parsley won't be here for long so we must get out there! I'm inspired by reading this and going out NOW! Keep us motivated.............
Thank you so much Sue. I am glad you enjoyed the blog and it is good to know it has inspired you to get out. The seasons go so fast, so it is always worth getting out even if the conditions aren't perfect. 🙂
I think every creative person has ups and downs in motivation. I certainly do. For me, becoming unmotivated is an indication that I need rest or a break, and I know the spark will eventually return. I may try a different activity such as writing or even drawing. I do feel that it is important to keep up the discipline and do something, even if its just a little or something different. I can't remember who said it, but I always like the quote "when the muse comes, I want her to find me working."
As far as your photo sketch approach, I think it is brilliant! I'm going to start thinking along those lines right away. That's some strong motivation!!
I love the quote "when the muse comes, I want her to find me working " and I agree that trying new things is a good way to stay motivated. Like you I often think that lack of motivation is an indication that I need a rest! Photography can definitely be exhausting sometimes!
I hope the sketch approach proves useful for you. 🙂
Many thanks for this bank holiday wake up, a simple idea, which has brought you great results, and certainly should be able to be replicated by all of us lazy beings!
Love the Creekside panel, would make a great card! The mellow tones are very you!
When you put together a body of work such as this, I think again 'Zine' very much as the 'Rust' one. I don't agree that these are not portfolio worthy, to me they are!
Thinking further perhaps a book of sketches opposed to single Zines could prove beneficial or even a calendar of 12? Just a thought. If the inspiration doesn't get me out with the camera, you are certainly activating my brain, thank you for a great read!😀
Beautiful images that certainly capture the essence of the place when grouped together. So inspiring that I rushed off to photograph a tumbledown shed without pausing to comment! Just what I needed to kickstart the recording part of my Home Ground project. Thank you Gill.
Thanks very much.
This is of great help to me.
Good morning, this was a very impactful read for me. I am a beginning photographer and I have no idea how to create these panels. Currently all I have come up with is google photo collages. Could you help me understand how to create these panels? I would appreciate any help.
Jon Pinter
Thank you very much Jon, I am glad you enjoyed the post.
I created my panels in Adobe Indesign, but you can also do them in Photoshop or in the print module in Lightroom and then save them as jpeg's instead of printing. Alternatively you can use an app such as inCollage (https://photoeditorapps.com )which will provide you with grids that you can populate with your own images.
I hope that helps.
Another interesting and inspiring idea, Gill - using panels. I have done this before but had forgotten about it. And photo sketching is a wonderful term. I call it “going for a walk with my camera”. I too like to experiment and try different shooting techniques on the same subject. It keeps the creative juices flowing.
Thank you so much fo you comments Susan, I am glad you found the post inspiring. I love walking with the camera and taking little sketches of parts of the landscape that I can then combine together to form a more detailed picture of a place. I have always been inspired by artists sketch books and like to think about it in the same way. It definitely keeps the creative juices flowing. 🙂
I just love your work! Thank you for sharing it.
Thank you so much, that is really kind. I am glad you are enjoying it. 🙂
Great post Gill- and beautiful sketchbook panels. I am pretty motivated, but very occassionally I just can't be bothered with a long drive. Instead, I just pick a nearby location and go out to do something a bit different with the camera like an urban timelapse or some street photography. I am usually back in the bush the next weekend!
Thank you very much for your comments James.
I think doing something different is a great way to deal with lack of motivation. Trying a different discipline often seeds ideas and gives us the impetus to get back out. I think if we always do the same thing photographically we can become a bit stale.
Love these panels and how you put them together. Great idea and well worth trying. Last January, for various reasons I’d not been out with my camera for ages. Weather wasn’t good, did what was my usual walk. Had a listed of ten words in my head that a friend had come up with for our ‘Make 10 Photos - January’. And I made a photo to match each. Didn’t do a panel. But felt really motivated at the end. Would certainly try and do panels when I’m not inspired in future.
Thank you very much Pat, I am glad you like the panel idea.
I think doing anything different from our usual approach is good for motivation and inspiration. I think the word idea is great and can lead to some interesting images that you might have overlooked otherwise.
The thing I like about panels is they force you to be creative. You have to think about the images as a whole rather than individually otherwise the panel doesn't work.
I love these Gill, in fact I love them so much I'm going out on a bushwalk immediately and trying to nail one myself.😀
Thank you very much Ross, I am glad you enjoyed the post and like the idea. I hope you had fun with your panel. 🙂
Hi Gill.
Well, that's a day I wont get back again.😂. The walk was a bit of a non-event, my fault, I just picked a place I'd not been before and it turned out to be not that interesting.
I managed a few shots that were passable, nothing brilliant but would do for the panel challenge.
The panel on the other hand, boy, what a rabbit-hole that led to. I figured there's be some YouTube tutorial on how to actually make one in Photoshop, I was wrong.
I've eventually come up with a process of sizing my selected 9 images to all the same 1x1 crop in Lightroom, then selecting all of them and opening them up as layers in Photoshop, then just using the move tool to drag them around into a grid., flattening the finished grid and extending the canvas to create a border.
A bit cumbersome but it works. (eventually). 😊👍
It sounds like you have had a very eventful time Ross! I am sorry the walk wasn't that inspiring, but I am glad that you managed to get the panel to work. It is possible to make these panels or grids in the print module in Lightroom, populate them with images and export them as Jpegs. Sometimes I think this is easier than using Photoshop. I'm glad it worked eventually and I hope the experience hasn't put you off having another go in the future. 🙂
Thanks for that Gill, I'll give that a go as well. Now that I've got the hang of my Photoshop technique, it's actually pretty easy, at least to make a simple grid anyway. There's always an issue or two but that's good for the grey matter to keep ticking over. 😊📷
Inspirational and practical tips. Thanks!
Thank you very much, I am glad you enjoyed them.
Some beautiful images Gill - I particularly like the multiple exposures. Taking a photowalk and sketchbooking images into a grid is a great way of playing when we're demotivated, as well as learning different ways of seeing and presenting work, I have to agree. I love the chocolate bar quote...I do a lot of walking with my camera but end up not presenting the images - this has given me a few ideas now, so thank you.
Thank you very much for your comments Lin. I agree, I love the discipline of putting panels together and think it forces me to be more aware of what I am shooting and more creative with my individual shots.
It is good to know I have inspired a few ideas. 🙂
Gosh this blog really rings true with me too! The grey days stifle all creativity and the East winds have been cold as well! But as you say - the Cow parsley won't be here for long so we must get out there! I'm inspired by reading this and going out NOW! Keep us motivated.............
Thank you so much Sue. I am glad you enjoyed the blog and it is good to know it has inspired you to get out. The seasons go so fast, so it is always worth getting out even if the conditions aren't perfect. 🙂
I think every creative person has ups and downs in motivation. I certainly do. For me, becoming unmotivated is an indication that I need rest or a break, and I know the spark will eventually return. I may try a different activity such as writing or even drawing. I do feel that it is important to keep up the discipline and do something, even if its just a little or something different. I can't remember who said it, but I always like the quote "when the muse comes, I want her to find me working."
As far as your photo sketch approach, I think it is brilliant! I'm going to start thinking along those lines right away. That's some strong motivation!!
Thank you very much for your comments Erik.
I love the quote "when the muse comes, I want her to find me working " and I agree that trying new things is a good way to stay motivated. Like you I often think that lack of motivation is an indication that I need a rest! Photography can definitely be exhausting sometimes!
I hope the sketch approach proves useful for you. 🙂
Really like the idea of your panels … loverly work :)
Thank you very much, I am glad you enjoyed them.
Monday, time for an inspiring read from Gill!
Many thanks for this bank holiday wake up, a simple idea, which has brought you great results, and certainly should be able to be replicated by all of us lazy beings!
Love the Creekside panel, would make a great card! The mellow tones are very you!
When you put together a body of work such as this, I think again 'Zine' very much as the 'Rust' one. I don't agree that these are not portfolio worthy, to me they are!
Thinking further perhaps a book of sketches opposed to single Zines could prove beneficial or even a calendar of 12? Just a thought. If the inspiration doesn't get me out with the camera, you are certainly activating my brain, thank you for a great read!😀
Thank you very much for your kind comments Chris, it is good to know you enjoyed the post and the panel of images.
I found your ideas for the use of panels interesting and have been working on a book idea with a similar theme - watch this space 🙂
Beautiful images that certainly capture the essence of the place when grouped together. So inspiring that I rushed off to photograph a tumbledown shed without pausing to comment! Just what I needed to kickstart the recording part of my Home Ground project. Thank you Gill.