Elevate the Everyday: A Photographic Guide to Picturing Motherhood [Paperback]

Tracey Clark (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 25, 2012 | ISBN-10: 0240821092 | ISBN-13: 978-0240821092 | Edition: 1

Turn the everyday into the extraordinary with Elevate the Everyday, renowned photographer and blogger Tracey Clark's guide to documenting motherhood. Focusing on the beauty of ordinary moments, Tracey offers inspirational ideas that will jumpstart your photographic energies and enable you to see your children and yourself in a new way through the lens of your camera. Each day of a mother's life is full of photographic potential, and Elevate the Everyday gives you the tools to take moments and situations that might be easily overlooked and turn them into memorable and lasting photographs. With a host of creative ideas, technical tips, poignant stories of motherhood, and inspirational images that go far beyond traditional posed shots, Tracey shows you how to unlock your creativity and document your everyday life. Accessible and encouraging, this book is for everyone who wants to document the special moments in their lives, camera in hand.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Focal Press; 1 edition (April 25, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0240821092
• ISBN-13: 978-0240821092
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 0.5 x 10 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #82,727 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Tracey Clark spends her days(and nights)juggling an all-encompassing career as a photographer/writer/blogger/teacher with the precarious art of raising both a spirited grade-schooler & a tireless teen with her husband in sunny So Cal. Although she's got 20 years of professional photography under her belt she simply considers herself an Everyday Photographer, not only because she shoots every day but because her favorite subject matter is found in the everyday-ordinary.

Tracey founded the community photo blog Shutter Sisters, where women with a passion for photography are celebrated daily. She teaches a number of creative photography classes at Big Picture Classes and can also be found on her blog www.traceyclark.com and on Instagram @traceyclark.

Tracey is the author of Waiting for Baby, Baby of Mine and is co-author of Expressive Photography: a Shutter Sisters Guide to Shooing From the Heart. Right now, she is most giddy about her soon-coming latest title Elevate the Everyday: A Photographic Guide to Picturing Motherhood, due out this spring.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Warm hearts and photography June 15, 2012

By Lewis LaRue

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I am a grandfather, and I bought this book for my daughter-in-law, who loves taking pictures of her beautiful daughters. And of course, before I give it to her, I read to see if it will do what I hope it will. It does.

Tracy Clark is an accomplished photographer; so there is no surprise that the book has good advice in it. But Clark's competence is the least of the many virtues of the book. Far more important is the open heart that she puts on display. She understands the sense of inadequacy that deters most mothers, that keeps them from taking pride in their photographs. She too has suffered from fear. So Clark is able to lead, to mentor, to guide her audience. It is hard to imagine a better book for mother who wishes to document the life of her child and herself.

I think this will turn out to be one of the better gift I have ever made.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars breathtakingly beautiful and practical July 27, 2012

By berylayn

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I absolutely love the candid wisdom Tracey shares in this book through stories of motherhood with which any mother can relate and practical technical photographic tips and advice. The importance of using photography as our own self-care tool is a unique piece of the book that every mom should read and take to heart. And, the imagery and photos woven throughout are stunning as well. This book is going on my favorites shelf and I am sure I will refer to it often.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous guide! September 6, 2012

By Melanie N. Jones

Format:Kindle Edition

I have been a fan of Tracey Clark's for several years, I've even taken a couple of her online photography classes. She is always thoughtful and insightful, and I love her focus on keeping it real and thinking outside the box. In this book, she manages to present new ideas and new ways of looking at EVERYthing, including the "clutter" around your house as bookmarks of your kids' ages and stages.

5.0 out of 5 stars beautifully presented March 30, 2013

By Ana Gassent

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I was surprised at the way contents are organised. I found it very inspiring, new ideas, good orgonisation. Liked it lots.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great and inspiring read March 7, 2013

By Cynthia Bullard

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I was pleasantly surprised by Elevate The Everyday! As a portrait photographer, I was getting burnt out on reading books on the technical aspects of how to pose, how to light, what to do and what to say to get your subject to cooperate, particularly when it came to working with children. This book actually re-inspired me to just let go of the technical stuff and shoot for the love of photography. Not all of my photographs of my son are perfect but you know what, they don't have to be. The images I have of my 4-year old are now etched into time and reflect his true personality, however crazy or blurred that may be in the image.

This book reminded me that as my family's historian, I have a responsibility and a wife and mother to document my family in photographs as well as in words. I had completed a 366 day blog our our day-to-day life from April 2011 to April 2012, but had not blogged much since then. After reading Elevate the Everyday, I picked up my camera and documented the 28 Days of February 2013. Thank you Tracey Clark for your words and inspiration to photograph just for the love of it.

5.0 out of 5 stars Wish I had this book three years ago July 12, 2012

By vpea

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Amazing. It's just fantastic. There was a real need for a book like this and I wish I had it when my kids were newborns. Thankfully theyre still little and I have plenty of time to document but loved the angle of documenting motherhood as well. It's so easy to forget ourselves when we are so wrapped up in our children's experiences. Whether youre a pro or newbie you will find something in this book to love.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book for moms and everyone who wants to capture life as it happens June 21, 2012

By Ann Saybolt

Format:Paperback

By page nine, I was already touched, inspired and excited about how this book would change me and my practice of capturing my kids and our life. As I continued to read, I found a perfect mix of technical advice, creative ideas and honest discussion of motherhood and all of its challenges and joys. This book is a gift. Thank you!!!