Camera Angles

In photography camera angle is a common way of adding drama or interest into a photograph. Today the subject is the Grassmere Home located in Nashville, Tennessee and build in 1810. The home and farm is part of the Grassmere Zoo.
I shot these pictures this summer. And I made sure to get all of the homes angles. The first photograph below is a simple angle, which I think brings a welcoming sense to the photograph. I picture how people in the 1800s as they approached the home. I am a history buff so I pause and think of all the people who were around in pre-Civil War Middle Tennessee. The problem with this shot is the stroller a zoo patron left while touring the home, but a quick Photoshop can send that into oblivion.

This next photo is a dead center shot, and my least favorite of the lot. When planning photographs think of how they will look framed. This shot can be adjusted to bring more interest by chopping the extra grassy area out. But it would still lack the interest of the first photograph.

As you can see by the photo below, a slight angle accentuates the home’s height. However a crop of the extra sky would help its appeal. In this photo a shrub all but hides that pesky stroller as in the first photo.

 In my personal opinion this last photo is the best one because it has the trees and extreme angle to draw the viewer into the photograph. Also I believe this makes the home look a bit ominous, which is one of the great attributes of older homes.

When taking your own photos, remember to frame your work in a pleasing manner. Angles accentuate qualities of subject matter. Greenery, clouds, or other background elements all can work for or against the photograph. It can be added that using camera angles on portrait photos can be a bit trickier since your goal is to make a person look their best, so perhaps angles would not be the best option. 

Small Town Activity Ideas

Many people have friends or family that arrive around the holidays. If you are like me, you want to show them a god time while they are in town. East Texas is a great area for living but sometimes it is possible to overlook attractions you know just because you live in town and don’t think like a tourist.

This area has many small museums that showcase the rich history of the area. Jefferson, Texas is probably the most notable small town because it gets more press. The bed and breakfast inns and shopping bring people to town. There is also the Jefferson Historical Museum, which houses art, Native American artifacts, items from an old General Store, and memorabilia from East Texas. It is a good place to visit and it is self guided so you have plenty of time to look at the items. There is also the Gone With the Wind museum. It houses memorabilia from the movie and it the building is a style much like the movie home.

Carthage, Texas, has a small but informative museum. There are murals depicting Native American life in Texas. The museum houses artifacts also from the cotton and oil industries, as well as other pieces showcasing small town life. The Tea Room restaurant is on the first floor and they serve lunch options. Try the spiced-orange tea. It is different but good. Carthage also has the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame and the Tex Ritter museum. Both have fun things to look at.

Kilgore has the Oil Museum on the campus of Kilgore College. That is one of my favorite local museums. Interactive exhibits put you back into the oil boom days. There are guided tours and videos that explain the oil industry in more detail.

If art is more your style. The Michelson Museum of Art in Marshall features a mix of artistic styles. There are permanent exhibits but also traveling exhibits. The museum is free but they ask for donations.
There is another somewhat unknown art museum in Tyler Texas on the campus of Tyler Junior College. They offer changing exhibits. There is also a café with good food and reasonable prices.


So hopefully with these tips you can entertain guests during the holidays. Below are links with more detail on the museums.


Historical Museum of Jefferson: http://www.visitjeffersontexas.com/content.cfm?p=details_view&LID=2&CID=3
The Gone with the Wind Museum: http://www.scarlettohardy.com/
Museum and Tea Room: http://www.carthagetexas.com/Chamber/tea_room.htm
Texas Hall of Fame: http://www.carthagetexas.com/halloffame/
Tex Ritter: http://carthagetexas.us/halloffame/museum.htm
Kilgore Oil: http://www.easttexasoilmuseum.com/Pages/contact.html
Marshall Art: http://www.michelsonmuseum.org/michelsonmuseum.org/Welcome.html
Tyler Art: http://www.tylermuseum.org/

Jeni's Beauty Favs 12.8.11

Jeni's Beauty Favorites 

of December

What?! No weird new bands or concert going tips?  Blasphemy!!

Mint Julep Mud Masque by Queen Helene

About $5 at CVS

Black heads? Check.  Clogged up pores? Check.  Grand canyon sized pores? Check.  This stuff is the bomb diggity when it comes to ultra deep pore cleansing.  I use this about once a week for a good spa treatment for my nasty pores (you can drive a hummer into my pores, they're HUGE.)  The best part is it's bright green and gives you the perfect opportunity to run around the house scaring the dogs :)

This is actually VERY affordable and it's the only mud mask I swear by.  Get it.

Chance Eau Fraiche by Chanel

Fragrance

About $70 at Sephora

This perfume is downright heavenly.  I would describe it as clean and fresh (vague, sorry) with floral undertones, totally and completely different from the famous Chanel No. 5. 

Yes, it's on the pricey side but so very worth it for date nights.

 44 Iron Guard Thermal Protection Spray by CHI

$13.88 at Wal-Mart

If I were to take "Jeni's 10 Beauty Commandments"  Thou shalt always wear heat protector when using heated hair tools would be commandment numero dos (right behind Thou shalt always wear sunscreen.)  Yes, a tad pricey but this product is king when it comes to keeping your luscious locks from frying in that flat iron.  Heat protector sprays seal important moisture into your hair that is otherwise robbed when its super heated which can cause scorching and breakage. 

 Equate Eye Makeup Remover

$3ish at Wal-Mart

Cheaper off brand for the win!! I've seen some mixed reviews about this product but for me it works wonderfully.  I've used eye makeup removers that leave me with blurry vision and/or continually flakey leftover mascara and. that. sucks.  This is easy to apply and it does a great job of GENTLY getting rid of my eye makeup.  I strive to use very gentle and non abrasive products around my eyes so I don't cause damage to the sensitive skin in that area.  We want to keep our eyes bright and unbaggy right?? Right!

 Glycolic Herbal Wash by Rhonda Allison

$32 on Amazon.com or from my facialist :)

 Ok. Wild Card alert.  This product is (mostly) available only on Amazon.com and through independent licensed estheticians.  I've had so many issues with my skin from ginormous pores to premature sun damage (darn you fair skin!!) that I have recently begun seeing a facialist every other month for microdermabraision and chemical peel.  It's really not at all as bad as it sounds and yes, it makes a difference.  I received this little gem from my facialist at the De Leon Spa in Paris, Tx, Angie Doroba-Martin, and I'm hooked.  Proactive ain't got $#%^ on this stuff.  I actually find myself looking forward to washing my face at night!  It leaves my nasty oily skin feeling squeaky clean and clear all day long.  Again, it's a little pricey but worth the splurge.

Brilliantine Shine Glossing Spray by Garnier Fructis

$3.33 at Wal-Mart

This product is simple.  Spray it on your ends (and JUST your ends or you will have greasy gravy hair within an hour) for glossy shiney goldilocks.  I usually do 2 spritzes on my ends after styling and hairspray just for a little extra helping of that coveted "glowing" shine.

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Jeni & Deanna's Top 10 Money Saving Tips from Pinterest

Have we mentioned that we love...

This week Jeni & Deanna have brought to you our

Top 10 Money Saving Tips from Pinterest!



http://pinterest.com/pin/77053843594187587/



1. DIY Reusable Swiffer pads!
Why buy a box of Swiffer dusters for $7-11 just to toss them out! Go to a Dollar Store, buy a microfiber dusting cloth, cut and boom shakalakaaa.



http://pinterest.com/pin/77053843594187590/

2. DIY Wallflowers!
Apparently, what BBW sells you might be bad for your health.  Read this website and get a quick (and eye opening!) chemistry lesson.  A 2 pack refill of these babies is $12.50, just add your favorite essential oil instead :)

 

://pinterest.com/pin/77053843594203218/

3. Chip bag holder!
httpI'm guilty of actually buying special clips for my chip bags.  Never again my friends.



http://pinterest.com/pin/77053843594203228/



4. PANCAKES!!
Ok, so not really a $$$ saving tip but a tip none the less! I always make a king size mess when cooking pancakes.  This pin kinda makes you go, "Doh! Why didn't I think of that?!"

 



http://pinterest.com/pin/77053843594187594/



 5. DIY Laundry Soap!
$11.21 for 10 gallons of clean clothes awesomeness?  I think so!

http://pinterest.com/pin/156007574561546364/

6. DIY modge podge

If you are a crafter like me, you know how ridiculously expensive this stuff is! Save money by making your own.



http://pinterest.com/pin/272101764/



7. Envelops



My husband and I started using envelopes with cash in them to budget ALL of our money 3 months ago.  We have been able to save hundreds of dollars just by giving every dollar a category to go into. 

http://pinterest.com/pin/77053843594187590/

8. Save money on gift wrap!

Isn't this super cute?  Giftwrap/ giftbags can get a little expensive, so save money by doing something like this.

 



http://pinterest.com/pin/204299627/

9. Starbucks Frappucino



I LOVE Starbucks...but unfortunately the closest one is 40 miles away from our small town.  So not only will this save money but it will also provide an excellent treat for all you rural goddesses out there.

10. DIY Clorox Wipes

We go through about 1 big tub of these every month.  I use them on everything!





http://pinterest.com/pin/453288887/