Congratulations to Diane Varner for being selected Photoblogger of the Month!

Diane’s blog “Daily Walks” invites people to experience the magic of the Northern California coastline and forests.

She is adept at capturing the essence of life through her lens — dewdrops on flowers, sunlight streaming through the fog, a fallen maple leaf…she is one to stop and smell the roses. And she will make you want to, too.

An artist all her life, Varner did not receive any formal photography training. “It has all been self-taught via books, online tutorials and most of all, trial and error,” she says. “The basics that I learned in my fine art training (composition, color, lighting, etc.) are now applied to my photography.”

Of her daily snapshots, Varner says, “What was once a casual past-time with my beloved dog, Boomer, is now a healthy, daily obsession.”

As she hikes the coastline and mountain trails, she clicks pictures that mesmerize.

“My hopes are such that these images will ‘take you away’ for a brief moment,” she says. “And in that moment, you’ll catch a glimpse of the magic that I experience every day.”

The bigger part of the absolutely stunning imagery is the connection it makes with our inner selves.

“I’ve discovered that while paying attention to the small but miraculous details of nature, one can actually tap into the beauty and expansiveness that exists within each of us,” says Varner.

A deep message, indeed.

[Show as slideshow]

For those of you breaking into the field, here are some handy tips from the horse’s mouth:

Number 1: Photograph subject matter that you are impassioned about. This is vital. If you are excited about the subject matter, that energy will come through.

Number 2: A good composition will make or break the photograph.

Number 3: You want there to be contrast between the lights and darks in your subject matter so that there are a range of black and white tones. Not harsh light but enough to create many levels of gray. A dramatic light source can make a dramatic black and white image.

Number 4: Depth and mood — Both of these are created via the light and composition. The trick is to position yourself and the subject matter in such a way there is a sense of dimension. This can be done with a landscape, close-up or a any other subject matter. The more dramatic the depth and light, the more a mood is created.

Number 5: Learn about post-processing your photographs. There are many affordable software programs available but the two that I would most recommend are: Adobe Lightroom and Adobe Photoshop.

I hope you will enjoy Varner’s exquisite photography and be transported to a land of mystical beauty.

If you would like to be considered for the Photoblogger of the Month award, or would like to nominate someone, please drop me a line.

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2010 Mansi Bhatia

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