Today’s conversation is with Sam, a mom, wife, landscape designer, homeschooler, food lover, frog charmer and macro shooter extraordinaire.

How did you get into photography?
My parents handed me my first point-and-shoot back in my early school days. In high school I made a big investment and bought myself an SLR camera and proceeded to hassle everyone with it. When my son came along it was a perfect reason to upgrade and renew my obsession. A few years ago, I found the wonderful world of flickr, and after being re-inspired and amazed by all that photography is and has to offer these days, it has become a large part of my life.

How would you describe your style?
My love is macro. I find that I’m not happy unless I’m within a couple inches of my subject.


What message do you want to convey in your photographs?
I wouldn’t say that I’m trying to convey a message necessarily. Is it selfish to say that I do it for me? It’s therapy. It makes me smile. It opens my eyes to the little details and sweet things in life that I often overlook. It helps me to be thankful. Daily.

Who inspires you and why?
I am constantly inspired by friends on flickr, facebook, and the blogs of women who capture daily life in the sweetest ways. It is a gift. To be able to take a daily routine and happenings and turn them into magic. The ‘good’, the ‘bad’ and the ‘ugly’. Makes me wish I had been a lot more active with my camera when my yahoo was little.

What is your favourite thing to photograph?
There are so many things I love to photograph. From food and kitchen adventures, to flowers in the garden, to all the creatures that my husband and son gift me with, to our dog. And let’s not forget the leaves. I love the leaves.


Which is your favourite recent photo and what is the story behind it?
I do love this shot of our dog. She is often my model, but the photo sessions are often far from calm. I love this one because it’s a great view of what shooting photos of her is normally like, or at least what it eventually becomes in the end. She gets a little excited. In this shot I wanted her to look at the mirror. After I said ‘LOOK’ a couple dozen times, she just lost it.

You’re doing a 366; what keeps you going?
Daily inspiration from the other women that I know who are in the midst of a 366. A desire to have some sort of record of daily life around here. I plan to put the year together in a book. It’s a sort of journal for me.


What projects are you planning?
I find that my brain wants to juggle 15 projects at once, and that my body has other ideas these days. I’m trying my hardest to just take each day as it comes and be happy with what is done during that one day, and so I’m not necessarily planning anything in particular other than to keep on taking pictures of it all.


What would your superpower be?
Teleporting. Teleporting my son to swim practice and back. The two of us to meets. My laundry from the basement to its respective destinations, groceries from the grocery store, friends for tea, myself to far away places. Yes. Definitely teleporting.

If you want to see more of Sam’s work, you can find her on flickr.