Welcome to the second and final week of my For the Love of Photography Series. Did you enjoy all the festivities from last week? Are you ready for yet another week of inspiration and beautiful images?
Today’s photographer is known for her whimsical artistry and beautiful portrayal of not only her florals, but the gorgeous little ones that call her ‘mama’. Shana Rae’s work is timeless and absolute perfection. Not only is she known through the Flickr world, but just recently debuted her incredible Florabella Textures & Fine Art. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on her textures and can’t say enough about them! Please welcome Shana!
My love for photography started in 2005 after traveling to China to adopt our daughter Sophie Lu. Her beautiful face was and still is my greatest inspiration. Since then, my husband and I have adopted Oliver (now 2) from Guatemala, and I had a baby girl, Sasha Lili, last September. As a mom, I realize that time is so fleeting. Our children grow much too quickly; so I take as many photos of them as possible. I want to capture their innocence, their beauty, and their happiness as they grow. I hope that they can look back one day and see themselves how I saw them and realize just how much they have always been loved.
Aside from photographing my children, I also enjoy florals and still life. I find that flowers are much more cooperative than children… they can’t run away, and they don’t ever make goofy faces! I had always wanted to learn to paint with oil, but I found that by using different textures and post processing methods, I could easily transform my floral photographs into works of art. Others started asking about my work flow and how I achieved my look, so I developed Florabella Fine Art Textures which have been a big hit since I launched them several weeks ago. My textures are a huge part of my work flow, but it’s also very rewarding to see the beautiful, artistic images that so many photographers have created using my set.
Recently, I have had the honor of my floral work being featured on several decorating and photography sites. As luck would have it, publishers noticed my work (both there and on Flickr) and have contacted me with interest in licensing my floral images. I’m currently negotiating contracts with four publishing companies (including Papyrus here in the US) to use my floral work for greeting cards, prints, and posters both here and in the UK. This is so exciting for me, as I never sought out to make photography into a business. I feel blessed to be a stay-at-home mom and to also have a creative outlet that is successful and profitable! Mostly, though, it feels wonderful to have found my talent: a hobby that is practical, useful, and fun…. something that I love and continue to learn more about with each day.
You must browse through Shana’s Flickr, she shares the most beautiful images there. Of course you’ll want to drool over her Fine Art prints as well as Textures on the Florabella Website!
Shana has offered not only two sets of her Florabella Textures, BUT one of her fine art prints!
PLEASE READ CAREFULLY: Leave a comment on this post to enter to win her TEXTURES. Two of you will be selected. You know the rules, leave a separate comment for each entry (if you gave a shout out or two) for it to count.
Scroll down to enter to win one of her delicious Fine Art pieces!
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charleigh - i haven’t seen shana’s beautiful work before. thanks for sharing this great interview. i love the old world feel shana has created – these images are simply stunning!
charleigh - twittered
steadymom - Another adoptive mommy here! Her work is beautiful!
Jamie
kelly T - Wow, I hope to see these beautiful images on a card one day. Very exciting stuff
wendy russell - wow what an inspiration!!
wendy russell - FB fan!!
Hannah - I have been following Shana for years now on her blog and LOVE her work. She is so talented and inspiring.
Hannah - New Subscriber too!
Jill - Gorgeous work! I LOVE these!
Jill - FB fan!
Jill - Twittered http://twitter.com/jellis711/status/2613033900
Julie - beautiful, creative work!
Julie - Subscriber as well
Kari - Shana’s work is beautiful! Her textures are awesome – Would love to win to add to my collection!
Kari - http://randomcraftiness.blogspot.com/2009/07/creative-mama-week-2-day-1.html
Stacie @ newmommyhelp.net - I love Shana’s description of how her love of photography began to grow after becoming a mom. Her thoughts on taking pictures to show her children when they are grown brought tears to my eyes.
Christine - Shana’s work is amazing. I love that she’s just a stay at home mom (like me!), capturing the beauty she finds around her. Very inspiring!
Jen Arthur - These images and textures are totally gorgeous! Congratulations on the licensing negotiations! How exciting for you, Shana Rae!
mary - Shana Rae’s work is so beautiful! I purchased her textures recently, and am having SO much fun with them. They are really a great way to spur your creativity.
Krista - Would love to use these textures! They look great.
Candy Howard - Beautiful!
Candy Howard - FB fan, too!
Tonya - wowza…her images are stunning!
Amanda - I have been a flickr member for a little bit and found Shana’s photostream….her work is AMAZING:) I love the shabby chic look!
deb schwedhelm photography - her florals are amazing and her recognition by publishing companies is more than deserved. beautiful!!
Angela - Awesome textures, your work is really amazing!
Angela - FB fan, love ya
jennalou - Wow…. gorgeous stuff! The photographs are amazing to start with, but the textures are topping on a cake!
jennalou - FB fan
jennalou - And a subscriber too.
chai - love this “interview” and I hope I would be the lucky one
Karen - FB fan!
Karen - I love these!
Karen - And I am a subscriber
K - I am inspired by Shana’s work and I love her photography! Thanks for this wonderful opportunity to win!
Heather Osilka - Gave a shout out on FB!
Nicole - Beautiful colors!
Julie - Those are just gorgeous!
Kirsten Dehmlow - Thank you for introducing me to the amazing creative mamas.
Chele - Her work is beautiful! I love photos of flowers or any outdoor still life photos!
Chele - I twittered!
Marci@OvercomingBusy - Oh my goodness! Her work is incredible!
Stephanie - The textures are beautiful and really give the photos a vintage feel.
Amanda - Facebook fan:)
Charlene - I would love to add this vintage touch to some of my photographs! Especially new grandbaby arriving soon!
Carolyn - I recently discovered Shana Rae on Flickr and fell in love with her work! She is such an inspiration to me, both with her work on flowers and her children. I have just started playing with layering myself and love the look it creates. Keep up the good work!
Corinne Fudge - In lurve with these…….
Brooke - WOW! Shana….I didn’t know about the contract work…you freaking rock woman! You own the front page on Flickr!!!!!
Brooke
Tracy - What beautiful work! I’m in awe. The soft, vintage feel to her images are so remarkable!
Tracy - I’m a subscriber too!
Kelly W. - Beautiful textures! Really changes the look of a photograph.
Kelly W. - FB fan
Larna - I checked out this website last night! Beautiful!
I would love to try those textures!
Larna - I’m a FB Fan of course
tamsen - wow, these are incredible works! i recently redid my kitchen and have been looking for some appropriate artwork and this looks like it!
i love it! i am also a stay-at-home mom and i appalud Shana Rae for her work and success! congrats!
jenna nelson - i have seen the textures- they are lovely. Fingers crossed
tamsen - also, i am a photographer, and have been looking for some great textures to add depth to my photos…i love these! would love to win them~
Lori - Beautiful textures!!! So creative and inspiring!
melody - i am a HUGE fan of Shana’s work. Please enter me. Thanks.
Karen - Great! So pretty!
Becky - oooh! Pick me!! Pick me!!!
Becky - FB Fan here!!!
Becky - E-mail subscriber too!!
jenn - beautiful
Stephanie Morgan - Her work is amazing! Makes me want to go out and take pictures of some flowers.
Brandi - BEAUTIFUL pictures……
Amy - Wow, so gorgeous! Thanks for doing this!
Amy - Email subscriber!
Amy - Have your button on my blog:www.amybrown.blogspot.com!
Diamond - Been following these beautiful images on Flickr from day one. Would love to win them!
Jess - I am also an adoptive mom and have been reading Shana’s blog for years. It has been incredible to watch her talent develop and to see the amazing things she is doing now. As a photographer myself, I would love win these textures!!!
Kelly Q. - FB fan!
Kelly Q. - Gimme, Gimme, Gimme!!! I love these textures!
Pati :) - Beautiful work! Stunning!
Pati :) - FB fan
Pati :) - And I subscribe
Sherry - I love these textures! I would love to win!!!
Carly - I’ve been wanting these textures for some time! FB fan, friend, and twitter groupie!
mika beth edwards - I have followed Shana on Flickr ever since Sophie Lu was little! Shana is one of the sweetest people I have ever talked too. She is so talented as well! I love looking at her stream.
Carolyn - I just learned how to use textures in Photoshop–how perfect! Hope I win, these are gorgeous!
Donna - Oh these textures are so beautiful!!! would love to have them?
nicole - Ooooh her textures are beautiful! I would love to win!
Angela Sorensen - The textures look gorgeous. I would love to win them…here’s hoping!
Julie - OHHHHH…..I’m SO in love!! What an exciting giveaway!!
Mary - I would love to try my hand with her textures. The images are gorgeous!
Raceytay - No one does textures quite like Shana Rae; she’s an artist.
Wilma Warchol - It’s inspiring. I think I may try and work on some florals in the next few weeks.!
Ruby B. - Beautiful textures! I am a fan.
Jennifer Czap - Don’t know that I would be able to create anything nearly as beautiful, but I would love to give it a try with Shana’s textures.
kristin t - Oooh!! Wow! It’s so inspiring! I know people have already said that, but it’s true!
Mamirosa & Co. - Shana’s work is simply always full of eye candy! I would SOOOO love to win her textures! They’re so gorgeous! =)
Brooke - Her work is absolutely BEAUTIFUL!
Jennifer - I LOVE these textures and I’m just itching to win them and use them on some of my garden photos and shots of my kids.
Kelly - These textures are so lovely and take an already beautiful photograph and make it absolutely magical! Gorgeous work.
Shalina - Beautiful work! I’d love to win these textures
Jennifer - LOVE LOVE LOVE your work and following as a Google Friend and contact on Flickr.
Alicia - Oooo Oooo! Please!
Jen - Wow, amazing, beautiful, I’d love to win!
Johanna - Wow! These textures are beautiful and I would love to have them!
Johanna - and I’m a facebook fan!
Lindsay - Beautiful! I’d love to win.
Lindsay - I follow.
Christine - I mentioned you on my blog again!
http://picturethis-cm.blogspot.com/2009/07/i-missed-it.html
Trude - I recently discovered Florabella and her textures are on my wish list! So beautiful and relaxing.
Candice Kingston - Those pictures are stunning… nevermind the children! I am still trying to figure out this preset business, but I’m loving the effects! I would love to be the winner!
Get Real Girl - These photographs are absolutely beautiful. This photography series has been such an inspiration.
Get Real Girl - I follow!
Eva Ricci - Shana Rae is an inspiration. Her work is lovely and her textures so incredible useful. Thank you Shana… hugs xxx
Jennifer - These are such beautiful images. I love the textures.
kim - These are wonderful! Amazing textures.
Megan - Those are beautiful!
sarah - I love Shana’s work – I’ve been a fan through flickr and I just love the softness of her photos – both still life and real life images! Thanks!! Sarah
Eva Ricci - I’m back… forgot to mention… I WOULD DIE FOR A SHANA ORIGINAL…. she has been one of the sweetest flickr friend and biggest mother to mother inspiration that I have had since I started my journey on flickr. I would so love to have one of her artworks hang on my wall, to remind me of how wonderful mama’s are.
Eva xxx
merrilee - I love these textures! This blog is such an inspiration
merrilee - I’m a blog subscriber, but even if I wasn’t this photography series would draw me in!
merrilee - I twittered the giveaway!
http://twitter.com/liarsandfrogs/status/2618084599
Lynda Naranjo - I’ve admired Shana Rae’s photography for several months now and she just gets better and better. I’ve been saving up to buy her textures so I would absolutely love a chance to win them!
Just discovered your blog from a link on Shana Rae’s Flickr … bookmarking to visit again!
merrilee - I told my facebook friends about the giveaway!!!
merrilee - I blogged about this giveaway
I heart it! http://liarsandfrogs.blogspot.com/2009/07/oh-just-few-more.html
merrilee - I’m a fan on facebook, and in real life!
Claudia@DipityRoad - So excited to find her!!
TTFN~~Claudia ♥
Claudia@DipityRoad - I am also a FAN on Facebook!
Rachel - These are really cool! I have been wanting to dabble in textures for a while, but haven’t found any I like until now! Would love to win these.
Laura - I’ve been a fan of Shana’s for many years now — since Sophie Lu came home. I’ve always loved her photography — she is so talented.
Rachel - Tweet! http://twitter.com/RachelGoerke
Arielle - Very beautiful
Crystal - WOW! Those are AMAZING & BREATHTAKING! :O) I am a texture junkie and have never purchased any so I’d LOVE the opportunity to try these beautiful textures!
Abby - Man-0-man, her images are pure eye candy. Thanks for the chance!
Taresa - wow, beautiful textures & work!
bdaiss - I love Florabella’s work. Thanks so much for this interview! Her textures are just stunning!
bdaiss - I subscribe as well!
Brooke - LOVE these!!! So beautiful! Im crossing my fingers hoping I will get picked
Julie - I subscribe!!
Amber - This is so very cool…textures are a new thing to me. Her work is beautiful!
Amber - I’m a FB fan…would love to win.
cindy : quaint - i love shana rae’s photography and recently started playing with her wonderful textures. lovely post.
Julie - I’m a FB fan!!
Maggie - Beautiful! While my kiddos are adorable, I too love the cooperativeness of photographing flowers
Stacy - Love the textures!
Stacy - Fan on facebook!
Stacy - Subscribe to the blog!
Stacy -
I heart Angie!
Anna - Amazing prints
Wendy - Please count me in! Thank you!
Alissa - OH! I just discovered your site. Wish I was here last week too! LOL. Please enter me for this. Thanks!
jamie - how gorgeous…
jamie - i’m a subscriber.
jamie - thank you for this second week of fun. i’m on my way over to facebook to let my friends know all about this week!
Chele -
…..
Jennifer - Shana is an incredibly talented artist. She has a vintage view of photography and art that is so peaceful, beautiful and charming. I love the shabby chic feel of her photography. I too love textures. I’ve recently discovered textures in the last couple of months and it’s hard to imagine I lived without them. I’m texture happy ready to texture anything that comes my way. I would love the opportunity to be able to use the Florabella textures to create beautiful photography. Thank you
michelle - Wow i would love to win these ! they are so beautiful
Susanne - LOVE these!
chrisitne.s - I love her & would love an orginal
Steph - I love these textures and have been saving for them!!
Steph - I tweeted!!! Name:nsmorinville
Carrie Hartman - Oh my stars! These are so beautiful! And I am really looking forward to this week of new photography greatness!
Steph - I am a facebook fan
Carrie Hartman - I am also a FB fan and I love that I get a second entry because of that.
Steph - I subscribe
Shana Rae - Thank you Angie and everyone for your kind comments about my work! I’m so flattered, and it is such an honor to be featured on TCM! Thank you!!!
Petra - Beautiful!
Erica - Great prize! I’d love how to learn to use things like these when editing my photos!
Laurie - What an inspration – I needed this boost – Beautiful work!!!!
Daleea - Shana has always inspired me…. from the time I first found her blog and saw her beautiful Sophie… the beautiful images of her daughter somehow helped me make it through our wait to bring our daughter home.
She has a talent for capturing true beauty in her photographs…. perhaps it stems from her inner beauty.
What a blessing she is…. Shana makes the world a more beautiful place.
Mindy - I had not heard of Shana Rae and I’m so glad you featured her here! What stunning and lovely works of art she creates! A true talent and blessing to the world!
Tonya - fb fan!
Mary - I have followed Shana journey for a few years now and have been consistently impressed with her photography and artistic eye!
So happy to read of her continued success!!!
Jennifer Hamitlon - What an awesome giveaway!!
Lisa Hoogerwerf - I LOVE Florablella actions and textures. I use them on pretty much all of my work! They are just incredible! Her photography is stunning and I just can\’t get enough of her! AWESOME!
cathy picking - I love Florabella’s actions and textures
The passion behind capturing life making it beautiful all the while by being a stay at home mom I applaud !
gina - this is my first time running across her textures, but I LOVE them!! thanks for the great article and examples!
cj - Just happened across Shana Rae and her Florabella Collection.
Great work!
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Chas - I love looking at your textures! I enjoy taking pictures of my three children and over the last few years others have asked me to take pictures of them. I started charging and opened up a website, so I guess that is how it started with me. I love adding my textures to the pictures I take. But I really love the look of your textures and your children are beautiful. Thank you for creating these textures. May God bless your talent, you really are awesome at what you do!
Fatmah - Lovely creations made to inspire ! I’d love really love this so much
Pam Stenerson - Lovely!, Awe inspiring