Thanks so much for the get-well wishes yesterday, everyone. You guys are the best! I’m feeling a lot better today–no more fatigue or body aches, just the sniffles.
Something that often makes me feel better is a cup of tea, so here are a few shots of them.
These are from the set of antique teacups I featured here a while back. This time I’ve added the blue cup and saucer.
Inspired by Merisi of Vienna for Beginners. The china was my mother’s. I love the simple white with a gold, embossed band. Almost every kind of food looks good on it.
Just the pink and aqua this time.
Have a great rest of the day….
{ms. pearl}
Pearls & Prose 
You are so right about tea. It makes you feel so much better!
Truly a healing beverage. Green tea is supposed to be the best, but I just don’t care for it that much.
I am blown away by your colors and perspective. Both of my parents were photographers, and true rebellions of youth based on irrationality, I completely rejected pursuing any kind of art form. Now that I am firmly in my 30s I have discovered that I love to write and I love photography. Currently I own only a point-and-click Samsung digital camera. I am doing the best I can with it, but I would treasure any advice you have for a novice who really does not have time for photography classes.
Also, I would really like to post your blog link on my website. Please review it and let me know if that would be alright with you.
Warm wishes,
Ceridwynne
Wow, thank you, and welcome.
Let me start by saying I’m an amateur and not really qualified to give advice. What I can share are a few things I’ve learned along the way.
1. Read your camera’s manual thoroughly. I’ve used a point-and-shoot many times, and have been pleased with the results.
2. Composition and light are just about everything. (Photography is called painting with light.) If it doesn’t look pleasing in the viewfinder, it’s probably not going to look great as a print. Try different points of view for more interest. Get in close, unless you’re shooting a landscape. Pay close attention to how light is hitting an object.
3. Keep the rule of thirds in mind. Place your subject at the far right or far left to make it more interesting. Keep the horizon around the bottom third of the frame.
4. Shoot in early morning or late afternoon when the sun’s not so harsh. If you have to shoot at high noon, find some light shade or use your body to block the sun.
5. View your photos as soon as possible and take note of what settings worked and what didn’t. Digital is a godsend, because you don’t have to wait for days or weeks to see your results.
6. If possible, join a photo site like Flickr and look at the tons of photos there. I’ve learned so much from studying other photographers’ images. Don’t copy them, but use their ideas for inspiration.
7. If you find your camera won’t do what you want it to anymore, consider buying a secondhand DSLR and one really great lens, like a 50mm 1.8 or 1.4. Truly a great investment.
8. Free programs like Google Picasa, Picnik, Gimp or Photscape are great editing tools that can enhance already-beautiful photos.
9. If you need guidance, Digital Photography School is a wonderful resource and it’s free.
Good luck with the photography and feel free to post my link. 🙂
I like those antique tea cups! I’m going to pretend there is hot chocolate in them instead of tea.
Sounds good to me!
Glad to hear you are on the mend. Tea is definitely soothing and medicinal. Lovely teacup shots … but I’m really drawn to the pastels.
Thanks, Cheryl.
I am drawn to pastels these days too. Maybe I’m ready for spring? Just bought some pink tulips and will probably post those tomorrow.
You know how much I like your tea cups and how inspiring they were. I also love the second photo. We had china like that but it got lost. Sad. But you can’t keep everything anyway. I still got my mums huge collection of individual coffee cups. All sorts, around the world from Royal Worcester, Meissen to Limoges.
Yes, I remember. 🙂
What a beautiful collection you must have! How I would love to photograph them.
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Gorgeous! I love the vibrant colors in contrast with the white. Lovely.
You’ll be mortified, but now that I can’t drink tea on account of the clear braces, I’ve gotten used to just heating up hot water and downing it like a cup of Darjeeling. Desperate times call for desperate measures.
Not at all! I was once on a really strict diet and had to drink hot water. As hard as I tried, I could never convince myself that I liked it.
Loved the china photo and the pastel tea cups. The china is very similar to what my grandma used to serve us homemade dumpling soup in and when we were big enough we got coffee in the cups just like our mom.
I remember feeling really grown up when I got to drink out of the china cups.
Oh love it I’m drinking tea as we speak, but in nothing so elegant. Have fun painting!
Oh, this was just for the photo. I usually drink out of a much-sturdier mug.
So glad you are feeling better! I love that first shot, I am a tea girl myself and I was just telling my family the other day that I want a nice tea set. All three of these photos are fantastic!
Keep feeling better my friend!
Ms. Pearl,
I just stumbled across your blog. I love how beautifully simple your blog is. I wish I had all morning to see all of your beautiful writings and pictures.
Thanks.
What a lovely comment. Thank you so much! Please drop by anytime.