Where Do You Go To Unwind?

One of my favorite places to go, to relax and to get exercise at the same time, is the forest.

Vancouver Island (paradise) gives me loads of options for forests to explore … especially in Spring. This time of year, Seal Bay Nature Park in Comox, is ripe for walking and for creating ART, with the fresh and new, lush green baby leaves on trees, and with spirit moving through the forest, side by side with me, every step of the way. How much better can it get? ART and Exercise, the Forest and Nature, all at the same time. These are my most recent creations. Enjoy.

 — Brenda Johima

Copyright 2012 Brenda Johima | Images May Not Be Used In Any Way Without Written Permission

Copyright 2012 Brenda Johima | Images May Not Be Used In Any Way Without Written Permission

Copyright 2012 Brenda Johima | Images May Not Be Used In Any Way Without Written Permission

Copyright 2012 Brenda Johima | Images May Not Be Used In Any Way Without Written Permission

It‘s time to GET SOCIAL.

To Social Media Camp, that is.

I’m super excited to be speaking at Social Media Camp 2012 in Victoria, B.C., once again

I’m honored to say that this is my third year in a row as a speaker at this prestigious Social Media Conference in Canada. For the past two years, I’ve been both a featured speaker and also a session speaker, and for 2012 I’ll be presenting a Power Session, which for my session, will be my version of a hybrid between a speaking engagement and an interactive session where you can ask me lots of questions.

This is the first speaking engagement on this topic, where I will not be holding back any secrets as to exactly which apps I use, as well as any tips, tricks and techniques. During my overflowing-with-content, action packed 60 minute session, you can ask me ‘almost’ anything to do with iPhone photography. (usually I hold a few cards close to my chest … but not this time …

Oh yes. P.S. Did you know that, in addition to being a visual artist, I am also owner of JOHIMA Social Media + Marketing?

What’s the biggest question that I get asked on a regular basis about iPhone Photography? (iPhoneography) “What app did you use? Which app is that?” I’ll answer those questions, AND explain why we need to find new questions to ask mobile photographers

Last year my session room was standing room only! Apparently for this year, there is limited space in the room for my Power Session, so please do arrive there early because I’m eager to have FUN, share my passion with you for this exciting medium of mobile photography, and to share tips, tricks and techniques to inspire and encourage you to take even more great photos.

Photography and art make for a more beautiful web. Nowadays, cell phone cameras and iPhones are ‘one of’ the fastest way to create art and post to web, blogs and social networks.

SHOW. Like. Trust. Images sell.

iPhone Art and Photography for Social Media Marketing

1. My tool of choice, camera of choice will be the iPhone (any, from 3G to 4s) and apps
2. AND >> This session is open to ALL Mobile Phone Photographers.
3. You Don’t have to have an iPhone to join in! If you are interested in creating cool images, please join me
4. Top secret : Some people have even attended my session without even owning a cell phone. Shhhh. Awesome! It’s all inclusive, and everybody is welcome. (plus, it will be FUN)
5. My presentation is loaded with iPhoneography examples from beginning to end, it’s a visual display, with NO boring PowerPoint
6. Get inspired, motivated and passionate about this exciting medium, to use it in your business (or for personal expression)

Here’s what you will learn:

1. Brenda’s Top 10 apps for improving iPhone images
2. Brenda’s Top 10 basic fine art and design tips to improve your photos
3. How to correct (or use for artistic effect) blurry and lifeless, “blah” photos
4. How to use your mobile phone to create art-based marketing on the fly, real time
5. How to create eye-catching cell phone photos that are even more creative, dramatic and that ‘pop’

So … GET SOCIAL.

I’ll see you there! Please do come and say HI! on June 8-9th in Victoria, B.C. Here’s all the details :

CONFERENCE WEBSITE:
Social Media Camp 2012

TWITTER:
#Follow @SocMediaCamp on Twitter
#Follow @JOHIMA on Twitter (for everything SEO, design, social media and online marketing)
#Follow @brendajohima on Twitter

FACEBOOK:
Social Media Camp on Facebook
JOHIMA Social Media + Marketing on Facebook
Brenda Johima Creative on Facebook

P.S. I’d like to extend my gratitude to Chris Burdge and Paul Holmes for giving me this opportunity to speak, and connect for two days at a stellar conference, with some of the brightest and best speakers, thinkers, online marketers, social media experts and eager learners. It’s going to be a good time!

— Brenda Johima

Here’s a few examples of what can be done with a cell phone camera

Get Social.

iPhone Art / Photo Copyright 2012 Brenda Johima

14 Photographers Exhibit Mobile Phone Photo-Art in Victoria, B.C.

I’d like to extend a BIG thank you to the 14 photographers who came forward and submitted photos for inclusion in the 1st ever Creatively United Mobile Phone Photo-Art Show! which took place April 20-22nd in Victoria, B.C.

Photographer Credit : Bindu Wiles

As the instigator and coordinator of this one piece of the festival, “Inspired by Nature,” I extend my gratitude to you all for your creativity, courage and community that you created by taking part. Thank You!

I’d like to acknowledge the following 14 iPhone Photographers and Mobile Photographers for their participation. I’ve provided links to any for whom I have websites and a small gallery of photos for those who wanted to be acknowledged online. Please do click on the links to view more of their work and to support their craft:

• Brenda Johima (Instigator & Coordinator): Fanny Bay, Comox Valley, Vancouver Island, B.C.In Alphabetical Order :
• Kris Constable (Victoria, BC)
• Janis La Couvee (Victoria, BC)
• Alyx Gilgunn (Victoria, BC)
• Katharine Holmes (Sooke, BC)
• Dan Honkanen (Victoria, BC)
• Ken Kaminesky (Montreal, QC)
• Barbara Legg (Fanny Bay, BC)
• Mandy Leith (Victoria, BC)
• Kerry Nobbs (Shawnigan Lake, BC)
• Jade Strataghan (Victoria, BC)
• Michael Van Der Tol (Qualicum Beach, BC)
• Bindu Wiles (New York, NY)
• Cory Wolchyn (Victoria, BC)

 Thank you to Frances Litman and the 1st Annual Creatively United for the Planet Festival for allowing me the  opportunity to create this iPhone photography and mobile phone photography exhibit, “Inspired by Nature” … a Mobile Phone Photo-Art Show! … at the Festival.

I’m pretty sure that this was the first ever mobile phone photo exhibit on Vancouver Island. We’ve made a good start for future!

Congratulations to the Festival and to all participants, speakers, volunteers and sponsors … Rumors have it that over 4000 people attended and that this Environmental and Creativity Festival recycled everything except for 2 bags of garbage. Well done! Thank you to Frances Litman, Founder of the Creatively United for the Planet Festival. Way to GO Frances, for having a vision and for living a dream.

I’d also like to thank an incredible volunteer, Brenda McBride from Victoria who helped me with everything from sorting and labeling photos, to hanging them on the wall (with tape, to not damage the walls, which is no easy task to get them straight in a line, but together we did it! ) … and she was also integral in getting photos returned to their owners via mail and/or pick up when I returned back to the Comox Valley. Brenda McBride was my Mobile Phone Photo-Show Buddy, and from one Brenda to another, Thank YOU!

— Brenda Johima
Instigator and Coordinator
for the Creatively United Festival for the Planet Mobile Phone Photo-Art Show!

Please support the Festival by visiting their website here :

Walking along the beach in Ships Point, Fanny Bay (in the Comox Valley on Vancouver Island) … I came across this boat, and photographed it … exactly right

Life is Short : GO For It! This swimming dog has a one track mind … with an eye on the goal … get that ball!

There is beauty everywhere, if you look, feel, slow down, and see … even in a ditch.

Stay tuned for more news on my topic, but I’m just putting out a teaser, that I’ll be speaking at the Creatively United for the Planet Festival in Victoria, during Earth Week, and the festival takes place April 20-22, 2012.

My topic? iPhone Photography and Nature, of course. I’ll have the “official blurb” and title, with what you will learn from my session, written up right here on my blog very soon. I look forward to seeing you at the festival! It will be a tremendous celebration of the arts, with creatives making a difference on the planet, for the environment.

— Brenda Johima

Elevate your phone for the Arts! Pull out your iPhone, Mobile Phone, and Any Camera Phone!

Join me, Artist and iPhone Photographer Brenda Johima in the first ever Elevate The Arts Mobile Phone Photo-Art Show! This is an all-ages, all-inclusive and FUN opportunity to showcase your your camera phone talents an artistic, creative and photographic tool to create works of photographic art.

Please support the Arts and visit the Elevate the Arts website for more information about all of the other fascinating things taking place at this super cool and exciting community event, which will take place in Downtown Courtenay, in the Comox Valley.

******

I volunteered my time to take part in this “full day culture crawl extravaganza” and to organize and coordinate  this one piece.

There were not enough submissions … but it’s OK! We have to start somewhere. So, we had a great time anyway, after we added a few painters, visual artists to the mix. It ended up being “Elevate the Point!” with most of the participants at my venue, living in my neighbourhood, Ships Point, except for one person.

Thanks to the following artists for participating:

• Don Cunningham
• Brenda Johima
• Barbara Legg
• Laura Sponselee
• Madeleine Wood

Totally enjoyed myself at 444-5th Street. One of the most rewarding parts of the day was having the young families come in, and to see their appreciation for abstract art and paintings, and to have the sweetest most beautiful little ones come in to see the art with their parents. I think that the Comox Valley must have some of the most peaceful and content, beautiful young children. Thank you to all who came by to visit!

— Brenda Johima

P.S. A HUGE Thank you to Kevin Reid of Coast Realty Group in Courtenay for loaning me space for our make-shift 24-hour gallery in the old Leung’s building at 444-5th Street, Downtown Courtenay.

Elevate The Arts Mobile Phone Photo-Art Show (with Brenda Johima)

VERY GRATEFUL for YOUR PARTICIPATION!

• Visit the Elevate the Arts website and see all the festivities that happened on Saturday May 5th, 2012, in Downtown Courtenay. It was a HUGE success! Well done, planning team!

*** Please note the change in the NEW date for submissions to be received below. You have more time! … and time is running out! Looking forward to receiving your print submissions. Please read below:

• Entries must be RECEIVED no later than Monday, April 16th, 2012.

Please join me in Victoria B.C., during Earth Week 2012 to celebrate everything good for the planet, with like-minded artists and creatives at the Creatively United for the Planet Festival.

What’s my part in it all other than to enjoy 3 days of incredible creativity, speakers and performers at a First of it’s kind Festival? Well, something super exciting!

One, I’ll be a speaker, sharing my passion for iPhoneography.

Two, I’ve initiated, instigated and am coordinating the 1st ever Mobile Phone Photo-Art Show for the Creatively United for the Planet Festival!

I welcome you to contact me with any questions, and please do, submit your images! This concept, I proposed many months ago but only have 4 weeks to pull it off! … and … it’s exciting that we are now at the point to make it a reality. I’ve been inspired by Mobile Phone and iPhoneography photo shows that have already being done around the globe in many major city centres. It’s very exciting to have this movement now happening on Vancouver Island!

In order to make this event inclusive of everyone, and for all ages, and to have a greater reach for increasing awareness for the environment, we decided to open it up, not only to iPhone cameras, but to all cell phone cameras. My dream is to have photos coming in from not only locals, but from all over the world … yes, it’s now a very short time frame … you only have 4 weeks from today! Sooooo, GO!

Below is the “official” blurb for the iPhoneography and Mobile Phone Photo-Art Show. In addition, please do click on the links and Creatively United logo below, to visit the website, support the Festival, attend many of the free events, and purchase tickets to hear and see some amazing keynote speakers and performers such as International Conservation Photographer Garth Lenz, and Ann Mortifee who has received the Order of Canada and has traveled the globe as a keynote speaker. singer and performance artist, the legendary world renowned flutist, Paul Horn, Shivon Robinshong and the Gettin’ Higher Choir, and wildlife artist and environmentalist, Robert Bateman, to name only a few.

I’m also honored to work (as a volunteer for this festival) in the company of award winning Professional Photographer Frances Litman (MPA, Master of Photographic Arts), who is the Founder and Creative Director of the Festival … and a BIG thank you to Frances for saying YES, to include a mobile phone photo-art show component to the festival.

There is a brilliant and committed core group of volunteers working tirelessly to pull together a world-class-talent event to benefit environmental charities, right here on Vancouver Island. There’s a multitude of free community sessions for you to attend, as well as ticketed (pay a fee) sessions that include a stellar lineup of performers, speakers, facilitators, musicians, visual artists and more FUN!

(P.S. Do you want to volunteer during this April 20-22 Earth Week festival?)

I support the success of this Festival and think it’s time that Vancouver Island lead the way with environmental initiatives through the powerful voice of creatives and artists. This is a festival is not to be missed!

So here we go … Please celebrate with me by submitting and sharing your cell phone art, and help us increase awareness of the fragility of our environment … showcase the beauty of nature and be … “Inspired By Nature.”

Photography Copyright 2012 Brenda Johima
(image captured and post-processed using only an iPhone 4s)

Creatively United Mobile Phone Photo-Art Show (with Brenda Johima)

We’re celebrating nature with a collaborative exhibit of iPhone Photography (iPhoneography), Mobile Phone Photography and the Phone Arts, using only camera phones as the medium for creative expression!

If you have any questions about the photo-art show, please contact Brenda Johima directly, by telephone at 1.250.335.1195 or via email at CUphoneart@gmail.com

Creatively United PHOTO SUBMISSION AND PARTICIPATION INSTRUCTIONS:

THEME

”Inspired by Nature”

PRINTED IMAGES

There is a maximum of 4 images per participant. Each submission must be in print format, submitted at a maximum final print size of 5X7. (or 7×7 square format)

DIGITAL IMAGES

• Each printed image submission must be accompanied by a 640px X 480px digital image to be emailed to Brenda Johima at CUphoneart@gmail.com
• Please label your digital submission with your last name at the beginning of the file name. For example : JOHIMA_IMG_0566
• Please use the email subject line “Mobile Phone Photo-Art Show” for your submission(s)
• By submitting your images you are agreeing that the photos may be used on the Creatively United For The Planet website and on social networks to promote the festival (with photographer credit attached)

POST-PROCESSING

• All post-processing of the original image must be done in-camera (in-phone)
• Camera phone apps are permitted however, no external image editing software programs such as Photoshop, etc. may be used.

SUBMISSION INFO

• Please include a self-addressed, stamped envelope along with your payment.
• Submissions with insufficient entry fees, postage or missing information for their delivery will not be considered or returned.

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS

• Entries must be RECEIVED no later than Monday, April 16th, 2012.
• All submissions must include a self-addressed stamped envelope including the participant’s full name, mailing address, postal code, phone number and email address.
• You may include your Twitter @ profile and Facebook profile or page if you wish to be connected there as well.
• We reserve the right to decline any submission at our discretion and any fees paid are non-refundable.

DISPLAY AT THE FESTIVAL

• Entries will be on display in St. Matthias Hall (600 Richmond Road, Victoria, B.C.) during the Creatively United for the Planet Festival, from 7 pm Friday April 20th to 6 pm Sunday April 22nd, 2012.
• We will not be responsible for loss or damage.

IMAGE OWNERSHIP/PUBLICATION

• Participants must be the original copyright owner of the images submitted and have necessary model releases if required. You retain copyright of your image, however, images may be used to promote the Creatively United Festival and/or be posted to social networks.
• By submitting, you are agreeing for your image(s) (if selected) to be used by Creatively United For The Planet and its affiliates for promotional purposes.
• Creatively United reserves the right to publish the images (with photographer credit) on the Creatively United For The Planet Festival website and Facebook page(s)

HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR WORK

• Entries will be mailed directly to:Creatively United for the Planet
  c/o 474 Nelson Street, Victoria B.C., V9A 6P4
• Please include the following with your submission:

• Name: First and Last
• Mailing Address (including postal code):
• Phone:
• Email:
• Type of iPhone or Cell Phone Camera:
• Location that the photograph was taken:
• Brief Description of how the image was made:
• Apps applied (optional):

QUESTIONS/INFO/CONTACT

• Any questions, information, or other inquires can be sent via email to Brenda Johima, Mobile Phone Photo-Art Show Instigator & Coordinator, at CUphoneart@gmail.com or she may be reached by telephone at 1.250.335.1195
• Please note: Brenda will be also speaking at the festival on the topic Create Incredible Nature Photography using Your iPhone. Watch for details to come.

YOUR PARTICIPATION IS APPRECIATED!

— Brenda Johima