By now you guys know what the Photography Styling Challenge is, right?! If not, please go here, take a look and come back. I shall wait.
So, ever since last month’s challenge post was published and done with, I’ve had an uneasy feeling about the next theme – Bedroom. The most important room in the house, after the kitchen (of course!). That’s because while mine is neat and tidy, it is nowhere decorated in the latest trends.
How and what am I going to photograph in my bedroom? I thought and thought and thought some more. Well, not really. For two of those weeks, I was battling a nasty flu followed by a sick hubby and Boy.
Then I had this brilliant idea of photographing Boy jumping and goofing around on our bed. Actually, that is pretty much what goes on here every day. I shot a session with him, but decided to ditch it for several reasons.
1). We were having a cold wave that week and my photos came out really dark and the colors were nothing like in real life. I tried shooting in B&W, but was still not satisfied.
2). Since he goes to school all day, it was really not easy to do another session. Little kids have a busier social calendar than us adults. Well, my little one does. School on weekdays, birthday parties and other events during the weekends and what not! Also, he’d rather spend his free time doing something else (playing with cars, soccer, finger painting, even homework) rather than jumping in front of the camera for mommy’s blog. Ahem!
Meanwhile, the ‘Q’ word briefly passed my mind. But I was not ready to quit. Yet.
Finally, I got my act together last weekend, moved some of the furniture, shopped around the house for accessories and did another shoot. It was this or nothing.
So, here it is. Our simple, fuss-free, yet cozy bedroom. As you can see, I still haven’t gotten over my blue-green crush.
It was nice to tidy up my side table. Usually, it houses my laptop, Kindle, their chargers and other paraphernalia.
Sometimes a nice jewelry collection gathers here too.
What is this, you ask? Why, it is Boy’s artwork displayed on the wall opposite the bed. I love love looking at this wall and marveling at his handiwork every night. Ah, the bold strokes of childhood! It nicely reflects in the mirror too. I had to do some mean body contortions so that I don’t end up in the photo!
I love this room awash in the golden afternoon sun.
Mmm… time for a nap, I think.
Phew, that was a close call! I.shall.be.better.prepared.next.time.I.swear!
A special welcome to our new participants – Amanda Capelli and Dilon Kin, who by the way, is the first male blogger to join our little group.
Check out the other posts at these participating blogs.
As always, please leave your feedback, let me know what I could have done differently, and be sure to check out next month’s post on the concept ‘Order (Organization)‘.
And remember, it’s never too late to join in the fun! Click on the Photography Styling Challenge button in the sidebar if you’d like to take part in future challenges.
To recap, here are my entries from the previous months.
I did a textured Wall Vignette in September.
A pretty Table Setting in August.
July’s theme was Food.
If you like what you see, please follow my blog via Email (button on the right), Pinterest or Bloglovin’, or maybe even all three!!!
I am linking this up to parties at these awesome blogs.
- C.R.A.F.T
- A Blossoming Life
- Skip To My Lou
- The Dedicated House
- Between Naps on the Porch
- Better With Age
- Home Stories A To Z
- My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia
- A Stroll Thru Life
- Cedar Hill Ranch
- Coastal Charm
- Elizabeth & Co
- House On The Way
- VMG206
- Savvy Southern Style
- The NY Melrose Family
- Not Just A Housewife
- 52 Mantels
- Domestic Superhero
- Living Well Spending Less
- Reasons To Skip The Housework
- Design Dining and Diapers
- The Shabby Nest
- French Country Cottage
- Common Ground
- Chic on a Shoestring Decorating
- My Romantic Home
- The Charm of Home
- Thirty Handmade Days
- Crafts a la Mode
- Love of Family and Home
- Tatertots and Jello
- Its Overflowing
- DIY Show Off
- Three Mango Seeds
- Nifty Thrifty Things
- By Stephanie Lynn
Wow! Your photos are really amazing!! 🙂
Thank you, Jhuls!
The whole room is done in a very beautiful way, the colors are well balanced, having jewelry in bed room is really a new theme, I over all appreciate the concept.
Thank you! Glad you liked it.
Love that 3rd photo from the top. Absolutely gorgeous.
Thank you!
What a lovely room! I love the fact that you have used many colours and not just one! Bright and colourful rooms are the best to wake up in 🙂
– Harini
Thank you, Harini. White walls provide a lovely blank canvas to play around with colorful bed linen.
I love all of the pictures. The room looks great.
Debi @ Adorned From Above
Thank you, Debi!
I love all the color you have in your bedroom. It is so cheerful! That would make me happy in the morning!
Thanks for joining our Twirl and Take a Bow party! We would love to have you join us again…every Tuesday we go live!
Thank you, Trina. I am crushing on blues and greens right now!
I understand your obsession with blue and green, Anjana. I love the combination too. My favorite has to be the second shot. It looks picture perfect! The first pic looks pretty busy with all the patterns and the colors going on. A switch between the green and the white pillows would have probably helped a little. I love your nightstand. It gives your room a cottage-y feel.
Love the brightness and the breeziness the shades give the room. Overall, a wonderful photoshoot!
Thanks for the feedback, Vaish. I realize now the first one is a bit crowded pattern-wise.
It did help to have a nice sunny day to get these shots!
Hello Anjana,
I completely agree with everyone here that the brightness of this series really captures the eye upon first viewing. I actually really liked #4. I think the framing was clever, and I liked the controlled chaos look of your son’s drawings, especially the way the shadows define the whiteness of the paper. I actually love it even more knowing that you shot it through a mirror!
Thanks for the feedback, Amanda.
I like the 4th pic too, for sentimental reasons, of course 😉
Hey Anjana, lovely lovely photos. You room is so colourful and cheerful. The photo taken with the afternoon sun is my favourite. I love that lighting. Try some different low angles as well to get a different feel.
Thank you, Dilon. Glad you liked it.
I really must get working on shooting at different angles too. Great feedback!
I have to agree with others above. The first picture is just too busy with too many conflicting colors and patterns. I really like the second one that crops out the conflicting colors/patterns. It is much more streamlined and looks great. I also really like the jewelry on the books.
I totally would have panicked with photographing our bedroom. It is just a disaster right now. Terrible! lol.
Thanks for the feedback, Bethany! It is hard to pick a favorite in this lot. I really love the streamlined look of 2&3, and 4 is also a favorite, simply because of Boy’s contribution to it!
And btw, If I lived anywhere near you, I might physically drag you into this challenge. Please do think of joining us. We are all amateurs (to say the least), and this has been such a nice exercise.
Hi Anjana, nice work. The third pic speaks volumes. I love the casually thrown bangles and around books. Using jewelry in a bedroom theme is brilliant. Jewelry can be strewn around in a bedroom only, we don’t leave it lying in a kitchen or the living. I like the 5th one too. The room awashed with light simply makes a beautiful picture.
I see problems in the 4th one, there is too much light in the picture which makes the artwork leave deep shadows and the overall pic very bright.
I enjoyed all your shots. neat work Anjana.
Thank you, Namrata!
Would you believe that the 3rd photo required the most work, in terms of time spent? Haha… Sometimes, the jewelry was not right, sometimes it didn’t look casual enough. Then I realized what was wrong – the yellow book. I removed it and all was well!
The artwork pic reflected in the mirror was difficult to accomplish technically, for me at least. Well, I thought I should learn at least one new thing in every challenge. In this one, I concentrated on getting the colors true to life and also on photographing with mirrors. I am getting there slowly, a step at a time!
How lovely! Simple, and clean. I really like how your colours came out, and I especially love your wall art of paintings. It really adds a special touch 🙂
That afternoon sun is beautiful! Makes you want to curl up and have a nice, afternoon snooze! x
Thanks for the lovely feedback, Roxy.
I have a soft spot for those artwork as well, which is why I included that photo. I felt that a theme like Bedroom should tell a story. If the last pic makes you want to take a nap, then my job is done! haha…
Hi Anjana!
Great work!! The brightness of each photo is so well done… it must be nice to have such a bright bedroom to work with! I love how you balanced out the colors in the staging: the dark blue is picked up in the dark purple of the two square pillows, the light blue of the nightstand is mirrored in the center square pillow, the warmth of the red throw is picked up in the warmth of the gold mirror. Very nice balance!
I do think that there are a few too many conflicting patterns in the first image. Perhaps the green stripe sheet could have been covered by the navy duvet and the stripe pillows be removed entirely, or just hidden behind the white pillows?
My favorite image is the second one. When you see my photo shoot, you’ll understand why. 😉 The lighting looks really good, the patterns are minimized here, and the colors balance nicely. I love the simple staging of the nightstand surface. Very solid effort! I’m so glad you didn’t bow out on this month. You’re such a valuable participant! I always enjoy seeing what you come up with.
~M.
Aww… you made my day, M!
As usual, you really catch the things I miss/overlook. Yes, now I see that the first pic is crowded pattern-wise. When I was making the bed, I just decided to go all out with the green/blue theme.
I am happy with how the nightstand pics (2 & 3) came out. I was pleasantly surprised how well the colors looked as well. A tripod and a steady hand does help!
As for the nightstand styling, I am consciously cutting down on clutter while staging. I have not been quite so successful in my past ‘DIY/ Home Decor’ posts.
Thanks for all the feedback. I am thinking of posting my first photo shoot pics (with Boy) on our FB page later this week, just to get a casual input from all of you. I am sure, all of us have pics that we are not quite happy with or styling challenges that stump us. What do you think?
Sure, why not!
Lovely the onsharp sharp,the theme bedroom is very intresting Anija,thats is best way “try try” until you get it,Im sure with the help for Boy you will go trhow of it 🙂
Thanks Massi! Yes, I did keep trying and am glad I didn’t quit.