Beyond Layers - Day 64

I love a nice quiet weekend.  Dove hunting season opened this weekend, so I am a dove widow.  The bird of peace, but don't fret, we eat all that is brought home and there are plenty more once the season is over.  The quiet afternoon gave me the opportunity to work on another lesson.  This one was about masking.  I love Kim's style of teaching and am looking foward to her next class, Round Trip, which starts soon.  I hope to go out for a photo shoot tomorrow and try new lessons from other online classes I am taking!

Beyond Layers - Day 60

I have been so behind in this class, but at the same time, I know I am right where I should be.  As I mentioned in my previous post, life just sometimes passes us by...oh too quickly.  But this exercise really spoke to me and I wanted to give it a spin. 

This is another picture I took this morning down that unfamiliar road (which will become VERY familiar to me now!).   I didn't mention that I ended up with about an inch of mud on the bottom of my boots.  But I was determined to make the best of it this morning and I was not disappointed, mud and all.

Here is my "shot" at Day 60, which uses scripted text.  I am usually not partial to yellow, but these wild flowers were just so lovely after the fresh rain!

Always Take a New Road...

Life just passes us by if we let it.  I once had a conversation with a woman from Holland who said to me, "you Americans live to work...we work to live."  That has always stuck with me and sometimes I think it is so true.  I think the answer is somewhere in between because we have to work to make a living, but work doesn't have to be the focus of our lives.  The older I get, the more I realize that balance in life is SO important.  

Yesterday my husband and I took a new road in our area that leads to a new school.  The road has just recently opened and is not completely finished.  So we turned around and on the way back discovered a wonderul old stone building with a windmill.  It had just rained and I didnt' have my camera with me, but I thought about in all night.  This morning I put on some hiking boots and drove back.  I was determined to get a picture of the old building and windmill.  I was so glad I did.  It was like major eye-candy.  The kind that makes your heart stop!  As I began shooting, there were three cows that came down another road curious to see who I was.  Our eyes met and we just stared at one another.  Shoot with your camera!  I think they were waiting for me to take their picture! They didn't move until a few minutes after.  The little one just stole my heart.  I have several pictures from this morning, but I am totally in love with these guys.   It will be a picture in my mind and on my heart all week.

As I proceed on this journey of life, I have found such grattitude for the things nature gives to us.  It never ceases to amaze me how a flower can be such an intricate work of art or the color of grass after a fresh rain.  It is moments like these where I find such inspiration and want to capture every little detail.  I fell in love with macro photography for this very reason.  I love to take a fresh flower and shoot angles of it from every different perspective.  Each and every close photo reveals such beauty.  I get lost in these moments...hours beyond hours can pass and I am still filled with awe in the contentment of nature's beauty.    It always reminds me of a beautiful quote.

Money Well Spent

I had the opportunity to attend a workshop this weekend with Doug Box and Randy Kerr from http://worldphotographic.org/.  I will have to say, it was money well spent.  Not only are these two guys talented photographers, but they are funny and are really great instructors.  Before the workshop you have the opportunity to download a manual, which they refer to during the workshop.  I have a much better understanding of ISO, White Balance, Shutter Speed, and understanding exposure.  Right after workshop, I participated in a two hour photo walk with Randy Kerr.  Although I am not really a portrait photographer, he really helped us to understand light and how to use it to take the best picture of any subject.  Randy is very passionate about light and we all walked away with such inspiration.   These are samples straight out of the camera.  They are not perfect and I can see all my mistakes, but photography is a learning experience and I know my pictures can and will improve. 

If you ever get the chance to take a workshop with Doug and Randy, I highly recommend it.  Their workshop schedule can be found on their website.

The Accidental Photo Walk

I have come to realize that my camera should be attached to my hip.  This morning is a perfect example.  I went to the car wash to get the Beetle washed, only to find out the car wash was closed.  It opens at 8:00 and I was there at 7:45 sharp.  So...thought process....take a left on this road up here and see what's around the corner.   Only to my surprise, there was a beautiful vision of a waterfall  flowing over a relief pond.  Dang..where is my camera!   Fire up the Iphone...snap a few pics, back in the beetle and off to the car wash.  Now I find out the car wash doesn't open until 9:00!  So...home to get my camera (don't get me wrong, I love my Iphone, but I LOVE the feel of my camera in my hands), back out and 45 minutes to shoot.  It was pure heaven.  Just enough...oh, and I did get my car washed!  

The Restless Boot

I was working so diligently with a gif animation, not realizing the number of photos would be restricted.  I am not sure if it was the number of photos, or the size of the photos that was the problem, but it was certainly fun planning it out.   Originally both boots did a little "jig", but when I had to reduce the number of photos, I had to make a decision which photos to remove.   So, after removing the second sequence, I was left with one restless boot!  

This was such a fun exercise and I know I will be doing many more!

Five Questions...

1. What makes you happy?  In 5 words or less...

A day with my camera.

2. Which talent would you most like to have?

I wish I could sing like Adele.

3. Which words or phrass do you overuse most?

"Really?", or "Just sayin"

4. What is your favorite movie, book or both?

The Incredible Mr. Limpet with Don Knotts.  

5. If you could go anywhere in the world for a creative retreat, where might it be?

New Zealand, or Ireland



Social Networking

We are all social creatures.  Some of us more so than others.  It is even apperant it in the animal world.  A perfect example would be birds.  I have a fascination with them, especially on telephone lines.  I often take pictures of them while at a stop light on my way to work.  I think they are a fine example of an ORIGINAL social network!  There are so many social networking platforms these days.  I can hardly remember what life was like before they existed.  Here are 5 things I vaguely  remember:
1) My phone was actually used to CALL friends and family
2) My evenings were spent reading books or watching TV for entertainment.
3) Time spent in front of a computer was only at work.
4) I never "stalked" anyone.
5)  I read the paper in the morning.

Now:

1) My phone is a device to connect me to all my social networking sites. (If you are lucky, I may answer the phone.)
2) My evenings are spent reading blogs, taking internet classes, editing photos or cruising my Facebook feeds (heaven forbid I lose internet connection!).
3) When I get home from work, I can't wait to get on my computer or Ipad to wind down at night!
4) I am now an official FB stalker (can't even believe I admit to this).
5) I check my "phone" first thing in the morning for Instagram, FB and Pintrest updates.  Caffine has moved second to my social networking habits.

How has social networking changed your life? 

A Road Less Traveled

I am always fascinated by pictures of a road leading to "somewhere."  No where specific, but up to the viewers imagination.  For some reason, the title to the book, A Road Less Traveled, always comes to mind.  For me, I think it is because we generally take the easiest path instead of taking the path that IS less traveled.  But what if we did take the path that is less traveled?  Less traffic for sure...  No Starbucks for sure, but what else might we encounter?  The sound of wrestling leaves?  The ability to actually hear the birds sing?  Seeing the nature that surrounds us? (Oh and a photo opportunity for sure!  Can't forget that one!)  For some, more negative thoughts might come to mind...but to me, I see peace and solitude as the destination of any lonely road.  What do you see?

Sunday Bliss

This year has been a whirlwind.  I find myself spending more time thinking about what I "should" be doing (work, as in day job) and less time relaxing and taking time for myself.  I bargain with myself every now and then..."if you make time for your self today, you can just work late during the week."  I can be a workaholic.  No interruptions on a weekend means more work done...which just means, more work I can take on.   Not today.  Today is for me.  Time to rejuvinate.  Time to delve into the creative process.   The whirlwind in my head stops when I create.  So today, I explored my photos, choosing those that really speak to me and put them in my inspiration file.  Here are a few and I hope they will inspire you too!

Dreaming of Sunny Beaches

Here I sit...dreaming of beaches and summer vacation.  Reminds me of when I was young and had the whole summer to look forward to.  Funny how at that age, time seemed endless.  Now at this age, time passes to quick...  So, I dream about the summers gone by, family vacations to the beach, sunburns, ice cream, fireflys and bright stars in the sky.  I can still be a kid, in my heart and in my dreams...

What are your summer dreams?