My online journal where I share my interests in photography, nature, journaling, fountain pens, bicycling, coffee life, spirituality and the mystery of it all.
“The two hardest tests on the spiritual road are the patience to wait for the right moment and the courage not to be disappointed with what we encounter.”
Paulo Coelho
As the years of practice increase the patience to sit behind a tripod and watch the sun rise or set also increases. I attribute the increase to spending more time in nature; she is our teacher of patience.
“Why is patience so important?”
Paulo Coelho
“Because it makes us pay attention.”
“One final paragraph of advice: do not burn yourselves out. Be as I am – a reluctant enthusiast….a part-time crusader, a half-hearted fanatic. Save the other half of yourselves and your lives for pleasure and adventure. It is not enough to fight for the land; it is even more important to enjoy it. While you can. While it’s still here. So get out there and hunt and fish and mess around with your friends, ramble out yonder and explore the forests, climb the mountains, bag the peaks, run the rivers, breathe deep of that yet sweet and lucid air, sit quietly for a while and contemplate the precious stillness, the lovely, mysterious, and awesome space. Enjoy yourselves, keep your brain in your head and your head firmly attached to the body, the body active and alive, and I promise you this much; I promise you this one sweet victory over our enemies, over those desk-bound men and women with their hearts in a safe deposit box, and their eyes hypnotized by desk calculators. I promise you this; You will outlive the bastards.”― Edward Abbey
Not so sure about his promise but I can sure relate to the rest of what he says.
“Those who dance are considered insane by those who cannot hear the music.”
George Carlin
A couple years ago I had a long overnight in Seattle with a fellow flight attendant named Tracey. As it was Memorial Weekend we took the train down to the Stadium to watch about five innings of the Mariners game then headed to Pikes Market. We walked the streets, ate a nice salmon dinner and just enjoyed ourselves. It is overnights like this we consider one of the perks of our work.
These two young men we entertaining to watch. The one was playing drums with the glass bottles and plastic buckets while the other danced up a storm. Even though they were in a major part of town they stayed in their own world of music and on the same page.
Want to pass along this link to a pretty good read on difference between a photographer and an artist by Mike Johnson.
“The truth is: the natural world is changing. And we are totally dependent on that world. It provides our food, water and air. It is the most precious thing we have and we need to defend it.”
David Attenborough
Not much on my mind (as usual). So, I just wanted to wish everyone a wonderful weekend!
As each day comes to us refreshed and anew, so does my gratitude renew itself daily. The breaking of the sun over the horizon is my grateful heart dawning upon a blessed world.
Terri Guillemets
I’m thankful for my health, my spiritual life, my family and friends, time in nature, and sunrises and sunsets. I think what I’m talking about is all of creation. I also pray for the much needed peace in our world. Happy Thanksgiving!
“One must give himself completely to his art and not hold back.
Harley King
Throw caution to the wind.
Embrace the muse.
Make love to your art.”
So if writers sit at the computer with their muse and write, then why can’t the muse walk beside the photographers? Muse may not be the word for some and would rather use words such as inspiration or vision. But, some voice within will ask us to look through our viewfinders at a specific, decisive moment. It think it’s best when we listen to that voice.
“This is the other secret that real artists know and wannabe writers don’t. When we sit down each day and do our work, power concentrates around us. The Muse takes note of our dedication. She approves. We have earned favor in her sight. When we sit down and work, we become like a magnetized rod that attracts iron filings. Ideas come. Insights accrete.”
Steven Pressfield
Sometimes patterns seem to appear from nowhere. What inspired me to see these shadows? Was my muse walking beside me offering vision?
“Everytime you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing.”
Mother Teresa
While taking this self-portrait my granddaughter was trying to make me smile. She succeeded. I needed to use one of the presets in Topaz Adjust to make me look handsomer. I go back to work today on another 4-day trip. So here’s a gift to everyone, a smile. 🙂
“As the saying goes, we see in terms of our education. We look at the world and see what we have learned to believe is there. We have been conditioned to expect. And indeed it is socially useful that we agree on the function of objects. But, as photographers, we must learn to relax our beliefs. Move on objects with your eye straight on, to the left, around on the right. Watch them grow large as you approach, group and regroup as you shift your position. Relationships gradually emerge and sometimes assert themeselves with finality. And that’s your picture.”
Aaron Siskind, The Art of Photography
It can be difficult to find new perspectives when capturing images from those popular locations people flock to like this image taken on the Foothills Parkway in the Smoky Mountains. People will sometimes be elbow to elbow as the sun begins to rise. The morning this image was taken a photography workshop was in progress so we had about a dozen photographers with tripods. So I moved away from the crowd looking for another angle and used a Nikon 80-400mm lens to bring the scene in closer and remove distracting objects. This is my picture.
Not sure if it was that evening or the next that I dropped and destroyed that lens. Still makes my stomach turn. 🙁
“You’ve got a handful of years to do your work, don’t you dare waste those moments whining instead of creating something amazing.”
David Duchemin
Just few words about the above quote. Some statements or quotes will mean nothing while some are essential moments, shaking the sandy foundation we are standing on.
I’ve been passionately pursuing images for the past ten years. Prior to that I shot to record family events such as birthdays, vacations and an occasional flower. Admittedly, at one time I envisioned living a career as a photographer, raking in the money, but let that fall to the wayside as I focused my attention on raising a family and pursuing a career in engineering. I have no regrets there as I needed to be on that path.
I listened to those voices within telling me I was not good enough or worse yet I would never be good enough to make it as a photographer. To me photography as a career was for a select few with talent I did not have. I definitely did not look at photography as a creative outlet for me. And, I do not remember having a positive voice around me to offer support and encouragement. These dreams were kept buried within me, suppressed. The world around me suggested I work for a corporation to make sure I had medical benefits, put in 40 hours a week, put away 10% in a 401k and take my 2-3 weeks vacation each year. I now see photography as a work, my work, a way to express my creativity and has taught me about life, how to see it and be present to it. So, before the final sunset in this life I hope to inspire myself and others to pursue dreams and discover more dreams. We don’t need to wast the moments.