My online journal where I share my interests in photography, nature, journaling, fountain pens, bicycling, coffee life, spirituality and the mystery of it all.
Seeing, in the finest and broadest sense, means using your senses, your intellect, and your emotions. It means encountering your subject matter with your whole being. It means looking beyond the labels of things and discovering the remarkable world around you.
Freeman Patterson
When shooting this image I needed to choose between exposing for the shadows or the highlights. I chose to expose for the highlights. By choosing to expose for the highlights, half the image is in the dark shadows, giving the image a feel of mystery. However, I was not expecting what I felt when seeing this image on my monitor. The shadows seemed to be the only thing I could focus on. It asks the questions: What is in the shadows?
Here’s one answer to that question. The arrow is pointing my heart towards the shadows. Within those shadows are life’s risks, the unknown, my doubts, fears, insecurities and my wounds.
For years I told myself, and believed, I was not good enough to be a photographer, or writer or whatever else I dreamed of pursuing. Always in those shadows were the desires and dreams to be more, a voice whispering in my soul.
We only venture into into the shadows when we listen to the inner voice, and with whatever courage and faith we have, discover what’s there. If you were to step into the shadows of this image you would find a recessed door to the back of a restaurant. For me the door symbolizes the opening to new opportunities, more doors.
Yes, walking into dark shadows can be frightening to me. It requires a risk and accepting all the many lessons to be learned. Lessons improve my craft, build confidence and encourage me to venture into even more shadows.
I just may have to go back and shoot this image to expose for the shadows. Could be another lesson. 🙂
We all have the dark, ignorant shadow inside us. I have worked endlessly to reveal it and heal it in me.
Anne Lamott
And, next week are finals at Colorado State University.
“We have the intelligence to end racism and other isms,
Thomas Moore
and end war and domestic abuse,
but we’re convinced otherwise.”
“I really believe there are things nobody would see if I didn’t photograph them.”
Diane Arbus
Any observant photographer will look for patterns, lines, colors and shapes.
I think this falls in the shapes category.
Monday was an Estes Park day. I drove up the canyon and spent some time wandering the streets, in and out of shops. Found a coffeehouse and enjoyed a mocha along the Big Thompson Riverwalk. I enjoyed a lunch at a small Mexican restaurant. It was a be-good-to-me day.
I’m impressed with the artistic ability of people and where we can find it. I found this mural behind a restaurant/bar. I’ve walked by it a hundred times but for some reason I saw it differently on this particular day.
I grew up in a town just south of me, called Loveland, Colorado. Since Friday I have been house/cat sitting for a friend of mine while she visits friends on the east coast, where it’s been warmer. The gig has been okay. The cat, Mittens, and I are getting along fine. The one exception was Easter morning when he decided to wake me at 4:11 am. I told him no we re not going to any Easter Sunrise service. He gave me that look and went back up stairs.
In downtown along main street is a large coffee shop called the Coffee Tree. If my memory serves me correctly this is where a barber shop once was and I began my working life with a shoe shine stand. Made my first million there. 🙂
Needles to say, I have been coming down here for morning mocha latte and loving the memories. I’ve found a comfy chair with my name on it. I like their music and it’s not loud. The kids are always smiling, greeting you as soon as you open the door. This past Saturday morning after coffee I ventured around on the streets with my camera, reflecting back to these streets I use to wander. I remember the Loveland Reporter Herald building where I would pick up my newspapers, roll them and then load them on my bicycle for delivery. I remember the dentist office, the Woolworths store, J. C. Pennys, Drapers Drug store, McCauley’s Jewelry, Hancock’s Photography, Brown’s Shoe Fit, the Home State and First National Banks, the Rialto Theater, the post office, Klitzke’s Bicycle Shop. As a young one I participated in the world famous Pet and Doll Parade down main street. Even though the weather was cold and cloudy, I enjoyed the mocha and the walk through town. Memories and a mocha!
