Beauty

"It is the mind which creates the world around us,
and even though we stand side by side in the same meadow,
my eyes will never see what is behold by yours,
my heart will never stir to the same emotions
with which yours is touched."
George Gissing (1857-1903) England/France

Well, after conducting my five day photo workshop, spending 3 1/2 weeks in Yellowstone, and then trying to catch up after returning home,  I think I can finally start doing this blog again.   I hope you've missed my posts just a little bit.  :-)

I think this quote is so true.  What one person finds beautiful, and what stirs emotions within them, may not effect another person at all.  We're all different and what effects us depends on our past, our emotional screens, etc.  As a photographer, I try to photograph not only what moves me, but also what I think stirs the same emotions in my viewer.  One way to do that is to look at publications, fine art, etc. to see what is being produced and, more importly, what is sellnig.  Determining what will sell is one of the biggest challenges for any kind of artist, because it's an ever-changing target.

Into The Light

 "Come forth into the light of things, Let nature be your teacher." ~Wordsworth

Nature can be a wonderful teacher if you just take enough time to let the lessons sink in.   This may require that you go sit in the woods and let the golden rays of the sun shine through the trees until they rest on your head.  The energy of the sun will then soak into you and give you warmth, hope and a new sense of peace.

I wish you a day filled with peace, love and joy.  :-)

I Am

"I am the dust of the sunlight, I am the ball of the sun.
I am the mist of morning, the breath of evening.
I am the spark in the stone, the gleam of gold in the metal.
The rose and the nightingale drunk with its fragrance.
I am the chain of being, the circle of the spheres,
The scale of creation, the rise and the fall.
I am what is and what is not . . . .
I am the soul in all.
Jalil al-Din Rumi (1207-1273), Persia

Courage

"Whatever you do, you need courage.
Whatever course you decide upon,
there is always someone to tell you
that you are wrong.
There are always difficulties arising
that tempt you to believe that your
critics are right.
To map out a course of action and follow
it to the end requires some of the same
courage that a soldier needs.
Peace has its victories, but it takes brave
men and women to win them."
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882), USA

Daily Gifts

"Each day comes bearing its own gifts. Untie the ribbons." ~ Ruth Ann Schabacker

Beauty For The Soul

"Mere color, unspoiled by meaning and unallied with definite form. can speak to the soul in a thousand different ways." Oscar Wilde (1854-1900), England

I think this is so true.  Many things in nature can speak to us with their colors, their form, their simplicity and their beauty.  All we have to do is to take time to enjoy them.

Camp of Man

"How hard to realize that every camp of man has this glorious starry firmament for a roof! In such places, standing alone on a mountain-top, it is easy to realize that whatever special nests we make - leaves and moss like the marmots and birds, or tents or piled stone - we all dwell in a house of one room - the world with its firmament for its roof - and we are sailing the celestial spaces without leaving any track." John Muir (1838-1914) Scotland/USA

This picture was taken in Hawaii. It's part of the Waimea Canyon. It's a beautiful area with a variety of colors. There was a haze present most of the time we were in Hawaii and I should have used my polarizer to cut through the haze, but I didn't. So, if you're in a similar situation, get out your polarizer and put it on your lens. It'll give you a better picture.

Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone

"The glories and the beauties of form, color and sound unite in the Grand Canyon - forms unrivalled even by the mountains, colors that vie sunsets, and sounds that span the diapason from tempest to tinkling raindrops, from cataract to bubbling fountains." John Wesley Powell (1834-1902) USA


I know this isn't the Grand Canyon. I haven't been there for many years, and don't really have any good pictures of it, so I thought I'd share this picture of the Canyon of the Yellowstone.

Although it isn't as large, it is still a beautiful place, one that makes you realize how powerful and majestic nature can be. One of these days, I'm going to get up early enough to be there at sunrise, when the light brings out the magnificent colors of the rocks. That would, of course, require getting out of bed at about 3:00 a.m., since our motel is not close to the spot. If I ever make it, I'll be sure to share the images on my blog. If I were you, though, I wouldn't hold my breathe.

Ansel Adams Quote

"Photography, as a powerful medium of expression and communications, offers an infinite variety of perception, interpretation and execution." Ansel Adams


I know this isn't an Ansel Adams picture, but it has a similar effect which I created using PhotoShop and Topaz. Some people object to the digital manipulation of photos, but did you know that Ansel Adams did extensive work on his photos in the darkroom? Many people think his wonderful pictures were created solely in-camera, but they weren't. If you compared the original version with the altered one, you would see a tremendous difference. Manipulation of photos is not new, only the method used for the manipulation has changed.

The Woods

"One attraction in coming to the woods to live was that I should have leisure and opportunity to see the spring come in." Henry David Thoreau


Spring is here and it looks like today is going to reflect that. I hope you'll go outside and enjoy the beautiful world that we've been given.


Have a wonderful day!

Faith

Sometimes when we can't see where we're going, we can see the clearest of all. Relying on faith can show us the way when our eyes can't.

Stepping Stones

If you're given a bag of concrete and a bucket of water, you have two choices. You can either build a stumbling block (a concrete barrier), or you can create stepping stones which can become your bridge to success. It's your choice. Make it the one which will help you achieve your dreams.

I didn't have a picture of a bag of concrete, so this picture with one stepping stone will have to do. I hope you enjoy it. Have a wonderful and productive day.

Simplicity. Beauty. Serenity.

These are the words I thought of when I viewed this scene. What words come to your mind when you see the picture?

Take a close look and you'll see some morning visitors. These are just a few of the creatures that inhabit this planet with us. Let's protect them and the beauty they live in. Enjoy!

Do Something

If you feel bored do something, for there is always something to do, see or explore in this world. Keep in mind that boredom can also cause depression, so get out there and live now. Sylvia Browne