11 from '11

I have many photographs that mean a lot to me because of places I have been or people whom I know but the eleven photographs that I have chosen are ones that evoke something inside of me, they have stirred up emotions or feelings; they represent an up or a down or a contemplative aspect for me and represent how I interact with my world and the special meaning that is derived from interacting with it.

Foreverland

Waiting for the Wind

The Definition of Beautiful Wishes

Translucent Happiness

Simply Pink

Reaching the Dream

Sakura Delight

Revealing All But the Secret Parts

Inner Beauty

Embracing the Fall

 Just Like Magic

I am looking forward to 2012 and raise my hopes for a more prosperous and forward looking year.  I am starting my year in a new part of the country and believe it will bring new inspiration along with its challenges.  My wish for you is a happy and prosperous year filled with clear vision and blessings.

December 2011 Desktop Wallpapers #photography #desktopwallpaper

This month I decided to give you a choice of six different December Wallpaper choices.  Enjoy a different one every week or the same one all month.  Feel free to download however many you might enjoy! Each photograph can be found on flickr or Facebook in the correct resolution for your monitor.

iPhone or Android 1024x768  flickr or Facebook.

 Screen Resolution of 1366x769  flickr or Facebook.

 Screen Resolution of 1440x900 flickr or Facebook.

 Screen Resolution of 1024x1280 flickr or Facebook.

Screen Resolution of 1680x1050 2560x1600 flickr or Facebook.

Screen Resolution of 1600x1200 flickr or Facebook.

November Desktop Wallpaper: The Warmth of Home #photography

November in the USA and the holiday of Thanksgiving always reminds me of a warm family gathering.  The warm tones and old-fashioned cabin reminds me of this old-fashioned homecoming.

iPhone 1024x768

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1680x1050 & 2560x1600

 

With Childlike Wonder

A few days ago my granddaughter greeted me in the early morning by saying, “Gramma, look at the sunrise; it is beautiful and the colors are so pretty!”  I came over to look and exclaimed, “It is beautiful!”  Then she said to me, “Gramma you should take a picture.”  I said, “By the time I get my clothes on and my camera, the colors will be gone.”  With unmatched enthusiasm and determination, she says to me, “May I use your little camera to take a picture?”  I said, “Yes, if you take it through the window.”  (It was near freezing and she was in light pajamas.)   So she snapped about 6 pictures.  With a wry smile, she turns around, gives me the camera and I set it aside until I could upload them onto my computer.  But she doesn’t stop there; she is looking at the light on the wall.  “Gramma!”  with enthusiasm, “Look at the light, it is orange!”  She was speaking of the light on the front room wall.  Soon it turns peach and then yellow and all the while she is exclaiming to me the virtues of her new found discovery.   We talked a little bit about why the light is different colors, not that she might fully understand this yet, but to plant seeds of knowledge.  But she encapsulated a perfect way to greet a day.

Just Think What You'd have Missed!

After I sat for a while and thought about this exchange, I could not help but be reminded of the wonder and enchantment of her childlike curiosity.  The eagerness to learn and to seize the moments before it would escape them completely.  Do I approach my day with unbridled curiosity and seize the moments that are but fleeting?  Do I find I am ready when they present themselves to me and throw off the bowlines to all abandon?  Do I miss special moments because I’m not looking or if I am looking do I see, and if I see; am I motivated to preserve it either in my mind’s eye, with a sketch or through the lens?   It seemed so ordinary to me.   Yet, immersing ourselves in moments of childlike splendor should not be something as artists we left back in our childhood, but we should practice keeping ourselves aware and breathing in the things that are around us.  Who knows what awaits us tomorrow in this world?   Today, the storm clouds rolled in and the morning sun was hidden, a different sense of wonder today as the leaves ripple to the ground in the wind of the day.  I don’t know what tomorrow may bring in wonder or excitement, but I think I shall be prepared to breathe it all in and find a way to present those moments in a way I don’t want to forget and give others a glimpse of it too!

I believe as adults we still have those moments of sheer awe and amazement.  Probably too few.  It usually takes an unusual moment or experience.  I’m certain too few. 

My hike to Mt. LeConte was definitely one of those.  As I looked over the vast expanse of the mountains and the fall colors muted because of the atmosphere, kept me breathless and enthralled, almost motionless.  It was a feast for my eyes and health for my lungs.  It was a splendor that would not be matched.  The day was glorious in sunshine and brisk with the fall air, snow hovered in the shadows trying to keep from melting in the warmth of the sun as the day moved forward.  It was a wonderland and it was filled with incredible scenery and splendor!    

I think I will have you walk with me to the top and back down next time you stop by here.

Let’s Have Coffee with a G+ Hangout! #togs #photogs #business

A good cup of coffee or tea, a group of nice like-minded people, people motivated to succeed and share their inspiration, their successes and failures and wanting to help inspire and be inspired! 

Do you sometimes have trouble seeing the forest through the trees? 

I have been working toward formalizing the idea of using the Google + hangouts as a place to collaborate and to meet with some like-minded people who want to succeed in their business.  You don’t have to be a photographer, just someone who wants to come to the table and talk, brainstorm, share ideas, bring encouragement, and be willing to share stories with the goal of inspiring others to move forward and succeed while finding the same inspiration for yourself.   Does this seem like something in which YOU would you like to participate?

I envision it like the trees in Okinawa where they have prepared them for typhoons.  The trees all over the island have supports such as this:

My vision for this group would be to bring your “coffee” about once a month when announced to the circle with a date and time and talk about concerns or successes or things that may not have worked or things that may work or things you are struggling to accomplish or be motivated toward while trying to help the others to move forward in a positive way as well.  To begin, I’d like to see how this may transpire in a limited trial way, in lieu of it being in person.  The first week would probably be more like introductions of who we are, where we are and maybe a short synopsis of what you would like to accomplish, might be a struggle or a success; nothing elaborate, that is for your business plan but just to see the make-up and goals of the group and to get to know each other a little.  From there together think about how we might best use the group to help each other succeed in our venture, to have a go-to group to ask questions of or receive inspiration or ideas or motivation to continue.  I’m not looking for people to just pat each other on the back, but a group of honest people who really want their business to work and see others succeed as well.  In five years, in the time frame many businesses fail to succeed, we have stood strong and are moving forward.

And here in the midst of greatness and the castle of Shurijo is one that has stood the test of time, ancient but strong like the castle itself.   

The logistics of G+ hangouts prevail, it has a limit of 10 people in a hangout, the first 9 people who request to be part of this will be part of the initial group; the next 4 will be alternatives in order of their request if people find this is not something they want to continue to participate in or might be unavailable.  All 14 will be in the circle.  This might be more fluid as we see it develop but for now this seems like the best process to start it moving in the right direction.  The initial hangout date and time will be decided once the group is formed.

I’d love to see this work.  I’d love to see a good mix of people willing to share, some experienced and already successful and others like me looking to implement their business plan fully.  I know I struggle many days, no MANY days to stay focused and encouraged and to see the goal through the fog of a beginning business.   

So now I just need to know who wants to join me?!?

Note: You must have a G+ profile to participate.

Add your name and G+ profile below.

I have had one “pre-request” and if Levi is still interested.  He gets the first slot.  8 remain open.

You may comment here or ask any questions here or on G+ my profile is here:   https://plus.google.com/u/0/108759901321068677229/about

Abrams Falls-October Desktop Wallpaper #photograph

Please enjoy your free download of the Autumn colors at Abrams Falls in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee, USA.

For Android and iPhone

1366 x 769

1440 x 900

1680 x 1050 & 2560 x 1600

1600 x 1200

1024 x 1280

Wallpaper can also be found on flickr. 
Come and join me on Google Plus.

Shoot from the Heart #photogs #togs

I grew up in a world where the current day “rules of photography” were an unknown, probably did not exist (at least not in art circles.) We learned to look, feel and produce from the heart; to see in our mind's eye first, then to move out in our specific medium to produce what our creative eye has seen.  We explored our inner souls and sought a way to express ourselves through the medium of our choosing.  We looked intently at our world; we framed things, watched light and color and saw shapes and forms.  We looked at how our world was put together and we studied the passing of our world around us. We learned how to see, how what we saw affected us and what we wanted to convey to others or produce for ourselves. We were taught freedom of expression.  Nothing was too outrageous and we learned to deal with our limitations by expanding our horizons or knowledge or we threw caution to the wind and stepped outside our comfort zones.  We learned to put our soul into what we did.  It is never an easy choice to do this; after all we bare ourselves for the world to see and leave ourselves open to rejection.  But there is also something to gain.  We gain respect.  We gain a freedom that only our souls can touch.  We gain a truth and loyalty to our soul.  We gain a unique expression.   

People may think we are a bit crazy; we have to be willing to let them.  Thankfully we are each a unique being with a unique expression.  Some of us love art, some do not.  Some see this kind of exploration as a waste of time when there are rules that exist.  Those who do not explore their soul take a risk that they will be producing just one more landscape that will be one that looks like every other one just with a different sunset, different water and different set of rocks instead of something that speaks to your own soul.  Or risk that they will produce one more portrait that doesn’t reach into the soul of their subject.  The elements or principles of art are not rules.  They are found everywhere in our world.  How we put them within the frame should reflect how we see and feel about that world.  Knowing our own response to these aspects of art helps us to create work that speaks not only from the heart but to the heart. It should evoke a response.  It could be as simple as wow or a joy at a treasure found or a unique perspective to a known world or as complex as a provocation to action.   If you try to live within rules or your perception that the only way to compose a frame is by someone whose decision that this is what makes a "nice" work you risk losing the elements that evoke a reaction and tie your own hands of creativity.  It is up to you to reach into the depth of yourself or your subject to show your perspective.  Be courageous.

In the Shadow of the Master

Remember art is completely subjective.  If we think that what we like or for that matter, may not like, and someone else will feel the same...it is time to think again.  The most wonderful thing about art is that there are people who will love what you do.   Be fearless.  Look at yourself.  Look at your world.  Breathe.  Then breathe again.  Take it in.  Then, create from the heart. 

As a photographer, it is time to shoot from the heart.  I think it will open a whole new realm for you as an artist.

Sydney Opera House at Sunset-#September Wallpaper #Sydney

iPhone 1024x768

1366x768

1440x900

1680x1050- 2560x1600

1600x1200

1280x1024

The Opera House is glorious in every light and its sails change with it.  A beautiful icon from a wonderful city.  You can also find the wallpaper on flickr.

If you are still looking for a Google + invitation, follow this link and be sure to add me!

What a Ride!

Has your last year been a roller coaster ride?  Certainly mine has been!  I certainly could go back a few more years but one is more than enough!  I became unemployed in April 2010 just before my life was due to change with other events taking place.  What a conundrum!  I knew my life was not going to be easy nor my future determined quickly.  I have a wonderful family, I couldn’t ask for better actually, who have helped me this last year with housing and so many things so that I could try to concentrate on building a business and still pay my bills with my unemployment, even with that help it has not been easy.  But, as I said in my last post, I felt stalled, unable to focus, unable to put it all together.  It simply felt impossible and I was doomed to find myself going ever downward in a spiral that would leave me feeling that life was so unforgiving. 

Then about two weeks ago I decided I was going to begin to use one of the consultants to help me get the start I needed to make this photography business successful.  I have already gained focus and a more positive outlook on my future, even in the short term, although that hasn’t yet materialized, but attitude is everything as they say.  I now have some steps to help me move in the right direction.  I am generally and most people, who know me, think I am rather optimistic and always buoyed.  I hid it well, but now, I actually find that I am more often than I am not!  Sometimes thinking one day at a time helps you to survive but to change your life and create a business means you have to think into the future to know where you want to be and how you plan to get there.

The consultants I mentioned here are all so different and you could actually find a way to use each one at a different time in your career.  To help me get my initial start in business, I decided to use Judy Herrmann.  She has been instrumental in helping me to focus and explore what it is I REALLY want to do and where I would like to be a number of years down the road.  She helps you suss it out quite well.  If you don’t know where you are going, then how in the world are you going to get there?  Some of her exercises are found on her blog at 2 Good Things. 

Working with Judy has helped me to see the steps to begin to realize a dream and success in a business that has been only a dream for many years.  A few more things to get ready, then I will roll.  I’ll keep new progress posted here as I realize it more fully.  Right now I just have to take the plunge and do it, while there is of course apprehension; you can’t make your life different if it remains a dream. It’s time to put feet on the dream.  To realize that your future is all yours if you want to take it is both daunting and freeing; scary and thrilling.  Once I have just one small success it will seem more real, but for now, I reserve the right to be apprehensively scared skinless!  I really have nothing to lose and everything to gain. 

If any of you live in the Sevierville, TN area near Knoxville and the Great Smoky Mountain National Park entrance and would like to be introduced to more creative uses of your camera, please let me know, I’ll get you more information!  I’m looking for about 4-5 people to get started!

If any of you are still looking for a Google + invitation, follow this link!

Can you do it alone? #photog

I’m tired of feeling like a wandering soul in the desert thirsty for water but finding the oasis is but a mirage, unclear and unfocused on the horizon.  I need focus and clarity.  I need the help of someone who can assist me in reaching that cup of water that will help to satisfy the longing for a place for my creativity in this world. 

I have come to a crossroads in my photography and the decision to make it a business about a year ago.  I have reached a number of crossroads in the last year trying to decide how to get from point A to point B.  Some pertained to genre (and I experienced several), some to what I needed in equipment, some on how I saw my photography and what I loved to do the most.  In October, I bought a new camera and one lens that I thought would be best for my work at the first real juncture and at another, sold my old camera and bought another lens (I’d love just one more I’ve had my eye on but…) and it was the first best leap I’ve made…equipment does make a difference. 

Now I am at another juncture.  Marketing.  I thought by reading and embracing some of the things I have read online I might have a way to get myself going, but it just becomes too overwhelming when you are trying to still produce new work and edit other work so…I decided to contact a few photography marketing consultants.  Oh my!  It is definitely a very difficult decision.  First be prepared, it is not cheap by any stretch of the imagination, but then that is just life, sometimes the risks and investments have much greater payback than being stagnant in the position you are fledging about wondering where you are headed.

I have spoken to three people as of today, all of them offering something different and from different perspectives.   Can this really be figured out with a 15-30 minute conversation?  Hmmm…it isn’t easy.  Their fees are all very similar so that is not even weighed in the decision for me.  It comes down to connection.  Who do you feel will help you accomplish what seems by yourself to be the insurmountable and impossible?  Do I want to start making money now?  If I do, I have to decide within the next few weeks what I am going to do.  To be leaps and bounds ahead of where I find myself today I will employ the services of one of these three people.  One or more of these people I am convinced, with a lot of hard work and busy days ahead for me, will help to jettison my career as a pro photographer forward.  Stay tuned, I’m ready for take-off!

May I suggest you speak with Rodney Washington, Selina Maitreya or Judy Herrmann.  See if one of these good folks and excellent people might be the right person for you to work with to make your living as a professional photographer.

2011 August Desktop Wallpaper-Milford's Majesty #photography #New Zealand #Desktop Wallpaper

 1024x768 iPhone 

1280x1024 

1366x768 

1440x900 

1600x1200 

1680x1050- 2560x1600  

Milford's Majesty

Enjoy this month's wallpaper of Milford Sound in New Zealand dressed in all her majesty!


You can also retrieve the wallpaper from G+ here, flickr here and facebook here!


If anyone is still looking for a Google + invitation, send me a message or leave a comment below with an e-mail addressl, it is a haven for photographers!