Sometimes Images Surprise Me

In reading Sean Kernan's journal earlier today he said, "I want to wake myself up." The above rose image "woke me up." This is the image as it came from the camera. I may crop differently and may play with it some as a black and white or sepia piece. We'll see... Sometimes leaving an image alone and sleeping on the possibilities is a good idea.

For The Love of Books

Went to Habitat's Resale Store yesterday and browsed through stacks of old books. These volumes, printed during the 1800s, honor the written word by using fine papers, detailed drawings and fine cover bindings of leather and marbled edges. With the onslaught of computers, will these marvelously coifed epistles disappear?

DETAIL

How To Take Good Photographs

Wow...what a topic! This could be the jumping off place for many books and guess what...many books have been written about this topic.

Here is my take on this...first, read everything you can about photography, painting and art. Then, keep shooting. Sooner or later one book, or one idea, will stand out from the rest and a light bulb will go on. You will "get it."

Next, look at the work of the masters. Learn about composition and light. Learn how light and dark creates mood. Discover how to use positive and negative space. Ask questions like: "How did they do that?" Then, find out (by experimenting) how they did do that. Keep a notebook and record your settings. What settings, conditions and combinations give you the results you want?

The more you shoot, the more you learn. The more you learn the closer you will come to the style that is you. Shoot what you love and keep on shooting and experimenting. You will continue discovering new avenues of expression and through these discoveries, your very own photographic style will evolve.

Happy shooting!

Remember: Be Good, Do Good And Get Better.

Outdoor Wednesday

Thank you Susan for hosting Outdoor Wednesday. To visit her website, please click on the Outdoor Wednesday icon above.

Had to post this shot. Turned the car around and drove back to get this snapshot of Ms. COW waving yesterday.

Remember: Always carry your camera!

Note to Self

Magic Boxes

A magic box? That's what digital cameras are (to me) and digital photography is where the magic manifests. Like the bunny appearing from the magician's hat...CLICK and an image appears. Sometimes the magic works so well that BAM we get an image better than we imagined.

A TRIBUTE

Got involved with genealogy and came across some of the text when doing research. I may start a scrapbook afterall.

Step 1:

Step 2:

Cropping Makes A Difference

Decided to crop the image created yesterday. Proportions and space make a difference and change the impact of an image.

Getting Back On Track (Again)

Step One...will continue working with this image tomorrow. May crop to a square image...may play with Bromoil techniques.

This Evening

Can Neglect Ever Be A Good Thing?

This morning I woke up smiling. After receiving an orchid, a friend promised yesterday to follow my lead and "practice neglect." Most green growing things turn brown around here, however my orchids thrive.The baby orchid (removed and transplanted from its momma's stalk this past Easter) is blooming!

Here is how I care for orchids...please don't laugh. Water every 7-10 days. Water using any pitcher is just fine. Do not overwater. If you are late with watering, don't worry about it. Water as soon as you realize your plants may be getting thirsty...when the soil seems to be getting dry. Keep plants in a window with a southern exposure and don't be moving them around a lot. Do not cut the stalk off after the plant blooms. New growth, babies and blossoms appear on those stalks. In a nutshell, imagine your plants are growing in a forest and treat them accordingly. Would someone trim them in the wild? Does it rain on a schedule in the jungle? I think not.

Bottom line...sometimes a little bit of neglect can be a good thing.

Baby orchid is the lighter bloom.

On A Personal Note

Today I must find time for creativity.

TO DO:

Transfer images to external hard drives from CDs. Label folders according to themes and/or subject matter. Locate interesting images to use in altered images.

Plan a setup and shoot.

Work on Poppy shot (alter image) for card

REMEMBER:

Say "thank you" during good times and not-so-good times. What is Is and what will be, will be. It is all good.

Phase I

Notes To Self

Frustration. There is life beyond photography's technical rules. There is a way to go beyond seeing. Taking a photograph is more than clicking the shutter. Anyone can do that. Instead, let's go deeper...

One has to lose the sense of self and become open to subject and experience. Then, and only then, will sychronicity happen. The best photographs find you (not the other way around). Prerequisites are an awareness--an openness, sincerity, flexibility and a receptiveness void of expectations.

Reminiscent of Turner Paintings

DUSK

©Elisabeth Bacon 2009

All Rights Reserved

Decided to include a color adaptation of Dusk for those who enjoy color.