Snow?

Snow flurries! We hardly ever get snow here. When we do, it lasts for a day and that's it. This year may be a different story. I swear the Universe knows how much I want to go back to Pennsylvania for a visit. Oh well, the trip can be made in the Spring.

Lately I have been reading some schizophrenic-like art journal books...just kidding (sort of). Yet...some of the work I am seeing called 'art' has me puzzled. Am I missing something? Today I may throw some similar journal pages together. Letting go for the heck of it can be lots of fun. One idea gleaned from this reading binge is: create more original digital brushes. Am warming up the scanner.

Also, I must bring home my old IBM computer to burn a CD of contest entries. The laptops have decided not to cooperate...don't you love it when these things happen? Often I consider these roadblocks "mystical" and heed their warnings, but not this time. I have wanted to enter this contest for two years and put it off until now...Now is the time...the images are ready to go and go they will.

Today: Research Photoshop brushes and PLAY...HAVE SOME FUN WITH IMAGES and TYPE.
Remember: Be Good, Do Good and then Strive to Be Better!

Giving Thanks

This is my "NOT TO BE INCLUDED IN THE JUDGING" entry in the Blogger's Community Photo Challenge. If you would like to enter, please click on the link above and follow the Guidelines.

If the only prayer you say in your life is "thank you," that would suffice. ~ Meister Eckhart

Where to begin? What to share when grateful for everything? The list is infinite. I feel extremely fortunate. It is good to be alive.

I give thanks to Creator for many blessings:

MORNINGS

NATURE AND SPIRIT (VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE--THE SEEN AND UNSEEN)

ANCESTORS, FAMILY AND FRIENDS

Our Elusive Hawk

Fog stayed around all day yesterday. It was fun watching the landscape disappear, then reappear. Between three and four o'clock, I decided to take a picture of the fading walnut tree. Here is the result, but this is only half of the story.

Photograph by Elisabeth Bacon 2008

All Rights Reserved

Suddenly, the hawk Bob (Eaglesbrother) is in love with, flew up from the brush and landed in the tree. I moved closer. CLICK...

And....................................................................hawk flew away.

Tomorrow is another day.

Fascinating Fog

Photograph by Elisabeth Bacon 2008

All Rights Reserved

Looking out the living room window this morning, fog enveloped the young willow. Fog fades fast. With photography, it is now or never. Don't take the shot and poof it is gone.

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Yesterday was estate sale day. We went to a lovely retirement community similar to the community where Dad lives. Outside apartment doors a variety of artwork was hung on the walls sharing the occupant's preferences. There were posters of doors, photographs of rushing streams, kitty cats and autumn wreaths. Several exhibits included paintings. Traveling those halls was fun and illuminating.

We came home with two oriental throw rugs, a jade necklace and one small, blue and white ginger jar inscribed with symbols for "wedded bliss." Found several packets of nature cards distributed by Coca Cola and Arm and Hammer during the 1920s and 30s which may be useful in scrapbooking, although I will have to research copyright restrictions. Louis Agassiz Fuertes (1874 – 1927), an American ornithologist, was one of the artists. Last night was research night.

The desire to do more collages and still life setups is back. Found my grandfather's slant-top, slate portable desk. Inside there are wooden penmanship and drawing strips. The art of penmanship is diminishing and I find that sad. One of the first things I was told to do as an artist was to practice writing my name--to create a distinctive signature. No block letter printing...be distinctive. Now, that sounds easy, but it isn't. Try it sometime...develop a distinctive signature to use on your work.

Suggestion: Play with writing your name or initials in a distinctive way.

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Today: Follow up on guidance from the Muse and do a setup or two and perhaps start planning genealogical collages.

Notes on the Mundane and Random Observations

"A bird peeps in the night

Awakened by the window light." ~EB

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Rusting Barrel Behind Neighbor's Shop

Photography is meditation...a shift in awareness...wabi-sabi. Listening and looking at what is--Ordinary things...A solitary, withering leaf...A stripe in dirt...the crunch of earth.

Photographs by Elisabeth Bacon 2008--All Rights Reserved

AH-HA!

Every now and then an insight happens. When these "ah-ha" moments hit, I am always amazed. These insightful moments pop up in the middle of a down cycle. Any working artist knows what the "down cycle" is...that time when no new ideas are showing up--when the Muse is on vacation.


I digress...to get back to my "ah-ha" moment this morning. After reading this post at the Bloggers Community Photo Challenge: Photography Basics 101 Ü (which is excellent, by the way), I began thinking about the other Levels of Photography and how some of these other Levels are seldom shared.

Reasons for this may be:

1. These Levels automatically evolve over time and become intuitive.

2. Professional photographers (ones who do exceptional work) keep some of these Levels secret.

3. When some of these Levels and Principles are explained, folks don't get it.


Things To Do Today:


1. Define Level 2 and Level 3 in an understandable manner.

2. Explain the use of light, movement and mood (Level 2).

3. Share various unusual lead-in lines. (Not all lead-in lines are as obvious as the classic "S" curve.)

4. Research and contemplate: Seeing that goes beyond seeing--an occurrence evolving after years of shooting (Level 3).

Note to Self: Reading about these Levels is not enough. One has to experience them.

Solutions: Shoot, shoot, shoot...edit and refine...become a detached editor. Learn the difference between a good photograph and a bad one using the Basic Rules of Photography.

One of My Favorite Things

On my To Do List is: Take Photographs of Favorite Things.

Yesterday I took this shot after shooting the early morning sun on the mountains. Favorite things remind me of how grateful I am to be alive. What a joyous journey this is!

Navajo Wedding Basket
Photograph by Elisabeth Bacon--All Rights Reserved