[rəˈflekting] reflecting
thinking deeply and carefully about
I’m glad I have an extensive archive of photographs to revisit. I’m always able to find one that hits the mood for the day. A lone strip of land, isolated objects, and in the distance fog–the new normal.
Geologists have a saying – rocks remember.
Neil Armstrong
Lake Pend Oreille…set in a valley carved by glaciers and one of the largest and deepest natural lakes in the Western United States.
Sometimes they talk about who might find the heart rock. Will the rings still be attached? Will they wonder what happened to the couple that once wore those rings?
Ah but the lake is steep and deep; 43 miles long and the fifth deepest in the nation.
She keeps her secrets that lake…
equinox, is winter upon us?
There is a harmony in autumn, and a luster in its sky.
Percy Bysshe Shelley
The autumn equinox is upon us; the days will become shorter, and soon, if not already, the snow will begin to fall.
Today there will be equal hours of day and night and rituals abound for marking that sense of balance.
One of my favorite stories comes from Greek mythology and Persephone who was abducted from her mother, harvest Goddess Demeter, and taken to the underworld to become the wife of Hades. She eventually got her back only to lose her to Hades for three months of every year. During this time Demeter would refuse to grow plants resulting in “winter”.
I don’t share Demeter’s sense of loss when winter comes calling. For me it’s a time of stark, clean landscapes and crystalline structures.
Enjoy every moment, not just the ones that are perfect…that’s what is important.
a perfect reminder to stay calm and let nature provide the drama.
My heart is tuned to the quietness that the stillness of nature inspires.
Hazrat Inayat Khan
This image is exactly how I like my drama; at the hands of nature.
I’ve been thinking a lot about serenity lately and how important that is to me.
How social media is frequently not that social and how often each day we have the opportunity to be pulled into drama and chaos.
This year I want to be inspired. I want to surround myself with simplicity and the clarity that comes with that.
That goes for relationships too. I want to spend more time connecting with people who share the same values.
If you’re in a space right now that feels like rock bottom take a moment and focus on just one beautiful thing and trust that a change will come.
It will…
in my place of magic.
When a moment in front of me appears to be particularly special, whether it be by beauty or experience, I capture it. I usually find a reason to justify taking that photo – symmetry, or color, or contrast – and it’s my hope that my photography sheds light onto what I see and do on a daily basis.
Connor Franta
This is a first for me I think.
As the chairlift neared the summit of Schweitzer Mountain I kept turning to look back with that feeling of anticipation that something was about to happen but this being my first time out for the season and there being only single digit temperatures, I left my Nikon at the lodge and only had my LG K10 smartphone with me.
And sure enough, for the second time on a Christmas morning, an incredibly bright and beautiful sun pillar appeared with diamond dust swirling in its bright light.
It’s easy for people to believe that their photography would improve if only they had the next best latest and greatest equipment. Fortunately that’s not the case and if you have a true passion for photography, you can capture moments with whatever device you have available to you in that moment.
I loved how the lens flare added to this image and worked with it to create this image.
Do I wish I had my Nikon with a wide angle attached? Sure, but on this day I was grateful to see this crystal phenomena and have the challenge of capturing it by cell phone.
that feed the soul.
The soul becomes dyed with the color of its thoughts.
Marcus Aurelius
Some mornings just arrive with a bang.
Those mornings are a force to be reckoned with and they refuse to creep quietly into your slumbering thoughts.
Those mornings are the ones where dressing for the weather doesn’t matter. When the sweetest gesture might be someone bringing you the jacket that you didn’t grab as you ran outside into the frosty air to capture the moment.
Or maybe it’s just the sweetness of seeing a new day come to life and knowing that the moment was not spent in solitude but was shared by others lucky enough to awaken before dawn and to capture it.
As a photographer who prefers black and white, I still recognize that there are moments that just scream out for a color image. On this morning, as the rising sun splashed color across the sky I was grateful for the opportunity to soak it in.
right time.
He is richest who is content with the least, for content is the wealth of nature.
Socrates
I had a special treat this week-end while visiting one of my favorite places, Schweitzer Mountain. The landscape was filled with bear-grass, a member of the lily family, in bloom, an occurrence that only happens every 5-7 years. Each plant only stays in bloom for a few days so photographing this is something that you need to take advantage of on the day that you see it.
As we walked amongst the blooms the air was filled with its faint fragrance and I felt that sense of satisfaction of being in the right place, at the right time, taking in the wealth of nature.
I couldn’t love you more!
It’s an illusion that photos are made with the camera….they are made with the eye, heart and head.
Henri Cartier Bresson
Some week-ends are perfect.
Single digit temperatures, sunshine, glittering snow.
A great friend, a great meal, a great evening with Viggo Mortensen.
Perfect light for perfect photoshoots.
Nature at her absolute best and painting exquisite intimate landscapes upon the canvas’ that I presented to her.
Winter…the most beautiful of seasons.
New Year!
For last year’s words belong to last year’s language. And next year’s words await another voice. And to make an end is to make a beginning.
T.S. Eliot
Thanks to all of you who follow my blog, it is most certainly a highlight of my week.
I hope that 2017 brings you everything that you hope for and some unexpected joys as well.
Stay safe, be well, and keep capturing the moments of your life.
Cheers…
of weekly blogging.
Hope smiles from the threshold of the year to come, whispering, ‘It will be happier.’
Alfred Lord Tennyson
A beautiful day with frigid temperatures and a fine way to end my second year of blogging.
I set a goal for myself two years ago to write a weekly blog post on photography. I wanted it to focus mainly on creativity and inspiration and highlight an image preferably from that week.
It’s now two years later and this year was for me filled with ups and downs and I know that I’m not alone in that.
Highlights and lowlights…rather ironic considering that they’re two of my favorite things.
Some of the best highlights?
Photographing a proton arc during a night of northern lights, in one word…unforgettable.
Photographing rare halos and having the most incredible e-mail conversation with a renowned physicist.
Numerous publications and an Image of the Day by Earthsky.org.
An abundance of canine photo shoots, so dear to my heart.
The lowlights? Frankly I’m just going to visualize whirled peas and leave it at that.
I’ve got a new project starting and can’t wait to immerse myself in it.
Don’t forget to take some moments for yourself during this busy time of year and find something positive to focus on…
it's (almost always) about the water... 