I Need to Expand My Horizons...

Something I have not done a lot of is landscapes.  As we move into milder weather, this is something I would like to focus on.  I am drawn naturally to details and close-ups, loving my macro lens and the endless possibilities of shallow depth-of-field.  This is something I have no intention of leaving behind. 

It is time, though, for me to challenge myself with my photography. 

My mind is already there, imagining how I could capture a shoreline, a wooded trail, or a cityscape.  I need to discover a way to photograph the vastness of our world while keeping with my need to simplify.  It must be true not necessarily to the way it is, but to the way I see it.  To the way it makes me feel.

This spring, then, I will begin.  I will choose a shorter lens and really look at the wide open spaces. 

I will find the details in the big picture.

Poetic Inspiration

Poetry has been on my mind lately.  Even before the April Oprah issue came out!  Needless to say, I was super excited to get my hands on that one.  (Even if you don't read it, think about picking this one up if you enjoy poetry - which I do - since it's full of poetic inspiration.)

To celebrate poetry month coming up, here's my Poetic Inspiration Treasury:

Hope you enjoy viewing these beautiful items as much as I did!



Melt Snow, Melt!

Welcome Spring!

The sun is shining, and I can hear the melting snow tapping on my metal garden table as it falls from our roof.  Puddles are appearing along the roads; like a child I aim my car into them, splashing the snowbanks as I drive by.  Slowly, grass is beginning to peek out along the perimeter of the house.  Hard, frozen ground is becoming slick with mud. 

We often say, here, that we don't have spring - just winter, then summer.  It certainly feels that way at times.  The ground is still heavy with snow, and will be for some weeks to come.  Flakes will fall again, and nights remain cold.

But during the day, when the sun comes out, it brings with it hope and anticipation for the beautiful season ahead.

My camera and I are ready.

Proof Pictures are Good for You!

Not that I needed proof, but...

I was reading an article in Redbook (March 2011) the other day that states,

"...studies have found that looking at still images of nature can

lower blood pressure and muscle tension..."

There you have it!  I bet if I looked further (and I think I might just do that!), I could find further evidence that beautiful, thoughtful pictures are good for you. 

I'll keep you posted!

A Splash of Colour

A desperation for colour seeps in about this time of year... 

I'm tired of the white and dirty snow,

leafless gray trees,

and sunless sky. 

So a little colour in monochromatic March: 

A spring bouquet.

A Short Poem for A Too-Short Life

My husband lost a friend this week.  He was young, in his late twenties. 

A senseless accident cut short a beautiful life.

A 51-year old father from our community passed away this week as well.

So often when we are touched by these tragedies, we stop to think about how fragile life is.  How important it is to appreciate every single moment.

This Fragile Life

we are strong

yet not

we are but a moment

delicate and fierce

hold onto love

dream

believe

embrace

savour every second

for scarcely a moment will pass

then,

in the silver white midnight

we shall look back

and love

After the Storm

I am ready for gardenning.  I've got flowers on the brain, and the landscaping books have been dusted off. 

And yet, although spring is around the corner, we are covered once more in snow.  The rain that poured all day Sunday turned to snow, and didn't stop until sometime last night.

I, however, am ready for grass underfoot and sunshine on my shoulders.  I am ready for digging in the dirt and wading in the shoreline. 

It will come eventually, I suppose. 

In the meantime, this:

100 Posts, and a Discount, Too

I just realized that my last post (below) was my 100th!

To celebrate, I am offering a new discount in my Etsy shop for blog readers:   15% off your next order.  This is the best discount being offered, so be sure to use this code the next time you make a purchase from my shop:  PBD001TTL.

Thank you for reading!

Enriched by Photography

I am very lucky to work at a school that believes in enrichment for all students.  We offer a variety of different activities, where students are able to explore new interests and learn beyond the curriculum.  Another teacher and I do a photography class; today was our fifth session. 

How rewarding to be able to share some of what I know about photography with children, then to have them really embrace the ideas.  We've talked about composition, close-up and action photos, zoom, backgrounds, and even the Rule of Thirds.  Imagine how impressed I am, then, to have a 6-year old be able to tell me - after only a few sessions - what macro and telephoto mean!   It is amazing how much they are able to understand and remember when you do things that are outside the box. 

Something else happens, too, when I teach photography to children:  I get the opportunity to see things through their eyes.  They create still lifes in ways I wouldn't have imagined, see things from angles I've never thought of, and share a joy in the learning of it that is infectious. 

It makes me wonder...  Are they the lucky ones, or am I?