And Winter Rages On

More snow.

I always find February to be the hardest month.  Yes, it is the shortest, but it sure doesn't feel that way.  I do try to make a habit of appreciating every day (life is short, after all), but some months just drag. 

It's cold.  There are no long weekends (unless you are fortunate enough to live in one of the provinces that celebrates Family Day).  Winter isn't near done yet.  And it just keeps snowing.

So, desperation is seeping in.  Of course, long winters mean fewer photographic opportunities.  At least for someone like me, who doesn't care to trek through knee-deep snow with cameras and lenses, praying the flakes don't start to fall and threaten my precious equipment.  Besides, I don't like to be cold.

I headed back to the dollar store today to see what I could see.  A bag of possibilities now sits on my kitchen floor, waiting to be captured.  My camera has been resting for far too long (any more than a few days is too long for me!).  My goal is to lose myself in creativity sometime over the weekend, forget about the cold and the snow, and just make pictures.

So Many Ideas, So Little Time

Do you ever have those times when you are just bursting with ideas, but the daily routine of life seems to get in the way?  If only I could have a snow day! 

I've started to carry a little notebook in my purse for these moments (that is in addition to the one I keep by my bed, the one in the kitchen, and the one in the desk!).  I get absolutely restless with these thoughts running circles in my mind, hardly able to stand not being able to have the time to get to them.

...And the kids are calling for second bowls of cereal...  So here I go...

This is Me

Over Christmas, I realized (not for the first time) that I am rarely in photographs.  I tend to be the one behind the camera, which is usually the way I prefer it.  My children are growing, though, and may one day wonder why Mom is never in any photos.  Because of this, I became intrigued by the idea of self-portraits.  It seems rather awkward to ask for someone to take my photo, and since I am usually the photographer anyway, I guess it makes sense that I take my own.

Creative Season

It is that time of year again: Snowy and cold!

I began the season as I usually do, dreaming of hibernation or migration. I picture myself curled up for the winter in my fuzzy pjs, a stack of books ready to be devoured; I also picture myself hopping on a plane toward warmer weather, and not returning until May.

Neither of these is possible, however, so here I am.

To compensate, this is the time of year I focus on creating photos in my home. I keep my eye out for interesting colours and reflections, details of my daily life that I can capture without having to layer on snowsuit and fur boots. Inside, I do not have to think about how the cold and snow can transform into little terrors that leave damaging moisture on my camera.

Doubtless, I will get cabin fever and head out a couple of times, camera in hand, to capture those magical sparkles in the sunlight. But in the meantime, I will create - inside.

And so... A Jar of Jelly Beans!

Photography for My Self

Wow - am I ever long overdue for a post!

I just started reading this amazing book, Inner Excavation: Explore Your Self Through Photography, Poetry and Mixed Media, by Liz Lamoreux. I can't wait to really get into it - there are some great exercises for photography that I am anxious to try.

I've been trying to find a good photography book for a really long time. I've looked in bookstores and online, without success. It seems there are a lot of the same type of books out there, and I feel I've read enough of the "how-to" types. I was searching for something new, something that goes beyond how to use my camera - I already know that!

This book is exactly what I had hoped for. I happened upon it when I did a search on Chapters online, and now I want to purchase every other book it mentions, too!

Finally, a book that satisfies my need to learn more about expressing my self through photography, that looks at photography the way I do: As a way of exploring the world through this incredible medium. Thank you, Liz Lamoreux!

A New Look!

It is time for a change!

I've been madly cleaning my house these last few days, and I decided it was time to clean my shop, too. I've created a new banner and avatar for my photography, updating the image but keeping the colours and clean lines. I hope you like the new look!

Visual Literacy

A strange coincidence happened a few weeks ago...

I received an e-mail from an unknown sender, and was surprised to read that they were looking to use one of my photographs in their online publication. So I checked out their website, and was both surprised and pleased to find out that not only were they an educational site (I am a teacher), but one that promotes visual literacy (the main focus of my photography project last year).

Needless to say, I happily provided permission for them to use my photo.

And I have been making great use of the site in my classroom!

Check it out: www.literacyhead.com

Many thanks to the creators of this site for such incredible material!

It Started Last Night

Some mornings I would rather take pictures.

I am up, getting ready for work, but feeling the urge instead to get out my camera. Last night on my way home from picking up my son at Beavers, I couldn't help but be mesmerized by the sky. It had rained off and on all day, and the clouds were lifting just ever so slightly where the sun was setting. Smoky gray clouds streaked across the sky, intermingled with puffy rain clouds.

Then, this morning, I glanced out my kitchen window and was met with the saturated colours that only happen when the sun lights the trees after a night of rain.

The light was right; my camera waits.

My Camera has a Shelf Life?

Wow - I can't believe an entire month (and then some) has gone by without adding a post.

I read something a couple of days ago that made me panic a little. It's about actuations and DSLRs. Scary to think the shelf life of my camera is limited, so unlike my manual SLR that could possible take pictures forever. I'm glad to know it, though - I'll be much more thoughtful in the images I create knowing this. That could be a good thing.

Here's the link for the article:

http://networkedblogs.com/3f95H

Note to Self

It is not productive cooking practice to become mesmerized by the shape and colour of a red pepper, thereby forgetting about the food that is on the stove.

Enriched by Photography

I am fortunate to teach at a school that values enrichment for all. Tomorrow, we begin a new block. It will be the first time for some of the students at Parkwood; others are looking forward to continuing the tradition.

Of course, I am teaching photography, teamed with another teacher. We will introduce the digital cameras to students from 5-12 years old. It is as fun for us as it is for them.

View my wikispace at http://www.phesphotography.wikispaces.com/ where I share some ideas for ways to teach photography to children. It is a great way to teach kids to slow down and notice the world around them in this increasingly busy world we live in. I believe this can help them to focus amid other distractions, and to learn to appreciate the little gifts of beauty around us.

Appreciative Moments

I love my kids.

A LOT.

But when I come back from teaching photography class on Wednesday nights, and I pick them up at my parents' house, they are even cuter than ever and I adore them even more than ever.

Doing something for myself makes me happier, and more relaxed. So after I've had that little bit of me time, I am even happier to see them. And I am grateful for both of those things--those little moments that intensify my appreciation for all that I have. Most of all, I am thankful for my two sweet children whose lives have enriched my own immeasurably.

Who could ask for more than that?

The Back Seat

As much as I can't stand it, sometimes photography has to take a back seat to other priorities.

Like report cards.

Those much loved, anticipated, dreaded, fraught over report cards. Ours go out on Monday, and it was only today I was able to see some light at the end of the long report card tunnel. It is satisfying to have finally made some progress.

Tomorrow, though, photography class.

So Many Hobbies, So Little Time

As I was knitting on my daughter's sweater tonight, I was thinking about the book that I am reading, and about what pictures I might make next.

There are so many things that I love to do, but time is always short. Too bad there is no way to do all of them at once!

Wake me when the Light is Right

I am half-awake, gradually gaining consciousness on this Sunday morning with the help of some caffeine. As I head toward the kitchen to once again heat my lukewarm coffee, something makes me stop. The morning sun is beaming through the glass on my front door, creating a rainbow of light on my husband's guitar.

I grab my camera and work quickly to capture the colours before they are gone. As I do, my senses awaken and I make as many compositions as I can before the sun rises higher in the sky and the reflection disappears.

Now, I am awake.

Life through Photography

I spend a lot of time thinking about photography.

I also spend some of that time wondering what it is that draws me to photography, especially this desire to get up close and simplify.

Life is in the details, in the small moments. Life is about appreciating the little things. It is also about getting closer, building relationships with people and the world around us. It is about getting to know things inside and out.

Life is not about the big picture. It's about the moment when a child is born, the moment he smiles for the first time; it's about moments that stop you in your tracks.

And so, I try to capture life's little details: The petal of a flower, the ripples in the sand, the reflection in a glass. Try to get closer to the small stuff. Try, in some small way, to capture life's essence.