Friday Shoot-Out: Under Construction

On Christmas Eve, I was at the Philadelphia airport and saw the perfect shot for this shoot-out--it was a baggage carousel down to its bare bones with plywood all around: under construction. Unfortunately, it was freezing and I was trying to keep up to get to the car quickly so I just had to run by instead of grabbing my camera out of my purse like I wanted.

Anyway, I stretched the topic a little.

I have a shot of breakfast under construction. Soon after, that egg became scrambled eggs. I also included what I call "the door to nowhere" because it looks like something unfinished. I love it because it is a symbol of possibility and openness. I included a spiderweb under construction. Spider webs are one of nature's miracles--it is always amazing how intricate and beautiful the design is, especially being created by such a small creature. I also included wind turbines because they are under construction more and more so that we can harness the great power of the wind.

And, finally, I am always under construction. I am a big believer in self-improvement and am always trying to evolve into a better self. Also, my relationship with John is also under construction, in that we are trying to build a life together; I am very fortunate that it is getting better and better everyday! By the way, this is the first time ever I have shared a picture of myself on my blog--I usually do not like how I look in photographs.

Anyway, I hope every one of you have a wonderful New Year and that your 2010 is full of love and light!

Friday Shoot-Out: Angels

I am not a traditionalist when it comes to religion and spirituality. I respect all religions and spiritual viewpoints. As I said before, I do believe in angels. I believe they are spiritual beings who have evolved beyond the physical form. I also believe many of them watch over us with love and compassion. I love all forms of angels and love angels in art. So, obviously, I think this is a perfect assignment for a time of year that celebrates love and compassion (in the form of celebrating Jesus's birth).

For this shoot-out, I am going to the archives, so you may have seen some of these before. As for many of you, this has been a crazy busy time! In a few hours, I will be heading to the Philadelphia airport to pick up John's mother and daughter. I still have to bake Splenda cookies (for my dad who is diabetic) and finish cleaning the place up. It's fun busy, so I can't complain too much! Because, as we all know, there is bad busy, which is the worst. So I will take fun busy any day! Anyway, if you celebrate Christmas, I wish you a wonderful Merry Christmas. If you do not celebrate Christmas, I hope you still have a wonderful day. I hope to be "seeing" you all in the new year.

Enjoy!

Friday Shoot-Out: My Town Dressed for Christmas

This assignment was a very smart one for this time of year, so props to the FSO team!! Christmas, to me and many others, is such a wonderful time to really connect with each other. People tend to be nicer and in a better mood, thus friendlier and more approachable (except in an over-crowded line at Target). People say hello more and smile more often at strangers.

Also, Christmas is a great time to connect with family. There is a part of me, though, that is also sad on some level for the reminder of all that has changed over the years, the people that are missing from the celebration, the traditions that have died. To deal with this aspect, I try to honor who and what has been lost by starting new traditions and integrating some of the best of the old.

One of these past traditions was to ride around to look at all the wonderful christmas lights and decorations that people have put out. I shared one shot of a house that I liked (I found it hard to get a good shot of christmas lights). Sorry for yet another picture of Winston--he is just so photogenic!! I included John, who is "dressing" the tree with the star and also John studying the tree possibilities.

I also included an angel. I believe angels are spiritual beings that have evolved beyond the physical form, only existing in beautiful, loving energy. I believe they watch over us with love and compassion.

I hope that all of you are being watched over and have a wonderful Holiday!!

Photo and Poem: The Hidden

What there was to have
remained hidden.
The wind weaved in between
what was said and unsaid.
The sea sang its sanguine song
to drown out our dying voices.

What words could not be said
will not be said.
The gestures that could move
will remain still.

Still, in my memory,
the soft sand beneath my feet,
cooling my sols with soft, moist earth.
Your eyes fluid,
flowing away.

Friday Shoot-Out--Christmas Weather

This was a cool assignment from Emma at http://wehrmans.blogspot.com/.

Snow and cold have become linked in the universal unconscious for Christmas. It is one of our most salient archetypes. I guess we all love the feeling of being in a warm house, sipping hot chocolate, and sitting by the fire as the lights twinkle on the tree while, outside, there is a blizzard raging on the other side of the door. When you think about it, this is a good metaphor for spirituality. The outside may be chaotic but inside is calm.

My pictures were taken right outside my patio door. The icicles were an amazing surprise. The way the light came through them was just amazing. If I had more photographic talent, I would have really captured the light better. For the bird shots, I just liked the contrast of a bird in the snow. These were actually taken last year, since we have not gotten a major snowing (major snowing? not sure it is an actual phrase, but I like it!) yet this year. Today was one of the first days that it was really cold--like walking into a meat locker when you go outside! I am a little jealous of those of you in the warmer climes.

Hope you enjoy!

Photo and a Poem: Requiet

If I had the words
to make you move
all could go forward
and the dance prove

that we were meant
to love. The mountain
is just too far
and too hard to climb.

If I had the power
to make you sigh
to the sound of my breath abated,
yet still comes that heart sour,
the soul regurgitated.

Dark clouds move in
covering that cerullean blue
your mouth had painted my soul.
The storm in me is calm in you.

Friday Shoot-Out Favorite Things

What a great assignment from Mark at http://bagmanslogorrhea.blogspot.com/. This song is one of my favorites and I certainly love whiskers on kittens, not sure about warm woolen mittens (could be itchy). I do like silver-white winters that melt into spring!

Anyway, for my favorite things, I included representations of brotherly love, friendship, and relaxation. Can you figure out which is which?

I also included a couple shots of the sky--I love looking at the sky!

Sorry this is a short post, but I am exhausted today. Trying to keep my immune system strong because there are a lot of illnesses going around. Hope anyone reading this is staying healthy--drinking orange juice and getting lots of rest!

Hope you enjoy!

Friday Shoot Out-Smiles and Faces

First, I hope everyone had a wonderful Holiday and did not overeat too much!! Today's assignment comes from Sarah at http://cottagegardenstudiophotos.blogspot.com/. I think it is a great assignment!

Due to the holiday and other factors beyond my control, I did not have time to really plan this one out, so I dipped into the archive. I decided to use faces that I love seeing everyday and faces that I am truly thankful for. A couple are of John. He is my most favorite person in the world. He is very patient with my picture taking, even when the flash goes off three times and he is nearly blinded!!

I also included the faces of my two cats. Magnum in the gray and white one. He gets a little anxious at times. The other one is Winston, the Himalayan. He is quite laid back as you can see. He is also quite cuddly and often keeps me warm at night.

Hope you enjoy!!

Photo and Poem--Haiku

I have decided to blog some of my poetry. Poetry was my first art--writing my first poem in the first grade. Poetry is also my favorite form of expression. I just love it! If I could jump into a poem, and just live inside it for a while, I would! On this blog, since it is about my photo journey, I am going to write poems inspired by a photo that I have taken. It is going to be in the moment, off the top of my head, just for the fun of it! I am also starting a poetry blog which will include photos; however, on that blog, the poem will come first and then I will find a photo that I think goes with the poem. Anyway, I will post when that blog launches. Today, I am writing a Haiku. Hope you enjoy!

By the lake in Fall

Trees reach their fire to the sky

death enters the world.

Friday Shoot-Out--Main Attractions

"Pray, pray to the Lord with me, because the whole world needs prayer. And every day, when your heart especially feels the loneliness of life, pray. Pray to the Lord, because even God needs our prayers."

— St. Pio of Pietrelcina

The main attractions of Vineland are trees, lakes, and a shrine to Padre Pio. Actually, the shrine is technically in Landisville which is right next door. I included a shot of trees and a lake near where I live. I also included a shot of a building that reflects many of the buildings in my area.

I wanted, though, to focus on the Padre Pio shrine of which I included some photos. If you are interested in learning more about Padre Pio, there is a nice website about him at http://www.padrepiodevotions.org/index.asp
which is where I got the above quote. Aside from the interesting story about Padre Pio, there is another more local story of this shrine. My boyfriend John has an Uncle who lives in Delaware. A few years ago, his wife died. They had been married several years and had several children. He has at least thirty grandchildren now. Everytime he is in this area, he stops at the Padre Pio shrine and prays for her. He still cries for her.

I am not Catholic. However, in visiting this place, there is a feeling of peace and love. I like it because it is outside which somehow appeals to me as opposed to inside a church.

Hope you enjoy!

Photo and a Poem

The Moment I Woke Walking by the Church

lights hanging in darkness--

tonight, I carry it,
the weight unreal
like wading through water
too thick.

I am open this night,
with mists creeping their way
along my heart's door.

Far from home--always,
seeking those scents
sorting the memories
like pebbles rubbed smooth.

On unknown streets,
shadows peeling away from my face,
I shall pretend to know the secrets
they are whispering.

FSO Favorites

This great assignment came from Rebecca http://thedustycellar.blogspot.com/

My first favorite is from Heather. I just thought her daisies by the sea made a wonderful photo. What better place to worship than by the sea! http://simplyheathersblog.blogspot.com/
The photo itself is just really beautiful.

My other favorite was from Scriptor Senex at:
http://scriptorsenex.blogspot.com/2009/11/friday-my-town-shoot-out-places-of.html
All the photos are great, but it was especially great to see shots of Stonehenge.

Thanks to everyone for some wonderful shots!
On Wednesday, I will be posting a poem to go with one of my FSO shots. Come check it out and let me know what you think!

Friday Shoot Out: Places of Worship

I had planned to go out today and get shots of this wonderful outside place of worship here in Vineland. It is named after Padre Pio, who has a very interesting story. However, by the time work was over, it was dark and it was raining. Not ideal for picture taking. I am going to try to get there in the next couple of days to take some pictures to share here.

So, since the weather and daylight savings were against me today, I dipped into the archives. The black and white shot is from my Boston trip. My friend Betty and I were on our way to the bar that the show "Cheers" was based on. I have always wanted to go, since I was a big fan of that show. (I was a tv junkie in the eighties). We walked from the hotel to the bar and this church was on the way, presenting a great photo op!

The other two shots are the same church from two different angles. It is a famous church in Washington DC. The architecture is so beautiful. The photos were taken during a trolly tour of DC over the summer.

Worship on, everyone!!

A Great Book for Photographers

Being a newby to the craft of photography, I have started on a journey to self-educate in this art. I know it will take me a long time since there is so much to learn. Also, like most arts, there is no end point to learning; there is always room to grow and evolve. So, for my birthday, I asked for books on the topic.

One of the books that I was given was The Photo Book by Phaidon Press Limited. It is one of the coolest books I have ever gotten! The book consists of all of these amazing photos, some of them famous. Each photo has a caption, talking about the photographer, the context of the photo, or the theme of the photo.

What's great about this book is you can go to any page and find something amazing. I can spend hours just looking at it and studying it. I highly recommend it!

Friday Shoot Out Favorites

My first favorite from the FSO skyline is Heather's from Vermont at . I really liked the water shot because of the detail of the water. The photo really gives a sense of the water's flow, and you can almost here the sound of the water kissing the sand. http://simplyheathersblog.blogspot.com/

My second favorite is from Pauline at http://paulinespaddock.blogspot.com/. I like her cow shot. First, I always find cows interesting--not sure why! Also, one of the cows looks like it is looking at her, which is kind of funny. I wonder what the cow is thinking.

Anyway, another great FSO!

Friday Shoot-Out: Skyline

This shoot-out topic is skylines, picked by Kate in Kansas at http://kate-growthspurt.blogspot.com/
I was a little worried because Vineland is sort of a farming town and what would the "skyline" really look like. I guess I was comparing it to the famous skylines like New York City. Then I read her description of what she meant and it dawned on me (pun intended!) that many different things could fall under the topic of "skyline". Most of these shots are taken in Vineland. I included shots of trees because they are the skyline of many New Jersey towns and is actually one of my favorite things about NJ.

In the past year, I have actually gone to several different cities, so I included some skylines from my trips. I took a trip to Washington DC with M, John, and John's former mother-in-law (we are friends--it's a long story!) I also went to Boston last February for a professional conference. Then there were the three trips to Colorado (another long story!).

Finally, many of you may not realize that South Jersians associate themselves quite closely with Philadelphia. Most of us in South Jersey were heart-broken by the Phillies losing the World Series. This is in contrast to North Jersians who typically associate with New York and are probably celebrating the Yankees win. Therefore, I included a shot of the Philadelphia skyline taken during a visit to the Camden Aquarium. Although, I must admit, if I had a shot of the New York skyline, I would definitely include it. I went to grad school in NYC, commuting there twice a week. Quite often, I got a full view of the NY skyline at twilight and it was truly breath taking.

I loved this assignment because I love looking at the sky. As Jimi Hendrix once sang, "Excuse me while I kiss the sky."