An Inspiration

It was a beautiful Sunday. The sun was shining on this Mother's Day and there wasn't a cloud in the sky.

It was a wonderful day to honor mothers. I went to celebrate Mother's Day with my family. My Mom has six children and five grandchildren. She always puts us first in her life. The amazing thing is that she found out that she has multiple scerlosis a few years ago. But she keeps going and has such a positive attitude.

She is such an inspiration! So I am posting a single tulip in honor of my Mom and all those in our lives who serve others.

Getting Out and About

Hopefully, I gained some inspiration by attending the local Baggs Square photography show last weekend. It was wonderful to see other photographers' work. I had many "aha" moments when I view the photographs of local scenes and areas of interest. For example, the same old building looked entirely different to me because of a lens a photographer chose to use.

Now I would like to just get out and about with my camera this weekend. I would love to explore such local scenes as the train station, main street, and old buildings in seach of such elements as haunting reflections, time-worn textures, as well as the colors of everyday life.

Of course, life seems to have the habit of getting in the way of my photograpy plans. However, I have to make the time this weekend to enjoy this art of photography.

Inspiration from Children's Art Work

I thought that I would use my point and shoot camera and the laptop in order to create a blog entry today. Today I spotted a display of children's art work in the hallway just outside of my school library. So, I decided to take a photograph of this colorful display.

I find myself going back to look at the children's artwork several times. Many of the children don't have these right vs wrong rules about creating artwork. They seem free to explore and discover without the fear of failing. I love their nature senses of color. They are willing to experiment with different shapes, textures, and colors. There are times when they seem to see the same objects using different perspectives than adults do.

Indeed, the children have lessons to teach all of us. First, I am reminded to take the time and really experiment with different photographic processes, even if I am not pleased with my first attempts. Also, I am reminded to look at objects using several different perspectives.

I am grateful for the lessons which these young artists continue to teach me!

Waiting for Spring...Again!

I am definately ready for spring to arrive in this part of New York State! Yesterday, the temperature was just over 0 degrees C (32 degrees F.), but we had some snow last night. Today it was sunny, but colder. The temperature was about

-7 degrees C (20 degrees F) with a very chilly wind.

The high snow banks are everywhere, even though they melted a bit yesterday or the city has begun to cut them back. I feel like I am living in a gigantic igloo that is never going to melt. (Well, the snow banks may start to disappear in June!)

So, I went back through my photos again. This is the photo of the waterfalls that I wrote about yesterday in my blog. The falls are used by a company in order to harness hydroelectric power. This is why the falls are on private land. However, the company allows the public to visit the falls during a few weeks in the spring and fall.

I really enjoy visiting this area during the spring and autumn. There is usually more water flowing during the spring, but the autumn colors are beautiful in this area. I enjoy walking the trails and lugging my camera equipment around. I usually end up meeting members from my local camera club there.

So, I am looking forward to the spring weather so that I can go and visit Trenton Falls again at the end of April or in May. I know that I have taken photos here before, but it will be wonderful to get out, hike, and take photos. It always amazes me when I can go out and take different photos of the same subject with a fresh prespective. As Marcel Proust once wrote, "The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes."

Hopefully, I am going to New York City tomorrow with my friend Mare. (I am praying for a safe trip!) We are taking the train to the City. We will see "Les Miserables" on Broadway. I am going to bring my Canon point and shoot camera, so I will try to take a few photos. (I only bring the DSLR when I stay in NYC for a night or two.) I hope that everyone has a great weekend. I will check in on your blogs again on Sunday!

Creative Eyes

It is another snowy evening here in Central New York State, so I thought that I would go back and look at some of my photos. I was looking for photos that showed ordinary objects in more artistic ways.

The photo that appears to the left is call "The Old Barn Door". I spotted the old barn one fall day while I was walking along a path heading for another destination. In fact, I was going to see a local waterfalls. Now , Trenton Falls is by no means comparable to Niagara Falls. However, it was worth the hike in order to see it. (Trenton Falls is on private land and the public is allowed to come and view it a few times per year.)

The barn was on the same private property. I really liked the contrast in colors and textures between the old barn doors and the goldenrods (which are actually weeds). The old barn doors were actually one of my better shots that day. (I am draw to old barns just like our friend Pat.)

So, I tried not to limit myself that day and take only photos of the waterfall. Hopefully, I will be able to visit Trenton Falls again in the spring in order to take photos of all of the surrounding area.

Sources Of Inspiration

Recently, I have been looking for sources of inspiration for my photography projects. Nature usually provides me with an endless supply of creations to photograph, but it is difficult to find anything during this time of the year.

So, one thing that I like to do is to look around at such things as architecture. I look around familiar places using a creative eye. This creative game is very good for discovering objects that I may have missed in the past.

The above photo was made using this creative game. This photo is call "Guardian and Protector". I rediscovered a beautifully crafted iron gate outside of the local museum in my hometown. Now, I have walk past this very museum many time in my life, but I finally took the time to really look and see the wonderful artistry of this old gate. (The building in which the museum is housed in was built in 1836.)

As these late winter days continue to linger on, I think that I will go out into the city and just look around me. Old buildings, the railroad station, statues, and parks covered in snow could serve as places and objects to photograph. And I am going to remember this quotation by Leslie Grimutter, " Sometimes imagination pounces; mostly it sleeps soundly in the corner, purring. "

Let the Music Play, Let the Inspiration Begin

I often listen to music in order to find inspiration for my photography work. One of my favorite classical pieces is Canon in D by Johann Pachelbel. This piece is so soothing and reminds me of a lullaby.

I created "Glorious Trio after listening to this masterpiece. The simplicity of the calla lilies reminded me of this classical piece. The flowers are regal in nature and their soft pastel colors reflect nature's amazing hues. Canon in D is the perfect piece to listen to while viewing "Glorious Trio".

Here is a link to hear Canon in D. http://www.jasononline.com/music/canon.mid

I photographed these calla lilies inside using natural light. I used black foam core board for the background. I really enjoyed arranging the flowers and working with the natural light.

Now, I would like to make more photographs using music as my inspirational starting point. There are so many possibilities! "Music cleanses the understanding; inspires it, and lifts it into a realm which it would not reach if it were left to itself. " (Henry Ward Beecher)

Do you listen to music to gain inspiration for your photography work? It would be wonderful to know what kind of music other photographers find inspirational.

Simple Things

Recently, I discovered a wonderful quotation written in the signature portion of a colleague's e-mail message. "Teach us to delight in simple things." (Rudyard Kipling)

Kipling's words immediately made me think about the art of photography. Our camera lenses allow us to really see the world around us. Photography provides us with so many opportunities to appreciate the world around us that may otherwise go unnoticed: a child's tiny fingers, a beautiful sunset, shadows from a tree, the light in an elderly person's eyes, or a colorful peacock feather. And the list goes on.

The photo above is entitled "Ice Princesses". I still remember the day I took it with my trusty Canon point-and- shoot digital camera. I was amazed by just how beautiful weeds could look with ice on them. I really liked the muted colors against the white background.

I have a list of simple things that I would like to photograph: berries encased in ice, my nephew's tiny fingers, an approaching thunderstorm, pumpkins in an autumn field, Nubble Lighthouse along the Maine coast, and snow covered trees lined up in a row.

"Teach us to delight in simple things." This is such a profound statement! Do you have a list of simple things that you would like to capture with your camera?

When Fortune Smiles

It has been bitterly cold here in Central New York over the past few days. The snow returned, bringing howling winds and falling temperatures along with it. So, I spent the weekend looking for creative photography projects to do.

Yesterday, I thumbed through a pile of Rangefinder photography magazines. (Patz, thanks for telling me about this fantastic resource!) I found just the type of project that I was looking for in the October 2006 edition (the Fine Art issue.) This issue featured the work of photographer and artist Walter Nelson. (Here is a link to the article. http://www.rangefindermag.com/magazine/Oct06/showpage.taf?page=20]

I was fascinated by Nelson's still life photographs. He combines painting and photography to create these masterpieces.

Nelson's work inspired me to design my own still life photographs. However, I decided to work with fabric. I have done some quilting in the past, so I have a collection of hand-dyed fabrics that I thought would make colorful backgrounds. I also had fabrics in my "stash" that I thought I could use for the foregrounds or draped around the sides.

First, I attached the background fabric to foam core board. I purchased the lucky bamboo and ceramic pot at the grocery store. I worked on setting up the still life until I got it the way I liked it. I photographed the still life using window light with my camera on a tripod. I used some aluminum foil in order to bounce the light and avoid shadows. Finally, I used Paint Shop Pro to edit and create two symmetrical versions of the photo.

Walter Nelson's photos reminded me of some of the quilting techniques, so I decided to take a chance and create my own still life to photograph. The American photographer Duane Michals wrote, "Trust that little voice in your head that says "Wouldn't it be interesting if..." And then do it." More Joy of Photography

Now I have more ideas for still life photos that I would like to try using fabric and other objects. There are so many possibilities!

Don't Let The Light Go Out!

Do you ever wonder about the time period into which you were born? I often do. I was born just four months after Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. so eloquently proclaimed his "I Have a Dream" speech to a quarter of a million people in Washington, DC. President John F. Kennedy was assassinated less than one month before I was born. Somehow, I think that those turbulent, yet life-affirming times provided me with inspiration for my own life's journey.

Today, here in the United States, we honored the life and achievements of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Although I was too young to recognize the contributions of this great man while he was alive, his legacy lives on and his words speak to me. Dr. King was a man who followed "the light" and demonstrated that each one of us has the goodness and power to change the world.

I believe that I decided to "follow the light" when I became a Librarian and started to work with children of all ages, backgrounds, and believe systems. My purpose is to show my students ways to better lives by helping them to appreciate and receive life lessons through literature. In addition, I chose to be a school librarian because, in my mind, education does make a difference. I strive to teach my students to live by the values that Dr. King gave to the world.

And, although it has been almost 40 since Dr. King's untimely death, his words, deeds, and legacy lives on. I offer the above photo of the peace lily in hopes that his words will continue to inspire others. Dr. King said, "Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."

I also believe that our art of photography can serve to bring us all together. As photographers from around the globe, we seek, use, and appreciate the light in symbolic ways. We can use our photographic talents to make the world a better place in which to live, work, and dream. Whether our photographs show the beauty of nature or the awe in a child's face, we can use them to make a difference in our world. The light will not go out if we do this. "Don't let the light go out! It's lasted for so many years. Don't let the light go out! Let it shine through our love and our tears.) (Lyrics from Peter, Paul, and Mary).