149/365 Light

When I took my first photography class with my first film slr years ago, I was taught that you should never shoot down on children. Some rules are made to be broken!

I love the light reflected in her little eyes and I love the way we connected. I've known her since she was a few days old. Time flies!

Lesson: You can't break the rules until you know how to play the game.
--Rickie Lee Jones, singer and songwriter

148/365 Dinner

One of these days, my constant companions won't have the desire to tuck their LEGOS into their pockets each time we leave our home. One day they won't think to line them up on the side of the pool so the LEGOS can watch them swim. They will forget to plop them down beside a plate so they can share a meal. One day they won't have a desire to share every thought, dream or disappointment with me while we relax at a favorite restaurant. One day they will be on their own and will not be my constant companions. I'm so glad that day has not yet come!

Lesson: While we try to teach our children all about life, Our children teach us what life is all about.
~Angela Schwindt

147/365 Focus

Trying to regain my focus. It is so hard for me to concentrate with clutter all around and my home has been a mess since I returned from vacation--two weeks ago! I just dumped my luggage and tried to pick up where I left off. Wrong! The clutter started to close in on me and I felt my creativity just shut down. So, I took the day off and just cleaned and I'm feeling so much lighter! Hopefully my Muse will return now that she sees I've cleared a spot just for her!

I had the pleasure of photographing a party this past weekend and one of the children stopped to pose for me. Unfortunately I still had my macro on from a previous shot and I generally manually focus the macro. I was not fast enough in focusing on her little face, so the eye is not sharp! However, I still like the shot. Her slight smile and beautiful brown eyes held me captive for a moment and this shot reminds me of that moment.

Lesson: You can't depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus.
--Mark Twain

146/365 Center

I spent Wednesday evening with a local photography group and I must commit to meeting with them more often. There is nothing more exhilarating than being in the company of like minded artists. Being there helped bring me back to center--a place of balance.

Lesson: Make time to do those things that are important to you. Those things that help you become more of who you were created to be. Make time to cultivate your gifts.

145/365 Street

What a wonderful surprise to find the church waiting at the end of a busy street.

The cars were coming to often and too quickly for me to stand in the middle for very long, but I tried!

Lesson:A story to me means a plot where there is some surprise. Because that is how life is-full of surprises.

--Isaac Bashevis Singer, writer

144/365 Curls

143/365 Church

I had the idea to shoot part of this church through a vast cornfield. I'm not so sure I got the effect I was after and I'd love to hear the thoughts of other photographers. So, if anyone passes by tonight, tell me what you think of this shot. Is it working? No? Why not? How could I have made it stronger?

My idea was to show a beautiful structure emerging from rows of corn. I cropped in from the bottom because I thought I had way too much corn and the eye would get lost and miss the church altogether. Perhaps I needed to be closer to the church to capture the image I saw in my mind? Hmm...?? I took a chance and wanted to do something different.

Lesson: Trust your own instinct. Your mistakes might as well be your own, instead of someone else's.

--Billy Wilder, filmmaker

142/365 Cheerful

Not much to say tonight. I think I jumped back into my normal routine too soon. One really does need to take a vacation after the vacation! Tired but happy tonight and continuing to remind myself that living a live of balance is essential.

Lesson:Being happy doesn't mean that everything is perfect. It means that you've decided to look beyond the imperfections.
--Source unknown

140/365 Solo

As an only child who spent much time alone and who now spends very little time alone, I crave my solo time! Being a self-proclaimed loner, I surprised myself by agreeing to go away with TEN other women for rest and relaxation. We all had separate agendas: to shop, to read, to sleep, to workout, to be pampered. When I wanted to be alone, it was not a problem. When I wanted companionship, I had 10 very engaging women with whom to connect. A perfectly perfect week.

Now I am ready to embrace my constant companions at home with a renewed gusto and a renewed appreciation!

I *think* this was a corn field and I'm not sure why the tree was in the center. Maybe it's used to help the farmers navigate the large space? I was climbing a mountain and looked down on this wonderful, peaceful site.

Lesson: Even though we've changed and we're all finding our own place in the world, we all know that when the tears fall or the smile spreads across our face, we'll come to each other because no matter where this crazy world takes us, nothing will ever change so much to the point where we're not all still friends.

--Source unknown

139/365 Vulcanizadora

One of the things that struck me most was the very simple lifestyle of the people in this small Mexican city. I'm certain I would not find a repair shop near my home where the owner would unashamedly hang laundry out to dry at the business entrance. Some of us would be embarrassed to hang wash out to dry at all--even in the back of a very modest homes.

I went out with a guide at 7 a.m. most mornings for an hour long walk. On this particular morning we went through the city and then up into nearby mountains. This repair shop (vulcanizadora) was the first building I saw--perfect! Out of all of the beautiful sites in the mountains, I was most enamored by the people. What gracious and humble people! Something about them has changed me in ways that I didn't even know needed to be changed.

Lesson: Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.
--Leonardo di Vinci

138/365 Vaquero

The Spanish equivalent of cowboy, in case anyone is wondering.

I was shopping for jewelry when I saw this beautiful man riding down the street on his horse. Later that day I spotted him again sitting on a wall, but I didn't realize (until I put this storyboard together just moments ago) that it was the same man. There were several men on the wall with their horses, but I was drawn to this one. I thought he was incredibly handsome in all of his white. His white hair topping his brown skin just added to his distinct look. I was so happy when he agreed to share his image with me.

Lesson: Beautiful young people are accidents of nature, but beautiful old people are works of art.

--Eleanor Roosevelt