128/365 Profile

I was reading one of my photography books and the author mentioned how photo ops are all around all the time. Well, I haven't been feeling like that lately! I decided that I could find something to shoot today and then I spotted this weed. Instead of shooting it the way I normally would, straight on, from the top, from the bottom, I shot the profile! How's that for thinking outside of the box! :-)

Lesson: Life is "trying things to see if they work".
--Ray Bradbury

96/365 Wisteria

86/365 Purple

These vines with the purple blooms have been showing up everywhere I look. I've been longing to get close, but could never find them in a public place or in a place that didn't call for me to walk into a woody, overgrown area. I'm pretty adventurous, but I still have some limitations. Today I saw them growing on the side of an old building and found the juxtaposition interesting. As I drove a bit further, I saw some close enough to the road that I could just snip a branch off to take with me. The goal was to find a creative way to shoot it at home! After taking the vine out of the car, I discovered that most of the blooms were still closed and I didn't like them closed. I spotted one that was open and as I moved close to photograph that one, it feel to the ground. Arghh!!! Instead of trying to glue it back on, I just plopped down on the wet cement and met the bloom where it landed.

Wouldn't it be great if the people in our lives always met us where we were instead of trying to fix or change us first? It would be even better if we met ourselves where we are; being equally comfortable when we're swinging from the vine or hitting the ground with a thud.

Lesson:Truly loving another means letting go of all expectations. It means full acceptance... (unknown source)

71/365 Weed

I'm pretty certain that this is some type of weed. I wanted to stay close to home and create something from whatever I had on hand. I also wanted to see what things looked like after the rain. It's amazing to see the beautiful things that are emerging from the ground. They've always been there, I've just never noticed. That's the other amazing thing, once you make the commitment to capture the world around you, you actually begin to awaken to things, places and people like never before. At least that's my experience.

I started another book today, The War of Art. This is a must read for artists, writers or entrepreneurs who are struggling with moving forward in their craft. I have only completed the first part of the book and I had the things I've learned today in mind when I photographed the gorgeous colors of this weed. It's a visual reminder of where I find myself at this moment in time. Breaking away from the weeds and becoming something different, hopefully something colorful and beautiful (inside and out).

I thought this line from the John Lee Hooker blues song fit nicely here so I'll share it with you! I was introduced to it in the War of Art:

One night I was layin' down
I heard Papa talkin' to Mama.
I heard Papa say, to let that boy boogie-woogie.
'Cause it's in him and it's got to come out.
--John Lee Hooker, "Boogie Chillen"

Lesson: Live the life you were created to live and let go of those things that hold you back. Consider even letting go of people who don't support your vision.

54/365 Wet

This is another example of just looking around the house and making something happen. It was too cold this morning to go out with friends as we planned and I just could not get it together to get out. Ever have one of those days?? So, I walked out the door wanting a red berry and settled for these dark ones. I added the water with a spray bottle, moved to the right so I could utilize the rule of thirds. Click, click, click, click. Done.

Lesson: If you need rain, create your own. Turn on a sprinkler, pull out a spray bottle and ask your kid to pump. Get used to thinking on your feet and improvise!

Tomorrow: Something square.