Take A Little Time

"Have A Little Tea"

Today's image is from a Mother Daughter formal Tea Party I helped host last week for a terrific group of teens I help mentor through the year... and it was so much fun. Everyone went home with the gift you see here, a tiny bag with herbal teas and chocolates. Of course, I had to get a photograph.

I've been off the blog all week. I needed a rest and a chance to regroup. Sometimes we just put too much on our plates. And sometimes we don't put the right things on our plates. Either way, we end up needing to take a little time out. To regroup, recharge, or redirect our efforts. I'll be honest. I'm struggling with staying with finding an outlet for what I love, and branching into the more obvious photography channels for making a living with my skills behind the camera...  so I've taken a little "me" time to help me refocus on what's ultimately important to me and my photography. And make some decisions. And I'm not even certain yet... but I've decided what will be important. And that's important. Ha.

So have a fabulous weekend, and we'll be back to more punctual blogging next week. While you're at it, have a nice cup of tea on me. 

Simple Decisions ~ Exploration Thursday!

"Cascade"

(1/8 sec.@ F/16, ISO 100, 50mm fl panned, dark overcast light, potato vine as subject)

Simple and uncomplicated. Two words that can describe photography when you decide they should. You can find yourself walking up to some potato vine draping over a planter, decide you like how it naturally spills over the edge, and just as easily decide to allow that one feature to inspire your next image.

You can decide that the fun is in the photographing. That panning your camera across and downward will yield colorful and expressive results. You can decide to let your camera and your skills convey how you feel, not just what you see.

See? Simple and uncomplicated. You look through the myriad of experiments on the screen back at the computer... and suddenly stop at the one image that speaks to you the loudest. You decide to leave it pretty much as it was straight out of the camera with some slight adjustments. Surely if it immediately conveys the sense of motion and vibrancy to you, it will do the same for others.

If they decide to let it.

Simple and uncomplicated. I've made no bones about the fact that I like to decide to use that as my approach in photography more often than not. Behind the lens, and in the digital darkroom. The act of photography has to be that simple, or the pursuit becomes more of an obligation. And I've simply decided not to let that happen.

What aspect of photography you love is always your decision, and everyone is different. Just decide to stay true to it, and then enjoy yourself. It's really that simple.