What The Hey Day...

Beach Cocktail

When you work for yourself, there's no one to make you tow the line. No one to breath down your neck to be productive. The only person to have that job is... yourself. Bummer. 

 Lost Count

I'll admit it. I'm the worst for avoiding work mode some days. And the other days then become stressful because you try to catch up. All on your own. And then ultimately you forget to inject your day with doing the very thing that inspires all that work in the first place. Sigh.... So yesterday I gave myself a "What the Hey" Day. An exercise in going with the flow. To inject some choice joy into my work.

Shell Game

Yesterday I made a choice to force myself to pick up my camera. To photograph the first thing that delighted me in the very next room. Then I mentioned it on Twitter and Facebook... and others feeling the same thing, responded. Then I went out on a limb and asked said strangers to join me doing the same in their own homes. 

And to post said photos of found objects.
Said strangers become new friends.
Said found objects became inspiration and creativity.

I believe I will now stop saying "said"...

Getting through the self-employed day = deliberately choosing to have fun honing your craft.
Start small.
Gain momentum.
Make friends.

I'd say my "What The Hey" Day was good for the soul. And for the camera.

I think a "What The Hey" week might be in order...

Who wants to join me?

Don't Miss Them ~ Telephoto Tuesday.

"Nestled In Sun & Sand"

I get an idea in my head and can't shake it. Nothings right until I can make it happen. This was my frame of mind Sunday evening. We're were out for a stroll along the beach at Van Wagner's, and I knew there was a cool little tree way out by the rocks and water further along the trail. I knew the scene should look amazing with the light from the sunset warming it all. I knew that it would look haunting if I waited till twilight too. I knew I wanted a photograph of it.

We got there and the clouds vanished, a murky haze settled over the water as the temperature suddenly dropped, a wind picked up... and my idea went out the window to be continued in better sunset/twilight conditions.

But as we wandered around waiting for the sun to drop before everything went cockeyed, I realised I shouldn't waste the time. There was still lots to photograph. Tucked my telephoto on the camera and started noticing the details. I started getting photos of the way the seaweed (for lack of a better term... maybe lake weed? kelp? someone help me out here) stranded on the winter shoreline had dried around rocks and silt. Details weren't in the cards to begin with but you use what you have. And in the end, it's a good thing I did. I got some images that were studies in texture, shape and sidelight. And didn't mind that I had to return later for the others... and return I will. That little gnarly tree in twilight is still the goal.

But thank goodness I improvised and didn't miss the details either.

Have a great Tuesday gang, and thanks for the ramble!

Merry Christmas To All!

"The Christmas Hearth"

Visited the Tropical Greenhouse over at Hamilton's Gage Park the other day and amongst the banana trees and tropical ferns was their lovely Christmas display... a Christmas tree and fireplace decked out in poinsettias and amaryllis, so very sweet and homey. This is one of my favourite times of the year. I love watching loved ones open their gifts in surprise, I love reading the true Christmas story, I love the food and the friends.

This is a shot of the wreath over the fireplace... and if you ask Ron, my photography partner in crime for the day, he'll confirm that the minute I lay eyes on it, I knew I wanted this close-up. The colors and the textures called to me. And there's some great lines on the background from the mantle and windows nearby. And I knew I'd wait and share it today, my last post before the Christmas celebration begins in earnest.

I do wish you all a very blessed Christmas, and even if it is not your religion or holiday of choice, I hope you'd not be offended that I send you all the best my own seasonal celebration has to offer. If the tables were turned, I'd be touched that you'd extend the same. And many of you in other cultures have already... I'd never consider it to be anything other than an honour. Whatever you celebrate in the coming days, my prayer is that you be surrounded with family and friends, that your coming year abound with adventure and blessings, and that the peace extended to us in the gift of a babe in manger permeate the entire New Year and beyond.

Merry Christmas friends. See you on the flip side!

The Candy Store Effect ~ Telephoto Tuesday!

"Roped Against the Mast"

You must know the feeling. A delightful subject awaits and you have no idea what to photograph first. Nor do you know how much time you'll have to get everything you'd like in the lens. And there's so much subject matter that you immediately feel elated and stressed at the same time. Where to start? That tick in your right eye pulses slightly. What to do? You start to sweat. Wide angle lens? Telephoto? Go big? Go close? Include people or wait?

Or maybe it's just me.

It WAS me two days ago. We went down to the Hamilton Harbour to see the tall ship that docked for the weekend. It was beautiful. And I was struck with that "kid in a candy store" feeling. And I've been photographing for long enough to know to breath, assess the location and light, and decide what's a must-get shot and what's a "bonus if I can get around to it" shot. But I still felt giddy with such a lovely subject to feast on through the lens. Luckily my intuition finally kicked in. Whew.

This is when I love my telephoto lens. I got the big all-inclusive shots with the wide angle out of the way, trying to strategically compose around the masses of visitors on the pier, then I got serious. My telephoto got me past the people, into nooks and crannies, and up against details without even stepping foot on the ship. (Although we did climb aboard for a tour) And suddenly everything in the "candy store" was fully accessible.

Today's image stood out to me in editing as a definite post. The light is hard and bright but is perfect for the canvas folds in the sail. Slight sidelight as the sun was moving into the west gives highlights to the texture in the ropes. The wood gleams. It's nautical, and it's cliche and I still love every element used within the image.

This is preaching to myself as much as anyone, but you can't deny it. Know what your tools are instantly capable of, be aware of the light around you at all times, and be drawn in to the subject matter the way you hope your viewers will be drawn in. Oh yeah... and be aware of that candy store effect.

Thanks for the ramble... wide shots of The Pride of Baltimore herself coming up tomorrow! Have a good one till then folks!

Back From The Grave

"Goodbye Goodyear"

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The image above was the result of a 7 hour photo trek of area cemeteries. Sorry, you probably just did a double take and I don't blame you in the least. But it's true. Myself and another wonderful photoger friend of mine were intent on exploring hidden back roads in search of ancient cemeteries in the middle of fields and hidden in pine tree topped knolls ... and we DID explore about 5 or six we never knew existed, full of old stones dating back to the 18oo's. In Southern Ontario, you can drive in almost any direction from a major city center for about twenty minutes and suddenly you're in the country!

What in the world does all of this have to do with the resulting image above?

Have you ever gone in search of something, and instead come back with an unexpected find that makes your day? In our search for forgotten graves, full of history, and a touch of mystery (of which I will post images in future blogs) my friend and I came across another kind of "decay". Tucked behind grassy inclines, or parked in the corner of fields close to the road looking as if they had limped over on their own to collapse one final time... were cars, trucks and old parts that on this day probably excited me far more than my photo partner, who graciously pulled over for every find and patiently explored the rusty ghosts with me on our way to our next grave discovery.

This shot was taken almost mid day, with my telephoto lens at 1/500 sec.@ F4, ISO 100. I didn't mind the harsh direct light (nary a cloud to be seen) for such a rusty, gritty subject as it seemed to suit and enhance the dismal condition of the old van parked in the dirt. And it was the first in a series of shots I couldn't wait to get home to review... and can't wait to post for your future viewing pleasure.

A special shout out and thanks to my photo buddy Kat for our fun adventures yesterday, you rock. Link to Kat's gallery to come...

Leave comments by clicking the comment option below this post :-)

Thanks for letting me ramble, have yourself a good one folks!