Category Archives: photography

On Top…Perspective Matters

There are so many ways to see the world and each has its own advantages…and drawbacks. All too often, we see the world by looking at eye level. We often don’t consider that things will look different if we crouch down, climb up, or change our angle.

This week’s photo challenge from the Daily Post is On Top. And that had me thinking about how my photos reflect that theme.

This first photo shows the scaffolding on the top of the bridge over the Cumberland River in Nashville. But what I think is even more interesting than the bridge structure is the clouds on top of that. I love the layers in this photo and the dimension and depth visible in the clouds.

And in another picture from Nashville, I looked up to see this fire escape on top of me. I have found that I like to take pictures looking up into the sun through structures (both man made and living). I notice so many interesting things about the sky, clouds, buildings…when I shoot from this perspective.

This third Nashville photo captures the tourists on the different balcony levels of the honky tonk…as the country music blasted into the streets. Even before noon, these folks seemed to be having a great time on top of the different levels of this establishment.

This final photo is from on top of the Ocean Beach pier looking towards the beachside community. The funny thing about this photo is that it looks like the large kite is well off into the distance, over the beach goers on the shore. In fact, this was a tiny kite flown by a girl standing on the pier…probably not ten feet away from me when I shot the photo.

When I look through my lens, I find myself intentionally looking in new and different ways. I try to see places and things and people anew…through a fresh perspective. And when I do that, I see what I had often overlooked or seen differently before. On top, from below, up close, from a distance…perspective matters.

Spring Break: In 25 Words

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Sometimes in writing (as in life), less is more. Coming back from our spring break, we asked our students to zoom into some aspect of their spring break activities and compose a 25-word story to capture the experience. 25 words is short…and it’s not as easy as you might think to come up with a “story” in only 25 words. But our first, second, and third graders gave it a try. Here’s a couple of examples (the links are to their published blogs–they would love comments if you have time!):

There is new growth in my family garden! Carrots are growing in nice soil (getting sunshine, too!) Making me want to eat the delicious vegetables! (E.F.)

My brother fell out of a tree, he was in pain! He got crutches, he screamed a lot! Hopefully he didn’t break a bone! (M.B.)

My friends and I went to my Gramma’s house, we had tons of pure fun. We got lost sometimes but it was still extremely fun. (N.B.)

Biosphere two is an amazing place where the scientists are in Arizona, the desert and survived 2 years trapped, researching plant life in threemile greenhouse. (A.R.)

And then there is the student who writes the 25 word story…but can’t resist expanding on the story in her blog post! (A girl after my own heart!) Here is the 25 word version…you can click on it for her blog post.

Suddenly a foul ball comes hurling our way. It bounces, jiggles, is everywhere. It happens quickly but suddenly the ball’s in my brother’s sweaty palms. (M.O.)

And of course, I had to try to my hand at a 25-word story about my spring break. It took me a number of tries to come up with this one…and I might have to try another dozen or so to really craft a story. And I will include a few photos to enhance my words!

Toes tapping and fingers snapping, she explored the city along the banks of the Cumberland in her new cowboy boots. Her camera captured the details.

Haunted Wedding Selfies

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Last weekend I attended a haunted wedding. Okay…maybe not a haunted wedding, but a wedding that took place in an old southern mansion…that just might be a little bit haunted. The Riverwood Mansion is located in a residential neighborhood outside of Nashville, TN. There are the requisite beautiful tall old trees, long gravel driveway, and stately old architecture complete with a pillared front porch. (You can see a photo of the mansion in yesterday’s post, here.)

Don’t get me wrong, this was a lovely wedding. The early evening outdoor wedding in the garden area enjoyed a warm gentle spring breeze, sunlight just beginning to settle down into the treetops, and of course a gorgeous bride walking down the aisle to join my nephew in marriage. And the idea of haunted really didn’t cross my mind—at least consciously at that point. I knew the wedding would take place at a venue that was an old plantation house, and of course all things southern come with lots of history (and often a ghost or two!) as well as rich, and often complicated stories..

It wasn’t until the reception that ghosts and haunting crossed my mind. The sun had set and candles and twinkly lights accompanied the softly lit reception room and the house itself. We headed up the stairs for the buffet and found ourselves in front of an old, elegant floor-to-celling mirror. I immediately wished for my phone/camera (the downside of women’s dresses—most, including mine, lack pockets) as I saw the four of us in the mirror. Luckily, Geoff had his phone and snapped a picture of us in the mirror. As I looked at the photo, I kept expecting to see the image of a ghost in the background—like the hitchhiking ghosts on the haunted mansion ride at Disneyland.

And I couldn’t resist. After dinner and the toasts by family and friends, I headed off with my phone on a photo walk. I found old upholstered furniture with that velveteen fabric and intricately carved wooden backs that seemed to be so popular in the past.

And an interesting staircase with solid wood banisters leading to rooms above with a stained glass window highlighting the landing below.

I peered out a window into the garden where the wedding took place and noticed the archway lit up with tiny lights. When I went to take a photo…an apparition appeared…me!

And from that point on, every photo I took seemed to capture my own reflection…in windows, in mirrors…

And then I had to pose just one…I dragged my husband back to that mirror I described before so we could pose in that silvered, antique mirror. And the result seems to me to be a new (or old and new) version of the famous American Gothic painting with the man and woman and the pitchfork. Our version replaces the overalls and farm clothes with wedding finery and the pitchfork with our cellphones…and I love the result.

My poor husband…I’ve been spending time over the last week or so working on improving my selfie skills—most with him included. And then, without even thinking about it, the wedding created unplanned selfies. I think I will call this series of selfies the Haunted Wedding Selfies.

Have you taken any haunted selfies? Or maybe just unexpected selfies? How are they different from your intentional selfies? Or is all of this just an exercise in narcissism and vanity? It probably is…but it’s also fun. I’d love to see an example of an unexpected or haunted selfie from you…share please..and link back to this post!

Monumental: Old and New

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I love the complexity and juxtapositions of urban spaces. They are crowded, often teeming with tourists, business people, and very often, the down and out. Downtowns are an amalgam of old and new, history and current events, a place where wealth and poverty rub shoulders.

I’ve noticed this in my hometown, in big cities like San Francisco, New York City, Chicago…and I saw it again today in downtown Nashville, TN. Music City. Downtowns have their own personality. Some are all about food, some all about architecture, and some, like Nashville, are all about music. Live music poured from bars and restaurants…even before noon. Guitars and banjos were prevalent, and street performers were also in evidence. There were the requisite bars on every corner and tucked into alleys and happy hour seemed to start early on this warm Friday afternoon.

And today I was especially tuned in to the contrast between the old and new. New (ish) restaurant chains occupied historic buildings…and springing up in the background were shiny, reflective, skyscrapers.

And in some instances, the new buildings seemed to emerge from the top of the shorter, older ones. Almost like they were grafted on, breathing new life into an older, more classic and established host. (Isn’t that how it works with fruit trees?)

And while taking a photo of the Ryman Auditorium, I noticed that the more interesting shot was the reflection of the auditorium in the facade of the glass of the building across the street. A reflection of the past in the shine of the present? A mirror of the interconnections of history and current events?

There is something monumental about this juxtaposition of the past and the present, the intermingling of history with life today. The present keeps the past alive and relevant…the past keeps the present grounded and forward thinking as it reminds us all to learn from history.

And then there is the river…the powerful force that gives us energy and life, and if we are not careful, takes both away. Downtowns always seem to be close to water too. Maybe water is the true monument.

Breaking Into Spring

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Seems like spring has gotten a lot of attention this year. Maybe the especially harsh and strung out winter in so many parts of the country has made people long for warmer weather, blue skies, flower blossoms, and baby animals. Here where I live, winter forgot us this year…and yet, the yearnings for spring remain.

And this is spring break week for me. People who know me well know that it is hard for me not to work, even when I have a week off. But I am trying to make each day a bit of a treat. Luckily, with some family visiting, that hasn’t been too hard to do.

Today’s treat was lunch out followed by a walk on the beach. Since I spend plenty of time at the beach, taking pictures that are somehow different from those I have already taken becomes a priority. We managed to hit the beach at low tide, and tide pools were exposed. I came across this bivalve still attached to a piece of algae, opened–making it evident that the creature who once lived inside had left (or became some other creature’s lunch!). These pools of water are fun to explore, especially while walking barefoot.

And I always love sandpipers. They are such energetic birds, and when they gather it reminds of a party. They flit here and there, seeming to engage in small talk as they poke their long beaks into the sand for a tasty tidbit. For a bit of variety, I played with filters and used a sepia tone on this version of the picture.

Even though it was warm today, into the 70’s even along the coast, sea breezes make the air feel cool and it’s evident that the trees along the shore deal with harsh breezes regularly. As I looked up through this tree, I noticed the halo around the sun…an effect of the cloud cover.

I’m enjoying a beachside spring break that isn’t about tropical drinks and sunbathing…although both sound appealing! Instead, taking time on the beach is an opportunity to commune with nature, to appreciate the natural beauty, the cool breezes, the relaxing sounds of the surf and the chatter of the sea birds, and enjoy the company of my son and daughter-in-law. Spring break is off to a great start!

The Threshold of Possibility

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Long skinny boats, a sunny and cool spring morning, and enthusiastic college athletes…and so began my spring break.

I’ve never been to a crew event before, even though the Crew Classic happens in my hometown every year. I’ve watched rowing on TV and seen it during the Olympics. But recently, my nephew, a college sophomore became the coxswain of his college crew team…and their team was participating in our local event. So I had to go…and who wouldn’t enjoy a morning on the beach in beautiful San Diego?

The long skinny boats lined the beach, propped up upside down until each team carefully lifted the shell up over their heads and carried them down to the water.

There are interesting traditions within the sport. Coxswain are smaller and lighter than the rowers–and charged with keeping the rowers on cadence. They wear high-tech equipment, magnifying their voices above the wind and water for the rowers to hear. Apparently coxswain don’t wade out to the boat (or carry it either), and are lifted into the boat by a rower on the team. I caught this picture of the coxswain being lifted to his perch at the front of the boat…or is it the back?

I find myself thinking about all these young people on the threshold of adulthood. I know they are technically adults, after all, all of them are 18 or older. But I also know they are still in the process of figuring out how they will live their lives as grown-ups, separate from their parents. And it seems that the camaraderie and teamwork from sports and other team-oriented activities in college support these young adults as they find their way to independence. And it was fun to see the families cheering their young people on…and delighting in their efforts, even if the result of the race was 4th out of 4 or the boat came trailing in much later than the others in the race. It isn’t about winning or losing…it’s about playing, being together, learning together, figuring how to be a team.

My spring break is bookended with two threshold events: cheering on my younger nephew as part of his rowing team and then celebrating the wedding of my other nephew at the end of my break. They are both embarking on new chapters of their lives, figuring out their places in the world.

And there is something about standing at the edge of water on a gorgeous spring morning, the threshold of my spring break, that suggests possibility, play, and learning for me too. Sometimes just taking the time to try something new or explore a new aspect of my hometown is enough to break up the routines of the ordinary. I can’t wait to see what these days ahead will hold for me.

What thresholds are on your horizon? What inspires new beginnings in your life? How do you breathe possibility into your everyday life?

Playground Life

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I spend three mornings a week out on the playground watching children play. These early morning duties are generally calm, giving me an opportunity for reflection and observation.

I notice children making up games, resolving their own conflicts, and through their play, improving their coordination and fitness. I see the same early arrivers most mornings and watch the seasonal changes in the sports of choice.

Balls are always popular, the current favorite ball games are wall ball, basketball, and a blacktop version of baseball that requires no bats or mitts and involves a large rubber ball.

I wasn’t sure this morning that the kids would get to go out and play. We had a rare rainy day and I ran my windshield wipers all the way to work. But by the time kids arrived, the sky was still dark, the ground was still wet, but as long as no drops are falling, the kids can play.

The day turned out bright and sunny–and I am doubly glad that I stopped to capture this wet, cloudy moment of children at play. And so this becomes my Street Life for the Daily Post’s Weekly Photo Challenge.

It’s supposed to rain again tomorrow. We need the rain so badly that I’m not complaining about the inconveniences of rainy day schedules. Instead, I’m looking for the silver linings…

Wise Words Inspire: April’s Photo-a-Day Challenge

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It seems like a chicken and egg dilemma: does the picture inspire the words or do the words inspire the picture? I’m never quite sure. I often go out and take photos of things that catch my eye and later go back and figure out how to make it work for the photo prompt of the day. On other days a single photo will bring a flood of words, and then sometimes with a word or words as prompt, my eye is tuned to find photo opportunities I wouldn’t have noticed otherwise.

With spring in the air (even though we in southern CA haven’t had much of a winter), I find myself looking for signs of the seasons: buds emerging, flowers blossoming, baby animals, warm breezes, rejuvenating rainfall, and all the poetry they evoke. My friend Janis was inspired to find some quotes for us to use as prompts for our April #sdawpphotovoices photo-a-day challenge.

So for April, let each prompt inspire a week of photos. Take the quote literally or figuratively. Take some photos and examine them with the quote in mind to find the intersections and connections or read and ponder the quote and then head out to find the images that the quotation evokes. You get to decide if your photo matches the prompt!

After you shoot, post a photo each day with the hashtag #sdawpphotovoices to Twiiter, Instagram, Flicker, Google+ and/or Facebook (the more the better!), so that we can all enjoy the posts. If you are game for some extra action, compose a blog post about a photo, a week’s worth of photos, write a photo essay, try a learning walk, or write some poetry or even a song! (More about learning walks here and here) You are invited to create a pingback by linking to this url or post your blog address in the comment section. It’s fun for me to see what others are doing with the same prompts I am using!

Week 1: April 1-6

Nature will bear the closest inspection. She invites us to lay our eye level with her smallest leaf, and take an insect view of its plain. —Henry David Thoreau

Week 2: April 7-13
I had always planned to make a large painting of the early spring, when the first leaves are at the bottom of the trees, and they seem to float in space in a wonderful way. But the arrival of spring can’t be done in one picture. —David Hockney

Week 3: April 14-20
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better. —Albert Einstein

Week 4: April 21-27
Spring has returned. The Earth is like a child that knows poems. —Rainer Maria Rilke
and/or
Earth laughs in flowers.—Ralph Waldo Emerson

Week 5: April 28-30
What is the good of your stars and trees, your sunrise and the wind, if they do not enter into our daily lives? —E. M. Forster

Let these wise words inspire your photographic art in April! Have fun, be creative, explore the limits of your photography…April is the perfect time for new beginnings. You can post every day, once a week, or even sporadically throughout the month…whatever works in your life. Be sure to share and tag your photos with #sdawpphotovoices so we can find them!