Be Still - Seek the Light

Our oldest grandchild, Ben (18), left on November 26 for Norway. He joins an international group of youth in Rosnik, north of the Arctic Circle. They have an 8 month commitment to Youth with a Mission. Participating in planned outdoor adventures to increase their confidence and leadership skills, they will grow in self understanding and in awareness of the needs of others. Part of the program is a posting to a developing country to help with a community service project. Because of Covid, it's uncertain if this can happen. Ben is certainly hopeful.

When he was about 5, he showed interest in my cameras. Along with his siblings, we took walks in Nature. He carried my camera and snapped photos. I shared two tips with him: stay as still as possible and watch for the best light (this included knowing where he cast a shadow). As he grew, his interest in photography continued. He took classes and bought his own DSLR and lenses. He developed into a fine photographer and matured into a fine young man.

Saying goodbye to him on his last visit to us, I admit I clung to him for awhile as we hugged. I shed some tears. He stood calmly hugging me, trying to reassure me that all would be well. I know he's right. He's a young man now with his own convictions and determination. He doesn't need to hold his Grammy's hand while walking in the woods.  (Well, possibly at my age, I may someday need him to take my hand again....) We think of him many times a day. I wake in the night and add 8 hours to know what time it is for him in Norway.

 

Before Ben left, I asked if he'd choose a few of his photos for me to share on the blog. He was glad to do so, though he is always wary about revealing locations. He feels many wild places are overrun and spoiled by overzealous people. 

Ben is my One Good Thing today and always.

My advise to him is still the same:

be still

find the light

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Night Terror - Small Stone - 26

fighting for release, breathing hard, battling to surface - night terror

adrenalin floods my body, escape means life or death

the dreamer is me but not me

hearing Bob's voice far away

terror subsides into sleep

I've had a handful of night terrors over the past 3 years. I scare Bob as much as myself because I thrash and call out. I never fully wake and never remember the dream. I only remember the fear.

small stone

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I created the double exposure using a selfie taken December 2020 with a photo of woven baskets casting shadows on a wall taken in Tucson, AZ, 2006. 

Rules - Small Stone - 9

Photography has certain "rules". "Don't shoot directly into the sun" is one of them. When using my DSLR mirrorless, I'm aware of the damage the sun can do to the sensor. I avoid shooting directly into it. The sun creates flairs, blows out highlights, and over-saturates certain colors. For these very reasons, I sometimes shoot with the iPhone when I see a scene and think the sun's glare will add to the story I want to tell. 

We are often in the forest with the rising sun. Occasionally, I let the sun and the scene speak.

may light (both inner and outer) guide you today

small stone

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sometimes rules need to be broken....

Small Stone - Poppy - 12

The poppy shucked its tight cap, raising its sunny face to warmth.

I used the zoom lens on the Olympus and had to relearn buttons and dials.

The poppy waited patiently.

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Light and Dark

Light and dark are necessary both in photography and in life.

that slash of light on the mountain is a snowcat grooming the ski trail.

The contrast is what makes a photograph and a memory.

Wrapped in wings of light and dark, life takes flight.

full moon at dawn from my house

I am the bird - the wings are mine.

Be present I tell myself.

Allow dark to enhance light and light to enhance dark.

I've been thinking about light and dark because I've been experimenting with night photos.

Bob's phone quit so I gave him my iPhone X, and I bought an 11Pro. I've been having some fun with the phone camera which has a night mode. 

As is my nature, I extrapolate from the specific (the night photos) to the general (living a mindful life).

It amazes me how just a little bit of light can influence a vast darkness.

And how enveloping darkness can create a backdrop to showcase existing light.

Light and dark are my good things both in photography and in life.

Find One Good Thing today - take flight, be present.

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iPhone 11Pro photos edited in Snapseed

Walking with the Olympus

Maggie Pond frozen - ski area in background - base of Peak 9

Earlier in the week, I went into town for a haircut.

I decided to have a walkabout before the appointment.

I put the 17mm pancake on the Olympus and took it along.

Saint Mary's Catholic Church - taken from deck of Community Center

I haven't used the DSLR much this winter.

The pancake lens is so light that I barely know I'm carrying a camera.

However, when I'm exercising on the trails, it gets in the way.

The iPhone is just so easy.

Blue River stilled under ice and snow

However, I like the photos the Olympus produces.

It makes me feel like a "real" photographer.

I also like the heft of it in my hands.

walkway along the Blue River

We have so much snow on the ground.

We're in a melt/freeze cycle now and footing is treacherous.

Unfortunately, I can't use my Yaktrax in town because surfaces vary so much.

Sometimes there's ice or snow on the walkway, other times it's clear.

metal sculpture, Riverwalk

I must watch my step and walk carefully so I don't fall.

I feel like a very old woman as I creep slowly across ice and packed snow.

Well, I guess I AM an old woman!

deck seating, Community Center

Someday, it will be summer.

But, not for a long while...

Bob got good results from his first blood test since starting treatment for his cancer.

We feel relieved - thank you to all who offer us positive thoughts and prayers.

There is no control over the future.

We live fully day by day.

There is always One Good Thing.

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Small Stone - Photos with Stories

A blog friend just joined a photography club and wrote this to me:

"I’m finding it to be just a bunch of old men droning on about f stops and hyper focal stuff."

I smile because I relate. Oh, I've had my share of classes and manuals and great instructors. I'm grateful for that background. I know that many (most) professional photographers and a lot of amateurs are intrigued by the science of photography, the craft of it. I can talk f stops, too, but several years ago, I realized that what I really want to do with my photography is tell stories. I like to write stories, and I like my photos to tell stories. 

A photo of mine doesn't necessarily have to be excellent or a piece of creative genius for me to love it. Sometimes it's just a feeling I have when I see a scene and point the lens. I like to shoot landscapes, but if I can capture people candidly, I've found those pictures often speak to me. However, I'm not comfortable with shooting street photography that may invade the privacy of others. I like capturing people whose identity is masked in my photos. I break this rule, of course, with family. I love natural light. I like feeling the camera in my hand. I like scenes that are spontaneous rather than planned. I don't organize scenes or people for optimum outcome. 

I like a little real life scruffiness in the photo. The story behind the photo I'm sharing is this:

Bob and I were in the van driving for groceries. Suddenly, the air was black with birds. They floated and wheeled in the sky, forming patterns that changed rapidly as they flew. I reached for my iPhone and snapped as we were moving. It was an amazing sight, and I didn't capture it well with that photo. But, the sky and the clouds and the blobby sun shining on those birds make me feel excited, so I'm sharing that photo today. And that's my story...

Life through Photos

Today, I walked trails on the east of town with a friend.

It was unseasonably warm.

Since melting snow freezes overnight,

we had to tread carefully over icy patches.

I used my Olympus with a 17mm pancake lens.

I love taking landscapes and portraits with that lens.

It’s very light and quick.

After finishing about 5 miles, I said goodbye to my friend.

I continued walking through town.

I practiced shooting street scenes.

I admire the street shots of other photographers.

 However, I’m reluctant to invade others’ privacy.

Some skilled street photographers manage to mask identity.

Their photos include people but the angle or processing preserves anonymity.

Those photos draw me into the scene and the story.

All our lives are story, of course.

The way others interpret the story may or may not be true.

Today, I’m telling you a story through photos.

It’s somewhat a story of my life.

I let it open to your interpretation.

My story in photos is my one good thing today.

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A New Start

One Good Thing has been dormant for nearly 3 years.

The first day of fall 2017, I wake in darkness and decide to start posting again.

By sunrise, I'm walking the rec path beside the shores of Lake Dillon.

The air is chilly but a silvery light warms my face.

Aspens dressed in fall finery greet me. 

I walk through a tunnel of gold, a smile on my face.

Fall is a celebration of form and color and texture in the High Country of Colorado.

The lake glistens and reflects beauty back to me.

"Hello Sun," I whisper.

I walk in silence and awe surrounded by the vibrant colors of fall.

My purpose remains the same - find good things to celebrate each day.

Thank you for visiting and reading.

You are also a good thing to me.

Barb

I intend to keep comments closed for awhile.

You're welcome to e-mail me at:

writebreck@gmail.com

(all photos iPhone 6s)

This and That from Breckenridge

My world is awash with color.

The aspens are shouting in orange and gold. 

A few hardy blooms survive the colder temperatures.

The rest dry and go to seed.

I welcome change.

The Denver house sold - the new owner took possession today.

Our glorious fall is nearly over at high altitude.

Snow last night and again tonight signal the coming of winter.

Between unpacking boxes and rearranging the house,

I'm learning a new camera and editing system.

Wherever you are in the world,

I hope something is making you smile!

(All photos Olympus E-M1, Micro 4/3, edited in Lightroom)

End of Summer - New Camera, New Challenge

goodbye for a little while

I'm studying a new camera format

perhaps I'll grow some brain cells

(or more gray hair and wrinkles)

no worries -

I'll have fun

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Stairs As Metaphor

I love photographing stairs:

down

stairs going to street level in our small, restored Bisbee hotel
(Letson Lofts)

sometimes a little scary
(watch your step)

night stroll, Mary descending gritty stairs between buildings
(what might be waiting at the bottom?)

or up

who needs a stairmaster for exercise?

up, up, and up  

a long haul
(and tiring)

changing over time
(like life itself)

sometimes easy and satisfying

crumbling steps to house (behind poppies)

other times precarious - just hanging in there

Mary and I visited Bisbee on my recent trip to AZ.
A historical mining town built on hills
is "taking steps" to reimagine itself
becoming a mecca for artists and entrepreneurs.

The metaphor of climbing Life's stairs - going both up and down
- searching for clarity and meaning -
- trying to remain stable -
my One Good Thing today.

Is there something commonplace
that you particularly like to write about or photograph?
Why is it meaningful to you?