Change is in the Air

So it's moving week for us. Today, Monday, is my last day of silence in my home before the packing, boxing, moving, loading, hauling begins. I am grateful that I don't have to do all the packing myself (we let the Air Force handle that) but what I do have to do is compartmentalize my life into one room - the room that the moving force of change cannot enter temporarily - containing the things most important.

This selection process is actually quite telling. What goes in the room? If I had to leave tomorrow, in one car, what would I take with me? What do I value?

I can tell you that while that room will be filled with the things of my craft - my equipment and valuables and unmentionables -  boxed and carefully packed myself - the room is also filled with the things that cannot be packed away, should not be packed away. The Sunday walk in the woods with friends, the going away gathering drop in where I can hug people good bye and take a piece of them with me that I don't have to put in a box. Time, love, friendship...that's what I want in that room that the movers cannot enter.  Luckily those things are available to us in quantity, don't take up much physical space, and can go with us anywhere.

What's in your room?

Competition at its Best

Whoever said competition was a bad thing has probably never competed. Competition, especially in regards to photography, is an absolute eye opener. I've learned so much from what others enter. I've learned so much from critiques of what makes the cut and what doesn't. And I've learned that sometimes even the things I think are awesome - my favorites or even the prints that sell - are not the same as the prints that compete well. Since last night was my last Tripod Camera Club meeting before our move to GA, I thought I would share with you the best of the images I've entered this competition year. What you should know is that these photos are well thought out. They are executed with care, fine tuned in photoshop, but still true to the image as it was taken.

Holga goes to the Mediterranean

I have a new creative outlet - the Holga. Whenever I travel abroad, or even close to home, the Holga goes with me. I have a ton of fun waiting for the images to come back (because it's, you know, a film camera) and when they get back I have even more fun playing with filters, photoshop apps and colors to make them even cooler. Here are my favs from the latest batch  - my trip to the Med. These came out pretty cool. The darkened edges and film imprints and light bleeds are all straight from the camera. The rest is my creative vision.

Ye Olde Monday Morning Blog Post: Ohio Renaissance Festival

One of my favorite things to do is people watch - something that my husband and I have learned to enjoy doing together over the years. If you haven't done it, try it. Pick a public place, sit still for about 30 minutes, you'll be amazed at the diversity of people that pass you by. There's no better place for people watching (and taking photos) than a Renaissance Festival. This was only my second time attending one of these, and the first since I've become serious about photography. We couldn't have chosen a better day - the weather was warm, sunny, and the people were out in force. There were pirates, queens, dancers, Scotsmen, beggars, families and children all dressed to match, and even a Klingon (my friend K.C. and I determined he must have been a time traveler, since he was quite out of the period). Here are just some fun, candid photos from the festival.
We were also very fortunate to hear an amazing Scottish music group called Albannach - "outlawed tunes on outlawed pipes". Talk about high energy. They were amazing. Check them out at http://www.albannachmusic.com/

A Walk in the Woods

Fall is my favorite time of year for a walk in the forest. I love the colors, the smells, the sounds that accompany me. The best time - the quiet time - is the end of the day, when the light filters through the leaves casting a golden glow on everything. This also happens to be one of the best time for photographing because the people have all gone home to their suppers, the birds and beasts of the wood are calling gently to one another seeking theirs, and it's just chilly enough to bundle snugly against the coming night without being too cold to stand still for very long. Determined to enjoy my last "real" fall for at least the next 3 years, I am spending as much time as I can observing, experiencing and committing to memory a most beautiful season of change.

No trip to John Bryant State Park is complete without stopping at the Glen Helen Bird Sanctuary for a look at the rescued animals they have there. I just love the owls! Though it's really challenging to photograph the animals through their cages, it's still possible.