In a world of so many great photographers and writers, I am venturing into some unknown territories, leaving comfort zones, finally very willing to practice the art of seeing. By maintaining the practice of posting daily photos, I hope to continue learning about the possibilities that I trust are out there for the taking.
I set out in my backyard this morning to practice looking around for 10 minutes before I picked up the camera to shoot. My intended goal was to look for a subject, composition of the subject, how light fell on the subject, perspective with the shot, move around the subject, imagine what settings I would be using and essentially not shoot off one frame for 10 minutes.
I couldn’t do it. Within a 30 seconds of nearing the birds I had the tripod and camera in ready position and shot off one shot, then another and another, and never really stopped. Mindlessly shooting, hoping I would capture something, rather than waiting and creating something.
Some thoughts I later wrote down that were operating below the level of my consciousness until I took out pen and paper once inside, so disappointed in myself and my photo.
If I don’t shoot right now:
-I’m going to miss this shot.
-The morning golfers are nearing the 17th hole (where the birds were).
-The birds might fly off as the golfers drive down the 16th fairway.
-I need to shoot one photo to get the settings right before the birds fly away.
-Because this was the only time I was going to pick up my camera, and hopefully get over do things done, and I might not get this “cool” (cool if only I’d been closer) shot.
In one week Lane and I are going to compare our shots. I wonder if he shot today AND if he waited the 10 minutes before shooting?
Cormorants sunning themselves before the golfers get to this hole.
Before I add some morning hike photos, I just read something I want to practice beginning NOW.
Melissa showing us the iphone video she captured of a house on fire.
This location on our hike has become the staging ground for morning picture taking. While Melissa was telling us about how a neighbor broke a window in the burning and soon after a dog jumped out through the window to safety.
I always try to get the girls to remember that I'm shooting their silhouettes and need space between their body parts. Good job on spreading those fingers girls!
The first of many motion shots with the morning color as our backdrop. Jen is always ready to test the waters.
Quincy and Marco joined us on our hike. Thanks Quince for being a good sport.
Quincy and Jen with Marco below.
Marco helping Jen with her settings. Marco is a REAL working photographer. Thanks for your help this morning Marco.
Jen, Linda and Quincy. Photo by Marco Franchina.
Overhead map-light lighting on me in the passenger seat, taken with the iPhone.
Ray and I met Ulla when I was into horses in the 90′s. She was in the US visiting the woman I bought a colt from. She has visited with us a couple times in the last 25 years and we visited Ulla in Sweden once. I was surprised when she called last week and said she would like to drive out to the desert for a visit.
Barbro and Ulla started the first Dressage Club in Sweden over 30 years ago.
Barbro Ask-Upmark - DASC (Dressage Association of So. CA), Grand Prix Champion on Monterey, 2011 is visiting with Ulla Håkanson.
I met Ulla in 1990 when I was into horses. Ulla lives in Kristanstad, Sweden. Ulla has attended 6 Olympic Games, with 2 bronze metals in Team Dressage. Has attended several European and World Championships. She is a 12 times Swedish Champion. She still competes riding, Richelle. Past horses include: Ajax, Flamingo, Cesam, Tolstoy, and Bobby.
With little time before getting ready to meet my workout trainer, I ran out in pjs to photograph the incredible color display this morning. Hand held at ISO 1000.
Colleen took these photos at the end of the Rehearsal Dinner one day before Zane’s and Jerami’s wedding. Zane is my sister Ginny and brotherinlaw Walid’s 2nd youngest son of their 4 children.
Linda, Ginny, Don, and Leila. I'm the oldest, then Don, Lee and Gin. There are 8 years difference in our ages.
Walid (Sister Ginny's husband), Ginny, Don and Colleen (Don's wife).
Don and Me.
Brother Don, Dennis (Leila's husband) and my hubby, Ray.
Colleen and Don. Thanks Colleen for these great family photos!
Me and Ray.
A little dinner first at our favorite California Chicken Cafe Restaurant in Encino.
Each January we meet and briefly comment on how we did with our previous year listed Ideals. Then we read our upcoming year list of Ideals. None of us want to look bad so being accountable at the group level helps us take actions we might not normally take.
Followed by a gathering at Milly's.
Guidelines for Creating an annual Ideals’ List for the New Year.
~Every year since 1995 I’ve made a list at the end of each year for the upcoming year. This list contains, not resolutions, but ideals/desires of things I want to do, changes I want to make, principles I want to practice, etc. Throughout the current year I look at this list. At year’s end, I review how many listed desires I took action on. Looking back over the last 15 years since I started making these annual ideal lists, I found a pattern. I am now consistently accomplishing things I’ve always intended to do but never did.
Yeah!
Since I was experiencing such success with my own ideal lists, I ask my close friends to annually create their lists. In the beginning of the year, at our monthly meeting, we all read our upcoming ideal lists. At the last meeting of the year, we each read how much we accomplished on our lists.
Someone asked that I write up a template/guideline for writing out our ‘Ideals List’ for the upcoming year. My friend Cupcake took on this project of writing this Guideline one day while he was working for me. I then edited some of what he wrote. It may not sound like me, but the ideas behind Cupcake’s writing are mine.~
Linda
Annual Ideal’s List Guidelines suggestions:
There’s no right or wrong way to do write an Ideal’s List, but I do have some suggestions. These are the thoughts that have made this tool particularly helpful for me.
• Be specific
• Review all areas of your life in considering what to include: Home, Work, Vacation, Family, Body, Spirit, Mind, Service, Attitude, Sleep, Driving.
• Dream big. You are not a failure if all the items on your list don’t get manifested in the coming year. I often have items that roll from year to year. Remember: learning about ourselves, rather than doing something perfectly, is what’s most important.
• Be realistic. This is where you get to examine the balance between reality and fantasy.
• Use verbs. Start each statement with an active verb, like choose, find, explore… For example, rather than “I want to go to Peru,” say “Travel to Peru.” The bulleted examples that follow provide other examples.
Components
I have found that including the following topic headings (components) in my annual Ideals list very helpful: Projects, Changes, Goals, and Desires. Some components have several parts.
Sometimes a particular item may seem like it could be in one or more components. Trust your instinct or check with someone else. Don’t let confusion slow you down.
I personally place a high value on learning, and I encourage you to begin at least one line of each major component (Projects, Changes, Goals, & Desires) with the verb Learn… For example: Learn to be more forgiving, Learn to type, Learn what foods are bad for me.
Projects
A project has more than one task/action. Anything that can be broken down into smaller tasks/actions can be made a project. It takes some time and effort to get a project done.
If you are having trouble with a particular task/action, like writing a letter, consider making it a project, and then break it down into more manageable tasks.
For example, you could break down writing a letter by:
1) Scheduling the time,
2) Getting the materials (pen & paper),
3) Buying a stamp,
4) Finding the address,
5) Creating an environment free of distractions, and
6) Writing the letter.
Examples of Projects:
• Learn Spanish
• Clean out the garage
• Find that photo of Mom and Dad from the 50s
• Visit my sister in Chicago
• Track my exercise on a daily basis
• Paint the inside of the house
• Find out what in everyday life makes me happy
Changes
Creating a clear list of changes you’d like to make can remind you of what changes (in behavior, attitude, body, mind, spirit or whatever) you want to be working toward.
Sometimes changes can be a modification of existing patterns or something entirely new.
Examples of Changes:
• Spend more time with my kids
• Think about one positive aspect when I think of a negative aspect
• Arrive early to work one day a week
• Change a frown to a smile, even if it feels forced
• Find someone who would enjoy going to the movies with me
• Define the number of sponsees I am willing to sponsor.
Goals
Goals help you become the person you have always wanted to be. Be clear. The more specific your goals are, the more likely you are of having a goal be met. Setting and meeting a goal is something you will feel good about for a long time, maybe even the rest of your life. Some goals should be small and some large. Goals should feel a little harder than Projects.
I encourage you to include one goal that you KNOW you will meet and one that you know you are capable of but probably will not achieve in the next year.
Examples of Goals:
• Visit Hawaii
• Run a marathon
• Paint the inside of the house
• Pay all my bills on time so I have no late fees or penalties
• Learn how to use a digital camera
• Find my brother and try to talk to him
• Get a new car (Year/Make/Model)
Desires
Desires are a mix of what you want and what you know you should want. In naming desires, we list what changes we know we should make, but have been resistant to making. Naming desires is also the place where we identify what we would choose to make our lives fuller and more pleasurable.
The purpose of listing what we should be doing for our own good, yet we don’t quite get around to is that we have a written reminder to help keep us on track.
Examples of Desires
• Drink 4-6 big glasses of water each day, more when I exercise
• Eat less cheese
• Buy new underwear and throw out any underwear I don’t like
• Spend more on running shoes with more support
• Have a doctor look at my back
• Be more accepting of my faults
• Get a massage once a week or once a month
Wish/Want
Completing the following statements can help you understand more about what you want for yourself. This is another way to express your desires. Answer each of the six bullets below with one short phrase:
• I wish I were:
• I wish I had:
• I wish I could:
• I want to have:
• I want to be:
• I want to do:
Conclusion
These guidelines are here to help write about our intentions for the up-coming year. I encourage you to use the topic headings/components if they work for you. If you choose to leave one out, add a different one. If you’d rather choose your own, feel free.
Jen, Eric and Melissa as the sun begins to light our trail.
The girls just keep coming up with great ideas for poses.