Oregon
is photographer’s heaven. There are so many places to go for landscape photos
and I have only touched a small portion of them. I love to shoot birds and flowers. Birds and
flowers can be occasionally included in a landscape photography shot, but then
I have to carry more than one lens and my bird and flower shots will be mostly
occasional snap shots that I have been trying to avoid. I really want to get
good at certain areas and not to swim among too many possibilities. I want to be
focused. I love to learn, but I restrict myself to learn only what will benefit my favorite categories of photography.
I
also consider to classify my categories, such as Oregon Life (what Oregonians
do for leisure), Love for Birds, Flower Frenzy, Nature in Oregon, Travel
Journals (all categories included) and something that I have been wanting to
try more, Still Shots around the house. And, the last, certainly not the least,
family portrait and event shots. One more, I am growing to like street photography but I
would only do it whenever I am traveling, near or far.
Not
a competitive person, I have not thought about entering a contest. I guess
winners of the contest will obtain a fame tag to their names. I think I am a
bit too far from that level of achievement. What I can do for myself is to come
up some projects to challenge myself. In
that case, I would call it Self-Projects.
If my weekly post fits in none of the categories, I will then can call it,
Out of My mind, or something like that. Talking focus, but I seem not be able to narrow down my categories. But. I am trying...
Weather
has been gorgeous. I have hard time to go out without my camera. I took a walk yesterday without my camera due to a serious back pain, but I regret almost immediately when I saw a pink patch of wheat grass wiggling in the wind. This passion for photography seems to become an addiction or even a drug that I cannot live without.
I am so dependent on my Android to keep track of my to-do and shopping list, my tasks, my schedules, my small and big ideas and the most important, for emergency need. The moment when my phone is out of sight, I look for it and I don't leave home without it. I was a little desperate this morning because I could not find my phone. I heard Find My Phone app is one source for hackers, so I am not using it. I need my husband to call me, but he was not answering my email.
Pondering on my retirement life, I realized that I am pursuing an artistic function while still struggling to ease away from the habit that have deeply rooted in me from my years of career life. It will be a working progress for me to bring words like breath, calm, peace, relax back to my daily dictionary. I need them and I want to begin my experiment to reach this goal. I gave myself a photo project: still shots with calm and soothing effect using the materials available at home.
I am so dependent on my Android to keep track of my to-do and shopping list, my tasks, my schedules, my small and big ideas and the most important, for emergency need. The moment when my phone is out of sight, I look for it and I don't leave home without it. I was a little desperate this morning because I could not find my phone. I heard Find My Phone app is one source for hackers, so I am not using it. I need my husband to call me, but he was not answering my email.
Pondering on my retirement life, I realized that I am pursuing an artistic function while still struggling to ease away from the habit that have deeply rooted in me from my years of career life. It will be a working progress for me to bring words like breath, calm, peace, relax back to my daily dictionary. I need them and I want to begin my experiment to reach this goal. I gave myself a photo project: still shots with calm and soothing effect using the materials available at home.
However this gives me an opportunity to try something different. I blurred the background and softened the overall tone. Hope you can also take a nice inhale and breathe in its fragrance. Feeling rejuvenated and peaceful.
A cup of aromatic coffee in the morning is a treat, essential for me. Luxury is to enjoy breakfast at an European boutique hotel. Sitting by the window and looking out a manicured but natural garden. English bone china coffee cup/saucer with a dainty silver stir on tidy and classy tablecloth. German pastry or Italian croissant with tasty jam from the small jars. And, I like to crack the boiled egg with my silver spoon and enjoy it on egg holder, small bit at a time.
Things are quite different at home. In order to get my husband out of the door for work, I make breakfast, coffee, smoothies and his lunch box. A sandwich or healthy veggie burritos are fast food in my eyes being an Asian. Though I used mostly leftovers from dinner, I make sure that there is new item of something else and cover all essential nutritions. If there is salad, I make it fresh in the morning. Believe or not, I actually enjoyed to make the lunchbox looking nice and yummy. A bit work for me to joggle between breakfast and lunch, so instead of sipping from a fancy ceramic cup, I gobble down coffee from a mug, fast. I am usually drinking coffee while I am either frying an egg or toasting the bread. My mug is in motion. It is a 20+ year old mug that I brought from California, the only survivor from a set of 3. I cherished it and wrapped it in peony petals.
It is sunny outside, but my house is mostly in the shade except couple of skylights in the kitchen and living area. These skylights set in the vaulted ceiling. By the time when the light hits my subjects, it has been diluted and can only give a little wash to my images. My windows are mostly hidden behind the grown shrubs. I like to see the green and colors through the windows, so I leave it that way. I placed this rose by the window with a bit of simmering bokeh behind. I toned down colors and shades when I was in the mood to seek calmness and tranquility. Really, I could even hear the fountain in our backyard...
I have to admit that I am getting a bit lazy recently to shoot flowers because there are 'too' (listen to that) many choices that I am a bit overwhelmed. I am also constantly (now you know why I need to stay more focused) to shoot something else other than flowers . I intended to head out to shoot other subjects, but my misplaced phone kept me home and it eventually kept me calm and content. The purpose of this blog will be done if you can also feel the peace and serenity.
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