In the City

I lived in Washington, DC for a couple of years a long time ago. It’s a gorgeous city and it’s especially exciting for a photographer. But, there’s so much going on visually that it’s pretty hard to be disciplined enough to get good shots when you’re out in the street with just your camera and serendipity. At least it is for me. I’m easily distracted as my long-suffering husband will tell you. (Um, honey, what was that you said?)

Do I shoot buildings, people, gardens, or any of a million other things that might catch my eye? I’ve found I do much better if I have a shot list or give myself an assignment. This isn’t to say that I wouldn’t throw it all away if presented with a fantastic shot or two, or even a better idea. But on this trip I had other things I had to do (my daughter’s med school graduation – four solid days of events) and I knew I would have very limited time to sneak away and take pictures. Mostly I was able to slip out early in the morning before anyone else was awake, which, because of the quality of the light (the golden hour and all that), is a great time to take pictures, especially in a city, especially on the weekend. The only other time I got away was when my daughter pretended that she needed my help and then told me that the next two hours were mine to do as I pleased. And, of course, I was more than pleased to take pictures. Thanks, Sarah!

I decided that my assignment would be to shoot repeating shapes or patterns. Here I’ve organized them in pairs where the shapes or patterns echo each other more or less obviously.

They came in circles:

And in triangles:

They disappeared into the distance:

And because I like odd numbers, here’s one more:

There was so much more I wanted to shoot. I could have spent days just in Georgetown alone where the first three shots were taken, but I’m happy with what I ended up with. And I doubt I would have gotten as many good shots as I did in just a few hours of shooting without narrowing my choices.

Celebrating Everything

And now for something completely different.

Kristin, Brian and Sarah gave us dinner at a fabulous restaurant last night for our anniversary (thank you, thank you and thank you!). We love celebrations and lately we’ve had lots to celebrate — this anniversary, our youngest daughter’s graduation from medical school, our eldest daughter’s imminent graduation from her holistic nutrition program, their move to Los Angeles, and many other smaller triumphs.

So in that frame of mind I ordered this insanely over-the-top cosmo. As they say, presentation is everything.

In the Garden

Because I’ve been working on a really big garden project (I’m replacing my lawn bit by bit with native and drought-tolerant plants to create a wildlife habitat — you can read about it at beesandchicks.com), I find my focus has become finely tuned to the always-changing micro views of plant life. Never before have I been so drawn to this level of detail and it’s been fascinating.

The shot of baby peaches is an example of the kind of image that’s captivated me these past few weeks and I’ve a feeling that it will be so for some time to come.

Other objects that have been catching my eye lately are birdhouses. I’m not really sure why — something about these little shruken abodes seems both mysterious and full of potential. The fact that no birds have yet taken up residence doesn’t matter. Just the sight of them gently swaying in the wind, waiting to be chosen captures my attention. I keep hanging them from the tree branches. It reminds me of the ancient Celts who used to hang ribbons on their sacred trees for good luck.

Seizing the Moment

This morning the light came in my kitchen window, reflected off the white tiles, through the green glass shelves, and lit these objects from below. It was so beautiful that I stopped what I was doing, climbed up on the counter and took these pictures. When moments like this happen, you can’t come back later. The light will never be the same; will never fall in exactly the same place. If you see it, shoot it!  I like the top one best, but the picture of the fish vertebrae that I found on the beach intrigues me as well.

Sometimes I tell myself ridiculous things. For instance, because I find the sameness of the architecture in the planned community I live in so boring, I often tell myself that there is nothing here worth photographing. And then, pow! I’ll be stunned by a moment like this when I have to stop everything, pick up my camera and shoot.

Earlier this week I was listening to Elizabeth Gilbert, the author of Eat, Pray, Love, speak on creativity at the TED Conference. She has an interesting theory on creative genius that’s worth listening to. It starts out a little slow, but if you’ve ever struggled to bring a creative vision to life the ending will bring you to tears.

The Crows

The crows and I have an ongoing “conversation”. They have been out of sorts ever since the arrival of Emmie, our little Jack Russell Terrier. Every day they come to claim what used to be theirs — our yard with its towering eucalyptus trees. And every day, Emmie does her best to keep us safe from these dark intruders. They retaliate.

I ask them ever so kindly, and sometimes not so kindly, to stop crapping all over my patio furniture. And they reply unequivocally and with remarkable accuracy.

On this morning I tried to placate them with an offering of peanuts. They loved the nuts. Did it help? Not so much.

Spring

I know — so predictable. But really, what thrills more than the first daffodils of spring? Spring really has sprung; nothing more cliche than that. Yet, who can deny the delicious yellow-green of the daffodil? It never fails to make me hopeful.

Garden Shed

In the oldest part of our garden shed the late afternoon sun highlights castoffs and other someday-useful bits and pieces that gather in dark corners. Our nemesis, the  ever-persistent wisteria vine, slithers through chinks in the walls. If we’re not careful, she’ll claim the whole building for her own.

Hanalei Pier

And then there’s Hawaii. Kauai to be exact. While Block Island is balm for my restless soul, Hawaii is pure magic. How lucky I am to have both.

Mansion Beach

Block Island is the most amazing place. It’s where I go to reconnect with nature, with the sea, with most of the things that are important to me. I could shoot every day for the rest of my life and still not capture all of its wild beauty.

Valentine Hearts

I find myself  enjoying baking more and more. It used to be a “Mom must-do.” Now it feels more like another creative outlet. Happy Valentine’s Day!