It is funny how an idea that just barely even develops leads to a profound realization. Our little family headed to the coast this weekend with not much more planned than that; a few days at the beach with our fingers crossed for some nice weather. Not unlike many trips, I drug my camera along with a promise to myself that
this time I was really going to just take a walk with my camera and see what happens. Saturday afternoon after getting back from the beach and putting Taelin down for nap I came upstairs to call my brother-in-law for some advice on the best way to compose a picture when you have the beach, waves and sky. I was really hoping he had some magic formula but realized after I talked to him that it really just comes down to the same thing that it often does....I just need to take lots of pictures and see what I like.
So, when I got off the phone and saw that everyone else had settled down to watch a movie, that always-floating idea of "taking the camera and going" landed. I grabbed my camera and the lens I rarely use, shoved some cash in my pocket and threw my tennis shoes on. I looked quickly at my
100 snapshots word list and off I went.
I kept trying to keep in mind the words that I needed to be looking for and started to get frustrated. Then I just stopped "thinking" and just started "looking". It was amazing the things that I "saw" when I stopped looking for something specific. I walked around for 2 hours and while I got some good images (I think), what I really got was a lesson in letting go and just being.
I was able to match some of the pictures I took to some of the words on my list...and then I just got some that I kind of liked.
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| #59-Two |
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| #82-hazy |
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| #93-shatter |
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| This one is actually one of my favorites, but none of the words struck me as fitting for this one. |
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| #73-rust |
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| #41-Wonder |
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No, I didn't move the ladybug. (Joe asked so I thought some others might think that too.)
It was just a fun image to try and capture. |
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| #62-rope |
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| #1-safety |
Obviously most of these are a little beach "themed" but it was just because that was where I was. Not all of my 100 will be. I have really been trying to think about the rule of thirds as I compose the picture. I am hoping that by purposefully practicing it that it will translate into the other pictures I take (most of which are of Taelin...or at least Taelin centered). I can tell that I need to work on lighting but that will have to come later. I am mostly proud of the fact that none of these were taken on the "auto" setting and that I was trying to think of the rule of thirds when I was taking them.
I am so happy that I took the time to do this. I am really thankful for the time to just "be" and to notice. Notice the things around me and notice how I felt about them. I enjoyed the whole weekend away but this two hours was some of my favorite time that I spent.
(And now....a little shameless bragging disguised as a photo...)
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| My two most favorite people in the whole world |
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| I didn't take this picture (obviously) but it is too sweet to not include. |
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| Love her.... |
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