Yesterday, I had to return the incredible 50mm 1.2 lens I’d rented from borrowlenses.com; before I shipped off this sweet lens, I got a few practice shots of my students. While most of them hid their faces, this young lady, after a few warm-up shots, relaxed enough to give me this. (She later told me that she wants to be a model.)
Canon 50 mm 1.2 lens, shot at ISO 200, f/1.2, 1/200 sec. with ambient light.
Spring Break: Time to take my camera out. I tried out two wide-angle lenses while hiking in the desert mountains on Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning. On Wednesday afternoon, my young friend agreed to be my guinea pig (eh, model) as I practiced portrait photography. I’m learning that there is SO much to be aware of (camera settings, lighting, background, model’s expression, composition and so much more), and I applaud those of you who are professional portrait photographers.
70 mm ISO 400 f/5.0 at 1/60
I had initially dismissed this shot because she’s not in sharp focus, but there’s something that brings me back to it. Her energy. Her pure love of life. Listen. Can you hear her giggles?
Sometimes she’s a blur of joyful energy.
You’ve seen my numerous posts featuring Elle (Elizabeth Jewel), my granddaughter. Early Friday morning, Elle’s world shifted a bit when Katherine Juliet quietly slipped into her life. I haven’t been over to their house since I finished my babysitting weekend on Sunday; I am anxious to see how Elle is taking to her little sister.
Unforgettable? I’m 62 years old, and I have a lifetime of unforgettable moments; I had not truly appreciated that fact until I started to look for images to post for Jakes’s Sunday Post.
I now realize that I am blessed to have had far too may unforgettable moments to post on this blog.
Unforgettable: the first time I opened the blanket to touch Baby Elle’s little toes three years ago. (“Image by Mona” … nope my son/her daddy took this shot.)
Unforgettable: All of the incredible moments I am fortunate enough to spend with her as she grows into a remarkable little girl.
Unforgettable: If you’ve followed my blog for any time at all, you know that I spent the past two summers working and playing in China, part of it trekking about by myself. The first summer, when I was 60, I took a night-train from Shanghai to Beijing alone and toured the major sites with an English-speaking tour group. The second summer, I spent a week alone in Shanghai. This might not be that remarkable to those of you who are seasoned travelers, but it is quite UNFORGETTABLE and remarkable for me because this was my first time out of the United States.
Unforgettable: An invitation to dinner in a private home in Feicheng, Shandong Province, China. What’s even better is that we were allowed to “help” in making the dumplings.
New to Word press? Whether you’re a beginner or a professional, you’re invited to get involved in my Weekly Competition to help you meet your blogging goals and give you another way to take part in 2013 Lucky Snake Event. (It’s the Year of the Snake!) Everyone is welcome to participate, if your blog is about photography,Video, Graphic Artwork Or Writing.
1. Each week, Jake provides a theme for creative inspiration. Show the world based on your interpretation what you have in mind for the theme, and post them on your blog anytime before the following Sunday when the next photo theme will be announced.
2. Subscribe to jakesprinter so that you don’t miss out on weekly challenge announcements. Sign up via the email subscription link in the sidebar or RSS. GET THE BADGE FOR YOUR IMAGE WIDGET….
Make sure to have the image link to http://jakesprinters.wordpress.com/ so that others can learn about the challenge, too.
Posted in: Sunday Post
“Hope” is the thing with feathers
“Hope” is the thing with feathers—
That perches in the soul—
And sings the tune without the words—
And never stops—at all—
And sweetest—in the Gale—is heard—
And sore must be the storm—
That could abash the little Bird
That kept so many warm—
I’ve heard it in the chillest land—
And on the strangest Sea—
Yet, never, in Extremity,
It asked a crumb—of Me.
~Emily Dickinson
Yesterday, while taking pictures at the picnic, I learned that hope comes from enjoying life, spending time with other people, giving time, sharing laughs and struggles.
Thank you to jakesprinter for another inspiring challenge. If you haven’t visited his blog, step on over; I think you’ll enjoy it.
Today, for a full day, I got to do exactly what I want to do…I took pictures. For the past two years, I have been the official volunteer photographer for The Great Canadian Picnic in Phoenix.
We have a tremendous community of Canadians in our desert…and the population grows, of course, during the winter months.
This annual picnic began 61 years ago to provide a sense of home to homesick Canadians. From the website The History of The Great Canadian Picnic:
In 1953, when Vic Wallace’s job at the Wallace Lumber Mill brought on acute asthma, his doctor advised him to move to a drier climate or his life would be cut short. So Vic, his wife, Reta, and their two daughters moved from Thamesford, Ontario, Canada – a small rural village 15 miles east of London – to Lynwood Street in downtown Phoenix.
Reta, Vic, and other expatriate Canadians arrived in Phoenix when the only things many had in common were respiratory ailments or arthritic conditions. To counteract the isolation and homesickness that sometimes troubled new arrivals, Reta and Vic started the Canadian Social Club of Greater Phoenix, bringing together newcomers who would otherwise have gone it alone. During the 1950s and 60s, it was a vital source of exchange, support and referrals for families who had relocated to the Valley.
The Royal Canadian Mountie looks out of place in the desert, doesn’t he? This gentleman was an absolute delight to photograph.
How could I pass this one up? I was fortunate to walk on THE WALL two years ago on my solo trek to Beijing.
The Great Wall at Mutianyu was rebuilt during the Ming Dynasty in the 16th century upon the foundations of the wall built during the Northern Qi Dynasty (AD 550-77).
Before my once-in-a-lifetime visit to this testament to the determination of man, I did a lot of research and saw images of breath-taking vistas and panoramas of the wall snaking across the mountain ridges. However, that was not my wall. My wall was shrouded in mist…a mist that turned into the most awesome thunder and lightning storm I’ve ever experienced. At 3 PM, the black sky was punctuated with flashes of brilliant light that revealed torrents of rain.
An hour before the skies opened and Zeus let loose with his thunderbolts, I was lost on top of the wall. YES! I was alone and lost, standing at a Y in the wall, not recognizing a single brick or stone. To my relief, I was saved by young tourists from Northern Europe who pointed the way to the tram. Oddly enough, I was not afraid, only bemused, thinking, well, if I die, at least I’ve had this incredible adventure. I did not, however, welcome the idea of spending the night alone, huddled against the cold on the top of the wall.
Click on any image for a better view and description.
As I am putting together this post, Billy Joel’s song toys with my memory. Why not? Here, for your enjoyment, is one of my favorite artists:
We could have gone all the way to the Great Wall of China if you’d only had a little more faith in me
She’s an extremely inspiring and talented person! I’m so thankful to have her as a fellow blogger. Check out her blog at wannabephotographer87.
So how this works is that I fill out this little questionnaire and ask others to join me for some coffee! Brilliant right? I’m so excited, I absolutely love coffee. (YES I truly do LOVE coffee!)
How many cups of coffee per day? I prepare my pot of coffee the night before so that is is brewing when my alarm clock so rudely jostles me out of my dreams. I blindly make my way to the kitchen for that first delicious steaming sip of dark, rich coffee. After that, I enjoy another mug while getting my face ready to greet the world (I mean my students), and drink another in the car during my 40 minute commute. Then, I have another mug during my prep period. Each mug is at least two cups. Let’s see … hmm…probably 6-8 cups of coffee during the day. UNLESS I’m falling asleep before my afternoon commute and need a Starbuck’s infusion of caffeine so that I do not cause a 6-car pile up on I-17. That means that I might consume 8-10 cups during a day.
What is your favorite caffeine delivery system? Brewed, served in a thick ceramic mug…NEVER a glass mug and preferably not a bone china cup.
What was your best cup of coffee? Every morning, the first sip.
What was your worst cup of coffee? The afternoon dregs of the pot in the little county weekly newspaper office where I worked as a part-time reporter, part-time go-fer.
What does your favorite mug say? A picture is worth a thousand words. Here are two thousand.
How do you take your coffee? Unadulterated, pure, simple, black, and hot.
When was your first cup? I was so young…I don’t know? 5th grade? But it was instant with lots of milk…not real coffee, in my opinion.
Have you ever gone on a coffee tea date? Oh yes, many. After 6 decades of living, I have enjoyed many delightful coffee dates.
I’d like to invite the following people to have coffee with me. Let’s hang around and chat….
OH NO! How can I possibly limit my invitation list? So many people who have visited my blog ….. I started to write a list, but just couldn’t narrow it. You are all welcome.
Amanda, let’s sit down and chat while we enjoy a deep, rich, dark, cup of fair trade coffee. We can talk about our 60Ds and more.
Look at life through the eyes of a child, who is amazed and awed by the wonders of the world.
My favorite model, my granddaughter, who is almost 3.
Can you imagine approaching your day as if you did not dread it, anticipating it to be boring, routine, possibly stressful or dreadful? Can you find something in your life today to look at closely, to appreciate, to find interesting, delightful, or wonderful?
St. Paul writes, “When I was child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man [woman], I put childish ways behind me.” (1 Corinthians 13:11)
I think that life might be better if we did not put away all of our childish ways. I think that we would enjoy life more if we approached it with the wonderment and delight of a child. Perhaps our enjoyment of life might spill over to those around us and they just might just have a good day.
