contemplative photography – Page 5

Day 1: A Contemplative Journey

October 1, 2015September 30, 2015Posted in contemplative photographyTagged Thirty-one days; contemplative photography; Christina Valters Paintner; photography;Leave a comment

October 1: I am beginning a journey (again) into contemplative photography. I am using these thirty-one days of October to explore the various aspects of contemplative photography by looking at the definitions and ideas.

But more importantly, I beginning a thirty-one day journey to explore the world around me through the lens of my camera. That’s what contemplative photography is all about: it’s about looking at the world and seeing it, really and deeply and thoughtfully. This month, I am rereading Christine Valters Paintner’s book Eyes of the Heart and finishing The Artist’s Rule and Freeman Paterson’s Photography and the Art of Seeing. I want to revisit The Practice of Contemplative Photography by Andy Carr.

I’m not sure where this journey will take me. I’m not sure what to expect from myself or from the images that I will receive. I just want to be aware of what is around me, and to live fully in the world.

I hope that you will join.

Thirty-One Days in October

September 27, 2015September 27, 2015Posted in contemplative photographyTagged blogging; challenge; writing; contemplative photography; thirty-one days, photographyLeave a comment

I have been debating this in my head for several weeks: will I participate in the annual “Thirty-One Days in October” blogging challenge. I have attempted to do so for two years, and I have even tried to do the 26 Days in April Alphabet challenge (that one didn’t work out so well). And I have decided to try this writing challenge this year. The next problem I have had to deal with is coming up with a theme. And this year, I have my theme: Thirty-One Days of Contemplative Photography.

And it seems kind of challenging in more ways than one. Posting a blog entry for thirty-one days consecutively is daunting enough. I teach part time at a local career college, and that presents enough of a challenge to my time. Another challenge is to figure out exactly how I want to approach the topic. There are so many other really great photographers who would do a much better job than I.

Yet, more and more, I feel “called” to this way of thinking about photography. I do enjoy a more documentary style of photographer; sometimes, I am the family memory keeper, taking the photographs of special family events. Those kinds of documentary photographs are important as part of our family’s history and story.

But there are times when I need to use my camera in other ways. There are times when receiving photographs has become my worship. I use the lens to see the world, to see creation, as a gift from God. This is partly due to my introduction to contemplative photography. Through this thoughtful approach, photography has become for me a spiritual practice.

So, during the coming month of October, I want to explore this aspect of photography: the contemplative and spiritual aspects of receiving images through the lens and into the making of “art” through which others can experience the world.

The Artist’s Rule

September 7, 2015September 7, 2015Posted in contemplative photography, ReFrameTagged read-along; learning; photography; nature; Christine Valters Paintner;Leave a comment

Am I brave enough to tackle this? I started (re)reading The Artist’s Rule by Christine Valters Paintner again. Yeah, I know there’s some redundancy there with “re” and “again,” but you see, I reread and read this book again and again. I keep coming back to some basic principles that are tugging at me.

This time around, I am going to issue an invitation. If you would like to join me to read this book and put some of the ideas into practice—and make them a practice—please join me. And seriously, I’m going to make it so that if you don’t have the book, you can still practice along with me.

Here’s my “problem.” I think I understand the technical aspects of photography and how to use my camera appropriately. I have an understanding of the exposure triangle and composition (rule of thirds). I understand the concepts of focal length of lenses and depth of field. I even do a pretty good job of editing in Lightroom and Photoshop. I have a decent artistic eye, and I know what I like (and don’t like). I do enjoy trying to push myself artistically.

But photography is not just about creating “fine art.” Yes, I’d love to see some of my images hanging on someone’s wall one day. (I suppose I should start with my own walls, right?) But I am more about expressing myself through the art of photography. I am so about looking at the world as the beautiful creation that it is.

This is where the concept of “contemplative photography” comes into play for me. Contemplative photography is more than just about taking nature walks with a camera in hand. It is about seeing the everyday with different eyes. I walk through the state park, and see a leaf on the pavement. I am drawn to its shape, its color, and the contrast with the pavement itself. One is “soft;” the other, rather hard and unforgiving (especially when I trip over my own feet). If I look even closer and perhaps deeper, I see the patterns of veins and stems through the leaf. Thus it becomes more than a maple or sycamore or elm or oak leaf. And yet it is what it is. Nothing more; nothing less.

Contemplative photographer begs me to soften my gaze even. Things I might have ignored before, I see now. I look up, down, around. . . . . I notice color, shape, texture, pattern. And at times, I try to see “meaning.” I think that’s the English teacher/literary scholar in me coming out at times.

I would like you join me over the next few weeks to explore the ideas from Paintner’s book with me. You can Facebook me, or comment below. I’ll be here.

When God Takes Over the Dream

June 15, 2015June 15, 2015Posted in contemplative photographyLeave a comment

Am I the only one who sometimes wonders how God views our dreams? And wonders whether God’s version of our dream is the same as ours?

Several years ago, I applied to be part of Holly Armstrong Gerth’s “God-Sized Dream Team,” a group of women who would help her launch her her book You’re Made for a God-Sized Dream. I wrote then that I wanted to be a professional photographer who would help people tell their stories through family photography sessions. I also wrote that I wanted the photography business to help me support my family because I was not, under any circumstances, going to return to the classroom as an English teacher.

God has a sense of humor. My photography business has not happened as I had hoped. I am back in the classroom teaching college-level composition part time. (I’m on a four-week hiatus between mods from now until July 20. Okay, that’s FIVE weeks, but there is a school-wide “summer break” at the end of the current mod, so I’m not counting it.) And I am so content being that composition/written communications teacher. It’s only a fraction of what I would be making as a public school teacher, but I do not have the stress that I had when I was teaching high school English. For that, I am grateful for my change in circumstances.

I get the occasional inquiry about family photography sessions, but I am accepting only the ones I truly want to do. And I am accepting the ones where I know that I will be blessing others. But here’s the thing. Perhaps God is leading me in another direction. I’m still using my photography, and my abilities as a teacher.

Last week, I asked another photographer for a favor: could our private group do a round of reframing prompts. She asked me to create the first one (our fearless Jennifer had already led us through two rounds). I gulped, said yes, and then I swallowed even harder, and VOLUNTEERED to write at least three or four MORE weekly prompts. (What was I thinking?) But it felt right at the moment.. On this Monday morning, I’m fighting the doubts.

But my dear God-sized sister dreamers jumped in and reassured me that sometimes when we are pursuing that God-given calling, the enemy starts feeding us his lines. Remember that question, “What was I thinking?” Yeah, the enemy wants me to question my abilities.

For those who are fighting this battle of negative energy, or the enemy’s energy, or whatever you want to call it, I’m thinking of the advice that my sisters are giving me.

God does not give us a spirit of fear. He is present, and He is strengthening me.
Even Jesus was tempted, and he told those temptations just to move on out of the way. I realize now that Jesus acknowledged those temptations with a nod, “yes, you’re there, and you look and sound pretty good, but you’re not for me, so get on out of my way and let me do my thing.” So, yeah, notice the fear and the doubt and acknowledge that those feelings are real, but put them out of the way and get on with business.
Reach out. There are others out there who will support and pray and help you through this. Hey, not even Jesus could carry out his earthly ministry without the disciples! My sister dreamers are out there praying for me and supporting me even when I think I need to crawl under my rock or hide in the cave again. Paul tells us that we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses. We are not alone in this pursuit.

I am not sure where this new leg of my dream is going to take me. Right now, I am content, though anxious, to follow the path before me. This new writing, this new way of framing, has been a long time coming. My original dream is evolving. God is taking over.

I’m back. . . . After a long hiatus

May 26, 2015May 26, 2015Posted in contemplative photographyTagged Lensbaby, looking for beauty, photography1 Comment

I am back (I hope). It seems that “inspiration” is seasonal at times. It’s hard for me to sustain the inspiration to write, and so I let it flounder. The same is true of my photography and photo editing as well. When I am inspired, there is no limit to what I can create, but when the well is dry, I experience true famine. Lately, that famine has been quenched by a return to needle arts, mainly knitting and crocheting. The projects I have going are easy to pick up and work on in the evenings as well as to carry with me when I need something to do to “kill time” between classes or as I ride in the car.

And then there are the books. . . . I have read more in the last months than I have in a long time. Some of those historical romances should be called “hysterical” romances because they are either so poorly written that they are laughable or because they are humorous. Of course, Saturday night, I think I cried during the last fifty pages of a book, and yes, it did have a “happily ever after” ending.

I have some new camera gear, a few accessories for my Lensbaby kit. I have the Lensbaby Sweet 35 optic and the double-glass optic with the Composer Pro. I added the wide-angle and telephoto attachments as well as a macro attachment to the kit. I think I am set for now. I still love the Lensbaby soft-focus look. I keep telling people that you will never, ever get ultra sharp photos from a Lensbaby, but what you do get is something rather dreamy. Last week I went out with the macro kit and made a few images. These are relatively unedited, just a few basic adjustments in Lightroom.

I love the texture of the hibiscus bud as well as the color. The rhododendron has finished its annual bloom, and these are the last of the flowers. I’m not sure what that pink flower is! I think it is dianthus.

I’m learning that with the Lensbaby, finding that “sweet spot” of focus and finding the optimal exposure settings is crucial. Post processing can improve a photograph, but with the Lensbaby, if it’s bad SOOC, post-processing will not help. Lensbabies just take practice and more practice.

I am teaching for the next three weeks, so my photography time is limited. I hope that we will have beautiful days so that I can explore some of the public gardens in Columbia.

A Tuesday Walk in the World

May 5, 2015May 5, 2015Posted in contemplative photographyLeave a comment

I’ve been planting some flower gardens, putting in some “shrubs,” and generally spending time outside this week. I’ll have pictures of the flower bed when I’m finished setting it up. Right now, it looks pretty ragged. Today, I took the camera out to see what’s blooming outside. The flower bed is still “raw” dirt covering a few seeds; nothing there, unless you like dirt!

But here is what I did find.

The hibiscus is blooming,

I used extension rings to get up close and personal with the hibiscus petal.

And so is the rhododendron that John gave me for Christmas. I still have to put it in the ground somewhere.

The honeysuckle is full of flowers, and so are the blackberries.

And the roses. . . .

Then, there are these flowers. I don’t know what this is, but it is pretty, and it smells heavenly. I cut a bunch of branches and brought them into the house.

I used the Lensbaby Composer Pro with Sweet 35 to take these images. I did use some extension rings for some of the images.

Begin Each Day in Prayer (and Praise)

April 26, 2015April 26, 2015Posted in contemplative photographyTagged BEDIPLeave a comment

My friend Chelle has this hashtag thing going: #BEDIP. You know me; I am the cat, and one day my curiosity may “kill” me. So I asked her.

It means “Begin Each Day in Prayer (and Praise).”

Yes. Begin each day with a prayer and with praise.

Today, I just left church after playing for the early service. We sang one of my favorite hymns, “The King of Love My Shepherd Is.” We shared the bread and wine of the Eucharistic feast. (I managed not to injure anyone’s ears with the wrong notes I managed to find.)

In a few minutes, I am going to sit on the swing and worship, pray, and praise a different way—maybe not so consciously in a religious or liturgical sense, but by enjoying the sunshine, blue sky, fresh breeze, and fresh air after several days of rain and clouds.

#BEDIP, indeed.

A Walk in the Park

March 21, 2015March 21, 2015Posted in contemplative photographyTagged contemplative photography1 Comment

I went back to Dreher Island State Park this afternoon to walk with the camera. I’m still working through that post-winter funk. Although the morning was rather gray and cloudy, by lunch time, the sky was blue and there was gorgeous sunshine. I couldn’t help myself. I packed the camera and checked my playlist on my now obsolete Zune player. I added a couple of upbeat tunes, “Uptown Funk,” “Sugar,” and “Rock Bottom Blues.”

I had to give the playllist a name, so I’m calling it the “Fun Walking Playlist.” The selections do change according to my mood and my current “likes.”

I am a voracious reader. I have experimented with Amazon Unlimited, which allows the subscriber to download and read up to ten books at a time for free. I have to admit that I was a little disappointed that not every author that I enjoy reading is not part of the Unlimited program. Then I started seeing ads for Oyster Books, marketed as “Netflix for Books.” I signed up for the two-trial, and discovered more books that I wanted to read than I did on the Amazon plan. So, I cancelled Amazon Unlimited. I confess rather sheepishly that I love Barbara Cartland historical novels. And Oyster Books has them! I’ve already read/reread three of them.

But back to the topic—the walk in the park—I also found Susan Tuttle’s books, The Art of Everyday Photography and The Art of Everyday Photography Companion. I skimmed the first chapter, which has her tips for better photographs. The first tip is to shoot from the gut. She says to take the camera for a walk and take photographs of whatever strikes the photographer’s fancy, to take the picture without judgment. And that’s what I did. It’s like last week’s assignment: walk in a familiar place and take fifty images. These assignments tie in with the idea of contemplative photography and looking at the world through a softer gaze.

Because it was a beautiful day, I went looking for the emergence of spring. Now, I’ve grown up with southern pine trees all my life, and it’s not one of my favorite trees in the spring. Pine pollen is everywhere! But for the first time, I noticed the beginnings of the pine cones!