Cycles of Life

Wandering the streets of Paris
at night the mood shifts from the busy aliveness of the day to a more mystical feel. Almost as if the carnival had come to town while we were eating. Gone were the crowds of shoppers of the day and out came the spectators to watch the city transform.  Musicians, skaters, performers all out to share the night with passers' by

We came upon this young lady
on our way back to our hotel.  Music blaring and her fire dance reminded me of the gypsies of old.  She spun her chains with bails of cotton soaked in kerosene to capture the crowds as they passed.  Many of us stood to watch as she moved into danger then out again.  Flirting with the fire and charming a few coins from the pockets of the crowd.

Image Use

It's been quite a while since I've posted. I've been going through a reassessment of my priorities in life, and shooting and blogging aren't near the top any more. My apologies to both of my readers ;)

I've been focusing on building myself up from the inside instead of relying on so many external things to keep me happy. Simple life, simple joy...

Meanwhile,

Google launched a new "Image Search" engine that I've recently found a great use for. As a microstock photographer, I often have no idea who buys my images or where they end up ultimately. I've taken to using image search seeded with a small sample image from iStock and found many of my images in the wild. Here are some of the results below:

This first image is by far the most popular to date. You may remember the fire station shoot I did in July of 2009. This one image has sold 51 times! Here are a few that I've found:

I even found one in print on a book cover available at amazon.com!

It is nice to know that the work is useful for some.

All in all,

my foray into stock photography has been a lesson in learning. I had such high hopes for the business to take off, but there is so much competition out there that I'd need to devote many more hours to this were it to become a career. Perhaps its something to fall back on should my employment situation change, or possibly when I retire.

Right now,

I am committed to enjoying life from the "inside-out" which has become one of the most profound realizations. Stock photography (and blogging for that matter) will probably remain little more than a hobby as opposed to a passion.

Until next time....

The Mystery of Black and White

There's something mysterious

about black and white photography. Perhaps it's because we are so conditioned to seeing the ancient imagery from the early days of the art, or perhaps its because the absence of color leaves a bit to the imagination.

These days, digital cameras, color corrected monitors, and photo printers make color imagery saturate our daily lives. We see in color, we shoot in color, we print in color. Perhaps this too contributes to the added interest in the black and white realm.

The opening image

is one I see almost daily on my morning commute. This particular day, the soggy winter's rains had finally ceased and the glorious golden sun peaked through and made the landscape surreal. This lone tree stood bathed in warmth still drying out as marked by the moist dark streak of bark along the trunk.

Editing this image in Adobe's LightRoom gave me a great deal of control over the image. I was able to darken the spring grass and sky for a more striking contrast for the subject.

Enjoy!

Finding the Time

On my way

to work today, the first day after a holiday weekend, the traffic was heavy. I was hoping to get to work early to photograph the lake before the fog lifted, but by now the sun was already shining through, burning off the novelty and soft light.

As I drove slowly, bumper-to-bumper, I looked to my right at saw the wetlands along side the freeway. The sun was low in the sky and the reeds and cattails glowed in the yellow morning light. I saw a few ducks paddling in the water. The scene was just what I needed to pause and say: "Ahhhhh..."

I felt my shoulders relax and I thought to myself: "Why not? The traffic will still be here..."

I took the next exit and found my way to the frontage road just beside the wetlands. I scouted for the best place to park and explore.

Camera in hand,

I saw this scene almost immediately when I got out of the car. The small pond was still and reflected the bright morning sky. A few ducks paddled by feeding and bathing in the cold shallows.

I walked for just a bit before I realized that the bush was too high for me to get a clear shot of the marsh. I peeped through the reeds to get the opening shot. As I walked back to my car I noticed how the hard morning sun made the footbridge stand out.

I felt pretty good

about my little escape from traffic. The morning light and the spontaneity made for a calming excursion. Perhaps this may inspire you to take the next exit and spend a few moments noticing how special your life really is!

Enjoy

Good Light

Early in the morning
or in the evening, when the sky is clear and the sun is low, the world takes on a different glow. Light streams in from the side and illuminates everyday things in spectacular ways. Shadows deepen, colors brighten and the world just feels right.

Maybe its that most others are just waking up, or just having dinner, it does seem like the world slows down a bit.

In another case,
an overcast day can make for some nice images. Gone are the bright reflections and harsh shadows. Skin looks better and textures soften making this type of light flattering to the subject.

Often times
professional photographers will place a subject beneath a tree to shield her from the hot sun and harsh edgy shadows. An overcast day makes the light really soft. It lights your subject from all directions making it an ideal time for portraits.

So the next time
you see the sun low in the sky, or have overcast weather, take out your camera, find a willing subject, and experiment. You'll be glad you did!

Changes

Sometimes,
our lives take an unexpected turn. Some small decision we make turns out badly and the repercussions echo though our lives. We get upset on the freeway and end up in the hospital, we wink at a waitress and end up in divorce court, or we hurt someone deeply by failing to notice how your lives have been on auto pilot for so many years.

When we make
these seemingly small decisions, a chain of events is set in motion that runs out of control thorough our once happy lives, and we are left in devastation. Its as if our lives hang in this delicate balance and spin perfectly, but, once disturbed, our lives can spin violently out of control.

Only if
we could go back in time, Only if we could change that one thing....But we can't. Whats done is done, and now we move forward. Often we need guidance.


This photo
to me, is a reminder of lost dreams. A small shop glimmers in the early morning light beckoning those who are in need of guidance to help them through times like these.

I stopped in,
one day, to see If I could interview the owner about her life and the business she was in. I wanted to know her story, how she got started, and how she helps her clients. I thought it would be interesting to readers of the blog. I rang the bell.

I was greeted
by a small, caring woman with short brown hair, she'd said her name was Mary. We sat and talked a while but she seemed uneasy about something.

She told me
a little about her self but seemed to be in a bit of a hurry. I asked for an appointment to return for her portrait and to finish the interview. She said: "Maybe not today..." So I gave her my card and said good bye. I returned alone early the next morning to take the location photos before the shop was open.

The week passed,
and I noticed the shop hadn't been open at all, No Mary, no owner, no signs of activity. Then I saw the "For Sale" sign in the window. No wonder Mary hadn't returned my call.


I wonder
what happened to Mary that would cause her to close the shop. I wondered if, in some way, Mary's life had spun out of control forcing her to close up. For now, the shop stands as a reminder for me to pay attention to the things I take for granted. For me to have the courage and conviction in everything I do, because, somehow, it all comes back to in the end.

Keep smiling...

The People You Love

I've become quite close to my in-laws. My wife's family is very tightly knit and shares much of their lives together. We usually meet every other weekend at her mom's house nearby. Its a place where she cooks for us, we talk and laugh while our children play together.

When
we found out last year, that she had stage 4 lung cancer, it was a difficult time. All of us pulled together to provide support. One became the "medical director" of sorts researching the disease and helping her to make the proper treatment choices. Another suggested we all fold paper cranes hoping that there was some glimmer of hope in that Japanese legend. Three of us became photographers of her, bring our cameras almost every time, sneaking candids of her bravely living her life as normally as she could, not knowing what the future would bring. Each image took on a different, more profound, meaning.



She passed away last week surrounded by her family, all six of her children, and some of her 10 grandchildren. They all watched as she took her last breath and left this earth.

Now
she is alive only in our memories. Her influence lives on in each of us. She taught us all what joy the comfort of a big family brings. She taught us to keep going, no matter what life brings you, keep moving forward.



She will be missed.