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I took a Butterfly Photography class sponsored by Desert Botanical Garden and taught by Joanne West. I learned a lot and practiced a lot. I really feel that I had improved significantly by the end of the class.
We had a classroom presentation followed by private hands-on practice in the Butterfly Pavilion.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monarch_butterfly
The monarch butterfly or simply monarch (Danaus plexippus) is a milkweed butterfly (subfamily Danainae) in the family Nymphalidae.[6] Other common names, depending on region, include milkweed, common tiger, wanderer, and black-veined brown.[7] It is among the most familiar of North American butterflies and an iconic pollinator,[8] although it is not an especially effective pollinator of milkweeds.[9] Its wings feature an easily recognizable black, orange, and white pattern, with a wingspan of 8.9–10.2 cm (3.5–4.0 in).[10] A Müllerian mimic, the viceroy butterfly, is similar in color and pattern, but is markedly smaller and has an extra black stripe across each hindwing.
The eastern North American monarch population is notable for its annual southward late-summer/autumn instinctive migration from the northern and central United States and southern Canada to Florida and Mexico.[6] During the fall migration, monarchs cover thousands of miles, with a corresponding multigenerational return north in spring. The western North American population of monarchs west of the Rocky Mountains often migrates to sites in southern California, but have been found in overwintering Mexican sites, as well.[11][12] Non-migratory populations are found further south in the Americas, and in parts of Europe, Oceania, and Southeast Asia.
Conservation status
The number of monarchs overwintering in Mexico has shown a long-term downward trend. Since 1995, coverage numbers have been as high as 18 hectares (44 acres) during the winter of 1996–1997, but on average about 6 hectares (15 acres). Coverage declined to its lowest point to date (0.67 hectares (1.66 acres)) during the winter of 2013–2014, but rebounded to 4.01 hectares (10 acres) in 2015–2016. The average population of monarchs in 2016 was estimated at 200 million. Historically, on average there are 300 million monarchs. The 2016 increase was attributed to favorable breeding conditions in the summer of 2015. However, coverage declined by 27% to 2.91 hectares (7.19 acres) during the winter of 2016–2017. Some believe this was because of a storm that had occurred during March 2016 in the monarchs' previous overwintering season.[201] However, this seems unlikely since most current research shows that the overwintering colony sizes do not predict the size of the next summer breeding population.[202]
On July 20, 2022, the International Union for Conservation of Nature added the migratory monarch butterfly (the subspecies common in North America) to its red list as an endangered species.[203] However, a petition in 2023 resulted in its status being changed to "vulnerable".[2]
Desert Botanical Garden has an incredible collection of plants and cacti arranged in a beautiful park setting.
"Think the desert is all dirt and tumbleweeds? Think again. Desert Botanical Garden is home to thousands of species of cactus, trees and flowers from all around the world spread across 55 acres in Phoenix, Arizona."
dbg.org/visit/butterfly-pavilion/
Desert Botanical Garden
DBG Butterfly class
151/365
I was raised by a scientist to be a scientist. I was four when Dad taught me the powers of 2 (2, 4, 8, 16, 32, etc.). I remember because we were getting the Christmas decorations down from the attic. I was six or seven when he taught me about the periodic table. We sat at the dining room table on a Friday night learning about the elements. By age eight I had the entire thing memorised. I was promptly told to forget it by my teachers – it is not necessary. I was taught to question everything, query statistics and analyse data. I had no problem with it. I loved science.
Everyone expected me to become a doctor, work as a specialist dealing with neurology, or paediatrics, or both.
So when, after multiple cross-country train journeys to visit med-schools and about fifteen personal statement drafts I turned around and said that I was fed-up of the education system and wanted to drop out of sixth form, there was quite a few surprised looks and a lot of confusion. I still had a year until I could drop out of college and get a job unless I could find an apprenticeship, which is not what I wanted, and so my old option was to stick with it. I even did my Clinical Aptitude Test, despite not wanting to become a doctor. Dad said that as long as I was happy, I could do what I wanted. If I wanted to run off and be a photographer, that was my choice. He was, however, the only person who had that view. Everyone else was sceptical.
So, I deleted my personal statement, found the only uni that did a course in modern Hebrew in the UK, a tiny, unheard of little college in London called SOAS, and shouted across the quad at college to my progress coach that it was okay, I had not missed my early application deadline, I was going to do a degree in Hebrew instead of medicine.
One of my biggest fears is disappointing people. One day I might just prove everyone I have been a disappointment to over the years wrong.
Did you know that staff at the School of Oriental and African Studies, a tiny, unheard of little college in London, developed a new language for the Ridley Scott film Prometheus?
There are obvious reasons to Love London - the ones the tourists flock to the city to find. Big Ben, The London Eye, Buckingham Palace, Piccadilly Circus, Chinatown and the list goes on and on.
Are there more meaningful reasons to adore London? In the video above I explore 24 reasons to love London. My reasons aren't superficial, but ones you can't really see or capture with a camera. Do you get a feeling when you are in London?
My List of 24 Meaningful Reasons To Love London
:: It's a city of infinite possibilities.
:: You don't have to travel far to see a famous landmark.
:: London gives you the freedom to be who you are and be what you want to be.
:: London IS the universe and you're in the middle of it.
:: The remarkable feeling of walking over the Thames River at night.
:: The contrast between old and new; what came before and the future.
:: The buzz and the endless energy of London.
:: There are stories and history at every turn you take in London.
:: Sometimes being in London is like walking around in a movie.
:: There are endless creative opportunities in London.
:: The Royal Family (i'm not convinced of this one).
:: No matter how long you've been in London, there is always a new place to discover.
:: There are monuments to everything that ever happened in London.
:: Culturally, London is a mecca. You're blessed with culture no matter where you go.
:: London is as international as it is British.
:: When you're in London, you can choose a life of adventure.
:: You'll never be bored in London even if you have nothing to do.
:: London welcome eccentricity.
:: Old London architecture is some of the finest in the world. The verdict is out regarding modern buildings.
:: There are quiet spots to escape to amongst the hustle and bustle.
:: When you're in London, you imagination expands beyond comprehension.
:: Whether or not you like The Shard, it does have stunning views you shouldn't miss.
:: We might loathe the London Underground, but it's a marvel of engineering.
:: London's double-decker buses are not only iconic, but they're cool.
::
I can easily say everything I learned I learned from London. This city opened my eyes and broadened my way of thinking. During university days, I saw two men kissing in Earl's Court Road outside the Underground Station. I had never seen this before in public. You can imagine my fascination with this public display. Multiple languages, different dress styles and a freedom of expression far surpassed anything I'd experienced elsewhere.
Museums, theatre and even store windows inspired me to learn more and explore creativity beyond what I thought I was capable of achieving. London taught me to push myself further, test my limits and stretch them to new heights.
The American in me says I can be anything I want to be. London taught me I will be anything I want and not care what others think. London touched me at an early age and continues to do so today.
24 Reasons to Love London. What are your reasons to love London?
I help aspiring and established photographers get noticed so they can earn an income from photography or increase sales. My blog, Photographer’s Business Notebook is a wealth of information as is my Mark Paulda’s YouTube Channel. I also offer a variety of books, mentor services and online classes at Mark Paulda Photography Mentor
All images are available as Museum Quality Photographic Prints and Commercial Licensing. Feel free to contact me with any and all inquiries.
Follow My Once In A Lifetime Travel Experiences at Mark Paulda’s Travel Journal
Life-Skills my Dad Taught Me:
▪️How to tie my shoes.
▪️How to speak Yiddish.
▪️How to solder.
▪️How to make Gunpowder.
▪️How to hold a 10x Jewelers Loupe to my eye & look at a Diamond.
▪️How to carve a Pinewood-Derby-Race-Car & weight it to glide faster.
▪️How to find & open a “Concretion” fossil from The Peabody Coal Mines
▪️How to hammer a nail.
▪️How to alert a Cashier if they give you incorrect Change back.
▪️How to tie a Windsor-knot.(half and Full Windsor knot)
▪️How to make melted-cheese-on-Toast-in-a-broiler.
▪️How to get FOUR slices from a bagel.
▪️How to properly /+ expertly Parallel Park a Car.
▪️How to look for diamonds that had fallen out of his pants cuffs onto the bedroom carpet.
▪️
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said,
people will forget what you did, but people will never forget
how you made them feel.”
Maya Angelou
One's life - is not summarized by a tally of those who show up to attend a Funeral, or
sign a Guest Book online,
but- I certainly "know"- that my Dad- the one who showed me so many things,
taught me so many life lessons,
would have wanted,
the "Love"- he put out in the Universe-
to be reciprocated-
by the simple act,
of taking minute to compose
your thoughts, prayers and feelings about
a kinda guy - that-
they don't make, anymore-
Edward Kramer.
About a “Traveling Artist” – Jayson Yeoh
Self-taught artist Jayson Yeoh has a passion for art since young. His pursuit for art creation is relentless and never wavers. A skilled watercolourist, he is always obsessed with the magical quality and versatility of this water media.
Over the years, through his continuous exploration and practice, Jayson has developed a distinctive personal style. His works clearly demonstrate an artistic language unique to himself.
To him, life’s surroundings and the vast nature are his best teachers. They provide him with unlimited source of inspirations and creative sparks.
Jayson loves to travel and always bring with him his sketchbooks and art tools.
Sketching while traveling becomes an important part of his travel itinerary; and is one of the main catalysts for his constant travels.
He has recorded in his sketchbooks, many beautiful artworks and sketches, notes and information, as well as countless new creative ideas!
‘Sketching while traveling’ has enabled him to walk out of the studio and his own limitations, while opened up limitless possibilities.
It also taught him valuable lessons – to observe the world, to know the world, and to create the worlds he sees through his own eyes.
‘Sketching while traveling’ is a journey for enlightenment and knowledge. It is also an alternative method to treasure a memory by in-depth understanding, both visually and audibly.
To Jayson, the ultimate objectives of traveling and sketching are not the artworks created or the opportunity to see magnificent landscapes and rivers, but his interactions with the environment and the community, his means of observing the world, and those people and things, which had touched him one way or another along the journey. They not only broadened his horizons, but also enriched his personal feelings.
Such experiences make him grow as an artist to create better works, and at the same time encourage him to keep moving towards his artistic journey.
She taught me a thing or two, about saying goodbye...
about closing my eyes...
and about taking refreshing breaths that rekindle the memories of when we first said...
...hello
(Setup shot.)
Lighting/Setup Info
- SB600 at 24mm zoom and 1/16 power level with green gel in a 15-inch Lastolite Ezybox. Positioned on-axis about 5-feet high and about 1-foot behind subject. (Rim Light)
- SB80DX at 24mm zoom and 1/16 power level, gridded with full CTO gel. Positioned camera-left about 4.5-feet high and about 6-feet from subject. (Key Light)
- Cybersyncs.
- The final image was shot with a green gel as a rim light and a CTO gel on the key (as stated in the lighting notes above). It looked good, but the look and feel of the shot was calling out for some color adjustments (and I just didn't feel like swapping gels and trying to nail the shot again), so I made white balance adjustments in the RAW editor and then in Photoshop I did a split-toned overlay to dial-in the colors I was looking for.
Street portrait taken during a workshop taught by National Geographic photographer Massimo Basano, and photographer and documentary film maker Myriam Casper.
Part of the reason for me doing this workshop was to get some help with better ways to ask people if I can take their pictures (along with anything else they were willing to teach us :) ). They did give really good tips and advice and I will take some time to get used to it, but all very fun and well worth the trip. Now here is the irony of the day:
I saw this guy and told him I liked his glasses (they are cool... but not for me lol), "do you mind if I take a couple pictures of you?" He said, "Really? OK" Then I started taking some shots, and the rest of the group flocked in. He was very good natured about it. And then Myriam later told me as we moved down the street that she saw the guy and felt a little too intimidated to ask him if we could take pictures; and then I there I went and asked him. The best part is he offered me his glasses as we left. I told him they are much better on him. And that is true.
Channeling Everything That Amy Lamb Taught Me
I will never forget the first time meeting Amy in Atlanta in 2018. I introduced myself and said that I had an appointment with her on Saturday. She looked at me, didn't skip a beat, pointed at me and said, "Oh I know what I am going to do to you." Being spun around after a makeover and looking in the mirror and seeing what you always wanted to see...well that was something special. I keep trying to get to that moment when I do my own makeup and maybe some day I shall find that moment again but on this Gala Night I feel I was pretty close.
Featuring: Kalopsia • NC • 8f8 • TLC
Blog: alphamalestyle.wordpress.com/2016/01/09/36-ill-remember-t...
Jukebox: www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgN-qN7Au-Q
Of the series, Thou Shalt Not Wander, Thou Shalt Not Ponder.
Featured in Gothesque magazine; issue #18, volume 2...Nov. 2014
My website: www.kalinskyphotography.com/
Cassandra
One of my colleagues, SusanNOTSue, taught several different subjects within the Science Department. One of them was a course on Ethics. I gave her this as a possible assignment for her students:
Image you are the older sibling of a sophomore named John. You still remember the time he shot you in the back with his BB gun when you tried to change the channel on TV a few years ago. Now you have found a letter in his room that has come in the mail. Apparently he does not want your father to see it.
The letter reads:
John’s capable of doing adequate work but seldom does. His attitude is much too immature and lackadaisical for a tenth grader. The world is lots of fun and unpleasant facts will go away if you just ignore them. Unfortunately his most unpleasant fact at this stage is 29 required lab exercises of which he has completed 7 fairly adequately, 9 others have been returned to him as unsatisfactory, and the rest have not been written up at all. If these are not completed very shortly they must be listed as failures rather than incompletes. That would make his average somewhere down in the low 50’s at best, and the reports would still have to be done since they are state-required as a prerequisite for the Regents exam. Reminders and requests from the teacher elicit only shrugs or vague promises. I would suggest some firm and continued parental supervision and discipline.
Do you give the letter to your father or not? Explain why or why not.
Photo taken at the Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY
He taught me the A B C's and the numbers at the age of 3. Thanks to him I learn to read at the age of 5. He was my guide, my mentor and an endless source of knowledge.
Image straight from the camera. The way my Godfather would like it.
California.
You want to view this large, I know you do. ;)
In fact, living can't be taught. But still I caught myself searching for a universal manual for life instead of experiencing it myself.
I was tired of laughing then crying, going my way and get lost again. I was tired of making the wrong decisions.
The society wanted me to act and look like they wanted me to.
Once I read: 'Take the wrong train and get stuck somewhere chill. Fall in love - a lot. Major in philosophy, 'cause there's no way to make a career out of that. Change your mind. Then change it again, because nothing is permanent.'
Losing the way and finding the right path again can be painful and annoying but that's what living can possibly mean.
Nobody can teach you how to live, you need to experience it yourself and if making mistakes and feeling bad is included then that's fine.
Because there are also so many beautiful moments that make you forget everything bad instead.
self portrait 14-disappearing
mixed media on wood: water color paint, old photographs, stamps
12" X 12"
jennifer beinhacker
jenniferbeinhacker.com
art outside the edge
EXPLANATION OF THIS ART PIECE
my mother died 10 october 2014 at age 96 1/2 years old .
my father died 20 september 2015 at age 95 and 11 months years old.
i was devoted to my parents. i feel their absence deep within me.
i feel like i am disappearing........all of the people who knew me through my very happy childhood are gone......my parents, my beloved in-laws, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, family friends.
all of the people who have/had shared my childhood and enriched me with their love....who had/have the memories of me growing up......all who made up the fabric of my life......all are gone.
yes, there are people who know me....my husband of 45 years....who i grew up with starting at age 5, my son who knows me from his childhood on, my beloved granddaughter, age 11, who knows me through the prism of her childhood.......but all others.........no longer here to have the memories of me.
i share my myriad number of photographs of my life with my granddaughter so she will know me as i am....and as i was.....and tell her all the stories about me (and she loves to hear them!)........but the ones who were actually with me as i was growing up........are gone.
this feeling is a reaction, i am sure, to the death of my mother a year ago and to the recent death of my father.........i imagine, i hope, that this feeling of disappearing will lessen over time.
but..........once i am gone.......who will remember me..........
will i just be a box of photographs on a dusty shelf........
i feel as if i am disappearing..........
This car taught me what a car payment was. This was the first car I purchased. Prior to this car I owned a 1976 Toyota Corolla, which my parents gave me as a graduation gift from high school. Thirteen years later, it was time to get a new car.
1989 VW Jetta Gli. 2.0 litre turbo charged 4 cylinder 6 speed manual transmission. My first experience with Ricaro seats and my dad was impressed with the fact it came with Perelli tires. He said he felt I was safer on the roads during inclement weather conditions. It is a miracle I did not burn the clutch out as many trips as I took to San Francisco.
"I was taught from childhood of the sanctity of food. Not a piece of bread could be thrown away without kissing it and raising it to one's eyes as with all things holy"
Attia Hosain
My mother taught me this too and my husband´s mother taught him the same so we still kiss our bread before thrown it away. I appreciate very much this teaching that holds a whole philosophy of life and a particular conception of the world which is focused on the sacred importance of everyday things
myhealingmoments.blogspot.com.es/2012/05/day-211.html
Annotation: I´m developing a 365 project which includes not only a daily photo, but also a daily post in my blog. This is the number 211. If you want to see all the photos: www.flickr.com/photos/healingmoments/sets/72157627759889118/
I took a Butterfly Photography class sponsored by Desert Botanical Garden and taught by Joanne West. I learned a lot and practiced a lot. I really feel that I had improved significantly by the end of the class.
We had a classroom presentation followed by private hands-on practice in the Butterfly Pavilion.
I believe this is purple owl's clover. Any correction will be appreciated.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castilleja_exserta
Castilleja exserta (formerly Orthocarpus purpurascens) is a species of plant in the genus Castilleja which includes the Indian paintbrushes. Its common names include purple owl's clover, escobita, and exserted Indian paintbrush.[2]
Castilleja exserta is an annual herb about 100–450 millimetres (4–18 in) tall with a hairy stem covered in thready leaves. Like other related Castilleja plants, this species is a hemiparasite, deriving some of its nutrients directly from the roots of other plants by infiltrating them with haustoria. As a result, its own leaves are small and reduced.
Although this species is variable in appearance and easily hybridizes with other Castilleja species, it generally bears a brightly colored inflorescence of shaggy pink-purple or lavender flowers. The thin, erect bracts are usually tipped with the same color, giving the inflorescence the appearance of a paintbrush.[4]
Desert Botanical Garden has an incredible collection of plants and cacti arranged in a beautiful park setting.
"Think the desert is all dirt and tumbleweeds? Think again. Desert Botanical Garden is home to thousands of species of cactus, trees and flowers from all around the world spread across 55 acres in Phoenix, Arizona."
dbg.org/visit/butterfly-pavilion/
Desert Botanical Garden
DBG Butterfly class
..... as taught to me by the delightful Terri Simmons of "Cakes by Design"
....... and as requested by some of you!
You will need:
Leaf gelatine
33 gauge flower wires (white for flowers but you could use green for leaves) ...... they must be paper covered wires for gelatine flowers and leaves.
Paste colours
Metal petal cutters (optional)
Heatproof receptacle for the gelatine
Somewhere to dry the petals i.e. a block of oasis
Stamens
Flower tape
Paintbrush
Method:
1. Soak your gelatine leaf in cold water until it feels soft and squidgey like a wet J-cloth! (about 10 mins)
2. While it's soaking prepare your wires. Either make your petal shape free-hand or mould them round a metal petal cutter. Twist the wire to enclose the shape. You can paint it with the paste colour or leave it white.
3. Take the soggy gelatine sheet out of the water, shake off the excess water and put it into a heat-proof container that is sitting in hot water. This can be in a saucepan of simmering water or just in another bowl with boiling water. If you use the latter, be sure to keep it topped up with boiling water so that the gelatine stays liquid. Stir in what ever colour you like.
4. Slide in your wire petal so that it is totally submerged. You can either do this by tipping the gelatine container at an angle or by bending your wire to a right angle with the base of the petal and dipping it straight in.
5. Take it out slowly and carefully so that you have a film of gelatine covering the entire petal shape. (Just like dipping the wand into bubble blowing liquid!). If the "bubble" breaks ..... just re-dip it!
6. This is just to show you the gelatine film.
7. Hold upright to let any excess gelatine run down the wire. You can pick this off later when it is dry.
8. Stick it into a block of oasis (or whatever else you use) to dry for about half an hour.
9. Meanwhile, make the centres by taping some stamens to a wire.
10. When the petals are dry, shape them by bending them gently over your finger. The only thing you can't do is to widen them as the gelatine will then tear, otherwise you can play around to your heart's content! Tape as many petals as you like to the centre ..... just like you would with sugar flowers.
You can make a green calyx and / or leaves in exactly the same way.
Fairy and Insect Wings:
The method is essentially the same but with a couple of changes.
11. This time you must use bare wires ..... either florist's wire or fuse wire would do fine. Either make your shape round a butterfly cutter or do it free-hand.
12. The gelatine is uncoloured but there's nothing to say it shouldn't be coloured! LOL
Once dry ..... and this time leave it for about an hour ...... gently peel the wire away from the gelatine (this is why it needs to be a bare wire).
You will then have a gossamer thin wing which you can paint if you like!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I hope you can follow this and I'm sorry about the poor photos but I was doing it on my own as "Santa's Little Helper" had gone to B&Q to buy cement .... I don't think it was for flower-making though !!!! LOL
Do give it a go...... it's VERY much easier than it sounds and these flowers are so robust when made!
I look forward to seeing your gelatine flowers!
For those who didn't see it, here's the finished flower:
www.flickr.com/photos/abbietabbie/3503076395/in/photostream/
Probably best to view the pictures in ORIGINAL.
All of Me
You took my kisses and all my love
You taught me how to care
Am I to be just remnant of a one side love affair
All you took
I gladly gave
There is nothing left for me to save
All of me
Why not take all of me
Can't you see
I'm no good without you
Take my lips
I want to loose them
Take my arms
I'll never use them
Your goodbye left me with eyes that cry
How can I go on dear without you
You took the part that once was my heart
So why not take all of me . - BILLIE HOLLIDAY -
My travels around OMAN taught me so much about human friendship and interaction. All walks of life have a common aspect between local people, particularly amongst men. Indeed this may be a common trait of the male species throughout the world.
to see my other images visit:-
www.flickr.com/photos/flavius200/
My Travels to Meet the Peoples of OMAN.
I have been a member of the British Omani Society in London for many years.
You can read about, and see the images of this, the 1st of the 3 journeys I have made alone to learn about this amazing country and it’s friendly people.
My article and photography of OMAN were published by the Society in their 2015 Review.
You can now access it here :- www.britishomani.org/annual-review
Select the ‘2015 Annual Review’, pan down, the article is on pages 12/15.
It’s very easy and safe, even I can do it!
Modern technology, despite my constant complaining, can be surprisingly useful........
A couple of children tour guides at the 12th century old Ta Prohm temple of Bati. They said the only thing they taught them in school was English so they could tour foreigners around for tips. This unhealthy over-reliance on tourism (an industry generally in the hands of Europeans or Australians, i.e. not Cambodians) was prevalent throughout the country and seemed to be a big obstacle to the improvement of the quality of life and opportunities of the people.
Fortunately, this was starting to change when we visited in 2015, thanks to a new wave of industrializing investments from China which were literally paving the ways (e.g. the highway linking Siem Reap and Phnom Penh, the touristic capital with the country's capital, had until then been a dirt road) and helping Cambodia stop relying so much on tourism. The future will tell how that goes. Because China is involved, it wouldn't be surprising to see a lot of propaganda thrown against Cambodia in an attempt to pressure it to remain in endless lethargy.
Check out my albums:
---------------------------------
• Top 2%, with my best photos ever
• All my photos in Explore
• My best selling photos
• All my photos used on book covers
• My own wonders of the world
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©2020 German Vogel - All rights reserved - No usage allowed in any form without the written consent of the photographer.
And you taught me what
this feels like.
And then how it feels to
lose it.
And you showed me
who I wanted.
And then who I wasn’t.
And you ticked every
box.
And then drew a line.
And you weren’t mine to
begin with.
And then not to end
with.
And you looked like
everything I wanted.
And then became
something I hated.
And you get thought of
every day.
And then not in a good
way.
And you let me leave.
And then wish I’d
stayed.
And you almost killed
me.
But I didn't die.
-iwtfy
Mask from Ishkia
31.10.2012
Cedar taught herself to put her paw up in the air, an inviting hug. She actually gives the best hugs, and will hug a person for as long as they will allow it.
"As a kid, I was taught that you can't do certain things, because what might the neighbors think? Today, I don't give a fuck about what anybody thinks about me. I walk around just the way I want to, nobody's got to like it except myself. You know, even today, a lot of people will pigeonhole you. They’ll be really nice until I tell them I'm gay, and that's when they back off."
---
It’s been ages since I portrayed my last stranger, but just yesterday I realized that it’s exactly 10 years since I approached my very first stranger, Mr R. And I remembered I still had that one last stranger that I didn’t publish, even though it’s more than a year and a half since I took his photo. Meet Marcus. And another thing I noticed: Marcus was my 500th stranger.
I never really quit. I was just taking a break. At least that’s what I thought. Today, I’m not sure anymore. Then again, maybe today stranger portraits are more relevant than ever.
Anyway, even though I haven’t posted in this group (that I still love) for a very long time, and even though this is kind of a portrait from the archives, I felt it would be appropriate.
---
Find out more about the project at the group page 100 Strangers.
A really good friend of mine brought me to this sim to explore and relax. I was first TPed into the middle of a vast field of sunflowers... I love sunflowers... well we soon ducked into one of the buildings and I saw this wonderful corner with a drafting table, open window and sunflowers peeking in.
What affected me so much about this image was the device attached to the table... way back in the day.... and I won't be saying how many... I was taught drafting using a device quite similar... I believe it was (and is) called a drafting machine. And the first "machine" I used was an old fashioned on as this in the picture. But it was soon replaced by a new fangled one of sparkly knobs, springs and aluminum.
It's funny how something we find in SL will TP our RL selves back to some forgotten memories and lost dreams. The man who I was taught by told me I would never be good at drafting. He told me to pursue another avenue of interest. I didn’t... I followed thru with my dream to be a graphic artist and to this day I still am... and I think I am a pretty fair one at that...
Oh and by the way.... I think the sim is Bacio but my friend will have to confirm it. Smiles.
Taken at the 2019 Rendezvous in Mackinaw and 18th Century Fur Trade Fair held in Mackinaw City, Michigan.
We had a nice chat with this pretty lady where she told us that she taught art in an elementary school as well as being a ceramic artist when she wasn't going to various art shows where she sells her work. At this particular fair, she was living in the tent for the three day event.
Dutch photographer Judith Mijderwijk is an internationally awarded self-taught artist, a passionate mountain enthusiast, and currently based in Austria. At Dazio Grande, she presents her first solo exhibition. On display are around 40 large-format photographs, taken predominantly in Switzerland, capturing the hidden beauty and fragile splendour of the Alpine glaciers – from glowing blue ice caves and abstract formations to high-altitude landscapes and artistic black-and-white photos of alpinists.
Judith Mijderwijk specialises in alpine landscapes, wildlife, and portraits of both people and animals. Her love for the mountains began in her youth, and for many years she has maintained a special connection to Ticino. She is all the more delighted to present her first solo show here, at Dazio Grande.
Her photographs are often created during multi-day journeys through the Alps. She usually travels by public transport and continues on foot, often into remote regions. When possible, she bivouacs overnight to capture the delicate twilight or spend hours observing animals in their natural environment. This close relationship with nature informs her perspective: she not only reveals the grand and majestic, but also the fleeting, the moments that elude a hurried gaze.
With this series, she seeks to make the often-hidden beauty of ice visible: glacier worlds that unfold in unique ways through their colours, shapes, and light. Rather than dramatise the retreat of the glaciers, she places emphasis on their ephemeral aesthetics and quiet presence.
“The Fragile Beauty of Glaciers – A Disappearing World” is more than a photographic homage to icy landscapes, it is also a silent call to awareness. The images invite contemplation: they portray a world of captivating beauty and, at the same time, one that is visibly vanishing. It is not only the glaciers that are fragile. We, too, are vulnerable when nature’s balance shifts too quickly. Our world, too, can disappear.
The exhibition is accompanied by explanatory texts offering insight into both the photographic process and the issue of climate change. The presentation at Dazio Grande marks the beginning of a planned touring exhibition, which will later be shown at other venues in Switzerland and abroad.
While real life in 2015 took a larger part of my time and, especially towards the end, my creative energy a lot of good work I did accomplish came via play as Nasim in BFF3. The entire experience was a good time - even if I lost - but getting into a headspace and allowing him to form a more organic character than the one I originally pitched became a true highlight of my year. My willingness to let him change and become the person he was meant to be really stuck with me and I can only feel pride at where 'we' ended up and the journey to get there.
Letting Nasim grow outside of a rigid idea of what I thought he was meant to be is a lesson I want to apply to myself in 2016. Instead of the perpetual worry about how & why I'm not who I always felt I was supposed to be I should just take a breathe, step back & let my life grow into what it actually is trying to become all on its own.
Happy New year!! May it bring all that we need why treating us even better than the last one
–--------
In an effort to honor both my year & my 2015 top 5 I have each a solo shot & will talk about what the memory with each has taught me ✨ 💖 ✨
Shawn taught himself how to knit a few days ago so he could make some clothes and accessories for my Blythes & plushies. (He's teaching me how to knit right now, yay!) One of the first things he made was this pretty rainbow scarf. It was intended for Plum but Moonmallow seems to have snatched it away. ^__~
There’s a big snowstorm here today so Shawn’s team gets to work from home. It’s so nice having him here with me! I snuck outside to take a photo of Moonmallow enjoying her new scarf in the snow.
Breitling wing walker Nikita Salmon stretches her legs.
A History of the Stearman Biplane
The Allied pilots who flew the fighters and bombers of World War Two were often first taught to fly in the American Stearman biplane. It was designed from the start as a ‘primary’ trainer, stable enough in the air not to catch out novice flyers and rugged enough to survive clumsy landings.
The Stearman first flew in 1933. By 1938 the Stearman Aircraft Company had been taken over by Boeing, but the name stuck. Sales were initially modest, but the coming of World War Two transformed the market and about 10,000 Stearmans had been built by the end of the war in 1945.
It should come as no surprise that the design harks back to what Biggles might have piloted when dogfighting the dastardly Red Baron over the Western Front in 1918. The Stearman first took to the air just 15 years after World War One had ended, and its design continued the tried, tested and well-understood features of the aircraft of the day. It has two wings to increase lift (at the expense of high drag). The fuselage is a welded steel tube and the wing spars and ribs are made of wood. Both are covered in fabric. (Originally it would have been ‘doped’ – or varnished - to tauten it. The Breitling Stearmans are covered in a plastic material, which is tightened up with a domestic hot iron – rather like ironing a vast shirt.) The fixed undercarriage can take plenty of punishment. A radial engine powers the airplane, driving the propellers so fast that their tips break the sound barrier, giving the Stearman a distinctive rasp as it banks and rolls overhead.
When it was used as a trainer the two pilots sat in tandem, with the instructor in the rear cockpit. [*Open cockpits were favoured for training because novice pilots were encouraged to get a ‘feel’ for their aircraft, and the way the wind was blowing around their head was an important factor in making sure the aircraft was flying in balance – or not]. It was the standard design for the training aircraft of the era. (The contemporary British de Havilland Tiger Moth biplane is very similar, although a bit smaller and less powerful.)
When the war ended thousands of Stearmans came onto the civilian market. Often they were fitted with tanks and nozzles for agricultural ‘crop dusting’ duties. In a roundabout way this led to the Stearman’s most famous appearance in the movies, when Cary Grant is chased by a machinegun toting crop-duster in Alfred Hitchcock’s classic thriller, North by Northwest.
Other pilots bought them to recreate the barnstorming acts of the 1920s and 1930s, a tradition that continues to this day, nearly seventy years after the last Stearman rolled off the production line.
The airplanes that make up the Breitling Wingwalking team are not stock Stearmans, though. There are no controls in the forward cockpit because the wingwalkers need to climb out and up – unimpeded by a control column - onto the upper wing before they can begin their act. (If they travelled from their base to air shows on the top wing they would be exhausted and frozen by the time the display started.) And although the ladies of the team are breathtaking in their elegant athleticism, in aerodynamic terms they are giant air brakes - their bodies create a great deal of ‘drag.’ So the engines are considerably boosted to punch that assembly of wings, wires, struts and ladies through the air.
Standard Stearmans have a 220 horsepower engine. The ‘Super Stearmans’ of the Breitling Wingwalking team are driven by 450 hp radials. That mighty extra power means the pilots don’t need to gain energy for manoeuvres by continually diving, then climbing for altitude in order to dive again. All the energy they need is bolted to the front of the aircraft.
And in order to improve the roll speed of the aircraft an extra pair of ailerons are fitted to the upper biplane wings, slaved to the ones on the lower wings. (‘Aileron’ is a French word that literally means ‘little wing;’ as they move up and down in the airflow they roll the airplane.)
Supercharging performance like this transforms a sedate primary trainer into a dazzling circus performer, ready and willing to thrill air show crowds with electrifying barnstorming displays.
My wife, who taught in the primary grades her whole career, was a natural at getting this group of young gentoo penguins to line up and pay attention. They reminded me of a group of eager young students, ready for the day's lessons. Yes, those are sheep in the background. They are raised on the Falkland Islands. This shot was taken at Volunteer Point.
More shots from our recent trip here. www.flickr.com/photos/12496504@N06/sets/72157633357523368/
I'll be off for a few days, but will try to check in.
Jennifer (WoodSpriteBlythe) taught us about using bleach on our hair! Thanks, Jennifer...now Maggie May's hair is soft!
Find the directions here: www.flickr.com/photos/woodspriteblythe/2195398259/in/set-...
Maggie May is wearing a WoollyRockers sweater, SqueakyMonkey trousers, and Ixtee boots.
She taught me quite a lot in a very short time about studio work.
Taken in Liverpool May 1982.
Cathy, originally from Texas.
I took a Butterfly Photography class sponsored by Desert Botanical Garden and taught by Joanne West. I learned a lot and practiced a lot. I really feel that I had improved significantly by the end of the class.
We had a classroom presentation followed by private hands-on practice in the Butterfly Pavilion.
I believe this is a common Garden Snail. Any correction will be appreciated. I was a couple of seconds slow in getting a good photograph. Looks like I need to stick to Landscape Photography and not try sports or wildlife photography.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornu_aspersum
Cornu aspersum (syn. Helix aspersa, Cryptomphalus aspersus), known by the common name garden snail, is a species of land snail in the family Helicidae, which includes some of the most familiar land snails. Of all terrestrial molluscs, this species may well be the most widely known. It was classified under the name Helix aspersa for over two centuries, but the prevailing classification now places it in the genus Cornu.
I believe this is common Primrose. Any correction will be appreciated.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primula_vulgaris
Primula vulgaris, the common primrose, is a species of flowering plant in the family Primulaceae, native to Eurasia.[2][3] The common name is primrose,[4] or occasionally common primrose or English primrose to distinguish it from other Primula species referred to as primroses.
Desert Botanical Garden has an incredible collection of plants and cacti arranged in a beautiful park setting.
"Think the desert is all dirt and tumbleweeds? Think again. Desert Botanical Garden is home to thousands of species of cactus, trees and flowers from all around the world spread across 55 acres in Phoenix, Arizona."
dbg.org/visit/butterfly-pavilion/
Desert Botanical Garden
DBG Butterfly class
This little bird has taught me that patience pays.:-)I have been trying to catch this restless little thing clearly on my camera for the past few months and recently I was rewarded for my patience and dogged determination.:-)
As usual I do not know the name and hope one of my Flickr friends will supply it.As far as I could see on the Net it is a species of warbler.
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- “Do not touch me…”
Gospel of John, chapter 20, verse 17 (John 20, 17)
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I was with you, Father,
at the moment of creation.
I could not fail to know the elements and master them.
What would it be to
lift the stone of a tomb
compared to your will as Creator?
You taught me how the world is composed
and made me your son,
but I was a participant
in creation.
The followers who followed me
believed in You and in me,
Your son.
They will be happy to see me rise again,
but I will weep
for those still chained
in hell,
and my hands
will silence their strident cries.
Poor souls,
who migrate toward nothingness.
The fear,
God,
of these blind depths,
of these people who have not had
the splendor of your reins.
Because you do not know,
Father,
what it means
to sit at Your right hand
as a king.
A gentle but not cowardly king
who mediates
between your divine wrath
and the lust and unbelief of man.
I,
who am just,
love man
and ask your forgiveness
through this slow agony
that has lasted for centuries
for the world.
Behold, Lord, I give you back my spirit
in the form of a white dove
that will fly toward heaven.
And no other way
have you built peace
than with the groins of a bird
that brings the olive branch to your lips.
Father,
I will rise again,
and I will sit at your right hand.
POEM OF THE CROSS - Alda Merini
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- “Noli me tangere …”
Vangelo di Giovanni, capitolo 20, versetto 17 (Giovanni 20, 17)
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- Ero con te, Padre,
al momento della creazione.
Non potevo non conoscere gli elementi e dominarli.
Cosa vuoi che sia
sollevare la pietra di un sepolcro
in confronto alla tua volontà di Creatore.
Tu mi hai insegnato come è composto il mondo
e mi hai reso figlio,
ma ero partecipe
della creazione.
I seguaci che mi hanno seguito
hanno creduto in Te e in me,
Tuo figlio.
Saranno felici di vedermi risorgere,
ma io piangerò
per quelli che sono ancora incatenati
nell'inferno
e le mie mani
faranno tacere i loro stridori.
Povere anime,
che migrano verso il nulla.
Lo spavento,
Dio,
di queste profondità cieche,
di questa gente che non ha avuto
lo splendore delle tue redini.
Perché tu non sai,
Padre,
cosa vuol dire
sedere alla Tua destra
in veste di re.
Un re mite ma non codardo
che fa da intermediario
tra la tua collera divina
e la lussuria e la miscredenza dell'uomo.
Io,
che sono giusto,
amo l'uomo
e ti chiedo perdono
attraverso questa lenta agonia
che dura da secoli
per il mondo.
Ecco, Signore, io ti rendo il mio spirito
in forma di bianca colomba
che volerà verso il cielo.
E non altrimenti
Tu hai costruito la pace
se non con gli inguini di un uccello
che porta l'ulivo alle tue labbra.
Padre,
io risorgerò,
e siederò alla Tua destra.
POEMA DELLA CROCE - Alda Merini
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clicca sulla piccola icona per attivare lo slideshow: sulla facciata principale del photostream, in alto a destra c'è un piccolo rettangolo (rappresenta il monitor) con dentro un piccolo triangolo nero;
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www.worldphoto.org/sony-world-photography-awards/winners-...
www.fotografidigitali.it/gallery/2726/opere-italiane-segn...
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This photographic story, with text, which I propose as my last work for Flickr in 2025 (2026 is now just a few minutes away), tells of the procession of the Holy Crucifix of Aracoeli, which took place in March of this year 2025 in the town of San Marco d'Alunzio (in the province of Messina). The procession normally begins on the morning of the last Friday of March each year, but there is an exception to this rule: when it coincides with Good Friday, then the procession is brought forward to the previous Friday. The procession of the Holy Crucifix of Aracoeli is an ancient penitential rite. On the feast day of the Crucifix, Holy Mass is celebrated in the Church of Aracoeli in San Marco d'Alunzio. On this occasion, the Holy Crucifix is celebrated. Crucifix (which is located in the church at the end of the right nave, at its feet is the painting of the Virgin of Sorrows pierced by seven swords), Christ on the Cross is removed by the devotees from the hook on which it is hanging, is carried outside the church, here it is raised and fixed on the float, the sermon of the priest who has climbed onto the float next to the Crucifix takes over, under the Cross is fixed the painting of His Sorrowful Mother, then they are carried in procession by the men (and women) in blue hoods called "babbaluti", they proceed invoking the pity and mercy of the Lord with a constant and rhythmic lament, saying "Signuri, Misericordia, Pietà!"; this is the norm, but this year the bad weather has brought some changes, the float on which they hoisted the SS. The crucifix with the kneeling babbaluti was not located in the churchyard, but inside the church. Christ was covered with a large sheet of cellophane to protect it from the rain, while the painting of the Madonna with swords in her heart was placed at her Son's feet only after the procession returned to the church. San Marco d'Alunzio is a charming town in the Messina area, located in the Nebrodi Mountains of Sicily. The procession takes place in honor of the Holy Crucifix of Araceli. This religious-penitential event is also known as the "procession of the babbaluti." These are those who, by vow or grace received, have chosen to carry the fercolo containing the crucifix and the painting on their shoulders in procession. they head to the nearby Church of Santa Maria dei Poveri or to some private home nearby where, sheltered from the curiosity of the faithful, they wear a simple but characteristic indigo-colored cloth habit, consisting of a tunic and a conical hood that covers the entire body and leaves only the eyes and hands free. It is not uncommon, however, for the penitents, rendered anonymous by the habit they wear, to also include women, who, to avoid any possibility of recognition, wear a pair of gloves; The babbaluti are 33 in number to commemorate the 33 years of Christ. The number is odd, in fact the 33rd babbaluto does not carry the vara. He (should be the “capo vara”) proceeds backwards, looking towards Christ and his Mother, and at the same time checks that everything is in order among the babbaluti, guiding the vara along the path, even if it is moving backwards (this is a way of proceeding in carrying the vara or fercolo, present in various Sicilian religious processions). So, the 32 (+1) "babbaluti" carry on their shoulders the float that bears the Holy Crucifix of the Araceli church (the statue of Christ was created by Scipione Li Volsi, in the year 1652, he was a sculptor and plasterer of the Sicilian Baroque), at whose feet, on the float, is tied the painting of Our Lady of Sorrows, whose chest appears pierced by seven swords (it is an 18th century painting), however, as already described, this year the painting, to protect it from the rain, was placed on the float only upon the return of the procession to the church. Before the procession begins, the babbaluti advance barefoot, wearing only heavy, hand-knitted stockings of raw wool. Before entering the church, they must walk a path of purification. When they approach the ancient church of Araceli, they bow and kiss the ground, thus receiving permission to enter the church. This, however, occurs through a side door, called the "false door" (in Sicilian dialect, "porta fausa"). Having entered the church from the side, they now exit through the main entrance, allowing them to take their places, kneeling in front and behind the float. To enter the "porta fausa," the babbaluti proceed in pairs, with the last babbaluti, the eldest, proceeding alone. After the priest's long-awaited speech, the procession can begin, winding through the streets of the picturesque and welcoming village of San Marco d'Alunzio. Along the way, the Babbaluti pace their steps, accompanying the mournful and plaintive jugular vein that invokes the Lord. Devout men and women walk alongside the Babbaluti, walking alongside the float, touching it, sometimes caressing it... just to have physical (and spiritual) contact with it. Finally, after completing a specific route, the procession returns to the ancient church (of Norman origins) of Aracoeli. Every time I attend this touching event, I am completely overwhelmed by emotion (which, however, I cannot abandon, lest I lose concentration while taking photos). The highlight is when the crucified Christ is removed from the hook fixed to the wall by expert men, and then carried (it seems to float) above the heads of the devotees, supported aloft with their hands, and hoisted and secured to the float. In these moments of intense emotion, it is common to see in the eyes of the devotees, shining with tears, that profound emotion of their relationship with this Christ, which has lasted forever: it is as if they were in the presence of the true Christ, in flesh and blood. This is the atmosphere experienced in those moments, this is the magic of the procession of the Most Holy Crucifix and His Mother, represented by the painting of Our Lady of Sorrows pierced by seven swords (an iconography of Spanish origin).
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Il presente racconto fotografico, con testo, che propongo come ultimo mio lavoro per Flickr dell’anno 2025 (oramai mancano pochi minuti al 2026) parla della processione del Santissimo Crocifisso di Aracoeli che si è tenuto nel marzo di quest’anno 2025 nel paese di San Marco d’Alunzio (in provincia di Messina). La processione normalmente inizia la mattina dell’ultimo venerdì del mese di marzo di ogni anno, c’è però una eccezione a questa regola, quando si realizza la coincidenza col Venerdì Santo, allora la processione viene anticipata al venerdì precedente. Quella del SS.Crocifisso di Aracoeli è un antico rito penitenziale, il giorno della festa del Crocifisso, a San Marco d'Alunzio si celebra la S. Messa nella Chiesa dell'Aracoeli, in questa occasione il SS. Crocifisso (che si trova nella chiesa in fondo alla navata di destra, ai suoi piedi è posto il quadro della Vergine Addolorata trafitta da sette spade), il Cristo sulla Croce viene tolto dai devoti dal gancio sul quale è appeso, viene portato all’esterno della chiesa, qui viene innalzato e fissato sulla vara, subentra il sermone del sacerdote salito sulla vara accanto al Crocifisso, sotto alla Croce viene fissato il quadro di sua Madre Addolorata, quindi vengono portati in processione dagli uomini (e donne) incappucciati di colore blu detti “babbaluti”, essi procedono invocando la pietà e la misericordia del Signore con un costante e ritmato lamento, dicendo “Signuri, Misericordia, Pietà!”; questa è la norma, ma quest’anno il cattivo tempo ha portato qualche cambiamento, la vara sulla quale hanno issato il SS. Crocifisso con i babbaluti messi in ginocchio, non si trovava sul sagrato davanti la chiesa, ma era dentro la chiesa, il Cristo veniva ricoperto con un ampio foglio di cellophane per proteggerlo dalla pioggia, mentre il quadro della Madonna con le spade nel cuore, è stato messo ai piedi di Suo Figlio solo al rientro della processione nella chiesa. San Marco d’Alunzio è un ameno paese del territorio Messinese, sito sui monti Nebrodi, in Sicilia; la processione si svolge proprio in onore del Santissimo Crocifisso di Araceli, è questa una ricorrenza religioso-penitenziale conosciuta anche come "processione dei babbaluti", essi sono coloro che per voto o per grazia ricevuta, hanno deciso di portare in processione sulle loro spalle il fercolo con il Crocifisso ed il quadro; essi si dirigono nella vicina Chiesa di Santa Maria dei Poveri o in qualche abitazione privata lì vicino dove, al riparo dalla curiosità dei fedeli, indossano un semplice ma caratteristico saio di tela di colore indaco, costituito da una tunica e un cappuccio di forma conica tale da coprire l'intero corpo e lasciare liberi solo gli occhi e le mani, non è raro purtuttavia che tra i penitenti, resi anonimi dal saio che indossano, vi siano anche delle donne, le quali per evitare qualsiasi possibilità di riconoscimento, indossano un paio di guanti; i babbaluti sono in numero di 33 per rievocare i 33 anni di Cristo, il numero è dispari, infatti il 33° babbaluto non porta la vara, egli (dovrebbe essere il “capo vara”) procede all’indietro, rivolgendo lo sguardo al Cristo ed a sua Madre, e nel contempo controlla che tutto sia in ordine tra i babbaluti, guidando la vara lungo il percorso, anche se il suo andamento è a ritroso, (questo è un modo di procedere nel portare la vara o fercolo, presente in diverse processioni religiose siciliane). Quindi, i 32 (+1) "babbaluti" portano sulle loro spalle la vara che reca il Santo Crocifisso della chiesa dell’Araceli (la statua del Cristo è stata creata da Scipione Li Volsi, nell'anno 1652, egli fu uno scultore e stuccatore del barocco SIciliano), ai cui piedi, sulla vara, viene legato il quadro della Madonna Addolorata, il cui petto appare trafitto da sette spade ( è un dipinto del XVIII secolo), purtuttavia come già descritto, quest’anno il quadro, per proteggerlo dalla pioggia, è stato messo sulla vara solo al rientro della processione in chiesa. I babbaluti prima dell'inizio della processione avanzano a piedi scalzi indossando solo delle pesanti calze di lana grezza realizzate a mano, devono percorrere, prima di entrare in chiesa, un cammino di purificazione: quando essi giungono in prossimità dell'antica chiesa dell'Araceli, essi si chinano e baciano in terra, ricevendo in tal modo il permesso per poter accedere dentro la chiesa, questo però avviene da una porta laterale, chiamata "falsa porta" (In dialetto siciliano “porta fausa”), una volta entrati in chiesa lateralmente, ora fuoriescono dall'ingresso principale, potendo così prendere posto, inginocchiandosi sul davanti ed alle spalle, della vara; i babbaluti per accedere alla “porta fausa” procedono in coppia, l’ultimo babbaluto procede da solo, lui è il più anziano tra i babbaluti; seguirà l'atteso discorso del sacerdote, terminato, potrà iniziare la processione che si svolge per le vie del pittoresco ed accogliente paese di San Marco d'Alunzio. Lungo il percorso i Babbaluti cadenzano la propria andatura accompagnandosi alla mesta e lamentosa giugulatoria che invoca il Signore . Ci sono uomini e donne devoti che procedono assieme ai babbaluti camminando a lato della vara, toccandola, ora accarezzandola...pur di avere un contatto fisico (e di rimando spirituale) con essa. Infine, dopo aver compiuto un preciso percorso, la processione fa rientro nell'antica chiesa (di origini Normanne) dell'Aracoeli. Ogniqualvolta sono presente a questa toccante ricorrenza sono completamente inondato da emozioni (alle quali però non posso abbandonarmi, perderei la concentrazione nel realizzare le foto), il momento clou è quando il Cristo Crocifisso viene tolto dal gancio fissato sul muro da uomini esperti, per poi essere portato (sembra galleggiare) sopra la testa dei devoti, sostenuto in alto con le mani, ed essere issato e fissato sulla vara; in questi momenti di intensa emozione è comune vedere negli occhi dei devoti, lucidi di lacrime, quella emozione profonda del loro rapporto con questo Cristo, che dura da sempre: è come se si trovassero al cospetto del Cristo vero, in carne ed ossa, questa è l’atmosfera che si vive in quei momenti, questa è la magia della processione del SS. Crocifisso e di Sua Madre, rappresentata dal quadro dell’Addolorata trafitta da sette spade (iconografia di origine spagnola).
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I taught a class on commercial photography where we used my 2021 Ford Bronco as the subject matter. I showed the class how to "use what you have" in a creative way to deliver deliverable material to a client. In this case we faked an off-roading scene in a parking lot with a wooded lot adjacent to it.
©2022 Jamie A. MacDonald
Bella's older brother taught her to play guitar in the courtyard of her grandparent's house. She often sits idly strumming when she's thinking about things.
Realized I'd never shared any photos from my trip to Spain back in April. I took Bella with me because her character is from Spain (mostly) so I was excited to get some photos of her there. :)
Bella already had a guitar, but the tuning pegs are broken and I haven't managed to fix them yet, so when I saw this one in a shop window in Segovia I just had to pick it up. :) Now she has a proper Spanish guitar. ;)
If there is one thing that photography has taught me about life that would be patience. When it comes to photography we often find ourselves waiting for that perfect moment. Depending on the type of photography this waiting can range from secs to hours but the key thing to remember is to stick with the plan. So often when I first started photography I would become impatient, abandon my shot or idea only to have it work out secs after I moved.
When I arrived at Cape Spear I had an idea in mind to photography the lighthouse at a new perspective I discovered weeks before. When I pulled into the parking lot I was very surprised....See I had done my research, checked the weather and it said that hurricane Kate was well off shore, so I assumed there might be a great chance at some interesting clouds...boy was I in for a surprise...Snow Squalls... I couldn't even see the lighthouse when I arrived. So naturally my brain began its routine.."Come on Brad lets go this is pointless".."Its not going to clear your wasting your time",,blah blah blah. So fighting the voice in my head I sipped on my fav hot beverage..Tim Hortons Tea and waited..6:30am arrived and only 15mins before the sun was about to rise...then..in the distance over the ocean a hint of open skies as the wind picked up....it was a glimmer of hope and time to get setup.
Once I was at my spot I set everything up and waited some more..taking off the cap of my lens would be a nightmare at this point since it would be covered in wet snow..so I waited..finally a moment with no snow...I dialled in my focus and began shooting as the snow squalls passed in the far distance over the ocean and for a brief moment the clouds opened just enough to light up the side of the lighthouse.
So next time you are in a situation and your mind is fighting you to stick with your plan...just reminder yourself of all the hard work you put in researching your shot and that some good will come out of it. Of course this doesn't always happen but I think its worth hanging around to find out because you just might be surprised in the end.
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She taught them young...
Olympus Trip 35 + Fuji Superia 400, developed using the FPP C41 kit. I need to use the Trip 35 more often, it's so quick to use and the selenium meter is still accurate!
dear Fairy God aunties & uncles,
sweet baby solstice will be flying any day now! maybe today :)) later note: SHE DID FLY TODAY!!!
here she is practicing :) ~ as her wonderful mama teaches her from the bough above *
when you walk to the edge of all the light you have
and you take the first step into the darkness of the unknown
you must believe that one of the two things will happen..
there will be something solid for you to stand upon
or you will be taught to fly!
~ patrick overton
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