Why Do You Photograph Certain Shots?

What is it about a subject or object that causes you to take out your camera capturing that moment for eternity?  Is it the way the light reflects off an object that captivates you?  Perhaps it is the pale hues in the evening sky that draw your attention.  Maybe you notice a unique looking flower or insect that will make an excellent subject for a macro photography capture.  Whatever it is that causes you to take out your camera, is something you feel has untapped potential to become a magnificent moment.

I enjoy capturing the rainbow colored sky as the sun sets.

You need to photograph things that appeal to you, keeping your eyes alert for brief moments of unique beauty.  Nature is constantly presenting perfect opportunities to capture breathtaking beauty.

An amazing display of beauty and color from the sun and light.

When searching for photography opportunities in nature, sometimes you have to alter your perspective to achieve the perfect shot.  Immerse yourself among the grass to find hidden treasures.

Gorgeous mushrooms in a circular shape dwell among blades of grass.

Vibrant colored flowers attract the attention of bees!

Sometimes we take a photograph simply because we are amazed by the simple elegance of nature.  We want to have the picture to savor that exact moment in time, allowing that memory of a place to stay forever pure and uneffected in our minds.  Those are my favorite types of captures!

The natural beauty found in a park!

Colors only Mother Nature could infuse with this degree of vibrancy!

Yellow = Happiness

Sunny colored flowers soak up sun

The color yellow always seems to brighten up a dreary day just by the sight of the sunny hue.  Yellow adds a lightness, a sense of positivity, when one feels down.  How can a color possibly improve your mood?  I challenge you to look at a photo of a field of sunflowers and not relax at the sight.  Yellow encourages our brains to produce feel good endorphins which flood our bodies giving the sensation of happiness if only for a short time.

Cheerful pompom shaped flowers capture the eye

Perhaps the correlation between the color yellow and the brilliant sunshine have something to do with the happiness we feel upon spying objects colored completely in yellow.  Sunny days bring the opportunity to venture outdoors, enjoying activities only able to be performed outside.  When we see the bright sun shining high in the sky, we know we can venture outdoors to the limitless horizon.  We feel free and unhindered by the shackles of daily life.  So therefore the connection between the radiant sun and our sense of freedom goes hand and hand with one another.

Golden yellow sunshine glows from the sun's core

The hue of yellow brings to mind smilely faces, and bright moments in life.  Yellow is a shade that should be celebrated! I have included a poem about the positive aspects of the color that I chose to include here.

YELLOW IS MY MOOD

Happiness fills my heart with joy

dark clouds scatter away

sapphire sky shines brilliantly

sun appears to light the day

Opening the door to blinding light

cast from beams above

cautiously venturing out of doors

pursuing activities I love 

Light winds slightly bend flower heads

as if clamoring for attention

I construct a garland of dandelions

curling stems with intense definition

Sitting amongst yellow blossoms

helps improve my attitude

sunny flowers born from Earth are why

yellow is my favorite mood.

Nature's Brief Beauty

Nature offers us breathtaking moments of beauty that are fleeting yet leave an indelible impression on our minds.  Have you ever admired the elegance emitted from paper thin petals soaking by sunset's receeding light?  The "veins" within the individual petals are enhanced by the brillance of sun's final rays.  The warm glow of the remaining beams of light illuminate the pastel petals producing an eye-catching show of elegance!

Take time to watch the sunset each evening to really marvel at nature's magnificence.  Admire the subtle and sometimes not too subtle colors that emerge in the sky during sunset.  Enjoy watching the sky's sapphire hue slowly deepen and grow rich with multiple shades that form a kaleidoscope of colors within a matter of moments before your eyes!  Watch in sheer amazement as the rays of the sun turn from a golden glow to encompass all the shades of the rainbow in the splayed trajectories as the sun sinks towards the horizon.  See billowing clouds of white become kissed with color and darken to encompass the sultry shades of evening.

Each night without fail, nature creates a magnificent show of beauty for us.  Often we are too busy to enjoy this stunning show, yet nature continually pulls out all the stops to attempt to captivate and astound us.  The colors at nature's disposal can't be reproduced through photos or paintings.  The hues available in nature are meant to be experienced and absorbed on a personal level.  Despite our inabilities to pay attention to the gorgeous, and momentary sparks of beauty surrounding us regularly, nature continues to persist in its day to day shows of extravegant elegance.  Attracting our attention through new color combinations and producing unique and exquisite flowers to stop us in our tracks.  Nature refuses to be ignored! We should stop a moment to take in the majestic sites and shades surrounding us daily.  Nature is continually evolving and we do not want to miss a second of the natural elegance that colors our world!

Life Isn't Black & White But Photos Are!

"Not everything is black or white".  You may have heard this phrase repeatedly throughout your lifetime.  Basically it was used to point out that there isn't always a definitive solution to every situation in life.  However in photography the incorporation of black and white photography produces additional details not initially seen by the eye.  I feel black and white photography is an effective tool to enhance shadows, highlight outlines in patterns, and bring to light elements of a scene or aspects of an object that may be overlooked. 

I present for example the first photo of benches lining the boardwalk.  The use of black and white photography allows the lines in the grain of the wood in the boardwalk to become intensified.  It captures the shadowy outlines cast by the benches, as well as shadows of objects not visible in the capture, thus adding to the viewer's visual experience.  The capture of shadows of unseen elements allows the viewer to envision the scene for themselves, creating pictures of what the additional objects must look like.  In a way black and white photography is the "imagination filter of photography". Writers use the words on a page to form a vision of the scene for the reader through descriptive imagery.  Photographers using black and white images do the same through reflections and shadows. 
The viewer must imagine the colors possible in a black and white capture.  In this way writers and photographers using black and white film captures are similar. 

A boardwalk gets enhanced in black and white

Linear lines in flower petals get enhanced

Black and white photography also ready brings out all the fine linear lines in a flower's petal creating an intense initial impact.  The delicate beauty of the shape, natural lines, and intricate details of flowers become clear and stand out as a result of using black and white photography.  The overall final effect is very dramatic and creates an artistic look for flower captures that wows your viewers.

Delicate petal outlines are highlighted

The sheer beauty created through the use of black and white photography is lovely to view.  The added bonus of the enhanced shadowy effects and artistic nature of these types of photos make the use of black and white photography something to consider when trying to evoke the viewer's imagination!

Why I Keep Going Back to Google +

  

   With so many options available through social media, one might wonder why i consistently frequent Google+ over the other available social media platforms.  The answer is simple - no fake fronts and genuinely honest, caring individuals who aren't just out to further themselves.  Sure not every individual I add to my circles is this way,  but a majority of this social media platform is comprised of friendly, positive individuals who are looking to connect with other like-minded individuals. 
     You may be asking, "Isn't that what all social media sites are like?"
      Sadly the response is no. While many sites begin with the purest of intentions at their conception, something happens along the way to sidetrack them from seeing this vision through to fruitition.
      The creation of intimate communities created for specific topics allow Google+ (or G+) members to connect with other individuals that share their interests.
      Regular circle shares between members allow individuals to share their posted content with a broader audience, resulting in more content exposure. 
     The key to creating lasting friendships among G+ members is to dive in with both hands.  You need to be active on G+ by plussing posts by other members, providing feedback, and adding content of your own.  This is especially essential when you first join G+.  As you continue to make your way through the "Googlesphere" you will start to find your niche.  People from all over the world use G+, and before you realize it you will have found a large group of like-minded individuals whose personalities mirror your own!  Some wonderful, caring friendships have been created between individuals who may never meet, yet they check in daily with one another to just say hi and show they care.
     I'm not saying that G+ is flawless in its creation, no social media platform is, but it does allow people with similar interest and idealologies to intermingle in one place and is always evolving in attempts to further enhance the user's experience. 
     A circle of friends spanning the globe is what G+ creates.  Friendships, networking, caring individuals? Sign me up for Google+!

How Friends are Similar to a Bouquet of Flowers

 

 

A beautiful bouquet of flowers is a magnificent gift to receive as it contains a gorgeous medley of intertwined fragrances emitted from the beautifully chosen flowers carefully picked and arranged to create an eye-catching display of complimentary colors!  The various sizes and shapes of the lovely blooms enhance the allure of the bouquet attracting individuals to it and causing them to admire the beauty resulting from this eclectic gathering which somehow creates a magnificent masterpiece of natural beauty when completed.

 

 

How we choose those individuals that become our close friends and confidantes is very similar in the way each flower is carefully chosen to complete an amazing arrangement.  Each person we meet has their own unique aspects that make them beautiful and allow them to stand out from the crowd.  Like flowers, human beings are shaped differently, come in a plethora of hues, and yet when joined together combine to form a beautiful circle of friendship despite their differences.  Much like flowers, we as individuals possess characteristics that mesh beautifully when combined with the right elements found in others. 

 

 



 

The rose for example is regal and resplendent is beauty.  This flower stands out first and foremost when most people view a bouquet.  Likewise each compilation of friends has someone with the ability to light up a room as they enter, causing all eyes to focus on them. This person is usually seen as a leader, someone who includes everyone in their altruistic acts of kindness.  Other individuals are immediately drawn to this person much like  they are drawn to the beauty of a vibrant rose.

 

 



 

Then there are those friends in your circle that are always looking on the positive side of life.  They spread cheer and happiness in their wake.  Everyone gravitates towards these types of individuals because they are like bottled sunshine!  These individuals emulate the cheerful daisies or sunflowers found in a bouquet of flowers.  They exist to bring happiness and hope to others, and their smiling countenance is infectious!

 



 



The exotic, vibrant colors of lilies elicits admiration from viewers, yet these flowers tend to curl their petals as if shying away from the limelight.  Each group of friends includes members that need to be coaxed from their shells in order to be shown their full potential.  These beautiful individuals don't realize how gorgeous they are or flaunt their accomplishments, they prefer to applaud the successes of others around them which makes them inadvertently even more amazing in their friends' eyes. 

 



 



 



There is the unassuming filler flowers that are used to add volume and dimension to the bouquet to round it out and add small bursts of color where needed.  These filler flowers are just as important to the bouquet as the mighty rose. In the circle of close knit friends these are the individuals who are always ready to help out when called upon and never turn a friend in need away.  Their role in the friendship circle is paramount in keeping the peace among the various personalities.  They are intrinsically important as the glue that hold the circle together.  Without them there would be no cohesiveness. 

 

So think of your circle of friends are a beautiful blooming bouquet next time you get together with your friends.  See if you can identify which type of flower each unique personality represents!  Remember, we each have a wealthy of talents to share with one another and that when all of these unique characteristics are combined, we form one magnificent bouquet of friends!

 



 





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