Posts Tagged ‘Photography’
still blooming
Posted in Inspiration, tagged african violet, blossoms, flowers, Inspiration, Photography on January 13, 2014| 4 Comments »
views through old glass, or the beauty of bending light
Posted in Branches, Inspiration, Nature Notes, tagged abstract, beauty, colors, glass, Inspiration, light, nature, perspective, Photography, refraction on January 12, 2014| 8 Comments »
It was a bit like finding the rainbow in the ice last week. I was walking past a sunlit window and turned my head at just the right moment to see something there, that would only be there for a moment. This morning I was walking past a sunlit window in a different room and turned my head at just the right moment to notice not ephemeral ice but ripples and waves in the old glass. At certain angles, the ripples distorted my view in wonderful ways. I’ve posted about the views through this window before (like here).
Branches and old vines. A dead tree with falling bark. A metal fence and crumbling stone wall. That’s really all that’s captured in any of the photos.
I think the photos have always been taken through the two panes of old glass. It’s just that the angle of the winter sun was different today, and my perspective was different today.
We’ll see what tomorrow holds in terms of light, perspective and all those other variables that influence a picture.
the boston public library courtyard
Posted in Inspiration, tagged Boston Public Library, courtyard, Inspiration, Photography on January 11, 2014| 3 Comments »
just a bit more ice
Posted in Inspiration, tagged abstract, ice, Inspiration, nature, patterns, Photography, textures, water on January 10, 2014| 5 Comments »
life in words and images
Posted in Inspiration, tagged family, Inspiration, life, personal essay, personal essays, Photography, portraits, prose, storytelling on January 9, 2014| 3 Comments »
Yesterday, in a coffee-stained manilla folder, I found an old personal essay. I almost posted it on this blog but I remained indecisive about the imagery with which to pair the words. Embedded in the text was a reference to red dust and that was the image I most wanted — little pyramids of red — but the dust in the story is red Virginia clay not dark Massachusetts soil. I tried photographing mounds of smoky paprika but the imagery just didn’t work. 
I then tried photographing blue sea glass. In the text there are many references to that color. There is even a blue glass in the essay but it is a drinking glass and has nothing to do with the sea. So, no.
The essay is about family and that universal topic of death and the revelations made soon after and then long after the passing of loved ones. I considered uploading this portrait of Steve. He is part of my family now. Maybe I could make him a bridge between past and present? In the end, I decide that wouldn’t work either. He is not mentioned in the essay at all as it currently exists. The key subjects of the text, my parents, passed away before meeting him. He often tells me that he wishes that fact were not so.
As the day grew long, I began to wonder about the appropriateness of posting the text at all with or without complementary images. An unfinished essay, without direction, perhaps something written years ago just to help me let go? Not a sad piece, just reflective, but would anyone want to read such stuff? I kept staring at the words. Not every passage worked but some did seem like diamonds in the rough. Maybe. In the end I decided to post the ice picture, little B-612 (by the way no ice on the windows today), and to commit to continue working on the essay. I will keep it out in the light and we’ll see what emerges this year.
B-612
Posted in Inspiration, tagged abstract, ice, Inspiration, nature, Photography, the Little Prince on January 8, 2014| 10 Comments »
Steve says this ice image reminds him of the Little Prince on his asteroid B-612 traveling the universe. What do you see? 😉
more ice on the windows
Posted in Inspiration, Nature Notes, tagged beauty, ice, Inspiration, nature, Photography, water, winter on January 7, 2014| 7 Comments »
Clearly, I don’t live in the most insulated house in the world.
But if I did, I don’t know how I would experience this beauty to be found on windows first thing in the morning.
Of course, as I write these words, I am reminded of folks who say that I tend to find the bright side of any situation.
But I wasn’t trying to come to terms with the cold this morning as I wandered from window to window. I reflected on the fact that different windows had different displays of ice from individual crystals to long glittering strands to sheets of ice thinly covering whole window panes.
The most surprising find of the morning was the rainbow. I stood next to an especially patterned window just as the light shifted or I shifted or whatever … all I know is I saw a rainbow and it was lovely. 😉
the beauty of time
Posted in Inspiration, Nature Notes, tagged african violet, artificial light, flowers, Inspiration, nature, Photography, plants on January 6, 2014| 6 Comments »
I have been photographing this African Violet since at least 2010. This past year, the plant grew spectacularly well. Mostly because I tucked it into a corner and let it be. Now at the start of this first full week of 2014, I photograph the plant again. It is an overcast day which is all the inspiration needed to pull out flashlights and let the artificial light play upon iridescent petals and leaves.
indoor snow
Posted in Inspiration, Nature Notes, tagged Inspiration, light, nature, Photography, snow, winter on January 3, 2014| 6 Comments »
Just a few images from around the house this morning.
As soon as I pull together all of the various layers — and there will be many — out into the snow I will go.
a beautiful blue beginning to the new year
Posted in Branches, Inspiration, Music, Nature Notes, tagged art, azul, cello, Inspiration, music, New York Philharmonic, Osvaldo Golijov, Photography, Yo Yo Ma on January 2, 2014| 1 Comment »
On New Year’s Eve, I chanced upon the PBS broadcast of Yo Yo Ma performing Azul with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. I felt frozen listening to the musicians and enraptured by the passion on Yo Yo Ma’s face. Later I learned in this program note of composer Osvaldo Golijov’s desire in developing this recently commissioned work for cello and orchestra to “recapture for the present that ability of the late Baroque composers to suspend time without stopping motion in their music …” A complicated piece to say the least. Time felt suspended for me on occasion. When you have a chance, give a listen and see what you experience. This link will take you to an actual video of the New York Philharmonic performance (Azul can be accessed at 14:33) or you can listen via the following Youtube video.
Words + Images 