“If you wish to fly, you must let go of the things that weigh you down.” ~Toni Morrison
While traveling to San Antonio this week, I wanted to let down and relax but didn’t feel I could because I still had this blog to write. The topic would be based on Toni Morrison’s quote above: letting go, lightening up the load, and enjoying life a little more.
As I drove down the highway with my mind occupied with thought, it occurred to me that I was in the center of precisely the topic of this blog post. Unfortunately, I myself had wrapped myself up in things that were weighing me down instead of letting go and enjoying a bit of free time.
So today I’m going heed Toni Morrison’s quote above; let go, enjoy this time away, and let whatever I do today be enough.
Try it. It’s freeing!
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“Simplicity reveals the pure beauty of life.” ~Debasish Mridha
There’s a horse farm near my home in Colorado where they breed and raise prize foals. Every spring I get to experience the refreshing thrill of watching them grow. Willowy, awkward and unbalanced, they cling to their mothers for a short time, then as the newborns begin to gain confidence, they can be seen kicking up their heals and dancing through the fields.
The simplicity of these little creatures gives me pure pleasure.
Join me today as we lose ourselves in a magical 90 second photoshoot with these heart-warming foals. ↓
Springtime Foals Video
Note: If you get the opportunity to see young foals with their mothers, quietly enjoy and photograph them using binoculars or a long lense. Observe them from a distance. Don’t get so close that it scares or disturbs the mare.
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“If we could see the miracle of a single flower clearly our whole life would change.”– Buddha
Suzette asked if I could share a few photography tips with you. My floral photography is done in natural light around my home, or outdoor locations and not in a formal studio, so I decided to tell you about some everyday items that I’ve used in my endeavors. I hope you find them helpful!
A Wooden Clothes Pin with Spring
Yes! You can still purchase these gems! These can come in handy in any location. When I am “out in the field” at a public garden or park these are useful to gently hold an unwanted leaf or branch out of the frame. Using the clip with care will not harm the plant and saves post processing time later. Packs of 50 are still available for a few dollars from stores like Target, Walmart, or Amazon.
Removable Scotch Tape
I use tape to attach a small floral stem to a window when I want a little back light through the petals, but don’t desire as much as I would get from my light pad. Just fasten a small piece of tape over the stem onto the window. I place it high enough to hold the blossom up against the glass, but low enough to not be in my frame. The removable “gift wrap” tape comes right off the window.
Back light from white board vs. window
Tape to a window for soft back light through the pedals.
“Sweetness and Light” at a window on a rainy day.
Water
I always keep the flowers I’m photographing indoors in water. Even an inch or so will help them stay fresh during their session. I do have some of my mother’s floral frogs to use in vases or bowls. (Just Google for sources.) But, if you don’t, tape can be used to hold a single stem upright in a small vase. A single stem tends to fall to the edge of the vase and using the tape across the top of the vase opening will help the flower stand where I want it. If you are photographing multiple stems but want them separated, you can make a tape grid across the top to hold them in place.
Refrigerator
Putting your flowers in the refrigerator at night will help them last longer. It is the same reason florists have coolers in their shops! Just don’t wait too long to get that camera out!
Aluminum Foil
In spite of having several reflectors of differing sizes to use, I have been known to put a piece of aluminum foil to use in my process. It is very portable and flexible and does a bang up job reflecting light! It has, upon a few occasions, been tucked into the neck of my t-shirt like a bib. When I have taped a stem to the deck door at standing height, the foil is a quick use reflector for some fill light. It has also come in handy when using my antique wooden plant stand by a window. A piece can be bent to make just the angle I need for a bit of light.
Foam Core Boards
Not only do I use these as reflectors, but I have also made some small backdrops from poster size boards. Fabric with texture (linen, burlap, etc.) or with a print design can be attached to a board easily for a portable backdrop. I used spray adhesive to apply the fabric and then put duct tape around the edges to keep the fabric from fraying with handling. A photographic print from any type of texture you wish (grass, bark, stone) could be used this way as a backdrop, too! Having a portable piece of foam core (cardboard or plexiglass) with you when photographing outside can also be helpful in blocking wind.
Find the Light
As I mentioned above, I do not have a studio for my work. But I do have several favorite places in my home that I can count on for light at various times of the day: my north facing patio doors; my southern window in a corner of my dining room; my stairs; and, on a mantle by an east window in the morning. If you have a beautiful flower in hand (and, yes, it might be from the grocery store) look for the light that’s available.
Powder Room Posies
Recently, when visiting my daughter out of state I found some lovely little bouquets at the local farmer’s market. The best light available – the powder room! I didn’t hesitate!
Broken Blossom?
Single blossom in water
A single blossom separated from the stem doesn’t have to be wasted. Float that baby in a pretty glass bowl and see what you can create!
Remember…
Flowers are sunshine, food and medicine for the soul.~Luther Burbank
I hope you’ve enjoyed these tidbits from my friend and Master Photographer, Peggy Steinberg. Check out more of her incredible images in her online galleries: Website, Instagram, and Facebook.
“Purple Beauties” – Peggy Steinberg
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Doing nothing can sometimes be the most effective form of action. — Kevin Kwan
I love the term ‘Wu-Wei’. Although it translates as ‘no trying’ or ‘no doing’, Wu-Wei is not effortless. It’s, in fact, just the opposite. The enlightened state of Wu-Wei requires tremendous energy to stay focused and alert yet relaxed. Wu-Wei is Instinctive, reflexive, and instantaneous.
“Although Wu-Wei means ‘no trying’, it’s not at all about dull inaction. In fact, it refers to the dynamic, effortless, and unselfconscious state of mind of a person who is optimally active and effective. People in Wu-Wei feel as if they are doing nothing, while at the same time they might be creating a brilliant work of art.”
These effortless, instinctive, and reflexive qualities are inherent in great photographers – seeing clearly and responding appropriately.
In a post a couple of weeks ago, we introduced you to a few exercises to enhance sensory and perception.
Here’s one more exercise: Several times this week, get out with your camera and look for interesting things around you. The subject doesn’t matter. Roam about and shoot in a relaxed frame of mind, but with purpose. Get in the flow, be spontaneous, try not to try. Don’t worry about the outcome of your photos, but I think you’ll be surprised at what sort of magic can happen when you’re in the perfect balance between fully aware and completely at ease.
Listening to your heart, finding out who you are is not simple. it takes time for the chatter to quiet down. in the silence of “not doing” we begin to know what we feel. if you listen and hear what is being offered, then anything in life can be your guide.
be still. watch. listen.
~unknown~
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I only went out for a walk, and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in.
~John Muir
Did you know that John Muir lost his sight for a segment of his life? His right eye was punctured and the left eye sank into “sympathetic” blindness after a factory accident. He described it as the ‘darkest time of his life’.
One of his friends wrote an encouraging letter to him during that dark time saying: “God gave you ‘the eye within the eye, to see the realized ideas of His mind .“
I think we’ve all experienced a segment of time like this – we may not have lost our sight physically, but we’ve experienced darkness. It’s then that we need to move inward to our ‘Eye within the eye.’
Join me for a walk today. Move inward and merge with the pleasure of nature…
This is an excerpt from our book “The Art of Being Alive“, a photographic journey of inner reflection.
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“Photography has everything to do with the way you see.” Elliott Erwitt
Let’s expand on Ansel Adam’s concept of ‘putting yourself into your photography.’
It’s all about observing your surroundings. By observing, you become part of where you are. You not only see more -you hear more, and feel more, because you’re in the present moment and aware.
Last post we went on a live photoshoot – ‘Sunrise with the Pelicans’, and I hope it inspired you absorb more of your surroundings.
Magic happens when you clear your mind, get out and become part of where you are.
“To me, photography is an art of observation. It’s about finding something interesting in an ordinary place… I’ve found it has little to do with the things you see and everything to do with the way you see them.” Elliott Erwitt
Below are a couple of powerfully effective exercises that enhance sensory and perception:
EXERCISE 1:
This exercise will help you become more in tune with your surroundings. It will help you practice the state of being in the moment and experience the feeling of relaxed, but alert, noticing everything so you can act spontaneously at any minute and notice things that others typically wouldn’t.
1.Find a comfortable spot with a notebook. Sit quietly for a few minutes and just observe your surroundings.
2. Now for 15 minutes begin listing the things you observe. What do you see? What do you hear? Are there aromas? Textures? Emotion? There will be the obvious – list those first. Then there are things that we take for granted and overlook… Details, like the bolt that attaches the bench you’re sitting on, and the ripple in the water as a leaf falls onto its surface.
3. List at least 40 items during this exercise.
Basically, what this exercise does, is help you become part of your surroundings. When you’re this close to what you’re observing, it will be you who’s reflected in your finished pieces of art.
EXERCISE 2:
So many times, we over-look the obvious, we tend to take things for granted. This exercise is to help you look at common things more creatively.
1. Pick an object.
2. Study it for a while. Squint at it. Look at it from above, below, from the side. The way light hits it. The shadows, the curves –
3. Photograph that object 25 different ways: close-up, wide-angle, shoot the shadows, the curves, from the side, above, below, details…
I shot a couple examples to give you ideas for this exercise:
And here’s another example through the eyes of my creative nephew, Morgan Jones
Whether you’re a just beginning photography, or you’re a seasoned professional, I think you might be surprised at the interesting discoveries you’ll make with these exercises.
Until next time…
~Suzette
“Go for a walk – see what you see.”
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“Inward is not a direction. Inward is a dimension.”
~Sadhguru Jaggi
Here’s a quick mid-week boost.
Many times in a day we find ourselves worrying about what others are thinking, regretting the past, fearing the future. These interruptions cause blockage so we can’t be all that we can be.
This tension exists because we reach out before reaching in, leaving our souls crying for attention.
Just for a minute right now shut everything else out and listen. What do you hear? Wide open and receptive, we can interact directly with the world with our wisdom guiding us.
Move inward to the Spirit within before you move outward to the world.
“For direction, look within.”
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Robert Adams, Author of Beauty in Photography wrote “A photographer can describe a better world only by better seeing the world as it is in front of him.”
A great photographer is a great observer. At this point when I teach this class I have the students engage in a couple exercises that enhance sensory and perception. These powerfully effective exercises will come in the next post.
Just for today here’s a short 60 second clip I put together. It’s about the magic that can happen when you get out and observe your surroundings, becoming part of where you are…
Go out somewhere this week and absorb yourself in your surroundings. Watch, listen, see.
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“Let your life dance lightly on the edges of time like dew on the tip of a leaf.”
~Rabindranath Tagore
Rabindranath Tagore’s quote is invigorating, but ‘dancing lightly’ is easier said than done.
We hold on to things, and these ‘things’ weigh us down. We can take some lessons from nature, though. Watching nature’s consistent repetition – the way dawn follows darkness, flow follows ebb, and winter turns to spring. Day by day, year by year, this constant rhythm is a reminder for us also to release; Let go of what no longer serves us as gently as a tree surrenders its leaves, preparing for a new season.
This idea of ‘releasing’ inspired me one morning when I was out photographing after a night of fresh rain.
On this particular morning, I walked on a trail along the Poudre River where I live. The fields sparkled as they reacted to the warming sunshine.
Looking at the grasses through my camera, I noticed with a slight shift of my lens, a speck of sunlight appeared through the dewdrops, adding extra flavor to the scene.
It didn’t take much, just a subtle realignment on my part for an added spark of enchantment.
That was an enlightening moment for me. It struck me that any situation on earth can be difficult, mediocre, even meaningless, but a gentle shift of attention or a slight adjustment of attitude can transform the circumstance into a surprising outcome.
Unleash yourself from the burdens that hold you back and give full attention to the moment. This slight shift of mindset can create the space to discover profound new experiences in life.
“If you wish to fly, you must let go of the things that weigh you down.”
~Toni Morrison
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“All the equipment in the world will not compensate for the inability to notice.” ~Elliot Erwitt
Last week, we began a series on ‘putting yourself into your photography .’ The first way to learn more about yourself and what message you want to send is to STUDY THE MASTERS.
It helps to see what other artists are doing. Studying others is how you can hone your work. Master photographers are good teachers, and it’s ok to imitate them – It’s ok to learn from those who have gone before you – study their work, find things that appeal to you in their images, and then go out and try those techniques on your own.
THE KEY is to make it fresh by throwing your own twist to it.
I wonder if Thomas Franklin thought about Joe Rosenthal’s iconic image of Iwo Jima as he saw this scene unfolding at Ground Zero in 2001?
Raising the Flag at Ground Zero Thomas Franklin, 2001
Raising the Flag at Iwo Jima – Joe Rosenthal, 1945
Below are some examples of how a few legendary artists have influenced my photography:
Edward Weston had a great impact on my wedding and landscape photography with his figurative work and use of line to lead the eye:
Edward Weston
Incorporated his use of shape to lead the eye.
Edward Weston
I studied the patterns he created with shadow.
Margaret Bourke-White inspired my work by her use of repetition, patterns, framing, and mood in her photography:
Margaret Bourke-White
Using her concept of repetition to add interest, frame, and lead the eye.
Margaret Bourke-White
Her framing and photojournalistic mood became part of my portraits.
W. Eugene Smith, the American photo-journalist, motivated me with his editorial photo essays.
W. Eugene Smith
Wash Day, Suzette
With my passion for horses and the Western Plains, I like studying David Steocklein, known for preserving ‘the Spirit of the West with his photography.
Stampede, David Steocklein
Winter Grounds, Suzette
…And Eliot Porter’s landscapes have been a significant influence on how I see world:
Golden Isle, Eliot Porter
Island in the Mist, Suzette
Here are some wise words of advice from a few more of my favorite influential photographers:
Annie Lebovitz: “Your portraits will always look lifeless until you begin to take portraits that communicate the life of the model. Get to know your model and say something about her in your photography.”
John Lennon -Yoko Ono, Annie Lebovitz
John Paul Caponigro, Jay Maisel
Jay Maisel: “Ditch the gear and start paying attention to color, shape, and light. As you go about your day, find little things that have an artistic flair to them. Photography isn’t always just about the knock-you-in-the-face obvious shots.”
Elliot Erwitt: “All the equipment in the world will not compensate for the inability to notice.”
Dogs, Elliot Erwitt
The Eye of Paris, Brassai
Brassai: Brassai was born in Hungary but lived in Paris for most of his life. He did his work in one city and took captivating photos of ordinary people. You don’t have to travel around the world to do photography. It can happen right where you are.
Steve McCurry: “People ask me how I can identify the best moment to take a photograph. I tell them that it is intuitive and reflexive. You’re never sure of the moment because you’re always looking and anticipating. “Fishermen cleaning nets, families sharing meals and celebrations, artisans crafting their wares, nomads continually on the move; even the most seemingly mundane activities can be inspirational when you look beneath the surface.
Afghan Girl, Steve McCurry
Migrant Mother, Dorothea Lange
Dorothea Lange: “Pick a theme and work it to exhaustion… the subject must be something you truly love or truly hate.”
So, whether you shoot landscapes, weddings, portraiture, macro, commercial, or photojournalistic street photography, There are artists to study and to learn from. For more inspiration from iconic photographers, check out this blog :
Remember, it’s ok to imitate; that’s how we learn. Join me next time, and we’ll talk about another idea expanding Ansel Adam’s concept of ‘putting yourself into your photography.’
Happy shooting! ~Suzette
It’s ok to imitate, that’s how you learn.”
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The Art of Living 