Is a Photographer an Artist?

Life had me flying in a few directions simultaneously and something had to take a temporary backseat; unfortunately or fortunately, depending on how you'd like to look at it, it was my photography and everything that went along with it, including this blog.  Maybe other areas needed my more immediate attention and that's okay.  The important part is, I'm back, and ready!

A photographer, in some circles, is not considered an artist.  What is so great about photography, especially in this period of time, when so many can pull out their cell phone and capture a photo any time they want and of anything that catches the eye? What could possibly be so special when we are inundated with images from all over the world?

At surface value, I might agree if you are only taking an image for what it appears to be at first glance; however, if you look into a photo, a really good one, you will see a story.  Maybe you will be able to view it from an objective point of view or maybe it will be purely subjective, based on your own life experiences and what you are ready or able to see at that moment.  Isn't that the most wonderful gift about photography?  It appears to be real, the mind accepts it as real, but, depending on what the creator of the image has chosen, it can be altered by layers of other photos or edited in Photoshop in some manner. The final product can be a complete illusion.

To me the definition of an artist is someone who has the creative ability to take the mundane or the ordinary, the often overlooked, and assist you in looking deeper and/or aide you in viewing it in a whole new way.  No matter what the medium is, if you can do this, then you truly are an artist, a creator.

Up next...Images and How They May Affect Your Life

Exploring Pet Photography

Pets are wonderfully therapeutic!  I have known the value of this since I was a child and even before as they have been my partners in life.  We have had everything from turtles, birds, rabbits, cats, dogs, and even farm animals like horses, goats, turkeys, geese, etc.  An intimate relationship between us formed and now I consider them part of my family no matter who they belong to, and I greet them in that way like a long lost friend or sibling.

It's hard to believe I found this scrawny guy (um, or more appropriately he found me!) in the pouring rain, clinging to my ankle, as I loaded up my boys for school.  He was missing an eye and need of some serious love and care.  He is one of my success stories as he still lives in his happy home (about 14 years now?).

If you have any sort of kinship with the animal kingdom, you are going to want to photograph them; and, as I have advised previously with taking portraiture of children, the best and easiest way, for me, has been capturing them in their own element.  When we force things to happen or try to set up our own expectations of how we think it should go then we are also setting ourselves up for a bit of a tumble or a learning experience.  Pet portraits are no different!  Besides, when you don't force things and allow them the space to happen, the results can often be much better than you expected!

These photos that I share today have not all been personally my pets, although they have all been a valued aspect of my life or contributed to it in some small or big way.  These are a few I have rescued and placed in loving homes over the years.  It seems if you help one, the word goes out and suddenly more come your way in need of assistance!  It was my honor and joy to do so!

Help!  I'm being abducted!

Found with a momma cat who had a litter with her and was pregnant again.

I always did love a good book, especially one with a happy ending!

The Beauty of Photo Blogging

Started a new job and don't have the kind of time that I had before.  I'm not giving up on this, though; it would be like giving up on a big part of myself.  Lucky for me this is a photo blog and so I will let the pictures tell the story this time.  Since animals have played an important role in life with me, I thought I would share a few of their portraits.   There have been many so here are a few...will share more later.

Jasmine's baby photo

Niyah

Our rescued blue and gold macaw

Harley has attitude and he's not afraid to use it!

Buttercup and Peaches - Great buds!

Moving Beyond Fear and Into the Life You Imagined

http://www.statisticbrain.com/fear-phobia-statistics/ says that 68% of people are afraid of death but is it truly a fear of death or is it a fear of living?  Also noteworthy are:

Fear and Worry Statistics	Data
Percent of things feared that will never take place	60 %
Percent of things feared that happened in the past and can’t be changed	30 %
Percent of things feared that are considered to be insignificant issues	90 %
Percent of things feared in relation to health that will not happen	88 %
Number of Americans who have a diagnosed phobia	6.3 Million

And what about fear of success or fear of failing?  I don't even see them on this list.

Those numbers are quite large so maybe it is worth asking, where does fear come from?  There are several possibilities but the misuse of the mind and the imagination is at the top of the list. Why do we spend so much time focusing on something that may or may not happen instead of paying attention to all the good that is already happening or what we would like to happen?  What difference will changing our attention from the negative to the positive make?  Plenty!

It may seem random that I bring this up here but there is a method to my madness.  I don't have evidence to support this but if I were to give an educated guess I would say that fear is the number one killer of dreams.  

There are numerous blogs, articles, and books to aide one on their way to overcoming these obstacles so I won't go into this fully.  I would, however, like to recommend one very small but powerful book.  It is inexpensive (can be bought used on Amazon for one penny!) and has wonderful stories and examples to get you started on your journey to facing your own fears.

"Love always overcomes fear." Harold Klemp

For a more personal experience, though, I would recommend singing HU, the most powerful tool I can offer you to dispel fear and bring more divine love into your awareness is chanting HU. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wc9N_g2NolA  

Moving past your fears, even if it is only one tiny step at a time, is progress and can only help you to become a better version of you in whatever way you wish to manifest that, whether it is in your personal life, as an artist, or in your business.  Fear and doubt sabotage dreams; don't let it control your life any longer.  Take your power back!

Photojournalism - Telling Stories With Pictures

The art of storytelling in photography, to me, is photojournalism.  It gives me the freedom to follow where my heart leads me, to capture and show something as it is but also leave room for the viewer's interpretation.  The reality of a photo may seem obvious to one but, in truth, many stories can be told from that one photo.  Take this one for an example...

What does it speak to your heart? This is only one single moment frozen in time.  What about all the other moments?  What happened here before and then after?  Who are the people in the background, especially the mysterious silhouetted child?  What are their stories?  How long has this market been here?

A long list of questions could be presented to each of you, and your own story could be written.  No two would be alike!  A good photojournalistic picture would likely spike the viewer's imagination, not suppress it.

Are the many images that we take in every day any different?  What was the photographer showing us and what are we actually seeing?  Was the photo manipulated in any way to change its meaning or to persuade us to see a truth as someone wishes us to view it?  Or does it leave room for us to wonder or as a launching point to ask more questions?

Some believe a photograph is real simply because it is there in front of them, because they can see it with their eyes, but is it really?  If you were to see a succession of pictures, you may be able to piece together a more accurate story but, even then, don't be so sure.

I think a wonderful example of this is the movie, "The Green Mile."

Image Courtesy of http://www.altfg.com/

The man in this film, John Coffey (played by Michael Clarke Duncan), was accused of horrible crimes and supposedly caught red handed, yet that wasn't the truth at all. Given the information available most people would have come to the same conclusions as were made in by the witnesses in this story and why is that?  Are we accepting what we perceive visually or are we asking more questions?  Are we interested in the truth or just what we believe to be the truth?  

Anyway, I don't want to cheat this film in any way.  My small summary is not the entirety of the movie, and it's really quite an eye-opener in many ways.  While it is told as non-fictional, one could imagine and, maybe rightly so, that this happens more often than not (the scenario I presented to you).

I honestly don't know why I'm going here except to say that maybe we all need to ask more questions, to not rely strictly on what we either see with our own eyes or what is presented to us by the media or anyone else for that matter.  The truth is not always palpable.  We may all need to dig a little deeper to discover it, to follow our own hearts to discernment, and not another's.

In summary, "a picture is worth a thousand words" but whose words are they?

Working Past the Blahs...

Inertia happens but you don't have to make it a lifelong friend.  Show up and make the most of it. Know "this, too, shall pass" and move on.  Even a little step is better than no step at all.

When feeling weary or discouraged, a turn around is just ahead so proceed in its direction.  Do what you must do to work through the emotions (journal, paint, walk, go out with friends, volunteer...whatever works for you) but don't stop.  If a temporary rest is needed, do it, but give it a time limit.

If you're really burned out then perhaps a vacation is in order; take it!  Do whatever is necessary to get the juices flowing again but at the end of it...get back to work and do it with all of your love.

A vacation can give you new perspectives, leave you feeling fresh and rejuvenated. 

It doesn't matter where you go as long as it leaves you with a higher view.

Photographing The Heart of the Wild

With animals, perhaps more so than people, patience is needed.  They won't necessarily pose for you, although I swear some have, so another technique is needed.  Some photographers will take photo after photo and hope for the best and, others may patiently wait for that unforgettable moment spending even hours awaiting it.  Is there another way?

How do you photograph beyond what you see with your eyes?  How do you take a photograph with your heart?

There is a space most creative people, unconsciously or consciously, relax into when they are painting, dancing, inventing, or even simply manifesting a solution. In this gap everything changes.  Words fail to portray what that space is but I can tell you it's silent and you become almost hyperaware.  I refer to it as the "zone."  In the zone, time melts away and the way you discern your environment morphs.  This is the closest description I can give.  

In this field there is "magic," it is, to me, where all life connects and where "miracles" are made. It is where we are all one and that includes the biggest and smallest of creatures.