Still Life Photography

Still Life in photography
is similar to still life in paintings.
Some preparation is needed to make the arrangement
pleasing to the eye.

It is preferable to keep the background uncluttered
and the colours harmonious.

to give the subject room to breathe 
and remembering the rule of thirds give balance 
to these types of compositions.

Contrast in textures brings in an extra dimension.
I think this is my favourite capture, I have such a fondness for marbles, both the
look and the feel of them
and they snuggle so nicely into the folds of soft, blue velvet.

and rich, dark colours
bring in mystery with a touch of exotism.

Bringing nature inside, like a branch of ivy and some cones,
incorporates something living into the picture.


During these months of winter,
I decided I wanted to try something new and creative
by doing still life photography.

I found a class by Kim Klassen
called Be Still Fifty-Two.
She talks about being mindeful, being in stillness, breathing
and incorporating mindeful movement into our day.

Heavy editing and working with layers
is not something that goes with my way of thinking or my style,
but I shall interpret the lessons
in ways that feel comfortable and harmonious to me.



My Favourite Day

"What day is it?"

"It's today", squeaked Piglet.

"My favourite day", said Pooh.

The innocent and refreshing philosophy of Pooh Bear.

Winnie-the-Pooh
by A.A. Milne
and accompanied by charming and heart-warming illustrations
by E.H. Shepard.

My favourite childhood book
and one I enjoy reading with even more pleasure
now!

What's your favourite childhood book?
Do you still enjoy it as much today?



Note:
Author A.A. Milne was born in London in 1882.
He was inspired to write for children by the nursery games
played by his son Christopher Robin.
His classic stories and poems
have been enjoyed by children and adults
since they first appeared.





Inner Journey

Energy

Presence

Structure

Equilibrium

Comprehension

Flow

Direction


Sometimes.
one word is enough...







Stepping into the Unknown

At the beginning of a new year, there's a feeling of excitement
as we prepare ourselves to tread new territory.
I know that some people really love to plan
and feel they have some control over future events.
I can understand that it could feel reassuring to want to do this.

Professionally speaking, it is necessary to plan and to have goals.
All of us need to make appointments, to plan our travels
and we need to organize classes we give or others we may wish to follow.

Besides these basic necessities,
 have you ever been tempted to just see where each moment takes you?
Letting go of wanting to know
of wanting to control
and observe which paths open up before you?

Accepting the fact that sometimes our view is momentarily hindered
by darkness.
Yet there are always sparks of light shining somewhere ready to illuminate
our way when we are ready to move forward.

The sun rises and shows us the view beyond our limited horizon

and a clear outline of things ahead is revealed.

There can be obstacles and zones of darkness

and yet by pulling back and seeing the bigger picture,
new possibilities open up.

Just imagine what it would be like to stand near the edge
of these mountain peaks and look down on the field of experiences
we are creating day by day, moment by moment.
Destiny plays a part and certain choices we decide to make in any given situation.

A picture of our year is being created
and although we may think we have planned it all,
life itself has taken over
and woven the colours and designs that we can see.

If life is the weaver
are we not the weaving?