Restored, Renewed, Revived, Reclaimed, and Redeemed

Vineyard Barn 07.26.08

Palms at Night 07.25.08

Water Vines 07.24.08

Game Day 07.23.08 (taken with iphone)

Hay 07.22.08

Tree Reflection in Window 07.21.08


Railroad Tracks 07.20.08

Restored, Renewed, Revived, Reclaimed, and Redeemed.........

People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed; never throw out anyone.-Audrey Hepburn

I was reading a book about Audrey Hepburn this week, called “How to be Lovely”, because who does not want to be considered lovely? It really didn’t teach me anything new, since it was filled with items my Mom has already taught me or reminds me of when I am, shall I say……not so lovely. It was filled with stories of her life, sprinkled with lots of quotes and this one kind of sums up my thoughts for the week. We may live in a disposable world each day, but people are a renewable energy all their own.

Have a most excellent week. I had another wonderful week with my camera.

-Monique

Perspective

Hay Ride Buddies 07.19.08

Flower 07.18.08

Pier Posts 07.17.08

Los Osos Valley 07.16.08

Post Street 07.15.08

Vineyard Moonrise 07.14.08

Nettles 07.13.08

Lake Sonoma 07.12.08

Future Wine - Hook and Ladder Vineyards 07.11.08

Fountain Grove Round Barn 07.10.08

Perspective

One of the greatest lessons I have learned in art of photography was on the subject of perspective. Any one can take a photograph by walking up to the subject and pointing the camera. I was taught in order to take a really interesting photograph, you have to change your perspective, every so often you must step back to take in all the surroundings and at other times you have to get up close, to actually see what lies before you.

I have always carried that lesson with me, even in life, sometimes to take a step back, admiring the subject in the environment in which it dwells and sometimes to take a step closer and really know my subjects characteristics, flaws and all.

Perspective goes hand in hand with light, depending on light; your perspective can vary greatly. You can look at your subject a million times, to the point that you feel you know it inside out. Then some light gets shed on your subject and things change dramatically. Occasionally light falls upon your subject casting a harsh light and your subject appears differently to you. At times, light can illuminate what you believed to be unattractive and show you it was not what you supposed and you will find a new magnificence before you, or at the very least a different beauty than originally perceived.

The great thing about perspective and light is that you can control how your mind views them.

You can be in a dark forest with only shafts of light; you can allow that perspective to be pessimistic only seeing the darkness of the forest. Or you can see the wondrous luminous light and how it dances in and out of the darkness, calling you with its warmth, out of the shadowy cold to come follow it, to an even warmer place, a place known as sunshine.

…………………And sunshine is a whole other set of lessons when it comes to photography.

This week it was my honor to have a friend share her perspective with me and for that I say thank you.

As for my photographic adventure, I am having the best time dancing between the shadows and the sunlight, admiring all the various styles of beauty we get to see each day. If something creative is calling out from inside you, figure out how to listen to that voice, I think you will enjoy what you are hearing.

-Monique

Week One- Challenges

Just a few from the week with the daily photos below

Marin Headlands 07.09.08



A boy and his board. 07.08.08



Project Happiness wine... sounds like we are starting something here! 07.07.08

From Monique year 42

Tavern Window 07.06.08

Ocean Wildflower 07.05.08

Wow, challenges are time consuming, no wonder it is hard to get anything done. But fear not, I will not get bogged down with the blog. But this process has been .....a process.

At least one a day! Sounds easy, well Notsomuchso, not that I am bailing out or anything, but as I start the process, I realize all the gear I must lug around for taking photos.

Somehow it does not fit in a Coach handbag.

I started with 3 cameras, a lens and my film. Then I realized a needed a bag to carry all them around in. Add a notebook and pens to document the process for myself, that led to putting all the digital camera cords/chargers in the bag, an extra memory card and film. Next I added a monopod (1 legged tripod or a unipod, sounds very Sci-Fi to me). Pretty soon I am going to add the phone number to my chiropractor since I know that I will need to call them from carrying all this stuff around. And I am sure I will need some filters and some other items that will come to mind.

Oh yes, back to my goal, at least one a day! Just keep on track! I keep telling myself, in order to reach a challenge you have to stay in track. So here I am on track and publishing my 1st set of photos from my 1st week. 1 week down, 51 to go!

You will see from my photos, a varied life, a varied eye, lots of different views from all around my backyard and beyond. Not sure if I can even pick a favorite from the ones I have posted.

I did want to give a big thanks to my mother in law, Bev, she came and watched Matthew, while we escaped for an afternoon at the beach this past weekend. I also want the fires to stop, because this sky is not pretty at all. I hope that they end soon, all are people, homes and land are safe and we can have a nice blue sky summer!

If you want to check out all the photos I took during the week, I have a flickr account link at the bottom of the page. You can see all the photos I have taken during the week, many more than what got posted in my blog.

Enjoy the view!!!!!

-M

Monique year 42- An introduction

I find myself thinking a lot about a few subjects:

Challenges, pushing oneself to do more, creativity, and the images I see in my mind as well as numbers. Actually those are just a few things I have been thinking about, but they tie into the challenge I have set before myself.

Today, I am challenging myself to do more with my photography and the images I see in my mind. I often ignore them or somewhat selfishly keep them inside my own minds eye. I once read about this photographer Jim Brandenburg, he once challenged himself to take one exposure a day for 90 days. Simple task, one a day, there was not an option to take two, or three, or even as we have in this digital age to delete and retake them. Plain and simple 1 A DAY! What he created was inspired in my option and even though I read that almost 10 years ago, I think not a season goes by that I do not think those works of his. Here is a link to what he created.

http://www.jimbrandenburg.com/gallery/90%20day%20images/chased_by_the_light.html

So what does his work have to do with me, nothing other than it has inspired me and I am hoping that this blog will keep me accountable towards my goals (much like that photo you place on your refrigerator when you are on a diet).

Here is the goal; I am going to take at least on photo a day for the next year. I am allowing myself to take more than one a day if I so choose, using as many cameras as I can, including SLR, Digital, iPhone, Treo phone and some other things I may have up my sleeve. But at least one a each day, will be my challenge. Will I post all of them? Let's just say I will post most of them.

How does this all tie in with numbers, well the inclusion of numbers starts because my 5 year old son is always saying numbers, the numbers on signs, NASCARS, in books, my iPhone, his friends ages and our ages. And since my age officially changed today, I thought that 42 was a good starting point, so today, as I turn 42, will start to share a 365 day adventure, accepting the challenge to capture the images in my world for one year. If you want check back from time to time, please do so. You can also subscribe and I will email you the updates (which I envision will be every 7 to 10 days).

Below are some more links to the work of Mr. Brandenburg, in case you want to see more.

http://photography.nationalgeographic.com/photography/photographers/photographer-jim-brandenurg.html

http://www.jimbrandenburg.com/flash/index_flash.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Brandenburg

So here it is, my challenge, I am not Jim Brandenburg by any means, but I accept the task, to do something I really want to do, for no other reason than I think, I mean I KNOW, it will make me happy…… and is that not what life is about… finding happiness in the little things each day.

Enjoy the journey!

-Monique

PS all these photos were taken between 5:40 and 5:55 am on 07.04.08 on Piner Road, Santa Rosa, CA