Throwing Paint

By Cathy

It is with great pleasure that I introduce to you our newest contributor here at Focusing on Life, Cathy Sly. Many of you know Cathy from 'Picture' classes as I do and from following her wonderful blog and Flickr photostream. If you've not met Cathy yet, please take a moment to click on the 'About Us' tab above to learn more about Cathy, her website and her Flickr site. One of Cathy's unique trademarks is the perfectly wonderful quotes she uses to introduce her blog posts. Although she's retired now, she was for years a public school teacher, so she's put her teaching knowledge and love of literature to good use. Please join me today in welcoming Cathy Sly.        

                                                                                                                                                  Dotti

It is such an honor to be writing this post; an honor to be part of this talented group of women and part of the Focusing On Life online community. I am still reeling from the opportunity to share my love of photography and words with all of you.

I have always been the family photographer. I lined everyone up at birthday parties and on vacations and snapped away. Then, my three boys grew into men, I went through some difficult life changes, some health issues, and my camera sat dormant for a long time, and so did I.

My husband of 38 years has traveled for work often during our marriage. We have spent a lot of time apart; me at home, holding the fort down, while he was off working in faraway places. And then, about ten years ago he took a contract in Eastern Washington and traveled the two hundred miles back and forth each weekend from Richland to our home just outside of Seattle. It was good, but not good enough. I was feeling the empty nest thing big time and was pretty much on auto mode. So, three years ago I quit my teaching job to join him.  We found a small little home to rent, keeping our home outside of Seattle, and now we bounce back and forth together.  It was a bit of an adjustment though.

There I was in a small town with lots of time on my hands and nothing much to do. I started a blog as a way to keep friends and family updated on what was going on with us, and it was fun. It wasn't long however, before I decided I needed pictures to go with that blog. So I dug my camera out and started taking a few photos. I discovered that I really did not know much about photography other than pointing and shooting and I wanted more.

One day I stumbled upon Shutter Sisters which led me to Big Picture Classes and Mortal Muses and beautiful blogs like this one, and I was on a roll.  I bought a new camera (a Nikon D7000), and moved it and myself into manual mode. I took a few classes and learned lightroom and found myself at 56 with a passion I never knew I had. And now, as I am staring 60 in the face, I am still going strong.

I think of myself as a natural light photographer, and you are just as likely to find me taking photos of my kitchen sink as you are flowers. I shoot my everyday life and it is often blurry, but it is always beautiful. My photos don’t have to be perfect but I do like them to tell a story. Two years ago, on a whim, I signed up for a self-portrait class called  Now You where I learned the importance of turning the lens around on myself and finding proof. I am still involved in this amazing community and find it builds such self-acceptance. I hope I might convince some of you to do the same over time.

Again, I am beyond excited to have the opportunity to share this passion I have with all of you. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I would be in the space I am today. And now to find myself surrounded by such talent and same-minded women fills me with such goodness. I can’t wait to share some of that with you.

Now that I have told you a bit about myself, please tell me a bit about you. . .