An Upside Down World

by Cathy

Do you remember as a child when you would hang upside down and see the world from a different perspective? I remember spending a lot of time during school recesses hanging upside down on the monkey bars watching the other kids playing. I pretended my world was right and they were running around upside down.  As I’ve aged I have found a way to experience the same magical perspective without being upside down and all the blood rushing to my head. I see reverse perspectives through water reflections.

Reflections are especially wonderful this time of year when the rich fall colors reflect on the blue water’s surface. While water itself is not blue, water gives off blue light upon reflections. The deep blue fall skies make the water even more blue. I spent some time recently near a lovely lake and was fascinated by the reflections.

One thing I really like about water reflections is that they’re easy to take. There’s no magic formula to follow. The hardest part is paying attention and learning to see them. When you find a shiny surface, whether it's a body of water or even wet pavement, pay attention to your position and what you see reflected in the water. Sometimes the reflections are better if you’re standing, but sometimes they more interesting if you’re at a low angle.

You also have the freedom of no rules to be followed. If you want the water’s edge across the horizontal center, put it there and you’ll find amazing symmetry. You alone decide where you want the water’s edge, how much you want to include in the photo, or how much you want to exclude.

Still water and moving water create totally different images. Still water gives you a crisp reflection, while moving water blurs that reflection. One of my favorite things to do is zoom in close and fill the frame with the reflection. Sometimes I leave a little bit of reality like the branch in the photo below. Filling the frame creates a gorgeous impressionist image.

As your contemplating your photo, remember to look for the light and see what it’s doing. In the photo below the morning sun rays were coming over the mountain to the left. Look toward the bottom and you can see those rays reflected in the water.

Sometimes you’ll find neat optical illusions such as in the photo below. The water is running down the spillway and suddenly takes a sharp turn to the right. By zooming in close, an image can be created that has others wondering "what is happening here?"

Our earth is covered with about 71% of water, take advantage of that. I encourage you to spend some time searching for reflections. Fall is the perfect time. The colors are so rich; the yellows, oranges, reds, and the blues of the water. 

As Terri mentioned on Monday our focus for the month of November is gratitude. As I stood by this lake with camera in hand I felt deep gratitude for the water we have to freely enjoy. 

Reflecting on 2014

by Kelly

Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards. ~ Søren Kierkegaard

It's that time of year right?  Cable programming full of 'best of' shows.  Radio counting down the top hits of the past year.  News programs highlighting the big stories from the 2014.

I guess it's in our nature...as we come to the end of something, to take a moment for one last look at what came before.

It's the same for me interms of my photography.   I always enjoy looking through the years' photos. To appreciate what I think I've done pretty well, to look for areas to improve.

But it's not a just a practice in my photography... it's also something I look to do in my personal life. Because I have often found that the stories of my life make the most sense when looked through the rear view mirror.



As 2014 winds down, all of us here at Focusing on Life would like to express our sincere gratitude to you.  For being part of our family.  For so generously sharing yourself and your art. We are so blessed and so inspired by you and we hope that you will continue along with us as we venture into a new year.

Happy New Year dear friends!

Love, Kelly

Reflecting

by Kate

What does "reflecting" mean to you? Is it unplugging, meditating, or just staring out the window at nothing in particular? As you are reading this, my little family and I are wrapping up our week long Spring Break trip to San Antonio, Texas. We've had lots of laughter, adventures and misadventures, too. But most of all, we've unplugged from our daily routines and spent time as a family exploring and discovering places we've never seen before.

And that to me is perfect.

Reflections on Learning to See

by Kelly

Look at everything as though you were seeing it for the first time or last time.  Then your time on earth will be filled with glory.  Betty Smith

It’s hard for me to believe, but one week ago I was enjoying the warm sunshine and amazing blue skies of Puerto Vallarta.

My family and I spent three glorious days soaking up the sun and some much-needed vitamin D {not to mention getting a little color on our pitifully pale, winter skin}.

As I’ve mentioned before, my husband is the adventurer of the family.  In the twenty plus years we've been married, he’s taken me, literally, half-way around the world and to some of the most beautiful places on earth.

And of course, as the family documentarian, I have always brought my camera along to try to record and preserve these wonderful memories.

Just like in years past, Tripp and Kelsey know that I’ll be snapping photos.  Capturing memories.  But these days, they have also learned that usually, at some point in our vacation, I will take off on my own with my camera.  Because photography, for me, isn’t only about preserving memories any more.

Photography has truly changed the way I see the world.

As I was walking around our resort one afternoon, I was reflecting {pun totally intended}on this month’s theme ~ reflections.  

I love shooting with a theme in mind - it's great for creativity and pushing me out of my comfort zone.  But it's more than that.  It's developing an awareness, being intentional...and what I love is that it helps me to see better. So therefore the more I looked for reflections, the more I saw reflections everywhere.

And as true as this philosophy helps me with my photography, it is equally beneficial in the way I am trying to live my life.  Looking for beauty, seeking wonder…the more I seek, the more I find. 

It is times like these that I am so grateful for this gift.  So thankful for photography.  Helping me to see and filling my life with glory.

As always, thank you for letting me share it with you.

Until next time
Kelly

Rain, Rain, Don't Go Away...

by Susan

   

  “Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass…

It's about learning to dance in the rain.” - Vivian Greene

Let's admit it.  When it rains, most of us instinctively run for cover, especially when the above skies scream 'thunderstorm'.  Most of us will pack it up, head for shelter, including myself...quite quickly, too.  However, this day was different. On this day I decided to be brave and stick out this rainstorm, with my husband by my side.  And let me just say that getting rained on (drenched) was so worth it!  I was ecstatic, laughing, clicking away at the grand beauty that surrounded us.  It was breathtaking.  The way the clouds, the storm passing over the ocean, how it all reflected on the mirror of the wet sandy beach...straight beauty from the heavens above.  It was a true 'wow' moment and all captured with my old iphone 4. 

With the months of March and April here that means 'spring break' across the USA. If you happen to be spending your vacation near the beach and the forecast is calling for rain, turn that frown upside down, grab your camera gear...and go!  Go dance in the rain!  xo's


 

We Can Change How We Give Back

by Kim

To reflect is to bring something back . . . to change its direction, like a mirror.

Or to reflect like water . . . (which makes great abstracts!)

 Glass is also a great reflector, even blending into its surroundings at times.

You could even say that our cameras are reflective. Not just in the fact that they use mirrors to reflect back to a sensor in order to record what we see, but they also reflect who we are in the kind of images we make. We give the sensor information that determines the quality of what it reflects back and when we don't give it the proper information it can fall short in reflecting our vision.

The nature of reflections whether it be light or sound waves is determined by physics and although the quality of either may differ from object to object the outcome, or way it happens, won't change. They have no choice but to give back what they receive, no hold backs.

But, there is another kind of reflection that has nothing to do with physics or light or radio waves. It's our ability as humans to reflect on our lives, our past memories and to think deeply and thoughtfully. And because we are not governed by the law of physics in our reflecting we have the unique ability to reflect back good, even though some of the reflections directed at us are not. We have the choice to give back more than we receive and with it the capacity to transform the world.

"Be a reflection of what you'd like to see in others!
If you want love, give love, if you want honesty,
give honesty, if you want respect, give respect.
You get in return, what you give!"
- Ernest Holmes

I have to wonder what would happen if we changed our thinking as a society, from treating others the way they treat us, to treating others the way we want to be treated. To listen, and to reflect back so that others know they've been seen and heard. To reflect back the good on those days that others cannot. Because reflections are like a chain reaction and we have the power to change them.

Yes, to reflect is to bring something back . . . to change its direction, like a mirror.


[Reflections are some of my favorite things to photograph and I look forward to seeing what you have to share. What are some of your favorite kinds of reflections?]

Love, Kim

Reflections

by Carol

Welcome to March, dear readers! We are pushing spring - (push, pushing, pushing....) As we transition, in these last indoor months; and recognizing our recent two year "blogaversary,"  what could be a better monthly theme than "reflections?"

As our Monthly Focus blurb states above - it's a word with dual meanings.  You can post literal reflections, like the one below.  (I adore these images, and have many in my archives.) We will love seeing your posts.

Or you can take the more philosophical approach, as I did above, and knock us out with your reflections on life. You know we all love those.

Either way, when we reflect on our readers, it is always with gratitude!