Tuesday, May 29, 2012

What is Beauty?

I would like to take this opportunity to welcome our guest blogger, Kim Stevens from Picking Poppies. I "met" Kim wandering around this great big beautiful blog-world and fell in love with her images and her thoughtful writings. Then I really "met" Kim when I traveled to Galveston, TX to visit my brother and sister-in-law in April.  Kim and I scheduled a "meet-up" day and it was then that I truly got to know Kim and how lovely she is "in-person."  Our day was too short together but hopefully we will meet again (her family is from my area).  Be sure and visit Kim's blog and her flickr gallery...she does amazing things with macro photography.


What is beauty?

It's unique and it's all around us and not just in the viewing of it. It's in the moment and it's in our everyday, and it's not just in what we see, but in what it whispers to us if only we open ourselves up to it. It's the experience of all our senses that moves and inspires us and that touches us in the deepest part of our souls. And the wonderful thing about photography is that it allows us to share that found beauty with others.

My camera has enabled me to see the world around me in a unique way and not just through the lens but in such a way that I now see beauty where I may not have noticed it before. The world, and the people in it, the places and things are like a symphony and all I have to do is tune in to it.

But in order to do this I had to start making dates with myself and making the time for beauty. Because sometimes it happens by itself, but all too often it is easy to get caught up in the day to day schedules of life, the things that need to get done but can wait. There will always be a list of chores and errands to run but unless we take that time, it will go on without us.

The kind of beauty that we have to fit into our day or we would miss it entirely, like the rising of the sun . . .


. . . and  it's usually where we least expect it, like the wildflowers along side the road while at a standstill, stuck in traffic . . .


. . . or simply the way the light falls across something ordinary, transforming it into something extraordinary.


We all see beauty so differently and come to it with a different perspective and because of that we give each other a different point of view and new ways to approach life and all that surrounds us.  And for me more than anything, when I make a photograph I'm trying to capture my experience of being fully present in that moment. The photograph then becomes secondary to my experience. I have found that in my photographic journey beauty isn't just in the things we know but in the things we don't understand, the things waiting for us to simply discover them.

How do you fit beauty into your life? Are you taking the time to listen to what it whispers to your heart? Thank you to the Focusing on Life team for giving me the opportunity to share a little of me with you today!  Kim

18 comments:

AFishGirl said...

Beautiful post and a wonderful start to the day. Here's to seeing beauty, in all things.

Carol said...

I agree. Lovely words and gorgeous photos. The first one especially touches my heart. Gotta go - I'm off to your blog and gallery page - and I can't wait!

Peace

Carol said...

OK - I had to come back! I had been unaware of your photos until now. They are absolutely spectacular, as well as your jewelry! I love finding a new favorite - your on my bookmarks! Congratulations on being a true artist, and appreciator of beauty!

Anonymous said...

I love the idea of fitting beauty into our lives. I think that is why so many of us are attracted to photography. We can show beauty the way we see it. You are so right that beauty is in things we don't understand that are just waiting to be discovered. Such an inspiring thought! Thank you for joining us Kim! Beautiful photos!

Linda said...

Thank you Kim for sharing this with us today! Your pictures are so lovely. I agree that you have to make the time to capture the beauty around you. It's as important to me as all the other daily activities. If I don't take a picture of some part of my day, I feel like I've wasted the day! Thanks for reminding me to be fully present in my photographic moments!

xo,
Linda

Dotti said...

Welcome, Kim! So happy to have you with us this morning. I'm traveling and reading this ony phone, can't wait to see it on a computer. Your post is a thing of beauty in itself.

Again thanks for sharing with us!

Dotti

Focusing on Life said...
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terriporter said...

Beautiful photos and words. One thing I hadn't thought about until recently is how being a photographer makes you see and appreciate everything around you even when you are not shooting. It just trains our eye to really see. And I love the way several different photographers can shoot the same subject and see it totally differently. Making time for beauty is so important to my overall happiness that I try to capture it in some way every day. Thanks so much for being our guest today, Kim!

terriporter said...
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Amy said...

What an amazing eye! I really could spend all day on Kim's blog and flickr page.

Cathy H. said...

Beautiful images and a much needed reminder to keep our eyes open for beauty!!

heyjudephotography said...

Kim, beautiful photos and a lovely post. I also find that photography has made me able to see the beauty everywhere, and it's good to take time every day, if we're able, to capture some of that beauty. Thank you for being a guest! Now I'm on my way over to visit your blog and flickr stream!

Claudia said...

Kim -- you know how much I adore your work and am so happy you were able to stop by today and be our guest.

It was certainly our pleasure.

For years my personal blog has been on seeing the beauty around us, as its always there, we might not have noticed it.

Thanks again. Love your work!!!

Claudia

Kathryn Dyche said...

I love Kim and her blog, she has such a warm heart and soul that transports through the computer screen with both her gorgous images and words . . . . and those that know me, know I'm all about the whispers. :0)

Kmcblackburn said...

Kim! Fancy meeting you here :) Wonderful post my friend. What is beauty? Well, I kinda think you are...both inside and out :)

Kim Stevens said...

Thank you so much for all of your wonderful comments, it was a real pleasure to be here with all of you today!

stephmull said...

Love your thoughts and your photos to go with them! I think that photography has definitely increased my ability to "see" more beauty around me, especially in the mundane everyday items. Thanks for posting with us today!

Dotti said...

Here I am - a day late and a dollar short! But on a real computer where I can more fully appreciate your beautiful photos and your lovely thoughts. Thank you again, Kim, for reminding us to find the beauty that is in our world waiting to be found.

Dotti

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