Thursday, February 21, 2013

Just keep clicking!

by Linda
 
 



These roses, especially the one with the drooping petal, reminded me why I love to take pictures!

I use my phone camera everyday and I enjoy it. It’s convenient, it’s fun and I can quickly process the pictures in so many different ways.  It’s quick and easy.  There’s nothing wrong with using a phone camera, but I miss using my DSLR. Using a DLSR is a completely different practice than using a phone camera, from start to finish. There is forethought about it, planning, executing.  The processing is completely different.

My DSLR sits in a place I can easily get it. Sometimes I need to grab it quickly when the girls are doing something cute and I want to get the shot before they stop doing whatever it is they are dong.  It is in plain sight and I look at it several times a day, but I haven't grabbed it. Something inside me wants to, but something else stops me.  I have taken very few pictures with it this year and that needs to change.

Last year, being involved with a 365 gave me a reason to take a lot of pictures everyday. When I look at those pictures now, I am filled with memories, some of those things I had forgotten about but the pictures saved them for me.  It's a magical collection of simple, everyday things that put a smile on my face. The simple, everyday things that make up my life.

This year I thought I wanted a break.  I quickly figured out I was wrong.  I missed the feel of the DSLR, the weight of it in my hand. I missed the sound of the shutter.  I missed being able to change the way a picture turns out by adjusting a setting.  I missed exploring and finding new things and looking at familiar things in different ways.  Because some of the things I love to photograph are outside, and dormant right now, that leaves me with things that are inside.  But what?

Inspiration, that's what I needed! I visit all my usual places everyday, flickr, Instagram, blogs and all of them were filled with beauty! I wanted to do that too! But nothing came to me.  I even planned to go to some places to take some pictures but once I got there decided it was too windy, too cold, too sunny too yadayadayada!  I set up some still lifes, inside.  I shot a few of those but wanted more and the camera went back to it's post, waiting.

This week, as I looked around for some kind of spark, I saw the roses on the table.  They still looked beautiful except for one that had a sagging petal.
 




This rose with it's single drooping petal, looked exactly the way I have been feeling lately. Off-kilter, out of sorts, not quite up to snuff, a general feeling of malaise related to cabin fever and not using my camera.  It was a warm and sunny day outside so I decided to take the vase outside and photograph it.


I started taking pictures of the roses, turning the vase, moving around the vase, shooting from above, from below, up close, far away and each time I looked at the picture on the back of the camera, I felt a little better.  Each click was therapy.  Each picture put a smile on my face. 
 
Look at the color!  Look at the detail!  Look at the bokeh!  What would happen if I changed a setting?  What would happen if I put the flowers over here?  Look how the light is changing as the clouds roll by!

How simple was that?  What took me so long?
 
So whether or not I'm participating in a 365 project, I'll be taking pictures everyday!   I want to preserve those little parts of my days!

It's my therapy project!  My life project!
Have you ever been an a photographic slump? How did you get out of it?


"There is no such thing in anyone's life as an unimportant day." ~Alexander Woollcott


 
 
 
 

12 comments:

Jeanne said...

I usually try to find an activity that really excites me. One of the things I love about photography is that it daily expands the things that i do . Makes me go places that I don't usually go... to the next town, to an exhibit, to the arboretum to see what is there in each season, to the zoo. etc. Just try doing a new and fun activity, and maybe that will help. Your photos here are just gorgeous of this rose, so think that you are on your way. Also, think all of us have slumps, and sometimes you just have to wait it out too....

Dotti said...

This is such an important thing to remember, Linda, and I'm glad you reminded us. It reminds me of the Nike commercial, "Just Do It". Maybe our motto here at FOL should be "Just Shoot It". Your rose photos are magnificent!

terriporter said...

I can totally relate to this post! I have been feeling this way since Christmas. My camera has been sitting and rarely used. And that does not make for a happy photographer. We need that almost daily "fix" of grabbing our camera and seeing what we can capture. We had a particularly warm and beautiful day on President's Day and so I decided to head to the nursery to see what they had in stock. It was still a little early for a lot of things but just the act of getting out and shooting was what I needed. I think you and I came to this realization at about the same time! Your photos are gorgeous and I love the way you emphasized the rose with the drooping petal that has so much personality. I take it the slump is over!

Kim Stevens said...

Ummm, I have the opposite problem and after only getting my camera a year and a half ago, I'm left with probably only 30% of the lifetime clicks in my camera....sigh! I'm now trying to wean myself ever so slightly...rainy days help! lol (I think I can smell those fabulous roses)

CarolHart said...

Beautiful images of your roses. As a gardener I can relate to what you wrote about the things you love to photograph being dormant. This is the time of the year we all need to work at being inspired. What a wonderful experience you had outside with your roses!

Viv@Thoughts from the Desktop said...

Your photos and thought are wonderful as I get older I feel it takes Spring longer to get here....

Deanna said...

I think being the time of year it is easy to fall into a slump, we are so looking for spring and some color in our lives. Taking those roses outside and shooting them with your DSLR certainly brightened your day and ours with your beautiful image. And PS....glad to see you pick up your big girl camera again.

Linda/patchwork said...

I know what you mean.

I'm going to blame it on this on-again, off-again winter we've been having here.

My main blog is a garden blog. Nothing much to 'shoot' here right now.

Down here in Wimberley, we've had several mornings in mid 20s...then, we'll have mornings high 50s, low 60s. Very confusing...to the garden and to me.

But, with all these good days, we've gotten out on photo hunts...exploring back roads. It helped.

Your rose photos are beautiful. I think you're on your way back.

heyjudephotography said...

Your rose photos show me that you are indeed "back." They are beautiful, and having the luxury of taking them outside in February - what fun! I agree with Deanna, so glad you've picked up your big girl camera again. I definitely think it will help bring back the magic since you can be so creative with it.

Claudia said...

grand inspiration and truth!

When my life has been in a slump so has my joy of photography. I need to follow my own favorite saying of looking at things in a different way. Thanks so much for the kick in the butt!!

Hugs

LeanneS said...

Linda.....it is so good to hear you say this. Lately I have been feeling that I am behind the times as everyone has a I-phone and takes pictures with it now. I am on instagram and take pics with my tablet, but my camera still goes with me everywhere. I love the feel of the camera in my hands and like you said- the results I get with it. I thank you for making me feel that I am still with it and it is okay to not take pictures with my phone!

LeanneS said...

and your roses are beautiful!!!!

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