Well, now that's a hopeful sight, isn't it? Even in the coldest, darkest days of winter, even in the very thick of it, when springtime is just a wish and a memory, you can still find plants that are forming tiny little buds, just waiting to bloom.
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I hope your holiday season has been warm and wonderful so far! (Mine has involved too many cookies!) We have a caravan of relatives on the way to stay with us through the new year. Eleven of us under one roof--luckily, we all genuinely like each other! I want to give them the love and attention they deserve during their stay, so this is the last time I'll be writing to you in 2014.
I just participated in Susannah Conway's "Find Your Word." (So much fun!) She led us through five days of creatively pinpointing the one thing we most want to focus our efforts on during the year ahead. On Day 4, it finally sunk in that I needed TWO words. One that focuses inward -- contemplate -- and one that focuses outward -- radiate. And because I'm visually driven, I needed to translate my words into pictures.
For contemplate, I chose a picture of the woods behind our house because I contemplate best when I'm simply looking out at the woods, letting my thoughts wander wherever they may. I keep a sketchbook in hand to jot down whatever comes to me--pictures, words, dreams, and a fair share of nonsense. It's important for me to take time to be mindful each day, instead of rushing from one thing to the next.
For radiate, I chose a picture of ice on branches, ice being melted by the morning sun. I like the idea of light and warmth, and embodying both, sending the positive energy outwards.
So, here's my end-of-the-year wish for you: I hope that you find yourword for the year ahead, something to ground you and guide you, a little bit of magic that will lift you up and let your soul sing its sweetest note. Happy, happy, happy 2015!
Last month, I presented a special exhibition of pictures created by the students in my "Art of Photography" e-course and it turned out to be one of my very favorite posts ever. Not just because I'm crazy-proud of my students (which I am!), and not just because their photographs turned out beautifully (which they did!), but because I remember where each of those students began.
Every one of them had taken my first e-course, "How to Take Better Photos of Nature and the World Around You." Some had a little more experience behind the lens than others (in fact, a couple were true beginners), but all of them had a common thread: A keen interest in photography mixed with a wonderful willingness to learn how to improve their skills.
The fringe benefit of the courses (which even I didn't expect) is that we've all become friends. We're still in touch, sharing our work and our journeys. So, I'm happy to share some of my friends' work with you here. And I chose today to share it because...
The Early Bird discount (to save $15) expires tonight (December 10, 2014 at 11:59 p.m. EST). You can still enroll up until the day before the course begins, but after tonight, it would be at the regular pricing.
As with the first exhibition, it was extremely hard for me to "curate" the collection, narrowing it down to just six photographs for this post, but I'm betting you'll agree that the following examples are beautiful choices! Here they are...
How stunningly pretty were those?! (All amateur photographers, mind you!)
Before I close, I want to tell you six things that might surprise you:
1) You can have a full-time job and still take this course. That's one of the best things about taking an online course instead of a "classroom course." The daily lessons are emailed to you in the morning, and you post your photographs into our private online classroom whenever you can--even at 2:00 a.m.! Or, catch up on the weekend.
2) You can live anywhere in the world with computer access and take this course. The previous two sessions of this course have included students from the United States, Canada, Australia, and Europe. As long as you can understand English, you'll be fine.
3) You don't need a fancy camera to take this course. Many of the students use their smartphones.
4) You don't have to be "in class" at a certain time. (That relates back to the first point.)
5) Your growth as a photographer doesn't stop when the course is over. I'll continue to give you advice and guidance on your work in our online classroom, which will stay open so you can stay connected with me and with your classmates.
6) Once you learn how to take better photographs of nature and the world around you, you'll start to notice more beauty, more depth, more color, and more details than you ever noticed before. (And that, to me, is the very best part!)
Ready to see what beautiful images you can create? Sign up today to join me in January!
P.S. If you're giving this course as a holiday gift, please let me know the name and email address of the student in the "comments" box of the Paypal checkout.
P.P.S. Very special thanks to my students for letting me share their work with you here!
'Tis the season to be...crazy? I don't think so!And neither do the following authors of these wonderful posts that will help put your holiday season back into perspective:
From Linda at Rockside Reflections:On Doing Things That Delight. (Because the best recipe for a happy holiday is "Do more of what you love and less of what you hate.")
From Raymund at Minimalist on Purpose:7 Simple Ways to Find Focus Every Day. (Because the holidays are a time when we try to focus on waaaaay too much at once, instead of focusing on the few things that really, truly matter.)
What's YOUR strategy for a stress-free holiday season? Or are you struggling to keep it together? Do tell in the comments section below--I'm all ears!
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Skip holiday mall madness with these joyful gift ideas...
I've often written here about how I don't like shopping anymore, so you won't catch me busting down any doors in the wee hours of Black Friday. But, let's face it, I'm still going to get the kids a few gifts for Hanukkah. They're young (7 and 10) and wouldn't exactly appreciate a lecture on the pitfalls of consumerism!
Still, for me, there are plenty of ways to spread the joy (no pun intended) without compromising how I feel about buying a bunch of meaningless stuff in a jam-packed mall. So, here are a few of my ideas for the gift-giving season--and they're not just for kids' gifts:
Figure out beforehand what you're going to give to whom, and don't get suckered in to impulse purchases at the check-out. Gifts are more special when you put a little thought into them, instead of just grabbing random stuff that could be given to anybody.
Encourage a budding interest or talent. When I was growing up, I pivoted between wanting to be a writer, a photographer, and an artist, so my family gave me gifts like a Kodak Pocket Instamatic, art supplies, and (much later) the annual Writer's Market. Those gifts literally led me to where I am today. (How many gifts can you say THAT about?!)
Stocking-stuffers often add up to a lot of meaningless, poorly made stuff. Resist the urge to fill up on junk from the dollar store.
Frame some sentimental photographs for gifts. Yes, I know I'm biased because I'm a photographer! But I still think old family photos make some of the most beautiful and meaningful gifts.
Let your kids choose a charity. My children always fight over which one of them gets to push elevator buttons. When I asked them why, my son said, "Because this is one area where we kids get to control something!" (Insightful, don't you think?) So, give your children some charity catalogs and let them decide on a donation from your family. My children love Heifer International because they can read about how different farm animals contribute to helping poverty-stricken villages. (Tip: Set a dollar limit on the charity gift beforehand, so they'll know which items to rule out.)
Give music. Let the kids choose a certain number of songs to buy on iTunes. (A no-clutter gift, and again, they'll have fun making the decisions.)
Opt for lessons. My daughter asked if she could pleeeeeeease have piano lessons for one of her Hanukkah gifts. (With pleasure!) When you give your friends or family the gift of a new skill, one they can enjoy for many years ahead, they will always remember that you were the one who started them along the path.
Your full attention and affection is the most valuable gift. So, give experiences instead of things.
How 'bout you? Have you ever participated in the mall madness on Black Friday? Got any good ideas for meaningful holiday gifts? Let's hear it in the comments section below--I'm all ears!
Start off the new year with a new skill: My photography e-course, "How to Take Better Photos of Nature and the World Around You" will be running again this January! Save $15 with the Early Bird Discount if you enroll before Wednesday, December 3, 2014 at 11:59 pm EST. (If giving the course as a gift, please let me know the name and email of the student in the PayPal comment section at checkout.)Click here for details and registration.
I'm equally happy and sad today: It's the last day of my e-course, The Art of Photography: How to Take Your Pictures to the Next Level. I'm sad because it's ending--I thoroughly enjoyed the past 19 days, getting to know my students as friends as well as photographers. But I'm happy because I know this is just the beginning for them, that we'll continue our friendships, and I'm really, reeeeeeeeally proud of how far they've come.
On that note, I'd like to share with you some of my very favorite photographs taken by my students during this course. It was difficult (to say the least) for me to choose just a few, because there were so many knock-out images! (Keep in mind, these are NOT professional photographers, just creative people who enjoy taking pictures and learning how to improve their art; they've all taken my first course as well.)
Okay, drumroll please...
Yellow Vineyard by Nancy Thompson:
Central Nebraska Cows by Jerri DeCarolis:
Polaroid Angels by Connie Brown:
White Flower by Kat Denton:
Reflections by Cynthia Bush:
The Truffula Tree by Dale Rogerson:
Maple Tree by Phyllis Johnson:
Okay, how GORGEOUS were those?! If you'd like to get on the list for early notification about the next time I'll be running this online photography course (as well as the details for the Early Bird discount week), please email me at [email protected]. I'd love to have you join me for the next session and see what beautiful images we can create together!
Have a picture-perfect weekend!
P.S. Very special THANKS to my students for allowing me to share their work with you here!
I consider it a privilege that we live an hour outside of New York City. This past weekend was jam-packed with metropolitan fun! On Saturday, we took the children to their first opera (our friends won tickets to "The Magic Flute"--very kid-friendly, and Ana Durlovski's highest notes could make Mariah Carey weep). On Sunday, we traveled back into the city to take the kids to their first dim sum in Chinatown (at Nom Wah Tea Parlor--delish!). We ended the weekend in Central Park (pictured above). It wasn't their first visit to the park, but the beauty of the country in the middle of the city always seems fresh and new.
I hope your week ahead is filled with colorful adventures!
One of my favorite things to do in the morning is curl up in a comfy chair with a view of the woods, blank notebook in hand, hot tea at the ready. If I'm just gazing outdoors to a peaceful view, my thoughts can naturally wander and I can (usually) come up with a new idea or two. But sometimes, as I'm looking out at the woods, I suddenly realize that somebody is looking back at me--a deer, or two, or three! They blend in remarkably well. Even Delilah can sleep through some of their secretive visits!
I'm half-Swedish but I know far too little about my Swedish roots, so I've been studying all kinds of Swedish things lately. I love the simplicity of Swedish design. The following shots of leaves remind me of the Swedish aesthetic: crisp and pure and uncluttered.
The golden leaf below reminded me of a potato chip...maybe I was just hungry for lunch?
The shot below was my favorite picture of the week. I think it's very "Swedish country-style" with its clean, red color against a neutral backdrop.
Oh my goodness, the LEAVES! Even Delilah can't get enough of the fall foliage, as you can see in the photograph above. The colors are so vibrant and gorgeous, it got me to thinking: Why should flowers get all of the prime real estate in the vases? So, here's how I decorated the house this week, in a completely free and effortless way: leaf bouquets!
With leaf bouquets, there's no need to change the water before it gets all gross and goopy (something I really dislike about keeping cut flowers in vases) because there is no water! When the leaves pass their peak indoors (usually, within a day or two), I just let them flutter out the front door. See? Effortless!
Do you remember in that Steve Martin movie, L.A. Story, when Mary Lou Henner's character was telling the other women that before you leave the house, you should glance in the mirror and take off one piece of jewelry? Same idea for arranging leaf bouquets: As soon as it starts looking too "decorated", take something out.
And not all of your autumn bouquets need to be orange, yellow, and red. Evergreens also look quite pretty in the fall, so you can show them some love, too!
But really, the main thing about leaf bouquets is just to have fun with them...
P.S. Don't forget to mull some hot apple cider with sliced oranges, so the whole house smells as good as it looks!
How 'bout you? Do you switch up your decor with the seasons?
I'm always drawn to photographing apples, especially when they've still got their leaves attached to them. (So pretty, like ladies in their Sunday hats.) We picked three bags of apples at the local orchard (would have gotten more, but poison ivy was growing under one of the trees--yikes!--so we scurried home for showers). There's such a difference in flavor between fresh-picked apples and the generic load at the supermarket. Once again, I'm thankful for where we live, with several farms within minutes of us.
