Alter Your Thoughts and Alter the World

Yesterday at lunch, my fortune cookie said, "Alter your thoughts and alter the world."  My friend Brenda said, "like your photography."  I liked that comment because when I take pictures they often help me to view the world in a different way.  This comment seemed to apply well to some of the pictures I took yesterday.

Waiting in the parking lot of one of my favorite Chinese restaurants for my friends to arrive for lunch, I walked around with my digital camera.  I looked for some interesting subjects to shoot pictures of for a new online photography class I've recently enrolled in.

With a specific goal in mind, I tried to find potential photographs in what I ordinarily would have walked right past with a second thought.  I became fascinated by the patterns created in the cement, whose purpose had been to patch up worn down areas of the parking lot.  

Intrigued by the shapes, I began seeing all kinds of creatures--  an insect, a butterfly, a bird?  Never would I have thought that the parking lot could be a source of artistic inspiration.

And another cement-inspired piece.  What do you see in this picture?

Sitting in the parking lot, I walked around the block.  Although the air was chilly, the snow and ice were continuing to melt, leaving a mixture of snow, ice, and water on the ground.  

This winter I've walked past scenes like this one way too many times to count.  Sick of the cold, the precipitation, the weather conditions, I stopped paying attention to the snow and ice a long time ago, except to think about its annoyance.  Looking at this picture changed my view of the ice and snow.  Rather than winter, this picture reminds me of spring.  The shadows of the branches seem to be growing-- stretching from the snow, then the ice, to the grass-- reaching out for spring.

For the first time, I looked at the melted snow and ice on the cement as works of art.  Rather than just seeing it as a gray disgusting mess, I became intrigued by the various textures created by the water, ice, and snow.  These textures gave dimension and depth to the gray.

Later on in the afternoon, I visited one of my favorite places, Spy Pond.  It was a gray and dreary afternoon, resulting in a rather drab landscape.  Suddenly, I walked by this unexpected scene and laughed.

It looks like a rock creature is peaking out from a mound of snow.  It makes me think that there is another rock buried, with another eye buried underneath the snow.  This scene provided some levity to the cloudy, heavy mood of the afternoon.

Returning home, I zoomed in on a tree trunk, outside of my bedroom window.  I became fascinated by the patterns.  Rather than just a tree trunk, it was transformed into a piece of abstract art.

"Alter your thoughts and alter the world."  Taking pictures helps me to see the world in different ways.  I hope that my photography helps other people to think about the world in new ways as well.

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To Blog Readers:  I'm curious to hear about thoughts that have altered your world, that have helped you to see the world in a new way such as a work of art, a sight, a song, a poem, etc.

Ying Yang: Winter's Help in Appreciating Spring

After countless dreary winter days with white gray skies and little sunlight, I was taken aback by the beautiful sunset last night.  The sun illuminated the sky and the clouds and created spectacular blues, pinks, and yellows.  Driving on the highway, my jaw dropped in awe and I realized that it had been a really long time since I had experienced a sunset like this.  Pulling into my driveway, I left my groceries in my car, ran inside to grab my camera, and quickly began taking pictures.  

I loved the wonderful colors in the sky as a backdrop for the dark silhouettes of the trees.

 

I also loved the striped effect of the sky behind the trees.

And another one...

The brilliant colors of the sunset against the dark buildings was also striking.

This picture reminded me of a similar picture that I had taken of a summer sunset in July.

While snapping pictures, I thought about how yesterday's sunset looked like the summer sunset-- another reminder that once again, spring would come.  And I thought to myself, "Hopefully sooner rather than later!"

I also thought that the level of my appreciation had been heightened by its contrast to the dismal, colorless sunsets of late.  In the summer I had gotten used to these types of sunsets.  In June and the beginning of July, I had eagerly grabbed my camera to take pictures and by the end of August, it didn't occur to me to take pictures anymore.  Now, it was as if I was seeing the sunset for the first time after a long, long sleep.  I started thinking about other aspects of spring that I am enthusiastically awaiting:)   I think that these happy thoughts helped to melt a little bit more snow and ice from the ground.
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To readers of my blog:   What aspects of spring are you looking forward to?  I invite all readers, especially new readers to this blog, to leave a comment.  Let's create a list from multiple readers to help us get through this last month of winter.

The Mystery of the Ice on the Branches

Several times this winter, my friend Grace and I have stood by the window in her classroom that overlooks the baseball field with trees lining the farther perimeter.  We have commented on how beautiful the ice looks on the bare branches of the trees.  Both of us have, unsuccessfully, tried to capture this image on film.  The ice on the branches is elusive-- existing in our range of vision but unwilling to be recorded and preserved.  It leaves us wondering if it really exists.

Driving to school this morning, I noticed how the snow highlighted the branches, shimmering in the sunlight and creating a magical effect.  I eagerly captured the contrast of the snow against the dark branches.  Taking pictures this morning before school went a long way in helping me to rediscover and appreciate the beauty of winter, especially since Snowmegedon 2011 has crushed much of that magical spirit for me.

While snapping pictures this morning, I easily captured the snow and the branches on film.

I began wondering if the ice on the branches really did exist or if it was just an illusion, a trick of sunlight that caused Grace and I to think that there was ice.  What I realized this morning was that it doesn't matter....

Sometimes just breathing in the magic and the beauty of winter is enough.  It doesn't matter if it can always be captured on film and if the ice on the branches exists.  It can remain a mystery.
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To readers of my blog....I'm curious about the mysteries of nature that you wonder about...I invite you to leave a comment and share.

A New Outlook on Winter: Hello Sunshine!

After too much snow and ice, too many storms to remember, horrible driving conditions, and not a full week of school since the first week of January, I can officially say that I am sick of winter.  With the last two storms, not even my camera could help me find inspiration.  "It's just white, white, and more white," I kept saying.  Until today...

I woke up this morning to mild weather conditions and a little bit more warmth and sunlight, lots and lots of sunlight.  The snow that had seemed so burdensome and heavy last week suddenly began to sparkle.  I loved the the way that the sunlight made the trees glisten and patches of snow appeared to be lined with silver gems. 

Driving into the school parking lot, a snow covered field lay before me with half-buried soccer goals and trees lining the farther perimeter.  Grabbing my camera, I tried to capture the shimmering snow but unfortunately, it slipped through the lens of my camera.  What did catch my eye was the morning sunlight reflected on the ice and snow on the ground and the shadows. 

The tree branches seemed to be lined with ice but the image elusively dodged from the reach of my digital camera.  However, I did notice that the lights and shadows on the lower parts of the trees seemed to be reflected in the ice and snow of the parking lot.

It reminded me a lot of a picture that I took in a local park on Veteran's Day of trees reflecting in a puddle of water on the ground.  Thinking of this image gave me hope that sooner or later spring would come again.

Capturing these images on film today also helped me to once again see the beauty of winter.  Although I've been taking pictures of icicles for the last few weeks, they've been missing a magical feeling, due to a lack of sunlight.  The beauty of the icicles today, when illuminated by the sun.

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To readers of my blog:   What do you find to be beautiful in the winter?  If you feel inspired, please leave a comment.