by Sheila Finkelstein on January 10, 2011
“Sometimes when we stand in nature, open as the new dawn, Everything seems so simple. Remember that moment, that simplicity….all week long.”
The above image and quote by Dewitt Jones is from one of his weekly “Celebrate What’s Right With The World” series of photographs.
As I’m preparing for my interview with Dewitt tomorrow night (Tuesday, 1/11 at 8:30 PM), I spent the weekend immersed in watching his videos and taking notes beyond those I originally took.
This is a “Don’t Miss” free call! especially, if you have been a appreciating Picture to Ponder for a while, even as long as six years. You will definitely come away with an expanded view on ways of seeing, visually and in all areas of your life, both with a camera and without. You’ll feel the juice in your life. [click to continue…]
by Sheila Finkelstein on January 6, 2011
I am ecstatic about the start of my New Year and hope yours is starting off well also. A few times in past issues of Picture to Ponder I’ve mentioned Dewitt Jones, a top National Geographic photographer, keynote speaker and more. Last year, I randomly clicked on a link in one of the ezines to which I subscribe and was treated to his 3-minute JUICE video.
I was super-excited with the uniqueness of the story, Dewitt’s response to the little boy “hero” and the passion for life and photography that was shared. I went on to watch the other four previews of his training videos. They include “Focus Your Vision”, “For the Love of It”, “Everyday Creativity” and “Celebrate What’s Right In Your Life.” If you have been a following the blog posts for a while, you can see from the titles alone what drew me in.
I so resonated with what I heard! Almost everything that Dewitt speaks throughout all the videos, in his philosophy on life, on creativity and being present in our worlds, and so much more, are the underpinnings of what I’ve been a stand for in my years of teaching and now in Picture to Ponder, my courses and my coaching. [For Today’s Photos and rest of the story – [click to continue…]
by Sheila Finkelstein on December 22, 2010
Last week I had the pleasure of having lunch with Kaitlyn, my college-freshman granddaughter, to celebrate my birthday. The camera was with me and, being involved in conversation as we ate, I stayed pretty much focused on our discussions.
Toward the end of lunch I decided to see if there was anything visually interesting that I might photograph.
I took some pictures of her above her glass and then decided to focus on the glass itself. (Photo on right is initial scene)
It was when I zoomed in on the imagery in the glass that the photographs became interesting. In the first photo below we see a wide variety of pleasing textures and soft colors. I’m moved to stay in it for a while and yet the dark line (her drinking straw) almost cuts the picture in half, falling outside the principles of good design.
As you see below, I thus cropped the larger photo with the straw repositioned in different places in each of the two other photos. [click to continue…]
by Sheila Finkelstein on December 16, 2010
If you have been following Picture to Ponder for a while, you’ve undoubtedly realized that I consider my camera as one of my best friends. It and/or its predecessors have joined me and my family in celebrations and on trips;
1- it has shared in the joys and some of the sorrows in my life;
2-Â over a period of many years our similar yet different views with our cameras opened some exciting conversations with my beloved husband Sam and me;
3-and, many times its served as a form of meditation AND definitely a stress-reliever.
I make it a practice to ALWAYS have a camera with me and as you know, I encourage you to do the same as you develop the practice of photographing ANYTHING that catches your eye.
Other’s cameras and mine also serve as conversation openers, thus connectors, when out among other people. Today, as I was walking on the boardwalk at Wakodahatchee Wetlands, I pointed out the reflections below to a woman who had paused to ask what I was photographing.
Reflections – Rhythms and patterns from the boardwalk [click to continue…]
by Sheila Finkelstein on December 4, 2010
Through and From The Lens –Transforming the “I Can’t”s / “You Can’t”s to “I Can”s –
Using Your Camera to assist you in making the difference
Sheila Reflected Twice in a Camera lens
I have just relaunched my Through and From the Lens Photo / Seeing course with the first session in January. The name does not make sense to most people, so why would I use it? Mainly because I have yet to come up with another name that describes the course.
It is in the looking “through” the lens of, in this case, the camera and seeing what comes “from” it that gives us a new understanding of happenings in our lives. For the most part how we see and interpret what’s going on comes from past-based, often limiting, conversations. Many of them exist in our head, often running the decisions we make, or, perhaps more importantly, don’t make.  [click to continue…]
