Picture to Ponder

Beauty in Snow – Light and Shadows – Through and From The Lens – Picture to Ponder v7-Issue 3B

by Sheila Finkelstein on January 21, 2011

Tuesday is the start of my four-week Through and From The Lens telecourse and I want to make sure you don’t miss out on this opportunity for new ways of celebrating and finding the beauty in your world.

I stated yesterday that, in acknowledgment of all of you experiencing severe winter weather, I would feature one of my beloved, late-husband Sam’s snow photographs. Here is one taken many years ago

snow in Deep Run Old Bridge, NJ

in Deep Run in Old Bridge, NJ. In addition to taking wonderful pictures, Sam also developed and printed all of his black and white photographs. This included mine after he introduced me to the camera.

The photo reminds me of a recent conversation with Marifran Korb, marifrankorb.com. In discussing how Through and From The Lens had altered her life, she states:

“I am now photographing lots and lots of things I never would have photographed before. And even if I don’t have the camera with me every minute I can see these things.

Like shadows on the snow, for instance, that I wouldn’t have paid attention to.   I would have thought, ‘Oh, it’s just ordinary.’ But I now see the designs in some of them and where it’s swirling. The  snow is swirling and then the effect of the light and the shadow on that. [click to continue…]

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Sunset Metaphors for Life and Comments on Dewitt Jones Interview – Picture to Ponder – v7-issue 3

by Sheila Finkelstein on January 13, 2011

I was still reeling from the wisdom and generosity of sharing that Dewitt Jones treated us all to in my interview with him on Tuesday night when really moving responses started coming in.

Long-time subscriber, and now dear friend, Linda Gipson wrote a beautiful tribute to the powerful response she had to him. I was so moved, I called and asked if I could use her as “guest writer” for today’s issue. I said I would feature one or two of her most favorite sunset photos today, as a tribute to her. Were I to eliminate anything she wrote, I would be depriving you, so I will start here and complete on the blog.

Linda Gipson Massage Therapist, Houston Texas, Business CardLinda Braun Gipson, a Registered Massage Therapist, in Houston, Texas wrote [my bolding]:

“The first thing Dewitt Jones said that grabbed me was that he tries to approach each subject with “no agenda”. This is exactly what I tell prospective clients when they ask what kind of massage I do. Many are looking for a simple answer, like “Swedish”, which they think tells them something… it doesn’t. Some people get it… most don’t. But I got it last night… this guy speaks my language!

When he went on to discuss “the connection” being the most important aspect of photography… he had me wrapped up and sold. Again, I’ve always told my students that first, you connect with the body.  [For full post – Today’s Photos and Queries and more of what Linda wrote – [click to continue…]

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Creativity, Focus, Juice in Life – Upcoming Interview with Dewitt Jones

by Sheila Finkelstein on January 10, 2011

Photo of Donner Lake by Dewitt Jones“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…]

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Creativity, Focus, Walls in Picture to Ponder – v7-issue1

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…]

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Using Imagination and Wishes for 2011 – Boardwalks, Garlic and Pomegranate

by Sheila Finkelstein on December 30, 2010

garlic on year-at-a-glance calendar 2011Today’s issue of Picture to Ponder brings my wishes for us all to have a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year, with the riches of love and joy and fulfillment of whatever intentions you may be setting for 2011.

There is also a mixture of seemingly disparate photos and a photo/drawing. Not exactly sure why these choices, I decided to simply go with what showed up for me as I prepared this issue.

These two garlic segments evidently have some special meaning for me. I think this is the third time I am featuring them in Picture to Ponder. Perhaps there is meaning for one of more of you. (If you missed the earlier posts you can catch them by scrolling down the page that comes up for “Garlic” in the search here on this blog)

For the next 5 photos and the Self-Reflecting Queries click on [click to continue…]

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Relieving Holiday Stress Using the Camera – Patterns through a Glass

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.

Kaitlyn behind the glass. Wide view of the restaurant.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.

patterns in glass - Kaitlyn is behind

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…]

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Using Photography to Create Connections – Ripples and Reflections – Picture to Ponder – v6-issue 49

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- 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.

boardwalk reflections in Wakodahatchee Wetlands
Reflections – Rhythms and patterns from the boardwalk [click to continue…]

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Limited Intentions Result in Creating Shifts – Picture to Ponder – v6 – issue 47

by Sheila Finkelstein on December 1, 2010

This morning I set the intention to find a something new in my neighborhood, that would catch my eye, and then photograph it for this issue. During the brilliant sunlit morning here in Florida, I noticed the dance of shadows on a garage door. I took several photos and mentally my “story” was forming. Lo and behold, when I went to download them, they weren’t there. Evidently I did not click firmly enough on the older camera I had grabbed.

I’m guessing now, the latter happened so that we would end up experiencing
Today’s Featured Photo –

a brilliant September sunset in Green Cay Wetlands. [click to continue…]

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Changing Perspectives Inspired by a Yellow Pepper – Picture to Ponder – v6-issue 45

by Sheila Finkelstein on November 19, 2010

This week I had fun spending a lot of time with raw vegetables and fruits, cutting, blending and eating them for my friend Rachelle Anslyn’s and her partner Thomas Radtke’s Make It Real, Make It Raw detox blast. Not surprisingly, as I was cutting vegetables, especially peppers, certain imagery grabbed my attention. I, of course, went for my camera.

Today’s Featured Photos –

yellow pepper on table and chair back reflections

yellow pepper center - abstract

abstract close up of yellow pepper

The top photo is the cut half of a yellow pepper with the center section of the opposite half turned upside down placed in the center of the half we see. When the photograph first appeared on my monitor, I was unable to identify the lines on the right. I was puzzled for quite a while. Yet I loved the play of light and shadows on the wood, finding a peacefulness emanating from the whole picture. I thus decided to use it as one of today’s feature photos.

Once making that decision I needed to determine what it all was. I originally assumed that the pepper was on my wooden cutting board. I finally realized that, in fact, I had placed it on my table and that the angled “grey” lines were the slats of a white chair pushed up against the table.

The middle photo is a very close-up view of the pepper’s center, creating, what to me is, a very whimsical image. As I inserted that photograph here my eye was drawn to the color and grace of the dark, curving “line” on the left.

I went back to Photoshop Elements to see what it would look if I went in and cropped the photo to highlight solely that line. Thus the bottom photo was born.

I hope you have as much fun with these as I did. If you start “playing” with your own cut vegetables, I’d love to learn about your experiences.

Self-Reflecting Queries –
Today’s photos lend themselves to another one of the recurring themes in Picture to Ponder – looking at objects, people and things from a multitude of perspectives. In addition, of course, there is my constant message for “paying attention to whatever grabs your eye.”

So, as I did with the pepper, I invite you to firstly, to divide in half an object, situation, or your thoughts about a particular person. Then look at both “halves”. Do you see differences? Do they change with repositioning?

Then zoom in more closely. Does anything change? Can you find any humor in that at which you are looking either with your eyes or with your thoughts?

Lastly, with the latter perspective, find one thing that is appealing in what you’ve noticed. Zoom in. Move around it. What new do you see?

Despite my saying “lastly”, you are of course welcome to continue your exploration.

When finished, please post your experience in the COMMENTS section below.

As always, have fun and open up to new possibilities.

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Breaking the Rules – Boynton Beach Sunrise and a Tern – Picture to Ponder – v6-44

by Sheila Finkelstein on November 10, 2010

As I was searching for photos for today’s issue of Picture to Ponder, I was drawn into the rhythm of the waves and the subtle reflections of the rising sun in Boynton Beach, FL two weeks ago. Some of the magic is lost in the smaller size here, so I’m including a link to a slightly larger version if you wish to click on the photo and be with that photo for a moment or two.

If you wish to spend a few more minutes and experience the rolling waves and listening to the sounds, I invite you to check out my Boynton Sunrise Video leading up to the scene captured below.

Originally, particularly because of the white and the fact that it was on the beach, I assumed the bird in the lower photo was a sea gull. Then, the orange beak had me check it out on Google where I learned that it’s a Tern. You can see a cute 20-second video of his scurrying on the beach at Tern Video. Stay with it for the last two or three seconds and you’ll see his “family.’

Today’s Featured Photos –

sunrise on Boynton Beach

orange-billed tern

As state above, sunrise at Boynton Beach and a Tern on the beach.

Self-Reflecting Queries –
I spent quite a bit of time today in looking to “adjust” the sunrise photo, cropping it to accommodate “the rules” – the rule of thirds in creating a good photographic composition. Following this “rule” the subject would never be in the center of the photo. That is, the sun would not be smack in the middle. And, as I look at it again, though the sun is central, my eye is drawn to the waves which, in fact, are in the lower third and the focus of interest for me.

Then moving on to the photograph of the tern. His beak is in the upper third corner, his tail is almost in the lower. I suppose this would thus “qualify” as a well done photo. On the other hand he is looking away from us, not usually a good idea, according to the “rules.”

I ultimately decided, today to present the photos that “felt” good and they seem to work fine.

In line with my description above, I invite you, once again, to look into your own life. Is there any place that you are so caught up in what you think are the rules that you are not allowing yourself to play “full out”?

If so, and you were to give yourself permission to look beyond what you think are the rules, might there be something new or expansive that could open up for you? If so, I invite you to take it on.

And, as I final thought today, I suggest you might also check out with another person, or persons, what their interpretation of the situation is; the same as yours, or different? What might the openings here be for you?

As always, have fun and open up to new possibilities.

Then please post your experience in the COMMENTS section below.

New in the Gift Shop –

garlic parts on tileI just received my latest order of new products from my Gift Shop. If you read last week’s issue of Picture to Ponder and the one a few weeks back, you’ll know how excited I’ve been with this particular garlic image. So last week I put it on a Tile and WOW! I am thrilled.

These tiles are great as coasters, hot plates and/or decorative on a small table easel.

abstract silky garlic image on a year-at-a-glance calendarUsing Photoshop, I also placed the garlic pieces on top of the silky abstract image of a portion of the garlic that I featured in Picture to Ponder last week and had it printed on a year-at-a-glance calendar.

Though I’m not anxious for 2010 to end, I can’t wait until January when this calendar and image will have the central spot on my refrigerator. I also purchased a couple more of the calendars – different images. I will cut off the photo on at least one and frame it!

silk mandala on a tileLastly, in addition to the above and other garlic image products, I had the silk mandala of two weeks ago printed on a tile also.

You can see this at Mandala 1 Tile and other products with this silk image on Mandala.

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