by Sheila Finkelstein on April 27, 2011
On her wonderful Art Dog Blog, my friend Rebecca Collins shared a photo of a towel in which she saw a dog (click link to see). After describing her experience, she wrote:
“This post is for my photographer pal Sheila who sees faces in everything she shoots in nature. She enjoys finding all types of faces in wood grain and various textures in her photos. I sort of hope this is just an isolated event and I do not start seeing floppy eared canines in inanimate objects around me.”
So, last week when I saw the Fungus face below, I immediately thought of Becca. Back at her, I’m featuring it in today’s Picture to Ponder, inviting you to spend some time with the stories you might see in, or emotions you might feel from,
Today’s Photos –
[click to continue…]
by Sheila Finkelstein on April 19, 2011
In today’s Picture to Ponder, I invite you to take some time and simply breathe in the beauty of the images below.
[click to continue…]
by Sheila Finkelstein on March 17, 2011
Wild irises became the focus for my camera and me this past week. I woke last Friday remembering that this must be wild iris time at Wakodahatchee Wetlands. They bloom from the last week or two in February through mid-March.
Last year I totally missed them, even though I must have walked right past them several times. I thus set the time to go Wakodahatchee walking at the end of the day with the specific intention of looking for the irises. (See below today’s Queries for links to prior year posts and photos.)
Today’s Photos –
Below is the original photo from which the “bird” in a mailing earlier this week was taken. I’m including others with which I’ve also had fun this week.
The “bird” coming in for a landing and more wild irises [click to continue…]
by Sheila Finkelstein on March 10, 2011
If you are one of the followers who relates to Self-Reflecting Queries, as well as the photographs, I thought you’d appreciate the following statement, “Empowerment in using a camera has altered how I see myself,” as shared by Marifran Korb.She was referencing her experience resulting from participating in the Through and From The Len telecourse. The next session starts on Tuesday night, March 15th. See TFTL.
Before going further, without adding words to interfere with your responses, I invite you to pause at each of Today’s Photos. Then consider the emotion, or response, that comes up for you with each one individually.
[click to continue…]
by Sheila Finkelstein on February 11, 2011
On New Year’s Day, around noon, I was driving down a street when the reflections in the building shown below caught my attention.

Reflecting the building seen in the photo just under here. [click to continue…]
by Sheila Finkelstein on February 9, 2011
This week a few Facebook fans and I have been having fun on my new Fan Page. I started the page posting a mystery photo almost daily, giving the answer the next day. For the past several days, I’ve been posting individual views of one series of photos taken in early afternoon four years ago. The “answers” have yet to be given. These photos still inspire and excite me when I periodically review them and I have been thoroughly enjoying them this week. It’s been fun selecting which to use to maintain the “mystery” while at the same time starting to give some visual hints. Some of the “guesses” amaze and delight me, bringing a smile to my face. I invite you to come look and enjoy them also, even participate in the guessing.
The other part of the game for me has become reaching at least 100 fans by 6 PM Eastern Time today. As I write, only 4 more are needed to meet that number. If you’d like to be one of them simply go to the Through and From The Lens Fan Page and click on “Like” at the end of the line of links under the name.
Today’s Featured Photos –

[click to continue…]
by Sheila Finkelstein on February 3, 2011
Several Picture to Ponder subscribers have written about how much they enjoy seeing flower photographs here. To accommodate, especially since the weather is so harsh in so many areas, I started looking through my files. I then decided to make it “easier” on myself and simply reprint an earlier issue.
The following was featured in Issue 118 in June 2005. (Note the issue number, which meant I had done 118 issues in 6 months!) Most of the text is as written then.
Today’s Featured Photos –

closing in on a portion of an hibiscus. [click to continue…]
by Sheila Finkelstein on January 28, 2011
Updates On What’s New – If you are one who enjoys “Mystery Photos”, I have set up the Through and From The Lens Facebook Fan Page, which I believe is viewable whether you are a member of Facebook or not. If you have been subscribing to Picture to Ponder for a while, you may remember some of them. I invite you to check out the TFTL Fan Page and to also click on the “Like” link at the end of the line of links under the page name. Clicking on “Like” will not result in your getting any email. The only way to see the page is to bookmark the URL and go directly it.
Also, since this will be the only mailing until next week, I invite you to check out the two programs in which I’ve just enrolled – under the Queries.
Today’s Featured Photos –
The first view I saw in this series. To see the “Bark-in Dog” and change perspective three times [click to continue…]
by Sheila Finkelstein on January 24, 2011
Last week, when speaking of the, then, upcoming Through and From The Lens course, I shared some statements by Marifran Korb, Relationship Coach, on the beauty she now sees in her world as a result of participating in the TFTL course.
In a second conversation she had some very interesting things to say about how the camera has become a means for her to “take charge” of her life. At one point, she stated:
“I use the camera for being more at peace with myself and my world. When I use the camera I feel like I’m in charge and sometimes in life you’re not. With the camera you’re choosing what you’re looking for or you are in charge of what you see. . .and how you see it.
For your convenience I have put both audio interviews on a new page with a link to transcripts of what she said in each of those seven-minute interviews. See Marifran’s Words.
Today’s Photo and Story –

Late afternoon sunlit palm leaves in Green Cay Wetlands.
My camera(s) and I went out for a walk with the intent of breaking through the sluggishness I was feeling. Almost the first thing I saw, at the beginning of my walk, were these “spot-lit” leaves, reminding me that there is always some brightness that exists somewhere. I, of course, started taking pictures,
and [click to continue…]
by Sheila Finkelstein on January 22, 2011
If you’ve looked at the past two posts, you’ve seen the promotion of the upcoming Through and From The Lens course. Part of what is covered in this blog is akin to what Picture to Ponder has been about.
The photography and queries presented is this blog are aimed toward personal growth and self-improvement, as well as daily inspiration for those who come back to the photographs.
Now, I NEED YOUR HELP. So I don’t continue, second-guessing your wishes, I’d appreciate your feedback on the following:
1 – What did you expect when you visit here? and 2 – How else may I serve you?
Please respond in the comments section below or email me – sheila [at] picturetoponder.com. Thank you so much.
Today’s Photos –

[click to continue…]