Commonalities – Regal Faces in Clouds and on Boardwalk – Picture to Ponder – V6 – Issue 24

by Sheila Finkelstein on June 16, 2010

It is my intention for today’s message to be brief. When you scroll down and look at the two different photos you may wonder at their relevance to one another. Usually I look for a theme and, using art principles, I always attempt having them hold together and relate both visually and aesthetically to one another

Not wanting to intrude on your individual responses, I’ll expand further in my notes below the photos.

Today’s Photos

profile in the clouds at sunset from a balcony in Boynton Beach

Princess or angel in a wood knot

To give reference to the perspective from which it was shot, the top sunset photo was taken from the balcony of a penthouse apartment in Boynton Beach, FL.

Although she looks somewhat pained, I love the regal, queenly appearance of the woman in the clouds whom we see in profile facing to our right. If you enjoy exploring further, you might see the second much smaller profile face in her “neck.” It, too, faces to the right. Then there is the one on our left at the top of her full hat, facing skyward. I suspect you will find more.

The image in the lower wood knot photo brought a quick smile to my face when I almost stepped on it on the boardwalk at Green Cay Wetlands in Boynton Beach. She looks like she is winking at us with the eye on our right. She has the feel of a “Greek Goddess and also an angel, though the wing we see is misplaced. It wouldn’t be attached to her cheek.
RE Art and Composition:
To complete on my thoughts from the introduction, what’s holding together the space that these two photos are occupying is that:

1. The subject of both is women, albeit imaginary ones, and

2. There is a bit of burnt orange in the wood that picks up on the orange in the sunset. Colors in the wood are also repeated throughout the sky and clouds in the top photo.

There is a similar linear pattern in both, though horizontal in the top and vertical on the bottom.

Today’s Photo Story –
No story today beyond what I’ve shared above in the photos and, as I see it, there is plenty of “juice” for many stories. Why not have fun and make up some of your own.

If you have children, or know any, I invite you to share these photos with them and listen to their observations and stories. And, certainly don’t neglect the “children” within the adults in your world. Please invite them to have fun with you also.

No more words on either. I invite you to BE with each, fully for a moment or two, less or more, and simply experience the images.

Self-Reflecting Queries
Today, I also invite you to reflect on your responses, or reactions, to today’s photos. Did you see the faces I saw? Did you have judgments on my observations on the photos, or other things I might have said?

If so, was your response, or judgments, part of a pattern that you can identify and match to other situations in your life? If so, is there anything you can take from it, remind yourself of, and/or acknowledge yourself for, to further empower yourself in those areas or others?

And, as I stated last week, and at other times, it’s all made up. What stories are you making up in your life today? Are they serving you? providing fun? openings for interactions with others?

Thanks for “playing.” As always have fun with these queries and looking/seeing. Also, please post your responses in the COMMENTS section below.

{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }

Debii June 16, 2010 at 4:13 pm

The top photo looks like a Maxfield Parrish painting to me – his sense of color. The wood knot – definitely an angel, but with her head turned or a bird preening its wings.

Reply

Leila Ward June 16, 2010 at 8:28 pm

I am looking for a website where we can submit our own pix, maybe by subject, with a facilitator like Sheila to choose the most interesting and ask the photgrapher to chat about what was happening for them when they took the pic. At 64 I would rather create than be a student. I have a business Okanagan Eye, and sell photos and cards. Any suggestions for where I can go for what I want to do?

Reply

Sheila Finkelstein July 5, 2010 at 7:56 pm

Hi Leila. Aside from FlickR, http://www.flickr.com, I don’t know of any sites that offer what you are describing outside of doing your own site.

I “approved” this comment in the event that someone might come across it with other suggestions for you. FlickR certainly allows you to comment on your photos and there is a new interface that will post it directly to one’s blog.

I’d find it interesting to learn if there is someone who fits that for
which you are looking.

Success.

Reply

Marifran Korb June 16, 2010 at 8:37 pm

Hi Sheila,
On the top photo, I see seven profiles. In the wood photo, the first thing I saw was a bird. Then I saw the face that mimics an uptight, unhappy Grinch. I’ll imagine it is a female Grinch, due to the rounded patterns. However, there are some almost-straight lines, also. So I don’t get any specific gender.
I love how your imagination is so strong and omnipresent.
Laughter and light,
Marifran

Reply

Sheila Finkelstein July 5, 2010 at 7:59 pm

Hi Marifran,

Thanks for your comments. I can continue to see profiles in the sunset. Still don’t see the bird in the wood photo, though I can see where my “angel” certainly does look like grinch.

I appreciate the acknowledgment and I’m smiling at the “laughter and light”>

Reply

Patti June 21, 2010 at 10:32 am

Greetings from Minnesota!

Thanks for the beautiful pictures! They are wonderful and free flowing.

Best to you,
Patti

Reply

Sheila Finkelstein July 5, 2010 at 7:49 pm

Thanks, Patti. Hope you are enjoying Minnesota. Have you had your camera at work there? 🙂

Reply

Carol Cannon July 5, 2010 at 7:08 pm

Sheila – you are amazing – what insight and I love that you offered me an opportunity to visualize in your photography! Thank you! Namaste, Carol

Reply

Sheila Finkelstein July 5, 2010 at 8:03 pm

Hi Carol,

Thanks for your comments. I appreciate the acknowledgment and am glad that you enjoyed the photo(s).

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