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Today’s Picture to Ponder Photos
Two very different photos, as explained in the Queries section.
The upper photo is a view focusing in on Sunflowers surrounded by Alstromeria in a floral arrangement in a ceramic vase.
(Note the painting in the background is one of the many wonderful paintings of artist, Sally Cooper, who very graciously hosted a gathering of member artists from WITVA (Women In The Visual Arts).
When I came across the featured photo the other day in one of my folders, I felt uplifted, having the momentary feeling that I was looking at a water color rather than a photograph. It seemed to be a perfect one to feature today, as so many people throughout the United States, at least, are experiencing wet, dreary and threatening weather.
The lower photo is a photograph of a Full Moon Amidst Clouds on a recent clear night. The completed image is a result of using several processes in the Photoshop Elements Course I just completed. Click on Lesson 5-6 and scroll the bottom of the page to see the unaltered photos and other exercises in that class.
I include it here because I get the feeling of celebration from the photo, with the lilt of the center image.
Intro to Today’s Self-Reflecting Queries
As I wind down from all the work that has been involved in preparing for the changeover, moving Picture to Ponder from one publisher to another, there have been several layers of sadness for me. The first is that I’ve really appreciated the service I’ve had from EZezine for the almost four years that I have been working with them, so there is that feeling of loss.
Then there has been my concern for making certain that everyone who cares about Picture to Ponder is ensured of having the opportunity to continue. Once doing that, I’m left with the sadness of the loss of those subscribers who have not responded and will no longer be on the list. Of course, they may not have been opening the issues in the first place.
I shared my feelings with two masterminding buddies and close friends and asked what they thought of my featuring the moody moon/cloud photos for this “last” issue. They did not see the one I ultimately used here since it hadn’t yet been done. I wrote that I had a lively one (the flowers) which had been my original choice.
I was reminded that this is the “first” issue for many of you AND I could be viewing
the whole thing as a celebration of new beginnings. Thank you, Morgine and Marifran!
The Queries
Coming from what I experienced, I invite you to look at:
1. Are there places in your life, where you are focussing on what’s missing rather than on what’s available?
2. When you do see, acknowledge and honor what’s there, do you allow yourself to celebrate it? If so, how?
3. When you are in a quandry, or are feeling sad, do you simply shut down, withdraw, or are you able to seek out and ask for support?
4. Do you remain aware of what methods you can use to create shifts for yourself?
For me in addition to communicating with my friends and support team, I was able to turn my energy into a creative venture. While playing with the photos in Photoshop, fulfilling on other coursework, I wound up with a totally unexpected result, a way to use both images, celebrating an “aliveness” theme.
While working with the photos I had no hidden agenda or attachment to results and that, I say, is what made it work.
Where, if at all, can you find yourself in the latter example?
As always, have fun with these questions as you explore and play.
I’d love to hear from you. Remember this issue is also posted on our new PHOTOGRAPHY AND TRANSFORMATION BLOG. Simply fill in the box under REPLY to place your comments.
And, while you’re there be sure to check out the final photos of the Onion Layers through to Layer 13.
