Lessons

'Your first 10,000 photographs are your worst.'  -  Henri Cartier Bresson

My photographs don't always turn out the way I pictured them in my head.  

Sometimes it works out better than expected and is a lovely surprise, but more likely than not, I pictured a much better outcome.  

I have come to realize I can't make good art without making crappy art first.  I learn from my crap.  I see what colors, backgrounds and angles work best for me, what depth of field is appropriate, how light plays a part in the whole picture... the list is infinite.  There are times I can reshoot and make it better, other times I have to scrap the whole thing.

My mistakes help me grow, as a photographer and a person.

If everything worked out perfectly I wouldn't learn a thing.  And isn't that why we are here? To learn and do what we love.  I love photography so I am sticking with it, even if my photographs are sometimes crappy.  

That was my big girl voice talking.  

There are times the little girl in me wants to have a temper tantrum because it is hard to remember there is a lesson in every mistake.  Sometimes I want to scream when I keep making crappy pictures.  But somewhere deep inside I have the urge to keep moving.  I think moving is the key, doing something, anything, not necessarily related to whatever I just messed up.  Eventually I get a bit of inspiration to try again, or something new, and hopefully remember all the lessons I learned along the way.  

Thanks so much for visiting.

Celebrate your creations today, even if they are crappy.  :)

Michelle

The Quickest Summer Ever

My husband, daughter and I took a trip to a tiny island called St. John in the US Virgin Islands.  We love this island.  John, my husband, and I first visited St. John before we were married, over 20 years ago.  The word has gotten out about how beautiful it is and more people visit than twenty years ago, but we can still find secret beaches we share with the seagulls for an afternoon.  

It is so beautiful I can stare out at the horizon for hours on end.  After relaxing, we have fun snorkeling, swinging on a tire swing, searching for sea glass, taking a boat trip, hiking...  

This summer we also visited family in Tennessee and Indiana, family from Missouri visited us.  Laughing and visiting with family fills my heart with happiness.  Having miles separate family is bitter sweet.  It is sad because we don't get together as much as we would like, but when we are together we truly appreciate and cherish the special time.

While visiting with family we celebrated a 50th and a 40th birthday.  Have you ever seen 50 candles on a cake?  I was surprised the smoke detector didn't go off.  Love you both. :)

Back in Ohio we did some flea market shopping, some purchases will be seen in my future photos.  I can't believe I had to be dragged to my first flea market, now I can't wait to go and find another photography 'prop'.  

Megan, my daughter, just started her first year of high school.  It is amazing how quickly time flies.  I think it hit John harder than me because of his comment on her first day, " Your baby just left for high school."  

Photography is one constant in my life, even when everything else seems crazy.  I have been taking lots of pictures.  Cleaned up my Instagram account and am finding a lot of inspiration there.  I also entered a Sunflower Art Show, a celebration of sunflowers with paintings and photography.  

I can't believe I have been away from this space for so long, it is nice to be back.

Thank you so much for coming to visit.

I hope you enjoyed your summer.

Michelle