Surprises and moments of luck.

In an effort to follow through with my intention to explore the places around me, I ventured forth this week to my local Botanic Garden.  (I never knew I had a local Botanic Garden before I went looking!)  The South Coast Botanic Garden is a wonderful place, and I will be taking my kids there in the near future.

As anticipated, there were amazing flowers that allowed me to indulge in macro lens heaven.  But as I was zooming, and focussing and snapping away at the gorgeous colours and designs of the flowers, I discovered that the flowers were not the only subjects available to me.  There were ants, and bees, and butterflies and caterpillars.  Birds, and lizards, and fish.  So here are the pictures I took.  Some were pure luck. (The bee took off just as I snapped the shutter.  I did not plan that shot.) I nearly missed the caterpillar completely.  I only noticed him by chance.  Little surprises and moments of pure luck are a part of photography that I really enjoy.

Places around me.

My husband and I moved to the Los Angeles area 13 years ago.  13 years.  That's a long time.  Just ask the parent of a 13 year old.  Ask anyone who has graduated from high school.  I have lived here a long time, but I don't know the Los Angeles area very well at all.  I think I'm going to change that.  I am publicly declaring my intent to investigate and explore the places around me.

While Venice is not new to me, it is a place I haven't visited in a long time.  I used to live very close to the canals, but I don't think I've visited them in at least 4 or 5 years.  I found myself in the area a few weeks ago, with a free morning in my schedule.  So I found a parking spot on one end of the canals, and spent a couple of hours walking and enjoying the tiny area of canals, bridges and houses that cost more than I could ever dream to afford.  It's a beautiful place, and I was blessed with a beautiful, quiet day.

Beautiful places are all around me.  All I have to do is go out to find them.

Change in perspective.

The Picture Inspiration class that I'm a part of prompted me to take pictures from a different perspective - literally.  The prompt was to take pictures from ground level.  Put the camera on the ground, and catch the action from a different perspective.  I liked the idea, since the day before I had spent the morning on my stomach outside my house taking pictures of a dandelion, and I was eager to try it on a different subject.

Later that day, the kids and I were at a park we hadn't been to before, and it was filled with kids, dogs, and parents. While lying on the grass in my own garden is fine, I'm not someone who feels particularly comfortable on her stomach, with a camera, in a park filled with people.  So I ended up just putting the camera on the ground, and pushing the button without really knowing where the camera was focussed.  I am delighted with some of the pictures I got, even though the focus isn't on my chosen subjects - in this case, my kids.  I think it's a good reminder that a small change in perspective causes you to view things in a new way.  And a new way isn't necessarily a bad thing.

My Blue Period

I have to confess that I have not taken photographs every day this month.  In fact, I have been particularly bad about consistently getting my camera out.  But when I have taken pictures, I've taken a lot.  Ever since my Photo Walk at the Pier, I have been loving taking pictures at the beach.  And a lot of them are blue.  Sky blue.  Sea blue.  Life Guard Tower blue.  So I am officially calling this My Blue Period.  

My first photo walk.

I signed up for my first photo walk this week-end.  A group of us met at the Redondo Beach Pier, and we walked around for a couple hours, taking pictures.  It was great.  It was around sunset, and it was so gorgeous.  I was amazed at how many pelicans there were.  I haven't been down to the Pier in a long time, and I loved wondering around, watching the people, the fishermen casting, catching and gutting, the birds flying and posing for the cameras. 

So here are a few of the pictures I took.  Enjoy.  

Just pictures.

Surrender: Sometimes you've just got to stop and watch the parrots.

This year seems to be the year of the e-course.  I've done multiple photography e-courses already, and now I'm doing a scrap-booking one.  I know.  Who would have thunk it?  Actually, I liked the concept of the course - One Little Word - so much, that I would not be dissuaded by the fact that it was a scrap-booking course.  Please understand that I have nothing against scrap-booking.  I have many friends who scrap-book, and who are amazing at it.  My hesitation rests solely on the fact that I have tried it, and I am terrible at it.
Regardless, One Little Word is based on the idea of finding a word that you focus on for the year.  A whole year.  A word that can represent a change you want to make, an attitude you want to nurture, or just a word that enriches your life.  It was easy for me to choose my word - surrender.
As I learn more about myself, and what is truly important to me, I have discovered that I need to learn how to surrender.  Surrender myself to God and His plan for my life.  Surrender my need to control my circumstances and the people around me.  Surrender my negative patterns and thoughts.  Surrender to my inner child and learn to just have fun.  We are into the third month of the year, and already the word surrender means so much more to me than it did when I began.

So what does that have to do with parrots, you may ask?  Today I was rushing to pick up Lily from her after-school drawing class.  I had my son, Dylan, with me, and it was a rush out the house, rush to the car, rush to get him strapped into his chair.  We weren't even late.  I am just so programmed to 'rush' everywhere.  As we got to the car, I noticed that the flock of parrots I'd seen on and off for the last few weeks were back in the tree outside our house.  I had tried multiple times to get pictures of them without success.  So I rushed - ha - back into the house, and grabbed my camera.  I walked slowly and carefully to the tree and started snapping away.  By now Dylan was whining because he was strapped into his chair and couldn't see a thing.  I let him out, and together we watched the parrots flit and dance in the tree above our heads until his squeals and yelling finally scared them off.  But you know what?  Two, three or even one month ago, I may not have stopped to watch the parrots.  I may not have taken the time to enjoy these beautiful, mysterious birds in the tree overhead.  I would have stuck to the "plan" in my head, the plan that said it was now time to pick up Lily from school, and no deviation from the plan was allowed.  Today I surrendered that plan, and allowed myself the joy of watching parrots in the trees.  Surrender.  It's not as scary a word as you might believe it to be.

The next picture is just for fun.  There is a parrot flying away from the camera toward the tree.  Can you see it?