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.