Saturday, March 12, 2011

shadows and birds


"I have a little shadow that goes in and out with me
And what can be the use of him is more than I can see..."

These words are from "My Shadow", a poem by Robert Louis Stevenson. He goes on to describe what fun he has with his shadow, jumping his up and down and even tricking it by going out early before the sun is up. There is something fascinating and magical about shadows, especially when children are involved. Of course, Stevenson lived in a time before cameras, so he had no idea that you can have even more fun with shadows if you have a camera. Here is an image of me with Ella, and the bright space between our shadows makes the shape of a dove. Keenemomma's picture also contains a playful bird shape, this time in the form of the shadow she has deliberately created with her hands.

See you soon, for some camera phone fun!
kirstin of fleeting moments
x

“Even the wildest dreams have to start somewhere. Allow yourself the time and space to let your mind wander and your imagination fly.”  (Oprah Winfrey)
even the wildest dreams have to start somewhere by keenemomma

9 comments:

urban muser said...

i love the texture added by the wood grain in the first photo. great shadow portraits!

keenemomma (Stephanie Meckfessel) said...

Isn't it wonderful to make a discovery like the perfect white dove in your shot? What a beautiful image layered with love and magic.

The "shadow puppet" bird in my shot is my son's creation. His sensitive eyes make him a tough subject but when his imagination becomes part of the composition, he's game. While not the world's most technically great photo, this one makes my heart swell because we both became a part of this sweet moment. And my word for the year is "fly."

Thank you Kirstin, for seeing something a little special here, and giving me a chance to share.

Kat Sloma said...

That dove is fantastically seen! I love the shadow/void pairing you created with these two images.

jennifée said...

These two images are so creative and emotional - love them so much!

Maureen said...

Love this post. Love. It.

Unknown said...

I love these both. I love Robert Louis Stevenson's poems, too. I have often thought it might be nice to illustrate several with photographs.

Anna said...

Kirstin, your capture is amazing, with the negative shape/space forming a dove!!!! Keenemomma's shadow bird taking flight is a super shot, too.

blue elephant photography said...

love it. actually your opening line is same as maureen's from yesterday...great minds think alike =)

nihan said...

Beautiful shadow portrait! I reblogged it.

http://shadowportraits.tumblr.com/

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