Mortal Muses

Looking In as an Outsider

2012-02-01T01:01:00.000-05:00

I recently went on a trip for a few days to city that had me feeling like a real outsider looking in. Everything about this place was dramatically different then home. Most noticeable was the color palette. Temperatures outside low enough to obliterate any a hint of green, this was not the land of palm tree and manicured lawns. Camera in pocket I set out to looking to capture images that would bring back those memories some day.

At the base of this beige monolithic brick and mortar hotel there was was a row of windows offering a glimpse through a busy hallway into the windows of a toys store. The glow of the lights and carefully color coordinated displays were a magnet to the young and old.

I called this How Much is that Monster in the Window.

Using windows is one of the easiest ways to frame and draw the eye inwards. You may find yourself leaning in for a closer view of what lies just beyond. Center focus helps direct the eye as well.

When I searched for an image to feature from the Mortal Muse Flickr Group I knew quickly that my choice was Montacute House 2 by Gitte Morten. I was immediately drawn in pass the moss covered opening and into a courtyard with tiny bokeh people I could just barely make out. There was also another layer to this photo that I loved the darkened doorway. Reminds me a secret door that you just can't resist to find what's behind it. Thank you Gitte for sharing this image with us.

Looking Out to be Present Within

2012-01-31T01:01:00.136-05:00

"If we look at the world with a love of life, the world will reveal its beauty to us." ~ Daisaku Ikeda

While searching through my flickr stream the other day, I came across this image from last summer, which, coincidentally, I'd entitled "Looking Out & Looking In." It made me realize that I have a propensity for taking self-portraits that usually never see the light of day. Little, spontaneous snippets of my life, caught in some sort of reflective surface like this one taken in the glass of our front door. A summer dress. A happy dog. He's looking out, and I'm looking in. Truly a moment to remember, and one that fortunately made it out of the archives having been shot for last year's 365. Under the caption, I'd written, "Took this one last night just after the sun went down, and right before Maj went crazy when a bike rode by!"

Catching memories like this one, serve as a happy reminder that I'm blessed with an abundance of beautiful moments. The funny thing though, is that I often forget about them. As much as I try to be present, to live in the moment and see the everyday beauty around me, I can get lost in thought, caught up in the daily grind of life's mundane realities: bills to pay, a house to be cleaned, a dog who requires more exercise than I do! So as a photographer, I'm fortunate that regardless of where my mind might wander off, my natural instinct is to record what's around me while its happening, often leaving a trail of random self-portraits to follow throughout my archives. A catalog of self-expression in puddles, shop windows, rear-view mirrors, and sunglasses.

When I came across Bettie New's image below, coupled up with the above quote, I knew she has these photographic reflexes too. Hopefully, I'll keep remembering to record my own "love of life" while the world continues to remind me of the beauty that's always right beyond my lens. How do you remind yourself to be present?

Holly {Soupatraveler}

looking beyond the window panes

2012-01-30T01:01:00.000-05:00

The past week's weather, in my part of the world, has been a bit all over the place...warm one day and cold the next. If only I didn't have to work on those beautiful days. However, on even the gloomiest days, I can't help but to allow my imagination to take over. To pretend for even a tiny moment that Spring has arrived. To imagine children playing on grassy knolls. To people watch as the locals go about their daily routines.

But alas, it is not spring and the streets are bare...as portrayed in ~ania♥'s photo below. People watching must be done in the memories of another time. Yet, these windows allow our hearts and minds to look beyond these window panes...at least until our feet are willing to walk outside.

Until next time,
Ashley of Ramblings and Photos

Monday Blues by ~ania♥

Looking Out, Looking In: Seeing Life Through Our Lens

2012-01-27T01:01:00.009-05:00

Our eyes take in an extraordinary amount of information each day, but only a small portion of that information is actually processed by our minds. As photographers, we are constantly looking, even when we are not taking a photo, at the world around us, often subconsciously thinking, "How would I photograph this?" While this is a really great thing to do, we may often get bogged down in the hurry of every day life, or get in the routine of feeling a sense of obligation to take a photo and post it online somewhere, or else everyone will be asking us if we're feeling okay. It never hurts to stop and ask yourself, "I'm looking, or am I seeing?" Seeing is totally different than looking, because when you are looking, you could be totally zoned out and not even be thinking about what is around you. When you see things, you grasp the bigger picture, the entire scope of the scene or the moment.

Simply take a moment to look out your window, wherever you are, even if you're at work! Start from the ground, working your way up to the sky, and do your best to notice every detail you can possibly take in. If you spend a minute or two doing this, you'll notice things outside your window that you may have looked at before, but this will be the first time that you've actually noticed or truly seen them.

The more you look out, the more you will look in, at the inner-workings of your mind. The things that we look at, through our lenses, are a reflection of what is inside of us, and how we see the world. Even the way we process our photos or our film is our way of expressing what is in our hearts, and our unique perspective on the world.

My husband is a photographer who specializes in rural decay, so I tag along with him to see new locations, and scenes I wouldn't normally shoot. I spend a lot of time looking into room and hallways, wondering about the people who used to inhabit them.

This photo by Tara on the Wander is a wonderful representation how we, as photographers, should look at the world - with a sense of child-like wonder, taking in every detail that our eyes can see.

Anna, of Anna Gay Photography

i love a rainy night {308/365} by tara on the wander

looking for spring

2012-01-26T01:01:00.049-05:00

Miles likes to count. He likes to have a firm grip on the passing of time. He likes to ask number questions all the time; how long it is until I will pick him up from school, how long until lunch, how long until the night is over, how many minutes? How long until his next birthday? Next Christmas? His sister's birthday? And the thing is, he remembers, and counts down.

The weather was mild today and I opened the windows to let some fresh air in. Miles looked out wistfully and asked me: "How many days, mummy?" I wasn't sure what he meant. "Until what, Miles?" I asked. "Until spring? How many days until the winter is finished?"

I love Patty's picture. I can almost feel how much she is willing spring to start so she can begin watering her garden and watch things grow.

But it's not long now. I know we can wait. Together.

Have you spotted any signs of spring yet? Are you counting the days like Miles?

kirstin of fleeting moments.

waiting for spring by picture this/patty

looking inside myself

2012-01-25T01:01:00.000-05:00

Over the past few weeks I've enjoyed my journey looking out your windows, behind your doors, through your lenses and even into your afternoon tea. As I saw your pattern of daily routines emerge I started to think about some of my own routines and the things that I look in and out of everyday...

And there it was, right under my nose (well almost). I bought this locket as a present to myself at the start of the new year. It has my word of the year, "believe", stamped on the inside and hangs around my neck as a constant reminder to never give up. It has become a window to my heart and my dreams. I wear it every day, opening it up and looking inside it each morning before I slip it on. At times I find myself unconsciously running my thumb across the back of the locket where the pressed letters poke through the brass spelling my word "believe" backwards. It has become my talisman, my good luck charm. It grounds me when I need it most.

I love this photo of Deb's keys and wonder what they symbolize for her. Do they hold the promise of unlocking the door to new adventures and ideas? I hope she will use them to follow her dreams this year too.

~christy {urban muser}

"ideas can be life changing..." by deb did it

looking out for looking in

2012-01-24T01:01:00.004-05:00

I do my fair share of looking out for looking in. I can think of no more enjoyable way to spend a saturday morning than sitting in a cafe on a busy downtown street and watching passersby and fellow patrons. All the while looking out, I'm introspecting. I find myself pondering who they are, where they are coming from and where they are going, and why? What is their story? And what kind of story might I tell by capturing their moment with my camera? And inevitably, that gets me thinking about my own...what would I think if I were watching me? This is why I'm constantly drawn to photograph empty tables and drained glasses. Oh the stories they tell! So scenes like the one below from AnyDirectFlight totally inspire me and get my imagination going. I find they draw the viewer in to consider the story in each frame. And the bokeh allows for this by not filling in those details, like reading a book and having to paint the characters' pictures in your mind. Looking out gets me looking in, to my own imagination, as I weave the tales of that which I'm watching. As I create their stories, I often create a picture of the world I'd like to live in, the activities I'd like to partake in, or people I'd like to know. I bet I'm not the only one, either!

happy snapping! ~cara of cararosephotos

untitled by AnyDirectFlight

and the next theme is..........WORDS

2012-01-23T01:01:00.171-05:00

They say a picture paints a thousand words, but words can make good pictures too. If you start noticing, you'll see words everywhere.

Maybe you love to read on a sunny veranda:

day 221 by preserved by a promise

Or curled up by the fire with a cup of something hot:

reading by the fire by autumnsun08

Or you find your words in a recipe for something delicious:

365:103 by rocking_robin

Perhaps there are words to treasure in a hand-written letter about a child:

new beginnings by gilly

Or by a child:

true love by gilly

Or maybe you like your words packaged in modern technology:

wordless sunday by islandgirlsj

Even if you don't like to read, there are words everywhere you go.

On street signs:

brookfield street by alphabet soup studio

sign by ~ania

eat by mary vican

Or graffiti:

kiss me by xojy

Where do you find your words? Which words are important to you? We look forward to seeing your WORDS photos in our Flickr pool.

And remember to join us tomorrow when we start musing on Looking In, Looking Out - as always, on the last day of the theme we'll be holding our usual linky party where you can add your own links and show us how you've interpreted Looking Out, Looking In.

gilly of the camera points both ways

mosaic muse {winter in black and white}

2012-01-20T01:01:00.048-05:00

These images of winter black and white, absolutely took my breath away. Stunning. I could have kept choosing from the flickr pool all day long. The shade of white softening a baby's eyes, the way the color black slipped into the beautiful nooks and crannies of a museum. The faces, oh the faces, and this sweet pea, there are no words for such beauty. Black and white eases photos, into amazing art pieces.

1. xx, 2. nat-hist-2, 3. foreshadowing, 4. Day into Night, 5. Lines & Shapes, 6. black hat :), 7. december sun, 8. i heard a bird sing in the dark of december...we are nearer to spring than we were in september..., 9. Snow in b&w, 10. Untitled, 11. Untitled, 12. Untitled, 13. winter days, 14. snow and nostalgia, 15. Happy New Year ♥ ..., 16. i've been kindled

Now its time for you to share your interpretaions of winter in black and white. Please share with us your winter black and white shots, by using the linky box below. The tool will be open until Sunday evening. And feel free to grab a mosaic muse badge for your blog as you link up with us. I can't wait to see your photos over this weekend.

Warmly,

Christina {soul aperture}

monochromatic landscapes

2012-01-19T00:01:00.000-05:00

I am not going to lie living in Southern California there isn't much to complain about. The weather forecast usually reads something like: sunny mid to upper 70s for the next five days. We wear bathing suits under our holiday clothes and apply sunscreen on Christmas. All that sunshine can make it difficult to capture the imperceptible weather shift come January.

I can tell its winter right now, we are seeing less blue and more gray. Everything monochromatic. Leaves drop and shadows run long. Converting shots to black and white help me squeeze every drop of winter I can out of an image. My favorite way to enhance lacy tree branches is to convert to black and white and add contrast.

Bright days of sunshine are common in the high desert, the chaparral goes dormant while the cactus lies in wait. The sun low in the sky casts a misleading softness to the needles. I see things differently with each season. I think the ambient light of wintertime brings out great detail you otherwise miss on a sunny filled day. A winter day can provide a nice neutral canvas to highlight your subject like the corroding scrolls of this iron gate. Winter is the perfect canvas.

untitled by *esra*

growing up in black and white

2012-01-18T01:01:00.031-05:00

Remember those days as a young child when everything was black and white? You know, yes or no, right or wrong, hot or cold, light or dark…you get the picture. Things were usually one thing or another without much in between. In our youthful innocence, we could find beauty and excitement in everything from banging on pots and pans to moving pebbles from one spot to another. Where getting dirty didn't count, and getting cold certainly didn't matter if you were playing outside all day long. In the winter months, my sister and I would play in the snow until darkness fell and we were soaked through! As long as there were hills to sled down, ponds to skate on, or snowmen to be built, we were content!

This youthful innocence immediately spoke to me in the stunning image below by Cherish Bryck Photography. That little girl below, all puffed up in her layers, is completely fascinated by the pigeon display before her seemingly oblivious to the rest of the world. She reminded me of last winter's visit to my sister where I watched my nephew, stuffed into his own winter layers, zip around on his push bike despite the cold. While I chased him down the sidewalk, shivering in my down coat, he didn't even notice. In fact, he smiled, pausing long enough for me to snap off this picture, before darted away again leaving me trailing behind. How about you? Do you have any special memories of winter?

Holly {Soupatraveler}

33/365 by cherish bryck photography

nature speaks

2012-01-17T01:01:00.000-05:00

These winter months leave me feeling a bit uninspired. It's cold, rainy and gray...the type of days, I wish I could just sleep away. Sure I carry my camera around just as I did during those beautiful spring, summer and autumn days, but the motivation isn't the same. I dream of those snowy picturesque moments that I find in our Flickr pool, but my reality is simply gray.

I then come across a simple, yet elegant moment such as msjunior's photograph below, and I'm reminded of winter's unspoken beauty. I love the quote she included with her photo (author unknown): "There is a way that nature speaks, that land speaks. Most of the timewe are simply not patient enough, quiet enough to pay attention to thestory."

Nature speaks to us in a variety of ways. I suppose I'm most willing to listen to beautiful rays of sunshine, the colors of spring flowers or the change of autumn leaves. But, if I'm willing to listen to the quiet of winter...I may be pleasantly surprised by the story that's told.

Until next time,
Ashley of Ramblings and Photos

Nature Speaks by msjunior

all about eve

2012-01-16T01:01:00.047-05:00

When she was 38, Eve Arnold borrowed her boyfriend's Rolleicord camera and after a six week photographic course and under the tutelage of Alexey Brodovitch, a legend was born. Eve Arnold has always been my hero. Even before I knew anything about photography, I knew about her. She was a formidable woman; a woman in what was largely a man's world. But she didn't go on about it. Taking her camera with her, she went on the road with Malcolm X, she visited seedy brothels, she travelled to South Africa and took portraits of civil-rights protestors. All subjects that male photographers would also cover, but her black-and-white portraits have something so personal and insightful about them. She was well known for being meticulous with her preparation and you really get a feel of that when you look at her portraits of Marilyn Monroe, for example. I like her colour pictures, but I like her black-and-white portraits most of all.

Having read numerous obituaries about her this week (she died on the 6th of January, just shy of her 100th birthday), it was the stories of how she touched others that reached out to me. And these words from filmmaker Beeban Kidron really spelt it out: "She taught me how to look at pictures – for metaphor, form and truth." Looking through a book of her photos this week, I could see these three ingredients resonating in Eve Arnold's work. I could also see I still have a lot to learn. But Eve Arnold is a particular inspiration to me, because she showed that you don't have to have been born with a camera in your hand in order to take good pictures — you can come to photography later in life, provided you have a good eye. As she once put it: "It is the photographer, not the camera, that is the instrument." Wise words indeed from a very wise woman. Inspired by her, I have been picking up a Rollei of my own (borrowed, in my case, from my husband), loading it with black-and-white film and trying to channel her spirit.

The Rollei is a great camera for portraits, and I have been using special "close-up" lenses that let me get really close to the subject (in the image above, my daughter Ella). I've also been using a tripod. This is very different from my usual style of photography, but that is what makes it such a challenge, and such fun — trying something new. Andrea has also been experimenting with film, with a portrait of her daughter. You can't see all of her face and yet you get a feeling of the small moments becoming something bigger.

Which legendary black and white photographer do you find most inspirational? Go and look up more about them, borrow their books from the library or look at their pictures on the internet... and be inspired to try something new.

kirstin of fleeting moments

grace {25/52} by beauty_goodness_truth

muse university - 5 tips for documenting the decisive moment

2012-01-13T01:01:00.706-05:00

It's happened. Your love affair with photography has taken a turn blossoming into something deep, meaningful, and everlasting. You've started shooting everywhere you go, the grocery store, the gas station, the mall, documenting every aspect of the world around you. Only there's something missing. Despite the fact that you've filled your memory card for the 50th time, you've noticed you've only got three great shots to show for it. So what gives? Perhaps its time to streamline your craft in search of the decisive moment. That instantaneous second when all the elements of an image are expertly rolled into one fantastic shot creating magic. The kind of magic we want to view again and again. Henri Cartier-Bresson, 20th Century French photographer, widely considered to be the father of modern photojournalism, put it more succinctly when he said, "There is a creative fraction of a second when you are taking a picture. Your eye must see a composition or an expression that life itself offers you, and you must know with intuition when to click the camera. That is the moment the photographer is creative."

Here are five tips for finding & documenting your own decisive moments.

1. Plan Ahead
Sometimes the perfect setup is obvious. You're in a specific location or situation where something memorable is going to happen. Think wedding or birthday party, festival or event. Right there, half your work is done, you can already envision the image. Next, try to get your settings nice and tight before taking the shot. Depending on your level of experience, how much time you put into this will vary. If you're a newbie when it comes to changing camera settings on the fly, get in position and shoot some test shots of the surrounding area to get a feel for the light. If you're worried about missing that specific split-second, don't hesitate to shoot in burst mode giving you at least two or three chances to get it right.

This was shot at the Rittenhouse Row Festival in Center City Philadelphia. The setup was obvious; we all knew what was going to happen. While the performers arranged the final moment of their act, I moved into position with plenty of time to assess the light and line up the lens flare with the figures in the middle.

2. Practice Patience & Wait
Now that you're in position and have assessed your situation (taken those test shots), it's time to wait for the decisive moment to happen. Go back to the old adage "Patience is a virtue," and observe what's happening around you. Don't hesitate to throw in a deep breath or two to keep yourself calm so you don't give in to the impulse to start shooting haphazardly. Imagine yourself shooting film, where every frame on that roll of 24 exposures counts. You'd only give the moment 2 or 3 takes at most then, right? So allow the decisive moment to come to you, and don't give up hope when it doesn't happen right away.

The lead singer of this band repeatedly sank down on his knees during his performance. I stabilized my camera by setting it down on the edge of the stage and waited for him to repeat his act. When he finally looked my way, I knew I had my shot.

3. Turn on Your Emotional Radar
Feel your way to shooting the decisive moment. Look for displays of emotion around you, simple gestures that tell a story, animated expressions and exaggerated motions. Follow along with conversations so that you can predict what might happen next. Observe your surroundings searching for compositional elements that lend themselves to an interesting shot. Having a strong understanding of composition will help you recognize and feel the right balance between tension and emotion within your frame, so that when the action begins to unfold, you're ready to recognize just the right moment to shoot.

I was out to dinner with a friend when these two sat down. I immediately recognized that they'd set the shot up for me by sitting down perfectly framed by the bar's mirror. It took some time before they finally turned towards one another, smiling and laughing, without the bartender in front of them for me to get my shot.

4. Trust Your Instincts; Release Those Fears
Ever have a photographic hunch, but because you thought you should be shooting one way, perhaps in a more traditional manner, you didn't take the shot? Often its an unusual angle or unique perspective that grabs our attention the most. Don't be afraid to experiment with your photography. Practice looking at your subjects from all angles, so that when the moment presents itself, you're ready to see it. Also, don't be afraid to raise your camera when you recognize a good shot whether its at home or in public. Having confidence in trusting your intuition will go a long way in capturing the decisive moment.

On a visit to our home, my nephew desperately wanted to play with our dog, Major, but was afraid him because of his loud barking, a fact that clearly upset him. Finally, on the 3rd day of the visit, he worked up the courage to stand beside Major and watch a tractor-trailer that was stuck on the block. I wanted to find a way to shoot the two of them together showcasing the fragile bond forming between them. My nephew's footy pajamas featuring dogs captured my eye, and I knew I'd found my shot.

5. Forget Perfection
Yep, that's right, sometimes, the perfect picture isn't necessarily the most technically sound. In fact, it might be this fact alone that creates your image. Often, we censor ourselves and our work based on the technical perfection of our product. To be sure, technical proficiency is important, but before disregarding a photo as unsound, ask yourself if all the avow elements are present. Do you still get an emotional response from the image? Does your intuition tell you that it holds appeal? Sometimes sitting back for a day or two before weeding out the "bad" ones can help. And remember to go easy on yourself. It's a process of continued growth, and before you know it, you'll be seeing, and capturing, decisive moments whenever you pick up your camera.

I was getting set to shoot the pretzel sculpture above in a neighborhood park when I noticed this little girl running perfectly into my frame. I was so excited at this stroke of luck, that I forgot to change the shutter speed when adjusting my settings. It happened so quickly! When I realized my mistake, I was very disappointed. It was only later, that I realized capturing the motion blur, in fact, made the shot.

And last, but not least, and the one thing you have no control over, but can sometime play a huge roll in capturing the decisive moment: LUCK! Of course, when you've taken control of the above steps, your chances are much greater that everything will fall perfectly together. But once in a big while, the stars will align just for you and this final element will push your shot over the edge and everything in it will come into place as though it'd been scripted for the scene.

I was aiming to shoot the crowd watching a band at "The Party on the Parkway" for Philadelphia's Fourth of July celebration. In order to capture this moment, I set my camera to AV (aperture priority) mode, held it over my head and aiming as best as I could, clicked. My actions caught the attention of the man in the center who looked directly at the camera at exactly the right moment. I couldn't have been happier with the results. Ok, to be honest, if I'd aimed slightly lower, my composition would have been more complete, but in the end, I was thrilled that I hadn't cut off his feet!

I hope you've found these points helpful, and are ready to go out and look for decisive moments of your own to shoot. With a lot of practice, a lot of patience, and plenty of intentional focus, you'll find yourself reacting to decisive moments without excessive thought. Instead, you will be ready to capture them as they unfold around you. Do you have any other tips or tricks that you use to nail that precise moment? Share with us in comments to keep the dialog going!

Holly {Soupatraveler}

winter day~shadow play

2012-01-12T01:01:00.000-05:00

there is a magical beast that holds the secret of light and shadow in a safe place in her heart

and when it has been too long gray, she starts to dance and laugh and cry and sing

and the sunlight fills her up and spills in wild abandon back into the world again.

~storypeople

I don't know about you, but I admit that the winter chill sometimes hinders my outdoor photo walks--some days are too cold and other times the inspiration just isn't there. Call it the winter blues? Maybe. But as I dart from place to place trying to stay warm I can't help but notice my shadow on the ground, always by my side even on the coldest of days. The winter days may be shorter but the sun still shines brightly and the shadows are plentiful everywhere I turn.

Check it out this week and you'll see! Look around for your shadow today. Stop. Maybe hop around and enjoy its mysterious and playful sides. Take a moment to acknowledge your constant companion ~ pull out your camera or your mobile phone and take a quick snap. It is sure to brighten even the coldest of winter days.

And if you'd like, come back and show me what you captured!

~christy {urban muser}

8/366 Shadow Me or Hooray, the Sun is Out! by Mt Hood Mama (Barbara)

inspired by winter black and white.

2012-01-11T01:01:00.014-05:00

Something I'm striving to do more is to take black and white photos. I've got some black and white film out at the developer, and I'm saving another roll of Ilford black and white for a special occasion. Or rather, one where a black and white opportunity presents itself. What is a black and white opportunity? I don't know either! But I always know when it appears. That is because black and white, to me, has a particular presence, and adds, to what would a regular shot in color, a timelessness and classic, nostalgic quality. I especially like it for portraits and for photos where the strength of the composition lies in its geometry and simplicity. I think winter is a great time to embrace black and white so I was excited about this theme. Winter can be a quiet time, and black and white can add to the peaceful quality of a moment captured. It is also a time, with the holidays, that means visiting family: an opportunity for classic, memorable portraits made all the more by black and white. When I think of winter, I see black and white images of a single bird in a tree in the snow, a warm mug of cocoa in fuzzy mittened hands, lone survivor winter grasses against a bokehed barn, bare branches against a crisp day's cold sky.

Mamadunk enhanced the beauty of this gorgeous dog with her use of black and white. When do you like to use black and white? It's certainly helpful that we can take a digital shot and try it out in black and white in the post process, isn't it?

happy shooting!

~cara of cararosephotos.

winter izzy by mamadunk

dreaming in black and white

2012-01-10T01:01:00.038-05:00

Alright, I confess – I’m one of those irritating people who look at a beautiful black and white photo and say ‘I wonder what that would look like in colour?’ I’m a colour addict; I love it, yearn for it, am inspired by it, delight in it. So I wasn’t too happy when we came up with this theme but, hey, I like a challenge.

Even though I enjoy looking at other people's black and white shots, I don’t think I’ve ever deliberately taken a photo in black and white. I’ve converted quite a few colour ones when I felt the colour wasn’t doing anything to add to the picture, but I find it almost impossible to bring myself to shoot with black and white in mind.

One thing I really do like about black and white is its strong graphic qualities and I also love that sort of glowing effect that some people manage to achieve. Taking the colour away immediately puts a photo at one remove from ‘real’ life and imparts a dream-like quality to it. (They say most people dream in black and white; I don’t know how true this is as I’ve always dreamt in vivid colour - see, even in sleep I have to have colour!) Something I often feel in winter is this sense of not quite being part of the world; it's a half-asleep, dream-like time for me. In summer I’m outside a lot and feel like I belong in the world; in winter, I’m more often inside and looking out on it, and I feel a bit disconnected, and even slightly lost. It's a feeling that's emphasised by the soft, muffling effect of snow on both sound and colour; black and white shots do convey this feeling a lot more effectively than colour.

The photo above had very little colour in it to begin with – just the brown trunks of the trees. I converted to black and white and added an Orton effect to give it something of an other-worldly look. ~Ania♥ has also added an Orton effect to her picture, which I think gives a very dreamy, not-quite-there feeling to the scene. In the comments section of her photo on Flickr, she shows the same scene in autumn colour; go and have a look - it makes for an interesting comparison. Does colour make you feel most alive, or do you prefer black and white?

gilly of the camera points both ways

winter visit by ~ania♥

the next theme is... LOOKING OUT, LOOKING IN

2012-01-09T01:01:00.002-05:00

In the course of a day, have you ever noticed how often you are looking out or looking in?

Maybe you are looking out for a friend to meet you...

Cheers to your Weekend AND Your New Year!! by tumbleweed.in.eden

... or looking out at the world going by.

Early Morning at the Window by Kat Eye View

As photographers, we look in all the time too. Into our cameras...

leaves through Clyde, the argus by KirstinMcKee

...and our subjects.

Bottom's Up by soupatraveler

You might even spend time, looking deep within yourself.

"in the moment we are timeless" by soul aperture {christina}

Notice where you look out and look in, through the course of your day. Capture these moments and share your images of LOOKING OUT, LOOKING IN with us in the Flickr pool.

Tomorrow we begin musing on WINTER IN BLACK AND WHITE. I can't wait!!

Kat of The Kat Eye View of the World

mosaic muse {fresh}

2012-01-06T01:01:00.077-05:00

Fresh, we have seen fresh fruit, a carton of fresh eggs laid by urban chickens, the freshness of the color white... a simple chair, a fresh blanket of snow. ...Yellow, how could we forget the fresh smell of citrus?! All such beautiful reminders to me, that the lens can capture, many takes on the word fresh. Have a look- see, at the photos I fell in love with, throughout our flickr pool.

1. Just Two, 2. morning peace gratitude, 3. Chair, 4. With silence, 5. A few quiet moments to myself {30 Days of Gratitude}, 6. "life", 7. day 20: grateful for filling up another journal with struggles, dreams, and messages to the Universe #30daysofgratitude #morningpages, 8. when life gives you oranges..., 9. eggsciting, 10. yellow rose., 11. today I´m thankful for lemon juice, 12. #22 of 30, 13. The Help, 14. Grateful for walks on the beach..., 15. Fox on Sox, 16. apples in the bedroom

Fresh! Now it's your turn to show us your interpretation. Please share with us your favorite photos of fresh, by using the linky box below. The tool will be open until Sunday evening. Grab a mosaic button for your blog, when you link up. I can't wait to see what photos you choose.

Have fun,
christina {soul aperture}

fresh prints

2012-01-05T01:01:00.000-05:00

I have packed away everything that symbolizes the end of the year. Gone are the red and green and strings of glowing lights. I want every last shred of 2011 packed away in those boxes, I don't want a repeat of that year again. I would prefer a fresh start.

At the end of each year I have my own ritual of writing down the things I need to say goodbye to and tossing them into the flames. The next morning on New Years day I write the list of things I welcome in the coming month. I clutched those scraps of paper with words like health, clarity and resolve scribbled on them and headed to the beach. As I walked along the shore in conversation with the sea I looked down at a fresh set of footprints, they looked to be about a child size 11, I know this because my daughter has tiny feet. I noticed the perfect sand compression and admired the strong arch. Five little toes all in a row.

The footprint is no match for the tides and soon it will be erased and replaced.

In 2012 let's all begin a new year with a sense of exploration and wonderment with the hope that tomorrow will bring you one step closer to your dreams.

I love the tracks that tmosnaps captured by the sea in the photo chosen today. The footprints trails off into the ocean, like a beautiful sunset, a sea full of possibilities or "a journey to somewhere" as tmosnaps said..

solo by tmosnaps

a fresh start

2012-01-04T01:01:00.112-05:00

A fresh face. A clean start. Pushing out the old, and grasping the new. Choosing a fresh focus and embracing it. Don't you just love the start of a new year? For me, the idea of beginning over gets my heart singing with excitement. Somehow all the piles of papers sitting in my office, the endless, "to do" lists in my notebook and the countless errands I have yet to run just don't seem as heavy as they did the week before. Already, I've found myself cleaning out cabinets, clearing out closets and creating a giveaway pile for the Salvation Army up the street. And its not just a physical clearing that's going on here in Philly. A mental shift seems to be taking place inside of me too. I feel lighter, more hopeful, like that world of endless possibilities are at my fingertips for a change, and with a little intentional focus, I'll be caught up in no time. Isn't that a wonderful, fresh feeling to have? Alive and awake and just jumping at life!

After a year that was marked by at times painful growth riddled with anxiety and at others constant worry about what needs to get done, or what I should be doing, let me tell you, it feels like the weight of the world has finally left my shoulders. Instead, its back on the ground where its meant to be ready to laugh and play and enjoy the year ahead with a little silliness thrown into the mix. This is exactly what jumped out at me in Damiec's photo below. She wrote that this was "a favorite moment" with "probably a different spin on fresh than you were looking for?" Nope, it looks perfect to me! How about you? Does a fresh, clean start get you going too? Share with us your thoughts in comments so that we can relish in your "fresh" perspective too.

Happy New Year's!
Holly {Soupatraveler}

snap! by Damiec

fresh fruit

2012-01-03T01:01:00.000-05:00

Sometime between Thanksgiving and Christmas, my in-laws decided that they wanted some fresh Florida oranges. I remember thinking "can't they just get some at the grocery store?," but they insisted on driving the eight hours down to Florida to get the real deal. A few weeks later, we visited them for Christmas and found box loads of these fresh Florida oranges around the house. Apparently, they came back with an entire truckload. I had to chuckle...but, after seeing photos such as Purple Deebee's below, I've learned that fresh fruit makes quite the holiday treat.

It then occurred to me that the idea of driving eight hours for something...whether it be fresh Florida oranges, visiting friends or family, seeing your favorite band, or photographing something you've always dreamed of isn't really that crazy (I've certainly done much crazier). As I start to think about the new year, I'd like to take this notion of "driving eight hours for fresh fruit" and apply it every chance I get...from the ordinary to the extraordinary. Let us not be restricted by time or place or lenses...let's go the distance!

Happy New Year!

Ashley of Ramblings and Photos

from me to you... by Purple DeeBee

fresh eyes

2012-01-02T01:01:00.005-05:00

From time to time I like to do a mental exercise called Fresh Eyes. Sitting still, I cast my eyes around the room and notice what I see. I notice not just the objects, but the judgments I pass on those objects. For instance, the pile of clothes which is not just the pile of clothes but one that needs to be ironed. Or the shelf of knick-knacks, some of which remind me of happy times, but which also make me worry about the mess. When I'm stuck in a rut, I notice my thoughts adding a layer of dissatisfaction and stress to the objects around me. Closing my eyes I then reopen them and look again. I re-examine the room but this time without passing judgment, as a newborn baby would see things, with fresh eyes. I relish relearning how to look at things with wonder and awe and innocence. Yes, mess can be beautiful and there can be a happy balance between clutter and collecting things. Forcing myself to look at the world anew like this also helps me see pictures I might not otherwise have taken.

Ella has started wearing contact lenses in the last few weeks. She has been getting used to seeing the world with fresh eyes, and we have been getting used to seeing her in a new way, without her glasses. I do wonder what wee Max is seeing here with those fresh eyes of his! Can he see Liz or has he noticed the camera? He must be in continual awe and amazement! Now, try the exercise yourself and see the world again with your fresh eyes...and don't forget your camera!

Happy New Year!
kirstin of fleeting moments

Wee Max (4 months old) by lizzard_nyc

fresh thoughts

2011-12-30T01:01:00.048-05:00

My mother used to scold me "Susan, don't be fresh!" I won't deny certain situations merited her saying that.....but I'm wondering about her choice of words. I wonder too much; 'tis a bad habit of mine or alternatively a sign of brilliance. Fresh is good, isn't it? Fresh air, fresh fruit, fresh sheets, fresh coat of paint, freshly baked, smelling fresh as a daisy (or is that just some nerdy thing my Pop says?), fresh ideas, fresh and clean, fresh start, etc. Why would it be bad to be fresh? Why wouldn't you want to be fresh?..... jus' sayin'.

With the New Year (2012 please and thank you and OMG at the same time) about to turn, many people are thinking about "fresh". A time for resolutions, new beginnings, change of routine, out with the old in with the new. I don't embrace all that. Curmudgeon. Go to bed at 10, wake up the next morning, same ol' same ol', but.....

....I go to the beach. Often. Year round. More frequently in the off-seasons rather than summer. I love to find the beach empty especially at low tide. It is a gift. I think about the foot and paw prints erased by the outgoing tide. I find a piece of seaglass tossed ashore by waves-it wasn't there the day before. I think about the sands that shift, the organic and man-made flotsam that goes in and out, the renewal of the beach upon each visit. Again and again I find the beach, the ocean, my muse and my reminder that each day is fresh and new and can be an impetus for change, significant or inconsequential.

Better Nothing Than Almost's image indicates that I'm not the only one who finds renewal in the beauty of the beach, ocean, and fresh air.

Susan of Happy No Ears

looking ahead by better nothing than almost

----------------------------------

Thank you Susan for musing with us today! If you'd like to know more about Susan, be sure to visit her at Happy No Ears. If you would like to muse with us as a guest, email us at mortalmuses9 [at] gmail.com

a fresh new year

2011-12-29T01:01:00.000-05:00

It's that time of year again. Whether you are a resolution-maker or not, there's something about the end of one year and the start of a fresh one that gives us all pause. It's a time to reflect. To embrace the ups and downs of the past. An opportunity to look forward to what the future might hold.

What do you see on your horizon in 2012?

Some of your hopes and dreams may be deep, private, soulful, life-changing aspirations. While others may be on the lighter, simpler, or more practical side. If you are here reading this, chances are that you dabble in a bit of photography. I always love to hear what photo-challenges people set for themselves this time of year. Are you going to commit to shoot in full manual mode in 2012, or maybe pick up and dust off that old film camera? Perhaps you are going to attempt a 365 project, or a year of feet, benches or fences on flickr.

Last year I set a goal for myself to take 52 self-portraits in 52 weeks. As I look back, I am amazed by how I transformed from someone who wasn't sure I'd even be able to step to the other side of the lens, to someone who has come to enjoy the practice so much that I'm challenging myself to do it again in 2012. Shooting and editing these images has opened a door to creativity and self-expression inside me that I thought was closed forever a long time ago. From the looks of her collection, I think Lady Miss Elle enjoys the art of self-portraiture too.

I invite you all to share your ideas for your journey in 2012 with us today--be it photographic or otherwise. Sometimes it helps to say it out loud (I find it motivating!)

See you all in the new year!
~christy {urban muser}

P.S. I'd love to have you join me in my 2012 self-portrait project! If you think you might be interested, visit me here.

355 | 365 by lady miss elle

the season without reason

2011-12-28T01:01:00.009-05:00

With a new year comes a chance to turn over a fresh leaf, to start anew, to pick up some good habits. I've never liked New Years' resolutions: people seldom keep them, it seems a foolish charade that is more about having something to talk about and to keep you busy after the holidays are over. But it is a good trigger if you need one to start thinking about what things in your life need to change, what bad habits you'd like to relinquish, and what you could improve about yourself. Better yet, let us think about the things we did right this past year! Let's celebrate the Season without Reason* and with no holiday in particular on the horizon, let's celebrate life and our accomplishments! There's a fresh take on a New Years Resolution, say it with me, "I resolve to celebrate myself and the things I have for which I can be thankful!" I'm celebrating this fresh and inspirational macro shot from a queen of macro, Cathy423, below!

cara of cararose
**I invented this a few years back to keep away the post-holiday doldrums and depressions.

untitled by Cathy423

fresh beginnings

2011-12-27T01:01:00.006-05:00

What a wonderful word ‘fresh’ is! It’s the very opposite of stale – new, refreshed, different, bright, clear and invigorating. Many of us use this time of year to make a new start in some way, whether that’s taking up a new art form, resolving to eat more healthily, changing jobs, or some other change we feel the need to make. But I’ve never felt that January 1st is the right time for this; I still feel mired in winter, waiting and hibernating. The Chinese seem to have timed it much better, with the Chinese New Year happening once we’re well into February. By February, small buds are beginning to appear, the tender, vulnerable tips of bulbs are showing (sometimes through the snow), and the light is lasting noticeably longer each day. The tiny beginnings of spring are showing up.

For me, this is the real fresh start to the year, when winter is reaching its end, and all the possibilities of spring and summer are lined up like a feast of delicious foods. This year, I have a real fresh start after a long spell of feeling stuck and stale. After several months of unemployment and, before that, several years with the cloud of threatened redundancy hanging over him, my husband has a new job. He’ll start in February and it means a move to a new place several hundred miles away from where we currently live. It’s both exciting and daunting. Daunting, because I’m leaving behind good and valued friends, a place I love, and a whole network of support in the form of good hairdressers, car mechanics, therapists, specialist shops, and all those things that make life comfortable and easy. But it’s mostly exciting, because I’ll have a whole new area to explore (including three new cities within easy reach), new places to photograph and, hopefully, new and equally good friends to make. It also means a move away from a house with which I’ve never been terribly happy, and the promise of a new home that’s filled with the light and space I’ve been craving. I’m very happy about the coming of fresh things this year.

Those little water droplets in heavenly~flower’s photo look like jewels - bright and fresh and sparkling with promise. And tulips are my favourite spring flower, especially when they’ve just been showered by fresh spring rain.

gilly of the camera points both ways

bejewelled by heavenly~flower

and the next theme is... WINTER IN BLACK AND WHITE

2011-12-26T01:01:00.001-05:00

There is something about winter that calls me to black and white.

december skies by kirstinmckee

The contrast in the weather and the bare branches of the trees.

Weather Pattern by Kat Eye View

The feel of the snow, gently falling.

sister, in the snow by tumbleweed.in.eden

The land is in hibernation, and color recedes.

5/30 Simple Sage (+1) by soupatraveler

We leave our mark, in different ways.

october snow by Urban Muser

Today, start sharing your experience of WINTER IN BLACK AND WHITE with us in the Flickr Pool. We love black and white here at the Mortal Muses, with an everyday photo selection on our Life in B&W page. Have you noticed it before? If not, you are missing out! While we muse on the WINTER IN BLACK AND WHITE theme, we will celebrate our ongoing love of black and white on all of our three pages.

But first... We celebrate the New Year as we start musing on FRESH tomorrow. See you then!

many muses musing - the winners

2011-12-24T01:15:00.000-05:00

Thank you for joining us for Many Muses Musing this year!

All of us at Mortal Muses wish you a wonderful holiday with your family and friends, and lots of photography-related gifts in your future.

Happy Holidays!

And the Many Muses Musing winners are...

SPARKLE: Jennifée

TOGETHER: Veronica of Life in Pictures

GREETINGS: Anna of Alchemy of Art

GLOW: Paula of Little Scraps of Magic

MAGIC: Andrea of she dreams of {tinsel}

BELIEVE: Susan of Sunflower Status

SURPRISE: Larraine of Coffee and Chocolate

WONDER: Christine of Christine Marks Photography

HOPE: Cathy H. of Gramma's Little Corner

COSY: Lily of lilisview.com

PEACE: Terri of Creative Explorer

JOY: Lynne of photo-per-diem

SHARING: Jo of Jo Murray - Art

********

If you are one of our lucky winners and have not been contacted about your giveaway yet, please feel free to reach out to us at mortalmuses9 [at] gmail [dot] com.

many muses musing - SHARING

2011-12-23T01:01:00.132-05:00

'tis the season pa- favorite things by shutterbug 1018

“Love only grows by sharing. You can only have more for yourself by giving it away to others.”

Brian Tracy

During the holiday season, we like to open our home to friends and family by sharing a meal, laughter, and tradition. Many times we light a fire, reach for our holiday books and read our favorites. As you might guess, the gifts I tend to share most during the holiday season, are books. I would like to share this gift with you as well, by giving away a $20.00 Amazon gift card.

Please link your blog or flickr url in the linky tool provided below and/or leave a comment on this post for a chance to win the giveaway. You can share your hopes for 2012, or just leave any old comment to enter! (max 2 entries per person)

I look forward to seeing your submissions for the prompt SHARING. Our holiday giveaway winners will be announced tomorrow.

Best of holiday wishes to you and your family ~
xo
Christina {soul aperture}

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many muses musing - JOY

2011-12-22T01:01:00.021-05:00

10 more days till Christmas!! Yippeee by ~mimo~

I love when JOY is expressed in unabashed glory. Children have the advantage over us without hang ups and total lack of self-awareness at times. I wish I had the ability to express that kind of pure JOY so openly and freely. Capturing that brings JOY to me.

Wanting to keep that JOYful feeling all year long? Today's giveaway is for a FREE 30 page Keepsy Photo Album or Calendar. Keepsy allows you to import your photos from your Flickr, Instagram, Picasa or Facebook account. In a few simple steps you'll create your own hardbound book or calendar to keep forever.

Please link your blog or flickr url in the linky tool provided below and/or leave a comment on this post for a chance to win the giveaway. You can share what brings you JOY, or just leave any old comment to enter. (max 2 entries per person)

Your creative holiday prompt for tomorrow is: SHARING

Happy! Happy! Joy! Joy!

Lindsey G aka modchik

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disclosure: Photo album provided by Keepsy, there was no additional compensation received for this post.

many muses musing - PEACE

2011-12-21T01:01:00.056-05:00

peace on earth by SightSpecific

Imagine all the people

Living life in peace.

You may say I'm a dreamer,

But I'm not the only one.

I hope someday you'll join us,

And the world will be as one.

- John Lennon

Finding peace can be a simple as looking at what's in front of you to discover what matters most this holiday season: a happy memory, a loved one's smile, a sense of calm within. My holiday wish for you is to find peace within your heart as you finish out the year and embark on a new journey in 2012.

For today's giveaway, one lucky winner will get a spot in Darrah Parker's Winter session of the Slice of Life Project: Capturing the Everyday in Extraordinary Ways, a photography workshop focusing on digging beneath the surface of your everyday life to unearth the beauty that's been there all along. The workshop begins February 6th. Click on the link above to learn more.

What brings you PEACE? For a chance to win a spot in Darrah's class, link up your images of PEACE from your blog or flickr in the link provided below and/or leave a comment on this post. (max 2 entries per person). I'm looking forward to seeing what you share!

Your creative holiday prompt for tomorrow is: JOY

Sending you love & peace this holiday season and best wishes for the new year,
Holly {Soupatraveler}

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many muses musing - COSY

2011-12-20T01:01:00.030-05:00

1. Visions of sugarplums..., 2. Untitled, 3. a little bokeh, 4. 18

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,

In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,

While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.

And mamma in her ’kerchief, and I in my cap,

Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap.

Twas the Night Before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore

I love this poem, not just for the reindeer and Santa’s antics, but because of the cosy feeling that it conjures, just before he arrives. However you are celebrating over this festive time, I hope you will be able to experience that warm, snug feeling with your family and friends. Please share some of those moments by linking your blog or flickr url in the link below and/or leaving a comment on this post for a chance to win the giveaway.

And what is the giveaway? Today, I am giving away one of Cara's wonderful "I click therefore I am" T-shirts. Good luck!

Our creative holiday prompt for tomorrow is: PEACE.
Merry, Merry, Kirstin of fleeting moments.

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many muses musing - HOPE

2011-12-19T01:01:00.030-05:00

something new by she dreams of {tinsel}

Hope is the thing with feathers, that perches in the soul,

and sings the tune without words, and never stops at all.

-Emily Dickinson

I found this lovely silver "hope" charm by staciejewlery on etsy last week and I knew it would make the perfect giveaway for my holiday musing post. This delicate handcrafted charm is an everyday reminder that there is always hope. It is approximately 1/2 inch (1.4 cm) round and decorated with a silver star on the back allowing you to wear it two different ways.

I'm thinking of getting one for myself, as I've been unsuccessfully working on a personal project for quite some time, and perhaps this little trinket will be just the luck I need to finally make it happen in the new year :)

Please link your blog or flickr url in the linky tool provided below and/or leave a comment on this post for a chance to win the giveaway. You can share your hopes for 2012, or just leave any old comment to enter! (max 2 entries per person)

I look forward to seeing your submissions for the prompt HOPE. Your creative holiday prompt for tomorrow is COSY.

I hope you all have a beautiful week filled with laughter and love.
I hope all your dreams come true in 2012.
Happy holidays and a peaceful new year to everyone!
~christy {urban muser}

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many muses musing - WONDER

2011-12-18T01:01:00.023-05:00

reflecting on the season by brooke@myreal.everyday.life

For me the delight of the holiday season is best seen through the wonder of a child’s eyes. As adults we become busy and harried with plans and preparations at this time of year and often our delight is lost, or temporarily misplaced. My wish for you is that you may find time to slow down and open up to the wonder of the season. No matter how you celebrate, it truly is a magical time of year.

Today I'm giving away a handmade necklace from my Etsy shop. The necklace includes a "Keep Calm and Snap On" soldered charm and a camera charm strung on a 24" shiney silver ball chain.

Please link your blog or flickr url in the linky provided below and/or leave a comment on this post for a chance to win the giveaway. (maximum 2 entries per person)

I look forward to seeing your submissions for the prompt WONDER.

Your creative prompt for tomorrow is HOPE.

How nice to be back again musing with the Muses. And I have so enjoyed seeing your holiday preparations and activities through your images in the flickr pool!

Have a lovely holiday season,
xoxo maureen of Cottage 960

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many muses musing - SURPRISE

2011-12-17T01:01:00.018-05:00

surprise by jessicavescera

What I love most about Christmas time is you never know what to expect. A surprise makes me even more giddy in the time leading to Christmas day. They are never disappointing. And I love surprising others even more than opening my own surprise gifts. This year it may be the best surprise to finally lay eyes on my soon-to-be-born son.

And as much as I love surprises this is my surprise for you! I am giving away $50 gift certificate from Paper Coterie. In order to enter into this giveaway please link your blog or flickr url in the linky provided below and/or leave a comment on this post for a chance to win. (Max 2 entries per person.)

I am so looking forward to see all your beautiful SURPRISE entries :)

Your creative holiday prompt for tomorrow is: WONDER.

Love,
Suki by Sukiphotographyblog

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many muses musing - BELIEVE

2011-12-16T01:01:00.000-05:00

believe by jan@twoscoopz

I Believe In Christmas
by Janeen DeGolier Noetling

I believe in magic,
turning people's hearts.
I believe in Christmas joy,
that does not have to part.
I believe somehow, sometime,
we have to make a start.

I believe in Christmas,
why does it need to end,
why does it go away,
just to begin, again.

But I believe in Christmas,
cause just for one glad day,
we get to see the possibility,
if Christmas came to stay.

I can only imagine,
the cheer and good will,
dripping from hearts,
that use to be still.

I can only imagine,
from people who hate,
people who grumble
and cry at their fate,
magically filled straight
up to the brim,
emotions and feelings
they never felt in.

I believe in magic.
I believe in Christmas too.
I believe because not to,
would hurt
the whole year through.

My giveaway today will definitely make believe in the magic of Christmas!

A stylish and comfortable CAMERA STRAP courtesy of Stylish Beach Bum.

Winner can choose from the following styles: Manhattan, Tide, Bodega or Long Beach (or any of the discontinued styles).

All camera straps are sturdy and fully padded. The inner side is a plush minky chenille that not only is comfortable, but adds a bit of luxury. All straps are wide enough to accommodate the lens cap pocket and long enough to wear cross body when you need it out of your way. Stylish Beach Bum is working on an additional accessory (available in the coming months) that will turn this conventional style strap into a sling style for those with that preference.

If you're interested in winning, please link your blog or flickr url in the link provided below and/or leave a comment on this post for a chance to win the giveaway. (max 2 entries per person). In the meantime, Stylish Beach Bum is offering a 15% off coupon for all Mortal Muses' readers for any camera strap or accessory purchases. Simply enter the code mortalmuse at check out.

I look forward to seeing your submissions for the prompt: BELIEVE.

Your creative holiday prompt for tomorrow is: SURPRISE.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

♥ Ashley of Ramblings and Photos

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many muses musing - MAGIC

2011-12-15T01:01:00.019-05:00

untitled by AnyDirectFlight

I know it's not just me but this time of year makes me feel like anything could happen. All that waiting really creates a magic brew of anticipation while we wonder if and hope that our dreams will come true. All the sparkling lights and gift wrapped packages, happy music and heightened goodwill make it seem like magic could really happen! Sentimental traditions and special memories swirling together with the excitement of new toys, new chances, and a new year are ingredients for a magical elixir for sure. You know the expression 'the tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife?' Well, this time of year for me, the anticipation is so tasty, I could eat it with a huge spoon!

Today I'm giving away one of my "I click therefore I am" t-shirts. Please link your blog or flickr url in the linky provided below and/or leave a comment on this post for a chance to win the giveaway. (Max 2 entries per person.)

I look forward to seeing your submissions for the prompt: MAGIC

Our creative holiday prompt for tomorrow is: BELIEVE.

holly, jolly from cara of cararosephotos.

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many muses musing - GLOW

2011-12-14T01:01:00.079-05:00

thankful for weekend getaways by ~becky sue~(rsl photography)

Here in the Northern Hemisphere, we’re fast approaching the Winter Solstice, that time of the year when the night is longer than the day and the dark seems to have the winning hand. But the Solstice marks a turning point: from now on the days slowly begin to grow longer and the nights shorter, and these long, dark hours are really a sign that the light is on its way back.

Mid-winter festivals the world over are about celebrating the return of the light; they symbolise a battle between light and dark and the eventual triumph of the sunlight that we need in order to survive. And that's why this time of year is full of our attempts to bring back the glow of the sun: we burn candles, set light to Yule logs and glowing fires, and light up our homes and our streets with strings of bright, glowing, coloured lanterns and lights. Sometimes, as in ~becky sue~'s stunning photograph, the low mid-winter sun itself creates a beautiful glow in the evening sky.

I hope my giveaway today will bring a little bit of a glow into someone's life. I have a copy of my ebook for one lucky winner: Photography Outside the Box: loads of creative ideas and inspiration for what to photograph next. It has over 150 photos and enough ideas to guarantee you'll never run out of inspiration again. You can read more about it here.

I look forward to seeing where in the dark mid-winter world you find your GLOW. Please link your blog or flickr url in the linky tool provided below and/or leave a comment on this post for a chance to win the giveaway (max 2 entries per person).

Your creative holiday prompt for tomorrow is: MAGIC

Wishing every one of you a warm and glowing mid-winter holiday, and a new year filled with the glow of love and happiness.

gilly of the camera points both ways

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many muses musing - GREETINGS

2011-12-13T01:01:00.004-05:00

17 by *kuki*

There is something special about the mailbox this time of year, isn't there? We open it with anticipation instead of worry. Who did we receive a card or a letter from today?What did they send? In our world of online sharing and instant access, there is something wonderful in the tradition of sending a written holiday greeting. I love the personal touch!

Today I'm giving away a space in my Find Your Eye class series starting 8 January. This includes both Starting the Journey and Journey of Recognition classes. Please link your blog or flickr url in the linky provided below and/or leave a comment on this post for a chance to win the giveaway. (Max 2 entries per person.)

I look forward to seeing your submissions for the prompt: GREETINGS. Please link your blog or flickr url in the linky tool provided below.

Your creative holiday prompt for tomorrow is: GLOW.

Kat of The Kat Eye View of the World
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and the next theme is... FRESH

2011-12-12T01:01:00.035-05:00

A new year is right around the corner, and a fresh slate of new beginnings, await us. Many of us will set goals, fill in new calendars, or feed our souls with balance. Maybe a walk near the water to stand in stillness, as you listen to the beauty, of the waves.

water watching by lucy.loomis

Will you load up the van, hit the road and take the trip, you've always wanted take?

austrailian caravanning by gemma marwick

How about seeking out nature, and all it has to offer?

these little treasures by hnxing

No matter what your plans are for a fresh new year, in my heart, I know you will shine. ; )

shine by doc unc

Here's to new beginnings! I look forward to seeing all your FRESH photos in our flickr pool.

{Our festive musing and giveaways will resume tomorrow with the creative prompt announced yesterday...GREETINGS}

Warmly,

Christina {soul aperture}

many muses musing - TOGETHER

2011-12-11T01:01:00.014-05:00

swimming together by mayte-pons 

to·geth·er (t-gr) adv.
• In or into a single group, mass, or place: Everybody get together, try and love one another right now.
• In or into contact: We belong together.
• In association with or in relationship to one another; mutually or reciprocally: It’s always better when we're together.
• By joint or cooperative effort: You and me, together, can do anything, baby.

I hope this holiday season, you’ll gather together, laugh together, feast together, work together, swim together, and love together.

Today I’m giving away a pair of little handcrafted notebooks together with accompanying pencils – great for throwing in your purse or camera bag to record your thoughts, dreams, or grocery lists. Please link your blog or flickr url in the link provided below and/or leave a comment on this post for a chance to win the giveaway. (max 2 entries per person).

I look forward to seeing your submissions for the prompt: TOGETHER. Please link your blog or flickr url in the linky tool provided below.

Your creative holiday prompt for Tuesday is: GREETINGS.

All the best for the coming new year!
--lucy (so happy to be together with the muses again!)

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many muses musing - SPARKLE

2011-12-10T01:01:00.023-05:00

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...by christineellen

The Sparkle of Christmas

by Rose Standish Kellogg

The very name of Christmas

has sparkle in it's sound.

It has the shine of tinsel,

of crisp and frosty ground.

It prickles with a fragrance

of spicy northern pine,

whose fresh and pungent perfume

is part of Christmas time

It rustles with gay secrets,

with gifts and mistletoe.

It tinkles with the silver

of bells across the snow.

It smells of goose and turkey,

of walnuts, cakes, plum jam,

of mincemeat from the storeroom,

of ruby jell and and ham.

It spells a brighter brilliance

of stars in heaven's blue,

as if angels, keeping Yuletide,

are lighting their trees too.

It has the shine of tinsel,

Of crisp and frosty ground,

The very name of Christmas

has sparkle in it's sound.

__________________________________

My giveaway today will definitely make your eyes sparkle!!!

A gorgeous FESTIVE RED leather camera bag courtesy of Pompidoo.

I look forward to seeing your submissions for the prompt: SPARKLE.

Please link your blog or flickr url in the link provided below and/or leave a comment on this post for a chance to win the giveaway. (max 2 entries per person).

Your creative holiday prompt for tomorrow is: TOGETHER.

The happiest of holidays to everyone!

♥ tammy lee of bliss and folly

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many muses musing - let's get started!

2011-12-09T01:01:00.052-05:00

MANY MUSES MUSING

14 Days of Holiday Prompts and Daily Giveaways

December 10th - December 23rd

~333/365~ Cuppa Joe by DocUNC

Here at Mortal Muses, we look forward to spending another holiday season with you. For the next 14 days on the blog, we will be featuring one photo from our festive flickr pool and announcing a special holiday theme word and daily giveaway. Please continue sharing festive photos in the flickr pool and try to take some time each day to spread some comment love and holiday cheer with your fellow musers.

Use the daily prompt to get creative. Show us your family traditions, your holiday goodies, your hopes and wishes, and what it looks like in your part of the world this time of year.

We will be adding a linky tool on the post each day so you can link back to your blogs and flickr pages to share your images inspired by the daily word. The linky will open at 1:00 am EST each day and will stay open for 24 hours, when the next prompt and giveaway will be announced. We will be randomly selecting one lucky person as the winner of each giveaway from all the comments and linkups for that day. You will be entered one time if you link up with an image inspired by the daily theme and/or one time if you leave a comment (maximum of two entries per person). All winners will be announced here in a post on December 24th.

Your creative holiday prompt for tomorrow is **SPARKLE**, and our founder Tammy Lee will be here with a special holiday giveaway to share with you. We hope you will join us.

Happy Holidays!

Ashley, Cara, Christina, Christy, Gilly, Holly, Kat, Kirstin, Lucy, Lindsey, Maureen, Suki and Tammy.

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what matters most

2011-12-08T01:01:00.058-05:00

Snowtober. Hurricane Irene. Wind, sleet, hail, relentless rain. A power outage occurs and we get back to the basics: warmth on a cold, wet day with a pile of blankets to crawl under; hot and cold running water...any running water for that matter; a refrigerator to keep our food from spoiling, a freezer to keep it even longer. It can be that simple, right? What matters most are often the "basics" we take for granted, these modern marvels that I barely notice or stop to appreciate until they're taken away. The dryer breaks. A power line goes down. Or I travel far from the western world. Many of you shared these very items in the theme pool for the past two weeks. You talked about your friends and families, your homes, and sometimes just making it though the day was enough for you. Yet, if you're like me, for all that we appreciate the beauty in our lives, we also spend as much time looking at just the opposite. We notice what don't have, instead of what we do. Our thoughts and judgement get clouded by advertisers, political squabbling or maybe the harsh reality of our bank accounts. We don't mean to get distracted. It just happens.

I once drove past a village in Nepal where the only running water was a spigot on the side of a busy road. Men and women, young and old, bathed themselves wrapped in sarongs, lathering the soap through fabric just to get clean. Instead of a tiled shower stall or smooth bathtub, they found muddy, gravel beneath their feet. In South Africa, thousands of people live in squatter camps and count themselves fortunate to have a roof over their heads. This is not to say that these people live lesser lives, just more difficult ones with less.

As we move into the busy holiday season where time seems to disappear just thinking about it, I'm hoping i can stop for a moment now and again to reflect on all that I have, and give many thanks for the miraculous blessings that come in and out of my life on a daily basis. It's this sentiment, from yzzilyzzid that moved me to write this post. After passing countless cotton fields on the side of the road, she reflected on the work of thousands that used to bring in this cash crop. "I can't imagine how difficult it must have been to pick those cotton balls by hand. They are so stiff and unyielding, and I'm sure that at the end of the day your hands would be cracked and bleeding." After making this observation, she reflects, "I am so grateful to work in an air conditioned office, and the greatest difficulty I have to face is completely insignificant in light of what I could face daily. How truly blessed I am." I couldn't agree more, and I'm hoping to hold on to these feelings of gratitude and maintain the ability to focus on joy, love and giving in the weeks ahead. And although at some point, I'll probably bemoan the fact that we still haven't replaced our dryer, I can gratefully say that I don't mind. Truly, I have all that I need around me, so I can enjoy the process of focusing on what really matters most. How about you? What matters most in your world?

Holly {Soupatraveler}

329:365 king cotton by yzzilyzzid

life refocused

2011-12-07T01:01:00.002-05:00

I'd like to believe that I have a lot to be thankful for. Unfortunately, there are too many days that go by in which I forget how blessed I really am. It's days like these that I tend to focus too heavily on myself...the things I wish I had...and worry about things that are completely insignificant.

Truth be told, I do have a lot to be thankful for. Each morning, I am able to get out of bed. I can hear the sound of my alarm. I can see the sun rising out the window. I'm able to wash my face with clean running water. I have clean clothes to wear to work. I have food to eat. I have a roof over my head. I have a car. I can easily walk up the stairs without pain. When I want a cup of coffee to get my day started, I can have one. I have a job. I can read. I can write. I can laugh. I have friends. I have family that loves me. I am healthy. I am blessed.

Much like Pereira's photo below, I find that if we stop focusing on what we don't have, we'll better see all that we do have. Isn't that what gratitude is all about?

Until next time,
Ashley of Ramblings and Photos

"When I find myself fading, I close my eyes and realize my friends are my energy" by Pereira

thankful for the magic

2011-12-06T01:01:00.067-05:00

I have to admit that November's month of Gratitude has been tricky for me. We don't celebrate Thanksgiving in England, so I felt some trepidation as I started on this month-long journey. Where would it take me? What would I post? Well, looking through the month, I have to admit I am thankful for many things. But really it was the magic of everyday moments that grabbed me. I didn't always manage to snap them, but I definitely tried to capture more of them than I normally would have. And I certainly appreciated those magical moments with more intensity.

For example, my best friend gave birth to her long-awaited son earlier this month. It's been quite a journey for her and it's lovely to finally meet her boy and slowly get to know him. I've seen many births and met many new babies as part of my medical training, but this time I just switched off my inner scientist and enjoyed the magic of it all. What better example is there of everyday magic than the birth of a baby? It's a miracle that happens thousands of times each day. Annette sums it up so well when she says, "I'm grateful for the magic that happens in my life everyday. I've been seeing more and more of it lately and my heart feels so humbled."

So it's been a magical month for me in more ways than one. In fact, I'm determined to shed that inner Brit next year and maybe do another month of gratitude next November, if you'll have me! So share your magical pictures today. The images that show the magic of everyday life, the things that have made you stop and think and be grateful.

kirstin of fleeting moments

day 12: magic by .:AnnetteB:.

grateful for four legged friends

2011-12-05T01:01:00.061-05:00

"A really companionable and indispensable dog is an accident of nature. You can't get it by breeding for it, and you can't buy it with money. It just happens along."

- E B White

This is my dog Willow. My best girl. My photo-walk assistant. My constant companion. We had a real scare earlier in the year when we almost lost her to a ruptured spleen. I won't go into the details here, but we came frighteningly close to putting her down, and then things turned around for us. We had wonderful doctors who didn't give up on her, we made some difficult (but what turned out to be the right) decisions, and we were able to get her through a tough recovery period.

Four months later, that is her on the beach with my husband...the wind blowing so hard it makes her usually floppy ears stand up, the constant goofy dog-grin on her furry face. My Willow isn't getting any younger, but every day with her is a gift, and I cherish each moment that I have her in my life.

It looks like ajbbents has a couple of canine companions of her own--in her flickr post she said, "they bring smiles and comfort and a happy canine grin and smooch just when it is most needed." Yup, I couldn't agree more!

Woof,
~christy {urban muser}

13 of 30 #fromwhereistand #paws beggars by ajbbents

on gratitude

2011-12-02T01:01:00.000-05:00

As November began this year, I resolved to re-dedicate myself to an old ritual that I had let fall by the wayside – practicing daily gratitude. I thought this gratitude practice would help me manage the stress of my daily life, filled with brimming-over work commitments, by helping me re-focus my attention (even for just some brief moment) on all that I have in my life. I decided to take a photo each day of November of something for which I was grateful. I also chose to make this gratitude project easy and do-able, meaning I was going to allow myself to take each and every gratitude photograph with my iPhone. Yes, I gave myself permission to not have to use my big dSLR, to not be bogged down by post-processing, to not be perfect. And I have to say, I’m grateful for this gratitude project.

Practicing daily gratitude has been a gift to myself. It has been a true gift to stop and take a breath, a moment to reflect, and snap a photo of something that has brought me joy each day. This practice has allowed me to see the parts of my life, big and small, that fill me up, that make me smile, that bring me peace. The content of my photographs and the images that are filled with my gratitude this month range from my sweet Labrador Retrievers to my favorite pie being made by my partner. They include shots of peel-apart photographs from my “new” Polaroid camera as well as a salty margarita. There are moments of rest on the sofa and of capturing the sun on my face. And all of them, so full of gratitude.

It’s also been a gift to see all the images in the Mortal Muses Flickr pool capturing moments of gratitude. One of my favorites was shot by Libertad Leal in Venezuela. I simply love the openness of this photograph as well as the light and that gorgeous flare!

Thank you, Mortal Muses, for letting me re-focus again on gratitude. Another gift to add to this list. This daily gratitude thing is just so good…I just might keep it up.

xoxo,
Meghan of Life Refocused

Grateful by Libertad Leal

_____________________

Thank you Meghan for musing with us today! You can see all of Meghan’s photos from her gratitude project on her Flickr page here. If you would like to muse with us as a guest,
email us at mortalmuses9 [at] gmail.com

gratitude for music

2011-12-01T01:01:00.014-05:00

I'm sure most of you could say the same, but without music, I would not be the person I am today. The ways in which it opened my eyes, connected me with the important people in my life, and inspired me are endless. The way it can make me feel: more alive and authentic than I feel at any other time, and the way it reminds me how worth living life really is, and how limitless its wonder and beauty, I simply could not be happy without music. Recently my photography has taken me closer to the music. Shooting band photos for a Colorado bluegrass band and getting up close in personal at many a live show to "get the shot" has reinforced for me the importance and intimacy of the smaller venues for experiencing a magical live show. For that I am awash with gratitude.

And I can tell that gonzomama gets this, in her similarly framed shot below, an homage to music. Feel free to let us know how music is something for which you grateful, too!

16:30 days of gratitude by gonzomama

the feeling of gratitude

2011-11-30T01:01:00.012-05:00

I’ve been finding it so difficult to write on this theme. On the one hand, there are so many things to be grateful for in my world that I couldn’t decide on just one to single out. But it’s also been difficult because even though I know in my head that I have so much to be grateful for, my emotions right now aren’t following suit. I know I’m grateful, but I’m struggling to get the feeling of gratitude up and running. Have you ever felt like that? I’m guessing most of us have.

Things go wrong and life doesn’t always go our way, but there are always two ways to tell the story. This year has a been a difficult one in many ways: my husband’s been made redundant, I’ve been ill for most of the year and not able to work, we have the resulting financial problems, we had the death of a close family member, and we have the current stress of what sometimes feels like fruitless job searching, with the accompanying worry of ‘what will happen if?’. But there’s another way to tell this story: unlike some, we have a decent redundancy package; we’ve had more time together in the last few months and have become closer; we’ve talked in depth about the things that are important to us; we’ve had to cut back in so many ways that it’s clarified our values and what matters most; although we lost someone, we’ve also given thanks for a life well lived; and we’ve realised how very much we really do have. There’s always two ways to tell the story, and to me that’s what gratitude is about: spending at least as much time focussing on what we have, as we do on what we don’t have.

When I get into this state where I can’t get at the feeling of gratitude any more, there are two things that save me – photography and getting outside into nature. Photography helps me lose myself and my worries for a few hours, and being in nature puts it all into perspective and makes me realise that in the big scheme of things, it’s all very small beer. And there’s always some little miracle of colour and light to lift the spirits, as in anngeedee’s lovely shot of swimming birds.

gilly of the camera points both ways

traveling companions

2011-11-29T01:01:00.002-05:00

I am grateful for my guys. My husband and son, my perennial traveling companions. Oh, the miles we've travelled together, over the last couple of years. Countless flights and subways, days filled with maps and occasional mishaps. They patiently wait for me to capture my photographs as we wander along and give me a gentle nudge to keep me moving. Sometimes they go off on their own, as they did this weekend, wandering ahead of me in this historic cemetery, as I read the tombstones of those who lived and died many years past. Looking up ahead of me this day, I was filled with gratitude for them, the best of traveling companions.

There is something special about the memories we create when we travel. They become links of the chain that holds our lives together, unique from the repetition of our daily lives. Something as simple as a walk on a dusty road or a nap on the airplane, as pmaelee captured below, become elevated to special stories that we tell and retell of our travels together.

Lucky me, to have such companions by my side for journeys near and far through life. I hope and wish the same companionship for you.

Kat of The Kat Eye View of the World

Good flight planning {30 Days of Gratitude} by pmaelee

and the next theme is...FESTIVE MUSING

2011-11-28T01:01:00.011-05:00

MANY MUSES MUSING

13 Days of Holiday Prompts and Daily Giveaways

December 10th - December 24th

Goodness, is it already that time of year again! Where did 2011 go?
But since it's that time of year again, we thought we would start our old and new muses musing again, just as we did last year, on some holiday-related themes. So, every day from December 12th to December 24th we will post a picture and some words, giving you a chance to link up to the theme and win a prize. Then we will give you the prompt for the next day. Make sure to go and look at the other links and join in the seasonal cheer.

I wonder what you will put in our flickr pool over the festive season…

Will you share your bokeh pictures?

starry bokeh by ashley sisk

Will you post your family traditions?

christmas spirit by mosey|kim

And don't forget that beautiful wintry light.

winter sunset by soupatraveler

Do add your snowy pictures too.

day 348 by aprilmn

And remember this in the midst of it all…

don't get so caught up...by tumbleweed.in.eden

We look forward to enjoying the festivities with you.

Ashley, Cara, Christina, Christy, Gilly, Holly, Kat, Kirstin, Lucy, Lindsey, Maureen, Suki and Tammy.
xxx

mosaic muse {warmth}

2011-11-25T01:01:00.041-05:00

All these images of warmth we've been celebrating, have certainly been making me feel warm and fuzzy inside. How about you? Are you ready to get nice and cozy? Maybe curl up with hot cup of tea or steaming mug of coffee while we take one last look at how inspired you were from our latest theme? You gave us warm, tender moments, ways to keep warm, warm & tasty treats, and the feeling of warmth. You were inspired by the colors of nature with all your images of leaves, berries and autumnal scenes. You basked in the warm light of the sun, and warmed yourself in front of a dancing fire. You shared your warmth with friends, and you lit candles to keep the darkness away. In fact, I think together, we pretty much covered every kind of warmth there could be. Here's a last look at a few more of your shots.

1. 305:365 Warmth, 2. Through the Woods, 3. warmth, 4. Grateful for...11/1, 5. Happy Texture Tuesday ~ The Love Theme eDition, 6. You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me. ~C.S. Lewis, 7. 8:30, 8. 311.365 | warm up, 9. small comforts, 10. ~310/365~ Tippys, 11. homemade soup, 12. Heaven, 13. Puppy Love 2, 14. 7 november, 15. Thank You Lovely Lisa!, 16. Morning Light

How about you? What's your interpretation of warmth? Share with us your favorite "warmth" shots by using the linky tool below. The tool will be open until Sunday evening. And please feel free to use the mosaic muse button on your blogs as you link up. I'm looking forward to seeing what you link up over the weekend!

Holly {Soupatraveler}

comfortable

2011-11-24T01:01:00.000-05:00

I live for cooler temperatures. Of course I love the changing of the leaves and the return of my favorite pumpkin spice latte, but I also love fall fashion. There's something about long sleeves that brightens my outlook on life. It only seems appropriate that the holidays occur during cooler months (at least in the United States). It certainly doesn't seem right to eat Thanksgiving dinner in short sleeves; but, throw on a scarf such as tmosnaps' shot below or some fingerless gloves...ah yes, much better. Those simple accessories make everything feel so festive.

Beyond that, warmth is much more than being comfortable. Cooler weather is just a good excuse to snuggle up to the ones we love...hold hands...sit by a blazing fire. Our photographs should reflect that - that warm feeling that so many of us get this time of year.

With that said, I wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving. Until next time,
Ashley of Ramblings and Photos

first day of wearing my scarf by tmosnaps

yearning for warm

2011-11-23T01:01:00.015-05:00

The rain is currently pounding the roof just above my head, and a steady drip drip drip from the chimney to the metal flashing below could easily become a form of monotonous torture if I didn't have a glass of wine close at hand. The chilly wet of winter in Northern California, just barely beginning, makes me yearn for a warm patch of sun on the hardwood where I could curl up like a cat. When the skies briefly clear, I hustle my family out of our shady valley to soak in the last warm rays at the coast before the sun dips behind the horizon early. Too early.

It's cozy inside with the fire but the nape of my neck pines for warm sun.

Ike06~ grabbed this slice of delicious late afternoon sun in North Dakota - it reminds me of an African savanna. I wonder if she uses this photo as a background on her phone or computer during long, frosty winters to remind her what it feels like to be warm?

cheers,
kim (mosey) of mosey along

late afternoon by Ike06~

seasons of warmth

2011-11-22T01:01:00.037-05:00

"I am rich today with autumn's gold,

all that my covetous hands can hold."

~Gladys Harp

When I first sat down to write about warmth, my thoughts immediately went to balmy spring mornings and long, lazy summer days. For a brief moment, I mourned the passing of these seasons as my mind moved toward the inevitable cold winter season that is knocking on my door.

But then I stopped, and looked around me. Although the days are growing shorter and darkness sets in a bit earlier each night, the colors that surround me are rich and golden. Everywhere I look...glorious red, yellow, orange, green and brown tones dance in the air and warm me through and through.

I know that summer is fleeting and winter is fast approaching but today, autumn, we take a moment to celebrate you. I love Sara bug's photo below--she's got the right idea in giving you a big hug.

~christy {urban muser}

treehuggin' by sara bug

warmth.

2011-11-21T01:01:00.000-05:00

Lately when I think of warmth, I think of all of you. I think of the great community found on blogs like this, on websites like flickr, of the friendships that form via the cold, hard wiring of the interwebs that become warm, safe places for good people. The encouragement and support that is very real despite never actually having met any of these people in person is amazing! All of it feels just as good as that snuggly hug, that fresh cup of coffee, that perfect sunshine on a chilly day, right? Warmth for me is not just literal heat, but a feeling you can get from kindness, from safety, from a happy memory, from a connection made. All of those things are warmth that is stirred up and generated from the people and community here and on flickr and other weblogs. And this virtual warmth sometimes transcends explanation and defies definition, but I think it comes in part from sharing. We share our hearts, we put ourselves out there and open to criticism of our art, and we get more than we could ever give in return. I think this little one of ~*suzannagipson*~'s below is a great example of that sharing, as well as perfect for the "warmth" prompt as she crouches down for warmth on a crisp fall afternoon. I bet you could all think of an example when the warmth I'm talking about has graced you with its presence! I hope so!

Warmly,
Cara of cararosephotos

11/6 by ~*suzannegipson*~

muse university - seven secrets to photographing your children

2011-11-18T01:01:00.095-05:00

One of the main reasons I started up on this photography lark was to try and capture those fleeting moments of my children's childhoods. Here are are some of the techniques I use to try and help snap those moments.

1. Take your camera everywhere with you. And by that, I mean everywhere. To the shops, on the train, on the school run; everywhere!

Here's Miles on a visit to his grandmother's house. When I couldn't find him, I grabbed my camera and looked around the house knowing that he would have found something interesting to do, eventually finding him by the pond, dipping for newts. The light was so perfect as he trawled through the muddy water.

2. Include your little people in your photographic projects. Ella and Miles know all about fences and benches, and sometimes even like to join in, although Miles can be a little indecisive at times! It's a fun thing to do together as a family. You could always give them a camera of their own if you really want to encourage them. Ella loves to take pictures on her iPod touch using Instagram.

While caught in the rain, I bought Miles this monster umbrella, so we had to do a bench shot with it! It took us a while to make the monster look as menacing as possible.

3. Try using black and white for a "time machine" effect. It's amazing how it can make people look much younger or older. With children, sometimes you get a glimpse of their younger selves, or a sense of what they will look like when they grow up.

I took this picture of Ella while in Pienza, Italy. She looks much older than her years in this picture, and I could suddenly imagine her as a teenager.

4. Photograph the little details. The things they make, their hands, the things they treasure. They will always have stories to tell about them when they are older.

Here is a picture of Ella and her best friend, making cat's cradles. It's something they have enjoyed doing together for the last few years, but I know it will be something they will grow out of. I hope they will cherish the memory of this moment when they are older.

5. Keep your distance. Shoot from far away, or creep up on them. It doesn't matter if their faces aren't in the picture; often their gestures or their silhouettes are all that's necessary to capture the mood.

I caught this while on holiday in Italy. Ella was catching her breath after diving into the pool all afternoon. I love to imagine what she was thinking as she looked at the view.

6. Don't be afraid to direct them. I often ask my children to stand in magical light, or to pose for me. Lindsey sometimes asks children to look at the dinosaur in the camera; I like to ask Ella and Miles to pretend they know a secret for that wistful look.

While Ella was blowing this dandelion, I asked her to make the most epic but secret wish she could (she loves the word epic, so I knew I was onto a winner there). I love the mood her look added to the picture.

7. If all else fails, try a jump shot!

With this picture I was supposed to be practising colour palettes and the rule of thirds. But when we got to the location, Miles looked at me and said he wasn't going to pose for me because he was too cold. So I asked him to jump!

Most of all, enjoy yourself! Do you use any of these tricks? What are your secrets? Let us know in the comments.

kirstin of fleeting moments.

finding winter warmth

2011-11-17T01:01:00.033-05:00

I can enjoy feeling cold, in very short bursts, but cold is only good when you know you can get warm again. A lot of the pleasure of being out on a sharply cold, frosty day is in knowing you’ll soon be warming up – the anticipation of the steaming shower, the hot bowl of soup, the blazing fire, the warm dry clothes. When I think of being cold and getting warm again, a small poem by T E Hulme goes around in my mind; it’s about a gentleman who’s fallen on hard times and is sleeping rough on the embankment of the Thames River in London, on a cold frosty night:

"Once, in finesse of fiddles found I ecstasy,
In the flash of gold heels on the hard pavement.
Now see I
That warmth’s the very stuff of poesy.
Oh, God, make small
The old star-eaten blanket of the sky,
That I may fold it round me and in comfort lie."

When you’re chilled and cold, warmth really is the ‘very stuff of poesy’ and all of us gravitate towards it, even birds and animals. When I first saw Stephskimo’s photo as a thumbnail, I didn’t notice the pigeon staying warm by sitting on top of the light; when I saw it bigger and then did, it made me smile - that's one smart pigeon. And last winter, my cat spent a little while looking out the window at the snow, and then decided that sitting in front of the heater was a much better idea.

gilly of the camera points both ways

finding winter warmth by stephskimo

white and blue

2011-11-16T01:01:00.000-05:00

Warmth. At first I thought of candles and steaming cups of tea. Perfect for this time of year, when all I want to do is snuggle up under a quilt to warm my cold feet. Then I closed my eyes and thought, What says warmth to me? A vision of white and blue, at the sea. That was the image my heart whispered to me. So I went to my archive, with my chilly toes and cup of tea, and found this vision of the Aegean Sea.

And as I looked through the Flickr pool, Skiingrn1's sunny image jumped out at me. Maybe it was the color, so similar to mine. Maybe the season, all summer sunshine. Both a vision of another season, so quickly behind us, providing echoes of warmth for the months ahead.

Close your eyes, can't you feel the sun?

Kat of The Kat Eye View of the World

Juneau, Alaska by Skiingrn1

on the subject of warmth

2011-11-15T01:01:00.000-05:00

Warmth is finding the book I wanted to read {on our first snowy day} waiting for me at the library. The glow of the yellow spine, warming the winter white vase, on my desk. Open me now and settle in, the book whispered. The tea kettle getting ready to whistle away, a handmade quilt on a chair. I have craved warmth this past week, especially with the darker days finding us, before I am able to get supper made.

The glow from taralees photo, gave me the cozies. The light bouncing of the table- caught by the rim of the cups and place mats. I found her photograph to be quite soul warming, and lovely.

Warmly,

christina {soul aperture}

by candlelight by taralees

and the next theme is...gratitude

2011-11-14T01:01:00.032-05:00

It can be a state of being, taking some time out to find your own, secret place...perhaps your favorite spot to shoot your favorite scene with no one else around, where you're simply grateful to just be.

Dream of Paradise by Pixelmama

Or maybe you just want to be alone, with no plans, no hurries or worries, to savor the moment in your own special retreat.

calm by lindsey (modchik)

It could be something that makes the days go smoother, where everyone is getting along.

8/30 My Dog by Holly {Soupatraveler}

Or it could be something big that can change everything for your family.

relief by Superdewa

Or something small, but can make your day.

Sea Urchins by ~Roxanne~

Whatever it is you are grateful for, help us finish up this month by flooding the flickr pool with images that make your heart sing with gratitude.

Lindsey (modchik)

mosaic muse {light fantastic}

2011-11-11T01:01:00.078-05:00

For the past two weeks the celebration of light in the flickr pool has been, well, fantastic! We've seen subtle light, dramatic light, hipsta light and abstract light! We've had a history lesson and fallen into the romance of day dreaming. From shadows to sunflare, bokeh to blur, from sunlight to lamplight, evening light to morning light, we explored every type of illumination available. Let's take one last look at some of your submissions exploring every kind of light imaginable.

1. 293 | 365, 2. The Chosen One, 3. me and my shadow, 4. our cat named sunshine on this sunny sunday morning/ 1, 5. golden, 6. Sisters, 7. Night light, 8. The photographer, 9. check your boobies..., 10. divergence, 11. rainy night 1, 12. Fall forest flare, 13. Frosty Dew 279/365, 14. dazzling (without words), 15. autumn light, 16. Untitled

How about you? How did you see inspirational light? Please share your favorite "light fantastic" shots with us by using the linky tool below. The tool will be open until Sunday evening. And please feel free to use the mosaic muse button on your blogs as you link up. I'm looking forward to seeing what you link up over the weekend!

Holly {Soupatraveler}

night light

2011-11-10T01:01:00.001-05:00

As photographers, we are light chasers. In many cases, we wait all day for that golden hour to arrive so we can race outside to capture everything in sight. In darkness, we rest...to recharge for the next beautifully lit moment. But I remember a time, before I identified myself as a photographer, in which I was scared of the dark. It was not a source of rest, but the boogie man. The light was my protector from the unknown.

Needless to say, I'm no longer scared of the dark...and those traces of light are much more than my protector from the unknown. The light has become a source of inspiration, spirit, creativity and much more. Much like the colors reflected amongst the light of the carnival rides, I am mesmerized by the disco colors reflected in Stormchild's pint glass. Who says we have to wait for daylight for that next inspired moment - I prefer the night light.

Until next time,
Ashley of Ramblings and Photos

Disco Pint by Stormchild

finding the romance

2011-11-09T01:01:00.047-05:00

Dawn is my favourite time to take pictures. I seem to switch on in that morning light, my whole body tingling with excitement as I head out early after a bowl of warm porridge, knowing that my family is all wrapped up warmly inside, still sleeping. But oh it is so lovely to be out there where things are quiet, waking up slowly, watching the sun suffuse nature with warmth, enjoying that light as it changes from silver to gold. That last scene from Pride and Prejudice is one of my favourites, watching the couple glow in the light after their walk across the misty gold fields.

As I snapped away in the dawn a few weeks ago, I didn't feel my toes getting cold until they were numb but I knew that when I went home my Mr Darcy would be there with a warm cup of coffee for me. I wonder if *reina* found her Mr Darcy as she looked across this field. It looks like the perfect light to me, just right for finding the romance.

I love watching day break. What's your favourite time to capture romantic light, to share some of the romance? Try setting your alarm early one morning and head out to explore that dawn light. You might even find your Mr Darcy...

kirstin of fleeting moments

golden fence by *reina*

hipsta light fantastic

2011-11-08T01:01:00.007-05:00

We've seen all kinds of gorgeous light flowing through the flickr pool and on the blog here over the past few weeks. It's really quite amazing what light can do to a photo--whether we carefully set our aperture and use our lens in some way to capture wonderful flare and bokeh, or we purposefully angle ourselves in just the right place at the right time to maximize nature's sparkling beauty.

Me? I went straight to my iPhone for this theme. Your mobile phone can be a fun and unique way to capture light. Just throw all the technical stuff out the window and shoot straight into the morning sun as I did above. A partially blocked sun can be magical too, or watch what happens when you place the sun just off to the side of your photo as in keenemomma's stunning image below. Just click, and let the app do the rest for unpredictable results!

These two photos were taken using the Hipstamatic app with different lens and film combinations, but there are plenty of other ways to achieve interesting light effects with your mobile phone--I like format126 for a bright orange sun and iDarkroom can be fun if you like to play with light leaks for that toy camera look. And of course, these images aren't limited to the iPhone--you can get fantastic results with your droid phones too. Remember, it's all about getting out there and experimenting with different combinations. The effects can be wild and wonderful...let your mobile phone surprise you!

~christy {urban muser}

the tinge of florida fall in the lovely morning light, as lucas sees it, by keenemomma

you light up my life.

2011-11-07T01:01:00.069-05:00

Any photographer knows the importance of the light. We become observers, seekers, sometimes even commandeers of the light, co-opting it and coercing it for our photographs. It is an interesting relationship we have with the light. Like being stood up for a date, if the light isn't promising, the day is filled with less to look forward to, as it may be a day without photography. The result is having to learn how to use light creatively, to make the most out of the least light, and to see it in new ways at times. And to really make the most of it when it is in the mood to cooperate, when it is truly "the light fantastic." Tell me that doesn't sound like a romantic relationship at times? So far, light has been good to me, and so I'll keep showing it off in gratitude. Light, quite literally, is "the light of my life" as a photographer.

heavenly~flower is a master of the light fantastic. If you followed her 365, you know how well she utilized the light to be innovative and keep it going every day. She's a lover of flare, silhouettes, and backlit nature shots like her example below.

thanks for reading!

Cara of cararosephotos

dear to us are those who love us by heavenly~flower

magical light

2011-11-04T01:01:00.019-04:00

In my book, all light is pretty fantastic as it touches our lives in such magical ways. It greets us at at our birth and each morning when we wake. It dances across our carpets and throws shadows upon our walls. Light hums soft melodies in woodland sanctuaries, murmurs patterned chords across the lake, and claps vibrant encores upon city spires. It sweeps the fog from valley hollows and runs down surrounding hills like a wave upon the sand. It paints a colorful autumn canvas and sprinkles glitter on freshly fallen snow. Light illuminates our daily paths, and finally, each evening creates a spectacle to celebrate the close of day.

As photographers, we stalk this magic - this light. We scope out mountain vistas, forest nooks, and dimly lit city streets. We lie in wait, little black boxes and tripods at the ready. The light arrives evaporating darkness; revealing color, form, pattern, and texture. It stages a theater of many moods and acts. We watch enamored, we click… and click again. Light fantastic. It is a magical gift for photographers. It is our inspiration and true subject.

Marianna captured an amazing bit of magic in her piece, Light Catchers!

Anna of Alchemy of Art

light catchers by marianna a.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Thank you Anna for guest musing with us today. If you'd like to know more about Anna, be sure to visit her at Alchemy of Art. Also, if you are interested in a future guest muse role, please email us at mortalmuses9 [at] gmail.com.

three cheers for messrs daguerre and talbot!

2011-11-03T01:01:00.088-04:00

Photography, as everyone knows, is all about light and the early history of photography is all about the various methods used to try and fix the light to make a permanent recording of a passing moment. The camera obscura – which works like a pinhole camera and could project a live image onto a surface – had been around for a very long time (it was known in ancient China). So it's hard to believe that it's only 180 years ago that Daguerre and Talbot, working in different countries, finally figured out how to ‘freeze’ and preserve the projected image. It’s difficult for us to imagine how exciting it must have been in those days to see a scene permanently recorded just by the action of light on chemicals. We’ve become so used to the idea now that we completely take it for granted.

But imagine if you’d never seen a photograph before, if all that you knew was the long, slow process of drawing and painting. Imagine that your knowledge of how things looked in the world had depended totally on these up till now. Wouldn’t it seem like an absolute miracle that within a few minutes you could have a picture in your hands that recorded every detail of the scene in front of you with total accuracy? And, in the 1950s, when Kodak automated the process and made cameras cheap enough for everyone to afford, anyone could do it.

Things have moved on since then, and we're no longer obsessed with making everything in a photo look sharply detailed just because we can. Other things have become more important to us, and the quality of the light is one of these. Some kinds of light truly are fantastic and give our photos real impact, and the right light can make a very ordinary subject look extraordinarily dramatic. Both these images have a strong sense of movement, but what really makes them work is the light. The play of light on autumn leaves in a stream becomes a colourful abstract and in Mary "Manya"'s photo it turns a swimmer into a blaze of glory.

by gilly of the camera points both ways

I tried to capture a mermaid by mary "manya"

transformation

2011-11-02T01:01:00.003-04:00

As light moves through or reflects off surfaces, it is transformed. On my recent trip to downtown Chicago, I was fascinated by the light reflecting off of the skyscrapers, creating directional light where no light should be. All the wrong angles and directions, this skyscraper-light is different than true sunlight, transformed by the reflection. This back alley was a prime example, with bright light streaming down through the buildings in the direction opposite the sun. It was a fascinating exercise to capture the light and shadows here, and observe the different qualities of the light.

For similar reasons, I was entranced by christinellen's image below when I came upon it in the pool. Her capture of the light transforms this every day object into an abstract work of art. All light and lines.

Whether it's the diffuse light of heavy clouds, or sunlight reflected by towering skyscrapers, the light transforms the world around us. There is always something new to see, in the light.

Kat of The Kat Eye View of the World

Kind looks like what we might see when we die... by christineellen

the light danced within her palms

2011-11-01T01:01:00.002-04:00

Light! Ask any photographer and they will tell you, light can make or break their day. Capturing the perfect light for a photo, can send me to the moon and back. But bad lighting, can send me running for the hills. I waited until about 4pm before accepting the idea, that the sun might not make it's appearance, for me to shoot "light fantastic." So I went for the string of fairy lights and made do. The lights bounced within my camera, the more I worked my lens. I focused just enough, to get the outline of my daughters hands, and fingers. All along, I hoped the jar of lights, would excite me. Soon enough, the light danced within her palms, they told the story I wanted to share, as she outstretched her hands toward me.

Light is always trial and error for me. I tend to favor light that is natural and softens... light that glows. That's what I saw within dawndh's photo. It's brilliance and natural light, took my breath away.

Warmly,

christina {soul aperture}

by dawndh

and the next theme is...WARMTH

2011-10-31T01:01:00.010-04:00

As November approaches and the temperatures in most parts of the world begin to dip we find ourselves seeking warmth in different ways. Some of us find it and wrap our hands around it.

Keeping Warm by Trevellion

While of some of us create it with a simple wick and a flame.

Winter Warmth by Holly (Souptraveler)

Others head south following the fireball in the sky.

A Round Sun by Marina Sorr

During the next two weeks we are trying to translate that feeling of warmth through our viewfinders. You may find it in a roaring fire, a cup of coffee or wrapped tightly in a blanket. So grab your hot cocoa and fuzzy slippers, join us by sharing your warmth photos in the Mortal Muses Theme Group on Flickr. We look forward to seeing how much heat you can generate. :D

cold mornings hot tea by Lindsey (modchik)

Lindsey (modchik)

mosaic muse {home}

2011-10-28T01:01:00.002-04:00

When the Muses decided to pursue a "home" theme, I was interested to see if there were any significant differences in our view of home around the world. As it turns out, we're more similar than I thought. The flickr pool was full of homey images. We saw everything from cooking, to cuddling, to coloring, to playtime. Your images have inspired me to slow down and enjoy those simple moments at home. Whether it be a smell, a sound or just those moments that make is forget the rest of the world exists, home is where there heart is.

1. 36:365 Learning, 2. Smug with the knowledge they are making cookies from scratchish, 3. Self Portrait(s), 4. What's Going On Out There, 5. ~277/365~ Bedtime, 6. Home, 7. stackable2, 8. Kitty Paws, 9. The Classic, 10. It's mE agaiN MonDaY, 11. Farm fresh., 12. 25.52, 13. something impossible up your sleeve: 90 of 365, 14. [233|2011-08-21] Chill, 15. on the way home, 16. life with Finn

Please share your favorite "home" shots with us by using the linky tool below. The tool will be open until Sunday evening. And please feel free to use the mosaic muse button on your blogs as you link up.

Ashley of Ramblings and Photos

nesting

2011-10-27T01:01:00.018-04:00

I have spent more time than usual at home over the past few weeks, babysitting my best friend who is pregnant. She has been advised by her obstetrician that because of pregnancy related complications, she needs to be with someone else at all times as she heads into that final trimester. It has been an honour to be with her for these last precious weeks, as she has shared her fears, her anxieties, her plans and her hopes for her unborn baby, making those important nesting plans for her own home and family. And I cherish those moments I have been able to spend with her, as I know they will be few and far between once her son is born.

Here, we share once of those important moments as we enjoy a cup of tea in the kitchen, trying to come up with a shortlist of baby names...it's such fun to savour each name and imagine what her little person will be like. And thank you, Yolanda for providing the cake. This will go just perfectly with our tea...

Where's your favourite place to share special moments with your friends in your home? Is it over a cup of tea? Or maybe over a glass of wine? Perhaps you like to make yourself cozy on the sofa, under a blanket as you catch up on the gossip. Do tell us!

kirstin of fleeting moments.

279/365 diario de vida by butterfly-yolanda

dreams can come true

2011-10-26T01:01:00.007-04:00

Other than a four year stint living outside of Philadelphia during my four years of college, I have lived in or near New York City for all of my life. I was born and grew up in a small suburb of the city about a 20 minute drive from midtown Manhattan. My father worked at NBC in Rockefeller Center for over 40 years, and when I was a child my mom and I would often come in to visit him, go shopping, or see a Broadway show. I was lucky to be exposed at a young age to all that New York City has to offer. I instantly fell in love with the bustling city streets and vibrant people and I knew right away that I would live here someday.

I lived in Hoboken, New Jersey for 10 years before finally making it across the Hudson River to live in New York City in 2004. It was a dream come true. I jumped around a bit at first, renting various apartments here and there. But in 2008 another dream came true when my husband and I bought an apartment in northern Manhattan.

Enchanticals writes about how she is enamored with keys and had this to say about them in the description of her photo below, "Keys are one of the most powerful symbols. They are magical and hold great power within". I couldn't agree more with that sentiment. My keys pictured above open the door to the place where I can be myself, where my dog greets me with howls and a wagging tail, where my husband and I have chosen to make our life together. They are a symbol that dreams really can come true.

~christy {urban muser}

keys...love of my life! by enchanticals

home is where the heart is...happiest.

2011-10-25T01:01:00.001-04:00

It has been truly uplifting to see how everyone photographically defines the place they call "home."
I'm guessing many of us learned to expand our definition during this theme. I saw lots of tabletops showing the clutter that speaks volumes about our families, and all the foods that keep them going. I saw lots of empty rooms full of personality, and lots of friendly faces and furry friends. I hope home for me soon means a furry friend of my own!

For me, it simply comes down to home being where the heart is. Somehow, that finds me in Kansas these days; quite a surprise for this east coast born, recent New Mexico resident. I know, I know, "there's no place like home (Kansas)" from the Wizard of Oz could ostensibly sum up this whole topic, but it doesn't quite do it. I've had many a discussion with friends on this very topic when we returned to our childhood homes after some time and felt different, as though they didn't feel quite like "home" anymore. I imagine that is what should happen when you find your own home, but at the time for myself and my friends, no place actually felt like a home to us. We were in a transition between the homes of our youth, and finding a home for our adult selves. Since then, I've come to learn that truly, "home is where the heart is." I always thought it a corny expression. But after calling several different states home myself, I realized that, even if it means "home" moves itself to different locations every few years, wherever my heart is happiest is where I need to make my home. And it seems you all showed us what makes your hearts happiest, too!
journeyswithasimplegirl must certainly be happy about this surprising sight!

by cara of cararosephotos

unexpected by journeyswithasimplegirl

coming home

2011-10-24T01:01:00.013-04:00

It’s been hard for me to think what to write about this theme - I pondered for a long time over what home means to me. It means comfort, soft cushions, warmth, good lighting, the smell and taste of home-cooked food, books, music, conversation, a garden, a place of my own to write in, and many other things, but I could have all of these things and there would still be something lacking. Then I realised that home really isn’t about the place I live in, it’s about the people who inhabit that place. There’s my husband, naturally, and without him nowhere would feel good for long, but he hasn’t always been with me and when I was living on my own my pets were the ‘people’ who made the place home.

For sixteen years I had a handsome Golden Retriever called Raffles. He had such a lot of character, along with one of the most loving natures I’ve ever experienced. He loved being funny and would play to an audience, and I couldn’t help but laugh when I was with him. He saw me through a bad marriage – and in those days he was the one thing worth coming home for – and he was with me for some of my single years after I was divorced. I have two cats as well, and when I came home after a day at work all three animals would come running to meet me, Raffles’ tail wagging so wildly that his body got thrown around with the force of it, and one cat underneath him weaving through his legs. I was often lonely in those days, but my pets meant I never came home to an empty house and was always welcomed back. To have three living creatures so pleased to see me was warmth for the soul.

So when I saw this wonderful photo of canadianchick1959’s dog Max, those melting brown eyes brought back many treasured memories of Raffles, who died a few years ago. In our home, in the stairwell, we have a couple of shelves where we place mementos of pets that we’ve lost. Most of them are rabbits – my husband adores rabbits and unfortunately they don’t live very long – but my lovely old dog’s ashes are there too, in a little wooden box, along with his collar and a photograph. In a sense, he’s still there to greet me when I come home.

by gilly of the camera points both ways

me and my shadow by canadianchick1959

muse university - 10 tips for getting started with self-portraits

2011-10-21T01:01:00.126-04:00

getting started with self-portraits

by christy of urban muser

The self-portrait--or selfie. You either dread them or you love them. I used to be squarely in the dread camp, but with some practice over the past year I've gotten a little more comfortable on the other side of the lens. Let's face it, one of the nice things about shooting a selfie is that you always have your subject with you, you have complete artistic and technical control, and you can shoot, delete and edit multiple images until you are satisfied.

I often get comments and questions on my blog from people saying they are too timid to take a self-portrait. And since that used to be me, it got me to thinking about my own journey and how I was able to overcome the fear (for the most part--I am still working on it!) of seeing myself within the frame. So let's get started--remember, I am no expert, these are just a bunch of different ideas to try out if you've been thinking of exploring the world of self-portraiture...

1. Keep it simple--try a selfie with your mobile phone.

Sometimes the thought of a fancy DSLR with a big lens and a tripod can be a little daunting. So if you have a mobile phone, try turning it on yourself at arm's length and just snapping a simple, no pressure photo of yourself. If your mobile phone's camera doesn't have a self-timer or a press anywhere shutter, look for an app that will provide this functionality. And of course, if you are shy about showing your face, there's nothing like processing your photo with a few good apps to ease yourself into slowly showing the world your beautiful face.

{da vinci self-portrait by red kiwi photography}

2. Keep an eye out for your reflection.

When I first started taking self-portraits I ended up with a lot of reflections (come to think of it, I still take many reflective selfies). Mirrors, store windows, puddles, building facades--these are all great places to begin. These photos can be a fun and easy way to slide into self-portraiture, especially if you have an interesting background or a unique reflective surface.

{staying busy in the carwash. by keenemomma}

3. Don't be afraid to go undercover.

Self-portraits don't always have to show exactly who you are. Use creative angles and crops--focus in on your feet, purposely cut off your head, obscure parts of yourself here and there. Remember, you're in charge. These photos can show all of you, or just a little piece of you. It's OK to be anonymous once in a while and keep the mystery alive!

{l'oreille by picture this / patty}

4. Big world, tiny you.

Self-portrait doesn't always mean close-up. You can still be the subject of the photo without dominating the entire frame. If you find a beautiful background, landscape or open space try a distant or wide angle shot and subtly insert yourself somewhere in the scene.

{"absence is to love what wind is to fire; it extinguishes the small, it rekindles the great." by 6ftmama}

5. Send a message to the universe, or yourself.

Self-portraits are a great way to express how you are feeling. Sometimes a facial expression or scene can convey an emotion. Or you can go a more direct route and tell your viewers exactly what you are thinking.

{22/52 by thelucaszoo}

6. Play a character, or use a prop!

Just because we're not 8 years old anymore doesn't mean we can't play make believe. Sometimes it's easier to take a picture of ourselves if we are not exactly ourselves. Role play, dress up, wear a wig, or add a fun prop into the mix. Just try it, you may be surprised with the results!

{bite! by manifeisty}

7. Say something about yourself.

Take a portrait of yourself with someone or something that you love. Remember, selfies aren't just about what you look like on the outside, but who you are inside.

{Magdalena & Violín I by Maky Magdalena}

8. Have some fun!

If you are nervous about getting in front of the camera, try doing something silly to take your mind off of how you look. A jump shot can usually do the trick here. Try jumping with you arms outstretched, turn your body a little to the side and kick your heels as hard as you can to you butt so it really looks like you are high off the ground. I had to practice this for a while before I got a good one, but it definitely made me forget about all the reasons that I DIDN'T want to be on that side of the lens. Oh, and twirling works really well here too :)

{twirling chucks by vi.llette}

9. Hide within the blur.

Who says your self-portraits have to be in perfect focus? While you are getting used to seeing your gorgeous self in your images, try softening the blow by adding a little blur--either when you take the photo, or in post-processing. When you begin taking self-portraits you may even find yourself out of focus by mistake. Before you delete these images, take a second look to see if perhaps you've captured a happy accident!

{me by kirstinmckee}

10. Make friends with your self-timer and/or remote control.

Most cameras these days have some kind of self-timer on them, which makes self-portraits a lot easier. When I use my self-timer I sometimes put an object in the spot that I'm going to run to and press the shutter half-way down to set the focus. Then I run into the shot, quickly remove my stand-in item and voila, the shot's in focus. A wireless remote can take the running element out of the equation and that can be nice (mine's broken so I haven't used it in a while). A tripod helps too!

{hey, what are you up to?! by suki_photography-sandra}

11. Join a group or project. (I know the title of this post is 10 tips, but here's a bonus one!)

What can I say? There's inspiration in numbers. Consider joining a flickr group dedicated to self-portraits. Browse through the selfies and you'll find yourself amazed and inspired by the creativity and uniqueness in all of us! I especially like 52 Weeks of BAM. It's a no pressure group that gave me just the little push I needed to take 52 self-portraits this year.

{BAM! I Jig Spontaneously With My Camera by SnapYappy}

OK, so that's all for now. If you made it to the end of this post, I thank you for sticking around! I hope one or two of these tips will help you find a little more comfort in front of the camera. Take it one step at a time, and ease yourself around to the other side of the lens. Who knows, you may like what you see.

~christy {urban muser}

handmade with love

2011-10-20T01:01:00.001-04:00

All it takes for me to feel at home is a quilt, handmade with love. As I gathered up the quilts in my home for this photograph, I discovered my life story is here, stacked up in these handmade quilts. From the threadbare baby quilt on the bottom, embroidered by my Mom for me before I was born, it steps though the pink gingham of childhood to the blues of my young adulthood. The color-on-black quilt was a wedding gift from my Amish aunts, cousins and Grandma, a hand-stitched, queen-sized masterpiece that is a marker of a major life event. My son's aquarium-themed baby quilt heralds a new phase of life, and a new subject for my Mom's quilting. Each of the later quilts in this stack were made by my Mom as well, marking changes in my life.

When my Mom visited a couple of weeks ago, we picked the fabric for a new lap quilt she is making to match my studio colors. It was then I realized how important quilts are to my life history. Our house is not a home without the quilts. We carried them with us to Italy and carried them back again to Oregon in our suitcases, because we couldn't be without them for too long. It's no wonder when my Mom asked my son what he wanted for his birthday one year he answered, "A quilt that fits me!"

With quilts on my mind, I was happy to see this lovely bundle of fabric in the Flickr pool by Eskimo Kiss Photography. She is making a baby blanket for her soon-to-be-born niece. What a wonderful start to life for her niece, to be wrapped up in a blanket, handmade with love from her aunt. The perfect welcome home.

Kat of The Kat Eye View of the World

Linen by Eskimo Kiss Photography

a home

2011-10-19T01:01:00.004-04:00

I am a homebody, and that's always been fine with me. Give me an option of a night on the town or pizza and a movie at home, home it is! It's a funny thing, I can pass up a pair of shoes, a handbag or clothes shopping, but a warm throw for our corner reading chair, or a bag of dark chocolate cocoa, for welcoming guest- yes to that!

Home is everything to me. Our home by no means, is a fancy one, it's rather lived in. We homeschool at an old farm table in the kitchen, we roll cookies and bread out, on a rickety butcher block. And if you were to stop by {especially during this season} the tea pot would be simmering, books would be sprawled all over, our teenagers might be bickering and fairy lights glow, from many corners.

I don't worry if you spill your drink or mind if you wear your shoes, it's a comfortable home, and there is always room for one more, at our dinner table.

When I saw Skiingrn1 photo, I felt at home. The quilt, the book, this photo warmed my soul and welcomed me in, that's what home is all about for me.

Warmly,

christina {soul aperture}

comforts of home by Skiingrn1

my sanctuary

2011-10-18T01:01:00.004-04:00

Instead of planning vacations I string up lights. Instead of wishing I was on an airplane I wish upon the stars. I wish for more time in my favorite room of the house, the backyard.

Living in Southern California has its perks one of them being mild weather. What we lack in seasons we make up for in balmy temperatures. We can eat dinner outside well into November with nothing more than a light cardigan, I can't complain. I spend many evenings gathered under the umbrella enjoying a glass of wine with my camera. I take photos of the wine then the candles then the candles reflecting IN the wine, its all good.

On this particular day we had just finished dinner and the rest of the family scattered. The sun had been down for maybe an hour and there was a beautiful ceiling of indigo happening. If I could paint a room in the same colors I would.

The Mortal Muse Pool proved once again to be a wealth of inspiration when writing. I came across this beautiful image from naomiella I am a big sucker for flare. I love the relaxed feeling something I strive for but seems to elude me in my own home.

Lindsey of modchik-photography

let the sun shine by naomiella

and the next theme is...LIGHT FANTASTIC

2011-10-17T01:01:00.195-04:00

It surrounds us daily, and for most of us, it will determine when we awaken or when we go to sleep. Many of our jobs depend upon it, and for photographers, it will determine exactly how we craft our work. I'm talking about light. But not just any light, the kind of light that makes you grab your camera and start snapping away. We're talking about Light Fantastic, that soul-seeking, heart-stopping inspirational light that can make us gasp in wonder or sigh with delight.

bateman's by kirstin mckee

Twice a year on the lead up to the solstice something magical occurs. whether your waxing or waning ,the light begins to shift and change presenting some wonderful opportunities. In the Northern hemisphere, the autumn light takes on a warm glow coating everything in a rich warm hue. The Magic Hour during this time of year takes on a whole new meaning.

autumn glow by holly {soupatraveler}

Sometimes, it is how the light catches your subject that will cause your heart to beat faster. Light refractions in water can create some incredible shadows, reflections and delicious bokeh.

water droplets by boney muggle

Where we place the light in our subject...in front, behind, to the side...stylistically will change everything about the story we're presenting. Do we highlight just one section of our subject, or do we throw it in the dark by shooting it as a silhouette. We don't even have to use natural light to achieve something spectacular.

safe by lindsey (modchik)

We can also take a more subtle approach when using light maintaining the same drama as Lindsey's shot above while touching an emotional chorde like Christina's shot below which can connect many of us to our own memories of catching lightening bugs on a warm, summer evening.

summers night light by christina {soul aperture}

For the next ten days, go out there and seek your own Light Fantastic. Show us what that means to you. Maybe you'll capture a sunset or a sunrise or be surprised by a hint unexpected sunflare stealing into your shot? Or perhaps you'll seek other types of light sources as your inspiration? Whatever you do, be sure to share your images with us in our Mortal Muses Theme group on flickr. I look forward to seeing what Light Fantastic means to you!

Holly {Soupatraveler}

mosaic muse {blurred}

2011-10-14T01:01:00.005-04:00

There was a time in my photography journey in which I wanted nothing more than a perfectly focused shot. Oh how things have changed. After looking through our flickr pool, I am completely inspired to capture life in action; whether it be dancing in the bedroom, swinging to the sky, running through a breeze or just adjusting my focus ring. Your images have proven that a blurred shot is full of artistic potential - they let us remember those everyday moments just as they happened.

1. Last night, 2. body in motion, 3. Beautiful Blur, 4. Chinatown, 5. Dissolving~Revealing~Expanding, 6. wash day!, 7. write it on your soul, that today is the best day of your life...., 8. day 193/7.12.10, 9. “Strangers are exciting, their mystery never ends. ~ Ani Difranco, 10. Wheeeee, 11. dance the night away, 12. The Climb, 13. the blues, 14. Twirl, 15. three, 16. Ring-a-Ring-a-Rosey

Please share your favorite blurred shots with us by using the linky tool below. The tool will be open until Sunday evening. And please feel free to use the mosaic muse button on your blogs as you link up.

Ashley of Ramblings and Photos

moment of clarity

2011-10-13T01:01:00.013-04:00

For me, having most of an image blurry makes the rest of it seem sweeter, sharper, clearer and more perfect, as if there is a moment of clarity amongst the chaos. One of my favourite ways to do this is to use foreground blur, with dreamy shapes close to the lens lending resonance to the main subject. For most of this year I have been using a manual-focus 50mm lens. Although I now have an autofocus 50mm lens, I often find myself switching to manual focus, reaching for that delicious point through the dreamy shroud of foreground blur. I wonder how Melanie chose which flowers to be in focus, with so many beautiful ones to choose from.

Have you tried setting your lens to manual focus and playing with the focus? See which part of the image you are trying to capture is the sweetest part.

kirstin of fleeting moments.

untitled by melanie.louette

life's a blur

2011-10-12T01:01:00.053-04:00

"she said she usually cried at least once each day not because she was sad,
but because the world was so beautiful and life was so short" --storypeople

Wow, how did it get to be October already? It feels like it was just the blazing hot and humid days of August. Next thing we know it will be the holidays, with the arrival of cold weather and snow!

I don't know if you feel this way, but as I get older, life seems to move so much faster. Some days slip by in a wash of colors, one rolling into the next--I constantly find myself wondering where the time has gone. We all try to fit so much into each day. Work, kids, family, pets, friends, hobbies, exercise, fun...the list goes on.

Starting today I am taking a stand against the frenetic pace and encouraging myself to s.l.o.w. down. To enjoy the simple moments and drink in the everyday sights. Whether that means a more conscious effort to capture little slices of life through my lens, or just taking the time to let them sink in, I vow to savor each day in a different way.

Want to take the challenge with me? I encourage you all to do the same. Slow down, prioritize, enjoy a long, deep breath. Notice your surroundings. Take in the day...one moment at a time. Otherwise life can just become a blur.

~christy {urban muser}

summer in the city never looked so pretty!! by shellee777

blurring the lines of style

2011-10-11T01:01:00.019-04:00

I've been thinking lately about what I could try to vary my style and add some extra story and emotion to my shots.

I very often rely on the auto focus function of my cameras but I'm realizing that some creative out of focus, some serendipitous blur, might just be what the doctor ordered. I use bokeh blur all of the time, but I'm talking about missing the focus a bit to soften the subject and add interest. I've seen some really great examples of this out there, and I'm sure that sometimes they are magical accidents, but in any case, I'm after that magic! You'll notice in my shot above, the sharpest focus is on the leafs in front of the puppy, that plane where her paw reaches out, creating a softness as the shallow depth of field starts to blur her baby face.

This shot by Ali's Looking Glass is a great example of what I'm talking about. The expression and black and white also add to the emotion in the shot, clearly, but I think the blur does something extra special. What do you think?

-Cara, of CaraRosePhotos

true sight by ali's looking glass

a softer, kinder world

2011-10-10T01:01:00.057-04:00

I’m short-sighted, so without my glasses blur is my natural way of seeing. When I first got glasses many years ago, and the world suddenly came into sharp focus, I got very excited. Everything looked so different to me, sharp and clean. But once I got over the novelty of it all, I realised that I’d come to like the softness in my natural sight; the world seemed a kinder, gentler place without all those hard edges.

I do like being able to see clearly when I want to, but sometimes I can feel overwhelmed by the amount of detail and visual clutter that we’re bombarded with most of the time. Maybe that’s why I’ve always loved any photographic technique that leads to blurring, whether it’s done in camera or afterwards. I love the way it smears the colours like paint and turns the most banal of subjects into something mysterious and fascinating, and the way it takes away detail and lets you concentrate on what’s essential - the colour or the light or the shapes.

My short-sightedness isn't so bad that it leads to the depth of blur in these two photos, but I like the way they evoke a mood through only supplying an impression. It makes me ask questions, like who is the mysterious figure with the red umbrella in ~ania's♥ photo, and where is she going on such a snowy day?

gilly of the camera points both ways

girl with an umbrella, by ~ania♥

surrounded by inspiration

2011-10-07T01:01:00.002-04:00

My aim in every photo is to capture that feeling you get when you hold the hand of the one you're meant to be with, make your baby giggle like no one else can and bring together those you love. That also happens to be the tag line for my business as well as the foundation behind my belief that photography has the power to move people.

Family and memories are my inspiration. There is a photo my mother took of my sister and I that inspired me to want to get the same thing of my two daughters. Not only does it remind me of the love I have for my sister, but it makes me proud to see the love between my girls. My favorite images of my family aren't of ones where we are all dressed up and everyone is smiling perfectly into the camera. My favorite images are the everyday moments that remind me that soon my baby won't be crawling, she'll be walking, and the quiet moments, when I'm appreciating being able to stay at home with them.

I'm inspired by good styling and design, whether it be in fashion, a great card or graphic, or a beautiful home. I could browse ETSY and Pinterest for days and a simple baby hat or funky girls' stockings can get me excited at the possibility of using it to highlight a family's style and personality. I couldn't tell you exactly if I'm vintage, modern, whimsical, classic, or any other adjective...I love it all. Anyone else spend way too much time examining the styling for a JCREW catalogs, Martha Stewart, Williams Sonoma, and Bon Appétit? Good me too and for the record I buy Vanity Fair purely for the PHOTOS!

I also love to plan and host get-togethers that include copious amounts of decorating and cooking. I find creativity in the women around me and this drives me to take photographs paying special attention to details capturing the hard work that these women, moms, wedding/event planners and designers have put into creating the perfect event. All of these inspirations lead me back to creating special moments for everyone to remember.

Thank you Jackie for guest musing with us today. If you'd like to know more about Jackie, be sure to visit her at Jackie Culmer Photography. Also, if you are interested in a future guest muse role, please email us at mortalmuses9 [at] gmail.com.

zoom, zoom

2011-10-06T01:01:00.004-04:00

Last Christmas I spent a lot of time blurring my images. I had discovered zooming during long exposures, and was forever playing with shutter speed, zoom speed and compositions. I was lucky to have so many subjects close at hand, with the lights and people in the bustle of central Milan. I discovered a fun sense of time travel in my photographs when people were included. They were both here and gone, in the same image.

Apparently, you get the same effect when trying to photograph a two year old. Nothing but motion, according to gina g10. I love the effect she was able to capture, such energy! No need for her to zoom during exposure, the toddler was doing it for her.

If you haven't done it before, try using zoom during long exposures to create blur sometime, it's great fun. Or maybe, just borrow a toddler, if you don't have one of your own.

Kat of The Kat Eye View of the World

Two year old in motion by gina g10

a passion for blur

2011-10-05T01:01:00.028-04:00

Blurred photos, ask me, I know all too well about them. Back in the day, I often produced photos that were out of focus, without trying, only to walk away disappointed. I can't help but laugh now, because today, I have a passion for blurry photos. Blurred photos have become, the new black. These photos can be art, they hold a certain mystery to them, the blurred effect, outlines the story, I want to convey. And I love that many of these photos, with questionable focus, decorate my home.

A heavy blur can hide secrets, a slight blur can act as a frame, softening an image to perfection. That's what I saw in kat3no3l photo, Blueberry Blur. The blurred background, along with the light, became a frame for the gorgeous, centered blueberry. I must admit, it's so freeing to see so many photographers, embracing the blur. ; )

Warmly,

christina {soul aperture}

blueberry blur by kat3no3l

tuning out

2011-10-04T01:01:00.007-04:00

No one likes self portraits. Its one of the hardest things you'll encounter. You will take a deep breath and fire off a million shots only to find yourself scrutinizing over the slightest sign of aging or flaw. It's natural after all we are our own worse critic. We see things through the most harshest of filters, our ego.

When I was doing a daily prompt class last year we had an assignment for self portraits. My stomach clenched, after all I had just finished a painful audit with the IRS and personally was in no shape mentally or emotionally to turn the scrutiny of the lens upon myself. I trotted out the camera and figured out how to use the timer and just sat there staring with no idea what to try to express. How do you express the feeling of numbness? When I went back through the 20 or so images, there were a few that just totally missed the focal point and what I was left with was the photo above, myself through a fog of blur. But that was EXACTLY how I was feeling so out of focus and that's when I knew that this was in fact the most perfect and accurate capture of myself. I treasure this photo, it reminds me of where I was and how far I have come from that feeling of emptiness.

As I went through the Mortal Muse Pool I came across this beautiful image from photoangie the combination of saturated colors, textures and blur are so dreamy and absolutely timeless. Red and turquoise are one of my favorite color combinations. The polka dots make me very happy a welcome departure from days passed.

Lindsey of modchik-photography

blur with dots by photoangie

and the next theme is...HOME

2011-10-03T01:01:00.138-04:00

Where we come from, our homes, can often define us. It can be a place or also a state or mind. Right now, if you're reading this from your home, take a look around you. What do you see? Perhaps you have built a tidy, manicured nest that you love to enjoy, or maybe instead it's a messy retreat. Really, it's all a matter of interpretation, right?

In my studio by Kat Eye View

Do you live in the country of your birth, or have you emigrated to a new land, maybe for a job, a relationship, or a new life. If you've moved away from your birthplace, perhaps to a new country or new city, you might long for the tastes, sights and sounds of your childhood, and "home" means a special package in the mail, a home-cooked meal or perhaps a visit from a loved one making your new home feel more like the old one from which you've come.

Visit From Mom by Soupatraveler

Do you live alone, or do you share your space with others, perhaps your parents, a spouse or lover, children, pets or roommates. Basic facts, for sure, but very telling ones which can determine the size of your abode. How many rooms do you have? Who do you share your meals with? What things fill up your home?

the "table" by Urban Muser

But home can also be a state of mind, as in home is "where the heart is" or as the song goes, "...home is whenever I'm with you!" It might not matter to you where you live, so long as it's with the ones you love.

Magic by Cara

How we live from day to day, where we come from, who and what we surround ourselves with, they all come together to create our worlds. Where do you feel most at home? And with whom? Share with us the images that make up your home. They don't even need to be specific, they could just convey that "homey" feeling.

Zander Enjoys a Summer Evening by Ashley Sisk

I look forward to seeing what you turn your cameras towards over the next two weeks! I can't wait to surf the Mortal Muses Theme group to see what "home" looks like to you.

Holly {Soupatraveler}

muse mosaic {macro}

2011-09-30T01:01:00.021-04:00

Looking through the flickr pool has shown me the wealth of colours and details that macro photography can reveal. That's the great thing about macro images: the way they let us highlight aspects of everyday life that are right under our noses all along. I was inspired to make a rainbow of your lovely pictures.

1. Passionate color, 2. purple petals, 3. Zinnia, 4. 365/12, 5. Red Topper, 6. 6. Bubbles in a glass of liquid, 7. DSC_0008WEB, 8. Untitled, 9. Happy Sun(flower)day!, 10. Bubbly lemon, 11. ate every single leaf from my pepper plant, 12. morning dew, 13. IMG_2747_edited-1, 14. Home Sweet Home, 15. Wishing you a fabulous day!, 16. starringWM

Do share your favourite macro shots with us by using the linky tool; the tool will be open until Sunday evening. And please feel free to use the mosaic muse button on your blogs as you link up.

kirstin of fleeting moments

fruitography

2011-09-29T01:01:00.031-04:00

My husband surprised me with a set of lenses from photojojo for my iPhone this past Christmas. There is a fisheye, a wide angle and--of course--a macro! These little lenses are so cute, and they lend a bit more fun and versatility to my everyday iphoneography...like getting up close and personal with a beautiful, juicy kiwi. I need to practice a bit more on my steady hand, but I managed to get off a few good shots.

I was immediately drawn to gladly beyond's fantastic iPhone shot of this red raspberry. She used a macro lens from olloclip (which looks really cool by the way) and I have to say I am jealous of her detailed results. Really amazing.

Have you taken any macro shots with your mobile phone? Well, if you have a macro shot that you want to show off--whether it was taken with your iPhone, a point and shoot, or your DSLR--we'd love to see it tomorrow during our Friday Muse Mosaic link up. Hope to see you then!

~christy {urban muser}

fruitography by gladly beyond

it's the little things

2011-09-28T01:01:00.020-04:00

To me, a macro shot is all about focus, and all about appreciating the little things. That whole world that exists beyond our normal range of sight unless we focus...it makes flowers all the more beautiful, insects all the more fascinating (and "eww"-inducing!), and snowflakes all the more magical and unbelievable. Magnifying what, to our judgment, is a tiny area, into a vast world of color, texture, and detail can bring nothing but wonder. Macro photography is a very special role that photographers can play and it requires much patience and care when shooting. And it brings to all of us quite a gift, to be able to see something anew that perhaps we'd never thought much about before. Certainly it can make one pause to wonder what other amazements we might be overlooking in our lives!

C'Lamson's shot did just that for me. I've developed a recent fascination with spiders that is deepening a phobia of them. We have a huge spider right outside our front door who builds an impressive web each night, for months now. The shot below drew me right in to see the beauty nature has built into even its most gruesome rituals.

Keep your eyes open!
-Cara, of CaraRosePhotos

on the spectrum by c'lamson

a universe with a universe, revealed

2011-09-27T01:01:00.031-04:00

I like small things, and I like detail. I’ve never been one of those photographers who loves to shoot big wide scenes with lots happening in them. No, I’ve always been drawn to moving in close. Things look different up close. In fact they often look like other things. They certainly don’t look much like themselves.

Minor White said that we shouldn’t just shoot things for ‘what they are’ but for ‘what else they are’. This can be hard to see sometimes when we look at the big picture, but much easier when we go in close.

One of the things that stops us ‘seeing’ artistically is that we have a tendency to name and categorise things, and once we’ve done that we stop properly seeing them anymore. That’s what usually goes wrong when people learn to draw; they mentally label the thing they’re drawing and then they draw what they know about that thing, not what they actually see in front of them. So when they draw a chair, they might draw all four legs because they know it has four legs, instead of noticing that they can only see three.

It happens in photography too. We take pictures of ‘things’ instead of looking to see what else is there that might be more interesting. So we see a tree and take a tree picture, but our image could gain extra depth if we made it instead about light, or colour, or lines, or loneliness. When we start looking for what else is there, we start producing better photographs. And it’s much easier to forget what something is, and see what else it is, when we move in close.

The photo above is of an abalone shell, but to me it looks a little like a spaceship travelling through an exotic galaxy. In Elizabeth's photo, below, we can see a whole cosmos in a small piece of ice.

"William Blake saw ‘the world in a grain of sand’. It can be seen in many such things, for in the smallest cells are reflections of the largest. And in photography, through an interplay of scales, a whole universe within a universe can be revealed."
Ernst Haas

Gilly, of The Camera Points Both Ways

cosmos by elizabeth glass