mosaic muse; mobile monday

We arrived back from our holidays just last night. Although I took many rolls of film and digital images too, I have to admit I loved the immediacy of sharing my mobile phone pictures on our travels. Looking at that mobile monday pool, it looks as though you've been doing the same! Just look at all that wonderful light you've been catching in the last few weeks; it's been so very inspirational. And do keep snapping away as we work on our redesign! We hope to be up and running very soon to feature even more of your astounding images.

kirstin of fleeting moments.




1. Sunset, 2. A summer's eve, 3. The morning show. #morningwalk #roundrock #myskyshot, 4. Into the sun, 5. Sunrise, 6. Biscayne, 7. {287:365 1v.2} Evening sun, 8. Untitled, 9. Goddess on the mountain top. ~Bananarama

all change!

We've loved musing with you here; the themes, the everyday beauty pictures, the black and white and let's not forget the musings. And while we will still be featuring pictures from these pools, it's time for some changes.

Have you seen our new Mortal Muses Film Friday and Mortal Muses Mobile Monday flickr groups yet? These are just a few of the new ideas we've already shared with you this week at the Mortal Muses.

We also have a new muse to add to the mix, Debra who I know will add some new energy to our pages. She's from Canada and has recently returned from an epic trip to Paris with four cameras. Yes, you read that right. FOUR! She's our kind of muse!

But we have more to inspire you; we want you to be as excited about photography as we are!

So for the next few weeks, we're going under construction as we get things smoothed out on our new website.

Watch out July! Here we come!

kirstin of fleeting moments.

mosaic muse {landscapes}

Today we're wrapping up our latest theme on landscapes. Thank you for all your contributions to the flickr pool. I have had such fun making a mosaic from your pictures, looking through them all and particularly enjoying all that stunning scenery. But it was the colours that really struck me as I looked through them; the wealth of colours and shapes.

1. OJ sky, 2. Primavera, 3. California Poppies, 4. The hills, 5. ~ golden summer dreams ~, 6. Untitled, 7. field of dandelions, 8. ... softibus!, 9. view south, 10. aspiring giants, 11. Path to the Mountain, 12. It's Really Pretty Here. :), 13. Untitled, 14. Reservoir, 15. aprshowers2, 16. For Mortal Muses - "Landscapes"

I'm sure you have more landscapes to share with us. Please link up with your landscape pictures using the linky tool below and make sure you add our mosaic muse button to your posts to show you're part of the community. The link will be open from now until Sunday evening. Ashley announced our new theme Change last week and with that we're starting to make some changes around here. So this theme will be a little different as we start to share some of our new ideas. And then we're taking a little break while we make some larger changes. We'll be back though on the second July. So stay tuned!

kirstin of fleeting moments.

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the next theme is...LANDSCAPES

I spent a lovely few hours over Easter looking through boxes of pictures I took as a teenager. What surprised me the most was the number of landscapes I took back in the day. Nowadays, I am all about portraits, but clearly landscapes were something that made me smile. So I thought I'd give them another try. It was a lovely excuse on a drive through Wales this past week, to ask Tom to stop the car so I could snap away. I have found myself looking at the world in a different way, at the bigger picture these past few weeks and encourage you to do the same. Hey, I even had a go at HDR, so this might be an excuse for you to try some new ways of processing too!

I'm a city girl, like Christy who uses her iPhone to show off that iconic New York landscape!

skyline by urbanmuser

I loved Meghan's view of Nebraska. This barn looks like the beginning of a really good story, doesn't it?

nebraska barn by meghan davidson

Are there wonderful photos you'd like to share from your travels abroad, like Holly who took this in Africa? You can almost hear the thunder, can't you?

distant thunder by soupatraveler

I am so looking forward to seeing your landscapes from near and far, from cities and the country and in any format!

kirstin of fleeting moments

spring in black and white

Remember how we did Winter in black and white? Well it's time to look at Spring in monochrome. Even Miles can barely contain his excitement!


Why don't you try taking a picture of a lazy breakfast in morning haze of Spring? Break out a roll of film and give it a go like Cara.

hazy lazy breakfast, ilford, self-developed. by tumbleweed.in.eden

Or try taking a self-portrait, like Christy.

sometimes i just want to fade away by Urban Muser

Meghan has been enjoying the lovely light that you get in Spring. She took this with her iPhone.

gosh I love a window by meghan davidson

And Lindsey has been appreciating tree silhouettes with epic Spring light before the leaves finally appear for Summer.

solo by lindsey G (modchik)

Please share your black and white shots in our flickr pool. We can't wait to see what you've been up to!

kirstin of fleeting moments

ingredients of me

It's not until Spring starts to blossom that I realise how much I have been hibernating over the winter months. My emotions have been dulled by long winter nights and cold days. And the first day of the year when the sunlight starts to warm my skin again, I can feel the spring in my step return.

It's wonderful just to be able to go out without a winter coat. Last week, I took my denim jacket out for its first outing of the year to Ella's parents' evening. It's been such a good friend to me over the years; I bought it in San Francisco when we spent a month out there over a decade ago. And as I met new parents and teachers that evening, I realised that they would get a strong sense of who I was just from looking at all the buttons on my lapels. The badge made by Ella when she younger of me and them. The Police badge from seeing them play live, something I thought I would never be able to do, but then they reformed. The Polaroid badges from Xanthe, a sweet gift. The boy with his arms in the air, which Miles chose when he was two and which reminds me of him every time I look at it. The Moomins whose philosophy I adore. And, of course, Keep Calm and Carry On. I have collected these badges over the last decade. They show some of the ingredients my life over that time: being a mother, 80s music, enjoying photography, appreciating Scandinavian philosophy and design, and still maintaining a sense of joy while juggling everything.

I adore Suzi's fun shot! Just as the badges on my jacket tell you all about me, her red wellies give you a real sense of her strong and playful character as she kicks those waves! Such fun!

kirstin of fleeting moments.

seaside silliness by Suzi...Shmoo

the music room

My father-in-law is a violinist. He shares his music with large audiences, on the radio, in church, with pupils and friends, in small groups and big ones. But I love it the most when he practises in his music room, surrounded by his instruments, music and paraphernalia. Hearing him playing without any accompaniment, not performing or practising, just messing around for the fun of it (he likes to play "Day Tripper" and other Beatles songs when he thinks no-one is listening), makes me smile. And even though he's a professor he still insists on casually calling his violin a "fiddle". Which is what makes me love it even more!

It's lovely to see mthoodmama (Barbara)'s daughter also share her love of singing. Are there other people in the room listening, or singing along? As long as she enjoys making music, that's the important thing.

kirstin of fleeting moments.

Christmas Songs by mthoodmama (Barbara)

this charming boy

A few months ago Miles attended his first funeral after his great-grandmother died, aged 101. He's a big thinker, so there were lots of questions about the funeral beforehand. It was only when I bought him a new outfit for the occasion that he really understood that this was an important event at which he had to look and behave appropriately. As we got ready and put his new clothes on he reached down into the box with his "Doctor Who" kit and asked if he should put on this bow tie. It came from the front of a magazine, so it's not a real bow tie, and I was worried he might be uncomfortable in it all day. But he was so earnest about wanting to look smart that I told him that would be lovely.

After our long drive to the church, Miles sat down carefully. He behaved impeccably throughout the service and charmed everyone before and after with his winning smile. I don't know whether it was the bow tie that made him so charming, but looking at his face I have a sneaking suspicion that it might have helped!

Here's another adorable grin by ~Becky Sue~(RSL Photography) that will charm you. Look at that grin. It's irresistible, isn't it?

Have you tried to snap a charming smile? They're difficult to capture but so worth the effort.

kirstin of fleeting moments

seascape

Many years ago, I went to an exhibition of photography by Hiroshi Sugimoto at the Serpentine Gallery in London, a small but beautiful space of just a few rooms where his peaceful seascapes had been hung. He had taken them all over the world and at different times of the day, but there was a universality in the images. Each showed the sea and yet by showing them in this way, he was able to say so much more about the mystery of water and the nature of time. His point was that the sea looks just the same today as it did 5,000 years ago, or 50m years ago. The meeting of water and sky is a scene untouched by time.

So whenever I look at the sea and sky through my viewfinder, I realise I am seeing the same ancient horizon. On a recent cold morning, as I put the Rollei down on the beach to reach for my light meter, I glimpsed the shimmering sun on the water. I was struck dumb as the sun came out from behind a cloud, glowing over the sea which had been so dark just a few seconds before.

Kelly's seascape is also a timeless scene. Can't you just feel the sand between your toes and hear the crashing waves, just as people have for thousands of years?

kirstin of fleeting moments

ocean wash by kelly*green

imagine

I use words all the time. We all do; at work, at play, for fun, at school. I took so many pictures of words for this theme, but it was as we walked along the beach that I found this boat. And I realised that with this theme, I enjoyed finding words which conjured up an image for me; those were the words that spoke to me. I'm not sure this boat is still in use, but the words on the back of it made me think of the story behind the name. Who was Dorothy May? Was she a sister or a dear friend? Maybe a daughter or a wife. Is she still alive or is this the only memory of her? I imagined the person who named this boat looking out to it across the beach and having fond memories of his time spent with Dorothy May.

I liked to imagine the story behind the words. Just as with this VW camper van taken by meeganz. Where has this bus been on its travels? I found my mind wandering as I thought of the happy people jostling inside on the journeys to the beach or maybe through rainy forests. I even imagined the passengers singing as they drove along, and just look at that snow on the bumper and the rust on the side there! I bet this minivan has stories to tell...

What have you imagined as you looked at words? What stories can you make up behind the words that you find today?

kirstin of fleeting moments

i m a g i n e by meeganz

looking for spring

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

all about eve

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

fresh eyes

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

many muses musing - COSY

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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thankful for the magic

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:.

muse university - seven secrets to photographing your children

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 the romance

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*

nesting

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

moment of clarity

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

muse mosaic {macro}

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.


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kirstin of fleeting moments