You are currently browsing the monthly archive for March 2012.
“The light which puts out our eyes is darkness to us. Only that day dawns to which we are awake. There is more day to dawn. The sun is but a morning star.” Henry David Thoreau
Really just goofing around today. As I said in an earlier post, I want to start stepping it up on my 365 Challenge. So – here’s my hat-trick for the day. Take a close look!
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“Friendship with ones self is all important, because without it one cannot be friends with anyone else in the world.” Eleanor Roosevelt
Today’s photo is a result of a challenge thrown out by Michael Andrew who is sponsoring the 365 Challenge. He wants to see if we can “blow” out the window light in our photos . . . it’s been fun to see others doing it. So I felt it was time for me to step up to the challenge. I had to tweak my facial and jacket coloring a bit in Lightroom, but am generally pleased with how this turned out. I used a gold reflector to throw light back on to my face. I’m feeling more motivated to get creative and step up my efforts in this challenge.
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“A soul mate is…someone whose way of viewing life is not necessarily the same as yours but complements yours, so that there is not a compromise, there is a complement.” ~Paul Robear
Today I had it in my brain that I wanted to create a silhouette – so I played around with that idea until I came up with this. Of course, it’s been processed in both Lightroom and Photoshop. I kind of like it! It’s not our anniversary until May, but he is my best friend, soul mate, lover, companion. A friend gave us a plaque when we got married that contains that slogan “BethGlenInc2003” so it’s kind of stuck!
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A child seldom needs a good talking to as a good listening to. ~Robert Brault
Driving my little 3.5 yr old Great Nephew to pre-school this morning. He’s such a little sweetie. He sang me songs all the way there! The innocence and beauty of children never ceases to amaze me . . . especially at this age. They just don’t have the filters that develop as life experiences mold us . . . it’s just so much fun to sit back and experience their openness and creativity and originality.
This has been processed in Photoshop.
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“And when it rains on your parade, look up rather than down. Without the rain, there would be no rainbow.” Jerry Chin
We’ve had alot of rain here in the Pacific Northwest lately. Hubby and I were driving along on the highway so I put the camera on the dash, slowed down the shutterspeed and snapped. I took a few shots and this was the best. I like the motion that was captured. I processed it in Lightroom and Photoshop, and used a Layer Mask to add the inset photo of me in the rear view mirror.
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“I am incapable of conceiving infinity, and yet I do not accept finity.” Simone de Beauvoir
I’m not feeling terribly motivated today. I suppose I’m starting to hit a bit of a blockage where this 365 is concerned. I know I need to step it up . . . start doing something that is more challenging and pushes my comfort zone. I’ve been watching video’s today about different techniques within PhotoShop . . . so hopefully in the coming days and weeks I can start to walk instead of crawl on this journey. Who knew taking pictures of oneself could be so difficult??? I think my mood is matching the weather outside, cold and dreary. Need some sunshine!
This was taken with my webcam . . . and processed in PhotoShop.
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“A cultivated style would be like a mask. Everybody knows it’s a mask, and sooner or later you must show yourself, or at least, you show yourself as someone who could not afford to show himself, and so created something to hide behind. You do not create a style. You work, and develop yourself; your style is an emanation from your own being.” Katherine Anne Porter
I’m pretty good at hiding. My husband doesn’t quite get why most of my “self portraits” are so abstract and vague. The purpose of participating in this challenge is so that I will be forced out of my comfort zone and take some risks . . . and hopefully in the process find more of my inner muse. I’ve always felt myself to be a Creative, but have always struggled with expressing that creativity. And this despite the fact that people that know me think I am very creative! Therein lies the conundrum I face every day . . . how to shut off my inner critique and trust in the flow of free expression.
For this self portrait, I positioned myself behind a patio chair. I thought my face would actually show through some, but mostly you see the color from my shirt, and the impressions from my face pushing on the fabric. I took it in to PhotoShop and processed it with Topaz Labs plug-ins as well as a couple of PhotoShop’s built in effects.
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“Most action is based on redemption and revenge, and that’s a formula. Moby Dick was formula. It’s how you get to the conclusion that makes it interesting.” Sylvester Stallone
Today was a SLOTH kind of day. After all the busi-ness off the last month or so since MIL fell and broke her hip – it was heaven to just do nothing. So I did something I seldom do – I curled up on the couch with my warm socks and blanket (it was a very cold and wet day), and my iPad. These two photos are again the result of playing around with the PhotoShop Touch App. It’s growing on me! Can you guess what show I’m watching?? Love this guy!
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“A test of a people is how it behaves toward the old. It is easy to love children. Even tyrants and dictators make a point of being fond of children. But the affection and care for the old, the incurable, the helpless are the true gold mines of a culture.” Abraham Joshua Heschel
I came accross this quote today while looking for something to inspire along with today’s 365 Self Portrait. Given that I am overwhelmed in dealing with my 92 year old MIL, this quote really struck me big time. It’s would be so easy to just leave my Mother in Law to the system and just hope that all works out for the best. However, I just can’t let that happen. I can’t just turn my back and not care. Hence I am her advocate. And I’m a good advocate. I see so many sick and elderly people with no one to care for them so they sit and whither away. So sad. I can’t take up all the causes . . . but I can certainly have an impact where I can. If each one of us had that approach to life . . . believing that we could make a difference in how we interact with others on a daily basis with a genuine heart and spirit . . . well . . . I only hope to inspire my Grandkids with that same spirit.
Today’s picture – is of my favorite necklace that I wear every day. I’ve had this necklace for many years. These little gold nuggets are from California, where I lived for 35 years. I was born in Northern Ontario, moved to Northern California when I was 13, and then back to my native country, to British Columbia, when I was 48. However, bits of my heart – like these bits of gold – still reside in California. I am so fortunate that I am able to visit them often – every few months at the least.
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“All my fans tell me what a glamorous life I have, but I tell them how hard I work and how many nights I spend alone with my dogs, eating chicken pot pie in my bedroom.” Shannen Doherty
Finally home, with CostCo Chicken Pot Pie in the oven for dinner. It’s all I have the energy for tonight. Decided to take this shot with my iPad, and fiddled again with PhotoShop Touch App while watching TV and catching up on Survivor. (Yep – HUGE Survivor Fan!)
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Nurture Self 365 