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“The little dissatisfaction which every artist feels at the completion of a work forms the germ of a new work.” Berthold Auerbach
I’m done. Day 366 has been posted. My final Self Portrait is a composite of all my 365 Self Portraits. I used a really neat freeware program called Andrea Mosaic to do this. Pretty cool eh??
I can’t really believe I’m finished. There were times throughout the year that I thought I could not take another shot of myself in any way, shape or form! However, with the unfailing support of my fellow 365’ers, and my husband who believed in me every step of the way, I was able to push through those moments and arrive at the finish line.
It’s a great feeling to accomplish this goal that I set for myself.
I am carrying on – but not with the 365 Project, although I will be around to support the “newbies” in the 2013 Challenge.
I am involved in a 52 Week Photography Challenge that focuses on monthly photographic techniques. I’m very excited about it, as not only will I be learning more with each photo I take, but I will encouraging and motivating others along that journey as well. Any one is welcome to join, even if you are participating in the 365. You don’t need a fancy camera or expensive equipment. All you need is an interest in learning more about photography.
I’m excited about where this path will lead . . .
- 366-365
“My own eyes are no more than scouts on a preliminary search, or the camera’s eye may entirely change my idea.” Edward Weston
We’ve headed for home via the Oregon Coast, with a stop at my Son’s for New Years Eve.
At one point during the drive along the coast, I looked down to see that I had two camera’s in my lap, ready for any photo opportunity that presented itself. I tend to see everything as a photo op now . . . though I am becoming more and more selective in what I shoot. A year ago, I would shoot frame after frame of the same thing. Now I am quite a bit more discerning . . . and try to find the not so obvious beauty in the frame. I’m not always that successful . . . but every once in awhile a really, really good shot sneaks through!
I’m excited for where the New Year is going to take me in my Photography journey. I’ll be starting a 52 Week Challenge that has Monthly Technique Themes. Check out Michael The Maven’s Forum for more details if you’d like to participate as well.
349-365
“I don’t care about my looks but I wish people will see my soul and it appears more clearly in these photographs than in others.” – August Strindberg- said about a series of self-portraits.
I continue to be supremely challenged to put myself fully before the camera. It’s so easy to capture a shadow or reflection that gives a suggestion, but not the real image. Every once in awhile though, I surprise myself and actually capture something I like. I like this image. I look content, I look happy. I am content, and I am happy. I’m in a great place in my life, with few of the worries, stresses, illnesses of so many people I know. Unfortunately, I have lost too many dear, close loved ones to cancer or other illness/tragedy way before their time.
I am not a “religious” person, so therefore I believe that life happens . . . some things we have control over and some things we do not. In no way is my life perfect, and I’m certainly not perfect. However, I do believe it’s up to me to live my life to the best of my ability, physically and emotionally. I am responsible for my own results, and if “life happens”, I have choice in how I deal with it. If I die tomorrow, it’s the impact and influence I’ve made on the people around me, the ones I leave behind, that carry my spirit forward. I live on in the energy I create and put out in the world. That energy can be positive or negative . . . my choice.
I choose positive energy, as it is the basis of harmony, happiness and love.
271-365
“It’s when ordinary people rise above the expectations and seize the opportunity that milestones truly are reached.” Mike Huckabee
Shortly after I started this Blog and my 365 Project back in January . . . my MIL fell and broke her hip. She is 92 years old, so we were quite worried and concerned about her future. Luckily, it was a fracture, not a break . . . and she healed so well, beyond the expectations of Doctors and Physiotherapists. After months of Physio, we were able to get her up to the summer home in the Interior of BC where she has spent her summers for many, many years. Fear of falling has been her biggest hurdle since the accident, so there were many challenges to be faced in the more rugged surroundings.
Kudo’s to her! With determination and help from a neighbor who is a retired Physiotherapist . . . she is now walking, with the aide of hiking poles, from the cabin and up the steep driveway to the main road. This is a major accomplishment for her, as she would do nothing without her walker when we left her at the beginning of the summer. She is still fearful of falling, but is not allowing the fear to stop her in her tracks. I’m so proud of her! She is such an inspiration . . . and she turns 93 in just a few days!
Talk about Milestones eh??
219-365
Oh boy . . . challenging day today. Had several appointments scheduled, starting with a visit to our accountant at 9:30am, then taking MIL to get a Holter Monitor put on for heart palpitations. She’s 92, healthy as a horse but having stability problems. After the Lab appointment, I was taking her for an Orthotic evaluation to hopefully get her better shoes and support for walking. She uses Nordic walking sticks to get around generally. We made a stop at the bank, then headed next door to the lab for an 11am appointment. We had to navigate down about 4 steps, and then up another 4 steps. On the very bottom step going down, she grabbed for the handrailing, and missed. I had taken one step ahead of her anticipating turning around to help her down the last step when suddenly I heard a yell, turned around just in time to see her literally just tipping over. She had completely lost her stability and down she went. She landed on her right hip and lower back. Luckily there were two bystanders who rushed over and helped me get her up to her feet again. She seemed fine and insisted that we carry on to the lab for her appointment. However, as we sat waiting . . . the more it was obvious she wasn’t ok. So I packed her up in the car and took her to the ER for evaluation. Long story short . . . after X-Rays and CatScan . .. a fracture in her right hip. Not a bad one . . . but it warranted surgery to pin it so that we could get her up and mobile ASAP. Otherwise – it would be six weeks of bed rest – a death sentence for a 92 year old woman. We (hubby, his brother and wife) stayed with her until they moved her up to the surgical floor and settled her in for the night. I live 30 minutes from the hosp – so was tucking myself in to bed around midnight.
This is my 365 Self Portrait Challenge pic of the day . . . taken with my iPad and a bit of editing applied with PhotoShopElements App.
365 Self Portrait Challenge Day Eleven
I’m having fun today playing with textures on my photos. I’ve used Kim Klassen textures to give this kind of a dreamy feel – hubby and I and a romantic candlelight dinner.
365 Self Portrait Challenge Day Ten
I’ve been seeing several people putting up Multiplicity shots on the MTM Challenge board so had to give it a try. A bit of a cheat on this one, as I took the pics yesterday up on Grouse Mountain but had so much fun doing the edit in Photoshop today. Can’t wait to try this trick on one, or several, of the grandkids!
What do you mean CLOSED! Where are those darn BeaverTails anyway??
365 Self Portrait Challenge Day Seven
Had a great day today – celebrating my 60th birthday with my favorite companion . . . my husband. I thought we were just getting new snow tires for the car . . . who knew tires came with a whole new car??
365 Self Portrait Challenge Day Six
One of my favorite things to do on a cold snowy winters day (we’re getting up to -20C here in the Fraser Valley today) is to stay snuggled in to my comfy cozy bed with my flannel sheets. So I lay awake for about 20 minutes thinking hmmm . . . that would make a perfect pic for Day Five! So I finally pulled myself out of my nice warm hidey-hole and set up my camera on the tripod and took about 25 shots before I came up with this one . . . gotta love the delay timer on my camera. Have it set at 10 seconds which was JUST enough time to snuggle in to the covers each time.
Took a few test shots with a balloon first . . . (left over from New Years when we had a party with the little ones).
365 Self Portrait Challenge Day Five TEST
365 Self Portrait Challenge Day Five
Today I challenged myself to try something other than just pointing the camera and shooting. There are some AMAZING self portraits being posted over on the Michael the Maven blog. Seriously! Huge inspiration . . . I’m really fascinated by images where people are “ghosting” themselves. So – I tried that today, out in the snow – freezing my tush off! It was fun though . . . and this is the result . . .
365 Self Portrait Challenge Day Four
Nurture Self 365 