Photo:Engage

  “ Visual ideas combined with technology combined with personal interpretation equals photography. Each must hold its own; if it doesn't, the thing collapses."   - Arnold Newman     If you find life and its many challenges difficult to keep organized and some things are out of whack, you're not alone. Staying focused with minimal distraction is a key life goal for many of us. How can we stay balanced, and not in danger of falling like the proverbial fiddler on the roof?      Some would suggest that we prioritize our activities, putting our first things first as author Stephen Covey taught. We should integrate all aspects of our life, meaning to rid ourselves of that which is incongruent with our principles and goals. We should set goals for ourselves, so we have the beneficial stress of something to work for, and a reason to celebrate when we succeed. We should ensure we practice self care, for a faulty body has a hard time having a sound mi...

  “ You just have to live and life will give you pictures. ”  - Henri Cartier-Bresson      From native American fishing grounds to colonial homestead to plantation worked by slaves to hunting retreat to wildlife refuge, Pinckney Island in lowcountry South Carolina has witnessed much in its recorded history. I shared some details in my post from January 14, 2023...      I’ve referred in my recent birding posts to the beauty of Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge. In this one, I thought I’d show you a view of the refuge itself. As you walk north along the main trail, off to your left past the marsh you will see Mackay Creek, a lovely blue sliver of water that also separates the South Carolina mainland from the island of Hilton Head. The creek is named for Alexander Mackay, the first European to call Pinckney Island his home. The island was later sold to the famed Pinckney family, one of whom was a signer of the Constitution. After the Civil War...

  “ There are almost too many possibilities. Photography is in direct proportion with our time: multiple, faster, instant. Because it is so easy, it will be more difficult. ”  - Ernst Haas     As November comes to a close, I reflect on how much this month means in my life. At the start, it's the anniversary of my marriage to my wonderful wife, and at the end, it the month of her glorious birth. And in between is the Thanksgiving holiday, when my thoughts most revolve around the idea of my wife, without whom my life would be altogether poorer. I am grateful she married me and adore her for her loving care of our children. She is a fantastic spouse, a saintly mother, and an excellent person, full of kindness and sharing spirit. November truly is the month of my life. As I wrote in my post from November 26, 2022... “The rains they did replenish springs, And it gratitude to each heart brings, When we reflect on bounteous season, For grateful feelings all have reason.” - ...

  “ I think of photography like therapy. ”  - Harry Gruyaert      Hello everyone. My friend Bob, who I wrote about in my last post, died peacefully on October 14, 2022 after fighting brain cancer for over two years. When I wrote about my not knowing how much more time he had here, Bob had already passed away. The world was much better with him in it. I will really miss my friend. Bob is survived by his loving wife and his three children.      All profits from any sales on my website Marketplace from now until January 15, 2023 will be donated to the Glioblastoma Foundation, in remembrance of Bob. It’s a nice way to add some art to your life and contribute to an excellent charity. Peace be with all of you.     So what does the Glioblastoma Foundation do? From their own website: The Glioblastoma Foundation was created to galvanize glioblastoma drug development . Glioblastoma is the most aggressive type of tumor that arises in the brain. It ...

  “ The art of photography is all about directing the attention of the viewer. ”  - Steven Pinker     I always thought there ought to be a version of the classic Peanuts cartoon where Linus explains to Charlie Brown what Easter is all about. I can hear him, in his Linus voice, clearly quote from the Apostles' Creed, "Jesus was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sits on the right hand of God the Father Almighty." But we have more about what actually happened that third day...      The Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 28 (NRSV)      After the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. For fea...

“ The world moves fast, changing everything around us with each new day. Photography is a gift that can keep us in a moment forever, blissfully eternal. ”  - Ali Novak     Our world does move fast, with events sometimes overwhelming us with their speed and ferocity and urgency. So much is happening that it's all too easy to lose focus of what it is we want to do with our limited time. The events of the world outside ourselves pierce our attention and compete for our emotional energy, but are usually well outside of what we can actually control. So I ask you to think about what you're focused on, for that will let you know what you truly value.  As I wrote in my post on February 5, 2022...      Taking the liberty of translating into a modern voice the timeless wisdom of Marcus Aurelius, who was both emperor of ancient Rome and a moral man, he wrote in his personal journal the following lesson about focus:      “Concentrate every minute on...

  “ Photographs open doors into the past, but they also allow a look into the future. ”  - Sally Mann     There's not much that's better than knowing something fun and exciting is about to happen. Remember the last time you had a big vacation planned? Just thinking about all the amazing things you were going to do away from the cares of work and home would fill you with joy. Looking forward to the thing was often as good, or better, than the thing itself.      I love that aspect of anticipation. And once the great thing occurs, when we've had the great experience we so looked forward to, we feel the appreciation for all the effort it took to make it happen, that the thing exists to be appreciated, for all the people who make the thing extraordinary.      And no matter how the event actually turned out, because maybe that vacation had a few off days or a few things that didn't quite work out, we can still be happy about the experience ove...

  Photo:Engage     a photography blog you  want  to follow “ I think good dreaming is what leads to good photographs. ”  - Wayne Miller     What makes any particular photograph interesting? That probably depends on who the viewer is but for the most part, it's about subject, composition, and light. Answer these questions: What is the focal point of the image? Is it composed well? And is there good lighting?      It's quite common to see photographs of a pretty scene that lack an obvious subject. Grand vistas often awe us in person but lack pizzazz as a photograph. Why? The image has no subject. The subject is where the viewer can rest their eyes as they look around the image. It's likely the main point of the image. Make sure your images have a subject!     Let's address lighting. This is tricky because it's very subjective. Harsh lighting from a noon summer sun casts vertical shadows and makes an image look flat...