• People/Portraits,  Portraits,  quotes

    I was wondering

    Jamie

    I’ve read where every photograph is intended to express everything about the subject whether that’s nature, street or portraits. Not sure I am able to do that with portraits, yet. This is an image of a flight attendant I worked with back in 2009. Today I was wondering where she is in life, who she is today. I wonder what sort of portrait I’d see of her today.

    The most difficult thing for me is a portrait. It’s a question mark you put on somebody. Trying to say, “Who is it? What does it amount to? What is the significance of that face?” The difference between a portrait and a snapshot is that in the portrait, the person has agreed to be photographed.

    Henri Cartier-Bresson
  • coffee life,  coffee shops,  quotes

    Way of life …

    For me photography is to place head and heart and eye along the same line of sight. It’s a way of life.

    Henri Cartier-Bresson

    Cold mornings have kept me snuggled under covers rather than braving the cold at one of the natural areas to greet the sunrise. I’m gonna need to change that attitude and spend time with nature, otherwise you will probably see more images of coffee cups, which could get boring quickly. I must admit sitting in one of the soft cozy chairs with a mocha latte and a good book is good for the soul, and warmer. However, I also need to be touched with the spirit of nature, in the cold. Looks to be cold for the next few days so we’ll see how often I am able to lift off those heavy covers. After all, photography is a way of life for me.

  • gratitude,  landscape,  natural areas,  quotes,  shadows,  snow

    Dang, it’s cold!

    Most people don’t look…
    the gaze that pierces – few have it –
    what does the gaze pierce?
    The question mark.

    Henri Cartier-Bresson

    It was -8 degrees at 6:30 am. That’s too dang cold. Wearing wool socks, two pair. Made a French press but it was cold before the first sip. And, it’s snowed. It may sound like I’m whining because I am. I also have an attitude! Our countries unrest doesn’t help the attitude. The thought crosses my mind to sell my condo and move south. Whining! So, about 9:30, after it had warmed up to -4 degrees, I headed to the natural area. Needed time in the sanctuary of nature as it’s therapy for this negative thinking I find myself in. I needed to gaze at the world around me rather than the four walls of my condo or the prison of my thinking. Found the parking area empty, fresh snow and shadows as the sun began to break through. I immediately began to feel better!

    A friend sent me a short reading that reminded me of the value of beginning our day with gratitude. I realized that sure wasn’t how I began today. So, I restarted my day with a gratitude list in my journal. Beginning to feel even better but still cold.

  • Black and White,  Candid Portraits,  Documentary/Street,  People/Portraits,  quotes

    Contrivance

    New York City – 2008

    “Photographers deal in things which are continually vanishing and when they have vanished there is no contrivance on earth which can make them come back again.”

    Henri Cartier-Bresson

    Contrivance? Now that is a big word for me. So, I had to look it up. It means: “deliberately created rather than arising naturally or spontaneously.” For the image above, the microsecond after pressing the shutter button this scene was gone, never to exist as it was in that one moment of time. I see that as a gift given for a short period of time so I must accept it at that moment.

    It’s -1 degree right now. Not expecting it to be above 10 degrees until Tuesday. We also have a dusting of snow. Stay warm!

  • Art/Design,  Black and White,  Cityscapes/Urban,  musings,  Plants,  quotes,  shadows,  trees,  writing/reading

    One Must Not Take Photos

    Shadows #1
    Shadows #1

    “A photograph is neither taken or seized by force. It offers itself up. It is the photo that takes you. One must not take photos.” – Henri Cartier-Bresson

    When someone sees me with a camera I am quite often asked if I have “taken” any good “pitchers” today. I find that difficult to answer. First, I carry a camera as if it is a part of me, a creative tool. I only compose and press the shutter button when an image appears. My belief in that grows more and more each day. One of my tasks in life is to have a camera with me and to be present and observe. I must see with my eyes and the eyes of my heart and soul. And, there are days when I never press my shutter button, most likly because I was not present.

    Shadows #2
    Shadows #2

    Secondly, what I consider a good image may not be good to someone else. If Cartier-Bresson is correct then a photograph given to me has a purpose of nurturing my soul and change something within me. And for me the beauty of this is the desire to share some of these images with you, whether they are liked or not.

    Thanks for listening. Monte