Sandscapes

Alone in the Crowd

Everyone has a happy place, somewhere that completely relaxes them. A happy place is somewhere you go to get yourself re-balanced when things seem out of sorts.

Sitting in a favourite chair with a book, walking the dog, visiting with grandchildren, listening to the bird song in the woods, a simple cup of tea.

We are all different, and we all have our own place to go to when we want to celebrate life, or when we are feeling down and need to find solace.

My happy place is the beach. I don't go to beaches for sunny skies and sunbathing. Beaches, for me, are for walking and peace of mind. If something is bothering me, I head to the beach if I can. The wind seems to clear my troubled mind, and the sound of the waves reminds me that life carries on, no matter what. 

From larger than life vistas to intimate landscapes, the tides and sand create visual art that is constantly in motion. More and more often, I focus my camera on the details in the sand, what I refer to as "sandscapes". I have been working on a collection for a couple of years, and although I haven't had many beach excursions this year I did manage to capture a few to add to my collection.

If I was to wish for anything, I might wish that I was more comfortable with change, adapting as well as the sands and comfortable with new challenges.

But in the meantime, I find solace in the ever changing gifts and joy in the peace of mind that a walk on the beach can bring. 

The Dance

How long does it take?

Out of Time

Years ago I attended a photography exhibit and had a brief discussion with one of the exhibitors. he told me it took him years to create one of his images. At the time I thought to myself that he was being pretentious and ridiculous.

But now I know what he was talking about. He wasn't just a photographer, he was an artist. He had a vision that he wanted to create, and he went back time and time again to the location he had found until everything came together the way he had pictured in his mind. The elements were just as he wanted and he made his image.

Similarly, when I create composited images it can sometimes take months before everything comes together in my mind (in the future, I could probably say years, but I have only been doing this for 18 months). I had been thinking about and planning this image for a few months. Then, late one afternoon, I went to my office and pulled this image together in less than one hour.

A photograph of a tree from a trip along the Eastern Shore in 2010, a bird taken in kentville in 2017, and a staged photo of a pocket watch from early 2019, all came together on my desktop to create this image.

So, how long does it take to create an image?

In this case, I guess I could say it took nine years.

Summer Pondering

Summer Pondering

Sometimes I have a specific idea in my mind that I want to capture. But sometimes things just happen. We went for a drive up the Medway River one summer day and came upon a small pond.

I asked John to pull over and reached for my camera. I spent the next 15 minutes photographing lily pads. I would have dearly loved to find one of the bull frongs that were croaking away, but only heard them splash into the pond as I walked too close for comfort. 

A few days later, I found a pair of thigh high rubber boots at a flea market, just my size. Too bad I didn't have them for this photo shoot, but I'll be ready for the next pond we come across.

A Splash of Orange

This pond is in my own backyard, situated just beside our deck where I can sit and watch the fish swim.  One afternoon the bubbles and reflected light caught my eye so I headed inside to get my camera. A fish swam by at the right time and added a splash of orange.

Homebody

 

My husband often laments the fact that we are not day tripping as much as we used to. No, I'm not referring to a daytime drug event. 

I'm talking about road trips, or staycations, or whatever label you want to put on jumping in the car and driving...just driving until you see something that catches your eye or your imagination.

For various reasons, we are tied more closely to home these days. Some people might think it's boring to stay at home but my camera can keep me endlessly amused.

I believe that there are lots of subjects for image making if your keep your eyes, and your mind, open to the possibilities.

Even the winter months had me out in the backyard with my camera. Okay, maybe not frequently, but I have the photos to prove it!

Home is where you hang your hat, or maybe for me...home is where my camera is.

I've got it covered

Margaret Atwood Neuf Contes

Last year I signed a contract to provide stock photography to a book cover company. In my opinion, it was a no-lose scenario. I supply whatever images I want, whenever I want. They decide what they want to accept. They look after all negotiations. I get paid if my images get used. Easy peasy.

Today I received my first payment for a book cover image, a milestone for me. An extra bonus...the author of the book is Margaret Atwood...an iconic Canadian author.

The ironic thing? If I made a list of the images I supplied to the book cover company, this one would be my least favourite!

my name on the back cover