Photo-A-Day: August

"Photographers tend not to photograph what they can't see, which is the very reason one should try to attempt it. Otherwise we're going to go on forever just photographing more faces, more rooms, more places. Photography has to transcend description...go beyond description to bring insight into the subject, or reveal the subject, not as it looks, but how does it feel? --Duane Michals

Photography this month, and my photo-a-day project, turned out to be not only a hobby and a writer's prompt to stimulate observation and description, it also served as a comfort and an encouragement on a personal level. You see, my dad entered long-term nursing care this past month, and no longer lives at home. The transition--and all the myriad details involved to help him settle in--proved to be confusing and complicated. Emotions fluctuated and adjustments had to be made. But as I went about attempting to help my family, I continued to carry my camera. As I went I found myself seeking shots that reflected something about my dad's life--symbols of the past, reminiscences, memories, things that still bring a smile even on the most difficult of days, reflections, wishes for peace and beauty, prayers.

And so this month's project proved to be a personal attempt to "bring insight" into a subject (as Duane Michals says in the above quote), reveal something about that subject, and in my case honor my subject: my dad. One day the overall benefit might be helpful in feeding a writer's soul. At the moment it serves to feed a daughter's heart.

Here's my August gallery. Thanks for stopping by...

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Photo-A-Day: April

"Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep."--Scott Adams

April has come to an end, and with it another month of taking a photo each day. The project continues to be an exercise in creativity, and I continue to learn as I go. This month along with exploring color, light and emotion--and stumbling on a few unexpected surprises--I found myself thinking about the concept of  focal point.

Focal point: a.) a center of activity, attraction, or attention; b.) a point of concentration. "Why is the focal point important?" the people at N-sane Art ask. "Without a focal point, a spectator will lose interest quickly because he does not know where to look or what part is most interesting."

"A focal point," Zahid Javali, Wordstart, says, "is important because when you look at an image, your eye generally needs a 'resting place' or something of interest to hold it. Without a focal point, people will just glance at your pictures before moving on to the next one without paying any attention to them."

These thoughts reference the subject of visual arts--but what about the importance of a focal point in the art of the written word? Interestingly, Richard Ridley, at CreateSpaceBlogger, writes on what he considers is his focal point: the crucial scene. He says, "I'm working on a new book at the moment that clued me in on how I approach story...In writing this new book, I realized that one of the first things I do after completing the early pages is map out the most crucial scene of the book. Everything I've written to that point is the foundation for the scene that will define the story. It is the flashpoint of my centralized theme...If I should get off track while writing the book, I can right myself by keeping that scene as my focal point."

Ah, different branches of art dovetail together in this idea of focal point. I've learned something this month, all because I'm carrying my camera with me.

On to May...let's see what develops in the new month ahead!

Here's my April gallery. Hope you enjoy...

Previous Galleries:

January

February

March