in thinking about the black concept of last week, i remembered this.
miles and miles of black
fields
leaves
palm trees
smoke
eradicating all that was
& all that will somehow emerge again.
this is a controlled burn on rt 41, east of ochopee.

“When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years.” ~  Mark Twain

and so it was. and so it is.

my initial thoughts for black were really about the tones of the image as a good number of mine have a lot of darker grays. in going out photographing though, nothing really showed up in that way. so when i saw this, while a cliche, it works.

the next photographer participating is Carrie Hyche in Wheatland, WY … as i experience the scenes in her area through the images she shares, i’m eager to see what’s on deck for this week.

“Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.” – Marcel Proust

indeed… my soul has grown and blossomed and opened in ways i never knew possible; it sighs deeper and smiles wider; it is laughing Buddha every day. it experiences something new and unconventional. a daily surprise. for in my home, there is one who breathes light into my name. one i count my blessings for every day. there was no other way to begin a project like this so tonight, all those things came together in a way that epitomizes all i feel. what i feel looking at this photograph now, what it represents is gratitude.

until we sort out a home for us all, we are individuals on our separate blogs united by one voice and one heart…for now, you will have to continue onto one i adore and am so very thankful (& grateful) to know - Lili Love in England who i will meet in person one day.

I suspect it is for one’s self-interest that one looks at one’s surroundings and one’s self. This search is personally born and is indeed my reason and motive for making photographs. The camera is not merely a reflecting pool and the photographs are not exactly the mirror, mirror on the wall that speaks with a twisted tongue. Witness is borne and puzzles come together at the photographic moment which is very simple and complete. The mind-finger presses the release on the silly machine and it stops time and holds what its jaws can encompass and what the light will stain.

- Lee Friedlander

and so it is…and so it was. i photograph a lot of reflections. i like the layered aspect of them. and they fit my personality. my thinking. my point of view. so… i noticed this little vignette at the mfa this past weekend, and liked the geometric shape of the reflection…so much so, i put myself into it. if only my name was ann.

there’s more to see….and i’m very thankful for those who remain in our little group of exploration …next is Linsey Stukcey -  one who’s images always uplift me with their vibrant spirit.

color. how to describe an immersion or experience of that…particularly as i’m primarily a black and white photographer. i actually thought about this a great deal and worked with ‘color’ on a few specific occasions. but it was these two images that i feel best communicate how i feel about color. i like to use it in a way that is purposeful. and as i prefer black and white, it is somewhat key for me in working with color to call attention to it in a way that feels intentional while still retaining a neutrality. so…a lot of big words. in short, i like to use color in a way that feels quirky. whimsical. silly. fun. and during a visit to the mfa this past weekend, i knew when i saw this, it was it.

so there you have it! i’m sure there will be some real gems this week so please do continue on….next is Christina Benge in Central Indiana.