Another Wordless Wednesday
Hidden View
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Monthly Archives: May 2017
Fault Lines
Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains. John 9:41
Just a Passin Through
Most Warblers we spot in Ohio are just passing through; south for the winter and here, north for the summer breeding season. Waterways are great places to see birds here to today gone tomorrow.
Tree Mail
Through rain, sleet, snow or flood waters.
Mayflower
Mayflower
But a Moment
In but a moment this backlit reflection was gone.
This photo was taken in the moment of reflection and then gone. In the moment I took to change the camera’s settings, a cloud deck moved in and the moment forever gone. What we see and experience on this earth is but a passing moment. Christ authors eternity.
“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
Another Sunday Scene
Songster
Songster
School is almost out. Maybe I’ll catch up on some of my intended posts. My Friday Friends have suffered of late. Here’s a friend with a song; always a good thing when life gets busy. Positive identity unknown. Sparrow will have to do for now.
Center Bloom
Dogwood – Center Bloom
Another Wordless Wednesday
Mother’s Love
A Mother’s love is something that no one can explain,
It is made of deep devotion and of sacrifice and pain,
It is endless and unselfish and enduring come what may
For nothing can destroy it or take that love away…
It is patient and forgiving when all others are forsaking,
And it never fails or falters even though the heart is breaking…
It believes beyond believing when the world around condemns,
And it glows with all the beauty of the rarest, brightest gems…
It is far beyond defining, it defies all explanation,
and it still remains a secret like the mysteries of creation…
A many-splendored miracle man cannot understand
And another wondrous evidence of God’s tender guiding hand.
Source unknown
Chippy Wins a Blue Ribbon
Last October, on the last glorious day before fall gloom appeared, I captured a photo of a Chipmunk enjoying the day as much as I was. Spotting a dash and flash under the leaves, I got ready and he provided me with a charming cute wildlife portrait.
I plunged into photography as a serious hobby just over two years ago. From another photographer’s blog, I picked up the idea of entering a photo exhibition through our local photo club. There was no time to prepare so I just grabbed some photos I had and jumped in. They were horrible, but I crossed a threshold of participation that motivated me to improve a skill I thought I could achieve. Two more shows received my entries last year and I managed to bring home some ribbons.
The Wilderness Center of Wilmot, Ohio, a Northeast Ohio Nature Preserve holds an annual FotoFest as part of Earth Day. Nature Photography as I see it on the trail makes this show a perfect fit for me. I left little Chippy out of my home photo show earlier in the year, intimidated by grand landscapes, tall ships and the like, but I thought he might be a hit at FotoFest.
With 5 photos in a show with over 140 really good photos from 40 photographers, I raised my hopes to dare to think that if I came away with an honorable mention, that would be something. In the anything goes category, I put in a personal favorite, an abstract I titled “Forest On Watercolor”. My name was called for honorable mention, that was a good and surprising start.
Forest on Watercolor
Later my name was called again for a butterfly photo I titled “Slurping at the River”. I thought it was my best entry, but I also knew that I critically errored with my mounting. With two honorable mentions I passed expectations.
Slurping at the River
I’ve learned that if photo does not make an initial impact to grab attention it has no hope. Then, if the composition is right, the lighting is right and the technical aspects are right, then you are competing with the others. I titled my last entry “Hide N Seek Chippy”. It had impact. It had cuteness, a chance at being a crowd favorite. It also had light in the eyes, a perfect catch light and maybe a chance at catching a judge’s eye too.
With the last category to go, I thought that if It did not receive the third place ribbon I’d be done. Chippy wasn’t called. While the winner was being announced, I was ready to go to my grandson’s first birthday party. And then I heard, “ And the winner is, “Hide N Seek Chippy”. I was so surprised that as I moved forward I did not realize that they announced that it was also the shows Judge’s Choice Award winner.
Hide N Seek Chippy
Reflecting back, I feel pretty good that with a little persistence and practice (every shot for me is practice, some turn out better than others), I was able to produce some photos to be proud of with my mid level hobbyist equipment. In the process I meet and appreciate new photographers, people really enjoy the shows, and I’m challenged to keep trying new things to get better.
I’m getting a new set of images ready for the next exhibition.
This weeks WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge is – Reflecting
the Ordinary Hiker 