Monday, December 30, 2019

Photography.  Is it art or just taking pictures?

Many of you who are close friends know that, besides writing (which I will begin after the holidays) I enjoy photography.
I am self-taught, as I am with most things.  When I got my first DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex camera), I learned a few basic rules about composition and lighting.  Things that put an official label on what I was doing anyway, it seems.
But it was when I joined an art group that I surmised that many artists (painters, sculptors) did not take photography seriously as an art form. It was just taking pictures. So I volunteered to do a presentation on photography at the Appleton Museum in Ocala. If you're interested, here is a link to my presentation in a PDF format. Please excuse the duplicate frames. Photography- Is It Art? This is one of my favorite portraits. Why? Because we've all been there, and as we've gotten older, we've forgotten the joy of being pulled on a sled by mom or dad. It captures a single moment in time. Hopefully, this photo made you smile, just a bit. Is it just taking pictures?

Thursday, September 19, 2019

69 Ninth Birthday.... really?

For everyone wishing me a happy birthday today... thank you. I should not be here. The tree whacking me on the head in 2013 would have killed a normal person. But me Irish genes pulled me through, and my Polish side says "You want a fight? C'mon, bring it."
And me Irish side keeps saying...
The devil whispered in my ear "you are not strong enough to withstand the storm."
I whispered in the devil's ear, "I am the storm."
Your birthday wishes remind me of how lucky and tough I am.  And to the devil... you do not want me down there. I will make your life a living hell.