Still Here

No snow in my neighborhood overnight, but looks like New England will be getting a few more inches of snow today. Actually during winter, the Washington, DC area gets more ice than snow. Last February's record snowfall was a surprise to the region. In spite of the snow and freezing temperatures, area flowers, plants and trees soldiered on and bloomed on schedule, as seen in today's photograph taken near my apartment building last year. Through several inches of snow, this plant still grows and blooms, personifying the promise of winter's thaw and the arrival of spring's blossoms.

Squirrel!

Squirrel! Ok, perhaps the meerkat on the right was not distracted by a squirrel, like the dogs in the Pixar movie, Up. But, doesn't this scene remind you of that movie moment?

I took several photographs of these meerkats at the San Diego Zoo and there was not one image of all them looking in the same direction. Chances are this is common for the breed, since the meerkats are always on alert for predators. Besides being cute, meerkats remind us that we should always be on alert and aware of our surroundings because challenges can arrive from any direction.

New York Public Library

Have you ever thought while reviewing your photographs, "Now, why did I do that?!" and delete or discard the offending photograph? I experienced that moment frequently, believing that my misjudgment or miscalculation prevented a good photograph from becoming a great one. As part of my 2011 challenge, that line of thinking is no longer allowed. Instead of getting hung up on what I didn't accomplish in a photograph, I'm going to celebrate what I did capture.

This photograph near the New York Public Library entrance in New York City is one of the images I've discredited in the past because of a mistake I wish I never made. To the viewer, it isn't obvious, but from my vantage point, it sticks out like a sore thumb. In spite of this glitch, there are great elements in the composition, such as the multicolored flowers and the lion statue, that I love. The image itself epitomizes the beauty found in so many of Manhattan's structures. Banishing it would prevent others from enjoying those characteristics as well. I'm learning that there is a difference between being a perfectionist who focuses solely on errors in photographs, ignoring accomplishments, and a critic who looks at the whole -- good and bad elements -- to grow as a photographer. I'm choosing the latter and broadening my photographer's eye to take in both the pros and cons of my images, and as a result, become a stronger, but less pessimistic, photographer.

Taking in Shenandoah Valley

While the viewer may not see what my friend is seeing, it's amazing how one can still sense that her view is impressive. Admittedly, I have an advantage since I was present and know what she saw. However, I intentionally positioned her in the composition surrounded by large rocks and the large tree in the background to help us imagine her view beyond the camera's reach. I like the idea that her panoramic view of the Shenandoah Valley is a mystery and we must use our imagination to fill in those blanks. At times, what the photograph does not reveal is more intriguing than what it does.

Yellow Hibiscus

Yellow is my new favorite color in nature. This trend is particularly evident in my photography lately. Whether it is the color of leaves, animals or flowers, such as today's photograph of a yellow hibiscus at the San Diego Zoo, I adore yellow's brightness, vibrancy and welcoming presence.

Growing up, I was not fond of yellow, especially due to my parents love of it as a paint color. However as I've grown older, my fondness for yellow's shades and ranges has grown exponentially. If you think about it, yellow is a perfect color to exist in nature. When combined with the color blue found in natural elements such as the sky and water, it becomes green, a dominant color in nature found in numerous plants and animals. According to Wikipedia, the color yellow is associated with liberalism, but I'm sure that connotation had no impact on my growing affection for the color. I think.

Relaxing Elephant

Traveling can make one weary. Although I love how traveling brings new places and adventures, spending time in airplanes, airports and train stations can be draining. So as I make my way back to Washington, DC today, I'll be focusing on this photograph from my visit to the San Diego Zoo as my "Moment of Zen."

The zoo just opened a new elephant exhibit, Elephant Odyssey. In this moment, one of its elephant residents decided to greet visitors by laying its head on the enclosure wall and occasionally waving his trunk. The crowd went wild with delight. I believe the feeling was mutual for our relaxing elephant, who was a bit of a ham. This image is also an example of how focusing on the background (subject farthest from you) instead of your foreground (subject closest to you) can create interesting compositions, especially when closeness to a subject is limited.

2011: The Year of Possibilities

Happy New Year! Welcome to a new year, a new day. Have you determined yet how you will make 2011 different from 2010? What are your 2011 resolutions? As I mentioned in an earlier post, I'm planning for 2011 to be a significant year in my life. Starting today, I'm adopting a new attitude and shifting my perspective by applying the following life principles to my decision-making and photography:

• Walk in faith, not fear
• Think positively, not negatively
• Seek opportunities, not obstacles
• See potential, not imperfections
• Follow instinct, not naysayers

Bottom line: 2011 will be a year all about possibilities.

Throughout the year, I'll be challenging myself to see the beauty in every moment and to open myself to new paths and adventures. Today's photograph is a reminder that when I let go of fear, negativity, obstacles, imperfections and naysayers, magical moments happen. This unplanned image was taken of the 2010 Cherry Blossoms at the Tidal Basin at the end of a long photo session. At the time, I had no idea that it would be the best photo I've ever taken. I'm looking forward to a year full of these moments. I hope you will join me and welcome the magic of the possible into your new year as well. As they say in New Orleans, "Laissez les bon temps roulez!" or "Let the good times roll!"