Invested Living: Messing Around: 2013 Seasons of Filoli Spring Photography Class

Sadness abounds this week following the Boston Marathon bombings. Unfortunately, this kind of carnage happens daily around the globe. In fact - 55 lives were claimed in a street bombing in Iraq that very same day. So today's post goes out to all those impacted and adversely affected by those who would do others harm. To those heroes amongst us - doctors, nurses, keepers of the peace, simple citizens - who sprang into action to help. To the family's of the victims and the injured. And especially to the victims and injured themselves. You are all in my thoughts.

I send you much LOVE.

Last weekend was the third of the four seasons photography classes at Filoli's gardens. I so love taking a class that follows the seasons - taking into account both lighting and composition - and how to leverage the natural beauty of the season into one's art. I was going to say "photography" - but at the end of the day, it's really about creating something of beauty that somehow speaks to me - and maybe to others too. And that's what art is all about - no?

Spring is all about color; about new foliage, buds and flowers; lengthening days - so composition can be a tricky thing. So much to focus on! A tripod, one of the tools of photography I have yet to add to my "tool kit, would have come in handy for the class - as we learned about "stitching" and "stacking" and taking panoramic shots - all which benefit from using one. My husband, bless his heart, did gift me with a tripod about a year ago. It's a lovely beast of a thing - but it is not designed to be carried around the garden of a large estate. It's a bit too heavy for that. What it is great for though is taking shots at home. Where it can stand solid and secure against the inevitable knock of a curious cat or the flow of feline play.

As our photo session began, I wandered through the garden and asked my inner wisdom for guidance. If not playing with new techniques and snapping photos better taken with tripod - what could I do? Well - I could play with aperture and depth of field (f.4-f.5, f.8, and f.16). I could play around with a balance of macro and wide angle landscape shots (as I have a tendency to lean more toward macro); and I could try on different vantage points (a technique that Susan our instructor shared with us that day.) Since my inner wisdom is seldom (make that never) wrong - this is exactly what I then did.

Meandering through the property, "listening" with ever fiber of my being to "spot" the next shot, I couldn't stop thinking about "mess around" a lindy hop dance my husband and I learned years ago. Messing around is exactly what I found myself doing in that garden that day - following my gut, heart and head - flowing with the moment - snapping pictures here and there - crouching low - stretching high - trusting the new learning, insights and growth flooding my way - and having a heck of a lot of fun too!

I invite you now to take a break from your (most likely) very busy day. An opportunity - if you want - to put your feet up, let your hair down, brew and drink a yummy cup of tea, eat a nutritious snack, take some nice deep breaths in, to exhale - and to take a moment to wander through Filoli with me and experience the refreshing recharging energy that being in nature and exploring a beautiful garden can provide.

Enjoy!

Wide Angle