Monday, March 9, 2009

A Passion for Photography

As you probably know, I'll be having guest bloggers all month long. I am so pleased to have a chance to introduce you to the people I admire and have come to call friend. Meet Beth from More Doors blog. ~ Relyn

Hi everyone.... I'm so excited to be here with Relyn, drinking tea and sitting by the fire....okay, fine, I'm at my computer in chilly Wisconsin, but at least that's what it feels like to me....and you should see how cute her house is !! I've never posted anywhere other than my own blog, so this is quite an adventure for me and I hope I can keep you somewhat entertained and not become too wordy with my little love fest here.

If I had been asked a year ago to write about a personal passion of mine, I would have turned around and ran as fast as I could trying to get away from you, feeling silly that I didn't have an answer. Sure, I could have come up with lots of things I love, but nothing that was an "in my heart" passion. At the time I was being very "arty" and it kept my hands busy, but it wasn't in my heart.

Six months ago I picked up my camera, looked at it and it hit me...this is what I was in love with. Sure I had used this camera before for so many things...holidays, vacations, new home pictures....things that I felt needed to be documented, but I had never used it as a tool to fill my hands with and to replace the scissors and glue sticks that were now starting to feel like strangers to me and just didn't feel right anymore.

So I had an affair with my camera....we went off on sunny afternoons to play in the warmth, returning exhausted and satisfied and with smiles on our faces. We disappeared into the woods, hand in hand and shared secrets while looking at the little mushrooms sprouting through the moss. We became inseparable.
Taking pictures, I found out, wasn't something I had to make time for. It quickly just became part of my life to see the things I see everyday, but in a new and different way.

I didn't keep this affair from my hubby...thankfully he's a kind man who understood my new love and quite often, he comes with us on our dates and adventures and together we trespass on marked land, do u-turns where they're not allowed because I saw something beautiful "over there" and we come home smiling, wondering how our day disappeared so quickly.

Being inspired to take photos has come in so many forms and this blogging world has been such a huge part of that. I have learned more through blogging, than any teacher ever taught me during school....which wasn't too hard as I was an awful student and always had this in the comment section for my parents..."Beth is such a delight to have in class, but SHE TALKS TOO MUCH and that can be disruptive to the other students"....to those who know me, go figure !


Seriously though, through blogging, I have a macro lens that my hubby gave me after I mentioned that I might need one because they do cool things. That lens and an old box camera and a contraption he built for it because I wanted to be part of the "through the view finder" group....all because of other blogs and wonderful women who openly shared their loves and ideas with me.....me, a complete stranger. And then I met Jen Gray at SQUAM last year and she's a REAL photographer and she talked to me and I got all sappy and fell in love with her because she's really cool and funny and she loves photography and life and love....and I want to be just like her when I grow up !!

When my sister told her friends that I was wielding a camera and calling myself a photographer, they called me for photo shoots....YIKES...CRAP....now what ? Well, I didn't charge anything and I made "no promises" as far as the finished products and that took a ton of pressure of off me and guess what ? Every photo shoot I did, was beautiful and the pictures were wonderful and my head grew a size larger....well, maybe not a whole size, but close. And then friends saw my
portfolio and wanted pictures for Christmas cards and they wanted to pay me for my time and and editing and I had to sit down with my head between my knees and take some deep breaths before I jumped up and did a little happy dance while I shouted, "life is good!"

Everyday I now see the world and things and smiles and life in a different way....a bigger, brighter way, as everything looks different to me. I have discovered that on the days I feel the need to write, all I have to do is go through my picture files and find one I like and almost instantly the words come pouring out of me and I have something to share on my blog. Try it sometime, seriously, it does work.

Thanks for your time....and thank you, Relyn, for being such a sweetheart and inviting me over. And the next time we get together I'll talk about
photo editing and my love for that....which is quickly becoming another personal passion of mine.


All words and images by Beth.

19 comments:

d smith kaich jones said...

Me too. There is nothing like a camera to make you start looking & actually seeing. Truly it is an affair! Loved this recounting of how it all came to be & love the name of your blog. More Doors. We can never have too many. i am on my way now to open one & pay you a visit.

:) Debi

Anonymous said...

relyn, i love the idea of your site that you take time to bring fellow bloggers over, i follow beth's site because her passion does show in her photos so nice to see her as a guest on yours. kt

Char said...

lovely share - I love your photography and I'm so happy to see you highlighted on this blog. I too share your passion.

Jeanne said...

You are to gather up the joys and sorrows, the struggles, the beauty,
love, dreams and hopes of every hour that they may be consecrated
at the altar of daily life. --MacRina Wiederkehr

Love all your guest hosts and all they have to share.
Love you

paris parfait said...

Wonderful photos! I've developed a passion for photography too. Can't get enough of it. And I met Jen Gray in San Francisco last summer. Isn't she the best??!!

Meri said...

Hi Beth - No surprise about your passion. Glad to find Relyn's blog.

Jeanie said...

Oh, Beth -- you DO have a passion! Thank you, Relyn, for letting Beth share it with your readers. Her blog is a favorite of mine and I've often seen your name. Now that I've landed, I must return to learn about more passions from other wonderful bloggers!

Cheers!

Cam said...

I tagged along behind Beth on her visit today. We've never been introduced, my name is Cam. I am pretty new to blogging, so I am just now finding my way around to wonderful sites like you and Beth have.

I'm so glad to have gathered 'round your fire today! What a good time to be had!

Suvarna said...

Couldn't agree more it is truly an affair. beautiful photos and such a heartwarming and hopeful story of how you came to do what you love.

Laura said...

How wonderful!!! I love to hear what people are passionate about. Beth, your photography is just so great. As a person who has drooled over your before-photography artwork, I know what sensibilities you are bringing to this new passion and that is exciting.

For those who don't know, Beth is a very, very talented mixed media artist. Everything she does just turns out beautiful and dreamy!

misty said...

the offspring from your passionate love affair are absolutely beautiful! You are an awesome photographer Beth!
ad It's such a treat reading this interview, thank you Relyn & Beth!! xoxo

Anonymous said...

What a great post, Beth! I completely relate to how you explained someone asking you about your passion. I have the tendency to run from that word as well, but this year am becoming a little more comfortable in being able to further define that... fantastic pictures, heading back over to your blog now ;-)

Anonymous said...

Beth ~ What a lovely story of your journey to your passion! xoxox across the miles...

beth said...

thank you relyn for asking me to be a guest here...it was more fun than I ever imagined !

bloggers are just the people aren't they ?

and now all we need to do is get ourselves a group of those great bloggers to chicago for dancing and laughs and we'll be all set !

Unknown said...

Hi Relyn & Beth,

Much as I love taking photographs, I know that I rarely give myself the time to "see" in the way you obviously do!

I love the hues in the "no hunting.." image.

christina said...

Simply wonderful! Your photos are glorious! I too, know the love a camera can bring, once it's in my hands. I also would like to mention, we have wonderful husbands! My sweetie, is my traffic stopper. : )
xo

Brandi Reynolds said...

what a wonderful story, beth. I love reading about your passion for photography and can totally understand so much of what you are feeling.

ELK said...

wonderful lady that Beth and Relyn you are so sweet to open your "home"
ELK

Jaime said...

Oh I SO GET THIS...so so get this.

I'm feeling all kinds of passionate things as I read these wonderful posts. They are making me feel even more passionate about the things I already feel passionate about...if that makes sense.

Oldies, but Goodies