With a Camera in My Hand

The change of seasons has painted a palet of more than pleasing sky and landscapes during September and October. The dangers of texting have been more than pointed out — they have been ticketed as an illegal activity to do while driving. Lately, I’ve been thinking the distractions of the autumnal changes are at least as dangerous to this driver as she tries to keep her eyes and attention on the road. There are just so many other visuals calling my name. I need to be the rider, not the driver.

While I may not be out on an official photography “shoot”, I bump into many regrets often when I have left my camera behind.

This photo was not taken by me , Christine DeCaesare was overpowered by the early Michigan morning view, having returned “home” after living many years in California. She shared this photo on Facebook and we are fortunate she took this majestic image. Do we not love the Earth we live on!

Linda Wilson, in Austin Texas also often shares her walk in her flower gardens with me. They are a melodious symphony all on their own.

Lake Michigan is surely part of Pure Michigan. Tom and I celebrated our 48th anniversary with a lunch in South Haven and a leisurely walk on the pier, watching one of the famed Tall Ships (this one from England) depart from the channel.

This just spells A D V E N T U R E, pirates or not.

Brenda Horton shares phenomenal photography at her blog,  bree1972.wordpress.com/‎ and stories galore of her and husband Ted’s daily life on Mackinac Island, the island where they have owned a condo for many years.  Her gorgeous golden, Bear and his companion Maddie have quite the life too, splitting time between Georgia and the vacationland northern Michigan island.

I took lots of photos on my 12 day tour through the European Alps and the countries of Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy and Liechenstein. I think about 1,500 in all. Again, no lack of inspiration and gazing from along paths we traveled or inside the bus as we traversed great distances. Oh, how I loved capturing so many moments through my lens. Pictures are worth a thousand words.

Childrens Festival in Innsbruck

Coming down from high, high places – Zugspitze

But I also take my camera out into my own back yard for simple walks, and there is beauty everywhere just waiting to be seen.

Welcome visitors and views of neighboring borders and sunsets.

Now, I will just step out my front door and show you what awaits my camera there.

A hot air balloon floats overhead and lands nearby.

A rainbow graces the early evening sky.

Floral arrangements mark the changing seasons.

And the perfect pumpkin arrives to greet our fall visitors.

My camera and I are one — I find many ways to mix words and photos to inspire myself and others. Behind the camera I am “somewhat out of time” yet definitely in the moment, united with the image I am focusing upon. I was blessed to have been a feature photographer for many of my professional writing years. But I have been a photographer at heart since the seventh grade, when I received one of the two greatest gifts ever — a box Kodak Brownie Hawkeye camera with one of those stinky flash bulbs. I started recording right then my life, family and friends in black and white from elementary school age, into the age of color, through the Poloroid era, into the professional cameras and then into  digital.

Not an expert, but enough of a fan to have an awful lot of fun and a ton of moments wrapped up in image making and story telling. Somewhere deep within me is the DNA of photojournalism and I love it.