Trying...

This year I have tried: a new shift (Actually forced is the correct term) some new photographic equipment, and some new types of photography among other things.

I see many places where I have succeeded and many where I have failed.

I failed a concert a few weeks ago.

In my defence I DID have a new camera that acts totally unlike my other, Favorite, camera. So what would have worked for me a month ago is not working for me now. The controls are different, the feel is different, the flash forces it's self upon you.

“Try and fail, but don't fail to try.” - Stephen Kaggwa

I must say though, that I have never tried to take good quality photographs at a concert before. I have taken quick snapshots from the back of the arena or realized that I didn't bring a camera card and was taking quick snaps from one row back. So I had a really learning curve to deal with.
I Love music, which is evident by the fact that I am probably one of the few blogs who still have music on it. (Mostly for my own benefit). I love various genres of music, and have secretly wished to have the job as a concert photographer. Which would combine my love of music with my love of photography - the two major things that keep me happy (and sane).

“The successful man will profit from his mistakes and try again in a different way.” - Dale Carnegie

MAN, I HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO!

First thing: there is the ambiance lighting. A few pictures with a cool blue tint are cool. But then you realize that ALL of them will have that blue cast and it gets a little overwhelming.

Then there is the secondary lighting, which casts small other colors of light in many directions - it can be cool and then you realize that it is in unflattering or annoying places.

Next there is darkness and movement. Darkness (usually) requires a tripod - which I forgot to bring and movement requires really knowing how to adjust your camera settings. Ouch. I'm not that good at that!

“Try, try, try, and keep on trying is the rule that must be followed to become an expert in anything.”
- W. Clement Stone

Out of several hundred pictures (the exact number will not be revealed) I ended up with around 50 that I will allow people to see.

Now did I learn anything while I was there? YES. I learned that a flash will get rid of all color traces - and temporarily blind the people who are on stage. ha ha

“Supposing you have tried and failed again and again. You may have a fresh start any moment you choose, for this thing that we call "Failure" is not the falling down, but the staying down.” - Mary Pickford

I learned that Aperture Priority Mode isn't all it is cracked up to be.
I also learned that I tried my best. I learned some things from my mistakes. And I will have a better knowledge of what NOT to forget or do next time. Will next time be perfect - No.

But who is?

“It is common sense to take a method and try it. If it fails, admit it frankly and try another. But above all, try something." - President Franklin D. Roosevelt

Remembering and Reflecting on 2009

I have taken SO many photographs this year and lost a few.
I have gotten new lenses and then another new camera.

I have Travelled North Carolina backroads and New York City Streets.

1. Grist Mill on the Blue Ridge Parkway
2. Times Square, NYC

I have taken pictures of shiny restored cars and rusty dilapidated ones.

3. Oldsmobile found rusting away in Mocksville
4. Restored Impala at Mooresville Cruise In

I have chased balloons and trains.

5. Balloon Rally near Statesville Airport
6. N&W Train at Spencer

I have made jewelry and portfolios.

7. Vintage Button, chain and earring necklace
8. Flowers and bench in Mooresville

I have worked overtime and worked short time.
I have made new friends and found old ones.
I have went into places for free and been in places I shouldn't be.

9. Coca-Cola sign in Salisbury
10. View from outside of North Wilkesboro

I have stopped and smelled the flowers and walked around in the snow.

11. Flowers during rain at Lowes Home Improvement
12. Snow covered leaves from my yard

I have seen my growth as a photographer and the steps I've taken backward in life.
13. 1913 Indian Motorcycle Gastonia
14. Him giving me a nest he found built on his work truck

2009 so far has been a good year to me. 2008 was not the best of years, and I am looking forward to what 2010 brings me. Hopefully good and very little bad - I wish the same for all of you.

Okay, so it's not New Years Eve, but I have my opinion on this year already formulated. You don't HAVE to agree with me though.

Holdiays.....

It seems to me that stores PUSH Christmas on us.

Not that I am against Christmas. I believe in the REASON of Christmas.

I am against the commercialization of it. Stores start putting stuff out before Halloween or Thanksgiving are even started. That you have to buy, buy, buy for people who want more, more, more. Stuff that breaks, wrong sizes, and stuff you really DON'T want - what does that mean in the long run? the pressure to spend money you don't have on people who you don't necessarily want to buy for.

Now before I go too far, I do decorate for Christmas. And while I had a chance last week (He wanted to start decorating) I did put my tree up. But due to what I have going on over the next few weeks, I knew I might not get the chance to take my time and do it right.

I just wish that stores had to wait until December 1st to decorate and do the Christmas "push." They can have a "Black Friday" sale, but not push the Christmas end of it.
My family and I have decided to scale our shopping back this year. We don't have the kind of money that we had over the last few years to spend. My father and husband are both laid off, and my brother may have the same fate in a few weeks.

I know there are so many things that I want. But underneath it all, I KNOW that I have far more than I need. I have spent the last month trying to figure out what I really want. I can't think of very much. I am now starting to ask myself, "Will you use that?" It doesn't always work, but I am getting better at it (and it does cut down on the clutter around here).

I would rather that someone make me something.

That is far more meaningful.

Or buy me a new bird ornament. Maybe a book. Not a whole lot of money in any of those.

How many people give, and really give from the heart? I know I often try to find great gifts or those truly wanted gifts. But my family and I have realized that we have more than enough.

I want to give something meaningful. I think that it should not be about money but about something truly from the heart.
Time spent reminiscing
Maybe a family portrait.
Finishing or helping with some type of task
A new book

Simple, and from the heart.

Shouldn't that be everyone's goal?

(Ornaments top to bottom that are meaningful to me: 1. Manger skyline ornament from 2003 - He bought for me during our trip to TN to get married. 2. One of 3 Waterford Candle ornaments received for 4th Anniversary trip to TN, 3. Snowbaby "Bubble light" one purchased for my mother also, who bought us bubble lights as kids, 4. Wedgwood Snowflake - one of six bought for me by my mother last Christmas and a Red Pirate ornament - Commemorates that I am a BHS Pirate, 5. Red beaded bird, bought for me by my mother, 6. White Bird ornament - bought by Him, Small Snoopy ornament - bought for me by my mother, Camera bought for me by Him last Christmas, Pine cone ornament - bought in TN as part of set to get the snow owl, and the plain blue ornament in the background - the first Christmas ornaments we had in 2004.)

Cookie Day Remembered

This past Saturday I gathered with some friends (who are practically family) for a day of cookie making.

In spite of my feeling down over losing quite a few photos of the laptop: All of my NYC pictures - which, thankfully I have uploaded online, All of my balloon rally pictures, I only had a few backed up, and some from some events I have taken - also backed up online. I am most sad about the over 30 pictures that He and I took together in October of which I think I managed to save 2 or 3. The balloon rally is sad though. I had some really good stuff that I only posted a handful of. I have learned a valuable lesson. Backup all of my photos IMMEDIATELY after uploading them to the computer.

It was quite fun! Cookie day I mean, not, lose all of your pictures day. Windows hiccuped, I lost. Why do they call it WINdows? I personally think you lose in a lot of cases - but then, I can't afford to get a Mac at the moment. I still have a DSLR to pay for. One I don't care much for....

ENOUGH of my complaints!! It's even bugging ME at this point.

BACK to Cookie Day.... 6 different types of cookies, and I made fudge (I just had to be different, as we all know...) But I knew that someone would make chocolate chip, so why make the same old same old - okay, YES they really are good!

I enjoyed hanging out with my "Family" and talking and laughing and making a mess and cookies. Everyone enjoyed it so much that the decision was made to make it into a Annual event.

Holiday Good VS Bad

Holidays are god for the most part, and also bad at times. So here is a little good versus bad list until I can recover my lost photographs from the computer's hard drive. (Like a month's worth of photographs are GONE - pray that I can recover them!)

Good: Spending Time with family
Bad: Spending time with the weirdos that happen to somehow be related to you

Good: Eating Dinner With Family
Bad: Eating too much dinner with family that you gain 5 pounds in one day

Good: Friday madness shopping
Bad: Shopping with MAD people who are tired and didn't get that Barbie for their niece (who will cut all of Barbie's hair off and lose her shoes anyway)

Good: Seeing family and friends that you cant catch up with during other times of the year
Bad: Having to hide or try to explain to Aunt Millie that as much as you miss her, you just don't have time to stop by before your 5 hour drive back home

Good: Being thankful for how much you have in your life - a home, family, friends, food to eat, having a job, and that you are alive one more day to realize how much you REALLY DO HAVE.

Bad: What is there bad about this? Only if you don't have the vision to see how much you have to be thankful for.

Thankful In Spite of Life

In spite of the way that life goes sometimes - I am thankful.

I am thankful for my family
I am thankful that people can draw pay after being laid off.
I am thankful for a loving husband
I am thankful to have a job
I am thankful for our troops spread across our nation and the world serving us something to be thankful for.

Trying to make it to the weekend

Dear, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday:

I hate you.

I am in love with Friday, Saturday & Sunday.

Hope you are okay after this bombshell.

Sorry that it has be this way,

- Angie

I am SO ready for the weekend.

Hope you have fun in the race for the weekend

Boom!

Some days you just want to EXPLODE.

Today has been one of those days.
Where I wanted to.
And did.
I just hope there are no repercussions from it.

I just couldn't help it.
Things were building up.
It was a really up and down day anyway.


Bad things.
Good things.
Bad thing.
BOOM!


I then tried to calm down and forget.
Then someone had to open their mouth.
I know I should have tried harder.


I am thankful for the good things that happened today.
I regret the bad.

I am thankful for understanding from the one who loves me.

And hope the others have understanding to not punish me for how I acted.



So if you are reading this - say a prayer for me today, I have a feeling I will need it.

(Images from my trip to NYC )

New Things & Upcoming Ideas.

After I posted about wanting a new DSLR yesterday, I went to a local Sears store.

And I got:

A NEW DSLR!!!! YEAH!!!

I definitely feel like twirling now!! :op


A Sony a300 - Okay so it was a display model - but it was significantly cheaper than the lower models. And it happens to be my Anniversary/Christmas/and quite possibly my Valentine's present.

My old friend on the right and my new friend is on the left!

Today I am thankful for my Wonderful husband who knows how lost I have been since my a100 started having problems. And I have EVERY right to be thankful for him EVERY DAY - which I am.

Well the twirling is making me dizzy. So on to my next topic...

Wouldn't it be cool to take a line from a Christmas song and try to make a photograph (or any other kind of art) based on that one line? Think of the possibilities:

• Walking in a winter wonderland....


• all I want for Christmas is you....


• I'm dreaming of a white Christmas.....


• I played my drum for Him rump a pum pum

I think that I may try some of these after Thanksgiving - if anyone wants to join me we could do a whole song (or at least a chorus).

My Wants VS My Needs VS What I Have

I want a new Sony alpha series DSLR.
I want a new macro lens for said DSLR.
I want a new Kodak printer.
I want books of Walker Evans and Richard Avedon's photography.
I want new SS charms for my charm bracelet.
I want to go back to NYC for another photo outing.
I want to get my laptop fixed (around $300-400) or to get a new one.
I want Russ Taff's Medals CD.

There are so many things that I want. But what do I really need?
1. New gutters, ..........wow, I really had to think about that one!
2. A few clothing articles.
3. ...umm right now I cant think of much that I need.


I would love to have my DSLR fixed, but I think I can live without that for a few weeks (even though it will lead to some feelings of deprivation)

When you take a look at what your wants and needs are they are so many miles apart.
I could have added so much more to the wants list - but these are the things that I WANT the most.

So how much of the wants list will I actually receive?

Maybe a new printer or the CD. Possibly the books - but our bookstores don't seems to carry those two photographers.


What do I have?

A loving Husband
A warm home with everything We need (we need new gutters - may get them soon)
A job that pays well
Good health
A brother who is also a good friend
A furry little companion
And vision to see things in the world around me

After reading the blogs from yesterday I realized how truly blessed that I am and how I only want stuff. But that most of the things that I really loved were the little things that cost nothing:

a hug, help with laundry, and a kiss from my better half.

Today I am grateful for being blessed.

The Simple Things

After having the blog party with the WONDERFULLY talented Christina. I saw that she is hosting "The Simple Things" today along with around 50 other bloggers.

The more I look at her work I am reminded of the simple things.

So poetic is her photography.

And so jealous am I!! (Don't lets go there - I know we are two different people with our own unique talents - maybe she will rub off some of that magic on me!!)

The simple things that make my heart sing, and dance, and twirl (okay, so I don't really twirl - but I have the urge on occasion when I hear Glenn Miller) are........

Being kissed on the back of the neck

Chocolate

Someone rubbing lotion on my back (because I can't reach it all!)

A little black nose nudging me to move over because she want in the bed too

Hearing this song or this one (I can go on and on).

Little bits of jewelry that I find here and there.

Someone making dinner for me

Meeting new people and sharing ideas and dessert.

The hands that hold my heart and my hand

Learning a new technique that I will make my visual journals more Me

And just knowing that I am loved by someone who is far more giving than I am. Which is what I am thankful for today and everyday.

And I am praying for my DSLR which at the moment isn't working correctly *sigh* again. So I'm back to my little P'nS Camera *sigh* maybe Santa will bring me a new one.

But for now I am thankful for all of the little things that make my days complete.

New Addition (6PM) I had forgotten to add some of these things to my "Simple" list

Listening to Al Green & Smokey Robinson (swoon feelings)
Coca Cola (okay maybe that is more of an addiction - but I am thankful for it)
Pumpkin Pie
Vintage Cameras
Fleece PJs
Rockefeller Center at Night
Old Comedy Movies - Bedroom Parlor & Bath, almost any Astaire & Rogers Movie, same goes with Myrna Loy & Dick Powell Movies
Flowers for special occasions
Spending out anniversary weekend in a cabin in TN
Living in a land of Freedom - thanks to our Veteran's & Current Soldiers

Plenty To be Thankful For

To quote Bing Crosby:

I've got plenty to be thankful for
I haven't got
A great big yacht
To sail from shore to shore
Still I've got plenty to be thankful for

I've got plenty to be thankful for
No private car
No caviar
No carpet on my floor
Still I've got plenty to be thankful for

I've got eyes to see with
Ears to hear with
Arms to hug with
Lips to kiss with
Someone to adore

How could anybody ask for more?
My needs are small
I buy them all
At the five and ten cent store
Oh, I've got plenty to be thankful for

Or you could just watch the clip from Holiday Inn. Please forgive me if it casts a bad view of some folks - that is not my intent - I just think of this song quite often.

And, this close to Thanksgiving I think it casts us a good view of how our thoughts should be.