when the fog lifts

Sometimes, instead of dwelling on the simple act of capturing beauty wherever I find it, I am constantly hunting for the next best shot. My photos are usually technically good - proper lighting, good composition, potentially interesting - but they are no longer the expression of the anticipation and the joy of the moment.

What I do then is put the camera down, go for a run and play Monopoly Junior with my boys. After a while, the fog eventually lifts as my obsession to take photos diminishes. And I am moved, excited and marveling again at the true beauty emerging from simple, ordinary things.

Today I ask you to share the moments that made you stop and stand still, those that moved you so deeply that whether you should capture it or not was never questioned, the beautiful images that emerged from your everyday life when you least expected it.

Comments

[kosenrufu mama]

HERE...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/23206424@N07/3300150500/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/23206424@N07/3294279295/

[Marcie]

Just some very ordinary pigeons...on a very ordinary day:
http://www.marciescudderphotography.com/index.php?showimage=697

[Crystal Chick]

a patch of mushrooms that sprouted in our front yard - http://flickr.com/photos/krstlchik/2783430439/
one night when the sky turned orange and the clouds took my breath away - http://flickr.com/photos/krstlchik/2721399214/

[shelli]

My mother-in-law's kitchen curtains:


http://www.flickr.com/photos/spabis/3101105708/in/set-72157611050110117/

[renee @ FIMBY]

Saturday morning home life, preparing breakfast. The beauty in the everyday.

http://fimby.tougas.net/Saturday-morning-breakfast-prep

[Amanda Johnston]

Wonderful post!
http://endlesslightcreations.blogspot.com/2009/02/at-heart-im-scrapbooker.html

[Charlane]

excellent advice. It makes me remember when photographers would sit for hours to wait for the perfect light, the perfect this and that. it's about being more mindful but not controlling.

[Tanya]

a friend hanging with his boys....actually watching his wife/their mama (my pro friend Bonnie) take pictures of friends....they were just watching her in action. I thought it was a beautiful moment.

http://flickr.com/photos/68403052@N00/2844114622/in/set-72157613367055156/

[Tanya]

sorry...I meant to comment about your post: I'm glad you brought this up. Sometimes, especially with my daughter, I'll have a shot in my head that I want, but if it's just not happening, I have a hard time realizing it...I tend to push a little more than I would like. Thanks for the mirror :)

[Toni / daily vignette]

Excellent post and good reminder. I stepped out onto my deck one morning, as per usual, to let my dogs out to do what dogs need to do and received this early morning gift. I immediately turned around and went back inside for my camera.
http://dailyvignette.com/2008/10/31/sailor-take-warning/

[Liz//Tipping Point Photo]

I traveled to NOLA on a business trip in Jan. 2007. My only free afternoon was spent wandering around the Lower Ninth ward. I probably could've stayed for a week and still not captured everything worth recording there.

What blew me away was how this site of so much destruction was quiet and peaceful. Nature had begun to reclaim most of the neighborhood. Some buildings were there, some had been moved a considerable distance, some were completely gone........

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tippingpointphoto/2723026817/in/set-72157606499257668/

Frightening, sad, and yet the beauty of nature seeps in. Amazing to be able to capture that paradox in an image.

[Holly]

This photo of my daughter and her horse.

http://themares.blogspot.com/2008/04/girl-and-her-horse.html

[liz]

Here are a few unexpected moments that stopped me in my tacks yesterday.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ewhitaker/3298663147/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ewhitaker/3299496332/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ewhitaker/3298665859/in/photostream/

[Karyn]

Just playing with the camera at my friends house with her baby.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kayak57/3300878954/

Thank you for this post. My 365 project oftens sends me into photo obsession and I need to remember to just relax.

[Monica]

playing with baby - capturing moments in time

http://flickr.com/photos/35284982@N05/3300262761/

[Wanda]

This is a recent favorite: http://whatwouldwandado.blogspot.com/2009/02/love-thursday-02-1909.html

[Kelly]

Love this post, this challenge to live...

Thursday's breeze was so warm we opened the windows - I was done shooting for the day, but as the breeze swept in, I couldn't help but hold onto the warmth for all I was worth.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8702729@N02/3293375877/

[~ kristina ~]

The turtles who are always at the park but usually hop back into the water before you can get anywhere near them:

http://meadowlarkdays.blogspot.com/2009/02/week-of-delights.html

[Jamie Lapeyrolerie]

Running around like crazy, I came across this. It was a great time to just stop and enjoy :)

http://jamielynnephotography.blogspot.com/2009/01/alright-stop-collaborate-and-listen.html

[spread your wings]

for some reason, with the morning light, breakfast food just begs to be photographed.

http://flickr.com/photos/autumnsun/3300588235/in/photostream/

[emily]

A few of the things that pull my focus out and help me to see what's really important.

http://collectingraindrops.blogspot.com/2009/02/perspective.html

[Georgia]

I have been spending a lot of time really trying to learn all the technical aspects of photography, and sometimes because I focus so intently on making sure I have the correct settings I miss the shot. But I have captured a few images I love anyways, despite the composition being off, or not having exactly the right settings for the shot. I still just love what I captured anyways.

http://flickr.com/photos/georgiabean/3298840307/
http://flickr.com/photos/georgiabean/3293181034/

[Mod GIrl]

It took a sick child to slow me down... and I enjoyed a day at home full of sunlight and simple beauty.

http://modobjectathome.blogspot.com/2009/02/slowing-down.html

[Mariella]

The most vibrant purple flowers that stopped me in my tracks yesterday on my morning walk. I wished I had my camera with me!! xoxo, ~ M.

[hi kooky]

A day at home with a sick kid. Scroll past the words to see the photos...

http://hikooky.blogspot.com/2009/02/today.html

[cara]

A vacation moment when I was glad I had my camera with me:

http://caramoulds.com/index.php?showimage=221

[ELK]

not the greatest shot but an unusual one and one that makes me smile, sigh and realize how much I miss her
http://www.redorgray.com/2009/01/reflectionjpg-by-redorgray-on-flickr.html

hug your kids today...

[Elizabeth Harper]

Some of my captures from a walk the other day.

http://giftsofthejourney.wordpress.com/2009/02/22/walking-the-saints-way-when-living-your-life-gets-in-the-way-of-writing-about-it/

[Eileen]

I happen to love just the everyday photographs. I am afraid I don't have the patience to wait for that "perfect" shot. I love the simplicity of everyday life. Great blog.

[Kari]

My daughter picked these 'weeds' for me. I set them next to my kitchen sink and enjoyed them while I washed dishes.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/10811746@N05/2839609131/in/set-72157603939348314/

[Shar]

This scene emerged in front of me at a stop sign on the way to pick-up my daughter from school.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/shartreuse/3272994344/

[Gabrielle Kai Photography]

I had lunch with my nephews and captured a seemingly ordinary event, but one in which I absolutely loved::

http://gabriellekaiphotography.com/blog/2009/02/thirsty/

[Puna]

Oh the reality of real life...

http://lifesignatures.wordpress.com/2009/02/23/a-reality-check/

[jody]

I love photographing the simple things in life probably more than anything else...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jodyangel/3295413494/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jodyangel/3276135639/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jodyangel/3248303592/

[Kacey]

Here is one I captured earlier this month. A sight that was probably there, night after night, but I had missed it in my rush of real life.
http://www.wineonthekeyboard.com/2009/02/07/life-in-focus-seeing-is-believing/

[Jenny Rebecca]

So glad I had a picture to contribute! The light shining through my daughter's yellow ball stopped my in my tracks and I had to run and get the camera.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fanglord2/3303227343/

[Kristin]

I really like this picture!

[Amber(Homeschool Diva)]

The movement of water
http://www.flickr.com/photos/amberbishop/3296792142/in/set-72157614130909067/

and the many colors of blue...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/amberbishop/sets/72157614130909067/

[Steph Wiese]

"Out of the Fog" is a literal description of this image that I love so very much. My favorite pics most often happen when they are unplanned.

http://stephwiese.squarespace.com/blog/2009/2/24/out-of-the-fog.html