keeping it light

My feet are good at keeping me grounded. I plant them firmly and move forward one step at a time when life gets heavy. Sometimes I'm so focused on putting one foot infront of the other {busying myself with stepping around the weight and rocks} that I forget there is a lighthearted side to life.

My mom keeps an umbrella in the side pocket of the driver's side door {just like me} I made a mental note of it on one of our excursions together during my visit home. It's not too often that I use props with photography. In fact, the opposite is quite true as most of my photography comes about like spontaneous combustion. I glance again at the umbrella and think to myself, "hmm. That could be fun." 

It was windy that day, and bitter cold at the edge of the earth. {Have you ever tried holding a travel size umbrella on a blustery day?} My prop umbrella had turned inside out twice already from the gusts of wind and I was starting to turn into that 3 year old stompy child version of myself that shows herself periodically. I was becoming increasingly unhappy with my mock photo session by the sea, things were not going as planned. Then for some reason I randomly started jumping with my remote in hand.

My laughter was contagious and my mom began laughing too, just watching me be a silly goof like the kid I always was before life got so heavy. I jumped and jumped like a six foot leprechaun clicking her heels. The sun seemed to shine brighter with our laughter. We kept laughing all the way home.

This photo still makes me laugh.

Keep it light today, will you? Something silly, something contagiously funny, a well timed jump, or just a priceless expression will do the trick. What makes you laugh?

~~~~~

And speaking of light hearted fun: be sure to check out the latest addition to our Shutter Sister featured photo list! {Click on 365 to explore daily features from the Shutter Sister 365 flickr group} Yay! 

Comments

[Marcie]

Love the color and joy you captured. What a wonderful self-portrait!!
All I have are some brightly painted..funny-looking chimneys to add a little lightness to your day:
http://www.marciescudderphotography.com/index.php?showimage=1037

[Betherann]

GREAT shot! Makes me smile. :D

[shehani]

Beautiful colours! adore the red umbrella! I love jumping on beaches. I recently wrote a blog post called "just jump" about jumping into life and it features a silly photo of me jumping and sticking my tongue out on a beach in the south of Spain.

http://shehanikay.blogspot.com/2009/12/just-jump.html

[Alicia]

Great colors!! Love the red!

Here's a quick photo in honor of keeping it light: http://www.flickr.com/photos/34467943@N07/4247869042/

Love the addition of the 365 feature!!

[Darlene]

Love this image, Meredith, and words to go along with them.
My animals always lighten things up for me. They are so loyal to being in the moment. Here is a post to demonstrate their pure joy of life, which in turns, brings joy to my life:
http://www.whimsicalyearsphotography.com/blog/1213/what-makes-me-laugh/

[Crystal]

My son makes me laugh. Constantly.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/krstlchik/4209371700

He's keeping it REALLY light here...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/krstlchik/3405972926/

[lucy]

Fun!

My daughter and her cousins posed like lovely ladies:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lucyloomis/3886735953

And then switched back to their real faces:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lucyloomis/3886735877

[Jean M Fogle]

I am lucky, my job keeps me laughing a lot of the time, how can you not laugh when you are photographing puppies!
Posted some of my favs to
http://pixels-n-pen.blogspot.com

[beth]

I'm silly all the time, but I'm also the one who always has the camera in my hand.....
so the silly photos are usually of other people....here's a group of strangers who said
yes to me taking their jumping photo for them.....

http://www.flickr.com/photos/29291473@N04/4248121462/

[Kath]

It's not one of my photos, it's one of my sister's, her grandson's expression in this photo makes me laugh. He had just opened a present and at 21 months, he's not real clear on the whole present thing. It was a hat, hand-knit by his 91 year old great-granny.

http://www.soeursdujour.com/2009/12/quazy-quips-2009.html

The line his older brother dished out is priceless too!

Happy day!

Kath

[Kristin Zecchinelli]

me being silly for casey yesterday. she took this of me.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/14811117@N02/4247397451/
i forget to be silly a lot.
it is a good reminder to do it more. thanks
http://www.flickr.com/photos/14811117@N02/4247467749/

[Alyssa Hedge]

my two kids crack me up....always ready for fun or silliness just when Mama needs it most.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/43406484@N06/4246397949/

[Debi]

Will brake for signs:

http://emmatree.blogspot.com/2008/05/another-disturbing-sign.html

http://emmatree.blogspot.com/2008/05/oh-ye-of-little.html

http://emmatree.blogspot.com/2009/07/girl-stuff.html

[Gail]

Last April I posted a series of family jumps on my blog that still make me smile...
http://picturingtheyear.blogspot.com/2009/04/jump.html

...this Christmas we are still being goofy...Is it wise to give out knives in the stockings?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/22733432@N08/4248305878/

[Kate]

Your post really made me smile:) Yesterday, driving to the grocery store, listening to my kids all sing along to Joan Jett -- totally the light moments that I love.

http://mamayou.wordpress.com/2010/01/04/in-the-car/

[Kizz]

Dignity Dog makes me laugh:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/31403417@N00/4144736016/in/set-72157603969964422/

[Catherine V]

Lovely photo and so expressive of keeping it light! Balloons are probably my favorite props right now ... especially with adults. Brings something quite playful to the images. Cheers!
http://thelittlebirdblog.blogspot.com/2009/09/love-love-love.html

[Dannie]

Wow! That's quite a jump! That umbrella really helps you get some lift, eh?! Well, your post and image have lifted my spirits, and that's a great way to start a day! Thanks!

[Claire]

i have a very naughty and mischievious side to me. my laugh even change when this side surfaces. she tend to surprise me but i always end up loving the moment... i especially love coaxing others to join in on the fun.

i took this photo of my husband and friends of mine last year. we went exploring and the day was just perfect!

http://mylifeinapicture.blogspot.com/2009/06/friends.html

[brittany]

life can't help but be light with little ones around!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sivyerfamily/4078946330/

[Trude]

LOL your "stompy child version" description was enough to crack me up! :) Awesome shot, of course!

[Tricia]

This post was so cute. I'm laughing about the pouty 3 y.o. thing. Sounds like me. ;)
Great air on that jump, btw.
Here's a photo I posted for my first 365 project photo of the year. I love it because this kiddo tends to get very serious and grumpy when I put the camera on her, so this was a treat.

http://triciaboutelle.blogspot.com/2010/01/1365.html

Thanks for the reminder. It doesn't always have to be serious.
XO*Tricia

[Kim Klassen]

love the pic...and the posting... a great reminder for me... especially today! :)

[Kirsten]

I got silly recently. I climbed all over some red shopping carts at Target. This is so NOT par for the course for me.

And I can't wait to try something equally silly again!! :o) It was too much fun!!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kirstenmichelle/4247777003/

[sarah]

some silliness for you (and i love the idea/your post!): http://www.flickr.com/photos/bradleysofaustin/4249132246/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bradleysofaustin/4249130102/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bradleysofaustin/4249131034/

[Vanessa]

I was checking my stats over on flickr and saw that my chartwheel series had 62 views today, 'what the'? I thought.
I am honored to be one of your links today.... In my 365 journey, today is day 81, I have found that being silly and keeping things light are making this whole process so incredible. I love that I can just be a goof infront of the camera, be a kid again. I think I am re-discovering who I am, a little piece of me that had been lost somewhere and I absolutely LOVE that about this process, love.

If you are interested in seeing more of my silly here are few of my favorites so far from the project...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/glitch_nitch/4244062417/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/glitch_nitch/4095800091/in/set-72157622463012283/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/glitch_nitch/4141641635/in/set-72157622463012283/

xo!

[kyra]

love this photo!!! so full of life and joy and color and vim and vigor and play!!!

[keli]

this was WAY too much fun -- thanks for the inspiration, mere!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/twelve-paws/4249583354/

[kristin]

more fun!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/14811117@N02/4249561860/

go here to make your own....
http://laphotocabine.com/

[Tiffani]

this is totally what I needed to read today. Thank you for the inspiration and reminder to keep it light!!!!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/childplay/4231754505/

[mharper]

being silly with her. this made me think of what you said. :) ~cinco_mom http://www.flickr.com/photos/37719283@N04/4251992525/

[Kellee]

So sad, nothing is making me laugh lately. How on earth did you clear so much height!! I love the prop. Sometimes deliberate is a good thing. :)

[Olivia]

Hi! Just today I posted a pic of my daughter Sophia making angels in the glittery confetti in the wee hours of New Years Day! My daughters can always make me smile! http://moomama96.blogspot.com/2010/01/happiness-is.html

[Heather]

Wasn't exactly spontaneous but certainly fun! Been thinking about for days, keeping the lollipop hidden away until we could find a quiet morning for some fun photos.

http://mamamutterings.blogspot.com/2010/01/lollipop-lollipop.html

[m.e (cathie)]

that definitely made me smile & imagine the umbrella & wind. beautiful.

this made me smile yesterday

http://melbourneepicure.blogspot.com/2010/01/splash.html

♥