the beauty of the mundane

"Creativity is piercing the mundane to find the marvelous."   - B. Moyers

mun*dane-  1. everyday, ordinary, commonplace,  or banal

I am never sure when an opportunity might arise to take a photo, this is why i carry my camera always. Winter in New England equals a very dirty car.  Yesterday, by the urging of my 4 year old in the back seat, I took my filthy car to the car wash. Camera by my side in the front seat, I paid for our wash and drove in.  The door closed and the wash began.  I was instantly drawn to the designs on the windshield.  I picked up my camera and began snapping a few shots.  This was my favorite.  Even though I know it is an ordinary moment in the mundane task of washing my car, the image goes beyond that for me.  I see serenity in the droplets and little streams,  I love the blur of the garage door beyond the windshield. I believe finding beauty in the mundane is a gift given to me through photography. It helps me see beyond the tedium.

Washing dishes, folding laundry, cooking, hanging wash.

What beauty have you found in the mundane? Share some with us here today.

Comments

[Angela]

Love this! I completely agree. :)

Here's one of our cats, just sitting in the kitchen. But, I love her tail, curled just so...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/44563519@N02/5206497246/

[Jennifée]

Who knew a clothes iron could have such a pretty shape?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/85057042@N00/5331350618/

[Angela DiGiovanni | Blog Giveaway NOW!]

Oh, wow, your comments remind me so much of the book, "Hand Wash Cold: Instructions For an Ordinary Life". I'm loving it. We must find value in the mundane, because that is where true serenity lies.

Billy Joel says it well, too: “The joy of life is made up of obscure and seemingly mundane victories that gives us our own small satisfactions.”

[Gizem]

here is mine from Safranbolu-Anatolia/Turkey...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gizoti/4983031840/in/set-72157624939546034/

[Karin van D.]

I so agree. There is so much to explore, to wonder about, in the ordinary things. I recently wrote a blogpost just about this subject and took a picture of my ironing routine with my littlest one. You can find it here:

http://www.themrs.eu/family/2011/1/6/daily-rituals.aspx

[Marcie]

A truly wonderful image.
Can't say this is exactly 'mundane'...but a ton of fun give the blizzard we're in the midst of today:
http://marciescudderphotography.com/index.php?showimage=1422

[Vanessa]

so true, oh so true. our lenses help us -inspire us- to look beyond the tedium, the banal... to seek out some magic, to be open to finding beauty in the must unsuspected places! thanks for including my clothesline pic, kristin! here are a couple of other stumbled-upon moments captured while taking perfectly mundane strolls down perfectly mundane streets ;)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/vanessa_r/4976531120/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/vanessa_r/4931879890/
oh and i believe i haven't said this here yet: happy new year, sisters! xoxo

[Kristin]

Oh, an everyday detail of beauty, I noticed while cleaning the garments. We often see only the greatness and vastness, the beauty immediately visible, but the attraction is in fact often small.

Here's the photo that I shot in the daily routine:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mangerk/5217338381/in/set-72157625345148889/

[Trevellion]

Just an ordinary day..........but then you notice the light.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/9970083@N02/5348294423/

[Doris]

Oooo, I like the topic. This shot is similar to yours in that my camera was sitting in the front seat of the car on a rainy, dark day. I picked it up and snapped this image while sitting at a stop light.

http://dorisrudddesigns.wordpress.com/2010/02/05/36-365/

[CDScott]

Love your image. Here are a few winter images since that's what much of us are seeing today.

http://cdscottphoto.blogspot.com/2011/01/winter-beauty.html

[Kelly Sauer]

One day at my parents', I went out to play with the light. All I had were brown weeds and some cold, so I went to see what the light would do to it all. Talk about transformation.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kellylangnersauer/5268384090/

[lucy]

i find the work we do everyday beautiful.

http://littlelightreading.blogspot.com/2011/01/workers-of-world-unite.html

[Debra]

the joy in the smallest things give us the most pleasure.

[froddard]

I took this picture last spring, but it's one of my favorites of my many 'finding beauty in the everyday'. I was walking along a muddy gravel road last spring and became fascinated by the beautiful patterns in the thin puddle ice.
I could take pictures of puddle ice forever...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/97309340@N00/4977044406/in/photostream/

[Jen at Cabin Fever]

I believe that looking at the mundane and transforming it into a photograph makes it something special, instead. That's why I include things from my home and everyday in my 365 project.

http://www.only365words.blogspot.com

[Kelly]

Here's one of mine - winter afternoon sunlight made the half-dead plant look just a bit more pretty.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cu_tiger/5344492248/

I am embracing the mundane for this year's 365 - this is making it a much less stressful and actually more creative project.

[Lisa Gutierrez]

one of my goals for the year is to find purpose in everything i do. i'm tired of just moving along and letting things/feelings/people/places/whatever slip by. i want to grasp; i want to remember.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/yarnattacks/5347942157/

[Puna]

Camp linens at summer camp. Quite orderly for boys I think.

http://lifesignatures.org/wordpress/2010/07/camp-linens/

[Ellen]

I am amazed that small creatuers can find a way to survive the chill....

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ellenmreed/5346033139/

they must be smarter than us....smiles.

[rawqueen]

Today we are quiet in the mundane. Remembering last year's tragic earthquake, so strong we felt it across the waters. http://somethingblu.wordpress.com/2011/01/12/more-love-for-haitiheart-meditationsfrom-the-rock/

More beauty in the mundane here: http://somethingblu.wordpress.com/2010/12/12/inspiration-the-inner-laundry-sanctumfrom-the-rock/

daily chronicles: http://somethingblu.wordpress.com/2010/03/20/daily-chronicles/

and here: http://somethingblu.wordpress.com/2010/08/10/ode-to-moms-housewives-more-truth-from-the-rock/

some every day Jamaican market beauty: http://somethingblu.wordpress.com/2010/07/14/push-cart-madness-from-the-rock/

[Beth]

I was driving along when - BAM - LIGHT -

http://www.flickr.com/photos/14632491@N07/5192946249/

Is this how babies feel when they see something shiny? :)

[Laura]

We went back to school today so I spent the afternoon labeling books - there was much colour!
http://www.harassedmom.co.za/?p=4649

[Pamela]

In my 365 Photo a Day project there has been plenty of opportunity to see the mundane...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/happydog/5052591244/in/set-72157623756404468/

[Brenda Gottsabend]

Even before reading your post, my thoughts for today's Project 365 photo was to find something around the house; something to be grateful for. Here is the result:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gottgraphicsdesign/5348966161/

[Anna]

Great prompt for today ...
I've got a photo i took yesterday while taking in a garage for my car to be repaired
http://www.flickr.com/photos/68111170@N00/5347538448/

[Jess]

I love the everyday. This was taken right out my back window this morning while I was making breakfast. The inspiration came from the Picture Window prompt for today. I'm really enjoying the class.

http://jessicavescera.blogspot.com/2011/01/signs-of-life.html

[Diane]

I LOVE your image too.

I find beauty in the mundane often. I won't bore you with too many but here is a small sampling:

ironing - http://www.flickr.com/photos/27458974@N00/5337509480
doing dishes - http://www.flickr.com/photos/27458974@N00/5334134670/
letting the dogs out before bed - http://www.flickr.com/photos/27458974@N00/5330892459

I could include a long string of them but I promise to stop at these 3 :)

[Tracy]

Such a good post for this time of year when you often have to look a little harder to find something beautiful.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/31417716@N00/5349747462/

[Line]

I love that texture and the light is so beautiful...

some of my daily beauty here

http://gagazinecantons.blogspot.com/2011/01/decembre.html

[Angela]

The home hair cut ...

http://angela-hemming.blogspot.com/2011/01/retro-friday-chop-chop.html

[Stephanie Meckfessel]

What a good practice to look for beauty in unexpected forms.

I love all the laundry references, so I am including one of my own:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/58066769@N05/5349282315/

I've never seen my Ipod cord the same since:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/58066769@N05/5349281517/in/photostream/

This mundane scene makes me a little sad. We've all been there:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/58066769@N05/5349890186/in/photostream/

[Corinna]

Working on a 365, I can say for sure that some days the mundane is all there is to shoot, and the challenges are to a) find the visual beauty in the mundane and b) to give myself permission to shoot it and post it and love it anyway. I sort of wrote about these challenges just last week:
http://www.birdwannawhistle.com/blog/2011/1/6/exhale.html

[Vanessa]

shot this on Monday night for my 365. It might be one of my favorites so far and fits just right with this theme today.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/glitch_nitch/5344794199/

[Kimberly]

Is dayquil beautiful?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/junebugphotography/5176935482/in/set-72157625275348203/

[WorthIt!]

Is the glass half full or half empty? For me, it's half full.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/52055227@N07/5350239910/

[Texan Mama]

hmm, I've been thinking about my one pair of shoes that I love. I've had this pair of shoes for 13 years, and I still love them and wear them regularly. It's just something that I appreciate and I love these shoes and although they are nothing spectacular to look at, I can't imagine not wearing them every fall and winter.

http://texan-mama-365-2011.blogspot.com/2011/01/day-12.html

[Laura Louise]

love your post....i need this reminder to look around more often!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/35374947@N04/5350438870/

[xanthe]

you always find the beautiful.
it is a gift.
love this x.

[SapPHireBP]

I find beauty in the mundane often. I also enjoy the simple things.

Here is a photo of the time i spend when i visit my mom looking out the window of her apartment in NYC. I can't imagine a day not..spending our mornings sitting by the window drinking my tea and she her coffee over discussion about anything.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/38391633@N08/5215294629/in/set-72157625487716934/

[mary]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/37719283@N04/5349868203/
just for you.
hope youre surviving the white out!
xo,
mary

[Camille]

Simple can be best. Nothing more mundane than a chair and an overturned trash can.

http://www.category5photography.com/picture/2007%2011%2017%20028_edited-1.jpg?pictureId=7897336

[Lori]

Love this post. I too think the car wash is a great photo op!!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sanderwood/3717530929/

I have been amazed when I take pictures of what I consider to be mundane and they look interesting and kinda cool.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sanderwood/4486995908/

[amiee]

funny, i just posted up my 365 for the day. our fridge. it's there every day, now supporting bits of what it looks like to have little boys. just an appliance, but also so much more now...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/16401019@N00/5350380032/

[Chelsea C]

This is one of my favorite things to do..find beauty in the everyday.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/chelscham/5347774917/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/chelscham/5347774271/in/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/chelscham/4854918617/in/set-72157624448833873/

[Anna]

Kristin,
Great post! Our minds are on similar subject paths. On Monday, I sent my post titled "Beauty under Foot" to Kim Klassen for Inspiration Studio. The planned publication date is next Tues, Jan 18. If you have a chance, check it out at www.theinspiration-studio.com.

[damiec]

I've recently found myself influenced by some of my contacts who seem to make poetry out of the mundane every day. Erika & Jessica I'm talking about you. Just yesterday I started realizing I was picking up my camera at times I normally wouldn't, and I am enjoying and seeing something new through my lens.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/22487105@N06/5351000110/

[tara]

Not only is there beauty in the translucent colors, but also in their intended purpose!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/57322785@N07/5350422833/in/pool-shuttersisters365#/photos/57322785@N07/5350422833/in/pool-1294340@N20/

[Ali]

This is what I live for...the beauty of routine.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/aliedwards/4538175233/in/set-72157623898014586/

[naomi]

Beauty in the mundane? Oh yes, I can do that. Here's a whole bunch!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nomesthenome/5342777580/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nomesthenome/5345246055/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nomesthenome/5346799384/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nomesthenome/5338964267/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nomesthenome/5349621214/