life's focus

"Life has a way of coloring your way of living - but it's you who chooses the colors." - unknown

Don't you just love the simple wisdom of this quote?  As we go about our lives, it is so easy to get wrapped up in everyday dramas that play out around us.  When it gets overwhelming, I like to pick up my camera.  My lens becomes my filter. I am in complete control of what I see.  Real life is pushed aside and bliss rushes in.

In those moments, I seek out things that sooth my soul or tickle my funny bone. Saturated colors, my son's freckly nose, the silly antics of our five dogs, and focusing on the details... all help reenergize me for the next challenge that life throws my way. And you know that with three boys, it is guaranteed that more teen angst is peeking around the corner.

While I am not suggesting that you put blinders on, I do encourage you to spend some time looking at the world with selective focus.  Everything in life will become more enhanced. What was once taken for granted, such as a sunrise, a simple wildflower, or a quiet moment suddenly comes to life.

Today, focus on the little things in life that make you happy and share them here with us.

Images and words courtesy of the Tammy Lee Bradley, founder of Mortal Muses and newest contributor to Shutter Sisters. YAY! You can find her on Facebook and her blog Bliss and Folly, as well. Help us give her a warm sisterly welcome!

Comments

[Christineellen]

Congrats Tammy! You go Girl!!!!

[Chantal]

all small things are worth taking a look at, I try to do it every day, every moment, take nothing for granted, not a sunrise, sunset or in between, like this little flower, easy be stepped on, but I saved it, for ever, on photo

http://www.flickr.com/photos/26687796@N00/2610219402/in/photostream

[Marcie]

A child's innocent smile:
http://www.marciescudderphotography.com/home/2011/7/19/little-miss.html
And the most innocent of sweet blue eyes:
http://www.marciescudderphotography.com/home/2011/7/18/little-boy-blue.html

[Suki]

Welcome to the Shutter Sisters dear friend! Rock it!
I know you will.

[pthurmond1]

My husband and I have just returned from Key West. Even though I am back in the daily grind, I will continue to look at my photos and SMILE as they take me back to paradise. What a wonderful thing a photo can be!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/50901045@N02/5952968054/in/photostream

[Doris]

Tammy, my first glance at the image and readying the post, I knew this was from you before getting to your name at the bottom. Beautiful shot and beautiful words.

Love my coffee in the morning. And when I can drink it on the patio and enjoy a beautiful sunrise (like this morning), so much the better.

http://dorisrudddesigns.wordpress.com/2011/02/10/week-of-february-6-2011/

[Doris]

Whoops, it should have said "reading" the post.

[meredith]

The recent full moon was beautiful to me.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/poppy-in-provence/5957353664/

[marina]

I relate so much to your words, Tammy, and your photo is so joyful, with that wonderful light.
congratulations for having become a contributor here, I am looking forward to your next posts!!!
I love bringing my camera very very near to the ground and exploring from there. it is a great way for me to focus on what I see through my camera and detach myself for a while from all the rest.
here's an example of what I find:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mar_s/5957485976/lightbox/

[Rebecca]

Beautiful, wonderful thoughts.

Here is one where even mud looks wonderful

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rebeccasmithphotography/5957075789/in/photostream

Another that means a lot to me-a special moment shared by my daughter with her daddy. The kind of love I never experienced so every time I catch a glimpse I'm blown away, and I'm curious-always wondering what it must feel like, and I try and capture it--without them seeing me, because I understand-deeply, what a special moment this must be to a little girl and her daddy.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rebeccasmithphotography/5957075939/in/photostream/

[xanthe]

Welcome Tammy :)

[ELK]

welcome to SS .. such a special photographer you are~

after day 15 of over 100 degrees . darkness becomes my friend :

http://www.redorgray.com/2011/07/darkness-comes.html

[urban muser]

Congrats Tammy! Your words and photo are so beautiful. Go girl!

[Jane]

In appreciation of the patterns and colours in our world:

http://janespicer.blogspot.com/2011/07/its-little-things-in-life.html

[lucy]

congrats, tammy, the newest shutter sister! so excited for you!

the slant of the late afternoon light on the bay makes me happy:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lucyloomis/5956246713/

[cara]

Congratulations Tammy! So excited for you!!!!!!!!!!

[jacqueline]

Dearest sweet tammy. this is such a beautiful post and i adore that quote too! Ohh congratz!! Have a lovely merry happy mid-week and love to you!

[Maureen @ Cottage 960]

You are the Color Queen. Leaving my house with only my camera to walk through the park is always reenergizing for me.
So glad to see you here, congrats on becoming the newest sister!
xo
Mo

[Jen]

I really love your post today - so true! Thank you for the reminder!


Taking photos of my 15-month old has really helped me slow down and savor each day as a young family:

http://www.jenniferkrafchik.com/2011/07/this-moment-15-july-2011.html


I also love to watch my daughter interact with her grandparents:

http://www.jenniferkrafchik.com/2011/07/happy-birthday-pop.html

http://www.jenniferkrafchik.com/2011/07/this-moment-01-july-2011.html

[Maery Rose]

Great post! I checked out your blog and enjoyed that also. I agree that part of the draw of photography is that it gets me to notice the details in each day. Things I look at, even something as simple as clouds, become paintings of color and light. Photos also allow us to remember those special days. Recently I pulled out photos from my Colorado trip to remember the cool streams of water from the melting mountain snow. It gave me some relief from an especially sweltering day.

http://cowgirlbyproxy.blogspot.com/2011/07/im-melting.html

[April]

Congratulations sweet Tammy!
xoxo

[blue elephant photography]

i love the sweet post and i love the camera so much! ♥

[blue elephant photography]

an yes congrats! :)

[Sarah P.]

Yay Tammy! So happy to see you out here. Love your first post.

[autumn sun]

at first i just saw a forest of trees but when i pointed my camera I saw a line of young ones reaching towards the light.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/autumnsun/5955242836/

[Michelle]

Congrats Tammy!

The simple joys of summer make me happy

http://www.flickr.com/photos/29333822@N07/5957959112/in/photostream

[Kathryn Dyche Dechairo]

Nature always makes me happy.

http://dychedesigns.blogspot.com/2011/07/moth-mania.html

[Ashley Sisk]

What a beautiful message Tammy! So glad to see you here.

[AnnGeeDee]

Congratulations!! What a great addition to the team! Luckly, no one caught me in the elevator laying down on the floor to get this change of perspective in my everyday grind: http://www.flickr.com/photos/anngeedee/5950937145/

[mosey]

Wise words from a wise friend. Like someone else I know, walking out the door and crouching down with my camera to capture a small moment in my garden, hopefully with Sweetpea in frame, is as healing sometimes as a day at the spa. Never liked spas much, anyway....

Love you! Congratulations!

[life in eden]

Welcome Tammy! So glad to see you here too.

I've been focusing on the beginnings of wishes -- http://www.flickr.com/photos/32837589@N07/5955849442/in/photostream

[schtanzerl]

These things always make may day, no matter what happend before:

Shells :
http://www.flickr.com/photos/schtanzerl/5923180651/in/photostream/

Kids cleaning up their toy mess (here sorting the Lego bricks ;-)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/schtanzerl/5958183478/in/photostream

[Linda]

Congratulations, Tammy!

I really like this post! It's nice to be able to pick up a camera and focus on what I want to focus on! To capture little pieces of magic!

[Anna]

Tammy, a big CONGRATS to you! I look forward to your stunning photography and heartfelt insights!!!

I am enjoying everyday pleasures with our daughter, who is home from college for the summer ~
http://vandemarkdesigns.blogspot.com/2011/07/marbled-afternoon.html

[Kacey ~ Kay Pickens]

Such a pretty shot and beautiful words. I, too, often grab my camera when the world overwhelms me and try and capture a bit of peace and beauty.

http://www.wineonthekeyboard.com/2011/07/07/hollyhocks/

[Sandee]

Nature's colors are especially welcome this year...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/34977978@N05/5956114027/

[Lindsey]

Tammy!!!! I know how much this means to you and I am thrilled that you will be a regular here your photos are such an creative inspiration for me! Its so true this passion (addiction) I have with my camera its a coping mechanism, that I know is true.

Yey! Girl go get em!

[shirley lemay]

I would love a camera like that - so pretty to look at.
I just discovered Mortal Muses and love the inspiration there.

Just the other day, something as simple as walking through some cornfields made my daughter and her horse so happy:
http://www.shirleybehindthelens.com/2011/07/trail-riding.html

[Libertad Leal]

So happy to see Tammy here! I love her work! Congrats Tammy!! Love the image above. I love the post, it suits me quite well today. I am very fond of trying to find beauty in ordinary places:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/libertadleal/5951088587
http://www.flickr.com/photos/libertadleal/5505214100
http://www.flickr.com/photos/libertadleal/5505214100
http://www.flickr.com/photos/libertadleal/5200592120

[Anika @ Pasando]

Lovely post, great quote, and YAY for Tammy! Congrats!!

[kathryn]

one of the things that makes me the happiest in life is getting out into nature and hiking the mountains behind my home with my dog Josie on the weekends!!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kathrynhansen/5596130369/in/photostream

[NatsterNat]

Welcome Tammy...what a great post.

While gardening one day, all I could hear were bees buzzing around my wild rose bush, and though I was only half way through weeding, I had to stop and grab my camera to capture these beautiful insects hard at work...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/58861148@N02/5959114503/in/photostream

[Deirdre]

Congratulations, Tammy! Lovely first post :-)

[all-insanity]

Enjoy it.

[all-insanity]

Enjoy it.

http://www.all-insanity.com

[meredith winn]

hi tammy! it's so good to have you here. love your post today!

[Holly { Soupatraveler }]

Congrats Tammy!!!! So happy for you!

[Mary Vican]

Welcome Tammy!! Your blog rocks. Beautiful work. :)