cup of comfort

These days it seems my cup is always full of something steaming, something soothing, and sometimes sweet. I love images of steam rising.  Art in a coffee mug.  Messages from our tea bags.  Beautiful cups; simple, vintage, feminine. Enjoyed anywhere at anytime.

Decaf or high test? Cream or black? Honey with lemon? Tall or grande? Dunkin or Starbucks? Whipped cream or perhaps marshmallows, heaps of them. So many choices,  so much simple beauty right at our fingertips.

What is in your cup today?

your best shot 2010

There's a group on Flickr that invites its members to reflect on 12 months of capturing life and share their best shot for 2010.

What I like most about this exercise is that it allows me to go back to the earlier months with the kindness that I often lacked of during those moments. Looking back I realize how self-conscious I've been at times, that one of my enemies in my creative process is common sense, but that I've also been brave and learned a lot (even though probably not as much as I wanted to). 

This past year for me has been about developing techniques with digital photography, slowing down, bringing a playful and joyous energy behind what I do and learning how to create the images that I want. The photo above is the one that I shared with the group, my best shot 2010.

Today, show us yours.

a present to yourself

When I submitted a prompt for #reverb10 I crossed my fingers that it would be chosen for the month long project. Little did I know that it would end up being the prompt for Christmas day. I couldn't be more delighted! I can think of no better way to celebrate this time of looking back and looking ahead than to do so through photographs.

Over the last year I have had plenty of pictures taken of me; self-portraits (such as the shot above) as well as images taken by my daughters, and even some taken by Shutter Sisters. With each shot, something more is revealed. I see a clearer picture of  who I am.

The prompt today is specific however. Find a picture taken of youself that best captures you. Either who you are or who you strive to be.

I have found that when you allow your truest self to be seen, really and truly seen, you are set free. There is so much power in that it gives me chills just writing about it. I know this freedom to be true from first hand experience. When Shutter Sister, and dear dear friend, Jen Lemen shot this image of me on one of the most sacred beaches I have walked on, she captured me in a way I have never seen myself before. Every time I look at it, I get goose bumps. Who is this woman? Confident, strong, powerful, true, real. Even though I might not always consider myself in these terms, I've got a photograph to prove that I am all these things and more. It's pictures like these of ourselves that are worth a thousand words.

This prompt isn't an easy one. It might take some time to excavate a shot from the 2010 archives. But, I do hope you spend the time needed to study the pictures of yourself over the past year to see what kind of magic you find. When you do, please share it with us here. Leave a link to your photo and/or post in the comments. On Wednesday, I will pick two winners from the comments. One person will be given a copy of Expressive Photography: A Shutter Sisters Guide to Shooting From the Heart and the other will get a complimentary spot in my next photo-centric e-class Picture Winter, just for playing along.

Thank you #reverb10 for such an inspiring experience this month. It's been amazing.

midwinter

"So the shortest day came, and the year died,
and everywhere down the centuries of the snow-white world
came people singing, dancing to drive the dark away."
~ Susan Cooper The Shortest Day

We tilt today. We feel a shift, depending on hemispheric location.  Where I sit, we spin farthest from the sun.  Shortest day. Longest night. To me, solstice is standing still sun. A quiet and cold reminder to embrace the darkness. A joyful and beckoning call to rejoice the light. 

What is solstice to you? Feel free to show us how you celebrate midwinter in the comments today.

festive reflections

Being a huge fan of reflections, I love to play around with the ornaments on our christmas tree. This shot was from last year, when I kept a christmas bauble in my pocket for shots in the snow.

I’ve been spying ornament reflections in our Flickr pool... here, there and everywhere.

Red, pink, silver, & green baubles. Everyone’s doing it!, did you know there is even a dedicated Flickr group?

Are you inspired? Why not join in the fun and find beauty in your festive reflection. You could even take the ornament off the tree and out for an adventure. I'd love to see what you capture.