[stylist] Capturing Images in the Early Morning in May

Tue May 15 13:32:06 UTC 2012

Hi Jackie, Myrna, Eve, and all poet friends.

What a beautiful morning it is here in Western Pennsylvania. The world here 
is alive with sights and sounds and smells.  My senses are acutely aware of 
it all because I have just returned from my early morning workout at the gym 
where I do high intensity interval training. After my workout, my body is in 
sinc with the world of nature when I come home.  I grabbed my camera and 
shot a lot of photos of the enormous, 20 ft high, Rhondedendrum bush in full 
bloom. I wanted to capture the early morning light on the fully open 
lavender-pink blossoms - hundreds of them. I am alive and so is all of 
Nature today!

I have always loved taking photographs.  My loss of  sight has not decreased 
the passion I have for those succint and succulent images.  My methods have 
chanced though.

Two years ago, I sold my 35 mm cameras and all the attachments I had 
treasured and used so much over the years.  Now, I just take out my GE1040 
digital camera and I approach my subject, point and shoot. It is always a 
big surprise when I finally get to see what I captured.  It is very strange 
to some people around me that I cannot see what I am shooting, but yet, 
later through technology, I can see the shots on my large screen computer 
moniter, using Zoom Text. How I love my Zoom Text! It is pure magic for me. 
It enables me to fully participate as a photographer in the visual world, 
just like I always did before sight loss.

I am writing about these things, this morning, to say that it  is another 
way to capture subject matter and images for poetry! There is no separation 
for me betwen fine art and poetry. My process is the same for creating both, 
though the instruments and methods are different.  It is the tools and the 
adaptations of tools that enable me to continue to do the things I have 
always loved to do - write poetry and make art.

When I begin to think about my subject and how I will create a poem from 
this image, I begin to remember my physical contct with it, too. It is only 
partly a visual image. My other senses are there as well. I use them all 
when I begin to create the photograph or the poem. It all begins with 
awareness of the moment - fully aware of it all.  It is a kind of awakening 
from a deep sleep - it happens slowly, in layers.

The question is now how to take a great photo or write a great poem from an 
image when you cannot see your image or subject:
Here is my own process:

First, become aware of the  physical aspects of your subject. It has a 
living presence. It is a tangible thing.
Pay attention to the smell of it. It breathes, moves, shifts, changes, 
lives, and dies.
This morning I listened to  the lone crow calling from the woods surrounding 
my home when I was outside with my camera.
I heard the rushing waters of the creek below the meadow behind my home. 
Mingled in with the water's flow, I heard the softer sounds of the wild 
geese who are down there as they are every spring. Then, a layer of sharp 
stacatto jabs from a bird, punctuating the top layer of the morning's 
landscape.

I touched   the dripping wet leaves as I moved through the trees along the 
path.  My feet were  cold and became wet  because the dew was heavy on the 
grass.  My clothing  started to  cling to my torso because  water spots 
dropped on me.

I breathed in the  early morning cool air and noticed that the day  seems 
subdued and hazy. But my body was throbbing with energy and excitement as I 
walked, parting the branches along the way. It all felt so good, so right.
My physical contact with my subjects and everything that surrounds me, and 
my subject, will come into my photograph.  I will be trying to capture the 
livingness of this day, through this one particular photograph. If I am very 
aware of it all, I will have a good photo today! If I am really dedicated to 
my pursuit of this image and this moment in time in my own life, I will even 
have a poem eventually.  Art and life are one.

Finally, inside the house in the solitude of my office where the clock ticks 
on the wall behind me, I begin the additional work   that will take the 
images from the morning's experiences. I will take them from the camera, 
blow them up through the computer photo program, and then begin to crop, 
select, and edit my photos.  For the poem that might come forth from this 
morning's work with the camera and the photo editing, I will begin to record 
some words about my subject.  I will write a blog about today's adventure in 
the early morning. I will post some photos on my Facebook Page for my 
friends around the world to enjoy.  I will even write a short message to my 
friends on the Writer's List this morning. And, I will probably begin the 
work of turning these images into a poem.

I will consider all aspects of it. My blossoms have center stage, they are 
stars, each of them,  on a plant  I had plunged  into the soil about 43 
years ago. It was a very small plant in a little plastic container at that 
time.  As the years have passed it has grown into the magnificent blooming 
waterfall-type of wall - bursting forth with magnificent  flowers that I saw 
this morning.  Life happens slowly, like the growth of this plant that 
reaches up into the second story of my very old house here on River Road. 
Life is in the smallest details of those years, in this place. If only I can 
capture just a small moment of it all today!

I send you my blessings today for finding joy and peace in your own place on 
this magnificent earth.

Lynda Lambert
104 River Road
Ellwood City, PA 16117

724 758 4979

My Blog:  http://www.walkingbyinnervision.blogspot.com
My Website:  http://lyndalambert.com

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jacqueline Williams" <jackieleepoet at cox.net>
To: "'Writer's Division Mailing List'" <stylist at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, May 14, 2012 6:50 PM
Subject: Re: [stylist] Decreasing number of messages

> Lynda,
> Since I am usually very late in giving feedback, it is possible that 
> rather
> than open e-mails with old subject lines, they were deleted.
> In the meantime, I down-loaded the pack necessary for me to read your
> attachments and I am going through them.
> I was so interested in your method of how you write your sestinas. . It
> really works for you. Since I did go back once to make comments on most
> everything I'd saved aside from those I could not read until I had the kit
> installed, I am now in catch-up mode for my last poetry class coming up.
> You are a wonderful poet with an inspiring attitude, and the sense to
> perceive the beauty that surrounds you, and to eliminate the negatives.
> Nice to hear about your trip and other activities.
> More later,
> Jackie
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
> Behalf Of Lynda Lambert
> Sent: Monday, May 14, 2012 11:16 AM
> To: Writer's Division Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [stylist] Decreasing number of messages
>
> Hi Jackie,
>
> Your notes to me are always enlightening and very welcome, as well as
> appreciated, Jackie. I treasure them and realize how much effort you put
> into a response.   It's good to be sharing our ideas in such deeply
> meaningful  and positive ways. I have a number of projects going right 
> now,
> and just returned from traveling so have not been on line much, on the 
> list.
>
>
> Lynda Lambert
> 104 River Road
> Ellwood City, PA 16117
>
> 724 758 4979
>
> My Blog:  http://www.walkingbyinnervision.blogspot.com
> My Website:  http://lyndalambert.com
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Jacqueline Williams" <jackieleepoet at cox.net>
> To: "'Writer's Division Mailing List'" <stylist at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Monday, May 14, 2012 1:29 PM
> Subject: [stylist] Decreasing number of messages
>
>
>> Robert,
>> I wrote recently to comment on what I thought were lost e-mails, and was
>> assured that it was not related to the work on the website. However from
>> just before that work, I had spent many hours sending feedback, comments,
>> a
>> new poetry form to Myra, etc. to regular members.
>> In my experience, it is not normal for all of those to completely
>> stonewall
>> someone. This is about the third time this has happened in my history on
>> the
>> list.
>> Just a few comments on that. I am frustrated when I spend a lot of time,
>> and
>> there is no response. I am saving a great deal of time now because all 
>> but
>
>> a
>> very few have dropped off.
>> However, the input from the wider group has provided an on-going 
>> education
>> which is invaluable.
>> So how do I know what the real problem really is. Perhaps everyone just
>> found the process too time-consuming?
>> Jacqueline Williams
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>> Behalf Of Robert Leslie Newman
>> Sent: Sunday, May 13, 2012 8:36 PM
>> To: 'Writer's Division Mailing List'
>> Subject: Re: [stylist] Slate & Style formats
>>
>> When Slate & style shows up on our website, it is one issue behind
>> Meaning,
>> spring is coming out and will be sent to people in a couple of weeks.
>> Then,
>> the winter issue will go up on our website, and will not show up on-line
>> until the Summer issue is sent out to members/subscribers.
>> (Members/subscribers get to see it first)
>> . Spring is
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>> Behalf Of Ashley Bramlett
>> Sent: Sunday, May 13, 2012 10:26 PM
>> To: Writer's Division Mailing List
>> Subject: Re: [stylist] Slate & Style formats
>>
>> Is slate and style also published online?
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Bridgit Pollpeter
>> Sent: Sunday, March 25, 2012 6:10 PM
>> To: stylist at nfbnet.org
>> Subject: [stylist] Slate & Style formats
>>
>> I initially was distributing S & S as an accessible PDF, but quite a few
>> people did not like this. I know this is different from offering various
>> formats on the website, but the PDF, though fully accessible, didn't seem
>> a
>> popular option.
>>
>> Sincerely,
>> Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter
>> Read my blog at:
>> http://blogs.livewellnebraska.com/author/bpollpeter/
>>
>> "History is not what happened; history is what was written down."
>> The Expected One- Kathleen McGowan
>>
>> Message: 20
>> Date: Sun, 25 Mar 2012 06:53:08 -0500
>> From: "Peter Donahue" <pdonahue2 at satx.rr.com>
>> To: "Writer's Division Mailing List" <stylist at nfbnet.org>
>> Subject: Re: [stylist] Slate & Style formats
>> Message-ID: <001101cd0a7d$d8e02390$9e010b43 at yourfsyly0jtwn>
>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
>>
>> Good morning everyone,
>>
>> When Slate and Style is placed on the Web site in addition to the online
>>
>> version it's offered in three downloadable file formats, ASCII, Rich 
>> Text,
>> and Microsoft Word. If Robert could send them to me I could also place
>> electronic Grade II Braille files on the site too. We can also generate
>> Adobe PDF versions for those who would like it that way. One or more of
>> the
>> downloadable versions currently available should work for you so give 
>> them
>> all a try.
>>
>> Peter Donahue Webmaster
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
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> _______________________________________________
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