Making It Up

as we go along

photography

Light in photography and painting.

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We’re going for the pictures speak a hundred words here. I love playing with a camera and light.

Exhibit A: Dewdrops. Best taken from the floor, you may end up with wet feet/ knees.

dew drops

Exhibit B: sunset. This a blurred version with silhouettes – I think I was playing with a review camera for this one.

sunset silhouette

Exhibit C: Yes, another Kentwell sunset. This may be my all time favourite sunset shot, taken with my trusty Canon Powershot.

Exhibit D: sunlight (probably earlyish morning looking at the direction) on waves. Yum.

Exhibit E: something a little different, from when I was working quite hard on my painting. I probably should get back to that.

To finish, exhibit F: daisy with added light.

daisy with sunlight

I regularly aim my camera/ phone at the sun despite all advice to the contrary (a little more of that rebellion there!) I think the results are worth it.

(If you like my photography/ art work, feel free to check me out on redbubble And if there’s something you like that I don’t have listed there, let me know and I’ll list it.)

Big details, small picture.

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One of the screener questions used in the pre autism diagnosis questionnaire is whether you’re a big picture or a small details person.

I have no idea how to answer that question.

As I’m sure I’ve written before (although I can’t put my cursor on where or when to link) when I was a systems programmer I held the entire system in my mind. To do that though, I had to take it apart to see how it fitted together. So I had to go down to details to follow the connections to know the system. Does that make me a small details or a big picture person? Or could it be that big pictures are made up of small details and the question is nonsensical and the fact that someone is asking it at all in a diagnostic sense just goes to show how little we all understand each others’ ways of thinking?

I know that not all autistic people are systems programmers. But I wonder if actually connections and relationships, between things, concepts, people, details and their systems that is the thing we all do?

(There’s probably research and articles on this. I haven’t looked. )

I can get lost in the details of a flower. A dewdrop. A spider’s web. Even a dust mote in light. I can sink into its beauty, its essence, the way it holds all the world in itself.

And is still just a dust mote.

‘To see the world in a grain of sand. ‘

That too.

Colour my grey day

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Right now I’m really enjoying photography, and particularly sharing it on Instagram, where there are some wonderful communities you can join in with by tagging your pictures. I thought I’d share a few of my favourites here.

#colourmygreyday is for those days when you need a pop of colour. This evening’s picture, taken during this morning’s cool down was perfect.

The tag was started by Marisa, who shares gems like this hydrangea

I also shared into #outdoorsandhappy a really supportive community who recently featured my autumn leaves. This one is also great for outdoor adventures with small children, and is run by Joy

and Becky who recently featured my autumn leaves

#smallmomentsofcalm is run by Rachael Lucas and her instagram is just filled with perfect illustrations of it.

For example:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BY0GnBpA7Wr/

Another lovely family of tags come from heitermagazine, and work around the heiter idea, so #beheiter #heitermoments and so on.

Look here

That had to make you heave a happy sigh, right?

Oh, and then there’s the creative tags. I started #acreativepractice and I use that to focus on fitting in regular creativity. Eg

I also like #ourcreativeselves from Shalagh – a lovely collection of her work here.

I find instagram to be a really supportive community, and love the friendships I’ve made there. Do you have any tag communities you love, or accounts you’d recommend?

What's your X Moment?

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Parenting, or indeed life, is full of blink and you’ll miss it moments. Once upon a time, that was what happened, if you weren’t there, you weren’t looking, you lost your chance. Then came cameras, Polaroids, digital cameras, and now most of us have that powerful camera in our pocket in the form of our phone and we can record that second for posterity, share it with family and friends.

Not all phone cameras are created equal though, they don’t all leap into life quickly, or take that perfect snap in the moment of a fast moving child, the first step, the dewdrop on a rose, a rainbow, the gold of a sunrise

kentwell sunrise

or a passing butterfly.

butterfly

To support the launch of their new Xperia X smartphone, Sony are asking the British public to share some of their most precious, fleeting moments; the moments that help define who you are and the life you lead, or as Sony is calling them, ‘X Moments’.

For Sony, an X Moment is a “split second in time that means something to you that’s here and then gone. It could be a baby’s first steps, achieving a personal goal, a sporting achievement, your dog’s whimsical expression, or just a random flash of happiness and hilarity. It’s a moment that you’d love to capture perfectly that’s all too missable if you, or your phone isn’t up to the job”.

Maybe it’s your child’s first day. First smile. The moment they met their siblings. I’ve had a lot of them – one recent moment that stands out was Tigerboy’s first go on roller skates. He was so pleased with himself – I’m pleased I have a picture.

first day on skates

What’s your X moment? Feel free to share – and check out the other posts on the topic at the linky.

Disclosure: I am a member of the Mumsnet Bloggers Panel, a group of parent bloggers who have volunteered to review products, services, events and brands for Mumsnet. I have editorial control and retain full editorial integrity.

How does your garden grow?

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Colourfully. I planted irises last year to grow myself a new header. They bloomed partly when we were away, so I didn’t get the pictures I wanted. This year the single blue one has flowered in the rain.

It’s beautiful. But not quite what I want looking for in a header. Hm.

I could use an Honesty picture or two?

Or maybe a little roadside refugee?

(Herb Robert I’m told. I’m learning lots about flowers via photography.)

They cut these daisies down shortly after I took these photographs. I’m glad I have pictures.

So tell me, do any of these pictures inspire you, design wise?