Happy New Year all! I hope this new year, and new decade, will prove to be better, different and much more balanced than the last.
The "7 Steps to Relive you of your Thoughts" although tongue-in-cheek is probably how most people maintain ignorance.
I watched a documentary (shocked?) on how our culture can be the most intelligent with information at our finger tips. It appears they works very hard to achieve ignorance and appease their minds w/reality TV or shopping or mindless activities. Very few will allow themselves to show their intelligence for fear of making another appear person stupid. As if that were possible! The documentary, as it were, asked the question: “What does stupid mean?”
Many columnist are told to write to a 8th grade reading level or their audience is that of a 10 year old or some formula to appeal to the lowest common denominator; casting the widest net to have the largest reading (or in TV’s case view) audience. COMMON! As in COMMON sense?
I want what is rare, curious, intriguing... Did you know that the Phoenix Lights was the largest (according to the documentary, “The Phoenix Lights”) mass UFO sighting in history? These “experts” also estimated the craft was a mile wide and traveled down I17 from North to South and across controlled air space of the Phoenix airport. I did not hear much about those lights in the way of facts from the local media. WHAT IS MEDIA FOR? What are the newspapers for? Were they afraid of an 8th graders reaction to an Unidentified Flying Object? Approximately 10,000 people witnessed the craft, that hovered over the city the night of Hale Bop. Curious it would appear that night... Something to ponder, if you are inclined to thinking.
I have gone off on a tangent, as I do. Thanks for following along.
Back to the subject - anyone that knows me, knows I think. I think, use my mind, figure things out, observe and occasionally get caught up in a tangle when emotions come into play. I have also been ACCUSED of over analyzing. If that was ever possible! I make my OWN observations based on the available facts and then judge the situation. I admit, I do judge. Everyone one does, some of us own our judgments. Some act as if they are above judgement. How do you judge distances you non-judgmental people? Curious.
Since I’ve brought this topic up, re: thinking. I want to thank every one of you who have helped me untangle my emotions from my thoughts, stood by while I grew out of my marriage, my old job and my previous way of life. Even learned how to be the artist I know to be, not the one I thought I had to be. THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart for all your support, time spent listening, and words of encouragement. Here’s to a new point of view, a new way to look at the world in the new year! HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Friday, November 20, 2009
Rodeo Photography, World's Toughest
Rodeo photography Etiquette: Tips and Hints
No matter if you are a cowboy or someone who thinks horses are a lot like dogs, its easy to get caught up in the excitement of a rodeo. The back-breaking jerking that the cowboy goes through to stay on is hard to watch all the while hoping he does or doesn't get thrown. Will the bronc or bull win?
If you have the photography gene then watching isn't enough at a rodeo, you'll want to get in the thick of things, capture a moment, freeze the determined looks on the rider and the ridden's faces. Now, the question is "how"?
1.) Get as close as you can without blocking someone else's view. Even though I was in the media section, once at a rodeo, I was told by a spectator "I paid good money for these seats and want to see the whole thing." Got it! I moved. He was right. I have no more importance than anyone else, just because I have a camera and even media credentials didn't mean I should block his enjoyment. Common courtesy goes a long way.
2.) The lighting is not ideal in an arena. So, if you can have an on-board flash, use it. You just never know how close those bulls and broncs will get to the rail. Jack that ISO up as high as you can. A shit-ton of noise is better than blurry images. I made the fatal mistake of thinking my ISO was good at 400, since it looked fine on my LCD. I have no idea what I was thinking either. It was not my first rodeo. I shot the entire thing on manual, no sweat, however, having a low ISO meant every single freaking image was blurry. I will NEVER make that mistake again. NEVER TRUST YOUR LCD!
Low ISO photo: Yellow rider
3.) NEVER TRUSTS YORU LCD! Know your settings before you go into the arena. If you do refer to your LCD, check your histogram. It will gradually peak in the middle. No sharp peaks, which could mean you blew the whites out.
Out of the chute
4.) Never walk up to a horse and flash without first asking permission, which leads to another point, if you do not have experience around horses, just because they are large animals does not give you permission to "pet" them. Some people prefer you do not touch their horses, while others simply do not mind. Back to the flash! You never know which horse is spooky about flashes. Horses have binocular vision, which means they can't see directly in front. When you stroke a horse on the nose, they lose sight of your hand. Now that's trust, if you ask me. Horse-sight fans out from either side of their heads. They are prey animals, and are always on the look out for predators, which are US. Horses have been ridden by humans for thousands of years, yes, AND they are still always on the look out for danger on some level. Even those horses who are "bomb proof" still have a cellular memory of threats. Err on the side of caution and use your flash with care when shooting around unfamiliar horses.
Back end
5.) Always, always, smile at the person and animal you are about to photograph. You are TAKING a photograph of that person, you can at least offer a smile in exchange for their small amount of time. Besides, I think smiling helps your artwork and some times your subject will smile back!
Spencer, Riata Ranch Cowboy Girl
There are tons more tips I can share, and this is a good amount to start out with for now. Good luck and always remember, photograph what flirts with you!
No matter if you are a cowboy or someone who thinks horses are a lot like dogs, its easy to get caught up in the excitement of a rodeo. The back-breaking jerking that the cowboy goes through to stay on is hard to watch all the while hoping he does or doesn't get thrown. Will the bronc or bull win?
If you have the photography gene then watching isn't enough at a rodeo, you'll want to get in the thick of things, capture a moment, freeze the determined looks on the rider and the ridden's faces. Now, the question is "how"?
1.) Get as close as you can without blocking someone else's view. Even though I was in the media section, once at a rodeo, I was told by a spectator "I paid good money for these seats and want to see the whole thing." Got it! I moved. He was right. I have no more importance than anyone else, just because I have a camera and even media credentials didn't mean I should block his enjoyment. Common courtesy goes a long way.
2.) The lighting is not ideal in an arena. So, if you can have an on-board flash, use it. You just never know how close those bulls and broncs will get to the rail. Jack that ISO up as high as you can. A shit-ton of noise is better than blurry images. I made the fatal mistake of thinking my ISO was good at 400, since it looked fine on my LCD. I have no idea what I was thinking either. It was not my first rodeo. I shot the entire thing on manual, no sweat, however, having a low ISO meant every single freaking image was blurry. I will NEVER make that mistake again. NEVER TRUST YOUR LCD!
Low ISO photo: Yellow rider
3.) NEVER TRUSTS YORU LCD! Know your settings before you go into the arena. If you do refer to your LCD, check your histogram. It will gradually peak in the middle. No sharp peaks, which could mean you blew the whites out.
Out of the chute
4.) Never walk up to a horse and flash without first asking permission, which leads to another point, if you do not have experience around horses, just because they are large animals does not give you permission to "pet" them. Some people prefer you do not touch their horses, while others simply do not mind. Back to the flash! You never know which horse is spooky about flashes. Horses have binocular vision, which means they can't see directly in front. When you stroke a horse on the nose, they lose sight of your hand. Now that's trust, if you ask me. Horse-sight fans out from either side of their heads. They are prey animals, and are always on the look out for predators, which are US. Horses have been ridden by humans for thousands of years, yes, AND they are still always on the look out for danger on some level. Even those horses who are "bomb proof" still have a cellular memory of threats. Err on the side of caution and use your flash with care when shooting around unfamiliar horses.
Back end
5.) Always, always, smile at the person and animal you are about to photograph. You are TAKING a photograph of that person, you can at least offer a smile in exchange for their small amount of time. Besides, I think smiling helps your artwork and some times your subject will smile back!
Spencer, Riata Ranch Cowboy Girl
There are tons more tips I can share, and this is a good amount to start out with for now. Good luck and always remember, photograph what flirts with you!
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Lady Gaga's Bad Boyfriend
I just watched Lady Gaga music video ...
Seriously stimulating, filled with edgy images combined with clever and thought provoking lyrics. God, if she has a small fraction to do w/anything she is preforming she's very creative. I'm truly impressed w/this video. I didn't want to take my eyes off of it for a second thinking I'd miss some crucial part. I haven't seen a video that wasn't redundant in a long time.
Well done Lady Gaga and all those who get you out in the limelight!
Seriously stimulating, filled with edgy images combined with clever and thought provoking lyrics. God, if she has a small fraction to do w/anything she is preforming she's very creative. I'm truly impressed w/this video. I didn't want to take my eyes off of it for a second thinking I'd miss some crucial part. I haven't seen a video that wasn't redundant in a long time.
Well done Lady Gaga and all those who get you out in the limelight!
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Light Lover Shadow Lover
When I was going through my divorce I was told I should get to know myself. Spend time alone, get comfortable being alone. I felt I’d been alone for years. Was I a stranger to myself because I was married? I thought I knew what my friends meant, but when I tried to put this into practice I didn’t know which self I should get to know or even where to begin.
I thought about all those times I’d set my wants aside for my mate’s wants or what I perceived as his needs. When I wanted to work on some personal project but I made dinner instead, what part of me was I ignoring? My independence? My creativity? When I chose to pay bills, do laundry, clean the house all in some timely manner so our home was comfortable, what part of me was not being acknowledged. When I shut my mind and emotions off and acquiesced to middle-of-the-night-married-sex... That wasn’t hard to understand, my passionate self, my lover, was being suppressed. How did this effect me now? What were the consequences of this behavior?
So, now that I have had some distance from the divorce process, the grieving and freaking out, I’ve come to understand some parts of me. A book that helped was written by Robert Moore and Douglas Gillette, “King, Warrior, Magician, Lover: Rediscovering the Archetypes of Mature Masculine.” In a series of over lapping events I got involved in a women’s group that was loosely based on these archetypes, which we, of course, feminized.
An archetype is, according to Wikipedia,
“... original model of a person, ideal example, or a prototype after which others are copied, patterned, or emulated; a symbol universally recognized by all. In psychology, an archetype is a model of a person, personality, or behavior.”
So, with this in mind I began my decent into my patterns and modeled behaviors. I wanted insight into why I did what I did, to live more authentically. I also wanted to see those parts of myself I so easily dismissed and replaced by what I thought were valid and just behaviors in order to be a participant in my marriage. Where do I begin to unravel the tangle of behaviors and patterns that all directed me to this place in my life? What do I keep and what has served me well, because after all, I am still vertical and that accounts for some measure of success.
In the beginning I dated, well still am, often. Why this deep need to date, to be near a man? I don’t feel needy. I don’t feel lost. I do, however, feel the need to connect sexually. Is this my greatly suppressed Lover archetype struggling to surface? Of course it is. How can I dive head first into my other passion, photography, without acknowledging, in part, my Lover archetype. There is also a theory, by Robert Bly and some other wise people like Carl Jung, that we have light and shadow parts of each archetype.
Wikipedia goes on...
“Archetypes are likewise supposed to have been present in folklore and literature for thousands of years, including prehistoric artwork. The use of archetypes to illuminate personality and literature was advanced by Carl Jung early in the 20th century, who suggested the existence of universal countless forms that channel experiences and emotions, resulting in recognizable and typical patterns of behavior with certain probable outcomes. Archetypes are cited as important to both ancient mythology and modern narratives, as argued by Joseph Campbell in works such as The Hero With a Thousand Faces.”
So, if I am operating unconsciously from my shadow Lover archetype what does that mean? What does it mean to bring forth more light Lover behaviors? How do I manifest these aspects of myself?
A brief definition of the Lover by Mickenze Van Herpen:
The Lover is driven by the need for relationship and connection.
Her goal is to speak truth in a loving way.
Her light Lover is flowing feminine, unconditional love, going with the flow.
The shadow Lover is manipulative, controlling, and both the victim and the martyr.
When I read this, and still read it now, I am struck by how true this rings for me. I was a martyr for years in my relationship. I was the victim, not by saying how badly I was treated, but by implying that I was not cared for properly, that I was taken for granted. Although true for me, the way I communicated this information was from a victim and martyr perspective, certainly not a sense of awareness or power.
Most recently I’ve begun to shoot clones of myself, or multiplicities. I am interacting with myself. This has brought these archetypes to full life. I see myself in my light Lover in my cranberry colored pajama top comforting myself. I did this all on intuition, however, I did not recognize it until days later when the art was completed.
When I dressed in my corset and stockings to show my shoes off (or so I thought) I saw another version of me. I thought what I was doing was edgy and exciting, maybe even sexy, however, I didn’t see the shadow version of this behavior until later. These clothes are things I do not wear in public, but keep them hidden and stored away for my lover and I to enjoy. This is a positive expression of a shadow Lover aspect. If I had shame about this, felt I was somehow “bad” because I own or like these clothes, then it would be considered negative shadow Lover behavior and something I would want to bring clarity to. I feel grateful I’m now comfortable in my Lover aspect, light and shadow, and that I’ve seen it from another point of view artistically.
I’m still exploring and getting to know “me” and all the parts that make up "me" however I’m enjoying this now that I have some idea how to do it. I’m not afraid of what I might find. I also can see why I stayed in a passionless marriage for so long, why I stuck my Lover in my shadow bag to be ignored for years and how it has effected me emotionally and artistically. I was afraid, unwilling to become a woman, still wanting to be cared for in some adolescent way. I was afraid of what I might find in my shadow bag, and how I might be judged. When I came to the understanding that I am my own judge, my highest authority, and can comfort myself it made looking in that bag a lot less scary.
I thought about all those times I’d set my wants aside for my mate’s wants or what I perceived as his needs. When I wanted to work on some personal project but I made dinner instead, what part of me was I ignoring? My independence? My creativity? When I chose to pay bills, do laundry, clean the house all in some timely manner so our home was comfortable, what part of me was not being acknowledged. When I shut my mind and emotions off and acquiesced to middle-of-the-night-married-sex... That wasn’t hard to understand, my passionate self, my lover, was being suppressed. How did this effect me now? What were the consequences of this behavior?
So, now that I have had some distance from the divorce process, the grieving and freaking out, I’ve come to understand some parts of me. A book that helped was written by Robert Moore and Douglas Gillette, “King, Warrior, Magician, Lover: Rediscovering the Archetypes of Mature Masculine.” In a series of over lapping events I got involved in a women’s group that was loosely based on these archetypes, which we, of course, feminized.
An archetype is, according to Wikipedia,
“... original model of a person, ideal example, or a prototype after which others are copied, patterned, or emulated; a symbol universally recognized by all. In psychology, an archetype is a model of a person, personality, or behavior.”
So, with this in mind I began my decent into my patterns and modeled behaviors. I wanted insight into why I did what I did, to live more authentically. I also wanted to see those parts of myself I so easily dismissed and replaced by what I thought were valid and just behaviors in order to be a participant in my marriage. Where do I begin to unravel the tangle of behaviors and patterns that all directed me to this place in my life? What do I keep and what has served me well, because after all, I am still vertical and that accounts for some measure of success.
In the beginning I dated, well still am, often. Why this deep need to date, to be near a man? I don’t feel needy. I don’t feel lost. I do, however, feel the need to connect sexually. Is this my greatly suppressed Lover archetype struggling to surface? Of course it is. How can I dive head first into my other passion, photography, without acknowledging, in part, my Lover archetype. There is also a theory, by Robert Bly and some other wise people like Carl Jung, that we have light and shadow parts of each archetype.
Wikipedia goes on...
“Archetypes are likewise supposed to have been present in folklore and literature for thousands of years, including prehistoric artwork. The use of archetypes to illuminate personality and literature was advanced by Carl Jung early in the 20th century, who suggested the existence of universal countless forms that channel experiences and emotions, resulting in recognizable and typical patterns of behavior with certain probable outcomes. Archetypes are cited as important to both ancient mythology and modern narratives, as argued by Joseph Campbell in works such as The Hero With a Thousand Faces.”
So, if I am operating unconsciously from my shadow Lover archetype what does that mean? What does it mean to bring forth more light Lover behaviors? How do I manifest these aspects of myself?
A brief definition of the Lover by Mickenze Van Herpen:
The Lover is driven by the need for relationship and connection.
Her goal is to speak truth in a loving way.
Her light Lover is flowing feminine, unconditional love, going with the flow.
The shadow Lover is manipulative, controlling, and both the victim and the martyr.
When I read this, and still read it now, I am struck by how true this rings for me. I was a martyr for years in my relationship. I was the victim, not by saying how badly I was treated, but by implying that I was not cared for properly, that I was taken for granted. Although true for me, the way I communicated this information was from a victim and martyr perspective, certainly not a sense of awareness or power.
Most recently I’ve begun to shoot clones of myself, or multiplicities. I am interacting with myself. This has brought these archetypes to full life. I see myself in my light Lover in my cranberry colored pajama top comforting myself. I did this all on intuition, however, I did not recognize it until days later when the art was completed.
When I dressed in my corset and stockings to show my shoes off (or so I thought) I saw another version of me. I thought what I was doing was edgy and exciting, maybe even sexy, however, I didn’t see the shadow version of this behavior until later. These clothes are things I do not wear in public, but keep them hidden and stored away for my lover and I to enjoy. This is a positive expression of a shadow Lover aspect. If I had shame about this, felt I was somehow “bad” because I own or like these clothes, then it would be considered negative shadow Lover behavior and something I would want to bring clarity to. I feel grateful I’m now comfortable in my Lover aspect, light and shadow, and that I’ve seen it from another point of view artistically.
I’m still exploring and getting to know “me” and all the parts that make up "me" however I’m enjoying this now that I have some idea how to do it. I’m not afraid of what I might find. I also can see why I stayed in a passionless marriage for so long, why I stuck my Lover in my shadow bag to be ignored for years and how it has effected me emotionally and artistically. I was afraid, unwilling to become a woman, still wanting to be cared for in some adolescent way. I was afraid of what I might find in my shadow bag, and how I might be judged. When I came to the understanding that I am my own judge, my highest authority, and can comfort myself it made looking in that bag a lot less scary.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Clay Heals Horse On the Razor
We are a complex society. We love this game, this idea of layers of intricate systems. Our education system is built on layers of knowledge and (we hope) a deep understanding of that knowledge, which is built on our predecessors knowledge.
There are other things at work that we do not understand and does not equate to complexity and cannot be understood with education. Our ideas of things being understood with a detailed and many faceted body of knowledge is projected onto our bodies and how they function. It is not just our bodies, but our idea of healing as well. We think it is so complex we need an interpreter, a doctor, to tell us what our bodies are doing, what healing looks like. What we fail to understand is that healing can be simple.
We have forgotten the principle of Occam's Razor which is that "entities should not be multiplied unnecessarily" when ever possible. So, when it comes to physical healing this principle can be applied to avoid the tangle of our current medical mentality.
With that said, I was asked to take photos of a colt who was not quite a year. This young horse got hung up in barbed wire and was left to "heal" on his own. A week went by and the infection set in when the Luv Shack heard about him. (Simple healing does not mean neglect.) The Luv Shack encouraged the "keepers" to allow him to be relocated and placed him at Los Cedros Stables. This little horse was just beginning his lucky streak.
His name is Captain, for now. He had two gaping wounds on his underside and between his front legs on his chest. The wound was very deep and gruesome.
He is a friendly little guy, was only a little skittish when I saw him in his first week, and stood quietly while having his dressing changed. Standing quiet for a yearling is virtually impossible.
[1 week injury untreated]
[Depth of Untreated Injury]
Lisa Schram and Kim Versage are changing his dressings twice a day. Through the horse channel (you all know this channel, similar to the grape vine and faster than a can and a string) Walter became known who does French clay treatments. He offered to help Captain.
[Wound Preparation]
I went to photograph Captain and the process of his wound cleaning and dressing Saturday (7/19/09), which was about 3 weeks since the initial injury.
[Approximately 1 week of treatment]
After having photographed the clay process, and met Walter, I went to his site. I have been reading and looking at the photos of the wounds he's treated with this simple process of clay poultice all morning. I'm moved by horses emotionally anyway, however, this had a much larger impact on me. Not just the amazing resilient ability of horses to heal, but the willingness of the keepers to try something so simple, so unusual to our western medical treatments, had me in tears. My faith in human compassion was restored.
[French Clay application]
And the results of the healing, the natural healing aided by humans, is astonishing.
See the stories here:
frenchclayforall.com
There are other things at work that we do not understand and does not equate to complexity and cannot be understood with education. Our ideas of things being understood with a detailed and many faceted body of knowledge is projected onto our bodies and how they function. It is not just our bodies, but our idea of healing as well. We think it is so complex we need an interpreter, a doctor, to tell us what our bodies are doing, what healing looks like. What we fail to understand is that healing can be simple.
We have forgotten the principle of Occam's Razor which is that "entities should not be multiplied unnecessarily" when ever possible. So, when it comes to physical healing this principle can be applied to avoid the tangle of our current medical mentality.
With that said, I was asked to take photos of a colt who was not quite a year. This young horse got hung up in barbed wire and was left to "heal" on his own. A week went by and the infection set in when the Luv Shack heard about him. (Simple healing does not mean neglect.) The Luv Shack encouraged the "keepers" to allow him to be relocated and placed him at Los Cedros Stables. This little horse was just beginning his lucky streak.
His name is Captain, for now. He had two gaping wounds on his underside and between his front legs on his chest. The wound was very deep and gruesome.
He is a friendly little guy, was only a little skittish when I saw him in his first week, and stood quietly while having his dressing changed. Standing quiet for a yearling is virtually impossible.
[1 week injury untreated]
[Depth of Untreated Injury]
Lisa Schram and Kim Versage are changing his dressings twice a day. Through the horse channel (you all know this channel, similar to the grape vine and faster than a can and a string) Walter became known who does French clay treatments. He offered to help Captain.
[Wound Preparation]
I went to photograph Captain and the process of his wound cleaning and dressing Saturday (7/19/09), which was about 3 weeks since the initial injury.
[Approximately 1 week of treatment]
After having photographed the clay process, and met Walter, I went to his site. I have been reading and looking at the photos of the wounds he's treated with this simple process of clay poultice all morning. I'm moved by horses emotionally anyway, however, this had a much larger impact on me. Not just the amazing resilient ability of horses to heal, but the willingness of the keepers to try something so simple, so unusual to our western medical treatments, had me in tears. My faith in human compassion was restored.
[French Clay application]
And the results of the healing, the natural healing aided by humans, is astonishing.
See the stories here:
frenchclayforall.com
Monday, June 22, 2009
Change When Things Change
Hi,
I'm working hard at not working hard at change. Argh! Yup, that would be true.
Much of what I see in my life is valid data, however, my judgment on it is difficult to deal with.
I had a man from the ManKind Project steal a lens from me. Granted it was a piece of crap Sigma, it was still mine. I did not give it to him, and was perfectly clear he could use it, just to try it out. Anyone w/a camera knows their lens collection is valuable and sacred. I offered as a sign of good faith and trust.
After I loaned the lens and micro drive, I figured some things out about him. He had his children taken from him under the suspicion of child abuse. I didn't want to have anything to do with him and therefore told him. I also asked for my lens and memory drive back. He became abusive, (which I saved on my phone) texting me and calling saying things like "I guess you're not going to give me what I need" and laughing at the idea that I showed trust by loaning him my gear.
He did not return my equipment, and text me that he left it at my house and "don't ever contact me again."
I'm glad I got off with only that much loss. His boys did not get off so easily.
I did ask in the MKP community about him, and since he was a council member and no one had anything bad to say, I let my guard down. What I later discovered was no one had first hand knowledge of him either and he left the council and community without any notice at all.
I take responsibility for it, and consider it a lesson learned with very little damage. It is a wise Universe, I just don't always understand her language.
I'm working hard at not working hard at change. Argh! Yup, that would be true.
Much of what I see in my life is valid data, however, my judgment on it is difficult to deal with.
I had a man from the ManKind Project steal a lens from me. Granted it was a piece of crap Sigma, it was still mine. I did not give it to him, and was perfectly clear he could use it, just to try it out. Anyone w/a camera knows their lens collection is valuable and sacred. I offered as a sign of good faith and trust.
After I loaned the lens and micro drive, I figured some things out about him. He had his children taken from him under the suspicion of child abuse. I didn't want to have anything to do with him and therefore told him. I also asked for my lens and memory drive back. He became abusive, (which I saved on my phone) texting me and calling saying things like "I guess you're not going to give me what I need" and laughing at the idea that I showed trust by loaning him my gear.
He did not return my equipment, and text me that he left it at my house and "don't ever contact me again."
I'm glad I got off with only that much loss. His boys did not get off so easily.
I did ask in the MKP community about him, and since he was a council member and no one had anything bad to say, I let my guard down. What I later discovered was no one had first hand knowledge of him either and he left the council and community without any notice at all.
I take responsibility for it, and consider it a lesson learned with very little damage. It is a wise Universe, I just don't always understand her language.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Setting the Wedding Stage
Tips for Choosing a Wedding Photographer
It has been my experience that it’s best to work with people you like. With that said, talent and attraction come into play, but not just yet.
Here is an example; when ran a kitchen remodel for my home I interviewed three drywall companies. The pricing with one was low, one was middle and the other higher. The highest guy was late. The low guy talked fast, and rushed me while asking questions, and took phone calls while with me. The middle guy, I had to wait for an appointment, however, he was on time, low-key, relaxed and easy going. I know from doing remodels in the past it can be a stressful situation. My kitchen will be torn up for months. I’ll have to wash dishes in the slope sink and deal with men in my house every day. Under the best circumstances it is stress on my life, so choosing people I don’t mind seeing every day or feel relaxed around is truly helpful.
I chose the middle guy for all those reasons. He turned out to be funny and I actually looked forward to his work days. He was punctual, dedicated to my job and not on the phone every five minutes. Not only that, but what I came to understand was, when I walked into the new kitchen it was already filled with laughter and pleasant feelings. I’d set the stage for my new kitchen, so when I walked into that room I felt good, relaxed. This could have gone far differently had I been waiting for my contractor every time, or been put off, or they didn’t show up on time. This is a glaringly obvious choice, however, people often times over look the easier answer when price shopping.
You will spend hours with your photographer, he/she will ask a myriad of questions, come to understand your family like no other professional at your wedding with exception for the coordinator and will see you on your big day. They will, however, not tear up your kitchen and you won’t have to wash dishes in the slope sink.
Tip 1.)
Which photography are you attracted to? Which art speaks louder to you? Which are you most impressed by?
Tip 2.)
Which photographer took time with you? Which one did you feel most relaxed around? Which one would you like to work with?
Tip 3.)
Which photographer do you feel important and valued by? This is critical. If you don’t feel that your photographer is interested or locked on then they probably won’t be on your big day. How well did he/she listen to you? Did they take notes? Did they ask questions that will help them understand your wants?
So, what kind of stage do you want to set for your marriage? This is the biggest celebration of your life and the launch of your new life partner. Why not start off with people who support you and enjoy being around you?
It has been my experience that it’s best to work with people you like. With that said, talent and attraction come into play, but not just yet.
Here is an example; when ran a kitchen remodel for my home I interviewed three drywall companies. The pricing with one was low, one was middle and the other higher. The highest guy was late. The low guy talked fast, and rushed me while asking questions, and took phone calls while with me. The middle guy, I had to wait for an appointment, however, he was on time, low-key, relaxed and easy going. I know from doing remodels in the past it can be a stressful situation. My kitchen will be torn up for months. I’ll have to wash dishes in the slope sink and deal with men in my house every day. Under the best circumstances it is stress on my life, so choosing people I don’t mind seeing every day or feel relaxed around is truly helpful.
I chose the middle guy for all those reasons. He turned out to be funny and I actually looked forward to his work days. He was punctual, dedicated to my job and not on the phone every five minutes. Not only that, but what I came to understand was, when I walked into the new kitchen it was already filled with laughter and pleasant feelings. I’d set the stage for my new kitchen, so when I walked into that room I felt good, relaxed. This could have gone far differently had I been waiting for my contractor every time, or been put off, or they didn’t show up on time. This is a glaringly obvious choice, however, people often times over look the easier answer when price shopping.
You will spend hours with your photographer, he/she will ask a myriad of questions, come to understand your family like no other professional at your wedding with exception for the coordinator and will see you on your big day. They will, however, not tear up your kitchen and you won’t have to wash dishes in the slope sink.
Tip 1.)
Which photography are you attracted to? Which art speaks louder to you? Which are you most impressed by?
Tip 2.)
Which photographer took time with you? Which one did you feel most relaxed around? Which one would you like to work with?
Tip 3.)
Which photographer do you feel important and valued by? This is critical. If you don’t feel that your photographer is interested or locked on then they probably won’t be on your big day. How well did he/she listen to you? Did they take notes? Did they ask questions that will help them understand your wants?
So, what kind of stage do you want to set for your marriage? This is the biggest celebration of your life and the launch of your new life partner. Why not start off with people who support you and enjoy being around you?
Saturday, June 13, 2009
An Insecure Photographer
Many things have been happening. More and more people are sharing my art with others. Fan-freaking-tastic! My latest images from my studio were posted on TamiGramont.com and received very distinct support from other photographers.
Have you ever caught a glimpse of yourself in the mirror and thought, 'I don't look half bad there.' Well, what if you could catch those moments and think, 'I look pretty good there.' ? Or better yet, enjoyed your image without hubris? Just enjoyed it.
How to Choose a Photographer
I understand it is truly important that the person sitting feels comfortable, relaxed, and we have the luxury of time. The person sitting often times judges themselves much harder than the photographer. I don't judge what I see, I see shapes, lighting, colors, emotions and watch for hidden things to be revealed. I wait for the magic.
I can find beauty in all people and things, I'm not just lucky that way, I practice every day. So sitting for me is being admired and enjoyed. I see authentic aspects to the person they might not see. I open the door for a sexy woman to step forward from a "girl next door" personality that turned out to be one of my most edgy portraits. She saw a different side of herself.
We all have stories about or insecurities and resistances. We also all have inner beauty, power and energy. I wait for the person to let go of their "stories" and just be.
Here's a secret. I can see those things all the time, I just watch for the emotion to flush the skin and then "click". I hope I've revealed what I understood.
Have you ever caught a glimpse of yourself in the mirror and thought, 'I don't look half bad there.' Well, what if you could catch those moments and think, 'I look pretty good there.' ? Or better yet, enjoyed your image without hubris? Just enjoyed it.
How to Choose a Photographer
I understand it is truly important that the person sitting feels comfortable, relaxed, and we have the luxury of time. The person sitting often times judges themselves much harder than the photographer. I don't judge what I see, I see shapes, lighting, colors, emotions and watch for hidden things to be revealed. I wait for the magic.
I can find beauty in all people and things, I'm not just lucky that way, I practice every day. So sitting for me is being admired and enjoyed. I see authentic aspects to the person they might not see. I open the door for a sexy woman to step forward from a "girl next door" personality that turned out to be one of my most edgy portraits. She saw a different side of herself.
We all have stories about or insecurities and resistances. We also all have inner beauty, power and energy. I wait for the person to let go of their "stories" and just be.
Here's a secret. I can see those things all the time, I just watch for the emotion to flush the skin and then "click". I hope I've revealed what I understood.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Zen Photography Practice
I see the world in a hyper focused way, not just with my eyes, or with my mind, but emotionally and physically. I let the image permeate me until I am seamless with what I am looking at... Most days.
When I'm engaged in my world, tuned in, locked on and paying attention, I attach myself, for a brief second, to all that I see. I gather tons of information about a shadow, or a shape or a color. I see a shadow and go into it. Examine it from all angles. If I painted that shadow what colors would I use? Where does the scene begin and end? What actually makes up the shadow? Why do I like what I'm seeing? How is it important to me? What flirts with me? What story is it telling me? What do I feel? What are my impressions? What do I smell?
(Its my belief there are others like this, although I've not proven this true, but to a small extent.)
All this, most of the time, happens in a split second. I see things constantly that could be a photo or I could save for later contemplation or enjoyment. That's really the most of it for me, something I see as interesting, something that flirts with, that captures my attention like a soft wind might. Most of us dismiss this wind, we have become numb to it until it gets strong, forceful and annoying. I pay attention to the slightest breeze.
I think there are two extreme examples of how to deal with this attraction of mine to everything: I could stand still and enjoy the breeze or wind letting it touch my skin or embrace me with its might, both the gentle touch or the determination of force are elements to encounter, for the simple sake of the encounter, the experience. The other example would be to strive against my nature pretend the breeze does not exist or plow through the pain-in-the-ass wind cursing it along the way. Both ignoring my deeper desire, my authentic self. Ignoring one's nature is like ignoring the wind. We all know its there, but how we deal with it, address it, and allow it to move through us, past us is our grace, our zen practice of life, which is art.
So, some days I choose not be lock-on, and other days it sneaks up on me. I forget this is my behavior, my nature until I see it happen within my relationships. I suppose we're all capable of this behavior, to be too sensitive, or too intense... Something. My most inner climate is intense, full of rich colors, amazing shapes and contrast, juxtapositions and paradoxical ideas. Only when my guard is down do I see this manifest in my relationships... Maybe that too is becoming more authentic, which is my personal goal in life.
That is my goal in photography. To bring about my understanding of that most authentic and sincere moment, or characteristic in a person. That deep authenticity can be so fleeting that it is only a ripple under the skin, a passing emotion on the face. If I lose my vigilance I miss that moment. The thing is, I don't try to be vigilant. I try NOT to be. Vigilance is my nature.
I was doing what I do, watching my environment, when I saved this moment. She was turning her head and lowered her gaze, dropped her eyes just so, my heart caught. My finger reacted first, but my heart did catch and I didn't have to look at my camera screen to see what I had. I knew what I saw.
When I'm engaged in my world, tuned in, locked on and paying attention, I attach myself, for a brief second, to all that I see. I gather tons of information about a shadow, or a shape or a color. I see a shadow and go into it. Examine it from all angles. If I painted that shadow what colors would I use? Where does the scene begin and end? What actually makes up the shadow? Why do I like what I'm seeing? How is it important to me? What flirts with me? What story is it telling me? What do I feel? What are my impressions? What do I smell?
(Its my belief there are others like this, although I've not proven this true, but to a small extent.)
All this, most of the time, happens in a split second. I see things constantly that could be a photo or I could save for later contemplation or enjoyment. That's really the most of it for me, something I see as interesting, something that flirts with, that captures my attention like a soft wind might. Most of us dismiss this wind, we have become numb to it until it gets strong, forceful and annoying. I pay attention to the slightest breeze.
I think there are two extreme examples of how to deal with this attraction of mine to everything: I could stand still and enjoy the breeze or wind letting it touch my skin or embrace me with its might, both the gentle touch or the determination of force are elements to encounter, for the simple sake of the encounter, the experience. The other example would be to strive against my nature pretend the breeze does not exist or plow through the pain-in-the-ass wind cursing it along the way. Both ignoring my deeper desire, my authentic self. Ignoring one's nature is like ignoring the wind. We all know its there, but how we deal with it, address it, and allow it to move through us, past us is our grace, our zen practice of life, which is art.
So, some days I choose not be lock-on, and other days it sneaks up on me. I forget this is my behavior, my nature until I see it happen within my relationships. I suppose we're all capable of this behavior, to be too sensitive, or too intense... Something. My most inner climate is intense, full of rich colors, amazing shapes and contrast, juxtapositions and paradoxical ideas. Only when my guard is down do I see this manifest in my relationships... Maybe that too is becoming more authentic, which is my personal goal in life.
That is my goal in photography. To bring about my understanding of that most authentic and sincere moment, or characteristic in a person. That deep authenticity can be so fleeting that it is only a ripple under the skin, a passing emotion on the face. If I lose my vigilance I miss that moment. The thing is, I don't try to be vigilant. I try NOT to be. Vigilance is my nature.
I was doing what I do, watching my environment, when I saved this moment. She was turning her head and lowered her gaze, dropped her eyes just so, my heart caught. My finger reacted first, but my heart did catch and I didn't have to look at my camera screen to see what I had. I knew what I saw.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Finding Beauty
I realized that I can find something beautiful on anyone. The curve of a hip, the angle of a wrist, the nape of a neck, the defined muscle. However, that does not include the stereotypical pose or portrait.
I couldn't get enough of the people at the gym today. There were so many, at a time I don't usually go, that I'd never seen before it was hard to stop looking. There was a woman with short spiky overly blond hair that I would have loved to photograph, only because she walked in with her well defined arms exposed in contrast to her high heals, her curvy body in a slim fitted skirt and more confidence then women half her age. It was all so alluring I wanted a chance to capture some of it, freeze it so she could see what I see.
There are always beautiful men there too. The shoulders and legs, all that is exposed, all that is "man" is hard not to look at too. I wondered how I could ask anyone of them, "Hi, if you ever need photographs please call me. I'd love a chance..." Then, I thought, this is a safe place, a place where we are not our professions, or who we are out "there" but how dedicated we are, how hard we work, how focused we are. I won't violate that.
Not me. I am a photographer all the time. It is how I see the world. It is not a job. It my life. It never shuts off, or loses interest for me. I can always see art around me. So, do I get a reprieve for asking someone to do what others think is my job in this place?
They are all just so freaking amazing... Damn it.
I couldn't get enough of the people at the gym today. There were so many, at a time I don't usually go, that I'd never seen before it was hard to stop looking. There was a woman with short spiky overly blond hair that I would have loved to photograph, only because she walked in with her well defined arms exposed in contrast to her high heals, her curvy body in a slim fitted skirt and more confidence then women half her age. It was all so alluring I wanted a chance to capture some of it, freeze it so she could see what I see.
There are always beautiful men there too. The shoulders and legs, all that is exposed, all that is "man" is hard not to look at too. I wondered how I could ask anyone of them, "Hi, if you ever need photographs please call me. I'd love a chance..." Then, I thought, this is a safe place, a place where we are not our professions, or who we are out "there" but how dedicated we are, how hard we work, how focused we are. I won't violate that.
Not me. I am a photographer all the time. It is how I see the world. It is not a job. It my life. It never shuts off, or loses interest for me. I can always see art around me. So, do I get a reprieve for asking someone to do what others think is my job in this place?
They are all just so freaking amazing... Damn it.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
You are the smartest you know. How do I know this? If you are reading this you have kept yourself fed, clothed and sheltered for your entire life. You. No matter what your judgment is of your circumstances, you are doing it.
"Ask yourself the secret of YOUR success. Listen to your answer, and practice it." ~ Richard Bach
Judgment is not fact. Fact - you are alive. Fact - you have all you NEED right now. Fact - you are breathing. Fact - you can read. Fact - you are interested in others. Fact - you are open minded.
Things can get confusing with training dogs, horses, people. I know, many don't like the idea of "training" others and without judgment we "teach" each other how to treat us, and that can easily be replaced with "training". We weight train, on the job train, train for athletics and train for competitions. Why is it thought that "training" each other how to treat us is negative? So, suspend your judgment and think about this, by re-acting to those situations we do not like we support them and reinforce the training. Who's training who?
In horse training (or horsemanship) if a every time a horse paws while tied and its person runs to it (thinking the horse is nervous) that person strokes it, speaks soothingly and tries to comfort the horse, that horse will know the routine. Paw and get attention. The horse's message is clear, "Hey you! Come here!"Who trained who?
When your husband/wife is freaking out because they are late do you go to his/her rescue? How do you feel afterward? Is the next thought, "Why does he/she make me ____?" or "I hate it that he/she creates such drama around ____."
Next time, I invite you to ignore the behavior. Choose something different. It doesn't have to be perfect, just different. The originator of the chaos taught you how to respond to that drama and you created a role to play. Now, you respond as if on cue. Change the role, create one of steadfast calm. Or just something different, without judging the out come. Stay in the moment, maintain calm and do the simplest thing... nothing.
We teach our selves how to respond as well. What do you think when you pay a bill? To you pay it and then have fear that sending money is lessening your assets and soon you'll be poor. So is that the role you've taught yourself? What other fears have you taught yourself to respond to internally? Better put your seat belt on so we don't have an accident. Be careful so you don't get hurt. Don't go, do, behave in any way that you might get hurt or... Trained thought patterns. Over and over these thoughts generate fear.
How about this? "I am grateful I can pay this bill. I can keep myself safe by using my seat belt." By changing these thoughts we change thought processes, mental pathways. A friend of mine who did her thesis on group dynamics and behaviors told me, 'A habit is like water running down a mountain. After awhile there is a deep rut, or even a cavern, that can take practice to divert that same waterway.'
Can we retrain ourselves? That is the real question. I began this blog with the statement, 'you are the smartest person you know'. Why? Because YOU kept yourself alive. No one else. Your only job was to keep your body at 98.7 and alive. Today, you have accomplished both of those tasks. If you have a fever today, I'm sorry, AND 1 our of 2 isn't bad.
For today, question your thoughts. Suspend judgment and see the facts first. Save your "story" for another day. Today, just see things as they are, not as you judge them. You will be better able to respond instead of reacting.
*Blog thoughts inspired by "What Shamu Taught Me About Life, Love, and Marriage", by Amy Sutherland
Tami Gramont
Orginally posted NewHorsePhotography
"Ask yourself the secret of YOUR success. Listen to your answer, and practice it." ~ Richard Bach
Judgment is not fact. Fact - you are alive. Fact - you have all you NEED right now. Fact - you are breathing. Fact - you can read. Fact - you are interested in others. Fact - you are open minded.
Things can get confusing with training dogs, horses, people. I know, many don't like the idea of "training" others and without judgment we "teach" each other how to treat us, and that can easily be replaced with "training". We weight train, on the job train, train for athletics and train for competitions. Why is it thought that "training" each other how to treat us is negative? So, suspend your judgment and think about this, by re-acting to those situations we do not like we support them and reinforce the training. Who's training who?
In horse training (or horsemanship) if a every time a horse paws while tied and its person runs to it (thinking the horse is nervous) that person strokes it, speaks soothingly and tries to comfort the horse, that horse will know the routine. Paw and get attention. The horse's message is clear, "Hey you! Come here!"Who trained who?
When your husband/wife is freaking out because they are late do you go to his/her rescue? How do you feel afterward? Is the next thought, "Why does he/she make me ____?" or "I hate it that he/she creates such drama around ____."
Next time, I invite you to ignore the behavior. Choose something different. It doesn't have to be perfect, just different. The originator of the chaos taught you how to respond to that drama and you created a role to play. Now, you respond as if on cue. Change the role, create one of steadfast calm. Or just something different, without judging the out come. Stay in the moment, maintain calm and do the simplest thing... nothing.
We teach our selves how to respond as well. What do you think when you pay a bill? To you pay it and then have fear that sending money is lessening your assets and soon you'll be poor. So is that the role you've taught yourself? What other fears have you taught yourself to respond to internally? Better put your seat belt on so we don't have an accident. Be careful so you don't get hurt. Don't go, do, behave in any way that you might get hurt or... Trained thought patterns. Over and over these thoughts generate fear.
How about this? "I am grateful I can pay this bill. I can keep myself safe by using my seat belt." By changing these thoughts we change thought processes, mental pathways. A friend of mine who did her thesis on group dynamics and behaviors told me, 'A habit is like water running down a mountain. After awhile there is a deep rut, or even a cavern, that can take practice to divert that same waterway.'
Can we retrain ourselves? That is the real question. I began this blog with the statement, 'you are the smartest person you know'. Why? Because YOU kept yourself alive. No one else. Your only job was to keep your body at 98.7 and alive. Today, you have accomplished both of those tasks. If you have a fever today, I'm sorry, AND 1 our of 2 isn't bad.
For today, question your thoughts. Suspend judgment and see the facts first. Save your "story" for another day. Today, just see things as they are, not as you judge them. You will be better able to respond instead of reacting.
*Blog thoughts inspired by "What Shamu Taught Me About Life, Love, and Marriage", by Amy Sutherland
Tami Gramont
Orginally posted NewHorsePhotography
Monday, June 1, 2009
About Hind End Photograph
Hi, Good Monday Morning!
My studio should be up and running by the end of this week. I've begun doing a variety of photography and am entering into the world of weddings! I'm terribly excited.
I went to a Wedding Event Networking meeting Thursday at the Firesky Resort in Scottsdale. It was very cool. The talent in one room, I came to find out, was amazing. I ran home, after getting through the traffic on the 101 at 9:00 PM, to discover some of the premier wedding photographers of Phoenix were there.
People like, Archie, from Cosey Photography.com and Sararh Hagerty from Hagerty Photography.com and Katrina from Sedona Bride and even, Holley Schumacher from Holley Schumacher Photography .
All amazingly gifted and talented wedding photographers AND seemingly nice people.
I've met the most amazing photographers and people who are all connected to the wedding industry in some way.
I'm now working with Ken Gray Helicopter Aerial Photography and Photo Decor and More on new projects. He called me out of the blue the last Monday. I thought, 'Wow the Universe works quickly!'
Just posted an edgy image that is getting a lot of attention at Tami Gramont Photography .
Keep checking back for my new outlook and newest photography.
My studio should be up and running by the end of this week. I've begun doing a variety of photography and am entering into the world of weddings! I'm terribly excited.
I went to a Wedding Event Networking meeting Thursday at the Firesky Resort in Scottsdale. It was very cool. The talent in one room, I came to find out, was amazing. I ran home, after getting through the traffic on the 101 at 9:00 PM, to discover some of the premier wedding photographers of Phoenix were there.
People like, Archie, from Cosey Photography.com and Sararh Hagerty from Hagerty Photography.com and Katrina from Sedona Bride and even, Holley Schumacher from Holley Schumacher Photography .
All amazingly gifted and talented wedding photographers AND seemingly nice people.
I've met the most amazing photographers and people who are all connected to the wedding industry in some way.
I'm now working with Ken Gray Helicopter Aerial Photography and Photo Decor and More on new projects. He called me out of the blue the last Monday. I thought, 'Wow the Universe works quickly!'
Just posted an edgy image that is getting a lot of attention at Tami Gramont Photography .
Keep checking back for my new outlook and newest photography.
Friday, May 29, 2009
I Might As Well Admit It...
I might as well admit this now and deal with it, I fall in love every day; with people, places, colors, shapes, food, animals... It's why I am a photographer. I can devote my undivided attention to any one subject, like a person infatuated. I can drink in the shapes, colors, and even smells some times of my subject all without having the responsibility of a relationship.
I can truly admire a horse in all its splendor, strength and mystery, without getting up at 5 AM every day for years to care for it.
I see the colors of the desert at sunset, and breathe it in, soak it up, let my heart fill up to that horizon line. The purples, pinks and all those colors in between. I can see and enjoy all without cleaning one paint brush.
I can enjoy the incredible cuteness of a baby, its smiles and giggles and how he or she sees something new for the first time, and not change one diaper.
I can stare as long as I want at the deeper beauty of a woman, enjoying the curve of her check, the color of her skin at the base of her neck or the way she casts her eyes unknowingly that is so alluring. All without being seen as rude, or having any other implications projected on my gaze.
I can enjoy bodies, smiles and movements of humans in this world all without anyone ever questioning how I feel. I now know, this is a form of love too. Giving all my focus, my undivided attention to the person in my view finder is giving of a part of myself I know no other way of sharing.
And some days I get to fall in love with candy! Oh, the smells of the Candy Factory shoot will stay with me for a long time. Spicy cinnamon, deep licorice, sweet apple, and Christmas peppermint. Who do you know can say they fell in love with candy?
I can truly admire a horse in all its splendor, strength and mystery, without getting up at 5 AM every day for years to care for it.
I see the colors of the desert at sunset, and breathe it in, soak it up, let my heart fill up to that horizon line. The purples, pinks and all those colors in between. I can see and enjoy all without cleaning one paint brush.
I can enjoy the incredible cuteness of a baby, its smiles and giggles and how he or she sees something new for the first time, and not change one diaper.
I can stare as long as I want at the deeper beauty of a woman, enjoying the curve of her check, the color of her skin at the base of her neck or the way she casts her eyes unknowingly that is so alluring. All without being seen as rude, or having any other implications projected on my gaze.
I can enjoy bodies, smiles and movements of humans in this world all without anyone ever questioning how I feel. I now know, this is a form of love too. Giving all my focus, my undivided attention to the person in my view finder is giving of a part of myself I know no other way of sharing.
And some days I get to fall in love with candy! Oh, the smells of the Candy Factory shoot will stay with me for a long time. Spicy cinnamon, deep licorice, sweet apple, and Christmas peppermint. Who do you know can say they fell in love with candy?
Monday, May 25, 2009
Clearing up and Cleaning House
Hi,
I want to clear a few things up about what I'm doing on-line.
First off I'll explain what I've been doing; as many have shared their confusion with me about my advertisements over the last few months.
I've been investigating and implementing on-line marketing techniques for mlm's (multi-level marketing) http://tamigramont.com/, KnewWay.com and network marketing programs http://www.tgramont.lifepathunlimited.com/.
At first I bought into the company's profile and began believing it was my path. Though the company's "Discovery Tools" http://www.tgramont.lifepathunlimited.com/ are fantastic and helped me get focused, it is not my path to focus all my attention in that area. This 56 day process helped me change my life one more level. Part of this change has been me honoring and understanding what I love, and what is most important to me.
After many months, expense (education can be costly) and confusion, I realized MLM's are not my passion. Not that MLM's and this type of marketing is worthless, not at all. It is that my passion, as many of my close friends will attest to, is around photography. This education is of great value with marketing my photography and I have met some amazing people who I now call friends.
I have been so focused on horses, which is my first love and the door that opened me up to a love of photography, that I was blind to other avenues. My love of horses was what I thought I needed to build my business around. I just couldn't change my mind in that area. After facing my fears, softening my resistance to photographing people, I realized THAT is what I love. Really, how could I have been so stubborn? My Portrait Portfolio .
All this time, the one thing that I have been consistent with was photography; I continued to practice Photoshop techniques I was learning. Someone asked me what I do to entertain myself... What do I fill in the gaps with? I work on photography. I heard myself say it and realized I could have traveled anywhere in the world in the last 2 years, and I worked on photography. I also was healing...
So, I am using all my marketing technique and strategies to offer my services as a photographer... Fully. I have been doing portraits New Horse Photo and am learning wedding photography. I'm always studying and am beginning another leg of this journey.
I am teaching what I know about photography. I have a video up New Horse Photography Training, #1 .
I believe everyone has an aptitude for photography if they have a love for it. We all see the world differently. Having a love for something doesn't equal making a living at it, however, it can add depth and meaning to your life that money can not create. How do you cultivate your unique eye? What parts to amplify and validate?
Thank you all who have been so patient with me during my learning curve. I've been in the hallway for over two years, not knowing what direction. I couldn't settle in to the idea that I was learning my craft. I am still learning and now I feel I actually have something to offer. No matter what the out come photography is what makes me most ultimately happy and I hope to help others feel a little of that too.
I want to clear a few things up about what I'm doing on-line.
First off I'll explain what I've been doing; as many have shared their confusion with me about my advertisements over the last few months.
I've been investigating and implementing on-line marketing techniques for mlm's (multi-level marketing) http://tamigramont.com/, KnewWay.com and network marketing programs http://www.tgramont.lifepathunlimited.com/.
At first I bought into the company's profile and began believing it was my path. Though the company's "Discovery Tools" http://www.tgramont.lifepathunlimited.com/ are fantastic and helped me get focused, it is not my path to focus all my attention in that area. This 56 day process helped me change my life one more level. Part of this change has been me honoring and understanding what I love, and what is most important to me.
After many months, expense (education can be costly) and confusion, I realized MLM's are not my passion. Not that MLM's and this type of marketing is worthless, not at all. It is that my passion, as many of my close friends will attest to, is around photography. This education is of great value with marketing my photography and I have met some amazing people who I now call friends.
I have been so focused on horses, which is my first love and the door that opened me up to a love of photography, that I was blind to other avenues. My love of horses was what I thought I needed to build my business around. I just couldn't change my mind in that area. After facing my fears, softening my resistance to photographing people, I realized THAT is what I love. Really, how could I have been so stubborn? My Portrait Portfolio .
All this time, the one thing that I have been consistent with was photography; I continued to practice Photoshop techniques I was learning. Someone asked me what I do to entertain myself... What do I fill in the gaps with? I work on photography. I heard myself say it and realized I could have traveled anywhere in the world in the last 2 years, and I worked on photography. I also was healing...
So, I am using all my marketing technique and strategies to offer my services as a photographer... Fully. I have been doing portraits New Horse Photo and am learning wedding photography. I'm always studying and am beginning another leg of this journey.
I am teaching what I know about photography. I have a video up New Horse Photography Training, #1 .
I believe everyone has an aptitude for photography if they have a love for it. We all see the world differently. Having a love for something doesn't equal making a living at it, however, it can add depth and meaning to your life that money can not create. How do you cultivate your unique eye? What parts to amplify and validate?
Thank you all who have been so patient with me during my learning curve. I've been in the hallway for over two years, not knowing what direction. I couldn't settle in to the idea that I was learning my craft. I am still learning and now I feel I actually have something to offer. No matter what the out come photography is what makes me most ultimately happy and I hope to help others feel a little of that too.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Change when Things Change
Hi,
I'm working hard at not working hard at change. Argh! Yup, that would be true.
Much of what I see in my life is valid data, however, my judgment on it is difficult to deal with.
I had a man from the ManKind Project steal a lens from me. Granted it was a piece of crap Sigma, it was still mine. I did not give it to him, and was perfectly clear he could use it, just to try it out. Anyone w/a camera knows their lens collection is valuable and sacred. I offered as a sign of good faith and trust.
After I loaned the lens and micro drive, I figured some things out about him. He had his children taken from him under the suspicion of child abuse. I didn't want to have anything to do with him and therefore told him. I also asked for my lens and memory drive back. He became abusive, (which I saved on my phone) texting me and calling saying things like "I guess you're not going to give me what I need" and laughing at the idea that I showed trust by loaning him my gear.
He did not return my equipment, and text me that he left it at my house and "don't ever contact me again."
I'm glad I got off with only that much loss. His boys did not get off so easily.
I did ask in the MKP community about him, and since he was a council member and no one had anything bad to say, I let my guard down. What I later discovered was no one had first hand knowledge of him either and he left the council and community without any notice at all.
I take responsibility for it, and consider it a lesson learned with very little damage. It is a wise Universe, I just don't always understand her language.
I'm working hard at not working hard at change. Argh! Yup, that would be true.
Much of what I see in my life is valid data, however, my judgment on it is difficult to deal with.
I had a man from the ManKind Project steal a lens from me. Granted it was a piece of crap Sigma, it was still mine. I did not give it to him, and was perfectly clear he could use it, just to try it out. Anyone w/a camera knows their lens collection is valuable and sacred. I offered as a sign of good faith and trust.
After I loaned the lens and micro drive, I figured some things out about him. He had his children taken from him under the suspicion of child abuse. I didn't want to have anything to do with him and therefore told him. I also asked for my lens and memory drive back. He became abusive, (which I saved on my phone) texting me and calling saying things like "I guess you're not going to give me what I need" and laughing at the idea that I showed trust by loaning him my gear.
He did not return my equipment, and text me that he left it at my house and "don't ever contact me again."
I'm glad I got off with only that much loss. His boys did not get off so easily.
I did ask in the MKP community about him, and since he was a council member and no one had anything bad to say, I let my guard down. What I later discovered was no one had first hand knowledge of him either and he left the council and community without any notice at all.
I take responsibility for it, and consider it a lesson learned with very little damage. It is a wise Universe, I just don't always understand her language.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Validate Manny Ramirez!
Here is a funny and inspiring video. WEll, it inspired me to make my first video.
Here is his link: Manny's Weight Loss
Manny is really funny and totally worth watching!
My inspired video for supporting Manny:
My Validation video
Validate Manny!
Here is his link: Manny's Weight Loss
Manny is really funny and totally worth watching!
My inspired video for supporting Manny:
My Validation video
Validate Manny!
Monday, April 27, 2009
3 Best Useful Twitter Tools
Hi all!
These are the 3 best sites for twitter users.
(Btw, Twitter is really a fantastical [like that word?] texting process only globally. It's easy to stay connected, re-connect, and new connect. CNN, NBC, NHL, freaking everyone tweets now, so it's easy to get news tweets, local updates, feedback on last nights hockey game, well, you get the idea. DO NOT BE AFRAID OF IT! ;)
You can even get twittervision to watch tweets world wide. It's a trip.
First off, if you like to tweet at all... you have to have
TweetDeck
Why? It helps you monitor all those people you said you wanted to follow. They are as interesting as you thought, so why not keep up?
If you want more followers, which you can't follow w/out being followed once you reach 2,000 btw, then
TwitterFriendAdder
You can add based on other people's lists, a keyword, topic or site.
This squidoo page by airabongco is extensive and jam packed full of every twitter link there is... trust me, I've checked. I haven't found another site more inclusive.
AirABongCo Twitter Squidoo links.
These are the 3 best sites for twitter users.
(Btw, Twitter is really a fantastical [like that word?] texting process only globally. It's easy to stay connected, re-connect, and new connect. CNN, NBC, NHL, freaking everyone tweets now, so it's easy to get news tweets, local updates, feedback on last nights hockey game, well, you get the idea. DO NOT BE AFRAID OF IT! ;)
You can even get twittervision to watch tweets world wide. It's a trip.
First off, if you like to tweet at all... you have to have
Why? It helps you monitor all those people you said you wanted to follow. They are as interesting as you thought, so why not keep up?
If you want more followers, which you can't follow w/out being followed once you reach 2,000 btw, then
You can add based on other people's lists, a keyword, topic or site.
This squidoo page by airabongco is extensive and jam packed full of every twitter link there is... trust me, I've checked. I haven't found another site more inclusive.
Secrets to Freedom
"The Secret lies in the present -
if you pay attention to the present,
you will be able to improve it.
And if you improve the present,
whatever happens afterwards will be better too.
Each day brings us Eternity." ~ Paulo Coelho author of THE ALCHEMIST
Tami
if you pay attention to the present,
you will be able to improve it.
And if you improve the present,
whatever happens afterwards will be better too.
Each day brings us Eternity." ~ Paulo Coelho author of THE ALCHEMIST
Tami
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Priority Check
Never make someone a priority when all you are to them is an option.
This saying is making the rounds. I don't know who said it first.
This saying is making the rounds. I don't know who said it first.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Carrot, Egg or Coffee Bean?
A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up, she was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose..
Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil; without saying a word.
In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl.
Turning to her daughter, she asked, ' Tell me what you see.'
'Carrots, eggs, and coffee,' she replied.
Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft.
The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it.. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg.
Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma.
The daughter then asked, 'What does it mean, mother?'
Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity: boiling water. Each reacted differently.
The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak.
The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened.
The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.
'Which are you?' she asked her daughter. 'When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?'
Think of this: Which am I?
*Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength?
*Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart?
*Or am I like the coffee bean? T
he bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain.. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you.
When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest do you elevate yourself to another level?
How do you handle adversity?
Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?
Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil; without saying a word.
In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl.
Turning to her daughter, she asked, ' Tell me what you see.'
'Carrots, eggs, and coffee,' she replied.
Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft.
The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it.. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg.
Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma.
The daughter then asked, 'What does it mean, mother?'
Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity: boiling water. Each reacted differently.
The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak.
The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened.
The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.
'Which are you?' she asked her daughter. 'When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?'
Think of this: Which am I?
*Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength?
*Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart?
*Or am I like the coffee bean? T
he bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain.. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you.
When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest do you elevate yourself to another level?
How do you handle adversity?
Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
ALL THINGS TAMi
I will update this... right now I'm working on my new twitter background and some other projects.
Many things could be applied to "life".
****************
BE THE PACK LEADER!
For a well balanced, happy dog--no matter what breed it is, follow these tips:
Leaders go first. Make your dog wait at every door and gate (including the car) until you allow the dog to go through it. Make sure YOU go out the door first. Use the word "wait" and then a release word.
Leaders eat first. You and your family eats first,then you feed the dog.BUT not at the table.
Leaders control food. If the dog gets to eat anytime he likes, he's the leader-he is Tha Alpha. No self feeding.
Leaders get the best spots.Do not let the dog on your funiture.Including your bed. He can come only if you invite him.Once or twice a week is plenty,until he knows his place.
Leader has the highest place to sit or lay down.When you have a problems with your dog do not let him be higher then you are.Do not sit on the floor and your dog is lounging on your sofa.Wrong! Let him be on the floor next to your leg and you sit on the sofa.
Leader can go where ever he wants and the dog must get out of his way.There should not be ANY resistance on his part. He should move away quickly, if not just run right into him.
Leaders get to see tummies and genitals. Submisive gesture for dog is to expose his stomach and genitals to Alpha dog . You can use a tummy rub for that purporse.
Leaders stand tall. When playing make sure you put your hand (paw) or head on your dogs back or put your chin on his head,do not let him do same to you.If your dog is misbehaving ...stand up...... be tall..do not bend over..
Leader can stare.If you look at your dog do not avert your eyes first - wait till he does.Check on this ,you will be amazed how many times you look at your dog and how quickly you avert your eyes not even thinking about it.
Leader can take the toys and keep them.
Leader does not play TUG of Wars.
Leader does not chase members of his pack. Do not chase your dog,rather let him run after you.
Leader is fair and benevolent,not cruel.
Leader = Alpha inspires security,confidence and happiness in souls of his pack members.
Many things could be applied to "life".
****************
BE THE PACK LEADER!
For a well balanced, happy dog--no matter what breed it is, follow these tips:
Leaders go first. Make your dog wait at every door and gate (including the car) until you allow the dog to go through it. Make sure YOU go out the door first. Use the word "wait" and then a release word.
Leaders eat first. You and your family eats first,then you feed the dog.BUT not at the table.
Leaders control food. If the dog gets to eat anytime he likes, he's the leader-he is Tha Alpha. No self feeding.
Leaders get the best spots.Do not let the dog on your funiture.Including your bed. He can come only if you invite him.Once or twice a week is plenty,until he knows his place.
Leader has the highest place to sit or lay down.When you have a problems with your dog do not let him be higher then you are.Do not sit on the floor and your dog is lounging on your sofa.Wrong! Let him be on the floor next to your leg and you sit on the sofa.
Leader can go where ever he wants and the dog must get out of his way.There should not be ANY resistance on his part. He should move away quickly, if not just run right into him.
Leaders get to see tummies and genitals. Submisive gesture for dog is to expose his stomach and genitals to Alpha dog . You can use a tummy rub for that purporse.
Leaders stand tall. When playing make sure you put your hand (paw) or head on your dogs back or put your chin on his head,do not let him do same to you.If your dog is misbehaving ...stand up...... be tall..do not bend over..
Leader can stare.If you look at your dog do not avert your eyes first - wait till he does.Check on this ,you will be amazed how many times you look at your dog and how quickly you avert your eyes not even thinking about it.
Leader can take the toys and keep them.
Leader does not play TUG of Wars.
Leader does not chase members of his pack. Do not chase your dog,rather let him run after you.
Leader is fair and benevolent,not cruel.
Leader = Alpha inspires security,confidence and happiness in souls of his pack members.
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