Photography

August Break, Day 3

/ Sherry Galey / 3 Comments
windowgrandcentral

August break, Day 3, Windows

This month I’m joining Susannah Conway and many others around the world in the August Break project.

I hope to post a photo a day, inspired either by the daily prompt or by something around me.

Today’s is not a new image. I shot it back last October. But I’ve been working on reprocessing older images with newer techniques lately, so this is new in a way…

The prompt today is “Window” and I thought I’d offer the massive grandeur of the 75-foot Beaux Art windows in Grand Central Terminal in New York. This gorgeous building celebrated its centenary in 2013, as you can probably guess by the “100”.

I also wanted to share the work of an artist who is new to me and who has grabbed my attention this month.

It’s not often I find a photographer’s whose whole body of work makes me sit up and take notice. Today I’d like to introduce you to the work of Helen Boyd, who lives in the beautiful English Lakes District.

I stand in awe of photographers who can convey a distinct mood with their photography, along with a sense of place and story. Helen’s shadowy minimal landscape shots certainly do that for me. She is a master of the subtle gesture. The way she captures wisps of colour enchants me, as does her lovely black and white work.  She blogs at Helen’s Journal and is on Facebook too. I’ll be looking forward to seeing more from Helen.

 

August break, Day 2

/ Sherry Galey / 5 Comments
patterns2

Day 2, Pattern

This month I’m joining Susannah Conway and many others around the world in the August Break project.

In addition to posting a photo a day, I’ll be sharing a link to the site/blog/portfolio/flickr stream of another photographer whose work I greatly admire and who is inspiring me on my photographic journey. (They may or may not be doing the project too.)

And I’ll be on the lookout for artists who are new to me but grab my attention this month.

Today, I’m excited about discovering Shawna Lemay who blogs at Calm Things. I ran across Shawna’s blog by chance following the links in another blog, as often happens. But when I touched down at Calm Things, I immediately felt both serenity and excitement, for there was poetry there, along with beautiful photography.

And everything resonated with me. Quotes and poetry from my favourite authors, monks and mystics…some I was familiar with, some I wasn’t. And quiet, homely and haunting pictures…What a treasure trove. Sheer bliss.

Shawna is a published poet who loves to make images. She’s a Canadian. Meet Shawna here.

A few questions…

/ Sherry Galey / 3 Comments

A Few Questions

by Rick Hanson
In this life, what do you really care about?
Looking back, what has mattered to you? Looking ahead, what do you want to keep on the front burner?
Consider this well-known suggestion: imagine resting comfortably in your last few days and reflecting on your life; what do you want to be glad that you felt and did, that you made a priority?
Some Big Things…
Love in its many forms, from compassion and small acts of kindness to passionate romance and profound cherishing. The people who matter to you.
Tasting – with all your senses – whatever is delicious in this moment: a ripe banana, birdsong, the curve of a highway railing, the lips of a lover, being alive. . .
Practice. Helping yourself routinely to deepen in awareness and to pull weeds and plant flowers in the garden of your mind.
…skillful action toward wholesome ends, engaged as practice, imbued with a sense of union with whatever is sacred to you. This includes taking care of details that matter, and appreciating the power of little things to add up over time for better or worse.
Letting go. Exhaling, relaxing, changing your mind, moving on, disengaging from upsets (while also standing up for things that matter).
The thing(s) you keep putting off – perhaps speaking your mind to someone, writing that book, returning to the piano, making time to exercise, or seeing the Grand Canyon.
Being, making time for hanging out with no agenda. Rather than doing, the addiction of modern life. Doing crowds out being like cancer cells crowd out healthy ones.
Remembering to remember the big things. And to act upon them. Before it’s too late.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Summer Lovin’

/ Sherry Galey / 9 Comments

 

Chardonnays from all over the world...

Chardonnays from all over the world…

One of the highlights of summer so far was attending the International Cool Climate Chardonnay Celebration (i4c) in Niagara.

Spending a weekend eating and drinking right in the vineyards of the region was the perfect way to love and appreciate summer!

This is what I FaceBooked right afterwards: “What a wonderful wine-soaked weekend in the Niagara region at the Cool Climate Chardonnay event! Can’t thank the organizers, winemakers, wineries, volunteers and all those involved enough for all their effort.
A new Chardonnay monster has been created.”

For those whose only experience of chardonnay is that cloying, overly oaky stuff, chardonnay made in cool climates is a revelation! I think I sampled chardonnays from most countries represented and my mind and palate were opened.

At the dinner for 800 under a massive tent on Saturday night we sat with the winemakers, who proudly poured their wines for us and shared fascinating details about how they were made.

Not only did I become a fan of cool climate chardonnay, but I also discovered how well oysters and champagne go together.

The celebration takes place every year. You can’t beat it as a fabulous summer experience for wine lovers.

See more pics here.

Thanks to the International Cool Climate Chardonnay Celebration for featuring this blog post!

Weekly Photo Challenge: Contrasts

/ Sherry Galey / 7 Comments

Because you don’t notice the light without a bit of shadow. Everything has both dark and light. You have to play with it till you get it exactly right.

Libba Bray

night shadows1200abstract build

Here’s an interesting quote to mull over. See whether or not you agree…

 

“I’d rather my images be strong because they’re strong in lines, light, moments, not because people are just seduced by the colours.”

David Duchemin

Sharing with WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge

 

Things I’m loving…Monday edition

/ Sherry Galey / 7 Comments

avocado smoothie

Avocados, always avocados.

I added a half an avocado to a smoothie this morning, along with coconut milk, greek yogurt, raspberries, vanilla, a bit of maple syrup and some ground chia and flax seeds.

15 minute creamy avocado pasta

Crunchy avocado salad

I am always so inspired to read the weekly post of Toad Hollow Photography in which the Toad shares a comprehensive list of photography related links that he hand selects. He is an awesome curator of tutorials, special features, great photography and interesting blogs, all intended to share the best the internet has to offer. Definitely my weekly dose of photographic awesomeness. And I’m not only mentioning this because he links to my butterfly post this week! Thank you, Toad, for your continued devotion to your fellow photographers.

For example, in this week’s collection, one of the reasons I’ve always wanted to go to Iceland, Waterfall of the Gods.

And finally some new favorite words…

Bellibone: a woman excelling both in beauty and goodness.

Snudge: to lie idle, close or snug

Coquinate: to behave as a cook.

So, my dear bellibones, I’m planning to find time this week to enjoy some coquination and snudging, and I hope you do too.

 

 

 

 

 

Magnetized…

/ Sherry Galey / 3 Comments

One of the many things I’ve been enjoying doing lately is making photo books. I’m up to three now — two are for gifts and one is for us. I’ve received the first one and am very pleased with the way it turned out.

But photo books can take a while to put together.

For the times when you want a quick and easy project, I like to make magnets. A few pics, a few seconds and they’re done.

I just made one for each of the grandkids, using some images taken this year. I also have one from last year on the fridge that I will add these to.

I love having reminders of those sweet little faces and great times together every time I go get a glass of water or something to munch on…

Magnet
View the entire collection of cards.

Til the last frame of my life…

/ Sherry Galey / 23 Comments

The butterfly is a flying flower,
The flower a tethered butterfly.

Ponce Denis Ecouchard Le Brun

 

Julia butterfly

Julia butterfly

monarch butterfly

Monarch butterfly

rice paper butterfly

Rice paper butterfly

 

I want to fly like a Butterfly around this beautiful world, till the last frame of my life and the last click of my heart.

Biju Karakkonam, Nature and Wildlife Photographer