Atlantic Beach, North Carolina
Connections
Keeping the connections strong..side by side or face to face...spending the time to connect with each other..
Taking the time to do so in ... whatever form
A priority.
S.hughes
Be a bridge
Perhaps the saying should go - "Be a Bridge" ... not "Build a Bridge".
I struggle to separate my emotions from my reactions...just as most people would.
However, I'm learning that if I want to move forward and still 'maintain' - I need to bridge the gap of communication...
Me...I need to accept that responsibility.
It may not always work.
It definitely will not always be easy.
And it most assuredly will not always be accepted...
That being said, I can only assume responsibility for my own actions.
What are some of the things that will widen the gap if we are not self aware?
- Ego
- Pride
- Jealousy
- Insecurity
- Fear
Just to name a few...
So instead of contributing to the gap in relationships...be the bridge.
What "floats" your boat?
The progression of my professional (and personal) life hasn't been anything I could have foreseen when I was in my 20's, my 30's or even my 40's...
And now that I'm in the 2nd half of my 50's...once again it has taken a turn I didn't foresee, predict or even necessarily desire..
But in this latest turn of events, I'll say I'm closer to being in a place that feels right ... at least in this moment.
The uncertainties will always be there - and in retrospect I see - that they have always been there. We can be lulled into a false sense of security with the day to day sameness that happens.
Make no mistake, there is no such thing as lifetime security...at least not for most people.
So finding whatever it is that "floats your boat" - for at least that particular moment in time, is a blessing. A blessing to be enjoyed and savored like a fine wine.
And I'm thankful that at this moment in time, I've found it.
Dennis Smith / Sculpture | Uptown Charlotte, NC
"Don't mistake pleasure for happiness, they are different breed of dogs." ~Josh Billings
Keeping up.
Every thing continues - either in growth or deterioration...
Digital media - It has changed the playing field.
Over 50% of the world's population is under the age of 30.
Photography is a language... learning to use it is a process.
I won't write too many original blog posts...
but what I will do is share other posts / thoughts ... that resonate with me....
"Knowing photography is like being multilingual. It's not an end-all. It's an ability, like any other. You can hang out a shingle announcing your multi-lingualness and offer to multi-ling stuff for people and that's fine. But being multilingual is much, much more powerful as a secondary skill that leverages other abilities."
Ecosystems 101: Photography as a Catalyst
http://strobist.blogspot.com/2014/05/ecosystems-101-photography-as-catalyst.html
"3 Ways to Succeed on Social Media"
"3 Ways to Succeed on Social Media"
"There is no ROI in ANYthing, unless you understand how to use it ... and then execute it ... AND have talent to do it."
Midnight Diner / Charlotte, North Carolina
Visual Marketing
How will you convey your message?
- What is your medium?
- What is your channel?
- What is your content?
In the day of digital / online communications - images can carry a powerful punch.
"The phrase “visual marketing” as used in the book is all about using design elements, graphics, and images in your marketing. You’ve heard the old saying about a picture being worth a thousand words? Sure, it’s a cliche. But cliches become cliches because they have truth at their core. That cliche is just as true in marketing as anywhere else.
Harnessing the power of images and visuals will make your marketing more powerful and more memorable. Images — when done deftly –can turn concepts and intangible things into something concrete. That helps people envision your brand and your message in their mind’s eye — and remember you when it comes times to buy."
(http://www.forbes.com/sites/danschawbel/2011/10/06/leverage-visual-marketing-to-grow-your-business/) Dan Schawbel / Forbes Contributor
Fried Chicken at the Midnight Diner / Charlotte, North Carolina
Spring in North Carolina
Spring has sprung - temps are cool, flowers are blooming, birds are chirping - and reproducing...
'Spring cleaning' had to come from shaking out the dust and cobwebs of winter to make things feel as fresh and new as nature is doing...
Re-generation
Youth and vigor
Finding fresh energy
If you find yourself struggling to get with the 'program'...
Find a young person and spend some time with them.
Another way to follow the light...
"In India the right way for a person to go is known as their Dharma, and "right" means that the whole universe is organizing your way forward. To many people this sounds like a mystical idea, and yet all of us can say, at one time or another, that things turned out in an unexpected way beyond our control. The biggest obstacle to finding your Dharma is ego...
The ego stumbles to stay connected to a person's Dharma. You have to learn that your biggest allies along the way are instinct, intuition, staying true to yourself, standing up for your truth, and self-awareness. Your adversaries are naked ambition, blind competitiveness, self-importance, a craving for status, and following second-hand opinions as if they are your truth."
Deepak Chopra, MD
by S.hughes Imaging / Sandra Hughes Benton
Focus
Photography - Most photographers will tell you that it is all about the light - and they'd be correct.
The term comes from The Greek word phos, photos - light and graphos - writing. (Wiki)
I've said it many times "follow the light" because it is the interplay of light on the subject that makes an image interesting.
However - just as important for me is what is the focus point of the image. What do I want others to see in that image? What story am I telling?
When I'm shooting for fun, I most often shoot with a shallow depth of field (large aperture) and have the camera set for single area focus or focal point. This tells the viewer what I want them to see in the photo..
It also forces me to find (to me) the most interesting 'subject' within the frame.
Head Brewer at http://www.fullsteam.ag/. Chris
Fullsteam Brewery / Durham NC (http://www.fullsteam.ag)
