Finding Your Center

In the practice of yoga it is evident very quickly that when you are not focused, not centered, not balanced, you will fall over. It's a pretty simple concept with broad impact.

I have always taken photos, but it's only been in the past few years that I committed myself to staying true to my own vision and channeling my energy to one art form. I had been pursuing drawing, but made the decision to set that aside to see how far I could go with photography once I overcame my fear of switching from film to digital. I have, quite literally, done one drawing since I made that commitment. Instead of spreading my energy thin, I have gone deeper and farther into my photography than I ever imagined. I gave myself permission to buy a camera, to learn new things, and to experiment. It was hard to justify the expense and the time, but once I made the commitment, I jumped in with both feet. And it has been pure bliss. The last time I felt this kind of joy was the time I spent in film school.

I didn't set out with the intention of having shows or selling my images. I set out to capture the things I see. I started sharing them with people and one thing led to another. Which leads me to my thoughts about staying centered.

It's Just Digital

I recently had a conversation with a friend who was questioning why I chose to print my photos and frame them with museum quality glass for my show. I explained that once I knew I was going to have a show, I realized I had some pretty strong opinions about how I wanted my images presented. And, because I put time and work into getting the prints just right - I didn't want to just frame them in cheap frames and glass that might allow them to fade. After all, why print on archival paper if you're not going to protect them?

The conversation went on like that, and she mentioned that she had heard people saying they didn't think the photos were of value because they were "just digital."  That is a very interesting concept to me, especially when I think how challenging it was for me to translate all of my photography knowledge to digital--the classes I took, the tutorials I watched. Hmm. "Just digital."  I guess there's a perception that because it's digital anyone can do it. In a sense, that's absolutely true.

Digital imaging has revolutionized story telling and made photography accessible to everyone. I think that's a wonderful thing. If I had to pay to develop film, I would be less inclined to experiment and try new things with my camera. Digital comes with its own limitations and issues, of course, but I have a hard time seeing how it diminishes someone's vision.

When I was in film school, we still worked with 16 mm film cameras. Because processing and developing film was so expensive, it was necessary to plan every scene very carefully. It also restricted what people would try. Now that digital video has become so good, my film school friends are creating movies that might have lived only in their heads due to budget restrictions and we are all the richer for their ability to share their work. I feel that way about digital photography too. That's why I participated in the aDay.org event. I love seeing what other people see.

Staying The Course

So, back to my original point. I'm sticking to my plan. I'm following my vision. And hearing feedback that some people don't find it worthy is just fine. Another thing yoga brings to the table is the practice of detachment. It's okay with me if you don't love what I do. It's okay with me if you don't value what I do. To me, the point is doing. Anything that comes after that is gravy.

Just as I was composing this post, a friend posted this wonderful video. He sums up what I've been trying to say in a much more humorous and gracious way. Do take the time to watch.

Here in the Pacific Northwest we are at last experiencing a week of summer - in May, no less!  (In case you don't live here and don't know, "summer" traditionally starts July 5th. Until I moved here, I never, ever imagined needing a jacket and blankets to watch 4th of July fireworks.)

That means it's time for flowers. Also, just in time for Mother's Day. This year I bought a couple of baskets from my friend Rhonda. It's part of an annual fundraiser for Anacortes High School. I tihnk this is a particuarly wonderful way to raise money - and particularly appropriate for our lovely valley. So, I went to the "unveiling" - the delivery of all the baskets that are sold. Volunteers (aka Moms & Dads) organize and tag all of the baskets, then send them off for delivery by additional volunteers. What a cheerful and cheery way to raise money.

Rhonda's Flowers

That's Rhonda above, organizing an order. You know me, though. I like the big picture, but I find joy in the details.

When the invitation to join an old friend on Kauai for a week appeared, I hesitated. I haven't taken a "vacation" in years. I have taken time off, but mostly stayed home. And it's been 20+ years since I visited Kauai. Still, the lure of warm weather proved irresistble and I opted to join her. Around here people have just been waiting for the tulips to bloom and the crowds of tourists to arrive, so a week away seemed like a good plan.

My first shock upon arrival was how brilliant all the vegetation was. It's been so long since I have been in a tropical climate that everything - and I mean everything - from grass to palms to hibiscus - looked brilliant to my eyes.  I kept ooohing and aaaahhing over and over and over.  And, even familiar plants, like philodendron, were transformed - so large in the tropics they appeared to be on steroids!

In fact, when we did a short (but strenuous) hike on the Na Pali coast trail, Elaine swears I stopped to take a photo of every single flower. I beg to differ. I left several alone. (That's me, looking closely at the scenery - and the blue flower is what I was looking at through my lens.)

This was a vacation, but my friend Elaine has a business that takes her to Hawaii. In fact, she has a couple of Hawaiian themed businesses. So, it was convenient for us to visit her customers when we were in the neighborhood (and that was often!) However, one of her customers in Kauai was just a wee bit off the beaten path. I'm talking about the National Tropical Botanical Garden gift shop. Are you getting an idea where I'm going with this? Of COURSE I wanted to go visit this customer with her. And, lucky us! We were invited to join a tour of the Allerton Garden. I, of course, was thrilled - and, conveniently, had my camera in tow.

Elaine was a good sport about it. I think she even enjoyed it.

Kauai is an interesting mix of laid back locals, earnest granola types, artists and farmers. We heard that Monsanto is growing a lot of GMO crops on the island, and people were pretty unhappy about that. But at the National Tropical Botanical Garden, there is a completely different focus. They are working hard to save plants that were brought over on the original canoes and so-called native plants (although no one is entirely sure how things evolved here.) They have even begun exploring how to share breadfruit with the world, to help feed the hungry. Their Breadfruit Institute recently received a grant from the Gates Foundation, so look for more information to emerge about the great work they are doing.

We didn't tour the institute, or the McBryde Garden (although our tram did go through it), we focused on the Allerton Garden. So many plants, so little time!

Everywhere I looked there was something new and different. I was particularly fascinated by the varieties of bamboo and their textures. In the Allerton Garden there is a large stand of golden bamboo that makes wonderfully loud clacking noises in the breeze. Apparently Allerton was hard of hearing, so he really liked this sound. I hear just fine and I liked it too! (Left to right: golden bamboo stand, new shoot, close up - each shoot has its own, unique, green markings.)

Hibiscus are brilliant and seemingly ubiquitous throughout Hawaii, but the National Botanical Tropical Garden on Kauai is working to save native species that includes a hibiscus without petals  (The green plant in my photo below, right). There are only eight of these left in the world. How lucky I was to be there when they were blooming!

I had such a great time wandering through all the plants and taking pictures that I was a little startled when I came face to face with a few locals.

In typical, laid-back Hawaiian fashion, they didn't seem to mind my presence at all....