TODAY'S PHOTO -
Purple Gallinule with outspread wings in Wakodahatchee Wetlands.

[Corrected in a post e-mail by a reader - "The wings shown in the photo belong to a female boat-tailed grackle (Quiscalus major) who appears to be dive-bombing the purple gallinule!]

The gallinule in the lower right was reduced in size and set into this photo so you could see him/her in full color. I loved the whole environment surrounding the bird when I first photographed him. See GALLINULE SCENE.

On the other hand, I was delighted that I had been able to capture the blur of the moving wings and still have a sharp photo in the area around it. In the Photo/Creativity class just completed, contrast is one of the art principles we discussed. I, thus, became more cognizant of, and found, the contrast between sharp and blur especially interesting. For me, this photograph also has quite an array of, and contrasts in, textures.

Several of the participants in both classes have created an ongoing "Share and Critique" group, focusing on a monthly theme. Interestingly, the first month's is "texture."

SELF-REFLECTING QUERIES -
The queries that come up for me today as I write revolve around our desires to please other people and actions we may take resulting from thinking we know what they want or reacting to what we think "they'll think..." Two totally different examples come into play.

1. For today's issue of Picture to Ponder, I thought it was time to feature a flower photo again. "Subscribers might be getting tired of, or bored with, the bird photographs." As I was going through my photos from the past week, the Purple Gallinule kept calling out to me. I decided to go with it. "After all, it does have color and is bright..." "What is more special about a flower?"

Bottom line, I have no idea if you are getting "bored"and the point is, I remembered, to be true to myself and my own self-expression. That is what's making the difference for most of you, so I'm told, or, again, am I interpreting?

Where in YOUR life, right now, are you acting out of what you think someone else is thinking or wanting? When is the last time, if at all, you checked out your perception with the other person? If not for a while, or never, I invite you to do that as soon as possible.

2. As I started writing today, words started flowing that suddenly seemed as if I was "trying to sell you" on the upcoming classes and that you might think that I had an agenda in today's issue. In fact, using the photo discussion for enrollment into next month's classes was furthest from my mind. Yet, once I had the thought, the old chatter briefly started, "What will they think?" "Shall I change what I'm saying?" and, I'm sure, you can fill in a few more.

I wonder how many of you who have a product or service to sell get stopped by the same thing, fear of what people will think of you. Are you one of these people? If so, how can you empoweringly shift your interior monologue?

Conversely, are you someone who, when you think someone is "trying to sell you" something, immediately closes down to anything that is being said? If so, does it ever occur to you that, perhaps, you might be totally missing the possiblities of what might be there for you?

If you fall into either one of the above two categories, I suggest you pause, take a deep breath, and tune into the actual things that are being described, rather than creating what you think might be underlying motives or reactions.

By doing this myself today, in a totally unrelated situation, I was gifted a monthly savings on my phone bill by my staying open and not automatically turning off a customer service person to whom I initially reacted as trying to "sell me one more thing."

Have a fun and truly listening weekend.

NEW SESSIONS COMING JUNE 6 and 7 - Through the Lens: Access to Transformation - also known as Photo/Creativity Teleclasses.

Promises of the course - You will:
Create new accesses to your own vision.
Bring new eyes to your vacations.
Experience things you might otherwise have missed.
Get energized and inspired, plus much, much more.

"I will now look at photos, I know, in a totally different way.  As I’m traveling this summer and have the opportunity to use my camera, I think the way I’m going to use it will be different." Participant in the just completed course.

Click on TELECLASSES for details.

READERS' COMMENTS
Are welcome on the BLOG. When you go there, you'll see the current issue and photo and a link at the end for Posting Comments. To see the photo ENLARGED, at the same size you see it here, simply click on it.

If posting on a blog is not your style, please continue to send your comments directly to me . Learning what you are experiencing means a lot. It is part of the reward of Picture to Ponder for me.

ADDITIONAL SUBSCRIBERS DESIRED -
If you you are enjoying PICTURE TO PONDER please pass your experiences of it on to your friends and colleagues and suggest that they, too, SUBSCRIBE.

Especial thanks to those of you who have been passing this on!

Inspirationally,


Sheila
sheila[at]eteletours.com --
© 2006 Sheila Finkelstein
http://www.eteletours.com/ptpintro.html

V2-Issue #45 V2-Issue #47


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