Posts tagged "photography"

It is interesting how life comes in a full circle.  My very first job was working in the movie theater.  I absolutely loved it.  I knew every movie that came out, who was playing in it.  I went on breaks to watch tidbits of them, and on my days off I would go and see them whole.  At Oscars, I would have seen most of the movies that were nominated.

I never realized back then that some day in a movie theater on a big screen, there would be my name in the credits.

Things come our way sometimes unexpectedly.  If we just follow our gut feeling trusting ourselves, we get rewarded.  There might be some obstacles on the way or sacrifices we make, but if we follow that inner knowing, it pays off generously.

Last year, my friends asked me to help out with the film, to do a still photography.  As I read a heart-warming script, I had a good feeling about it.  At the same time, our horse got sick and we lost him.  Besides hard times and schedule, I shot the scenes and making of the film, nonetheless.  But once there, I put all my heart into it.  After shooting, I spent countless hours in selecting, editing and e-mailing pictures to producers.

During filming, I fell in love with characters, especially Grandma Jini and a 4-year old Kian.

Once I was there, I was totally immersed in the making of the film.  I found the whole process fascinating.  So much detail goes into the scene:  a proper light, sound system, camera settings, scene and location setup.  It was incredible.

My most favorite scenes were beach shots.  Always love natural light.

Appearance of actors was really important as well:  every clothing ironed, every wardrobe piece selected, constant make-up, powdering and curling the hair.  Every detail was important as much as a location setup.

My most favorite part was to get into actors’ world:  feel every feeling they feel in acting, see every motion – to be one of them and capture those moments that really matter.

Seeing Kian’s and Grandma Jini’s love and their embrace melted my heart.

To find right angles, to capture the right feeling, the right body language – to give a great feel and bring a viewer an intriguing curiosity is my key.  Seeing tears of missing Grandma when Kian grows up, sweet memories of contemplation when Kian gets older had me lost in a moment as if it was happening for real.

I love to capture life.  Therefore, in capturing the scenes, I put myself right there with the actors sensing everything they portray.

Being part of the crew, I watched every intense moment of making a scene just right.  It was just like being in two worlds at the same time:  being one with the crew and being one with the actors.  I loved to capture each moment in filming, loved to capture the crew working and having fun in between.

What drew me to this film was a heart-warming storyline.  “A Lot in Common… shared memories” was written by Grandma Jini herself.  Jacqueline Serrano, Dayle J. Hoffman and Ralitsa Koleva were producers.  Jini Mount and Kian are real life grandma and grandson and the parts of the film were a real-life story.  This film will be a part of a family’s treasure.  I could watch this film over and over again and still have tears in my eyes.

“A Lot in Common” was selected at Sarasota Film Festival in 2012.  I loved being a part of this film, meet amazingly talented actors and crew and to shoot the priceless moments in it.  It was an amazing experience.

Some people love frogs, some people hate them.  To me, frogs are cute with huge eyes, and seemingly content smile.  They almost have a cartoonish character to them.  I find them in plants and even in a bed of rose petals.  Here are some photos I took of them through years.  For larger photos, you can click on the pictures.

A frog peek-a-boo.

As I was about to take photos of a rose, I felt tiny eyes were looking at me.  I looked closely, and here it was, a baby frog peaking from the side of the rose.

A perfect rose bed

Sweet dreams frog

Nap time in a rose

Inside the rose

Almost invisible…

“Please God send me some flies.”

Bubba, the Mafia frog

Tiny baby frog

Hiding from a rain

Smile for the camera

At night

Contemplating

Bubble Bath

Hope these pictures brought you a smile. Have a fantastic day/night!

It is a wonder how animals adopt in their surroundings.  If they do not move, we cannot even see them. Only a keen eye can spot these creatures.

Here are some photos I took throughout the years that capture creatures’ amazing camouflage:

Butterflies are great at it!

Their color usually perfectly reflect their surroundings.

Katydid turns almost into a leaf.

Grasshopper is of perfect color as Hibiscus.

Frogs and lizards are masters in disguise:

Brown Anole looks exactly like a bark on the tree.

Or it turns like a dried up leaf.

Peaking out.

Notice the leaf on the top?  A little frog is of exact color.

Frog becomes like a leaf.

Spot a frog in a moving in a wind vine.

Even larger animals can camouflage. Here you see Romeo running around.

Here you do not.  Almost camouflaged

Curious thing that even a horse can disappear out of sight.

Why fawns have spots on their backs?

So when they lay down in the grass, it looks like wildflowers.

Now can you spot a baby Sandhill?..  It is in the front of its parents.

This duck could pass of being unnoticed:

Can you see an owl?

Here is the beauty – Great Horned Owl

Squirrels are great at camouflaging, too.  I’ve seen them while hearing a hawk, lay down flat on the trunk becoming one with it.  Here is Baby squirrel in hiding:

It is a wonder how different creatures camouflage and completely blend in their surroundings.  It helps them to be protected and safe.  What can you see if you see more closely?

You know the feeling when something touches you so deeply and opens something inside your heart that you wish to create something, anything. You want to create magic.

There is a huge source of inspiration everywhere: the books we read, art, photography.  I even find Facebook inspirational.  In there, I see what my friends create.  I see other artists’ photos that take my breath away, read stories that open my heart to wonder and inspiration.  A certain quote, a certain image plays with my heart strings that I just want to write, go there in the world and capture something wonderful, to touch people’s hearts.

Stunning work of Alina Eydel

Inspiration can strike anytime anywhere.  The key is to follow that inspiration when it hits us.  If we wait, the inspiration might be gone in a minute.  It might disappear as fast as it appeared.  It is important to follow it through.  Or, we will forget what we wanted to say, write, put it in the words, create.

Can you imagine how dull world would feel if nothing would inspire us?  It is important to create, to learn, to try out new things.  The key to creating is to look beyond the ordinary.  We can see things in mundane ways, or we can see magic in usual.  Something like raindrop seems nothing special, but in sunlight and using a special setting on a camera, it turns into sparkle.

I love books.  Books lets me travel to places I haven’t been, lets me examine a person’s mind, inspires to think differently.  Books always teach me something.  From how-to’s to storylines, it expands my way of thinking and feeling and experiencing the world.

Other people’s actions also inspire me.  The acts of kindness, or a simple discussion help me to see what difference I can make in the world.

Nature inspires me big time.  It gives me a new idea, it always takes my breath away.  I can see a beauty in anything and I love to capture it.  I find endless stories of new beginnings and re-birth, of peace, of love, of survival, of life, of strength, and passion.  I see ever-changing masterpieces in the sky, in a birth of a new flower or leaf.  Nature fascinates me and always surprises me.

What inspires you everyday?  What makes you come alive?  What are you creating in your life that will touch people’s lives?  Simple actions can mean a world to other people.  Do not underestimate the power of simplicity.  The ordinary can become extraordinary in a new ways.  What is known and ordinary to you, it might be extraordinary to others.  The key is to look at it in a new ways, to look beyond…

Photography is an incredible art that allows us to live in the present moment.  It fills us with wonder and amazement at the simplest things.  With photography, we capture that fleeting moment that otherwise would be easily forgotten or even unnoticed.  When capturing our world, we turn the ordinary into extraordinary.  We paint with light and make it a masterpiece.  Photography allows us to be curious and see and feel more.  It turns our world into canvas that we can fill with beautiful images, using our imagination.

Photography is like living with an open heart.  We open our hearts to the beauty in the world: flowers, smiles, pretty faces, beautiful fashion, nature, sunsets, loving couples.  We also capture a beauty of determination, beauty of age, beauty of standing up for something.  Each person, animal, bird, creature have a special feature, a special characteristic that is only unique to them.  A patient and aware photographer can capture that essence, that moment that usually escapes an ordinary eye.  In photography, each moment, each motion, each emotion is priceless.  A picture has to have a meaning, has to tell a story.  Words might be unsaid, but it must be felt within the heart.

Great photographer is a body language reader.  It takes lots of patience with people and as much with animals.  With elusive wildlife, there should be a trust established, honoring enough space, stillness and quietness.

Capturing that particular moment does not end there.  There is also an editing part: working with the picture like a painter.  Finishing touches are as much important to enhance the features that further tell a story.  In the past, I stayed away from editing part.  However, right now I find it exciting.  It is another creative way to love what I do.  When I edit, I feel like I am an artist creating a masterpiece on canvas.  Picture becomes like a precious painting of mine.  I still leave some photos alone.  If there are some imperfections, I let it be.  Nature is imperfect.  That’s why it is so beautiful.

Photography is a tireless teacher.  Not only it teaches us to look more closely, to examine things, to learn about our subjects and world around us.  It also teaches the techniques and tricks of the camera.  Knowing camera well can turn a darkness of the night into masterpiece full of magic.

Photography stops us in the tracks to admire what we choose to capture.  It is an outlet of living our lives fully, moment by moment, capture by capture.  It is an incredible way to feel alive, to see beauty with our eyes and to feel magic within our hearts.

Some photos resemble paintings.  The motion, the light bring a surprising outcome.  As if a painting comes out of camera.  I love to paint with the light and motion of a subject.  Here are some photos that I took for you to enjoy:

This one is one of my favorites.  The day was really cloudy, but this capture of the moment was priceless.

Sometimes the blurriness gives that special effect that looks like brush strokes of a painter.

These photos look like an abstract paintings.  That’s the capture of moving reflections in the water.

It is a wonder what photography can do.  It let us see what we normally would just dismiss or simply look and forget.  Photography is capturing the moments that can stay with us forever.  It is an amazing art that let us live in the now.

I feel an enormous gratitude to my family and friends.  For my family, thank you for being my inspiration.  I love our deep conversations about life and what is possible, remembrance of our past moments and seeing how far we came, and where we are going next.

For my friends, thank you for cheering me on, for inspiring me to strive for the better.  You inspire me to be more creative and share the beauty of life and the world with you.  Thank you!

I wish you heart-felt moments with your family and friends.  These precious moments are more important than any gifts in the world. I wish for you lots of laughter, many surprises, heartfelt hugs and great conversations.

Love dearly, smile widely, hug wholeheartedly, laugh till tears, dance till whole room spins, and sing from your whole being!  Create something that nobody but you can create!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!

Thank you for being a HUGE part of my life, each one of you!  You are a True Blessing!

Do you know that when sun goes down, the water horizon becomes green for a moment?

Have you ever seen a sun halo – when a rainbow encircles the sun?

Do you know there is a bird that has a beak upside down?

Welcome to the world of photography – a fascinating world of wonder.  This is where surprises happen in the simplest moments.  It is the world filled with knowledge – through photography I see, I learn, I feel.  My camera is like a paintbrush of an artist.  With it, I compose, catch a light, create magic.  Where ordinary eye would only see a tree, my eyes catch a corner to see  a heart.

While some would see a sad fallen leaf, at certain light my camera turns it to magic.

While many would dread to be stuck in traffic in the rain at night, I see a street full of color.

How do I see all this?  How do I capture magic?  How do I see a beauty in the world?  Simply put, I capture what is in my heart.  My photography is an art form that expresses who I am, what I feel, what I see, what I carry inside of me.  Nature and animals are near and dear to my heart.  I have a special connection with them.  While capturing wildlife, first I use openness and intuition to locate animals.  Then I gain trust with them by reading their body language and using my inner knowing.  Once I gain trust, I can come near them to capture special moments.

I can even have a dragonfly land on my finger.

Pets are our best friends.  They are like our children.  They give us comfort and endless love.  They entertain us just by being them.  They give us smile even when we have a bad day.  They are our never-ending joy.  The best way to capture them is to let them be themselves.  They are the best posers and show their real personalities in their own environment doing their own thing.

Do you know that each person and each place have a certain sparkle, a glow, an essence?  What defines people are their life experiences, their lessons, their dreams, their wishes.  A passion and love for something lights up their inner fire and makes them unique like nobody else.  Using intuition, reading and listening to them, I can capture that essence.

Children are easiest to capture.  They do not have anything to hide.  Their essence shines right through them.  I let them be and capture the energy and light in them.

I also use intuition in capturing places.  I can feel the energy, love or lack of it.  Places are not only about furnishings.  It is about owner’s taste, personality, passions, history, experiences.  It is about life what it is now and dreams of what it could be.

I bring “a feel” into my photography.  I touch my heartstrings to play a music of life.  I use my imagination to capture things easily missed.  There is so much beauty in this world.  I wish people would just stop and see it.  If we all would see this beauty, there would be no violence and no hurting each other.  Because when our hearts are filled with beauty, love and care, we would only help and love each other.  There would be no war, abuse, and so much pain.  Through my photos, I wish to inspire people to be their full potential, to live their lives to the fullest, to stop and admire the beauty right in front of them, to feel, to live, to love.  Through my photos, I wish to bring people back to nature.  When they feel sand under their feet, feel sunshine on the skin, smell  beautiful flower, see a stunning sunset, touch or see a beautiful creature, they will stop poisoning the earth and destroy what is part of them.  Why to destroy our own home? Why to destroy ourselves?

Sometimes when looking in the sky, we see painted pictures.  Our imagination see animals, waves, dancing ladies, hearts, and even words.  Here is a collection of pictures where you can see something in them.  What do you see?

I see a dancing lady, and below a lady with a big hat.

I see a sun heart

I see “I’m”

I see a number “20″ or a dragon with a big tail.

I see on the right corner – head of baby elephant

I see a huge heart

I see an elephant

I see a head of the dog

I see a word “Hi”

I see a man on his knees praying.

I see a giant dog bone.

I see a mountain climber

I see a giant bird

I see Lo and with a bird forming Lov as in Love

I see an Opera Singer or Giant Dinosaur

I see a Sea Horse by the sun

I see “I” and “heart”

For more sky wonder, you can see Imagination at Play

Sometimes you can find a wonder in unexpected places.  We were visiting a friend, and in the bay he had a bright yellow catamaran.  As I went to look more closely, I was mesmerized.  The reflections on the water underneath became the ever-changing paintings that left me awed and inspired.  The fluidity of water, and small ripples made this incredible show that I captured with the camera:

This is how I got these pictures beside two catamarans.

Even a reflection of the pole in the water stood out.

Amazing, isn’t it?