Reflections on Blue Bayou

 I took this picture not so long ago.  We were in Ernest Hemingway's house in Key West.  It was one of those spur of the moment getaways, where we only took our flip flops, the camera, and a map.  It was a bright, cool day, and we had a really good time.

For obvious creative reasons, I chose to photograph the reflection of the day on the pool.  The image was so crisp and clear, that one can easily distinguish the palm trees and the bright sky.  The water was kind of fuzzy with debris and dirt, but this only added an extra layer of interest to the image.

I have been dealing with some issues for the last couple of days, and last night, as I was flipping through my photography collection, I took a hard look at this picture.  It made me wonder how often we choose to see the reflection, the idea of a true and good thing instead of the real source.  How many times do I get distracted by the debris, instead of acknowledging the wholeness of my present time. 

We are beautiful, imperfect beings, and we live beautiful, imperfect lives. We just have to look up and see the sunny and bright tropical sky, instead of choosing to look down at the distorted image on the water.  The sky is given to us, and we must accept it with a grateful heart.

You can access the listing of this picture right here.

A Lavender State of Mind

1. The Dreamer, 2. day 270 - Killing me softly., 3. turquoise hexagon sun, 4. Cartel 011

Random inspiration I find in Flickr.  Today I'm seeing purple and lavender everywhere....

I want one of these...

Source: google.com via Vintage on Pinterest

It's a Rolleiflex 2.8F.  Yes, it's old; a totally vintage equipment.  Actual film, not digital.  But one of the best cameras ever built.

My dad had one, and I loved playing with it.  The viewfinder looks like this...

Source: flickr.com via Vintage on Pinterest

... you look from above the camera, and it renders a true vintage image on paper.

It's funny how we run towards technology, only to shy away from it.  I am not abandoning digital photography at all.  I am only acknowledging a need to reconnect with an older way of doing.  Rediscovering old knowledge and putting it to use.

This is my life right here...

Source: everythingfab.com via Vintage on Pinterest

A Bohemian Love Affair

I grew up in a Caribbean island.  My father was an art enthusiast and since we were little, he encouraged us in music and arts in general.  I studied the flute for many years, only to leave it behind as soon as I entered my high school years.   I was too cool back then to continue with it.  Photography has been the only thing that got stuck with me.  My little brother, on the other hand, became a beautiful guitarist.  He knows to play it so smoothly, that you can only sit down and enjoy his tunes.  He knows how to draw you in with his music.

It was pretty common back then for the family to gather together and listen to his music while sipping a glass of wine.  I learned to enjoy wine there, within my parent's living room, singing love songs and asking my brother to play one more time.  We were taught to enjoy the simplest of things, the random thoughts, like true bohemians.  I've always been drawn to eclectic styles, to original expression.  For this reason, I created this week's feature.

Boho skirts for the free spirited soul, by idea2lifestyle

In honor to my brother's guitar, Strum a fine art photograph by loveatfirstclick

Handknit Fringe Ribbon Scarf, by CricketsCreations

I have fallen in love with with this Kimono style robe! by plumprettysugar

Little handmade tiles are arranged to make eclectic jewelry, by ShrunkenCatHead

Remember to click on the link below the pictures to access these shops in Etsy.

Florence + The Machine: The music in my head today

I woke up this morning with this tune in my head.  I think it has to do with the fact that I was listening to random music from my Ipod on my way back home, and this song was the last one I listened to.  I really like Florence and the Machine... so here it goes.  Enjoy!

Soft Waters: Shutter Speed Manipulation

My sweetheart and I go to watch the sunrise quite often.  I took this picture the last time we went, and I just finished working with it.  It was an experiment.  I slowed down the shutter speed to the slowest setting I thought of, even though the camera's light meter was totally against it.  To no surprise, the picture was totally blown up.  It was all white.  I left it like that and continued working on my sunrise photography session.  You can visit my store to see the really good ones I took that morning.

The shutter's speed is one of the many settings you can manipulate to achieve a specific look.  In this case, I was looking for a soft brush effect in the water.  Since the shutter speed was at low speed, it allows the effect of time to be captured in the picture.  Think of it as the blinking of the eye.  The slower you open and close the eyelid, the more information you can capture from a scene.  The same thing happens with the camera.

I really like the look of this picture.  The cold tones and the soft water makes for a very soothing image.