Have you ever had the experience of taking a photo that turns out to be more than you expected? Perhaps things changed just a little and it wasn’t what you had first seen. Or maybe it is better than you were waiting to capture.
Take a look at THESE PHOTOS. I am sure you will be amazed and humoured.
What is the most amazing or funny thing you ever captured on your camera?
Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings! 🙂
Posted in Miscellanea
Tagged amazing pictures, funny pictures, photo bombs, Photography, surprising photography
Book: You Are Here: Around the World in 92 Minutes: Photos from the International Space Station Author: Chris Hadfield Publisher: Random House Canada Date: October 14, 2014 Genre: Arts and Photography Pages: 208 Price: Hardcover: US $26; CDN $29.95; Kindle: US $13.35; CDN $15.99 My Rating: Sensational, stirring, amazing photography!
This is one of those books that easily qualifies as a coffee table book because you hate to hide it away on a book shelf. The photography in it is truly “out of this world.”
As you may recall, I am a fan of astronaut Chris Hadfield. He is among the very few famous people I greatly admire, so I was thrilled when my nephew gifted me his book, You Are Here: Around the World in 92 Minutes: Photos from the International Space Station. I love it! It is full of the magnificent photos Chris Hadfield took during his last mission – from December 2012 to May 2013 – on the International Space Station. His view of the world from way out there was captured in many amazing shots. Out of the approximately 45,000 photos he took, the ones in this book are some of his favourites, most never seen before.
The book is divided into chapters:
Each section gives us a perspective only attained from space combined with Chris Hadfield‘s wonderful way of explaining what we’re seeing. At the end of the book is a photo location map. “Every photo’s page number is pinned to the corresponding location on a world map.” (quoted from page 194) It is fun to go back and look at the photo that matches up with the number on the map.
You Are Here: Around the World in 92 Minutes: Photos from the International Space Station is such a beautiful book. It’s one I urge you to purchase, if only to get a better grasp of our mysterious and wondrous planet. You will be awed.
You can find You Are Here: Around the World in 92 Minutes: Photos from the International Space Station listed on my BUY THE BOOK! page.
Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings!
Book: Double Exposure
Author: Michael Lister
Publisher: Tyrus Books
Date: September 1, 2009
Genre: thriller
Pages: 240
Price: Kindle under $5.00; paperback $14.95
My rating: mild thriller filled with action and drama
I had not read any of Michael Lister‘s books until Double Exposure, so I didn’t know what to expect. After reading the blurb on the cover: “… absolutely riveting! … squeezed every ounce of terror and thrills out of a dark night in the woods” I thought this book is one I would not want to read late at night. I can be easily spooked, especially if I am really drawn into the story. Not to worry.
There was one section near the end where I did feel the tension, but the rest of the story was mild as a thriller. I’m sure it could easily affect other readers quite differently. Although intended to add suspense, what broke the tension for this reader was how, in many places, the author wrote in clipped one word thoughts. It left much for one to imagine, which can be a good thing, but it also seemed to yank the reader through the story, the choppiness tending to keep one from fully engaging in the drama.
Remington James moves back to Florida after his father’s death and takes on the care of his ailing mother. He also picks up his camera again, something he had drifted away from in favour of the big income. While trekking through his father’s woodland (left to him) to check out his camera traps (hidden cameras set up to capture wildlife images when he is not there to do it) he discovers something unthinkable. Soon after, he finds himself in a dire situation. The rest of the story is the main character’s struggle to survive and all the dangers set against him.
Despite what I said in the second paragraph, Double Exposure does have its high points. Michael Lister has written a story that is gripping and action-filled. His main character becomes an accidental victim and is mercilessly pursued through hazardous circumstances. Never mind some questionable moments, this is a story that pulls the reader along just to find out what is going to happen next. If you enjoy thrillers, chances are you will like Double Exposure.
You can find Double Exposure listed on my BUY THE BOOK! page.
Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings! 🙂
I have a story to tell you.
About two weeks ago I bought a beautiful, new, red camera. A couple of days later I was outside enjoying the sunny, warm weather with my daughter when she discovered a little nest in a nearby tree. Even by holding her camera/phone above it to take a photo, she wasn’t sure what was in it, maybe a dead bird? We hoped not.
My new digital camera has the handy feature of an adjustable monitor so that I could see my intended subject by angling the monitor down while holding the camera above the nest. This let me see that I had in frame what I wanted, but it wasn’t until we looked at the captured image that we could see what was there.
What do you think we found? Take a look.
Can you see it?
Take a closer look.
Yes, that’s a peanut shell!
Although I would get a kick out of telling you that we found a new and unique way to grow peanuts, I’m sure you wouldn’t believe me anyway. The truth is my dad has a peanut holder hanging on another tree and filled it with roasted peanuts in the shell. Obviously, either a bird – or maybe a squirrel – took its prize to a more private place and released the peanut for his own satisfying snack.
That’s got the be the ultimate in take-out, don’t you think? 🙂
And, those of you who are allergic, please note it is an empty shell.
The way my brain works, I began thinking about this peanut shell hidden in a bird’s nest. But I didn’t just think about how funny that is, but also the uniqueness of it.
Nests … homes … privacy … secrets … keeping ourselves from the world …
Just allow me this far-reaching musing, follow me awhile …
How often do we keep to ourselves the thing we most would like to do for fear of people thinking we are crazy for considering such a thing? Such as .. oh, I don’t know .. skydiving, for example. Or running a marathon, or writing a book, or teaching what we know to people who really want to learn. Why are we so afraid of living our lives to the fullest? Why do we practice singing when no one is there to hear us? Why do we dance but only when we are alone? Why do we write in secret? Why do we hide our stash of peanuts (our talents and giftedness) and enjoy them privately instead of sharing them?
I think it’s fear of rejection, or ridicule, or .. ‘not good enough” mentality.
I believe in order to overcome the fear of what others will think of us, we must first accept ourselves and the way God has gifted us. We must see ourselves honestly and then take that first step. Take a class, or join a club, or offer our abilities where there is a need. Do whatever is necessary to learn, and discover and grow. Now that we are in the age of Internet communities we have tremendous advantages and opportunities to connect in areas once not accessible. We have no excuse anymore.
So, why do we hide? I know that once we step out we’ll find many others who feel the same way, and through our efforts to grow they will be encouraged to crawl out of the nest, too. How do I know? Because I was afraid, someone encouraged me .. and still does .. and I am crawling out of my nest. It’s not so scary after all!
What’s in your nest? What unique gift do you have that you are not letting the world know about yet?
Or, what have you done to take that step and change your life?
Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings! 🙂
Posted in Miscellanea, Preambles to Writing
Tagged bird's nest, camera, fear, God, Internet community, peanut, Photography, private place, talents, uniqueness
"The odd thing about people who had many books was how they always wanted more." - Patricia A. McKillip
Polilla Writes 