Friday, November 11, 2011

Foto Friday - Perspective with gratitude

I have in the past talked about how perspective has an effect on my photography, here,  
but really how we decide to live our lives depends on how we see things as well.
Life isn't always easy, in fact a lot of times it's just plain hard and sometimes it feels impossible. 
But when I look back it has always been my struggles that have made life that much more worth while, because it puts everything else into their proper positions. My struggles, when I allow them, help
me to see the bigger picture, opens me up to the reality that I am not alone, and gives me the ability
to have compassion for others because of them. Have you ever looked in a mirror at home and seen the reflection of a room or something you see all the time and suddenly when you see it in reverse things look completely different, maybe even a little new, and exciting?

That's how I want to learn to see everything!

I have found that my ability to see, and how I regard my situation and it's relative importance to the rest of
my life and how I live it depends on where I stand.

And,

I am learning that gratitude is the key and that as my gratitude grows so does my joy.

If I stand where I have always stood, nothing will ever look different.


Do you ever find yourself looking through the keyhole,


instead of opening the front door?  

I realize when I do this that I miss out. I miss out on knowing
there is something bigger than me and my struggles, and that our struggles are only part of the bigger picture.
And that when I concentrate on the keyhole, some things just look bigger than they should.

 

 Last weekend the kids and I went to the park and shared a bounty of peanuts with the squirrels,
and I can say that I am grateful I don't have to bury my food and try to remember where I put it later! 


As we drove home, I spied this grass in a ditch and it was sparkling in the sun and I just had to go back to get a picture. I found myself just sitting there enjoying its simple beauty as it gently swayed in the breeze. 


And back of course to one of my favorite places where I discover something different every time I'm there.
They have a huge assortment of water features which I am always drawn to. The way the light falls, and
the tranquility of the trickling sounds......

{linking this with Fabulous Friday and Shoot, Edit, Submit}


This is a macro from the Bottlebrush Tree . . . (SOOC)


 . . . and a larger view and my edit.
{Linking with Photo Art Friday}





Standing in the same position only changing my focus I got a completely different perspective.





On my way home from the nursery, and just up the road is the butterfly garden. With the time change
I almost didn't stop as the sun had almost set and I had almost lost any good light. But as soon as I got
there I spied this Monarch! I have had an almost impossible time of photographing one of these since they
don't seem as tolerant as some others. I went into my usual stalk mode and as I got closer and closer, he didn't fly away! I reached out and he came to me . . . . There is something about this photo that I love and I would like to say that it was totally on purpose but truth is it wasn't. I had not anticipated this guy coming on to my hand and I was in full manual and had not put my camera strap around my neck yet. That makes it a little tricky to change settings with one hand and not drop your camera. But, it did make for a good example
of how when we focus on only a small part of something, we can miss the beauty of the whole thing.

I think I'm going to rename this the Enchanted Butterfly Garden, since every time I am there
something magical happens.


I am grateful for the journey that this butterfly will take so that I can enjoy them again in the spring. Did you know that these butterflies journey 2,000 miles to the fir forests in Central Mexico? That is an incredible journey for a butterfly!!


I have to be grateful for my struggles as hard as they may seem sometimes because they help me
keep a handle on life's perspective. Just as the thorns on a rose remind me that in life there can be
something beautiful that comes from the pain of our trials.

And I am learning to use my key of gratitude more often to keep the front door unlocked.

Wishing you all a view from the front door this weekend!!

Love, Kim
XO

P.S. Thank you for picking poppies with me!



Photo Art Friday 
 
  An Ever Grateful Heart 

26 comments:

Deanna said...

What a wise woman you are my dear Kim, your thoughts and perspectives are so on target and I can't say enough about these wonderful pics. Each and every one a gem. The butterfly macro is down right magical.

Bonnie Zieman, M.Ed. said...

What great life lessons to accompany your marvelous photographs. I don't know where to start - they are all amazing. Love the bokeh on the wing of the first butterfly pic, the keyhole, the texture on the rose and, of course, the two bottlebrush images. Stunning all. Thank you for sharing your considerable talents with Photo Art Friday, Kim!

Stephanie at Grateful Heart Acres said...

Kim...Thank you so much for linking up at my blog! I am very grateful for you! Also...what an amazing post! Love the photos and great lessons and perspective and attitude. This post is something I really needed to hear. Thank you so much! So grateful that you stopped by today!

andi {the hollie rogue} said...

so so lovely! i know i always say this, but each week, i'm blessed by your words and photographs so much! thanks for sharing them with all of us, friend!

Andi

Linneas Atelje photography said...

Thank you for your visit in my blog, so many lovely photos you have. My favorite is the running water....so lovely....

Anonymous said...

Thats a lovely post... Your photography is awesome, i cant pick just one of these as best!

Phyllis said...

What a great post - just beautiful!

Anonymous said...

I enjoyed reading every word of your post! Your pictures are amazing!:) Have a great weekend dear!:)

Linda Willets Photography said...

beautiful work & words.

Kathryn Dyche said...

Kim, I really enjoyed thispost and loved the way you explored 'perspective' and I also think that gratitude has a lot to do with it to. Gorgeous images, I especially love the water and macro shots. Stunning. Have a wonderful weekend.

TesoriTrovati said...

Oh...sigh....I just love your photography, Miss Kim! That butterfly wing, the bottlebrush plant (never seen that before), the water bubbling, the grasses swaying. It would be a marvel to stop and document this delicious world with you! Thank YOU for sharing your soul through your pictures. I am grateful for that! Enjoy the day!
Erin

Ida said...

Wonderful, Inspirational post. All of your photo's were just fabulous and I enjoyed reading your thoughts about "perspective" as well. Thanks for sharing both.

Lisa Gordon said...

This is a wonderful post Kim, and I truly enjoyed reading it. As always, your photographs are just gorgeous!
Have a great weekend!

Nadege, said...

It must have been such an amazing moment with the butterfly.
I love all your images and I love reading your words. It's a matter of perspective and attitude. You are so right, as gratitude grows so does the joy.

Serendipity is Sweet said...

Oh my! This is such a beautiful post and your images are just stunning. WOW!

I agree about the gratitude and joy...they certainly go hand in hand ;)

Deanna @ Life. Captured. said...

Wow~absolutely amazing! I love the way you weave your thoughts between your photos. They are all so amazing. Such a powerful statement about the power of perspective. As for the first butterfly photo-I have no words. Simply breathtaking.

kareninkenai said...

[visiting from PAF] however, all of your images are simply gorgeous and indeed powerful. thank you. kareninkenai

Gina Kleinworth said...

WOW- what incredible images- you did a great job!

Cordial Chaos said...

Beautiful pictures and perspective ;)

Breena said...

Absolutely beautiful! Gorgeous colors. I love the larger view of the bottlebrush tree especially. I'd love for you to link these photos up to my linky party going on right now at "Life as this Mommy knows It"!

Breena
mommyknowslife.blogspot.com
(ps - You may also want to check out the TWO giveaways I have going on right now!)

Kmcblackburn said...

Kim...thank you :). Just a lovely and poignant post all around.

Kathy

Marcie said...

Such excellent studies and experiments in perspective and framing. So well done. Thank-you!

Honey from the Bee said...

You're amazing, Kim. Your images and your words make one pause. Thank you.

The bottlebrush photos.. ah... would love a dining room that color!

suzanne carter said...

Thanks Kim your images and words are so refreshing I was so touched by your images of the keyhole and inspired by what you have captured and expressed. thanks so much, I enjoyed stopping by.
Blessings
Suzanne

Misty said...

Wow! Such beautiful images! Thanks for linking up.

deb duty said...

Wow! The butterfly images are just stunning! I'm in awe. And I'm in love with that pink flower too!

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