Photo-heart connection, number X

I watched a man fish . . .


{KKlassen texture that I forgot to write down}

I spent a lot of time by the bay last week watching the sunrise,

and,

I watched a man fish.

 

One morning after the sunrise, I went to the boardwalk overlooking the bay to walk

and watch the pelicans, and to just observe whatever the morning had to offer. It was a beautiful

crisp morning, sunny and with a slight breeze. Sailboats were coming and going through the harbor

and I even picked up a few bird friends who literally followed me on foot along the way.

And then up ahead as I turned around the corner I spotted an older man in a very small boat, and
he was fishing. I paused for a moment, and watched, and curious as I am I asked him if he was fishing for a specific kind of fish, and although he answered I didn't quite understand him. I'm not sure if it was because he didn't speak English or I just didn't hear him very well. I continued to watch him, in awe really, as he was

catching a fish about every minute or so, sometimes less. And, ever so often he would look up at me and I would give him two thumbs up and tell him he was doing a great job and we would exchange smiles.
(As if this man, who had a bucket full of fish needed me to tell him that. )

{KKlassen portrait}

But the longer I watched I began to realize, that he wasn't using a pole, just a fishing line with a weight and
shrimp for bait. And it seemed that just as soon as he was dropping the line, he was pulling another fish from the water. He had this wonderful rthymn that just made it seem effortless. He would hold that tool in his right hand, slipping the line into the slot while pulling the fish up to the top of the tool until he could no longer pull. And then with a quick downward motion he released the fish into the bucket.

It was when he ran out of shrimp and needed to cut up some more, that I noticed his missing thumb.

{ My chosen photo for photo-heart connection - KKlassen texture warms sun}

This months photo-heart connection is unique for me in that there were really two connections.

My first connection is to the first photo and my realization that he was fishing in what many would consider a rather primitive way, without a fancy fishing pole but instead with just the line. He was simply catching fish

based on his technique and not based on equipment and he was getting great results. 

I began to relate this in my mind to photography. Because even the best equipment won't help if we don't first understand technique. I also know that my lack of equipment doesn't take away from my imagination, because no amount of money will buy that. This just reminds me that what ever our chosen craft, it is more about the crafter than what we use to make it. But that's not to say that we won't ever need different equipment as our vision or technique's change, just as if the fisherman wanted to catch a shark he would definitely need something more than just the line. I do believe it's more about our vision through technique rather than our equipment that defines art. And I don't think the man I watched is any less of a fisherman because he didn't use an expensive pole.

The next connection, and the last photo connected me with my heart.

After about twenty minutes of watching this man fish, he filled his entire bucket! And when he released

the last fish into that bucket, he promptly grabbed onto a rope that dangled from his boat and as he began to

pull on it, he turned and looked at me and smiled and said, "time to go home." As he pulled that rope, it took him about twenty feet away and as he pulled some more it brought up an anchor that he hoisted into his boat. And as he sat down and was driving away he looked up at me again and gave me a wave. We had a little bond that morning, a connection between two strangers. He didn't know it but he was for those twenty minutes a teacher, and I a student, both of us practicing our chosen craft.

Love, Kim

XO

Foto Friday . . . vacation part V, That's a Wrap

"No matter what happens, travel gives you a story to tell."

- Jewish Proverb

Yes, yes it does.

If you have followed our vacation travels, you know that it rained most of the way there,

(we drove), it rained a lot when we got there, we were restricted by double red flags on the beach for many days, and I had a little trouble with frustration from expectations. But the sun eventually came out, and the

double red flags lifted, and I got over my frustrations.

We enjoyed the turquoise blue surf and white sand beaches, some beautiful gardens with ancient (600 yr old) oak trees and a turn of the century mansion, and even traveled to see the Florida State Capitol and Old City Cemetery in Tallahassee.

On our last day, and a vacation to Destin wouldn't be complete without it, we ventured over to have lunch at Fudpucker's and then to the Wharf at sunset. And we packed all of this fun into just five days, which is why...

"No man needs a vacation so much as the person who just had one."

- Elbert Hubbard

{ Shoot.Edit.Submit }

This was our last view of the beach . . .

. . . . before heading out on our last day. We had gotten up early and gone to the Eden Garden State Park, here, and after walking around in the heat we needed a reprieve and some food. So, it was off to Fudpucker's for some food and fun.

And well, the best part about Fudpucker's is Gator Beach....yep almost one hundred of them! They sell special bait food that you can feed them, and you can have your picture taken holding one. Oh, you know I waited my turn to hold one . . . what an amazing creature! A prehistoric creature, virtually unchanged for the last 150 million years. I wasn't so much interested in having my picture taken as I was just getting my hands on one. I mean, how often does one get to hold and really look at an animal like this. Oh my, how soft . . . I did mention amazing didn't I? 

{ Summer Daze - Project Alicia }

After spending a few relaxing hours over at gator beach and a little lunch we ventured over to the Wharf to check out the chartered boats coming back into dock and their catches of the day. The docks were bustling with people just getting back from a day of fishing and waiting for their captain to clean and fillet their catch.

And check out "This Sale" on the gas pump, OUCH!

They weren't the only ones waiting . . . 

And then out of the blue, a rainbow just appeared!

{ Photograph life - water }

And then the evening came to a close . . . for Photo Art Friday our theme

is light. I chose this silhouette I took at sunset and used French Kiss texture Ancient Urban, Pixel Dust Photo Art texture Orange Foam Overlay, and Kim Klassen texture Be Still. I went back and forth feeling like it needed one more thing, another element, but every time I added something it didn't feel right.  

And finally for Flower Art Friday, a Gerbera Daisy with French Kiss Rosy Script and Kim Klassen Peony.

The background on this image started out black....

Oh, almost forgot, I did stop someone and ask them to take our picture...sad but I can't remember when we were all in the same picture together. We were pretty much all melted by the end of the day!!

"If we would only give, just once, the same amount of reflection to what we want to get

out of life that we give the question of what to do with two weeks' vacation, we

would be startled at our false standards and the aimless procession of our busy days."

- Dorothy Canfeild Fisher

I think we should live each day like a vacation day, relaxed (after of course you dump the expectations),

ready to explore what is right in front of us, and willing to share the story of it. And the best thing . . . there is no packing required in that!

Have a wonderful weekend, and thank you for letting me share with you!!

Love, Kim

XO

** P.S. - stop on over at my collaborative blog today, Focusing On Life, where we are sharing ** 

some fun facts about ourselves only you have to guess who they go to - AND there is a prize for the most guesses!!

           

Foto Friday

The weather is getting warmer and people are starting to mingle about a bit more. This means that the chess players at the Starbucks I frequent are taking it outside. I'm not much of a people photographer and not exactly a shy person, but it can feel a little awkward to ask strangers if they mind I share their personal space. I'm getting over it! But don't let the pictures fool you because although they look deep in thought there was quite a bit of laughing going on. I do find people to be quite interesting and maybe I'll start bringing a journal with me....everyone has a story.

Concentrating.....

I love how the game board is reflected in his glasses.

A friend watching. . .

. . . his friend make a move.

They invited me to come back with or without my camera - maybe I'll even learn how to play chess?

Then it was off to you know where to get some pictures of flowers and such.

Spring has to be one of my favorite seasons, everything renews.

I didn't bring my tripod with me this time and it was just breezy enough to make

it tricky to get a really good focus. But I do love the old fashioned feeling of this one.

 

And I never tire of taking a picture of this gate!!

  And then a little game of hide and seek. As soon as he saw me he ran between two concrete benches with an opening of maybe an inch. This lizard and I had a love hate relationship. I loved that he posed long enough for my camera and he hated that I wouldn't leave!

After I left there it was off to a favorite path that leads to the gulf and one that has a sign that says 'snake and gator habitat' but I have yet to see either one!

Yep that's me and my shadow.

That path led me to this. And you can't see from here but there is a party happening at the end of this pier. Probably about a dozen people fishing, and having fun, and some of which I suspect were playing hookie from work. As a group of them were leaving they asked me to take their picture as long as their wives didn't see it.

 

This was the only catch of the day between about twenty poles hanging over the edge of the pier.  Ask a guy if he caught anything and they are more than happy to take it out of the cooler and pose with it. He wanted to know if it would be on the news. Umm, no. He was wanting me to help him get a sponsor for bass fishing, really?

The next two were actually shot earlier in the week and are one of my favorites to do - silhouettes!

There is this grove of trees that are scattered along a creek and they're covered with Spanish moss. As I was crossing the bridge over the creek as the sun was setting it looked like an enchanted forest. But when I actually got down into the trees the perspective just wasn't the same as it was on the bridge. 

And last but not least I do like the contrast in this one between the soft focus of the trees

and the hard lines of the iron fence.

Wishing you all a great week, and don't forget to take your camera with you. You never know what or who you might run into.

Kim