Showing posts with label pic a week. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pic a week. Show all posts
18 December 2009
Just what is it about Conventions anyways?
Seriously this question was actually posed to me by Misha Collins in the autograph line at a Supernatural convention. I've been wanting to answer it and the selection of this particular photo will now help me to provide a better answer than I gave him that day. :)
First for a little aside:
Seriously I made a decision when I first started this blog that there would be limited fandom-y stuff contained in it, but my favorite photo for the week of November 1-7 over at Flickr is this one. In my defense: lets be real here for a moment... How can I have a blog focused solely on my own personal life and not include a single picture from a convention? It would be...in bad taste I suppose? And just why is that? Well because conventions are a bigger part of my life than some even realize.
And now onto the answer (or an attempted answer maybe?) to the above posed question...
For starters I've been going to conventions since 1997. Yes that means I've been going to conventions for over ten years now. Most of those years I've attended more than one convention. Why did I start? Well for one I wanted to meet actors and actresses of my favorite shows. I wanted to hear their stories. I've always wanted to hear their stories. I would love simply just to sit down with one of them and ask them about their life and their life experiences, about their travels, about what led them on their path to becoming an actor/actress and just simply to talk to them one human being to another. I find people fascinating and their life stories even more fascinating. I LOVE hearing about other people's lives and think it would be neat to hear about some of theirs.
What other reason would I want to attend these conventions and so many at that? Because of the fans...the eons of fans who for one whole weekend can feel at ease among tons of like minded individuals. You would not believe the diversity of people that attend these things. The age ranges are from infant all the way to eighty years old and beyond. I kid you not...and the fans of these shows? Well they are a mix of people from all over the globe, all walks of life... Some people fly thousands of miles just to spend a weekend attending one of these things, and most I believe have the times of their lives.
The lure for so many? Well I think a big one is that we all have the interest in common. We're all fans and this is the ONE place that we can all merge, blend and be fans. Here at a convention you won't get gawked at like you're weird. You don't have to keep quiet about being a fan, or feel odd when you say you've attended conventions in the past. You can enjoy your show and squee over it, chat until you're blue in the face about it and not worry or feel awkward. You can spend hours chatting about favorite episodes and no one will get bored. You can chat incessantly about fan fiction and all or most know EXACTLY what you're talking about.
Another positive? You get to meet so many people from all over the world. Now tell me where in the world are you ever going to get that? They are all there for the same reason. You can meet up with long time friends, make new friends, squee to your heart's content excited about how you just finished your photo op with this person or that. You can openly express how it felt to meet this person or that. You can dress up in costumes you made or others have made and parade around the whole weekend in them if you'd like... You can be absorbed by fandom-y stuff and no one would look at you cross... There's just so much that I can't really explain. You almost have to experience it for yourself.
So why do I attend so many conventions and for so many different shows? Originally it was just to meet the actors and actresses. Now it's to meet up with old friends, make new ones, listen to other people's stories of how they met this person or that, travel and see a place I might never have seen otherwise.
I like to go to conventions because they are fun and though a lot of actors/actresses I've seen repeatedly most of them are so interesting that I want to see them again and again. It's almost like a reunion of sorts. You start recognizing other fans and they start to recognize you. Some of the actors/actresses even become familiar with some of the fans... It's like a big friendly meet up of people who haven't seen each other in a year and are all coming together for a weekend of fun and excitement.
So now that I've at least attempted to answer the above posed question onto the next: why out of all the photos uploaded between November 1 and 7 to Flickr did I choose this one?
Mainly because I LOVE the way Joe's holding his head and the expression on his face. To me it says so much in a simple gesture and that's what makes this photo so special to me. :)
14 December 2009
Mungalli Falls
The Mungalli Falls are in Queensland, Australia. They're on a trail/route/circuit commonly called "The Waterfall Circuit". Why's it called that? Well because it's a roundabout route that you can drive that takes you to various different waterfalls in the area of Atherton Tablelands. Some of the waterfalls on the circuit are relatively close to one another while others are quite a drive. When I heard about the waterfall circuit I planned to take a day just to drive around and see them.
I followed signs that directed you to each different set of waterfalls along the circuit and when I stumbled across these I turned onto a road that took me to a gravel parking lot. I looked around and didn't see any falls, but near the lot was a posted sign labeling the trail to the falls. Smiling I grabbed my camera and headed in that general direction. I meandered through some trees and grassy areas before coming to a set of almost spiral stone stairs leading downwards. As I descended them I could hear the rushing of water getting louder and louder. Once to the bottom of the steps I looked up and was awed by this particular sight. Beautiful waterfalls that roared with life and flowed into a meandering stream. I wanted to get a picture of the entire set of falls so carefully I eased onto some of the more slippery rocks to get both a closer look and a better view of the falls overall. I took several pictures of the falls and was amazed by their beauty.
Seeing these magnificent waterfalls in the heart of Queensland reminded me of how beautiful the whole area is. Someday I would love to return here but that may never be. At least I had a few weeks in "paradise" and a lifetime of memories to accompany me. Who could ever ask for more? :D
I followed signs that directed you to each different set of waterfalls along the circuit and when I stumbled across these I turned onto a road that took me to a gravel parking lot. I looked around and didn't see any falls, but near the lot was a posted sign labeling the trail to the falls. Smiling I grabbed my camera and headed in that general direction. I meandered through some trees and grassy areas before coming to a set of almost spiral stone stairs leading downwards. As I descended them I could hear the rushing of water getting louder and louder. Once to the bottom of the steps I looked up and was awed by this particular sight. Beautiful waterfalls that roared with life and flowed into a meandering stream. I wanted to get a picture of the entire set of falls so carefully I eased onto some of the more slippery rocks to get both a closer look and a better view of the falls overall. I took several pictures of the falls and was amazed by their beauty.
Seeing these magnificent waterfalls in the heart of Queensland reminded me of how beautiful the whole area is. Someday I would love to return here but that may never be. At least I had a few weeks in "paradise" and a lifetime of memories to accompany me. Who could ever ask for more? :D
12 December 2009
The choppy waters of Babinda Creek
Okay so now I'm going to try that pic a week thing since I can't seem to stick to a pic a day. I decided to go back to the very beginning of my photostream at Flickr and pick out my favorite picture from the first week.
What is this image of you ask? Babinda Creek. Where is Babinda Creek you ask? Queensland, Australia. :)
In 2008 I took the trip of a lifetime. I spent months and months planning the vacation, went through many doubts and frustrations, did A LOT of research, made a lot of reservations and dished out a rather large sum of money to take the trip of a lifetime. In so doing I managed to meet at least FOUR of my life goals. :)
I have a list of life goals...I think most people do and I am sorely lacking in having met many of them. Well in 2008 I met four of them. I boarded a plane and traveled to the other side of the world to spend three weeks in beautiful Queensland. I had a blast!
This particular photo was taken the last week I was in Australia. I was staying at a lovely Bed and Breakfast on the outskirts of Cairns called Kooka's. While there I had asked for some ideas of where to go. One of the places I learned about on my many visits to the visitors centers all over this country was the Babinda Boulders. I was told it was something to be seen.
This creek is apparently responsible for many a death. There is also a tragic story about an Aboriginal girl who dove into the treacherous waters of this creek and killed herself when her fellow tribesmen attempted to drag her away from her one true love. Apparently he belonged to a rival tribe. The girl ran off to be with him. She was captured by her own tribe and when they attempted to take her back to the village she broke free of their holds and jumped into Babinda Creek. In her wake two huge boulders shot up into the sky and stand in the midst of this creek. They say the boulders are the remains of the girl who tragically killed herself here all those years ago. They also say that her spirit is known to haunt these waters and that she calls to visitors from near and far luring them to join her among the jagged rocks.
When I took this photograph my aim was to capture the crashing waters so that I could show how fast and choppy they are here. I was also intrigued by the green blue tint of the water and the whiteness cast about from the waves themselves. I'm glad I traveled to this creek to behold with my own eyes this awesome force of nature.
What is this image of you ask? Babinda Creek. Where is Babinda Creek you ask? Queensland, Australia. :)
In 2008 I took the trip of a lifetime. I spent months and months planning the vacation, went through many doubts and frustrations, did A LOT of research, made a lot of reservations and dished out a rather large sum of money to take the trip of a lifetime. In so doing I managed to meet at least FOUR of my life goals. :)
I have a list of life goals...I think most people do and I am sorely lacking in having met many of them. Well in 2008 I met four of them. I boarded a plane and traveled to the other side of the world to spend three weeks in beautiful Queensland. I had a blast!
This particular photo was taken the last week I was in Australia. I was staying at a lovely Bed and Breakfast on the outskirts of Cairns called Kooka's. While there I had asked for some ideas of where to go. One of the places I learned about on my many visits to the visitors centers all over this country was the Babinda Boulders. I was told it was something to be seen.
This creek is apparently responsible for many a death. There is also a tragic story about an Aboriginal girl who dove into the treacherous waters of this creek and killed herself when her fellow tribesmen attempted to drag her away from her one true love. Apparently he belonged to a rival tribe. The girl ran off to be with him. She was captured by her own tribe and when they attempted to take her back to the village she broke free of their holds and jumped into Babinda Creek. In her wake two huge boulders shot up into the sky and stand in the midst of this creek. They say the boulders are the remains of the girl who tragically killed herself here all those years ago. They also say that her spirit is known to haunt these waters and that she calls to visitors from near and far luring them to join her among the jagged rocks.
When I took this photograph my aim was to capture the crashing waters so that I could show how fast and choppy they are here. I was also intrigued by the green blue tint of the water and the whiteness cast about from the waves themselves. I'm glad I traveled to this creek to behold with my own eyes this awesome force of nature.
11 December 2009
In the Name of Spontaneity
So remember what I said about trying to do a pic a day for December? Yeah well I'm rethinking that entire decision. Why? Because now it's kind of losing it's attraction. Taking pictures right now doesn't seem fun to me when I feel like I HAVE to take a picture. I feel like it's a chore now and that was not the original goal to this whole idea. I guess photo taking like my writing, like my vidding, like my art needs to come naturally when I'm ready for it and not because I feel like I HAVE to do it. I was good with the idea until December 8th. I took a photo and didn't really like the results. The day after that I had no desire to take a picture because it's not fun for me at the moment. It feels to frigid (if that makes sense) too forced and no longer holds that appeal it did. I suspected this might happen. I can't force myself to do something and when something that is fun for me, enjoyable for me no longer becomes enjoyable or relaxing, when it starts feeling like a necessity, like it must be done now...well that's just irritating to me.
I came up with a solution though. I still want to share pictures I've taken, but it's no longer going to be a pic a day. I am going to do a pic a week and how am I going to go about tackling this? I post at least six pictures a week to my Flickr account. They're not really planned or ones I feel I HAVE to share. I'm uploading the pics that appeal to me that night or whatnot that I'd like to share just for the chance to share :)
My new idea? I plan to select one picture a week from the ones uploaded each week to my Flickr account and talk about it. The pictures I select will be what I consider a favorite, or a "best" or one I just wanted to share with others. I figure in doing this I can still keep posting to this blog, still make it interesting and photography will no longer feel like a chore to me because there won't be the demands I place on myself to take a pic EVERY DAY. It's a bit too much what with the holiday season upon us and the accident I had recently and all. It's just too much and when it stops being fun that means I gotta go with my instincts and change it up already.
So there's the reason...
Now to explain this picture...
When my cat passed away due to kidney failure I missed her terribly. The same year that happened I went to Chicago and went into the Shedd Aquarium (a daily routine for me each time I'm in the city of Chicago). While there I glanced at the stuffed animals just because I wanted to. When i saw this fellow I picked him up and immediately noticed how soft he was in my hands. He also reminded me immediately of Frisco so I bought him and brought him home.
Now everytime I look at this stuffed harbor seal I think of Frisco and smile. :)
I came up with a solution though. I still want to share pictures I've taken, but it's no longer going to be a pic a day. I am going to do a pic a week and how am I going to go about tackling this? I post at least six pictures a week to my Flickr account. They're not really planned or ones I feel I HAVE to share. I'm uploading the pics that appeal to me that night or whatnot that I'd like to share just for the chance to share :)
My new idea? I plan to select one picture a week from the ones uploaded each week to my Flickr account and talk about it. The pictures I select will be what I consider a favorite, or a "best" or one I just wanted to share with others. I figure in doing this I can still keep posting to this blog, still make it interesting and photography will no longer feel like a chore to me because there won't be the demands I place on myself to take a pic EVERY DAY. It's a bit too much what with the holiday season upon us and the accident I had recently and all. It's just too much and when it stops being fun that means I gotta go with my instincts and change it up already.
So there's the reason...
Now to explain this picture...
When my cat passed away due to kidney failure I missed her terribly. The same year that happened I went to Chicago and went into the Shedd Aquarium (a daily routine for me each time I'm in the city of Chicago). While there I glanced at the stuffed animals just because I wanted to. When i saw this fellow I picked him up and immediately noticed how soft he was in my hands. He also reminded me immediately of Frisco so I bought him and brought him home.
Now everytime I look at this stuffed harbor seal I think of Frisco and smile. :)
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