Friday, April 13, 2012

Movement 15/52


Movement. Amazing theme for My Four Hens Project 52! Majority of my life has been all about movement. I miss it so much. And I'm so excited to bring a part of that back into my life for a reunion performance for the ballet studio I danced for in Washington state: Washington Contemporary Ballet.

The obvious portrayal of movement here is the fact that we are on a merry-go-round. Oh, how I loved to spin as a kid. I always wanted to go on the spinning rides at state fairs and amusement parks. I remember one time being in a 'UFO' and we were spinning so fast that you could move yourself upside down on the padded board we were on. That was fun! But this trip was a bit different. Haha maybe I'm getting older or I just hadn't eaten enough but the dizzy factor was ridiculous!

But for me this movement theme is a bit deeper than the obvious physical depiction I chose. The image above is me holding onto continual moments that keep changing and moving me along. On the eve of my 27th birthday I find myself forgetting that it's my birthday. That week-long pre-celebration is no longer there as I feel there is something more important to celebrate: my new role as a mother, and more importantly a mother getting back to herself so she can be an even better mother!! While the image above may seem like I'm holding onto dear life so my angel doesn't fall off but it's more so holding onto the moment, every moment with her. So in a sense I'm juxtaposing movement with stillness this week. :o)

Sometimes my mind wanders and I come up with little metaphors, and recently with all the reminiscing and living in the moment and thinking/worrying about the future I decided life really is like driving a car:
1) You have to look forward to see where you are going and where you want to go. Your ride wont be as smooth if you look directly in front of you instead of looking further out. Looking further out helps determine how you are going to get where you want to be.
2) You need to be aware of your present surroundings and check your side-view mirrors and blind spots to make sure you are in a good place and if you can make those changes in the near or far future.  As I have seen a lot lately, what you do now doesn't always have an immediate effect, but it does help set the framework for who you are wanting to become.
3) While it's important to also check your rear-view mirror you dont want to spend too much time focused on that. It's good to see where you've come from so that you can be proud of your current self but living back there blinds you from seeing where you currently are and making decisions to get where you want to be. In the literal sense my one and only car accident was because i was too focused on the guy behind me and anticipating his move that I didn't see the person I turned left into (no one hurt thank god!). Living in the past is very unrealistic as conditions are always changing and there is no way to adapt while looking behind you.
I'm saying all this because I have found myself looking back a lot lately because I haven't been myself and kept forcing things to be like they were so I could get back to who I was and not the 'depressed' person I have been. Things change, life changes, now it's time for me to think about getting back to 'normal' with the current conditions as they are. My hope is to build upon the 26 years I have under my belt and create a better person, one that my family, my husband, and, most importantly, my children can be proud of (and hopefully be a role model to them!).

I hope you enjoy these images! It was quite entertaining if anyone was watching us to see me set up my camera on my camera bag, hold onto my daughter as we ran in circles, try to jump onto the merry-go-round (don't worry, I kept the speed safe for Zoey) and get into a decent position with pleasant expressions on our faces before we slowed down too much. I was a dizzy mess after that's for sure! It was fun though and maybe next time the hubs can join us for a spinning family portrait! ;oP

I do have another movement image I thought of doing but I dont have enough time and items needed to accomplish it before the week is up. But it's one that I hope to accomplish in the way I imagine it to be :o)

And this has taken me so long to write that it's now my birthday! Yaiyee! My wonderful husband surprised me with a cake, flowers, and silly string to the face :oP So until next time!


Kisses for my miss!


I love Photoshop CS6 (beta) and it's tilt shift and iris blur features! Above is me utilizing the tilt-shift blur.


4 comments:

  1. Wow these are perfect for movement! I so love how you processed them. The feet one may be my fave..it's hard to choose.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much! You really have no idea how much your words mean to me! I was partial to the foot one too but felt a little more depth with the 'holding close' one :o)

      Delete
  2. You captured movement beautifully and what an idea to use the merry-go-round!
    As I've said before, I'm enjoying your words too. You seem wise beyond your years and at the same time, so youthful with excitement of adventure and what lies ahead for you and your sweet family.
    I hope you'll take advantage of that tree in your back yard and get some great shots before you move!
    How do I go about using my name when selecting a proflle?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have always been very self-conscious about my words since middle school so hearing you say that really just means the world to me! And I have already started taking more pictures of our backyard tree as it green-i-fies :o)

      I believe if you choose (Name/URL) under tha Comment As drop down menu you should be able to leave your name! I hope that works, I just am signed into my account so it automatically identifies me :o)

      Delete