Taking in Life Around Me.....#SundayStills...color challenge: Pastels/white





This #sundaystills challenge is hosted by Terri from Second Wind LeisureIt's a great themed photography challenge that you'll enjoy. I love seeing the other participants interpretation of the theme each week...it causes me to think outside the box. I joined in hopes of it pushing me to get out and take more photos...I have to some degree, but I also like that Terri is okay with us finding photos in our archives, which is also a lot of fun. So check out my photos and then head over to Terri's page to participate or visit other's posts. There are some awesome contributors who always inspire me.

This week is a color challenge, and the colors being pastels or whites which is a suitable choice for spring. 

I'm watching a really neat You Tube video titled Mindfulness, Mental Health & Photography with Paul Sanders. It's so good. Yes, he is in a sense promoting a certain product, but I am looking past that to what he is saying. I was considering taking a course on mindful photography, but I'm going to wait a bit since it's $90, so I'm looking for some videos that talk about it. One thing he said is that for him, "Photography is all about the image, the moment, the experience. It's not about the camera, or the technical side, but it's about creating a memory of a place, creating a memory, a response that you can bring to life through a print or a journal. It's so easy to get caught up in thinking "is this good enough, will others like it, am I getting things right", when really, it should be about what captures my attention, what brings me joy, what speaks to me. My hope is to study this approach. more and see where it takes me. Why am I sharing this here...I don't know, except that we are a group of people who love taking photos, and I know often it can be easy to compare with other people, though thankfully no one in this group is ever judgemental, which makes it awesome. I thought perhaps someone else might enjoy watching it and I'm curious if anyone else has studied mindful Photography.

Back to the theme. Our weather hasn't been the most cooperative to get out and about, and I don't have many pastel colors in my house, so once again I went to my archives. I did find a few more recent photos that I intentionally took. Our tulip fields are open now, but I haven't been able to get there. 

Pastels in nature are some of my favorites. I don't really decorate with pastels or wear pastels (unless I have a tan). But in nature, they are stunning. The above dahlia was one I grew years ago when we were first developing our property. 
Pastel blues of hydrangea and the pretty pastels of Farmers Market bouquets are favorites. 

Tulip fields are another favorite of mine. The above location was at the Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival in Woodburn, Oregon. Very pretty, but VERY crowded. Below are tulips I took photos of at our local tulip farm, Holland America Bulb Farm. 

my granddaughter Pepper in her favorite pastel tie dye pajamas. 
Last years basketful of pastel Easter eggs, after an egg hunt with Indiana. 
I spied this Easter Tree in a thrift store window. I'm just now noticing the table runner which is kind of pastel looking. I would've bought this tree because it reminded me of my mom, but it was for display only. 
On the white scheme of things, these American White Pelicans showed up on our local river looking for smelt. I'd never seen them here before, but there were so many. I loved seeing them mingling with some bald eagles. I sure wish I had a larger lens to get closer. 

When the trees are blooming with their pretty pink blossoms, I always stop to take a picture or two. They're my favorite, even though they're messy. 



These trees line the parking lot of a church down the road from my house. They are my favorite. So pretty. 
How about some pastel colors on these butterflies at the Magic Wings Butterfly Conservatory in Deerfield, Ma.

A pastel purple light on a wall in Plymouth, MA. Did you know there are two ways that town is spelled? Plymouth and Plimoth or even Plimouth. The town goes by the first spelling, but the living museum uses the latter spelling, as it was an old fashioned spelling used by Governor William Bradford. It is mostly used to differentiate the Museum from the modern town of Plymouth. 
A pastel sky at sunset in Plymouth, Ma.
This house in Providence, RI looks pastel enough to me, though some might argue it's a bit too dark. What I love is there is much to say about individual interpretation of any subject. 




With Joy Unquenchable,
Kirstin

Comments

  1. Such wonderful pastels you've shared, Kirstin! The grand kiddos are so adorable! I really like your thoughts on this photography series your watching. I try to be mindful with my photography and of course, thinking of future themes for the blog. I must have taken 100s of Bryce Canyon and many will sit in Dropbox never to be seen again. I do like documenting where I've been and there is always a compelling image to capture ;)

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  2. I'm smiling through this entire post, Kirstin, especially when I reached the pictures of grandkids. Your floral pictures are stunning.

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