Taking in Life Around Me: Quadruple Dipping while on Vacation in Arizona.

I'm going to attempt to quadruple dip this week, combining #sundaystills, #lens-artistchallenge, #thursdaydoors and #CFFC. I think I can make it happen. 

Terri is challenging us to share favorite vacation spots, Dan is challenging us to share street view distractions and he also hosts Thursday Doors, and Sofia is challenging us to think in terms of looking back using the idea of wabi-sabi in three ways (imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete). I don't think I'll find images of all three of wabi-sabi, but we'll see what I come up with. 

I was just thinking that with the creation of social media, AI and over-editing (and not admitting you took creative liberties with images) we fall into a trap of worrying our images will not be perfect enough, good enough. We hit the delete button too quickly. We can spend so much time over thinking settings, composition, what we saw someone else capture, that we don't actually enjoy what it is we are photographing. We don't enjoy the present moment we are in. Now, I don't photograph for monetary compensation, BUT I am highly influenced by images I see and that can be a detriment. 

When it comes to favorite vacation spots I would say, instead, that there is something that is a favorite part or place in every state or country we vacation in. I also tend to be VERY easily distracted while on vacation (okay anywhere really), especially when it comes to spotting something unique and interesting. The people I'm with usually end up ahead of me because I stop often to take a picture of something that caught my eye.

I am using images from our recent trip to Arizona. I thought about waiting and doing the lens artist challenge later in the week, but I'm not sure I'll get out to take any photos. I love the idea of wabi-sabi as Sofia put it. I'll also say that I deleted almost all the photos I deemed "not good enough", but I have a few that could work. I don't know that I found anything from the trip to go with incomplete.

My hubby captured this of me after I had set up my camera. We were going to try to see the sunset, which was actually setting to my right. I had looked up tips for settings, etc...I had decided before we left for our vacation, to rent a 24-70 f/2.8 lens to get the wider angles.  I had also brought my 28-300 along, but since I spent the money to rent the other, I tried to use that one the most. 

In the Tlaquepaque shopping village (which sadly at the moment is at threat of flooding), I found so many opportunities to pull out my camera. This one was tricky because of all the shadows. Even trying to edit it, I just couldn't quite manage it. This shopping space sits along Oak Creek. I walked over the pedestrian bridge and then down under the road on the pedestrian path which is along the creek and is currently under water. Yikes. It is crazy to see areas we were just in a little over a week ago, under water. 

I am currently working on some posts from our trip and will include more images there and I shared more on FB and Instagram. I loved the red rocks in Sedona. The branches on the right of the image annoyed me. I did get a few images without them. I didn't think these added anything to the photo but for whatever reason kept the picture, so I guess I would consider this imperfect. 

The grand canyon was stunning but also a bit tricky to photograph and edit. Sun, blue skies, clouds, shadows, deep recesses...so much that required different things that I really wasn't sure about. I often took photos on both my phone and camera because then at least I knew I'd have some that turned out.

I did have fun including other aspects of the canyon like trees, or interesting rock formations. 

While in Sedona we took a short hike and the view was beautiful. We always try to find places to hike or walk when on vacations, especially if we do a lot of driving. We'll stop and pull off to stretch our legs a bit.

When we arrived in Jerome, Arizona, we hit the public bathroom and I spotted the above place and told my hubby I was walking over to check it out. This fits distraction and impermanence I think. Jerome is known has a sort of "ghost town" brought back to life and there rumors that it is haunted. This is the old Bartlett Hotel...see image below for info. 

It was quite fascinating once I got up close. I could just imagine what it was like in it's original state. 

Sure I like new things, but I'm always drawn to that which is old, chipped, has a story behind it. 

I will also take pictures of signs along the way to remember what something was or to read later. Honestly, if you're in a hurry, you probably shouldn't bring me along.

I spotted this door in the Tlaquepaque shopping village. I thought it would be great for Thursday Doors. 

Let's pause and take photos of what we see on the sidewalk. I believe these were in Cottonwood

We stayed in the Marble Canyon area a few nights and on our way to dinner at Cliff Dwellers Restaurant I spotted the above photo and told my hubby we needed to stop by there the next day. I wanted to stop and get some pictures. I was very distracted by things when we drove...good thing I didn't drive. 

I am always amazed at the vast landscape differences in the places we visit, especially if we travel to different areas of a state. I snapped this photo out the window as we drove by (nowhere to stop).

This raven distracted everyone walking by. 

While not a street view, I am easily distracted in airports by art on walls, throughout the airports and murals...I WILL stop and take photos. I will meet you wherever we need to be. 

With Joy Unquenchable,

Kirstin