It Goes On – Virtual Blog Tour

The delightful Karen at Days and Months has nominated me as part of a virtual blog tour.
The purpose of this tour is for those following me to learn a little more about my creative processes and why I do things the way that I do. I have some questions that I need to answer and then pass the baton along to someone else. It all seems quite simple really. Before going any further I wish to thank Karen for her belief and support of me over the past weeks. Karen is not just an extremely talented photographer living on the Gold Coast  but a warm and caring person as well. Many emails have passed between us and one day I hope to be able to meet up with her for a cuppa and a chat. Or maybe we can just go out and she can show me how she takes those awesome beach photos. 🙂 Please click on the link above to read more about Karen and take the time to see her wonderful work.

So, let’s get this show on the road.
The dilemma that I have is whether to focus on my creative processes for my photography, my writing or my craft. I have decided that I am going to be greedy and talk about whatever comes to mind. 😀

What am I working on?

Hmmmm well that is a good question. Most of the time I am working on improving myself and my life but I guess that isn’t what this question is referring to.
Lately I have been working on putting things together for the local Show. This has meant that I have been going through my photos to pick out 6 that I think I would like to enter. These have been edited and printed out. All that is left is for me to mat them and drop them off for judging tomorrow. I have also been sewing for the show. I shared the results of my sewing in a post a few days ago.
As to my photography, I am working on taking better photos. It is an ongoing process. Sometimes I am lucky but more often than not, I strike out.
I have an idea in my head for a book that would be fun to put together about interesting letterboxes. So when we are out driving my family know we are on the lookout for letterboxes that are unusual or different. My collection of photos of these is growing.
What else am I working on?
I am working to improve my photo editing skills. Currently I have a photo of a busker at a market that I am trying to rid of two gawking gentleman watching me take the photo fix.
In my life, I am working on becoming more loving and peaceful. I am looking for the joy in life and the beauty in each day. I am also looking for the mythical money tree. So far there has been no luck with that one though.

How does my work differ from others of its genre?

To be honest, I don’t really know.
With my writing, I write from the heart. However there are many successful authors and bloggers out there who do exactly the same thing. I write from experience. My experience is different from those of others yet it is the same as many. We are all unique, and the way in which we deal with situations that arise in our lives is also unique to us. Therefore I may be going through (or have gone through) exactly the same thing as someone else but my experience of it may differ vastly.
With my sewing my work differs from others because I don’t know what a straight line looks like or even worse – how to sew one. This isn’t from lack of trying though. I laugh often at my sewing instructor when she asks me to do something. Really. I do actually laugh out loud. I am aware of my limitations but I work to improve them.
With my photography, I still consider myself a learner. I love photographing flowers and wildlife but the wildlife will sometimes not be considerate of my ‘still learning’ status and pose nicely for me. This is incredibly frustrating and results in a lot of blurred and useless images.
I like to experiment in all that I do. Recently I experimented by taking photos through my sunglasses to give the photos an ‘amber’ look.
I think there is always something to learn with anything that I do. Whether it is living my life, taking photos, sewing or crafting.
I guess that my work differs from others in that it reflects my learning process. My photography also differs because there are many times that I need to take my photos quickly due to having a ‘photobomber’ in the family.
Why do I write/create what I do?

Why indeed?
Many of you who have read my blog, know why I write. I write to share my experiences with others and by my writing, I hope to help not only myself but others who may be going through the same thing. I believe that writing is the cheapest form of therapy available today. When I write, I am me. Raw, honest and uncut.
Why do I take photos?
I began taking photos when I was just a child. I have always taken photos. However since the birth of our Tween I have taken photos in earnest. She grew up with a camera in her face all the time. I scrapbooked almost every moment of her life. Photography has provided me with a way of recording our lives. I have photos of first steps, first night doing homework, baking, potty training and so many other things that happen in life that tend to be forgotten. My family have learned to live with my fascination for taking photos and I am sure that I am the butt of many jokes as well.
Over the years, photography has become a way of expressing myself. I like to take photos of things that happen around us every day that we just take for granted. I love to photograph beauty. And I love to photograph people.
Moments captured in time that tell a story.
I am not a great photographer. Not even close. I barely understand aperture. But sometimes….. sometimes I can take a photo that touches the heart and speaks to me. Many times I have taken similar photos to hundreds of other people but at the time of taking the photo, it captured a part of my soul (and my life).
How does your writing/creating process work?

I don’t think I actually have a process. It just happens.
Most of my writing just flows. It can be triggered by an event, a story in the media, my life at this point in time…. almost anything. Many of my ideas come when I am lying in bed of a morning talking myself into getting up. Or when I am meditating. Sometimes I can be watching tv and an idea takes shape. Often I need to write these down immediately or …. poof…. they are gone. lol
With my photography, I try to see things differently. It doesn’t always work though. There really isn’t much of a creative process with my photography. I see something that I would like to photograph. I take the usual ‘happy snap’ type of shot to start with and then I will try photographing it from different angles or cropping in or doing something else. More often than not I am swearing or cursing because what I see in my head doesn’t translate onto the view finder. And sometimes I jag a shot that I am happy with. 🙂
I also can’t take a straight photo to save myself so many photos need to be straightened before printing or sharing them with others.
I am very critical of my own work no matter what it is that I am doing so that is something I am working to overcome.
I do however do some work that I love. And this canvas is one of them.

This lady took me three days to do and she hung over my desk at work for a number of years. Now she sits on the top shelf in my craft room/study where I can see her every day. And she sums up everything for me.
Life goes on.
As it goes on, I write about it or photograph it. Or I express myself on canvases with paints and other media.

Well that was an interesting exercise and one that I enjoyed putting together.
Now, I come to the part where I am to pass the baton on to others. This has been difficult because many that I have approached just haven’t the time right now to do this and after many emails with others,  I just ended up running out of time.
There are many of you who follow me who are writers, photographers or crafters. Many of you have creative processes and I know you have much to share with others.

Therefore if you feel that you would like to pick up the baton from me and do your own post for this virtual blog tour next Monday (8th September) then please let me know and the baton will move forward once more. 🙂

Have a blessed day.