Right and Left Part III

And everything in between.  A lagoon, a pond, a river, or a stream. Water flows. It is the uniter. It joins the earth with the air and tames the fire. Earth is the body of our planet but water is her blood.

I am on Patreon.

Right and Left Part II

The Atlantic in March vs the Pacific in July.  The water is cooler and deceptively smoother. There are no surfers on this side of the country. Swells don't rise high enough to even disturb a wind surfer. Cold beauty and infinite patience. Wearing it's way around the world.  Water is there even when you can't see it.

I am on Patreon.

Right and Left Part I

This week the 3 Ps are related, today we start with the Left Coast.

I have mentioned in the past my fascination with water. Water comes in many different forms, even when it is liquid.  There is no more basic a way of showing that then to compare and contrast the oceans.  I have only been lucky enough at this point in my life to have seen the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.  As I was well into my 30s when I saw the Atlantic for the first time, you will understand that that makes me quite excited and eager to see more.

Our photos today are of "The Left Coast" the Pacific in all of it's glory. From ice to steam, water means life. Let it surround you. Don't just see it, feel it.  The pounding of the waves. The push and pull of the tide. The subtle lapping of the pools on the beach. Water is. Take a moment today and just be there with it.

Love what you see?  I am on Patreon.

Creating a World, Creating a Universe, Creating a story

“A writer is a world trapped in a person.” ―Victor Hugo

Lately I have been doing a lot of world creation.  Everyone goes about this completely differently.  The way that is right for you, is the right way-for you.  I am not here to tell anyone how or what to do I am here to show you what I do and offer it as an alternative or a starting block.

Depending on the setting I will either start with research or a map.  If I am creating a world from scratch as I am with Dragur, my RPG idea, I start with the map. There is going to need to be research as well; but the map is the impetus for the action in this case.  The amount of resources available and what those resources are drive the story.  Even if the map is largely in my head at first, it is the map that creates the world.  With "Live," my settings vary and I am looking at a very character driven story line, the map is there but research is needed to flesh it out.  I already know that it will begin in Ancient Egypt and move through to a future life on Mars. I need to know what those worlds look like so that I can describe them to my reader and take them there.  Tasting the sand and the salt of the sweat that a slave will drink to prevent dehydration while working copper mines in a desert, where he knows the names of the Gods, but not the name he was given years ago. All maps need research, all maps affect a story, it matters what the world looks and feels like to your characters; so it matters to the reader, as well.

When you are creating a map out of whole cloth as it were, you will need one of two things:  1. artistic skill or 2. a good program! There are a lot of great programs out there, I state again that I don't get paid by manufacturers I am just sharing the ones that work for me. A great free website resource is donjon world creator. If you have the ability to purchase one or more programs then go here, do not pass go, these guys are amazing! A good program will even save a good artist some time and trouble.  I have also had fun in the past of simply taking a random world and creating a story that fits it.  Even if you never do anything with the story it is a great exercise at world building. When you are setting your work on Earth you have the advantage of having a map already made, and the disadvantage of the possibility of making a mistake.  For instance, did you know that Tucson, Arizona has a two month monsoon season, but is still considered a desert? These are the kinds of things you need to know about where you set your novel so that if someone is reading it from that part of the world they recognize their neighborhood.

World building isn't just about maps.  When you are writing fiction you have the ability to create an entire world, even on Earth, and you will people this world with the creatures you create.  Are they human or human like? What is precious to them, who or what do they compete with for resources? Do they see themselves the way others see them? How are the creatures in your galaxy governed or are they? Did I just say GALAXY?

Yes, I did.  When you write a book, or create a game world, there is always the possibility of sequels or new modules, etc. We have even seen authors writing two unrelated series pull them together and show that they were in one universe the entire time; i.e. the Anne McCaffery Pern and Ship series. Even without that possibility, for me, knowing the world and the universe that my characters are born into helps me breathe life into those characters.  If a dragon from a lush vegetative area were to come upon a plain how would it react to the sky?  Would it have wings?  Would it know how to fly if it does? Even if that dragon never sees a plain or the sky, knowing how it would react helps you make that character one that the reader cares about.  

Things like a planet having more than one sun or moon are going to affect things like deities, cycles of seasons, the way the people approach math and the sciences. Are they able to see stars or is it constantly partially lit in their world.  If you never see the stars are you driven to fly? Are you driven to get to the stars? Your characters, in this book, may never consider these things; I believe that it is your job to at least have a basic idea what the rules of your universe are. Do Newton's laws work or Asimov's law or even better yet gravity?  We long to fly because we are held down. Would a creature who can't touch down without assistance dream of walking?

Build your foundation well and the story grows from the questions.  Love what I am doing and want to see more?  I am now on Patreon.

The American Dream

Often artists work in "cycles."  You read one of my poetry cycles earlier in the colors blog.  Today I am sharing my American Dream photographic cycle.  One of the best things about this shoot is that it was completely unplanned.  My husband and I were driving to visit his children and stopped at a rest area as the sun was setting.  Here was this farmer working to get his crop in while he could still see and very obviously wearily making his way home as the beauty that surrounded him played out it's daily routine as well.

The Job

Going Home

Promise

The Farm

Sunset

Farms were, from the beginning, what the American dream was all about. Owning your own land. Growing, breeding/herding, and bartering for the things that sustain your family and your community. That was the American dream.  My paternal grandfather was a farmer. My father was not. The "baby boomers" were a generation of professionals. The American Dream changed. The family farm is now replaced by corporate farming and hobby farmers. There are still family farmers, but they are the minority now. I was caught by the juxtaposition and I hope I caught it as well.  The American Dream changes, it is supposed to, over time; but in truth it is the same as it always was. To live a life free from strife and that makes the future a good one.  Is the sun setting on that too?

 Love what I am doing and want to see more?  I am now on Patreon.

Inspiration Photography...or...Wow that's pretty, now to remember why I took it...

Most often when I am inspired to take photos it involves the obvious.  Why does one take a photo of the sunset?  Because it is beautiful. The same can be said of almost any large scale "nature" photo of mine. Then there are the ones that it's not true for.

This is a random collection of some of my raw work. The one with the date on it was even taken with a different, "lesser" camera. All of these photos will, or have, become art in a different form; some you have even seen in this blog.  Every one of these was taken because it was the texture of the subject that appealed to me. Unlike a "pretty" photo I rarely had any idea at the time of taking the picture what the finished product would look like, I just knew there was something interesting here and I wanted to have a part in making it come alive.

It is rarely difficult in photography to find a subject that is interesting, pretty, or even beautiful.  The difficult part is not even having the skill to take a good, even a GREAT photo, with time and dedication it will happen. Having your camera with you, knowing that NOW is the time to get that shot, and then seeing it in the proverbial darkroom; these are the things that make an art photographer. Did you see that lead?  Having your camera with you. Not your camera phone. Not your point and shoot (while my husband's point and shoot did take one of these, so I have to watch myself there). Nope, having your CAMERA with you. Very few photographers travel without their cameras. We might miss something.

The difference between a hobby photographer and a professional photographer is, technically, simply the charging of fees. In truth, it is much more complex.  In this age of digital anyone, everyone it seems, can take a good photo-and does.  I am not even going to use the line about a GREAT photo.  Not this time. A hobbiest though, will have taken, and deleted, many more photos than a professional. The professional has learned when to take the picture (or pictures) and that deleting often loses you a shot that might have been good with some thought behind it. A professional will take 100 to every 1,000 of the hobbiest.  More of them will be good and yes, some of them will even be great (it is possible for a hobbiest to take a great photo...I know this and don't go there often).  There are "professional" photographers who are really hobbiests and there are hobbiests who only lack the equipment to be professionals.  I have seen iPhone photos that were better than some pros work; not because of bad pros, but because of amazing hobbiests.

Take the photo, sometimes it is done at that point.  Sometimes it is not.  Art is knowing when it is done, and taking the steps or not taking any steps, to get it there! Love what I am doing and want to see more?  I am now on Patreon.

Monday...

First off a little family promotion:  If you are interested in some good fiction and better advice please tune into Crimson's blog. Interested in the Shadoe Stone's product line? Remember that we don't have a webpage yet, so see us on Facebook.  Finally, my mother is an amazing crafter and has turned her crochet into an amazing business on Facebook, Handmade by Phyllis by name.

Now onto our Monday...

3Ps is the MWF theme, we are only a few weeks in so there isn't much feedback and even less of a conversation about what you would like to see more and/or less of; so I shall continue in what has started.  Please always feel free to comment here or contact me directly.

Shades of Grey, Dawn Cowan

Speaking about black and white photography and poetry by colors in the last few weeks inspired this piece.  Sadly, it did not photograph well from my tablet.  The texturing of the paint is part of what makes my works compelling, if you believe they are at all, and in this one the red seems to be climbing out of the black and grey.

Color is great for making things pop out at you.  While the grey-scale photo with a red rose is almost trite now, the opposite is just as effective if properly done.  A riot of color is great, drop in a grey-scale aspect and suddenly you have stillness within chaos.  My favorite play with color in photography  though is when the colors are soft and still crisp and clean.  A photo shot in the night shadows, with spots of light for instance.

Spanish Moss at Night-Dawn Cowan

I have almost run out of my "found" acrylics and I am done with the canvases afforded to me by the sale (except, maybe, the one I am painting over) so I am done with painting for now.  It makes me sad when I can't get out what is in my head.  Okay fine, it pisses me off that it's money that is causing the problem.

I have dreams about the amazing things I can do with canvas and paints.  I drool over wall sized canvas and buckets of acrylic paint.  I would adore being able to create mixed media art pieces using my camera, paintings and some of my craft work.  Heck, I just want an easel, canvas and some paint too.

Love what I am doing and want to see more?  I am now on Patreon.

Three Weeks in and some Random Photos

So, we are three weeks in and I think you are seeing the trend.  I am trying to have a conversation with you, the reader. I am keeping my posts short and posting daily to keep the conversation going.  Please feel free to do more than just read!  I look forward to answering questions and even dealing with topics suggested by readers.  If you don't like what I am doing then unless you are related to me, by blood or marriage, why are you still reading?

Now onto our 3Ps....today we will post some lovely photos and discuss! Yay photos!

Wood Dragon

The Big Top

Camouflage

Canyon Wall

I love taking photos from an unusual perspective.  Wood Dragon is not from that unusual a perspective, but from the angle I took it I emphasized the log's resemblance to the dragon with it's mouth open.  This "trick angle" is a common photographic trick and is why you see us wandering around in circles for hours before we take a photo.  Okay maybe not hours, but you see what I mean.

The "Big Top" is not actually a tent, but a wooden picnic area that had the most amazing angles and arches.  This was taken in natural light with a zoom lens helping the shadows do those amazing things they do.

Camouflage is the reason I want a macro/micro lens when and if I ever get a camera again. The ability to see this gran daddy long legs up close and personal without walking out into the lagoon, is well worth the lens!  Okay, I admit it, I have lens envy.

Finally "Canyon Wall"  is no more and no less than it's title.  The colors, angles, and crop all come together to make you ask which way is up.  Taken in New Mexico this photo shows the stark beauty of the desert and the persistence of time and water.

Photography is a joy for me and one I have missed for the last two years since I had to sell my camera.  I am hoping to get back to it soon.  There is water calling me!

Love what I am doing and want to see more?  I am now on Patreon.

Photography-The Golden Years

When you are doing something you love, you are playing every day.

I love this series of photos because both man and dog are having the time of their lives and the dog is doing what it was bred to do. 

I call this series the golden years.  I don't think it really needs an explanation.  Fun is it's own reward! 

You are going to see a lot of water photography from me.  I am fascinated by water.  I tend to take photos of nature, but most often I am drawn to water, it is essential and everything but passive even when it is still.  

I was at this beach to get some wave shots.  The man and dog were there the entire time.  The buoy would go in, the dog would retrieve it and it would go back in.  There was simplicity in the routine but it was spiced up by the dog's barking.  If the buoy wasn't in it's mouth the dog was sharing it's joy with the world.  Sometimes even with the buoy in the mouth there was muffled sound.  It was adorable.  In the last two shots you see that he dropped the buoy to say how much fun he was having...he then turned around and brought it back to be thrown again.

Bring joy to your work and you will give joy with your work.  Boredom, anger, sadness, madness they all show in art.  Every once in a while simple joy is refreshing.

Love what I am doing and want to see more?  I am now on Patreon. Personal appearance this weekend in the Shadoe Stones booth, at the Indy Pagan Pride Day.