It's the first Wednesday of the month,
the day that members of the
Insecure Writer's Support Group
share their writing struggles
and writing successes
and offer their encouragement
and support to fellow writers.
To visit the IWSG website, click here.
To become a member of the IWSG, click here.
Our wonderful co-hosts who are volunteering today,
along with IWSG Founder Alex J. Cavanaugh are Diedre Knight,
along with IWSG Founder Alex J. Cavanaugh are Diedre Knight,
I hope you have a chance to visit today's hosts and thank them for co-hosting.
I'm sure they would appreciate a visit and an encouraging comment.
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Every month the IWSG announces a question that members can answer
with advice, insight, a personal experience, or a story in their IWSG posts.
Or, the question can inspire members
if they aren't sure what to write about on IWSG Day.
Remember the question is optional.
This month's featured question is:
What creative activity do you engage in when you're not writing?
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Happy November, Everyone!
An easy question ~ yay!
I am as passionate about photography as I am about writing,
and I indulge in photography almost every day.
I took my first photograph when I was four
and living in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada.
I was visiting my Great Uncle Chester's home in St. Peter's Bay
and snapped a photo of some hens in his farmyard
with my father's Brownie Hawkeye camera.
I was thrilled when Dad showed me the developed photo.
I can see that photo clearly in my mind, but I have no idea where it went.
When I started Grade 9 in Sherbrooke, Nova Scotia, my father gave me his old Hawkeye
with the understanding that I would have to pay for any films I developed.
My babysitting and odd jobs supported my passion, and I never looked back.
This is the first photo I deliberately took containing a reflection.
The St. Mary's River had flooded our property in Stillwater just outside of Sherbrooke.
Stillwater, Nova Scotia, Canada
Spring 1965 or 1966
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved
Now I use my iPhone as my camera, and I edit my photos with Apple's Photos.
I'm a generalist which means I'll photograph anything.
I like to joke that I'll photograph anything that's alive or isn't.
I especially enjoy editing my photos, because that is where my creativity comes in.
Yes, I can be creative in how I frame my shots,
but often I can't see the image on my iPhone when I'm shooting
or I'm snapping a quick, candid shot of something that's happening.
Unfortunately, I can no longer see with a single-lens reflex camera (SLR),
and a self-focusing lens has been a godsend.
When my vision was scrambled by thyroid strabismus,
I became very skilled at point-and-shoot photography,
and I could capture most of the things I wanted to photograph.
Some people say that I'm not a real photographer
because I rely on my iPhone to take photos and I edit them on my computer.
I disagree. It's the creative mind behind the tools that counts.
I consider their criticism of me as a photographer their problem.
What matters to me is the pleasure I experience with photography
and the joy I have when I share my photographs with others.
I have taken many photographs I am proud of.
I'm sharing one of thousands,
and I'm sharing it because of the intense fear I felt when taking it.
I do not like heights!
This Tourist Looks Down
from the top of the Duomo's Cupola
from the top of the Duomo's Cupola
Florence, Italy
September 2018
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved
All Rights Reserved
It's been crazy at our place for several weeks,
and I had to take a brief break from blogging.
It's all good. Everything is resolved.
I feel like things are mostly under control again.
I am very excited about my new Forester!
(Well, it's both Terry's and mine, because we're going to make one car work for us.)
I haven't had a new car for me in about 45 years!!!
That pretty gray 2025 Forester above the fisherman across Clear Creek is mine! (Ours)
Our new Forester!
Clear Creek Canyon Park
Clear Creek Canyon Park
Colorado USA
October 27, 2024
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved
All Rights Reserved
I have some catching up to do! I'm thinking of you, Rida!
Wishing each of you a fun IWSG Day.
A big thank you to our awesome co-hosts today.
Have a healthy, happy, and creative November!
Till next time ~
Fundy Blue
Standing Into Danger https://selkiegrey4.blogspot.com
Copyright ©2024 – All rights reserved.
My next post will be November 15th!🤞
These views out of the old building's windows are fantastic
ReplyDeleteThanks, Roentare! I hope that you are doing well!
DeleteI am thrilled to see you back. You were missed.
ReplyDeleteLove your photos. I have (usually) no problem with heights but that photo made my tummy lurch a bit.
Thanks, Sue! I've missed all my blogging buddies! Florence is magnificent, and I wasn't going to miss getting to the top of the copula just because I was scared of heights. The thing that really scared me was climbing/crawling inside the copula and over the curved and painted ceiling of the cathedral (Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Flower). Have a great day!
Delete...I'm glad to see the Colorado is blue this morning. Take care and be well.
ReplyDeleteMe too, Tom! I haven't checked every result on our very long and complicated Colorado ballot (like over a dozen judges's election results), but almost all the issues I cared about most, passed. And my Representative Jason Crow returned to the house. I want our people to come together as a country and move forward. We shall see, and I'm choosing to move forward with hope and optimism. You take care and be well too, my friend!
DeleteBah, those who think you are a photographer because you use your phone need to pull the stick from their backside. Fun to take pics of anything and everything indeed. Git plenty here.
ReplyDeleteGood everything is relaxed once more at your place.
Hopefully enjoying your new forester, I mean yours and Terry's lol
Thanks, Pat! I'm feeling far less stress. Thankfully Terry loves the Forester too. I'm slowly working through the "getting started guide." The computer screen isn't as distracting as I feared, but it did take me several days to learn how to start the car on the first try. LOL ~ I was doing things simultaneously rather than in sequence. My trainer Julie has only been telling me to slow down for 20 years! So we have our first snowstorm today, and I have to drive through the snow to meet Julie to work out. Could be interesting. I hope all is well with you, my friend!
DeleteForty-five years? You were due.
ReplyDeleteCell phones take better photos than most cameras these days. Doesn't matter how the image is captured.
Thanks, Alex! I hope you have fun today!
DeleteI'm not surprised that photography is your second passion. Your love for it is obvious in every photo -- the way you frame things, the stories you tell.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jeanie! You made my day! I hope you are doing well, my friend!
DeleteI really like the first photo you shared. It's so creative. It's cool that your dad's gift got you into photography. And I don't think you're any less of a photographer by taking photos with your phone and editing them. You're using your creative abilities to take and edit your pictures.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Natalie! Dad has giving me a number of creative gifts over my life, including an artist's eye. When I look at the fence, I see the things he thought me about perspective, starting when I was a child watching him paint. Have fun visiting around, my friend!
DeleteWow! I love the first picture from the top of Duomo's Cupola. The pictures that often mean a lot to us get lost somehow but it doesn't really go out of the heart, does it? I have a cousin who got his first camera last year when he was ninth grade. Nobody accepts him as a photographer and frowns when he talks about it. Being his best friend, I know how creative can photography be. Have a wonderful day!
ReplyDeleteYou have a wonderful day too, Señorida! I'm glad your cousin has you in his life! Sometimes the people close to us don't always appreciate our gifts and pursuits. Hugs to you!
Delete"It's the creative mind behind the tools that counts" -- absolutely right! You are a marvelous photographer. I always enjoy seeing the world through your eyes and photos.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, my friend!
DeleteYou have a keen eye! What a great creative outlet. https://substack.com/home/post/p-150486288
ReplyDeleteThanks, Lee! It's a real creative outlet for me. Whenever I need to destress, I can always edit some photos. Have a great day.
DeleteHave you ever looked around amazon for fancy lenses that attach to your phone? I bet you'd have a blast with some of them.
ReplyDeleteThe reason I know about the different lenses is because I was looking for a telephoto lense. I've got birds out back and would love to capture some of their antics. hehehe
Anna from elements of emaginette
Thanks for the information, Anna. I am going to go check out Amazon. Have a great day!
DeleteYou are absolutely a photographer. Phone cameras have gotten really good. That's what I use now too. And oh my, that photo in Florence made me gulp!
ReplyDeleteThanks, HR! For so many reasons I am thankful to be alive now, including my iPhone. I want to go back to Florence and look down that drop again. LOL! All the best to you!
DeleteA real photographer takes pictures by any means.
ReplyDeleteI love fiddling with photos in PhotoShop. I love contrast, which comes from years of developing and printing my own B&W photos.
How cool to learn that you know the magic of developing black and white photos, Diane! Enjoy today!
DeleteI love the reflections photo you took so long ago. Makes one think of what's happening now on our globe...
ReplyDeleteNo kidding, Lisa. I worry a lot about our globe! And especially the people who will live on after I am gone. Wishing you the best!
DeleteYour comment about thyroid strabismus caught my attention. I have strabismus and never knew it could be associated with thyroid. I did some research and now I understand more about the condition.
ReplyDeleteI've used my camera to capture images I write about later. Here's what drives me nuts: something will grab my attention and I'll forget to take the picture until it's too late.
I have to figure out a way to break that habit.
Hi, Lynn! I'm glad that you understand more about strabismus now. In 2021 I was going through all these medical tests trying to figure out what was wrong with me, and I happened to go to my ophthalmologist because my vision was doubling. He was the one who realized that my thyroid was running amok. Once my hyperactive thyroid was stabilized, I was able to have an eye operation in April by an amazing neuro-ophthalmic surgeon. Now my vision is really good. It's been life-changing. I'm sure you know that prism glasses can correct a lot of strabismus issues. Take care! Hugs to you!
DeleteYou are a 'real' photographer! That picture from the Duomo reminded me of all the wonderful places I've traveled and the pictures I now cherish because I can revisit, even if I can't travel in the same way. Thank goodness for unlimited pics on the iPhone! Thank you also for mentioning strabismus as I've spotted that on my medical chart and will research further. Your vision inspired me. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your kind comment, Beth! My travel pictures mean so much to me, too, as I reluctantly recognize that there are many places I loved that I won't get back to. Having my eyesight restored was life changing for me. Getting back my freedom to drive to the bank, a hair appointment, or the grocery store by myself was amazing. We take these things for granted, and it's a shock to lose that freedom. One of my goals now is to paddleboard again when we go to Hawaii this winter, something I haven't been able to do since before the pandemic. My eye surgeon has cleared me for that. Enjoy the rest of your week!
DeleteI'll be continuing to visit around tomorrow, everyone. I hope you've had a fun IWSG Day!
ReplyDeleteI love your photos.
ReplyDeletewww.rsrue.blogspot.com
Thank you, Rue!
DeleteAs one who have owned a range of cameras, from 35 mm to 2 1/4 film formats to DSLRs, I also mostly take photos with my iPhone (I recently upgraded to the iPhone 16 Pro, great photos).
ReplyDeleteLucky you, Jeff! I so want an iPhone 16 Pro, but I have to keep my current 13 for a while yet. Have a great week!
DeletePeople who say using the camera in a phone isn't real photography drives me nuts. You can do amazing things with a phone camera, which you have proven time and again! Camera phone technology is a million times more advanced than cameras from even 20 years ago, and you can use them to do many incredible things.
ReplyDeleteI used to love taking pictures as a kid, too, but not enough to get them developed (film was so expensive!) so it kind of fell by the wayside as a hobby. If I had the technology kids have today when I was a teenager, I would be making films and taking photos non-stop.
Hi, CD! It's great to see you. It's frustrating to take photos and not be able to develop them. You have a rare talent for funny stories. I'm glad that you became a writer.
Deletei really enjoy your photos always dear Louise !
ReplyDeleteyou are beautiful awesome person ,and amazing photographer my friend !
your first deliberately taken image is great and mistic :)
i am sorry if i missed something ,i will check previous post to find out
have blessed break dear friend! hugs and best wishes
Hi, Baili! Thank you for your kind words, my friend! I went and caught up on your blog posts before I replied here. I've given up trying to stay on top of things, lol! Hugs and best wishes to you!
Deletebeing hurry for dinner made me forgot to mention that the photo you took from very high place is amazing and i am sure if i was there i have felt the fear as well
ReplyDeleteThank you. I still feel scared when I see it. But if I'm lucky enough to return to Florence, I want to climb to the top of the Duomo's copula again. I've been working out and stretching really hard, so I can do what I want. Having my eyesight back is literally life changing. I have to make dinner in a few minutes. Rats! Fortunately tonight I have leftovers I can use. Have a great week!
DeleteOhhhh those photos are fantastic. However, I love the photo of you at the end of the post.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Nicole! I was really away from blogging for a few weeks, but you and Mr. M have been on my mind while I was away. Hugs to you!
DeleteYou are absolutely a photographer. That cell phone you shoot with is more of a camera than the things I started out with. My brother-in-law, who is a professional, uses his cell phone a lot, because it's easy to carry and always have available.
ReplyDeleteGlad things are going better for you. I'm pretty discombobulated this week, with no end in sight.
May you move past discombobulation very soon, Rebecca! I have definitely come through a discombobulated few weeks. It feels so good to get past it. Thanks for your encouragement regarding my photography. Have a great week!
Delete