IWSG: Wednesday, November 6, 2024 ~ A Second Creative Passion

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, 

Lisa Buie Collard, Kim Lajevardi,  and JQ Rose!

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

Florence, Italy

September 2018

© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
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

Colorado USA

October 27, 2024

© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
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!🤞