Are you Creative??

Hello All!
So sorry it has been so long since I blogged....life interupts! Anyway, I have been thinking about the word creative. What exactly does it mean? By definition creative is --- originality of thought and expression. But is that really what it means? When researching similar words that compare to "creative" some interesting results come up. Here are some examples.... gifted, original, visionary, inventive, innovative, ingenious, stimulating and productive just to name a few. Ok now that we all have an idea what I am going to say next might sound complicated so don't let me loose ya! I have seen articles and studies saying that you are born creative but I have also seen many articles with ideas that creativity is self taught. In my eyes everyone is creative in some way. Just because they aren't visually creative does not mean that they are not an artist in some way. Therefore the phrase "Born an Artist" belongs to everyone! I feel that you can teach yourself to be creative as well. I think if you work hard and find something you are interested in you will find your inner artist no matter what the outlet may be. So the articles and research I was refering to earlier are both right! Let me give you some examples of people I know that are creative in different ways..... My brother is musically creative because he loves music and that is his passion so he has taught himself to play the guitar, My sister is a graphic designer and that just screams creative-- She taught herself to use the programs and how to use the computer in ways I have no idea how she does it----
So here is the punch line of this rambling! Are you born creative? YES Is creativity self taught? YES So I encourage everyone to find something that you truley enjoy and work hard to make it original, inventive, or innovative and find your nich because when you do you will know it and you will love it!
This quote is at the top of my quote list! I think everyone should live by this and we all could reach our full potential.
Oh and by the way it is a quote from a famous fashion photographer and designer.
"Be daring, be different, be impractical, be anything that will assert integrity of purpose and imaganative vision against the play-it-safers, the creatures of the commonplace, the slaves of the ordinary."----- Cecil Beaton

Losing your way....

Have you ever been lost? Whether it was physically, mentally or emotionally, you all know what I mean! Lost, according to dictionary.com is ---- "to let (oneself) become unable to find the way". Ok this post is gonna be pretty deep if you can tell and as of now this is by far the most important and typical post I have ever posted. Anyway, back to LOST! I did a little deep thinking today..... lots of deep thinking actually. I have gotten lost! Lost from everything that I wanted from photography. Here is the thing, I have been doing things with my photography lately that I outright never on Earth wanted to do! No offense to those great and talented potrait and studio photogs out there but I do not like to take photos of people. Let me add a side note in here before I go on... EXCEPT FOR MY FAMILY!!! Love you guys, didn't mean you Ha Ha! Anyway, I used to love I mean absolutely love to tote my camera around and catch images of things that I thought were interesting. Now, not so much! Why? I have turned myself into something I am not. I had a 35 mm Canon that my parents bought me that I loved and I had to work so hard to make a shot because I only had one chance to make it great. Now I point a big digital SLR Canon and take 14 shots and get one good one! Why? Because I lost the meaning. The meaning was how things looked through my eyes. I have gotten side tracked by taking photos I do not have any passion for. So to shorten things up because I know if you are reading this you definitly have better things to do than read my rants... I am going to find my way again! With this may come several changes! You may notice that my website name changes, my web address changes my email changes, and most of all my galleries change.... because I just want to be me! The real me has a deep love for the ART of photography. So if you ever stray away from who you are and want to find your way back, you can do it! Just go back to the begining and start over! Find the meaning and love behind what you lost and it will be yours again.
Leaving you with a quote to fit the occassion.
"Let the world know you as you are, not as you think you should be, because sooner or later, if you are posing, you will forget the pose, and then where are you? ~Fanny Brice

Don McCullin

“Photography for me is not looking, it's feeling. If you can't feel what you're looking at, then you're never going to get others to feel anything when they look at your pictures.”

--Don McCullin

I couldn't have said it any better! Love this quote! Don McCullin was one of the greatest war photographers of all times. He is most famous for pictures taking in the 1960's and 1970's. If you are not into dramatic pictures don't go researching him! He was so good at showing the sorrow and sadness of war but his photos have so much to them. Of course they are black and white and that adds to the effect but they have such great depth of field. The first time I learned about him I saw a photo he had taken in one of my history books in college. I think I stared at it all class! My favorite photo that I have seen of his is "Shell Shocked Soldier". It shows the real face of war and I think that is what he meant for it to show. Google it! It is not a bloody war photo it is a soldier staring right into his lens and has great composition and it just kinda captures you. Anyway, that is my history lesson for the day! Have a great one!!!
Amber

Rain Rain don't go away!

Sitting here listening to the rain. Love the sound of rain on a tin roof. Our t.v. is out so thank gosh for the internet! Ha ha! My hubby is in the kitchen making some kind of crazy boy food. Today was a crazy day, I feel accomplished but challenged but that is how I like it! Had somebody tell me today that my pictures were too good for me to have a day job! Ha Ha! I was flattered by the compliment but knew that was a dream far from reach. You all know that saying "If only you did something you loved you would love your job". This is true but then it wouldn't be a job would it?? I was thinking about it and I would love to only take pictures all day! What a fairytale! When real life hits ya in the gut you have to have some kind of thing that makes you feel good. I think that when I get told my photos are good or that someone likes my photos it makes me feel a little better than average.

If you continue to read my blog you will notice a trend of quotes. I love quotes! They are inspirational and witty but have such great meaning. So I will leave you with one now.


"Every job is a self portrait of the person who does it. Autograph your work with excellence." - Author Unknown

Amber

5:30 AM!!! Feeling the LOVE!

Hello All,

I had a very long day and night yesterday. I spent close to 18 hours working on pictures! I finally hit the sack this Saturday night at 5:30 AM! I guess my writing today is about people like me. People with a creative mind and a perfectionists touch. I am one of those people who have to have everything done right and look right! I consider myself a self proclaimed artist. I will stay up late through blood sweet and tears even if it is for no pay because this is my work. Photography for me is more than just a hobby. At most times, it is my life! My sweet loving husband tollerates it to his best because he knows how much I love it, bless him! So I am spending my Sunday with him today no matter what I need to finish or get done. So here is to a love for something untouchable but also a love for something even bigger right at your fingertips.

Amber

Carlton First United Methodist Church

I wanted to give you all a little information on the photo I posted. This photo is of the Carlton First United Methodist Church. As you can see it is older, abandoned and lifeless. The town of Carlton, Texas is a extremely small community near Hamilton, Texas. It was once a small but busy little spot on the map. Now all that remains is a very empty downtown and a few residents. This church is amazing! It was originally built in 1874 and was renovated in 1914. It has wonderful architectural features and was probably the nucleus of Carlton back in it's prime. This piece of history really caught my eye! As you all can see from my photos I love old things. Also, all I could think of was how this beautiful building would look in a black and white setting. I think it turned out pretty good. I love the drama of such a great building because I always wonder if people who see it think what I am thinking. Using your imagination is crucial in interpreting art! You have to think of "what was" not "what it is now". So..... imaging children laughing and playing running around the yard surrounding this church on Sunday morning..... imagine men chatting about the weather and crops.... imagine women talking about their interest and life.... most of all imagine a better world with simple times. I hope that is what you get from this photo because that is what it represents.

Enjoy!