A week or so ago I attended a fundraising event for Firefly Foundation, 
a charitable organization that funds research and develops programs with a mission to prolong brain health.
It was started by a friend and former colleague, after she lost both of her parents to brain related diseases. Another friend of mine, who lost her mother to Continue reading
Have you ever thought about what it would be like to have a camera with you at all times? Well, technically, with camera 
phones we do, but I mean to use it? Constantly. Every minute of every day. Freezing all the moments in time that become your life.
Keeping them intact, as it were. A limitless panorama, there for you to look at, whenever you felt the need or the desire. An opportunity to review, re-live, enjoy again, remind yourself of the lessons you learned, wonder what might have happened if you hadn’t stopped to take that, particular photograph. What might have happened Continue reading
It’s funny. You have no idea how much time I’ve spent at photo shoots over the years. Countless. As a writer/creative director in advertising it was part of my job, along with 
my art director partners, to attend shoots. To make sure we were getting the shots we wanted. It was the same when I worked in the fashion industry.
That’s why yesterday’s WordPress Daily Prompt really resonated with me: “Are you as comfortable in front of a camera as behind one?”
Over the years I developed a really good ‘eye’. Just standing there, watching, I could pretty much tell which shots were working and which weren’t. Poring over contact sheets and low res scans has never been a problem for me. And I can always tell how to crop a photograph for the most drama and impact. What’s necessary and what isn’t.
Photography is also a hobby of mine. Not that I’m good technically. But, again, my eye is good. I can spot an interesting shot immediately. And most of the time when I take a picture, I shoot it cropped. I never realized I did that until my trip to India. One of my fellow travellers is a professional photographer, and she made me Continue reading
I’m a city gal. Always have been. Probably always will be. Born that way. At ten years old I asked my parents if we could move to an apartment downtown. At the time we only lived about 
a ten or fifteen minute drive from the centre of the city, but to me it seemed like we lived in the middle of nowhere. I hated it. Well, that’s a very strong word.
I didn’t hate it. I just longed for the excitement of the city. The rhythm. The pulse. The energy. There was always something going on. Constant movement. And I felt it. I responded to it. It made me feel alive, even as a child.
When I was nine years old, my parents sent me to summer camp. Sleep-away. It was fine. I had a good time, except for the two overnight camping trips we took. Definitely not my cup of tea. I was NOT one with nature. Gathering wood for the fire was a pain — literally. I stumbled and dropped a whole load on my foot.
Major ouch!
Wasn’t crazy about the smell of damp earth. Smelled mouldy to me. Dank. Funky. The food we cooked all tasted of dirt. Or at least I thought so. I could not get comfortable sleeping on the ground. And when morning came, I was far from pleased to see I’d been sharing my sleeping bag with a skunk. Thank God I hadn’t been sprayed. Continue reading
Back in March I was inspired by a WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge. And by that, I decided to try to describe, in words, what the photographers among us were 
being asked to describe in pictures. I really had fun with it.
This is another one of those days. Yesterday’s Weekly Photo Challenge was about ‘pattern’. I immediately thought of India. The photo to the right is one I took when I was there, from the end of December 2008 until the end of January 2009.
Among many, many other things, India is all about an explosion of your senses. All at the same time. It can be overwhelming at first. The noise, the smells, the tastes and all the colour. All in the extreme. All done to excess.
But it’s absolutely fabulous! Spectacular! Like nothing you’ve ever experienced before. Or likely ever will. I was
Honestly, I don’t know what to say. I have been getting such a good response to my blog. I’ve had my fair share of visits, follows, ‘likes’ and comments. Not so long
ago the film and travel-loving author of MANNINGTREE ARCHIVE nominated me for the One Lovely Blogger Award .
And last night I returned home from a night out, to find the brains and talent behind one of my favourite blogs, Evil Squirrel’s Nest, had chosen me, (and several other very worthy recipients), for The 2012 Blog of the Year Award.
Over the years in my professional career as a copywriter and creative director, my work has been recognized many, many times. And I’m very grateful for it. My greatest satisfaction, however, is when my work is liked by those who read it. Those who choose to read it. When they appreciate it. When they think it is worthy of mention.
When we nominate each other, it’s significant. Because we’re peers. Fellow bloggers. And fellow readers. There is so much available in the blogosphere. So much really wonderful, wonderful work. Which is why I Continue reading
365 And Counting 