look up

I was reading a wonderful new blog today (new to me), and found this quote, "Keep looking up. You'll end up going where your gaze goes."

That reminded me in such a great way, of a conversation that I just had with a friend about traveling. She was saying how she remembers that I told her to "look up" whenever she is in a new city, to see the fantastic details on buildings, to catch everything that is above street level. Some of the best architecture is found at the tops of buildings, in the windows, or flower boxes, or rooftop gardens. So much of life occurs above our heads, so much history can be found, so many things to be discovered when we pause and turn our gaze up, instead of just watching our feet and the sidewalk ahead.

This photo was taken back in 1997, in downtown Madison. As I remember, the city was just starting a "borrow-a-bicycle" program, similar to another new program they're starting this summer, and this building had been turned into an art project, as a way to show people the fun new red bikes. It was such a surprise to look up and see bicycles on the sides of the building, but such a treat to discover.

It's also a life lesson that I'm learning once more, to open up to the sun, the sky, the air. The fourth chakra. Opening up my lungs, and in turn, my heart. Letting my head fall back, and turning my eyes upward. Opening up to possibility. So look up... who knows what you will find.

perspective

I'll be the first to admit, some days I just fiddle around with my cameras to see what I'll get. I learn a lot that way about point of view, focus, distance, lighting, you name it. This idea occurred to me after seeing some beautiful museum photos, taken by Eric Tenin, of the Paris Daily Photo blog. He had set his camera on the floor, shooting down the hallway of a Paris museum, and while you could still see all of the art on the walls, it was such an interesting perspective, that I had to try it for myself. This shot felt like a fun mouse-eye view of my parents' yard, and I liked it.

Also, Paris Daily Photo is one of my favorite places on the web, one where I can easily lose hours of my day. His photos make me think about what I shoot in a lot of different ways. Sometimes they're artistic, beautiful sites, sometimes photos of ordinary places and things, but it really opens my eyes to my own city. This blog was originally going to be part of the City Daily Photo circle, look it up some time, there are so many wonderful photographers and cities to explore. However, I'm a bit too much of a perfectionist and commitment-phobe to commit to a daily photo blog (ha); and I really do like to travel a lot, so honestly, posting photos only of Madison, as fun as that would be, felt sort of limiting.

Yesterday was World Photography Day, something that I found really inspiring, and which made me head out the door, cameras in hand, with no particular destination. I hope you are all a little bit inspired to look at your surroundings in different ways, and by all means, take more photos.

my city

There really are so many pictures to be taken in a city like Madison. The Capitol building alone could (and does) keep me busy... with each change of season, all of the vantage points around town from which you can see it, the ever-changing light, not to mention the detail of the building itself. This shot is from Tenney Park, on Lake Mendota, and the wind that day was whipping the waves up onto the shore. Tenney Park always makes me think of my grandpa, who used to bring my little brother and I here and let us feed bread crumbs to the ducks. And then we'd wait and watch for a boat to come slowly through the locks between the two lakes. Perhaps the best part of this memory is that on any sunny day, you can come to the park and see the ducks, and there are still kids tossing them tiny handfuls of bread crumbs.

sailing

I have always loved the water, and here I am, living squarely between two beautiful lakes which are just made for following the wind, aboard a small sailboat. I took sailing lessons one spring, at the university, and I'm pretty sure those were several of the rainiest, windiest afternoons ever. But the dream prevails, and I still learned how to sail. Some day... 

art is everywhere

Today was a gorgeous sunny beautiful perfect summer day, so my family and I hopped on our bikes. Some of my cycling friends may recognize these, from over on the east side. Riding past them always makes me smile. I don't really know what they are, I suspect they might be sandhill cranes. But they are enormous, and made of scrap metal, and they're friendly and whimsical, and I absolutely love them. Art is wherever you find it. 

Thai pavilion

I've lived in Madison all my life, and one of the most beautiful things in this city has to be the Thai Pavilion at Olbrich Gardens. This was a gift from the Thai government, and is only one of four located outside of Thailand. Much of the detail on the pavilion is covered in gold leaf, and it's just gorgeous on a sunny day. You can bike right up to the pavilion via the Capitol City bike trail, and catch your breath while gazing into the reflecting pool. 
More about the Thai Pavilion at www.olbrich.org/gardens/thai.cfm

of lakes and bikes

Of course I have more than a few photos of my beautiful city, Madison Wisconsin. This was shot one sunny morning on Lake Monona, while I was riding one of the many bike paths which cover every part of the city and the surrounding communities. Off in the distance there are the Capitol building, the isthmus, downtown, and the famous Frank Lloyd Wright convention center. 


When a very good friend of mine recently moved back to Madison, one of the first things she did was buy a bicycle. There's simply no better way to see this city, than on two wheels, and I'm so glad she reminded me of that. 

dragonfly

I really don't take a lot of photos of bugs... I have a very good friend who does... she chases them down, puts them on ice, then places them gently on something really pretty to be photographed. They slowly warm up and fly away. But I really love the delicacy of this guy, sitting on the fence of my new azalea. I love that he wasn't at all scared of me. Nor I, of him. Sometimes nature is nice that way.

the photo that named the blog

This was just one of those days, I had the camera out, I'd been chasing the local red-tailed hawk around, trying to catch her in flight. And then I saw the sunlight shining through the apple tree next door, and white petals drifting, falling from each blossom... turning my neighbor's yard into a magical faerie garden.  

just dance

There is nothing like children spontaneously dancing at a summer festival. Twirling each other 'round and 'round. This was taken at BratFest 2009, and I love the joy and motion in it. 

a beginning

I thought I'd start with an old black and white film photo, taken years and years ago. This was at Warner Park, on the northeast side of Madison. I always felt it had a little "classic Americana" to it. I imagined they were brothers, enjoying a relaxing day of fishing together. Turns out one of their dirt bikes had found its way into the lagoon, and they were fishing it out. Which is why this photo always makes me smile...