63/365 Two

"My Two Favorite Colors"

There is not much explanation or elaboration needed here.  Anyone who knows me or has visited our home knows that blue and orange rock my world.

I have been working on another photo project around the theme of "two."  The assignment was to create a diptych.  Various ideas have been bouncing around in my head for the past three weeks.  I finally set out this past weekend to do something about making the ideas into a reality.  I took the pictures for three possible diptychs, but I think I knew all along which one would be "the one."

On a beautiful Saturday afternoon, Weber and I were walking through a nearby park.  The park was filled with wrought iron benches - all of which were empty.  In fact, there were virtually no other people around.  It was kind of strange feeling.  Where were all of the people?  Why weren't they outside enjoying the spectacular day?

I started wondering if people fear being out in public.  Do they feel too vulnerable?  We all know too well how quickly lives can change and can end in an instant because of the actions of one person.  It is from these thoughts that I created the following.

"The Power of One"

I recognize that this is a little creepy or spooky, as one person described it.  I guess it is supposed to be. It is meant to illustrate how a single action of one person can leave a school, a park, a heart lifeless.

62/365 Upside Down

"0937 Upside Down"

There are some things that the iPhone just doesn't do as well as the good old red display TI calculators from the 70's!

61/365 Whimsical

"Words By Which To Live And Learn"

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!

60/365 Sweet Rest

"Sweet Rest"

No resting was happening at our house today.  Late this afternoon, with no idea was I was going to photograph for today's prompt, I took a stroll outside.  Looking at the closed buds on the irises, I decided that they were resting; there was my picture.

"Awake!"

As I made my way back around the house, a glimpse of purple caught my attention.  Amidst all of the green stems and tightly closed buds was one early bloomer.  On this first day of March, spring is in the air . . .or at least in the flower bud.  I suspect that this bloom will not be alone for long.

59/365 Up Close and Personal

"Icing on the Cake"

During the month of February it seems like everyone except me photographed a cupcake in response to one prompt or another.  I finally succumbed to peer pressure.  Here is my icing on the cake as we bid farewell to this month of sweets and treats.

58/365 Essential Equipment

"Reality :1, Creativity: 0

For Monday through Thursday, this is the essential equipment I need to get through the day - lesson plans, keys, name badge and a pencil.  I have accepted the fact that Wednesday's photos are not going to be my most creative; however, this is as real as it gets.

57/365 From The Side

"Handle On Life"

What makes someone think that photographing an everyday door handle is a good idea or even an interesting idea?  When challenged to photograph something " from the side,” most people would think profile - of a person.  I never said that my mind works in the same way as most people’s.  Or, for that matter, any people’s.

I took this picture a few days ago, but intentionally for today's prompt.  It is the handle, from the side, to our back door.  It was a rainy morning.  I had let the dogs in and out through this door several times already because they would not commit to their task on the first excursion out due to the rain.  Something about the light from the house and the rain hitting the handle drew my attention.  I spent more time than I am willing to admit trying to find exactly the right angle from which to take this picture.  There may be no other ordinary doorknob alive to have received that much focused attention!

The longer I stayed with this project the more I thought about this handle and the more metaphoric my thoughts became.  From this angle I can see both the inside and the outside handles.  I myself use them many times a day to move back and forth from inside to outside.  I also use each of them to aid others (mostly dogs) to move from inside to outside and vice versa.  Inside and outside are separated only by a relatively thin door and each is accessible because of these handles.  Traversing between our internal and external selves is also accessible via the “handles” that we have on life.

We all have an internal and external, or public and private, self.  There are parts of this self for which we grab the handle and open wide the door to let these parts run free.  Then there are the parts that remain locked behind a closed door, a door whose handle is out of reach and maybe even out of sight.  There are also external forces knocking at our door, hoping that we will grab the handle and fling wide the door to invite them in.  Likewise, there are thoughts, feelings and ambitions equally trapped on the other side of the door, in the room marked ego or fear.

What does it mean to "get a handle on life?" Simply stated, I think it means to use these handles to get "things " on the right side of the door, remembering that this is a two way process.  Things on the inside may need to be let out and others on the outside may need to be let in.  Our job is to know when to use which handle. 

I had quite an existential discussion with myself regarding this image.  Or perhaps, I was simply trying to rationalize taking pictures of a door handle.