so i'm putting something out there ..
i have been thinking about GRATITUDE .. and how its a wonderful thing to improve your state of mind .. especially when you are struggling ..
when you switch on and notice the things that you could be grateful for .. you then tend to see even more things ..
i was thinking that taking photos of those things .. or representing them somehow in a photo .. could be a great project for me ..
then i wondered if anyone here would be interested in a side challenge that focused on gratitude ..
i'd love to get some feedback and suggestions .. :)
I like this idea. And not just because nobody but me is interested in a CYNICISM side challenge, either.
Seems straighforward enough just the way you described it: "i was thinking that taking photos of those things .. or representing them somehow in a photo .. could be a great project..."
Count me in to the best of my ability to make time for it - I know it would be good for me.
I like this idea. And not just because nobody but me is interested in a CYNICISM side challenge, either.
Seems straighforward enough just the way you described it: "i was thinking that taking photos of those things .. or representing them somehow in a photo .. could be a great project..."
Count me in to the best of my ability to make time for it - I know it would be good for me.
i wish you could hear me laughing .. re your comment about cynicism .. so funny ..
thankyou for the happy face i'm wearing right now .. xx
i'll be interested to see the reactions ..
i may have taken on more than i can chew ..
well there's something i can be grateful for .. the ability to chew ..
seriously .. it can be the smallest thing .. or something huge ..
but like i say .. i think i may be overreaching myself ...
simple pleasures can provide disproportionate joy. something I'm grateful for. doesn't sound very hard to come up with things to shoot and would bring awareness to things I am or should be grateful for.
I'll wait until fall or winter for a cynicism SC, unless my exposure to gratefulness permanently diminishes my cynicism. ...HAHAHAAA! As if.
simple pleasures can provide disproportionate joy. something I'm grateful for. doesn't sound very hard to come up with things to shoot and would bring awareness to things I am or should be grateful for.
I'll wait until fall or winter for a cynicism SC, unless my exposure to gratefulness permanently diminishes my cynicism. ...HAHAHAAA! As if.
by fall .. cynicism may have disappeared from an onslaught of gratitude .. crazier things have happened ..
I’d be up for this.
The word gratitude is maybe not the word I’d use but words are words so I’d be ok with that.
To truly appreciate what is there is no gratitude, all these wonderful diverse appearances don’t need me to appreciate them to be wonderful and divers, if I say I’m grateful of them, then I’m applying that they are wonderful because I appreciate them, when in fact they are wonderful whether are not I’m even there to be grateful of them. Photographing something you are grateful of is only photographing something that falls into the what I like and does me good categorie, when in fact all appearances are perfect as they are even if they are not in our grateful category. So I would be shooting for this as if everything Is perfect and whole and unconditional.
Shoot as if you were not there.
i do truly believe that we can agree on something even tho our words might indicate otherwise ..
as words are so open to interpretation .. the word gratitude to me .. might mean something entirely different to you .. or with subtle differences ..
but i agree .. whatever it is .. is wonderful whether i think its so or not .. my categorizing it is only as it affects me ..
i have found .. that when i become aware of .. and focus on .. something in my life that is helpful, good and positive .. rather than the opposite ..
then i am raising my vibration .. it might sound cliche .. but it is a real thing ..
when i concentrate on the negative .. then its like i become a magnet for all sorts of things that bring me down .. it could be as simple as stubbing my toe .. or something major ..
when i'm in a positive frame of mind .. which is helped along be being grateful .. then i become a magnet for more positive things .. crazy and unrelated things happen that elevate me ..
we are all different .. and we all have different beliefs and ideas ..
so it will be interesting to hear what other ppl have to say about this gratitude thing .. ;)
Yes, words are just words and can only be dualistic in nature.
I think a side challenge with the title Gratitude would be a terrific idea, we can define that word how we want and shoot for it accordingly.
Good idea Roz.
I would like to join this side challenge.
For me, I look into the everyday things I can be grateful for, but that's just me, as you said, it can means many things to different people.
I don’t think I want to struggle with finding photos of my gratitude. It might be a frustrating challenge that would make me less grateful. :D
However, I do fill my heart with gratitude and say at least three “thank you”s every morning, as part of my Qigong routine.
And I read an article in The NY Times that said the act of thinking of things to be greatful for creates changes in the brain that reduce depression. Even if life should be so bad that there is nothing to be thankful for, the exercise of searching for something will create the same brain changes.
only seven or eight people have shown an interest at this point ..
altho a small group isnt a problem ..
any opinions on when to start would be appreciated ..
i'm thinking that a break from the march side challenge could be in order ..
which would mean starting in april ..
feedback appreciated .. :)
The theme alludes me. Somehow, all I do is a gesture and thought of gratitude. Seize the day
hey mariuca .. i'm not sure if you mean elude .. i just want to understand what you are saying .. :)
and for me it would be a challenge .. to represent photographically things i'm grateful for ..
from the small .. supposedly inconsequential things .. to the seemingly more 'impactful' ..
i was doing a gratitude journal .. listing the things i was grateful for in each day .. and not repeating anything ..
the act of doing the journal .. made me more appreciative of the positive things in my life while they were actually happening .. especially knowing i would be writing them down at the end of the day ..
as its so easy to go through your day .. hardly realizing that things are happening all the time .. that if you actually noticed them and gave them some focus .. they could elevate you ..
we are bombarded with so much negative in our lives ..
the news for example .. some of it can be quite frightening ..
a lot of people can concentrate on the negative in their conversations ..
our lives can be challenging and our own thoughts can be like a bad friend in our heads ..
the list goes on ..
so focusing on the the positive and being consciously grateful can balance out .. to a degree .. all the negative ..
and yes .. hajeka .. i meant start in May .. have a break in April .. my bad .. ;) the other thing is .. its possible that a photo each day could be pushing it .. so it might be every other day .. or every three days .. or whatever people wanted to do ..
and was just an idea i had .. reaching out to see if anyone else would be interested in attempting something that i felt might be a bit difficult .. for me at least .. :)
I'm taking a break in April and, although I like the idea, I'm not sure if I can fill a month with "gratitude" (a few perhaps in May)
I agree with hajeka. Our real estate photography business is starting to pick up again which is great, we were in a slump the last 8 months. So, everything takes a back seat to that. I'm hoping we get very busy again in which case creative photography will have to wait. I'm enjoying the March Side Challenge, it's given me reason to get out there while I have the time. At this point, I'm looking forward to late Spring when things start blooming again. But, as always business first.
I'd like to participate provided I'll wrap my head around the theme since, as I mentioned, I feel that all my life is a song of gratitude.
It might end up becoming a "feel good" SC.
May it in NYC is interesting and I am so grateful to live here in any season - I just have to find a way to approach the theme without applying too much sugar
hi all intrepid photographers .. !! .. i think a conversation about how often ppl want to post .. and what ppl want to focus on re the gratitude .. might be a good thing ..
as 'gratitude' can be a bit open to interpretation ..
fyi .. for me its just the things in my everyday life that i can be thankful for .. from the seemingly innocuous small things to the things that are really obvious ..
for other ppl it might mean something slightly different ...
and when the month of May comes around could we specify in our photographs what gratitude actually means to us personally .. just a thought .. and i'm so wanting other ppl to make suggestions .. xx
so far these are the ppl who have expressed an interest .. Roz roz .. possibly taking on more than i can chew .. but i've got nothing to lose by trying ...
Ken Art Roflmao .. I know it would be good for me. I'll commit to twice a week and will focus on the out-of-the-ordinary things to be thankful for.
John jagar ..I think a side challenge with the title Gratitude would be a terrific idea, we can define that word how we want and shoot for it accordingly.
Margaret marnet .. I will be in for GRATITUDE ;)
Gaby kasaba .. For me, I look into the everyday things I can be grateful for, but that's just me, as you said, it can means many things to different people.
Janine thrumyiis .. it will be a good thing to focus on the positive.
Patsy pmichaud .. Thank you! I'm in. I need that brain change.
Marac MAK .. I am still struggling big time to get out with my camera and shoot, maybe my camera days are gone...
Hajeka hajeka .. I like the idea, I'm not sure if I can fill a month with "gratitude" a few perhaps ...
Mariuca mariuca .. I'd like to participate provided I'll wrap my head around the theme since, as I mentioned, I feel that all my life is a song of gratitude. It might end up becoming a "feel good" SC.
Marion jomari .. might not be able to contribute for the middle half of May
Jo digifotojo .. Roz, I've changed my mind. I'll take part in this and also include Eric. I hope this helps to get it up and running.
Eric ozerad .. dobbed in by Jo ... (dobbed in is an australianism .. hope you get the meaning from the content .. )
Tammy tjbel05 .. very interested . !!
Rich streetpigeon .. These month-long side challenges are great for refining goals, seeing and ability. What I thought I might do, though, is drop by occasionally. Kind of crash the party. If that's okay I'd be....well, grateful.
