by Wendy Beswick

Hubby calls me a photo-holic (along with other names at times!) because I never go anywhere without taking my camera. Seldom a day goes by that I do not take at least one photo. Needless to say, this can get boring unless a person pushes themselves to refine their art. 

So I have been pushing myself to take photos that speak to the heart and capture the mood I feel when I chance upon them. I am attempting to create art through my camera since I have absolutely no ability to do so with a pen or brush. I have been studying the styles of great photographers to examine what they did that speaks to me.

While I constantly vow to improve my post-production editing skills, which are virtually non-existent, it seems my focus is always learning to improve my photography with the camera. 

With these three photos I purposely utilized the existing lighting to capture a mood. The sunset was a happy happenstance as I was taking some backroads home from Cornwall one evening. It is taken from a bridge that crosses a flooded area on Chapel Road just south of Munro Mills Road.

I call the shot of the twine hanging from a door knob “The Door Lock” because it is the way we keep the old barn door closed. It won an Eye of the Beholder challenge on the 365 Project I participate in. This particular challenge is all about finding something extraordinary in the ordinary. You want to find a subject that if people were watching you taking the shot, they would be wondering what on earth has possessed you to photograph something which seems so ordinary, plain, bland, boring or ugly.

I call the blue selfie “Feeling Blue” which was also a response to a 365 challenge. We needed to express  ‘feeling blue’ using blue monotones. It was taken in our old barn that often has beautiful lighting.

I will continue my photography journey to explore and record the monotony and the beauty of the world around us. I may even learn some Photoshop skills along the way!

Collectif members, we still want your work! Send images of work completed since March 2020 to cagac.ca@gmail.com with up to 100 words/image describing what you did, materials used, inspiration, etc. Maybe share how you’re feeling more than a year into the Covid world & how/if creativity helps. Give us informative, inspiring show & tell. Writers, send us poetry, lyrics, a short piece or excerpt and try to include a suitable illustration of some sort. Thank you!