Still Life with Feather, Flower, Bark

Small Steps

I’m starting to feel better after a couple weeks of a flareup of digestive problems. Just eating a few vegetables without triggering another episode is a victory these days.

As the days of summer wind down, I am spending as much time as I can outdoors soaking in the heat and humidity, savoring the greens all around, and storing memories of beauty.

I am also celebrating small victories in dealing with health challenges. Even though I still have difficult days and weeks with my gut, overall I am feeling stronger and better than I have in a long time.

This growing strength allows me to do things around the house I’ve not been able to do in a long time. Last week I celebrated being able to wash the windows inside and out without ending up in pain for days afterward, pulling weeds in the back yard for an hour without pain, and cooking a meal without being in severe pain by the time I sat down to eat the meal.

As I learn to listen to my body and follow it’s cues I get stronger step by step. Meditating, doing gentle yoga, focusing on what brings me joy are some of the small steps I am taking.

Quote of the day: “Small deliberate actions inspired by your true desires create a life you love.” — Danielle LaPorte

Yesterday I went to the Norenberg Memorial Gardens to photograph using my new big telephoto lens (300 mm). Using this lens was so different from using a telephoto zoom lens or my macro lens.

It took some time to learn how far away from a subject I needed to be. And it was challenging to change from my typical flower photography of kneeling down and getting up close and personal. With this lens, I often needed to step back, creating a sense of distance and separation I don’t usually feel when I make photos.

I am still deciding whether this lens works for the way I photograph or if I should take it back. By purchasing from a local store that offers 30 days to decide, I gave myself the chance to try the lens and see how well it works for me.

One of the ways I challenge myself to grow as a photographer is to limit myself during a photo shoot to use a single lens for everything I see. It challenges me to see in new ways and step away from ingrained habits. Limitation is a powerful teacher in all aspects of life, not just photography.

Here are a few of the photos I made yesterday with my new lens: