I Missed Thursday...

So have a Friday post instead!

Due to how my week started off, I have been a bit rattled to say the least. The repair to my vehicle wasn’t super expensive but it made my budgeting all the more difficult.  But the sadness, stress & rattling won’t last. It’s just a blip on the happiness radar.

Till the next time!

Well...

Sometimes life likes to throw you sucker punches...like dropping your vehicle’s whole rear with only a little warning. It sucks...there are tears...and you try to move on.

Let's Just Sit Back...

And look at some more pictures :)

(Picture taken from that exact angle. Lucky is such a good, cooperative pupper.)

(Fun view from under the trees' canopy.)

(You can see why people believe(d) in fairy folk with fungi like this.)

(Rusty-colt taking a little rest in the shelter.)

(Goat Close & Personal)

(Snowflake)

(Hibiscus)

(Nearly blind Betta, Dude, peeky-peeking.)

(Modes of transportation.)

(Look at that tail!)

(CHICAGO!!!)

(Zip-few spots/near white Appaloosa gelding...I miss this guy.)

(Smell the flowers-or do what Merlin did a second later-DIE FLOWER DIE!..He was a grumpy betta...and the flowers were fake.)

(Lucky's adorable eyes!)

(Natural abstract)

(Fluffed up squirrel)

And we'll end on one of my all time favorites. Till the next time!

Look at This Photograph

("Every time I do it makes me laugh" quotes Snowflake)

Photography is a fun, unique form of art. Capturing a moment in time, framing it how you want, heck, with the technology today, you can edit it to give off the feelings you want to convey too. Last post's photo spam nicely set today's post up.

(Lucky responding to a "come". Editted with a blue-toned filter to emphasize the cold of the day.)

There are several factors to consider when taking a photograph. First, is lighting: will you be able to accurately see your subject? Is your phone/camera capable of capturing your subject in said lighting? Is it a low-light shot? Does it require flash? Is there a shadow obstructing your subject? Not to mention, how does the lighting effect your subject? Is it too bright, making it look like the sun bit them? Is it giving them a halo? Lots of factors, just in this one category need to be considered.

(The soft morning light gives this pony a lovely "halo" as it gets a drink of water)

If you've determined that your lighting is sufficient, then you need to move on to perspective. Do you want to be even with your subject? On the same level? Higher than your subject? Lower than your subject? Perspective greatly influences the feelings of your shot. For example, a panoramic shot of a landscape may be taken from a higher level as you are better able to capture the vastness of the landscape. On that same note, some landscapes are shot from the same height or only slightly above. The feeling of vastness is still there, but it's less overwhelming, and can be more inviting than a higher perspective. If you go for a lower perspective, you can give your subject a sense of power, like a statue looming over you, the photographer and the photograph's viewers. Or, you can simply capture things from a new angle. 

(A curious expression is given to this model due to the lower position I have taken)

Now that you've considered the lighting and perspective, you need to consider how you are going to frame your shot. In photography there is a rule of threes, or more specifically you divide your picture into three. Regardless if you are doing portrait or landscape, you can divide it in three vertically or horizontally, you can even get creative with your shot and divide it in three diagonally too. The idea of the rule of three is that you want to be able to draw the viewer's eye throughout the picture, not just to one spot. 

(This barn cat photo shows how having your subject off center, as well as the texture of the grass draw your eye through the photo)

From there it's a matter of point and shoot. Over, and over, and over again. It takes practice to get good at photographing what you like, and lots of patience. Personally, I like to photograph a variety of things, but mainly animals, particularly close ups (especially of my fish-my Bettas were quite small) as well as eyes. 

(Raku, a male Crowntail Betta, peeking through his plants)

While you do not necessarily need high quality or expensive equipment if you are merely doing photography as a hobby a better camera and lenses really do aid in the quality of the picture. If you decide that photography is a viable career path for you, then you should consider making the investment into the equipment. I would like to, but at the moment, my camera phone and lower cost camera work just fine. 

(A Paint horse gelding's blue eye and facial marking)

Lastly, you've taken the perfect shot. Now you need to edit it. Sometimes no editting is needed for that shot, other times cropping the photo, adding filters, changing from color to black and white, or even getting the color levels to more accurately match real life can be done to the photograph. Be aware, that in contests this may not be allowed (color altering anyway-can't say with absolute certainty as I haven't entered any photo contests). These slight changes can elevate your photograph or make it more how you wanted it to be. 

(This gentle giant showing how hard it can be to get a large subject in frame)

Find what makes you happy and photograph it! It can be anything! Shadows (new favorite of mine), people (though not in a creepy way...watching Criminal Minds, don't mind me!), animals, nature, architecture, modes of transportation, there is literally an endless amount of subjects for you to pick from, and remember, it doesn't have to be a job, it can just be a fun hobby. It can also be social too, as there are platforms like Instagram that allow you to share either with friends or publicly. You can follow me on there under what's_in_a_day?.

(Shadows can be just as tricky to photograph as the subject themselves, thankfully, mine was cooperative)

Do any of you have photography as a hobby? What do you photograph? Are you interested in photography as a hobby? Career? 

(Going back to perspective: being above the deer added to this already somber scene)

Till the next time!

(Emphasis on lighting and camera capabilities. Thankfully, for me, my phone was able to capture this sunrise)

Day by Day

As we’ve discussed before: it’s not easy to maintain happiness (depending on your circumstances). Just remember the sadness, anxiety, stress etc. will not last forever. How long it will last depends on each individual & their situation. Just remember to take a step back. Try not to dwell on the bad or the sad. Find a happy thing of the day, even if tiny & try to focus on that instead. It’s not always easy, but try to take it day by day.

Till the next time.

Thinking

Short & sweet today. Just a thought: Animals are wonderful. Forget trying to be like another person. Be like a sweet animal, family pet, etc.

Happiness in Art: Drawing and Painting

The beauty of a blog like this is that while we explore what makes a quality life, at the end of the day, it's still about my journey to a quality life. This blog will jump around, but you know what? That is life.

~~~

Today's subject is art. Art, in its many forms is therapeutic, and for many, it's their happiness. I, too, enjoy art in its many forms from writing, to song, to drawing, to sculpture, I mean the list is practically endless!

(Above: Serene Great White Shark done in oil pastels)

Let's focus on the drawing/painting forms today. Like many things in life, it takes practice to get good at a particular skill. I am always seeking to improve my work, and I always will be. The biggest thing is remembering to keep that little nagging voice in check. If you are an artist, you know that voice all to well. It's the one that nitpicks your art until you see it as nothing of worth. Don't let that little voice dominate. Yes, it's good to critique yourself so that you can improve, and if you stop hearing that little voice, you may want to make sure you haven't gotten too big for your britches! There is always improvement to be made. Sorry, but it's the truth.

(Above: Digital Drawing of a horse in a field using only three colors)

When drawing, one must decide how accurate one's piece is going to be. Is it a fantasy piece, where your imagination can rule? Is it a drawing of a animal or human? How accurate do you want to be? How much "artistic leeway" do you want to take? Even asking this, I feel it's important to know the anatomy of your subject. Of course, many things will not be spot on. We have photographs/pictures for things like that, but if you do go for hyper-realism than anatomy books on your subject of interest is a must.

(Above: Night Flying done in pastels)

Sketches are an important step in the art process (and one I tend to skip...so to each there own?). If stumped, or simply in the planning stages, sketches can make the difference between an okay piece, and a great piece. Are they absolutely necessary? Heck, no! (see my comment above). There is truly no set process, which is what makes art so wonderful. However, there are prominent artists who speak about their process (YouTube, magazines, events, etc.). And they all tend to have a process, even if they're not all the same.

(Above: Twisting Turning Spots done in acrylics)

Tools of choice then come into play. Will you dabble in as much as possible? Acrylics? Watercolors? Pencils? Markers? Ink? Pastels? Oils? Or will you focus on one medium? Each is unique in their techniques, textures and blendability. It's up to you, the artist to find what you like. Me? I like to dabble. It's fun to see how different mediums work and how that can affect a piece.

(Above: Bring the Dawn done in watercolors)

Then comes the moment of adding your color, or even your paint! Your color palette is very important, and it's strongly advised to stay away from pure white and pure black. I personally, still use them slightly when called for, but otherwise, my palette will include various colors. For instance, if you look at my Poland China Boar, below, you will notice that I used black to mute the colors of the pig's body, but in that body are browns, purples, and oranges. Even on the white areas, you will see orange and red that got muted with a white colored pencil.

(Above: My recent Year of the Pig piece-more on that another day-Poland China Boar in colored pencil)

The most important thing with art is to have fun. Draw, paint, create what makes YOU happy. Do not worry about your audience. That's a surefire way to kill your creativity. Do you. Draw for you and most importantly: have fun and be happy.

Till the next time!