I felt blessed to experience this family, just off of the dock the morning we were leaving our aunt and uncles cottage. I knew there was a good chance we would see a loon, not only a loon, the mom and dad pair with their baby graced us all weekend with various spottings on the lake.
As they were floating by the dock, my son was on the dock getting things ready, they were calling, he called back to them and they were actually responding and still continued past the dock in peace! It was a very cool experience!
How close they were to us!
Hindsight as a photographer, I was so excited to see them I just grabbed my camera and began shooting, both times… I should have double checked my settings and upped my shutter speed slightly to accommodate for any movement in the water of them or us! I am still extremely happy with my shots with my Canon R6MII + 24-240mm lens!
I enjoy looking up the spiritual meaning of birds…
“In many Indigenous cultures and spiritual traditions, the loon is a powerful symbol representing tranquility, serenity, and the reawakening of old hopes and dreams. It is also associated with dreams, the subconscious, and the ability to navigate both the physical and spiritual realms.”
“This week, the challenge is to examine your gallery or go on a photo walk. The objective is to find examples of photographs that feature compositional elements such as lines, patterns, or colors. There are times that you can find all three examples in one photograph, as in my opening photo of a sandstone outcrop. Centuries of erosion from wind and water have created the pattern of lines and earth tones in this sandstone. Photographing it at an angle allowed me to feature more of the outcropping, with the bonus that diagonal lines are typically more dynamic than vertical or horizontal lines. The angle of the sun in late afternoon provided shadows that enhanced the sense of depth in the variations.“
I am starting with one from over 10 years ago, a fav of mine fall colours, lines of the field of corn partially harvested.
A massive flock of geese on our beach last fall, getting ready to coordinate their flight patterns!
Steps leading down to the beach, where more of the flock has gathered with the beautiful fall colours framing the image.
Boardwalk leading to the beach
I am an avid lover of off roading when we get to experience views like this when on and off roads!
A fav as the sun hits at the right angle, the fall colours, the orbs and sun flare and the trees leading into the machine 😉
A late summer fav when the fields are being harvested, not necessarily lines, but definitely colour and patterns! Rural living 🙂 The corn rows are fun for lines!!!
I am loving these challenges, they not only push me to look into my collection of images, they remind me of the beauty I have photographed this year and even into year previous. Another beautiful reminder that when you see something that peaks your interest and you snap a photo or few of it… there will be a time to share these images that your heart pulls you to! ❤
From PhotosJohnBo, Last week, Tina’s challenge focused on how we all “Live and Learn.” Next week, Ann-Christine hosts. Be sure to follow her blog here so you don’t miss her challenge, which will be posted at noon Eastern Time on Saturday. If you’d like to submit your own responses to the Lens-Artists Challenge each week, but aren’t sure how to get started, check here.
“Show me some of the things you’ve learned about photography or any subject you choose. Do you learn by doing as I do, or are you one who learns from classes, or online, or through working with others?”
I couldn’t help but think deeper on this.
Photography… as my children were born, I began to expand on my art, I had always enjoyed taking photos, a part of me wishes I had kept my cameras, my little purple one 💜 my first one with the long film…
After our son was born I took the leap, went from my point and shoot to a Canon Rebel XTi. I spent a lot of time researching, talking to my uncle, who had the Canon 30D.
I jumped in with my Rebel and 2 kit lenses, it was my other baby, we went everywhere together me and my 2 babies. Then our 2nd was born and as my skills expanded I continued my research and upgraded my Rebel to the Canon 40D.
I loved my 40D, helped me expand with my low light indoor shooting with my two young kids. Lower light means you need either a slow shutter speed to allow more light in OR a lens and camera capable to open up your aperture while utilizing your ISO capabilities. This camera really taught me the basics of this. Its also when I purchased my 50L f1.2 lens. A beauty and the bokeh at 1.2 is dreamy!
As my skills expanded, I began exploring the full frame options which was the next step from my 40D, this is when I stepped up to my first full frame, the Canon 5D!
Unbelievable what suddenly opened up in my world with my 5D, the previous cameras are all crop sensor, meaning when you look through its not 1-1, it’s 1.6 magnification. My 24-105mm was a true 24-105mm, hello wide angle shots and even better lower light capabilities!
After a couple years with my 5D, I bit the bullet… spring of 2012 I bought my 2nd brand new camera, my Canon 5DMIII!!!
About 10 years later I had the opportunity to get my first mirror less full frame, the Canon RP! It was a bit of a step back from my 5DMIII but well worth the step forward with my new Canon RP + RF 35mm f1.8!
My beloved 5DMIII and I were together for over 12 years and she still sits proud with my camera collection.
I am now shooting primarily with my Canon R6MII that Ive had since fall 2023. Extremely happy with my journey through photography and the cameras Ive selected along the way as my stepping stones to my learning and navigating to figure out my style of photography.
I currently have my R6MII as my main, RP as the back up and I will never part with my 5DMIII, she gets out for some shoots still ☺️
Creativity is the basis of our lives, do yourself a wonderful favor of figuring out what creativity means to you and fully embrace it!!!
This week, Tina hosts the challenge called Live and Learn. She writes, “It’s often said that as we age it’s important to continue to maintain our social lives, to stay healthy both physically and mentally, and to challenge ourselves to learn new things.” You can read her entire challenge post here. Thank you Photobyjohnbo.com for a great summary!
A beautiful quote she shared, that also hits my heart in such a tender way…
“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.”
Mahatma Gandhi
Live and learn, some of the best ways I have learned in life, has been living real life, at times these life lessons are incredible, amazing, delicious even, and at others, these life lessons can feel like you are dragged through the mud.
As I was reading this weeks challenge, my heart sank back to the fall of 2020, when my world felt like it came crashing down. Receiving a phone call that my husband had fell off a roof, and literally only knowing that, as I raced to get to him.
There is a noticeable void in my photos from a couple days before the accident to our son’s mock Gr 8 Diploma presentation pick up from the parking lot the day before this image was taken, Oct 31st. This image, sums up how I was feeling at that moment. The darkness, almost complete, with a glimmer of light.
Photos have always been an indication of me, of how Im doing, of my mental health. When I am good, my folders are so full – not just of people, but nature and animals. November 2020, 22 photos. It felt like I was in the dark a lot, but I tried to always look for that light. As much as during that time I do see the void, that has been a part of my live and learn, even in the times of darkness, when you do not know if or when you will see that light… reach for the camera. Allow the rest of the world to just fall away and be.
I had some deep life lessons at this time, although it was my husband who was physically broken and healing, I felt the heaviness of everything, our kids were being yanked in and out of school, our business was deemed essential and me as a wife and mom, was pulling major double, triple, possibly quadruple duty at times. My own emotional and physical health began to take a toll and yet, who has the heart to tell your broken husband that?
Nature became even more healing.
At a time when even to be in nature, we were banned from other places, it was a weird life and world we were living in and one I never, ever want to return to.
Our family’s ethics and values were realigned in a very prominent and strong way. Pulling us more together than ever before. Spending even more time at home but also together.
7 months later… he was in for surgery again after the medical grade metal broke in his leg. Sadly for us, it was compounded by a misdiagnosis from a medical doctor. The irony when we saw the xray and both could see where it was broken… a week after the doctor told him he was doing too much and to go home and take this prescription for muscle relaxers. (fast forward to January 2025 when I fell and hit my head, the same doctor was on call and never showed his face to me or my husband when I was being treated only by a nurse…). After surgery #2 it was at home care – by guess who… ME! Yup thats right, the failing medical system was training people with zero medical training to do wound care and IV at home! This intensified my stress in such big ways. He required IV 3 times a day every 6 hours. This photo below was before we knew he was walking on a broken leg, not only was the medical grade metal broke, his bone had shifted and two screws were touching. To get into the appointment at the surgeons that day, a week and a half after seeing the doctor, they weren’t going to allow me in there either, talk about a jolt to the nervous system in SUCH horrible ways when dealing with the medical system during the 2020’s. The compassion and care was instantly removed. You were not a person with feelings, you were simply a number and as much as I wish it has cleared by now, the anger will take time to dissipate. Being treated with little respect, asking questions even after my husbands accident when they were so “gracious” to allow me 15 min with him, the nurse wouldn’t even look at me until I said, Ok so one of you will be coming home with him to look after him then… I will never forget the look of ignorance being shot at me when she said Ah no you will have to pick him up and look after him, Ok great so you can answer my questions then. I never, ever ever want to return to a time like this ever again!
I went back to my photography even more as he had his 2nd surgery the May long weekend 2021, thankfully there was a beautiful park near the hospital where I had to drop him off, I shared my sorrows with nature, with the birds, the bees and the raccoons up the tree as I was not allowed in the hospital, again with my husband. I am still healing from the PTSD of that, after his accident sitting in the hospital bawling begging to see him for over 4 yrs and then being told by the doctor on call that he “pulled some strings” so I could have 15 min with him…
I was learning that even if I cannot fix something, its ok to do something FOR ME.
Live and Learn was massively significant for me at this time. To learn to stand up for me, for my family and not be afraid of what someone may say. To choose to use my voice constructively. That it IS OK to speak up and not live in fear.
That even if projects sit unfinished in our home, our health is more important. This was a harder adjustment for both my husband and I, trust that things will happen as they need to. Truthfully, we are still in limbo with some things. Its both equally frustrating and annoying. Acceptance.
To look beyond the obvious and be open to what you may discover.
Live and learn at how quickly our kids would suddenly be forced to grow up during these 2020-2022 years… deep gratitude for the photos that I can look back on at a time in our life when I do not have many memories due to the stress. The bonding between the kids, between us as a family, was deep.
Keep reaching for that light…
We sank even deeper into the unknown, the out of control, the chaos that life can bring and in between deep breaths, learned to embrace.
Surrender, is what living and learning taught us.
Even if you are moving at a snails pace, you are still making progress forward.
At times its much more important to get below the surface.
Just as we thought things were smoothing out, we had more life lessons that we needed to learn.
I learned to look for the light in ALL situations, even those that seem so bleak you can’t even get beyond that initial thought. Its taught me, to trust me first, to trust my intuition, my husbands intuition and our children’s. In a deep trusting way. To find MY people and to always honor myself first. Its been a journey, deep at times, simmering on the surface at others, all the while healing…
“Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.” Ben Franklin
Forest Bathing… Ahhhh when I read this weeks theme and saw the post, my heart knew which photos I would be sharing.
One of my favourite ways of forest bathing, is going on UTV trails through the trees and water. Not only is it beautifully calming, nature is the best reset!
Getting out in nature, to sometimes the most remote areas through trails is the epitome of peace.
I love when the chakra colours pull out of nature in the sunshine, so beautiful!
On the tree trust walk, this photo were taken in April this year in Wellington County below, I shared more on the previous post link above for the tree trust!
In our rural area the Mennonite community is all around us, while out the one day on a photo tour I was lucky to capture this image through the woods!
Yes I also love to bring my smaller Canon RP Camera on the trails with me on the snowmobile too!
Photographer in the woods, is how I will end this, not taken by me, by of me in my element! We are lucky to have snowmobiles to ride in the winter and UTV’s in the spring, summer, fall and winter – depending on snow level. Since my husbands accident back in the fall of 2020 we cannot do any type of hiking because he cannot, his ankle does not have full movement so these machines, help us do that. The irony… honestly. My husband had been wanting a UTV for a long time, how could we justify the financial costs of it? Well we got our first used one and even as a lemon, the uses within our life at our home for yard work, was my first ah-ha moment! Then… his accident. The side by side was a life saver, when he couldn’t walk properly, we could at least get him around our yard safely. Now, they are a true blessing as to venture out and see these beautiful forest woods shots, if we cannot walk, having the machines to get us there to experience and take it all in, is priceless! Sometimes in life, we must adapt, and sometimes these adaptations come with heavy and hard life lessons. Making the best of the hand you are dealt.
“Last week, our guest host, Stupidity Hole, asked us to share quiet hours. You gave us quiet times with your beautiful galleries. I hope you will join us again this week in forest bathing. Don’t forget to use the “lens-artists” hashtag when creating your post so we can easily find it in the Reader.“
“Next week, Tina is back with another challenge. It will go live at noon EST in the USA. Tune in to find out more about the challenge then. Please see this page to learn more about the Lens-Artists Challenge and its history.“
I am LOVING these challenges! I take photos year round, share a lot but not all. These are honestly pulling the creativeness out of my mind and soul, I just LOVE it!
There’s something deeply personal about a garden. It holds quiet memories—of hands in soil, of favourite blooms that remind us of someone, of change through seasons.
When I walk into a garden with my camera, I’m not just looking for perfect flowers. I’m looking for you in the space.
Maybe it’s the way the light filters through the leaves where your kids once played. Or the shape of the stone path you laid by hand. Maybe it’s the bench you sit on with coffee in the early morning, surrounded by wild things you planted with intention.
That’s what I love capturing. Not just beauty—but connection.
Each photo is different because every garden, every plant breathes its own rhythm. I don’t pose or direct much. I let the garden guide the moment. A gentle walk, a quiet pause, a candid glance at what’s grown over the years. Intuitively led.
This isn’t just photography. It’s a moment in time. A chapter in your garden’s story.
If you’re thinking, “maybe one day,” I encourage you—don’t wait. Gardens change. Life moves. What’s here now is beautiful in its own way.
💚 Your Life As Art
If someone you know has a garden that tells a story too, feel free to pass my name along. I photograph simply, quietly, and always with heart.
Growth is an interesting thing. I began an 8 week course last night and waking up this morning my heart was feeling so full. Alicia led us through a couple meditations and the one, well it was near water and my soul was instantly there and the peace I felt wash over me was quite moving.
A wonderful group of women, I am thankful to be a part of. After our call and once I was settled in to bed, I pulled my head phones back out… and meditated for an entire 10 min straight. Something I honestly haven’t done in a very long time, my mind just hadn’t been able to ‘connect’.
I was so nervous to join, yet everything in me led me to that point and I was in full trust. Not only that, sitting at my desk, in my zen den, felt like coming home to me. I smudged me and my space before we began. Sat very comfortably at my creator desk – yes I have two in the space, one for everything creative and the other for the not so “fun” things but necessary responsibilities. I was about to sit at the “responsible” desk, because my cord was there, until I was quickly reminded, this, THIS is what you set up this space for. In my comfy chair with my bolster and my art and cameras and lenses in front of me.
When we can pull back in life, much like macro photography, sometimes we need to see the big picture, but far more often its these little details, that often get overlooked in our life. We get “busy” doing this and that and forget what our soul really needs.
Life is interesting at times, as I lean into myself even more I can better sense when I need to be more gentle with myself, or when I need to stop and redirect.
As a strong coping mechanism I have leaned hard on the redirect and listening.
As the oldest of my siblings, Ive been the one to communicate a lot with them, this week as I was communicating with my siblings, it hit me, again, its just the three of us. I know I should say “just” very loosely, so I pray he was there, he was present spiritually and oversaw all.
Last night I took some time for me, as I could feel the emotions slipping, I allowed the tears to fall, into the redirect. As much as I wanted, in that moment to just sit and have the biggest pity party, I clearly heard, get your camera.
Something that provides me so much heartfelt joy, and as soon as I am behind it, everything else fades, my heart opens up to the immaculate beauty all around me. I don’t have to travel far, my macro lenses are my outlet, nature, my subject.
Today, I begin an 8 week workshop, one that I happened upon when I opened Facebook a few weeks ago, a friend, who I reconnected with in the spring, who also has a pull to 444, is running and said it completely transformed her life.
Today, I face a fear of the unknown, I resisted looking through the workbook, however truthfully it didn’t take much resistance, everything new in the past 8 months has been hard. It just clicked… that the day, today… that this course begins… its exactly 8 months.
8 months since a piece of me left, since my life forever changed.
The same day, I begin this transformational course, with strangers, well, I know who is facilitating it, everyone else strangers, healing just like me in their own way. Change, embarking on something new, can still shake up emotions, which hit me yesterday.
Ive been told I shouldn’t share too much, keep it private. And yet, I personally, over the years have learned, shifted and healed in so many diverse ways, from reading other people’s stories. We can all learn and grow by trusting and sharing, without judgment, that can be so freeing. Ive finally broken the connection with social media, truthfully for the past 5+ years it was like a support system, virtually of course. And yet, when it all came down to it… well virtually its there, my heart however has realized, the major shifts I needed to make to help free my energy. As I logged into FB this morning, to grab a screen shot of the group and the information, I had no desire to poke around and see what anyone else is doing, this is Pam’s time. Truthfully Ive tried the online life, online “support” and in my experience, on social media, its just not authentic or real, the relationships are merely that, online and rarely shift out of it. Even in a time of need.
Ive had a strong pull to my blog, to my photography and I am grateful that last week something finally clicked and shifted. As I sat and wrote all that I was releasing, it felt in that moment like the shift began. Then burning those pages, reinforced it, there was no coming back from that desire. The pull back to my core of creativity, my blog. Where I also found comfort and solace for so many years prior to social media hitting the world stage. Where posting photos, goes so much deeper than just hitting like, it develops into conversation, understanding, curiosity and gets the mind going in the best way. Feeling proud and honored to share your art and the words effortlessly fall across the page.
Grief sucks, straight up. Sudden and unexpected, even more. I learn hard on gratitude, the connection we had was deep and I am so grateful for that.
I do truly believe the energy of and within this world is shifting, I can feel it. Truth is the knower and being of all, and if you aren’t living your truth, whatever that may be, get ready for a major shift in your life. Which will take you there by listening to your heart!
It’s often too easy to sink into the victim game of life. After listening to a wonderful video about the full moon happening July 10th I feel even more aligned in life.
It’s time to choose the higher frequency, always. It’s time to stand behind your voice and also beside it. It’s time to know your oath and own truth. It’s time to go within for healing, reaching externally isn’t suffice anymore.
It’s not just for me and my healing, it’s for the world. At a time when hitting those energies is necessary, to set aside what anyone else is doing, any excuses or name game they may be playing.
It’s time for true, honorable healing, which can, and will, only happen when living an aligned, honest life.
There have been several road blocks Ive personally hit on this journey of life, some massive mountains, other mole hills and the in between bumps and hills.
Regardless of what anyone else is doing and even the shit thrown at us in life. I have had to shift, multiple times, in truth, everything within the 2020’s hit me even harder after a significant sudden loss of a family member. Something I have never used as an ‘excuse’ and yet more an understanding.
For me to properly flow through life now, much of that is writing everything down so its not forgotten, leaving things in plain sight so I see it and dont forget, or asking for help, admitting when I feel off or down. Allowing those who care to be there.
Next week its 8 months and I am so damn grateful for all our good times and good memories, especially those I captured with my camera. How has it been 8 months. How has it been 9 months since I saw you last… almost 8 months since I spoke to you.
I sat down and wrote out all that I knew needed to shift in my life, to focus more on me and in all the ways I was self abandoning on myself. The way I have been putting so many others first before my own self and needs or down playing the massive loss feeling in my heart and surrounding myself with compassionate and understanding people. I gave myself a couple days to ‘get it all out’ and my god did it ever feel good! To get rid of those things, would allow me to align into my true self. Little touches like relying on social media for connection. Its been almost a week and I have found the best connection to replace that ‘need’, that also helps me go much deeper within. Curious what it is, if you are an photographer artist, see the previous post. Ive been pulled back to my blog hard, that social media is not the place for me right now (and my energy) its busy, quick, and sure its great to connect and see, however it also results in doom scrolling and what hits home harder for me, the connections aren’t necessarily true. Something I am working hard to shift, to be present in my life each day and moment.
This full moon was the beginning of a big shift for me, I feel it within and the gratitude that flows with it.
“I see the moon, in the middle of the afternoon” vision, noticing all the little things in life that can and do bring such joy.
Macro Photos taken in my backyard with my Canon R6MII + Canon 100mm f2.8L macro lens – see my photos on Flickr if curious of the settings.
