Your Life As Art Photography by Pam
Artist & Intuitive | Pamela Zmija
The internet tells me this is a Everlasting Pea or Sweet Pea. I was drawn to it Saturday morning after a long rain, it cleared up beautifully to take the dog for a walk with my camera and RF 85mm f2.0 macro. I was delightfully surprised by the variety of nature down the road!
A beautiful morning after hours of rain, nature was standing proud!
Shot with my Canon R6MII + RF 85mm f2.0 macro – shot at f4
With many details often over looked by most, its the tiniest of rain drops that draws my attention in!
This photo was captured with my Canon R6MII + RF 85mm f2.0 Macro Lens at f4
This weekend was one where I leaned in a little more for me. I am one person, I cannot fix everything for everyone, I do however need to learn to focus better on myself.
The little details, such as taking my vitamins each day. Something that years ago supported my health and I noticed a positive shift. I also remember chatting with a friend and saying, but does it really do anything. I am putting myself to the test, 30 days straight, lets see how I feel.
I am going to document my journey as well, now knowing I have Hashimotos – plot twist Hashimotos isn’t just Hypothyroidism – its worse – and PMOS I have been reminded the utmost importance of honoring me time, down time, waking and sleeping at normal hours and with a routine, looking at nutrition and how I feel, leaning in to what I love more!
Most of all, lean into this hobby of photography that lights me up in ways not everyone will understand and thats okay. If you have a hobby, you will get it! Gardening may not be my favourite thing to do, but taking photos of whats in the garden, certainly is!
I invested in this book and so far it feels in alignment to my life. I will soon enjoy reading through this with my journal and chamomile tea!
A view at our family cottage – its been in our family for 4 generations now and its our special place!
This was today, we had plans this evening that the old me would have pushed through no matter what, pushing myself aside. This afternoon I messaged my husband and said, we are staying home, he began to resist and then softened in.
We are 30 min away from bedtime, in our own bed, after I enjoyed a beautiful warm epsom salt and essential oil bath. This is exactly what I needed. I am grateful I allowed myself permission!
Recently being diagnosed with Hashimotos has been an eye opening experience. For over 20 years I knew Hypothyroidism, this is next level. Combined with PMOS, when I get hit with a flare I have very little strength, my limbs feel that much more heavy, sleep isnt great, I actually feel like Im beginning to get sick – which I just found out is also related to Hashimotos with our immune system. Its the fatigue when it hits…
Since my brother died in Nov 2024, its like my nervous system was hit with so much shock, I know I can never go back to the same capacity I once had, partly because it was just too much.
Stress can hurt, overwhelm can hurt, we are human BEING’S not doings… I am realizing the impact of having so many stressful ‘events’ in my life, and not putting myself first.
As a mom with a daughter with Thyroid Cancer now… I have always thought of my kids with my own health, but once I received the infertility diagnosis, my body and I became even more disconnected. 2020’s brought in, teens, mom getting some freedom, and then the cascading medial events and surgeries. I bit my tongue, I quietly complained when I should have yelled, I held my voice because growing up in a small town we can’t say this or that.
I received my thyroid diagnosis at 24, 20 years later Hashimotos. My daughter, 18 and Thyroid Cancer. This cycle, whatever it is, ends now! 🙏
@Yung Pueblo Thank you for sharing this! It hit the heart!
I was out shooting with my RF 85mm macro and the clouds covered the sun, I love the moody lighting this shot!
The full moon the other night was incredible in the sky. My husband was out and shortly after 9pm messaged me and said to get outside! Across the field this was our view. I was able to test my new 24-70mm f2.8L lens for this.
I personally felt this energy shift on the weekend, specifically Saturday morning when I woke quite early, however it felt like I woke with purpose and had a very successful day. The various things that had been nagging at me, flat surfaces that had collected things. The inspiration and motivation I felt was immense! Re-claiming our space. Heavily leaning into this beautiful energy!
On June 29, 2026, 8:56 PM EST, a Full Moon peaks at 08º14’ of Capricorn, while Mercury is stationary retrograde in the opposite sign of Cancer. A lot is going on in the heavens these days, and the current Full Moon is shining a light on where we are at in our reparenting and maturation journeys, asking us to refine the balance between nurturing our inner, emotional lives and taking care of our worldly responsibilities and commitments.
When the Moon is Full, emotions are intensified, situations can reach a point of culmination or resolution, and clarity becomes available. At this time of the month, we have an opportunity to see everything more clearly, or we can no longer pretend we don’t: we are being asked to acknowledge what works, what doesn’t, what needs to change, and what needs to be released.
Every Full Moon brings issues to a turning point. These events facilitate awareness, illuminate patterns, and help us access new perspectives and insights. These are favorable times for sharing with others the results of our efforts, celebrating our progress, making necessary changes, and letting go of something that has run its course.
On a Full Moon, the Sun and the Moon are forming an exact opposition, a 180º angle from our perspective on Earth. Oppositions are aspects of both polarization and awareness that highlight the interplay between two opposing and complementary signs, asking us to balance their energies and expression. These days, the Cancer-Capricorn axis is in the spotlight, and we have an opportunity to reflect on how we harmonize taking care of our emotional needs and inner child with honoring our adult responsibilities out in the world.
Lessons from My Boys 💖
When I was 17 I got my first dog, a male black lab, he truly was my best friend. We did everything together. He got me through a very challenging time with a boy in high school. He became my protector in the most gentle lab way to lead me away from an abusive situation.
When I was 30 I got my 2nd boy. My black lab, Elwood passed just a couple days after we moved into our home. Like he needed to be with us to ensure we were safe and then it was his time. My Becker helped us raise the kids, he was by my side through some of the biggest and hardest hurdles of my life. A time I honestly wasn’t sure if I or my marriage would survive. He was next to me always, he was one of the kids and such a comfort for me!
At 43, our boy Gunner arrived. Its amazing how life progresses. The day I saw him, I knew and my heart sank. I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to Beck yet, he truly had been my rock through so much. The week before we brought him home, it hit me as I walked through our living room… ‘What will I be faced with?’ this download stopped me in my tracks. I was hit with dread, worry, fear… and then puppy life carried on.
A part of me, failed my Gunner. When he was 6 mths old my brother died suddenly. In true lab being, he wanted to be with me all.the.time. He didn’t understand why mama was hurting. I couldn’t handle the overwhelm, the over stimulation and his training suffered. Just leave me in the corner and leave me alone. He wouldn’t let me do that. If I didn’t want to do anything with him, he was on the couch looking me in the eye. I honestly wasn’t sure I could survive the puppy toddler years. Yet, I did and it was so worth it!
Gunner has been the best addition, he was meant for our family, his first weekend at the cottage, my mom commented, its like hes been here before. He is glued to his mama, but fiercely loves his dad and kids too!
He’s our baby who has helped teach us boundaries, the power of sleep and 9pm bedtime, that clutter is fun for only the dog and trust… is everything 💖
The long weekend, after out on a walk with my dog, I returned to my vehicle and sadly upon opening the door my bag shifted when I was removing my 180mm macro lens and the lenses fell to the rocks. My 50L was repairable – thankfully, its a beauty lens! Its honestly one I don’t use much, so I am not sure if it wasn’t repairable if I would have replaced, but its also one of those lenses that, especially at f1.2, is incredible in low light, the bokeh is fantastic!
I had the new RF 24-105 f4L in my cart when I realized it was back ordered…
I kept checking the used section at Henry’s as well as their selection of gear is remarkable, they also come with a warranty. I personally insure my lenses at the replacement cost, although if you are reading this and you also do that – please review the values as I did a few years ago and they have changed significantly… I honestly did learn the hard way, however such is life!
Then one morning, refreshing the Used Canon RF webpage on my phone I saw it…
They had a 24-70 f2.8L lens available – I could push my budget just a little bit more I could get it… I got it!
Why did I choose the 24-70 f2.8L over waiting for the 24-105 f4L and saving about $500…
Testing my new to me RF 24-70 f2.8L – these images are all Straight out of the Camera – except the black and white. SOOC are not edited in anyway. I wanted to test the colours, the bokeh and needless to say, I love it! The RF STM lenses I have are good quality, but if you have shot with the L lenses… you know this feeling! ;)
I LOVE the SOOC colours of the L lenses – they truly are unique!
I am so incredibly happy with the SOOC images, the colour the bokeh, just incredible! Especially after being so sad after the fall. Then seeing the 24-105 was back ordered. Ah this lesson in trust, expands in to all areas of our life ;) Thank you Universe for the pass! For the pure beauty of the 24mm this may spend most of its life on my R6MII!
If there is one thing that I have learned, in life, but especially in 2020 is that life happens – sometimes quick, sometimes happy, sometimes devastating, sometimes the best moment of your life – it happens. So never deny yourself the absolute pleasure in life – whatever that may be – that aligns with your heart and soul.
I am grateful for a husband who gets this, both ways. Who we are gracious towards together, understanding although we have similar loves and interests, its what we also have a passion for individually that is our true soul.
‘Go for it baby’, so I did and I love it!
One more because I also love this one… SOOC isn’t it fabulous!!!
I am now debating about selling my RP and my RF 15-30mm lens. I do love my RP, its a fabulous little camera – I refer to it as my point and shoot. Do I sell, or do I keep for that reason – smaller camera to (gently) throw in my bag. The RF 15-30mm I am honestly just not vibing with. I purchased it used, I used it on my RP while we were in Nova Scotia, I am just not that impressed with the quality of the images with this lens. Shooting at 16mm is awesomely wide, and is quite the difference to 24mm – however I really do think 24mm whether with my 24-70 f2.8L or my 24-240 Travel lens – would probably do… but Im not yet convinced. I purchased it used last year, I should push myself to test it more before making a decision! Especially when the passionate photographer in me, would have loved to have all my camera’s on my journey on my shelf, that brought me to where I am – which I love!
As a photographer what do you think?
