Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Possibilities

 Two months until the end of the year and I've already chosen my word for 2011. Possibilities. 2010 was the year of Courageous, a word that I often wished I hadn't chosen, but has proven to help me through some difficult times. Helen Reddy's 1970's anthem, "I am woman, hear me roar," often comes to mind when I'm feeling less than courageous.  I have traveled alone three times including San Francisco, treated myself to dinner in restaurants, become friends with a neighbor, started to conquer my fear of going to the dentist, and numerous other things that I'm proud of. Courageous was a good word.

But, there are too many days when the world seems to be out to defeat me. Enter possibilities. We always have them if we choose to remember that they are endless

For a long time I've wanted to create a book of some of my photographs but it wasn't until I started collecting quotes about possibilities that the two came together. I'm pleased with the small book that I created to celebrate my youngest daughter's birthday; she'll be 40 next month which means that both of my daughters will be in their 40's. How did that happen?

"There are many spokes on the wheel of life. First, we're here to explore new possibilities," by Ray Charles is one of the thirty-eight quotes in the tiny collection. These are three of the photographs in the book shot in the 1980's using slide film with an SLR Nikon camera. I have boxes of slides and until I purchased an Epson scanner that has the capability of scanning slides it seemed that the slides were merely quaint artifacts. Artifacts that aren't aging as well as Kodak guaranteed.

 Both the top and bottom photos were contrast tweaked. The center photo is PSE8 manipulated. All of them were shot on the Monterey Peninsula, Pebble Beach, Big Sur, and Point Lobos State Park.

The book is perfect for gifts, including yourself, and is available at Blurb, see the side bar.

Quote: We are not interested in the possibilities of defeat. They do not exist. Queen Victoria

4 comments:

Penny said...

Your photos and the idea of the book are 'courageous'!! and lovely.
I feel I havent been much of a friend lately but I hope to stop feeling tired soon.
Love Penny

Caterina Giglio said...

your photos are wonderful and bravo to you for doing the things you fear! xo

Anonymous said...

Gail,
You are tremendously courageous. I can't tell you how amazed I am at the courage you've reached for and found this past year.
Possibilities is also a wonderful word and it seems to me you have been exploring them already.
The book you've created is fabulous, your photos are stunning.
I'm so glad to know you!
Love and hugs,
Pam

Kim Palmer said...

What a year it has been for you Gail. You have indeed been courageous and good for you. It is difficult to face up to those things which make us decidedly uncomfortable and easy not to contimue. Congratulations for soldiering on and meeting the obstacles. I also have been going through family slides and scanning them for my husbands family. Many are seriously degraded and lost but perhaps they can be reborn into some great abstract artworks! There are always new possibilities!
Oh, how funny, the word verification is faceya. I wonder...