My niece is traveling to Mexico next week. She will be visiting two towns, Cholula and Puebla, which I have always enjoyed for their photographic opportunities. She had asked me if I had any "requests" and I had said no; that she should shoot whatever catches her interest. I know that she subscribes to this blog. I won't make requests, but I will offer a couple of bits of advice.

Relax. The first step in learning any skill is to relax. If the photographer is uptight, he or she is focused on themselves. A required first skill is observation, learning how to see simple, familiar things. My garden has not only become a source of food, but is also an incredible collection of shapes, textures and colors. I had never before seen the beauty and complexity of a head of lettuce.

Each day should be a new adventure. The Discovery Channel is running a campaign this summer. The theme is that "we live on a pretty amazing planet". We do, and the photographer's day should be full of happy accidents. Of course, Helen, if you don't carry your camera, the accident is only a memory. Or a tall tale.

Happy accidents. On a trip to Australia I was feeling depressed as I wandered a beautiful stretch of the coast. Nothing caught my eye. About to turn back, I gave myself one more bend; one more turn in the road. I arrived at the one spot where a group of young men were practicing for the World Lifeguard Competition.

So Helen, relax and recognize the value of the familiar. Carry your camera so that you can record those happy accidents. Spend some quiet moments before you leave observing your collection of shoes, or the towel collection at the gym. Learn to "see". If you cannot find beauty in your backyard, what will you see on the other side of the world? A child raised in a desert village will cry with delight when handed a bouquet of dandelions. A flower in a tin can is one person's garden.

You may also enjoy reading: Acadia's landscape had its beginnings long before sunbeams.

I am by no means ready to die! So, with that fact established, let's begin at the beginning: See links for all the Genesis posts to date: Genesis Through My Eyes

In my not too distant past, if I were to see a street person, a bum, sleeping in a door front or on a park bench, I would have kept my distance and perhaps shrugged my shoulders.: He had the "smarts" to ask someone where to go, I didn't

Waldo County, situated in mid-coast Maine along scenic Penobscot Bay, has genuine New England character evidenced by working port towns and quaint rural villages. Visitors are awed by the area's unspoiled beauty. From striking coastal views to sweeping mountain vistas, dramatic natural settings abound. In addition great care has been taken to preserve and refurbish numerous historic landmarks, homes and buildings. Consequently, the Maine of yesteryear is still found here.

Stumble It!

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