Triangle in Temple

“We become what we behold. We shape our tools, and thereafter our tools shape us.”
― Marshall McLuhan

“Triangle in Temple”, Nikon D800, ISO 250, f/5.3 at 1/200 sec., 92 mm

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Weekly Photo Challenge: Texture

This photo is a response to the Weekly Photo Challenge “texture” theme presented by the folks at The Daily Post. Cat fur (that still attached to a cat, specifically) is one of my favorite soft textures. I hope you like the photo.

“I’m Watching You”, Nikon D800, ISO 1000, f/5.6 at 1/200 sec., 85mm

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Photographing people, places, pets and ponderings.
Now booking actor/actress and business headshot package sessions throughout Central Florida. [more information]

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Funny, as Hell

“A clown can get away with murder.”
—John Wayne Gacy

Somewhere in a past blog post, I have probably already revealed my dislike of clowns. OK; maybe dislike isn’t a strong enough word—let’s switch it to terror. From Ronald McDonald to Bozo to Stephen King’s diabolical Pennywise, they’re all hell-spawned demons to me. Remember that clown scene in the classic movie Poltergeist? Scariest bit in the whole film, if you ask me. In my most terrifying recurrent nightmare, I’m abducted by sinister clowns, thrown into a clown car and suffocated by balloon animals.

You may think this is silly— or perhaps not, depending on your own clown disposition, but an “irrational” fear of clowns is quite common. So common that it’s clinically known as coulrophobia. I looked into a support group a few years back, when my angst began to interfere with my ability to photograph children’s parties. The only group I found was facilitated by a guy named Barnum Ringling. Obviously, I never went: it just sounded too much like a setup for a bad joke in which I’d be the mutilated punch line.

I hope you enjoy the disturbing photo.

“Funny, as Hell”, Nikon D800, ISO 640 f/10 at 1/200sec., 112mm

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Photographing people, places, pets and ponderings.
Booking family, personal, business and pet portrait sittings throughout Central Florida

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Windows of Time

And I was a constant example to you in helping the poor; for I remembered the words of the Lord Jesus, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
—Acts 20:35

We are only given so much time in life, and I’ve learned the hard way in the last year that none of us knows how long that is. I have concluded it is foolish to waste the time we have on purely selfish pursuits. Selfishness goes against the principle upon which life has been designed and built: Love. In all Creation, we can observe circles of love, circles of giving: the rain waters the earth which fills the rivers, lakes and oceans, supporting life, and then evaporates and gives back again. Thanks to the plants and trees, we have the gift of fresh oxygen. By putting Self first we effectively remove ourself from the cycle of giving, and we become damaged. A pond which has no exchange of water quickly becomes unhealthy and stagnant. All life consists of “wheels within wheels within wheels”, interdependent and inwardly dependent. If we determine to exclude ourself, those we are linked to will adapt and keep on turning, but our choice will inevitably lead to our own death. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of Love is eternal life…” (Romans 6:23)

Oops. I got preachy, didn’t I? Hope you enjoy the photo anyway. Please leave your thoughts.

“Windows of Time”, Nikon D800, ISO 640, f/22 at 1/80sec., 28mm

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Photographing people, places, pets and ponderings.
Booking family, personal, business and pet portrait sittings throughout Central Florida

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Happy Caturday!

“We…we could be friends.’

We COULD be rare specimens of an exotic breed of dancing African elephants, but we’re not. At least, I’M not.”
― Neil Gaiman, Coraline

Some of you may have already seen this photo on my Facebook page, but as it’s Saturday — or “Caturday”, according to your preference — I thought I’d share it here, too. I had a few minutes to get to know Charley while shooting an in-home client portrait last week, and she kindly agreed to let me take her photo.

“Charley”, Nikon D800, ISO 200, f/5.6 at 1/160 sec., 300mm
Click the image to view at a larger size.

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Photographing people, places, pets and ponderings.
Booking family, personal, business and pet portrait sittings throughout Central Florida.

Eight

“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.”
— George Bernard Shaw

“Eight”, Nikon D800, ISO 320, f/2.8 at 1/5000 sec., 50mm
Click the photo for a larger view and available print options.

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Photographing people, places, pets and ponderings.
Booking family, personal, business and pet portrait sittings throughout Central Florida.

Please vote for this blog in the Cool Photo Blog Awards – all it takes is one click here. Thank you for your support.

Lily Light

“Anything you can do to make the world a more beautiful place is worth trying.”
― Dorian Cirrone, Prom Kings and Drama Queens

“Lily Light”, Nikon D800, ISO 320, f/2.0 at 1/1250 sec., 50mm
Click the image a larger view and print options. Available as a traditional, canvas or metal print.

Shares are always appreciated!

Please vote for this blog in the Cool Photo Blog Awards – it only requires a single click here. Thank you for your support.

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Photographing people, places, pets and ponderings.
Booking family, personal, business and pet portrait sittings throughout Central Florida.

Resting in the Confederacy

“It is well that war is so terrible, else we should grow too fond of it.”
— General Lee to General Longstreet

The Confederate battle flag hangs above the grave of Joseph E. Tuck in Rose Hill Cemetery in Kissimmee.  Tuck served in the 3rd Georgia Infantry from 1861 – 1865, and is one of many volunteer soldiers of the Confederacy buried in this beautiful, old Central Florida cemetery. Records list him as being placed on a “leave of indulgence” in 1864, and there are varied definitions of this term. Most likely, it means he returned home at that time while remaining enlisted in the volunteer ranks.

Each Veteran’s Day, as flags are placed on the graves of American soldiers, those who served in the Confederate Army are appropriately recognized by placement of the Confederate battle flag. Being raised in the South, I have wondered – though have admittedly never taken the time to research – what truly motivated a Confederate soldier to enlist? We have come to think of the Civil War has being a war only about slavery, though there were certainly other political and cultural factors that play into why it was fought and why people enlisted. Human behavior in general leads me to suppose – and I’m guessing history bears out the supposition – that many enlisted for reasons having nothing to do with slavery. I imagine that many enlisted simply because they wanted to protect what was theirs from Northern invasion, while others most certainly succumbed to peer pressure and enlisted out of perceived social duty. Surely, many who fought and died had not the means nor need to own slaves, but became caught up in the Zeitgeist of the undertaking and were sadly swept away.

“Resting in the Confederacy” [Click the image to enlarge/reduce its size.] Nikon D800, ISO 320, f/2.0 at 1/500 sec., 85 mm

I greatly appreciate any and all shares of my posts, as they let others know about my little-known blog.

PLEASE vote for this blog in the 2013 Cool Photo Blog Awards – it only takes a single click on this link and you’re done.

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Thanks for visiting, “I Shutter at the Thought!”. Please stop by again.

Let’s get social!

You can find me on Instagram at @EarlHarrisPhoto, where I am posting photos captured and edited solely on my iPhone… and lots of kitties. #herekittykitty #instagramcats

I also Twitter and Tweet at @EarlHarrisPhoto

Subversive Texting

“As someone who sends texts messages more or less non-stop, I enjoy one particular aspect of texting more than anything else: that it is possible to sit in a crowded railway carriage laboriously spelling out quite long words in full, and using an enormous amount of punctuation, without anyone being aware of how outrageously subversive I am being.”
     — Lynne Truss

As I walked along the brick streets in the area around Park Avenue in Winter Park, I noticed this young woman sitting on a bench, texting. So intent was she on her communication that she never looked up as I approached, knelt down in the middle of the street and captured this shot. She was obviously working on a lengthy text, as she never stopped typing as I casually went about getting a photo. I wondered if she was being subversive, insisting on “laboriously spelling out quite long words in full, and using an enormous amount of punctuation”, as Lynne and I do.

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“A Break in Contrast” [Click the image to enlarge/reduce its size.] Nikon D800, ISO 100, f/7.1 at 1/80 sec. , 50 mm

COUPLES PHOTO OPPORTUNITY: I need a couple, or two people who will pose as a couple, in their 20’s or early 30’s, who are comfortable in front of the camera and want to model for an outdoor concept photo shoot in exchange for digital copies of their images. If you are in the Kissimmee/Orlando area and want to know more about this opportunity, please contact me via the form below ASAP. Serious inquiries only, please.

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Grow, Reform, Change

“Only in growth, reform and change, paradoxically enough, is true security to be found.”
– Anne Morrow Lindbergh

“Clinging for Life” [Click the image to enlarge/reduce its size.] Nikon D800, ISO 320, f/7.1 at 1/80 sec., 85 mm

I greatly appreciate any and all shares of my posts, as they let others know about my pretty much unknown blog. 🙂 I’d probably fall out of my chair and hurt myself if I got even 50 unique visitors in a day. Therefore, I must suppose the bright side to being unknown thus far is that I’m also without injury…

I know it’s a long-shot, but…
Vote for this blog in the 2013 Cool Photo Blog Awards – it only takes a click and you’re done. Thanks for your support!

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Social Engagements

Find me on Instagram at @EarlHarrisPhoto, where I am posting photos captured and edited solely on my iPhone. Lots of kitties, too! #herekittykitty #instagramcats

I also Twitter and Tweet at @EarlHarrisPhoto