COLORS IN OUR WORLD

     What is it about color which attracts us?  Our environment is far from monochromatic!  The human eye can distinguish about a million hues.  Some animals such as dogs and cats have greater visual acuity, but do not have nearly the visual spectrum distinguishability of people.

Color plays a critical role in daily life--it can sway our thinking, change action and cause reactions.  Color can attract attention or change one's mood.  It is one of the most effective means of creating impact in an image.

"Why do two colors, put next to the other, sing?  Can one really explain this?  No--just as one can never learn how to paint Picasso."

(from the website: TrueCenterPublishing.org

While some photographers have mastered the use of Black and White photos, most prefer to fill frames with color.  Color is a key component ; just as important as exposure and clarity.  

Consider some of these colorful experiences.

I love visiting gardens and creating floral arrangements.    

Adult coloring books have become a lucrative business. 

Tattoo artists use skin as their canvas, but inflict a certain amount of discomfort on the recipient.  Yet, the wearers are proud of the creations.  

Many kids' parties offer face painting to the attendees. 

We associate so many common thoughts with color, even though it may vary from culture to culture.  Brides wear white, the cowboys with the black hats are the "bad guys". Yellow signals caution while red may prevent us from danger such as with stop signs.  So many firetrucks seem to use yellow.  I have difficulty not imagining them as red, as was their shade so common during my childhood.

Color is visual, but even our language has so many phrases that refer to color--"Red as a beet," "Caught red handed."  Blue is frequently applied in a similar manner:  "feeling blue," "blue collar workers."  I am sure you can think of similar shades and their associations. Color has influenced music.  George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue, continues it's popularity as does the Beatles' Yellow Submarine.

Sherwin and Williams have made millions because folks like to paint inside AND outside their dwellings to transform a house into a home.

As I prepared this blog,  questions about color came to mind. I did a bit of research and am certain this topic will be revisited. I googled "color," then "color in photography", and stumbled upon the topic, "The Psychology of Photography". Having a background in psychology and a passion for photography, I wonder where I found time to work on this blog, so great was the literature available on these subjects.   I found much of it intriguing! However, I know time is precious, and least I keep my readers too long, I will simply let these photos speak for themselves.

    

 

   

How will you make use of color in your work?  What kind of responses do you want to create and how might the use of color help accomplish this?  

I am so thankful we live in such a beautiful, variegated world!

Seeing the Humor Around Us

                 These folks look like they need a laugh, no? 

How about you? Do you like a good joke? Have you laughed until you cried?

Children laugh often, but by the time we "grow up," we have to "serious up," and behave as mature adults.  When I was in high school, I engaged in a lot of philosophical discussions. One of my friends asked, "Can't you be frivolous?"  I had to find what that word meant!

 

Many are familiar with the cliche, "Laughter is the best Medicine." That was derived from the Bible. In the book of Proverbs, Chapter 17, verse 22 which reads that “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones”. So, "laughter is the best medicine" was coined from the first part of the verse as being merry is associated with being happy and lots of laughter.

While preparing this blog, I did a bit of research about humor and it took very little study to find plenty of grist for the mill.

The Mayo Clinic conducted studies about the benefits of humor. It can lessen stress and build self esteem. It strengthens the immune system, relieves pain, and increases personal satisfaction.

I have discovered that humor is almost as vital to my existence as air and water!  I receive it as a gift, and it is nearly as important as my Christian faith in navigating the maze of life.

My brother, who is 14 months my senior, also loves to laugh and to make others laugh. After he visits, I find myself still chuckling.

 Several years ago, while hospitalized, 3 friends visited to cheer me up. I ended up asking them to leave because they made me laugh so much, it hurt!

Anyone who knows me is familiar with my tactics to raise a smile. Some may be annoyed, but it is woven into the tapestry of my being like the threads intertwined in a prayer shawl.

I now live in a community of seniors, many of whom have various physical or mental limitations, but I find it just as affective in changing moods here as in the general populace.

Animals are great subjects for finding humor.

The Mayo Clinic study found that humor can be learned. It offers so many benefits, it may be worth your time and energy to pursue it.

As a photographer, I try to capture moments that make me smile; some even cause me to laugh out loud. Hopefully, they have the same impact on my viewers!

These "people" were actually shapes covered with moss and seaweed at the water's edge. I found them rather comical, especially the guy doing the push up!

Of course, children are always wonderful models for laughter.

These whimsical creatures were made by a man who created them from recycled articles.

     

Sometimes, you need knowledge of some things in order to see the humor.  When I came upon this church during a trip to Colorado, I found it very funny. Notice the name of the church is WETMORE. and it is a BAPTIST church. It was located in the town of Wetmore. The Baptists are enthused about water. They don't "sprinkle" their babies, nor pour water over them to baptize them. They do not offer infant baptism, but when someone opts to become a member of the congregation, (s)he wears a robe into a small pool about 3 ft. deep built right into the altar area of the church installed just for that purpose. The pastor proceeds to immerse the person under water for a few seconds before lifting them out. So a Baptist would want to be WET MORE, at least more than the Methodists, Lutherans or Catholics!  If I did not know those facts about Baptist, I would have totally missed the humor.

Yes! I definitely want to eat here!

Are you coming or going?

    

Sometimes, I just get ridiculous!  With my coworkers at my retirement party, I had one last time to "get them" with my humor.  

  OK, now it's your turn. See if you can discover things in your environment that may be good medicine! 

Get busy with your cameras.  Just look around, there's

 lots to smile about!