Tucson’s Reid Park Zoo

Elephants LOVED Playing and having FUN,

like any child from age 1 to 100!

On a hot summer day, the zookeeper brought a plentiful stream of WATER

to two bored elephants. . . and watch the FUN begin!

May you be blessed with JOY

today. . .just like Elephants having FUN!

This Spring in Boulder, CO, I went on an amazing hike in Nature on a foggy day in May. . . . Join me in the beauty and ease of Nature.

“Nature is painting for us,

day after day,

pictures of infinite beauty,

if only we have the eyes to see it.” ~ John Ruskin

Rancho de Taos Adobe Church – Taos, New Mexico

A 360 Degree View Slideshow!

(Be patient — It’s worth the brief wait.)

Also known as San Francisco de Asis (Saint Francis of Assisi) Church,

It was built between 1710 and 1801.

(Click on individual image to speed up change of photos.)

[[Show as slideshow]]

This church is a wonderful study of simple organic shapes,

enchanting light and historic environment —

What a Joy! . . . What a Place of Presence & People!

(In March 2011 on Jana’s Mystic Light Photography FACEBOOK Fan Page, we held a PHOTO CONTEST…and TEN inspired photographers showed us how they saw it….& you voted the winners!)

OUR TOP TWO Point Earners for the JML PHOTO CONTEST celebrating St. Patrick’s Day were ISABELLE BLACK SMITH and JESSICA NEWMAN.

…..Now it’s time to get to know our poet – photographer ISABELLE better!  Oh yes,

and if you didn’t know yet, she has a penchant for the mysterious (…the 13th?)!!

Who:  ISABELLE BLACK SMITH

What:   “My Prince Charming” Photo

paired with the original poem “How Many Frogs Do I Have to Kiss?”

(Poem at end of this Note) & Slideshow of Favorites,

All Copyright 2011 Isabelle Black Smith

In her  submission note on my Wall, Isabelle explained

that my Contest gave her a reason to break out

her hibernating camera once again…& introduced her entry in this way –

“Here is my entry for our St. Patrick’s Day Photo Contest.

An exercise in extreme patience: I don’t have a lens

that works well for close-ups and macro shots yet

(hopefully, for my birthday!).  So I set this

shot up and shot it from across the room

Thanks again, Jana, for hosting this contest.

It was fun breaking out the camera again and shooting this one.”

…I believe you will find some common themes in this second and final

interview with our Top Two Point Earners! – Read on to find out more….

Question 1 – Tell me why you decided to send this particular

photo…or…What was the inspiration

for you to set up this photo?

 

ISABELLE — The inspiration for my photo and poem

came as I was watching a Disney movie with my

daughters titled “The Princess and The Frog”.  I had

been trying to think of a unique angle on ‘GREEN’

and suddenly it clicked:

Frogs are green, different, and kind of cute.

So that was my inspiration.  Of course my

daughters also helped me brainstorm on the props

we would use to shoot.  Kids have such wonderful

imaginations : ) The movie also inspired me to

write the poem about kissing frogs and trying

to find ‘Prince Charming’.

 

 

Q2  –  What would you want or love to share with your FB

Friends about you & your photography?

 

ISABELLE — (I kind of answered questions 2 & 4 together)

I have only been doing real photography …

that is to say, taking photography seriously as an ART form …

for just over a year now.  I took

my first professional photography class at

the end of last March 2010, via a local

outdoors group up here known as ‘The Mountaineers’

and I’ve been learning and shooting ever since.

So far my favorite experimentations have been

Infrared Photography and trying shoot celestial

objects with my camera mounted to my

Astroscan telescope.  I also

enjoy shooting architectural elements

with high contrast and great lines or curves.

Capturing the true spirit of people, in

portraits and doing them justice, has been

a bit intimidating for me, but I’m

slowly working to be ready to tackle

that challengeas well.

After all, Life is an adventure … Might as well enjoy the ride!

Q3 – What are your two favorite photos?

ISABELLE – Jana, I’ve included three favorite photos … So hard to pick favorites?!  Thanks again. . . .This is so cool!

Photo 1 is “Sky on Fire”,

This photo is special to me because I was

at a crossroads in my life at that point. I had

asked God for a sign that things would somehow

work out and be alright.  I think that he

sent me this gorgeous sunset, on a day

that marked a significant event in my

life, as the sign that I needed.

Photo 2 is “Angels Dance” (Mission San Juan IR) .  This is a

late afternoon shot in IR (infra-red) of the

Mission San Juan, in San Antonio, Texas, that I

then “painted” with photo software to create

this ART image.  I love to shoot architectural elements,

especially old churches.  Someday I hope to be able to return

to San Antonio and shoot the rest of the other missions…

I believe that there are a total of 6 missions, including

the Alamo.

and Photo 3 is ”Barn on Fire” (Barn of Fire IR).

This is one of my first IR shots taken on my parents ranch in Texas.

I love the imperfection in the building and the

life energy radiating out from the surrounding trees

in this shot.  Seems the key to making IR really come to life

lies in the post processing & I am slowly learning how

to use the photo editing software.

I have other Infra-Red shots on my Flickr account,

if you’re interested in this style of photography, as

well as a write-up on what IR photography is on my blog.

Q4  –  In general what type of photos do you take & what’s your favorite/current camera to use?

 

ISABELLE  –  “Being near water, mountains and the Puget Sound,

here in ‘The Emerald State’ makes for some

amazing outdoor photography as well.

The sunrises and sunsets up here are often

spectacular!  The clouds are so alive and varied

up here.  I often find my camera pointed up

into the daytime sky, especially at sunset,

my absolute favorite time of day.

I have just recently taking up sailing, so

that opens up a whole new arena of

shooting for me:  water life and water shots.

So my life as a photographer (amateur) is most

definitely interesting these days.

My current camera is a Pentax K-100D.

It isn’t the most expensive camera on the

market, but it does produce high quality,

sharp and vivid images that I am very happy with.

The lenses and other accessories (e.g., filters)

for this camera also tend to be very reasonably

priced.  The on-line forums and

help for Pentax are also amazing.

But probably the most serendipitous thing about

my Pentax camera is that it is one of the few

cameras on the market that it capable

of shooting in near IR (infra-red) right off the shelf. 

I have to smile and LOVE that feature

about my camera, as IR photography is fast

becoming a passion of mine.

 

Q5  –  a) How long have you had a Facebook page and

b) How were you introduced to Jana’s Mystic Light Photo?

ISABELLE – a) I have only had a Facebook account for a

little over a year.  A friend of mine encouraged me to give

it a try against my better judgment so that

I could keep up with his photography on-line.

Since having gotten onto Face book, my friends list

of photographers, writers and other artists has

just grown exponentially and I have made

friends from all over the world … wonderful

and supportive friends (like Jana : )

that have truly helped me to learn and

grow so very much.

It always amazes me how photography can

bridge the ‘language barrier’. An image speaks

in a universal language to people of all

dialects … it forms a bridge … opens a dialogue

for further communication … then you find

a way to muddle through the rest of it.   I JUST LOVE IT!!

I have honestly made friends from all

over the world because of photography … What

other medium, I wonder, is capable of providing

these sorts of opportunities for friendship,

collaboration and understanding between people of

different cultures from all over the globe? 

 

 

ISABELLE  –  b) I have known Jana for about 6 months now.

We met here on Face book through a mutual friend.

Jana has been such an uplifting an inspiring friend

to know.  She is always encouraging, so upbeat and positive.  

The energy coming from Jana is truly amazing!  I

couldn’t imagine life without Jana in it and am hopeful

that one of these days we will actually be able to meet in person.

Q6 & Q7  –  What’s your favorite photography website or link that you’d like to share? 

 

ISABELLE –  The most helpful photography groups and

websites that I have found thus far are,

on Facebook, are:

Digi Photography, Today in Pictures,

and Clouds 365 Project on Facebook …  

And on the internet:

Light Stalking and Megashot Community

(note: Clouds365.com has both a website and a Facebook Page).

 

I have some of my favorite photos on-line at

www.isasfallingstar.megashot.net

and I keep all of my photos (the good, bad and the ugly)

on my Flickr account at

http://www.flickr.com/isas_fallingstar

I also post some of my

photography on my personal blog at

www.whatplanetareyoulivingon.blogspot.com

JANA — Thanks, Isabelle, for joining me in the spirit of joy and passion

with Photography!  This interview with each of you

has shown that, despite being strangers before FB, we all

have a number of things in common, including

the impact of family, a general upbeat attitude

toward life, the primary role creativity plays

in all aspects of our life, & our passion for photography.

I also want to thank ALL of our photographers

who submitted entries for this contest –

Farah, Jeannie, Mary Ann, Theresa, Tiff, Charity, Lorelei and Monique –

because you have made it FUN to play together

& I love our connection through pictures!

Thank you also to ALL my FANS for your support, encouraging

words & appreciation of my photography –

You’re the BEST!!  ~J.S.

- -   –  –  – - 

(“My Prince Charming” Photo & Poem)

“How Many Frogs Do I Have to Kiss?”
By Isabelle Black Smith

Throughout countless fairytales you roam.
Alone, hopping from pond to pond you wander,
Alight with magic and wonder,
On quest to find your Mrs. Right.
Your journey takes you far from home.

Although a traveler in disguise,
And not altogether seemingly unwise,
You have been known to feast
On the occasional dragon or fly.
But then, who are we to question why?

You venture forth, one lily pad at a time.
Without much reason, but often with occasional rhyme,
Into strange and foreign land
Seeking one true fair maiden’s hand.
In search of she who would see
Beyond your slimy green exterior.
Your mission surely puts you the test.

For how to find she who would see
You for your possibilities, hopes and dreams?
Fair maiden who would at last set you free,
Without she first raise you to her trembling lips?
Such a quandary must surely your courage best,
Lest you wonder if fair maiden holds any ulterior
Motive in her kiss…
After all, you could just as well wind up instead remiss,
A tasty adjunct to her hips.

Yet you carry on, you do, brave knight.
Ever willing to take on the fight.
On a quest to find your light.
Seemingly simple in stature and size:
You are a prince when at last viewed through true love’s eyes.

@Copyright 2011, Isabelle Black Smith.

(In March 2011 on Jana’s Mystic Light Photography FACEBOOK Fan Page, we held a PHOTO CONTEST….)

OUR TOP TWO Point Earners for the

JML PHOTO CONTEST celebrating St. Patrick’s Day

were JESSICA NEWMAN and ISABELLE BLACK SMITH.

….Now it’s time to get to know these creative photographers better!

Who:    JESSICA NEWMAN

What:    (Boys at the Beach photo & slideshow of favorites, All Copyright Jessica Newman – Open Your Heart Photography)

[[Show as slideshow]]

QUESTION 1–Tell me why you decided to send this particular photo…or…What was the inspiration for you to set up this photo?

JESSICA — “First, I would like to Thank Jana for hosting this Photo Contest and Thank all who voted for MY photo! I am very proud and glad to share my work!

I decided to send this photo of my boys because its one of my favorite photos and I have a lot of great memories from this day!”

Q2 — What would you want or love to share with your FB Friends about you & your photography?

JESSICA — “Photography is my passion.  I love to take pictures of this beautiful world we call home.  I have been an avid photographer since the birth of my children.  They are My Heart, My Soul, My Inspiration.  I appreciate alot more because of them.”

Q3 — What are your two favorite photos and why?

JESSICA — “Ok this was sooo hard! LOL! It took me a while to decide on 2 and only 2 to send! I have so many favorites. Hope you like them!

….Favorite Photo 1 is a sunset I call “Fire In the Sky”, taken with a Cannon digital camera.

“Fire in the Sky” was taken one fall evening. My husband and I had taken our boys to go fishing. We had such a wonderful time!

We were getting ready to clean up & go home when the sky turned this amazing orange & reflected off the water.  You can see the fog settling in the hills.

My oldest son said, ‘MOM get your camera, the sky is Beautiful!’

I had to get a picture! It’s an amazing shot I was Lucky to get!

Every time I look at it I am taken back to that day with my boys & it makes me smile!

Favorite Photo 2 is an Iris flower I call “Delicate”, also taken with a Cannon digital camera.

It was part of a shoot I did with flowers.  My sons picked this one from my mom’s garden; it was a very beautiful Iris.

My youngest son said, ‘Here Mom, I picked this flower for you so you can take some pictures of it.’

That inspired this photo & he helped me with the shot!

I took lots of photos before I got the “perfect” shot I wanted.

This is one of my favorite photos because of the memory behind it and the detail in the photo.”

Q4 — In general what type of photos do you take & what’s your favorite/current camera to use?

JESSICA — “I take a wide range of Photos including people, flowers, animals and scenery. I do mostly color but occasionally I do black and whites.

My favorite photos to take are of Sunsets.  The sky can be so amazing and filled with so much color!

Right now I use a Cannon digital camera to take all my photos.”

Q5 — a) How long have you had a Facebook page and,  b)  How were you introduced to Jana’s Mystic Light Photo?

JESSICA — “a) I have had a fb page for over a year now. I started my own Photography page a few months ago. It’s slow going but I’m working at it and love the feedback I get whether Positive or Negative. It only makes me a better Photographer!

b) I stumbled across your page when looking through another Photography page. I saw one of your photos and Fell in love!!   So naturally I asked you to accept my friendship. I really enjoy seeing your work and sharing mine with you!”

Q6 — What’s your favorite photography website or link that you’d like to share?

JESSICA — “One of my Favorite photography sites is: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/

There are such an array of photos and subject matter to look through!”

Q7 — What’s your photography name (if you have one) or do you have a website or blog link to share?

JESSICA — “It’s Open Your Heart Photography.

You can find my photos on Facebook at:

http://www.facebook.com/?sk=inbox&setup#!/pages/Open-Your-Heart-Photography-by-Jessica-Newman/142960525735589

My website is:

www.wix.com/OpenYourHeart/Photography1 “

JANA — Thank you, Jessica, for such a FUN interview and

I am SO honored to be promoting your talent here at JML!

You are such an enthusiastic, creative photographer — and it

was great to talk with you in person, even if it was brief!!

On Monday we will get to meet our other Contest Winner, Isabelle Black Smith!

Little Favorites for Wordless Wednesday -

(A Slide Show of Five Little Flowers, 04-06-11)

[[Show as slideshow]]

"Tree Art by Nature" - © Jana Socha - Mystic Light Photography

“The space between the notes

of a song are as important as

the notes themselves!”

(No, I’m not Kidding! Happy 4-1-11!  )

One of the first blog Images of January 2010. "THE PATH" - © Jana Socha, Mystic Light Photography

Yes, this is a photo you have seen before…!

In fact, you first saw it on 1-28-10, if you are a

long-time fan of JanaSocha.com.

In that first blog, it was entitled, “Be a Leader Without…” (Followers).

And in this Spring of new physical growth, I have come full circle in my growth.

I have ‘shifted’, at a time when Nature springs ahead renewed,

with new empowered vision!

. . . .Thus, it is time to CELEBRATE!

But before we get the party started,

let’s look closer at what it is that started this realization of my growth. . . .

In the end of January 2010, I debuted my

first photography-plus-inspired-writing blog.

I was deep in uncharted Internet waters with little knowledge.

I had no real idea where I wanted to go or how to get there,

other than using my photography to “make a difference,

not only in others’ lives, but also in mine.”

Yet, on 3-28-2011, the evening I

impulsively Googled “Tucson nature photographer,”

the results were clear —

of 383,000 keyword results,

Jana’s Mystic Light Photography

ranked Number 3 in this search!

OMG, how cool – Nice, NICE!

Oh, the implications of this ranking are both wide-reaching and

personally breath-taking!

Let’s just say that a year ago, I made a decision to begin. . . .never

believing in my heart I would actually “arrive”, but

trusting in myself, my teachers and my skills,

with the strong knowing that sharing my photography

& blog posts was ‘Mine To Do.’

My how things can change with

some sustained effort, directed focus and enthusiasm applied!

SO. . . .  Here I stand again, “on the path,”

on the blog-posting path, after a hiatus,

with renewed faith & vision in what is still

clearly mine to do!

AND, I am happy to have YOU on the revisited path

with me, Friends and Fans.

I can only hope that your 2011 Spring ‘Shift’ is as much of a “gift”

as mine has been — Together we can thrive!!

Remember to Celebrate both the Known & the Mysterious Unknown!

Blessings & Light upon the Path,

~Jana  

"Happy Birthday Roses" © Jana Socha - Mystic Light

This is a recipe to a Happy

Inspired Life of Joy:

“Honor yourself with

lovingly courageous actions

chosen intentionally.”

–Mary Ann Radmacher

Follow Your Passion –

Decide What YOU Want –

Take that Next Step –

Just Do It  (Action!) –

=  Abundance & Joy !