Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Photo Heart Connection| April 2012


April was a very good month for me and my camera. Towards the end of March, I decided that it was time to cool things off with my iPhone camera and start sharpening up my skills again with my DSLR. I was getting lazy, using the excuse that the iPhone allowed me to concentrate on composition. The thought of setting exposure, framing up the shot, downloading pictures exhausted me, but by the end of March I was beginning to feel that if I didn’t make a conscious effort to put down my iPhone and pickup my DSLR, I never would.

I dusted off my camera body, cleaned my lenses and went on several photo walks, falling in love with my camera all over again.

It wasn’t hard to pick my photo for my photo heart connection this month. I took this on a photo walk that I went on with my nephew and daughter in downtown LA a few weeks ago. One minute we were on a trendy street with art galleries and restaurants, the next minute we crossed the street and were standing on the edge of hope and despair.

I was fascinated by the vast difference in scenery from one moment to the next. I stood in the middle of the street to capture the desolate street, strewn with garbage and in some cases, broken dreams and could feel the cold, hardness of life.

My cousin who used to work in that area, told me that while the children and families who live there are often homeless and often victimized, there is still laughter, lots of love and glimpses of hope and possibility. Looking at the picture, I see the stark truth, naked, harsh and, yet, I feel the hope that my cousin wrote of. Hope and a future. I hope you see it too.


























Come learn how to participate in the Photo Heart Connection or enjoy the photos from other participants by clicking on the link below.


5 comments:

  1. Great image, juxtapositions like that are incredible aren't they? I love the sense of hope that you've captured.
    I'm also with you on the iphone thing - I'm having to make a conscious effort to pick up my dslr again too!

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  2. I love the feeling that you have created in this photo. It's as if you could step right in and begin to walk. Lovely. - Susan

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  3. glad you picked up your camera... this is a fabulous picture that generates loads of questions for viewers. I really love the aqua awning, the brake lights of the taxi & the absence of people. It makes you wonder where everyone was... this would make a great photo for creating a storyline (thinking like a teacher)... thank you for sharing.

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  4. Great image! I love the feel of this, empty but yet full of hope!

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  5. I love how you wrote, "there is still laughter, lots of love and glimpses of hope and possibility." This comes through in your image. It doesn't take wealth and refurbished neighborhoods to create happiness, it exists everywhere. Thank you for sharing this in the Photo-Heart connection! My apologies for taking so long to visit this month.

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