Project Athena - Day 161 (Micro/Macro)

Well...that happened.

“If you must speak ill of another, do not speak it . . . write it in the sand near the water’s edge.”

— Napolean Hill

It's remarkable how this "project" is really more of a living, breathing allegory of my life than just a photo and a blog. There is some dynamic at play here that I am not sure I have the words to describe. The themes play out in my daily experiences in ways that are beyond coincidence. As this week's theme comes to a conclusion, I am grateful for what I've discovered in my own self-inquiry and I am ready to take myself out from underneath the microscope for awhile and broaden my perspective again.

I shot a lot of pictures this week. This one is appropriate for today because I sold my first two photos this afternoon!!! I am laughing at myself because just yesterday, I strongly suggested to the Universe that I recieve some sort of confirmation that I am on the right track "or else...."

I don't know all the metaphysical properties of the sand dollar but I keep one on my altar as a reminder of abundance and adventure. Its naturally stippled mandala, based on the number 5, is an symbol for dynamic motion, freedom, curiosity and change.

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Sand Dollar

Nikon D3200 • Nikon 18-55mm lens • 55mm • F/5.6 • 1/100s • ISO 400 • x10 Close Up Filter

Project Athena - Day 160 (Micro/Macro)

Om Shanti Om

“Because we all share this planet earth, we have to learn to live in harmony and peace with each other and with nature. This is not just a dream, but a necessity.”

— The Dalai Lama

This summer, I purchased a new hat while on vacation. It's a funky tie-dye, seven panel cap with this understated, yet charming, peace symbol hand stitched to the front panel. It found me at the Mesa Verde gift shop and ironically, it was made in Napal. Normally, I'm not a hat person but I fell in love with this article of clothing and knew i had to have it as part of my wardrobe. Little did I know when I bought it the wonderful energy it would attract and how useful it would be in this photographic project. I have come to wear it every time I go out to shoot because I notice that I am treated just a little kinder and people are more obliging than when I don't wear it. I have had folks actually stop in their path to tell me how much they like my hat. Of course, this is a wonderful opening then to a conversation about the project or just connecting like human beings once use to.

I think the tie-dye rainbow colors on my hat scream "artist at work" but the peace symbol clarifies the intention of this artist. I like to believe that my prayer for peace goes out into the world each time I wear it. "Om Shanti Om - Peace for all people through out time, peace for all beings, peace for all of the universes, peace for everything great and small in this whole cosmic manifestation."

Peace to you all.

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Project Athena - Day 159 (Micro/Macro)

What's in Your Cracker?

I think we as eaters deserve to know the answer to this question! Call me crackers, but I like to know what I am eating and where it came from!

What if food manufacturers were eagerly willing to volunteer the ingredients of their products instead of being forced through legislation to do so? And what if we as consumers were conscious enough to purchase  foods that disclosed the full ingredient list including organics, non GMO, gluten content, dairy content, etc?...

I am open to the possibility that there are more companies out there like Mary's Gone Crackers® who simply respect and honor their customer's and want us to make informed choices about the fuels we put into our bodies so we can feel good.

By the way, these are YUMMY crackers! All organic brown rice, quinoa, flax seeds, and sesame seeds. Gluten free and dairy free. If you know of some other food businesses that support conscious eating, please share!

Mary's Gone Crackers

Nikon D3200 • Nikon 18-55mm lens • 55mm • F/13 • 1/8s • ISO 200 • x10 Close Up Filter

Project Athena - Day 158 (Micro/Macro)

The Core of the Issue

“With an apple I will astonish Paris.”

— Paul Cezanne

Have you ever felt like you have lost your way in the world? I am feeling this strongly over the last few weeks. While I have lots of strategies to avoid the emotional impact of being without clear direction or purpose, I am choosing not to employ them. Despite the rawness of feeling existentially insignificant, I am not seduced into numbing out or going into action overdrive. I would rather face the real terror of "being lost"...of nonexistence, than cover it up with a warm, fuzzy blanket or jump into some new adventure that I will lose passion for 20 seconds into it.

What does this have to do with closeups of apples? Hmmm. Diving into the core.

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Apple Close Up

Nikon D3200 • Nikon 18-55mm lens • 42mm • F/13 • 1/4s • ISO 200 • x10 Close Up Filter