Spending Time in Nature to Reduce Stress

Spending time in nature.

Lets face it. It is pretty stressful right now. I could go into all the different types of stress that is surrounding all of us at this time, but you know what they are. And they are different for everyone. So we need to find a way to naturally de-stress. It is now proven scientifically that spending time in nature, even only 20 minutes, can help lower our stress levels and cortisol

The lucky ones are those who can spend time with nature everyday. I am blessed to be one of them. Full time RV’ing can do that for you.

I am practicing being happy where I am.

When I started traveling full time last year, I thought I would be on the road and moving often, discovering new things. And I was. Every week was a new adventure. The very idea of this new way of life filled my heart and allowed me to let go of a more traditional way of living.

But now I have been stationary in our little trailer since last November.

6 months.

UGH.

And at least one more month to go.

I had only planned to be here through February. Stay here in the winter, ride out the winter cold in the balmy weather of central Florida, work with clients during this time and then back on the road.

Then back on the road. That was the plan.

Into Texas to see the Bluebonnets bloom, then on to New Mexico for a month to discover the “Land of Enchantment“. Or possibly a trip up the Natchez Trace. But a few lingering health problems pushed the deadline into March and then…Corona virus.

The night that all the state and national campgrounds closed early in March, I extended our stay for two months in a private campground.

This is a very pleasant park; safe, enjoyable, convenient to everything I need and close enough to drive to (previously) work with clients in the Tampa Bay area. But not very new and exciting.

Perhaps a sense of calm in this time of stress and uncertainty is exactly what is called for.

In the campground, there are a few quiet areas to just sit and contemplate.

This is one of my favorites. A lovely bench overlooks a wooded area filled with Cypress trees. Hundreds of white Ibis nest in this area every night. Flapping in all at once to get settled for the night is quite a sight to behold.

Bordered on another side by grazing cows in the lush fields dotted with ancient live oaks dripping in Spanish Moss.

Resurrection fern covers almost every oak in the park, green and luscious this time of year.

As we all deal with the stress and consequences of life with the Corona virus I am grateful for this peaceful area to quarantine in. I am, like all of us, trying to adapt to my circumstances.

This quote by Viktor Frankl impressed me today:

(download this book, Man’s Search for Happiness, for free here)

When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.

Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.

Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.

I have been, like many, bumping up against my former plans and what I am allowed to do at this time. I am choosing at this time to visit any local area that I am able to and write about it to give you a sense of adventure right near home, if the Tampa Bay area is where you live.(or where you are quarantined at this time!). Only a short drive from the theme parks in Orlando, but a world away in experience.

Lots of nature, kayaking on the springs of the Crystal River, exploring the historic homes in Floral City, (by car or foot, not going in) and the nature trail that runs through there-Withlacoochee State Trail , open for biking and walking.

I want to begin where I am.

So today I went for my daily walk around the park and photographed the lovely Florida Iris.

For years I had lamented the lack of traditional spring blooms in Florida. But Florida has its own beauty, if you know where to look. Jasmine, with its heavenly smell, gardenia blooms on bushes the size of trees and Florida Iris, just to name a few.

I have always loved the Florida Iris blossoms, partly because they remind me of the traditional iris blooms in the Midwest. Partly because they have a beauty all their own.

I created the image below to honor the beauty of this particular flower. If you would care to browse my other artwork please click here or on the image below.

Find time today to find peace in nature.

Thanks for reading. I hope I expand your view of the world and give you a few tips for creating your own gorgeous images.

If you would like to see more of my travels and hints for creating better travel pictures, please subscribe to this blog below.

Questions? Please let me know and I will answer!

August 3, 2019August 4, 2019

Orchids in Utah

Orchids in Utah

No, orchids do not grow naturally in Utah.

But my sister, who is a florist, has more than a dozen in her home and they bloom like crazy! I took some time to photograph them indoors and stay out of the heat as well. I love photographing flowers (Fine Art by Kathleen ) and have shown my work in many different art shows around the country.

The first example is SOOC (straight out of camera) with only a few minor tweaks to color and contrast. And cropped in the square format.

I back lit the blossoms against the bright kitchen window and intentionally over exposed it. Letting the background go white and keeping the focus tight on the blossoms.

Try this at home!

It works best with a delicate bloom with not too many petals in the flower. Tulips and orchids are great subjects. Roses, not so much. They are too dense to give the delicate look this technique works best on.

In this second image I used a similar technique .

This one I did not shoot directly into the back light, but more at an angle. You can see the outdoors in the background, through a screen if you look closely. The dappled background comes from using a very shallow depth of field, again focusing tight on the main bloom to get sharp focus. In this image, I did NOT overexpose it to give that ethereal light and delicate look in the first image.

A shallow depth of field, 1.4 or 2.8 usually will give this type of look. This image I cropped to give a stronger feel using the rule of thirds:

Using a tic-tac-toe type of imaginary grid, crop so that the main points of interest fall where the grid intersects.
Also put the main horizontal lines or the main vertical lines on one of the grid lines. This usually gives the strongest composition.

Use a shallow depth of field:

Either put your camera on M (manual) and dial in the exposure or, if you are too nervous to do that, just set the camera on A (aperture), choose the smallest aperture and let the camera pick the shutter speed. (The smallest aperture is the one with the lowest number, ie: 1.8, 2.0, 3.5, 4.5 or 5.6, depending on your lens. The numbers are on the lens itself. Just turn the ring until the lowest number lines up with the white dot on the lens.)

Sometimes the most gorgeous images are indoors! Experiment and let me see your results.

One of the REALLY nice benefits of traveling is being able to visit with family and friends more often.

Thanks for reading. I hope I expand your view of the world and give you a few tips for creating your own gorgeous images.

If you would like to see more of my travels and hints for creating better travel pictures, please subscribe to this blog below.

Questions? Feel free to comment and I will answer!

December 20, 2018June 12, 2020

Flower wall art decor to make you happy.

Art makes us feel. That is one of its purposes.

Pink Swirls can be purchased as a wonderful gift or for yourself as a stunning example of contemporary flower art photography.

At a show recently, an art lover came in and gazed at this image of Pink Swirls and stood there for the longest time.

I could see she was immersed in the image and didn’t disturb her until she turned to me.

She said, “YOUR art makes ME happy!”

Totally unexpected and touched by this genuine expression of delight, I didn’t know what to say.

As I thought about this, I realized that all art is there to make us feel something.

You can agree with the artist or not, be delighted, or concerned, or moved to tears with emotion.

That is what makes good art.

And all images do not affect all people in the same way.

But if the artist can help another to feel something, then that piece is a success. I work with stunning contemporary flower art images to achieve that end.

Colors help to enhance the natural feeling a viewer has when looking at art.

Yellow in an image brings warmth and radiates sunshine to most viewers. The image below is so different from the Pink Daisy image above and it evokes a different feeling when viewed. When choosing wall art decor for your home, be sure to take into account the feeling you want to have when looking at the image.

These yellow tulips exude a feeling of happiness and aliveness. A “good morning sunshine” type of feel, if you will. This would be good in a morning room, a kitchen area, or a breakfast nook. A “wake up and start the day with a smile” type of image.

Different colors in wall decor evoke different feelings.

Now if you take the image below, with all the cool blues you get a much different calming feeling. As you gaze at this image, you can be reminded of summer days by the lake, or at your cabin. This image evokes an entirely different feeling. Better hung in an area where you want to have a peaceful vibe, maybe to wind down at the end of the day.