The Perfection Myth

We have all these crazy ideas about how things should be. I see photographs from all over the world. Manty of them look perfect. This can represent many hours of work by the perfectionistic photographer removing anything that does not align with his or her idea of what is ideal.

I take lots of photo's out in nature, and let me tell you, nature has her own way of expressing perfection. She certainly isn't out there anally raking up every leaf or arranging things in straight lines. Yet her beauty is the very best beauty. It is natural, free and spontaneous. Sometimes it is a leaf that has fallen in just the right way, and is sitting in the grass and glowing in the sun. Another time it is an urban deer having dinner by munching on someone's beautifully manicured landscaping. Let's face it. Some of the overworked photo's we see are just too perfect.

When photo's are overworked they become very dry and artificial in appearance, even though they are technically beautiful. There is a very fine line, somewhat like balancing on a high wire, that we photographers must tread. It's ok to correct what is really ugly, but we must take care not to suck out all the lovely natural juiciness that nature contains. That is what gives a photo life.

Concepts versus Instincts

Aren't our minds interesting? Our concepts are what determine how our lives manifest. If I were to tell myself that I couldn't be a good photographer without proper education, then I wouldn't be a photographer at all.


 Some of the best photos can be the shots that are not supposed to happen at all. An example of this would be the photos I took earlier this week. I keep reading that one "should" only take flower photos on overcast days so that the light will be even.

Using my own instincts, as always, I went out to shoot flower photos at high noon (another no no) on a bright and sunny day. I got some great shots! This makes me want to apply this idea to other areas of life....using basic common sense, of course. Who knows what I may do next? I certainly will be less likely to let my concepts get in the way. In my life, instinct always trumps concepts.

This photo is available at my website SusanBStambaugh.com

Snuck Up on Me Sunset

You just never know, here in Tucson when the next great sunset is on it's way. On the way out to dinner I noticed that a pretty sunset was forming. Before I knew it, I had my trusty camera out and was taking photos from a parking lot. I have learned to carry my camera with me when leaving the house.

The sunsets continue to surprise me from day to day. We can have a few nice ones and then a series of duds. Sometimes when you least expect it, they show up beautifully. There needs to be the ability to be  flexible and go with the flow.... but isn't that the case in life in general as well? Everything seems to floweasily when we fly by the seat of our intuition in the present moment. That is how I usually get my photographs. Something just tells me to go outside, or go to a certain area. Usually my photo will appear in that place and at that time. I am not able to sit and wait for hours for a shot like this. I just have to trust.

The Thing About Owls

An owl lives behind my home and hoots me to sleep every night. One of my friends loves owls and so I have been paying more attention to them recently. I was researching owls and came upon an interesting article that explained the symbolism very clearly. Apparently, they are the guardians of souls as they pass from the physical body and go between worlds on their way to heaven. Owls are a power animal for a type of shamanic medicine. If you would like to know more, try this link. http://www.owlmedicine.com/faqs.html  Meanwhile, I actually got a good evening shot of "my" owl peering down at me through the leaves of a huge tree, and was the object of a swooping night dive, complete with the amazing view of his huge white wings. I became even more interested and decided to create an owl art piece consisting of parts of photographs. It will appear soon at my website, http://www.susanbstambaugh.com/ so go view it if it is of interest.

Photos in the Rain

The desert can appear inhospitable and harsh, that is a truth of it. It is also a place that fosters appreciation of all that is given. Each bit of rain is absorbed with great relish. Every piece of food for an animal or bird is celebrated. Like a great cactus it's exterior may be thorny but it's interior is moist and juicy. So are the hearts of those who live here. It is from that place of the heart that I address you today.

It is cool and raining and I have been sitting on the couch with a warm throw over my knees as I watch the water drops. Feeling warm inside the house and cool outside is a bit of a departure for Tucson, and therefore very fun.

Today I can't stop looking at raindrops. My eyes and my heart are drawing me in, so with my camera at hand, I am taking photos through the window. I don't know if I will be able to use the shots, but the act of recording such beauty is all it takes to give me a wonderful feeling.

Not everyone in the world has the time to record raindrops, so I like to think I am doing it for others as well as myself. Of course, closely studying anything can take me into the depths of my mind to a place of stillness. It is a restful place to be, away from the cell phones, traffic and chatter.

I would hope that viewing my work would invite you to that place as well. If possible, may your day be filled with peace and beauty, and if you think it's not, just use each moment to notice the small morsels of quiet found in the now where these things are present.

With love and beauty always,

Susan

Get to Know the Real Arizona

The real Arizona is amazing. Don't let the recent politics turn you off to a visit. One of our biggest industries is tourism, and you can see why above. My husband and I just drove up a mountain about 15 minutes from our house and I took this photo. We have so much natural beauty on hand all the time. Wildlife is abundant and sometimes very different. Plant life is unusual, such as the beautiful saguaro cactus that grow only at specific elevations. So much to  see and do, so many places to visit that it is mind boggling!


Think about the Grand Canyon alone. You could spend a week there and never know the time went by, with so much to see. You can go by air, hike or ride a mule as you take in the sights. Hiking is fantastic there, of course.


Southern Arizona has it's charms as well, with Tucson, Tubac, Tombstone, Bisbee and Sierra Vista. Whew. That's a lot of sights to see. All are very beautiful in their own way.


Living in Tucson is a photographers dream. I always feel a lot of gratitude for being able to be here. I hope you enjoy the photograph above. If you are interested in purchasing it or in checking out my website at SusanBStambaugh.com , and if you have questions or need something special you can email me at the address on my site.

The Perfect Work

About two years ago, I decided to take a photography class, on a whim. I arrived at the class completely ignorant. It was given in Tucson, Arizona by The Desert Museum.

I was thrown into the unknown, and was very intimidated by the vast knowledge of my classmates, and by their fancy cameras bristling with lenses.

Lucky for me, we started with the basics. The instructor was very helpful and the class was geared to the absolute beginner. I learned a lot over the time of the class. I also learned that I had an eye for photography, which wasn't a complete surprise, since I have worked as an interior and graphic designer in the past.

My husband became my first fan, telling me I was capturing something special with my camera. He gave lots of encouragement and bought me my first real camera. As time went by, I started posting my photo's on Facebook. Again I was encouraged by all the positive feedback.

Friends and family started asking for copies of my work, and my Fine Art Photography business was born. I have created this blog to stay in touch with friends and fans and plan on sharing my photo taking adventure, along with many photo's. I am very blessed to have found the perfect work for me, and I give thanks for that every day!