Waltzing with the butterflies

Afternoon in the meadow in the Apuseni

A lazy afternoon, for me that is, as the farm owners are probably hard at work, making cheese, baking bread, feeding the hens. The cows are still to be fetched from the high pasture but for me, it is time to feel the meadows. what feels miraculous, looks flat through the camera’s lens. and to add insult to injury, my favorite manual lens does not cooperate with the camera anymore and I can’t really focus it. That’s when I just lay in the tall grasses, bees, and sun and all, stop trying to focus, and just hope some of the magic will register. No unicorns or fairies appeared but the two puppies nicknamed Barbar 1 and Barbar2 soon found me and started chewing on my pants. Who needs more?

Barbar1 and the white tips of Barbar2 front feet

Homesick

Homesick for walking through forests, for the sound of water, for snow.

For the quiet filled with sounds of birds and branches swaying in the wind.

For filling the lungs with chilly, fragrant air.

Homesick for a time without masks, when we were free to travel and immerse ourselves in beauty rather than watching it on the screen. Yes, it came to that, I am sitting in front of the screen photographing nature documentaries on Yellowstone. If I can not go to the forests, at least I can bring the forest to me. Hopefully not for much longer.

Between Redwoods and CNN news ...

How can one begin to understand the latest decision made by Donald Trump - abandoning the Paris climate agreement? Many people reacted with both words and acts. I am still too aggravated for words, and for now, I would like to remind the guys in the White House the words of John Muir:

“The world, we are told, was made especially for man — a presumption not supported by all the facts.”

The world, is ours to enjoy, to delight in, to cherish and to keep. So in a hundred years from now, our great grandchildren will still be able to walk in the shade of the great Redwoods, rather than jog on flood protection walls. Maybe this should have been a tweet rather than a blog post ...

Muir Woods, California, May 2017

"In every walk with Nature one receives far more than he seeks." John Muir

"When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world." John Muir

A world of one color

Most of us, have a smell, a taste, a sight that instantly makes us smile. For me, it is the snow. Perhaps because of childhood memories from Romania, perhaps because it embodies a quiet, serene atmosphere I love. Or maybe it is because of the way it covers all visual noise, turning every plain grass and tree branch into a  beautiful sculpture.  

I have been to Yosemite three times now, and while this park is beautiful in every season, there is nothing like greeting the New Year in a forest covered in snow. Happy 2017!!!

Yosemite, Dec 31, 2016

A world of one color, the sounds of wind

On the water

Being on the water, in a little boat that moves up and down with the waves changes the perspective. The horizon is no longer horizontal, the clouds borrow the shape of the waves, the water is the same grey color as the sky. Nature at its most majestic. Even more so when a humpback whale dives just in front of the boat. It is so easy to feel small and inconsequential. 

Yet looking at the sea otters floating happily wrapped in strands of kelp, I can not stop thinking we have almost wiped them out, killing them for their prized fur. On one of the mountains we can see the scar caused by a landslide, the result of less than wise development. In a few minutes it will be behind us. So easy to forget. A glimpse at the fragile equilibrium supporting all this grand beauty. 

Hints. Alaska August 2016

Sea otters, Alaska

Black and Blue

Back to the forest, by the whispering stream. A cluster of Foxgloves, patches of light. Far, far away from the noise of unneeded guns, unneeded death.

Black lives matter. Blue lives matter. Life matters. Really matters. All life. Policemen and children, women and men. The world in which we live, the one we tear apart, it matters. The world wears black and blue, bowing its head at unneeded death. Light cries and comforts. Life matters. 

The butterfly

I saw him on the stairs of the restaurant. Beautiful. Almost still. Between life and death. Took a few pictures.  Thirty minutes later, on our way out, he was still there. I picked him up and took him home. when I touch him, the wings flutter for a few seconds, as if he wants to fly. His last movements. Still here, still beautiful. not for long. When life meets death.

Life meets death

An adventure of the mind

A work of art is above all an adventure of the mind. The mind of the person who created it, the mind of all the people who would look at it. Infuse it with their own meaning. Project on it their feelings, memories and wishes. Translate it into their own language. Allowing the piece of art to touch them, maybe even transform them a tiny little bit. The hope and wish of every artist.

"Misthaven" images continue to appear. This is a good place to be thankful for all the great feedback I am getting on this portfolio who was recently published in Black and White magazine (Excellence award), Still Point Art quarterly (issue 22) and on Lenscratch.

Here are two brand new images for "Misthaven". I hope somewhere out there, there is a heart that will be touched by them. sending them out into the world to find that heart.

Misthaven #25 by Amy Kanka Valadarsky 

Water Colors

I chase light like others chase fame, or power, or money. Me, just give me my camera, shafts of light and a natural setting - and I am happy. Knee deep in the water, or laying on the ground, the world becomes limited and limitless at the same time. 

Here, I chased the colors of the wind and the water in a lily pond. Colors... water ...hmmm....water ...  colors. Water Colors!! An idea is born :) 

The first sketches - "Water Colors" photo collage by Amy Kanka Valadarsky

Listening to images

Funny how images are born. I started experimenting with Cyanotypes, and was looking at images I shot in the last few month in order to find one I can play with. One image in particular looked like a good candidate, and as usual, this was an image that at the time, I did not even mark as one worth earmarking for future use. Once changed to black and white this image started whispering, obviously wanting to tell me something.

A few minutes and a few more adjustments later the whisper turned to a clear statement: "I belong to Misthaven" (The photography portfolio I thought I finished months ago ...). Can I not listen to this voice? Of course not, hence Misthaven 28 joined its friends. See top 20 images from Misthaven portfolio here

Let the rain kiss you

It does not matter where I go, I always arrive to the same place. My place. Nature.

Whether in Israel, California, Japan or Germany, it is always the sun, the smell of rain, the shadow of the trees that tempt me, whisper in my ear. 

This time, the place is a small pond, a walking distance from my mother in law apartment in Frankfurt, Germany. Despite being the end of April, it is chilly outside. We walk around the pond, and just when there is no shelter in sight - it starts to rain. My husband holds the umbrella, while I wait for the birds to fly over the lake.  Try to be careful, as my camera, unlike me, does not like to be kissed by the rain ....

Rainy day by Amy Kanka Valadarsky

Spring in the park, Frankfurt, Germany. April 2016

Walking in the woods

3 days in the forest with the camera. I don't this I will ever get tired of photographing the woods. Thickets of trees, that allow only few rays of sun to penetrate, or trees that break your heart with their naked, desolate posture.

And if the gods of the forest smile at us, magical encounters might happen.

Ghost trees. Yosemite, September 2015. Amy Kanka Valadarsky photography

Look me in the eyes ...Yosemite, September 2015

The closest I ever felt to God - Japan 2015

Just returned from a 2 weeks trip to Japan. A once in a lifetime opportunity to immerse myself in traditions as old as civilization, meet people who live in true harmony with nature.

While it will take months for all the experiences to sink in, there are moments which were so rare, so precious - I need to capture them in here. Not that I think they will disappear, it is more of a hope that by sharing them, I will understand them better.

Late afternoon, almost evening in Kadoide. A small village in North Japan, no one but its inhabitants know it. We live in a restored traditional house, at the edge of the village. Surrounded by mountains, trees and a river. Dinner is almost ready when I look out of the window and see we are wrapped in clouds. Without much thinking, I grab the camera, put on the coat and the shoes (you never wear shoes inside a Japanese house) and go outside.

For about 30 minutes, until darkness covered the mountains, I walk around taking photos. Everywhere I look, the world looks surreal. It's like walking on clouds, heaven, earth and me becoming one. The closest I ever felt to God. 

A bend in the road - Kadoide by Amy Kanka Valadarsky

The bridge - Kadoide by Amy Kanka Valadarsky

Homage to Monet

A few years ago, my husband and I visited Monet's house in Giverny, France. We toured the sun filled house, soaked in its colors and endless treasuries. 

The house is surrounded by the gardens, Monet painted so beautifully. The lily pond with its bridge and surrounding trees, the water lilies. It was a magical day in a magical place.

I wish I could draw like he did, but we are not all that lucky. For me, it is the camera rather than the the brush. Light rather than paint.

But the love of gardens, is the same and so is the constant wish to capture the things the eye can not see: the song of birds, the scent of lemon trees in bloom.  

Spread your wings

Summarizing my 2014 year in one picture.

In constant motion, looking for my voice. Discovering new lands, while enjoying the ones I have.

Simplifying. Looking for the essence. Looking beyond the colors.

Looking forward to the next landing place, knowing it will be one more step in the journey.

Wishing myself and all my loved ones to spread their wings wide and find new worlds in 2015. 

The essence of a rose

I started photographing from a very good reason. As a goldsmith, I wanted to sell my jewelry online and I needed good photos. From there the road to photographing as a creative outlet was relatively short. Much shorter than the road to define to myself what is it that I really love to photograph and develop a personal signature style.

Why did I think of it now? Because since I remember myself I love gardens, and English rose gardens are at the top of my favorite ones. The white garden in Sissinghurst is something to be seen to be believed. There is a quality of fairy tale fantasy that can not be conveyed in words.

For the last 2 days I have been photographing a single rose in the garden. A pale pink one. But as beautiful as this rose is, taking a documentary shot of it did not express at all the sensuality of its petals. The delicacy and fragility of it. The impermanence - tomorrow it will start wilting, in a few days it will not be here at all. But now, today, it is just perfect. 

The essence of a rose. This is what I want to photograph.

Listen to Van Gogh...

The box of colors sat on the very bottom of my bookcase for years, actually since I got it as a gift from my mother in law. A beautiful and pricey wooden box with charcoal and pastels from Faber-Castel. Me, using it? That's for people who can really draw. Sometimes in the future. Maybe. 

Then I started a class in painting photos. And the last assignment was to play around with borders.

For the last days I've been playing around and enjoying myself learning new Photoshop options. 

Last night, my husband reminded me of the color box. And today, when alone so no one can see me, went upstairs, pulled the box out and dared to give it a try.

So this is it. The first time I combined drawing and photography. The frame was drawn in pastel colors, photographed and combined with a fall color image I took earlier this year in Vermont.

Autumn - my very first painted pictures. Who knows where it will lead?

My morning cup of coffee

The best thing photography did to me is gift me with a new pair of eyes. Or maybe there should be a 6th sense by the name of 'noticing' in addition to 'seeing'.

As Marcel Proust said "the only real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes". So true.

My morning starts with the first cup of coffee in the garden. I love this time. Just me, the coffee, the birds and the wind. I sip the coffee and look at the garden. Today, I happened to look at the cup of coffee. And really notice what I see.

It's like having new eyes. Eyes that can REALLY see.

Have a wonderful morning, and fro time to time, glance at your cup of coffee, you may be surprised by what you see :)

....shifting a bit and changing the angle - another view.

On birds and paradise ....

The beak of the bird

Just across the street from my house, in a small plant island in the sidewalk grow a few Bird of Paradise plants. I must have walked by them hundreds of times, but since tropical plants are not my favorite flowers and orange is not my color of choice, I never gave them a closer look.

... until a few days ago, when I coming back from an evening walk with the dog (the unexpected benefits of having a dog ...), the setting sun highlighted the flower and for the first time, I really saw it.

...and ran to grab the camera.

A bird indeed. With fiery feathers and a pointed blue tongue.

Radiating light.

What a lovely picture of paradise it conveys. Everybody radiates light. ( hopefully not everybody has pointed blue tongues :) )

Radiating light - flower hotography

The gift of rain

The gift of rain

The Macro lens was reserved to photograph my jewelry art. Not only it allows me to take detailed pictures of the pieces, but it is also my quality control, as every tiny blemish will show.

Until now.

Back to Israel after a month away, when I left it was scorching summer. Now the air is cooler, and it already rained twice this week.

And my macro lens got another use. Shooting raindrops. 

Not that it was such a success the first time I tries. Macro shooting and the wind are not good companions. 

But I am stubborn (as my husband will readily agree...) and I kept trying until I was able to capture it. Not perfect yet, but already able to express what I saw.

The gift of rain. Nature's gift to us.

Enjoy.

One drop was caught on a spider web

...back to reflections. Light and a raindrop