Storytelling | Painting With Light

Archive for the ‘Storytelling’ Category

Dark Passage

May 18, 2011

“Dark Passage, Street in Venice, Italy” © R.L. Herron

I’ve been guilty of being sidetracked by the incessant political-speak on our airwaves. It’s hard to remember a time in the past two years the cymbal-clashing has been silent.

It makes me ashamed to get caught up in the finger-pointing, ‘we said/they said’ rhetoric. I wish our politicians would all grow up and learn what they really need to do is demonstrate some cooperation in getting the problems of the country fixed.

I’m not naive enough to think it would really happen, given the almost childish attitudes of our elected officials and the vehement polarity evoked by their lust for power, but I can always hope that somewhere people really do behave with civility, respect and a sense of common purpose.

However, I know all too well that probably only happens in Narnia (Google “The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe” if that doesn’t ring a bell), where even the animals know good from evil.

So I’ll content myself with talking about painting with light, which is why this blog began in the first place.

Photography, like fiction writing, takes advantage of the way light is perceived to produce its special results.

Like the picture above, where the dark shadows purposely frame the flower basket in the distance and the lines of perspective lead your eye into the light at precisely that point.

In any good story or any good image, light and shadow work together to create the whole.

Darn it! There I go talking politics again.

Posted in Lifestyle, Non-Fiction Writing, Photography, Politics, Storytelling | 3 Comments »

The New Year

January 2, 2011

“Spruce in Winter” © R.L. Herron

I’m sure I’m no different than most people when it comes to making resolutions for the New Year. There are the typical weight-loss promises, exercise plans and a host of other self-improvement ideas I start the year vowing to do.

Usually, they are forgotten by about the seventh day of the year (although I think I set a personal record this year by dumping one of them already, only two days in).

I’ll probably drop the others by Tuesday.

However, there are a couple of things I’m actually planning to accomplish this year. I plan to write and publish some short stories. I’ve already got six ‘in the can’ with several more in various stages of completion.

I even have an idea for a novel.

There are also several writing competitions I’m ready to enter, both for short stories and poetry. The entries for those will be going out this week.

Those are all things I’ve been ‘planning’ to do for years. This year I’m finally going to get real about it.

I’ve made another resolution this year, too. Another one I always make. I’m going to work for a better world.

That sounds like so much ‘pie-in-the-sky’ and I have to admit it’s a pretty nebulous resolution to make.

But I figure I have a jump on it this year.

Instead of looking for something from others, I’m going to work on making myself better. More tolerant. A better listener. A better father and grandfather. A better husband. A better friend.

I’m not sure the larger world will take any note of it. But I hope my friends do, and my kids and grandkids, and maybe a few of my friends and neighbors. Who knows, maybe even my wife. I figure that will make this tiny corner of the world better.

And that’s a start.

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Friends

June 23, 2010

“New Friends” © R.L. Herron

Friends come in all shapes, sizes and genders.

Sometimes, like in the picture above, they even come in the form of different species. All it takes is a modest amount of trust, some empathy and a generous helping of plain old-fashioned respect.

Although I see neighborhood and childhood friends often and enjoy their company immensely, I went to lunch with old friends from work yesterday, something I haven’t done in a while.

It felt good to reconnect and exchange a lot of “what we’re doing now” information. We spent quite a while talking and reminiscing after the actual lunch had come and gone.

After we all said our goodbyes and departed, I had about thirty minutes alone in the car to reflect on our gathering.

I realized what so many people have said over the years was true. When you retire, you don’t miss the work, you miss the camaraderie. You miss the people.

Even if you didn’t always see eye-to-eye, the interaction you once enjoyed with all these individuals was stimulating and special, even if you didn’t realize it at the time.

It’s an odd thing about growing older.

Realization can feel like a blossoming of the brain cells you’ve been trying to build for so long. It isn’t really like that; wisdom doesn’t suddenly blossom. But simple insight sometimes does.

I know, just as everyone does, none of that is true for everyone.

Some people, myself included, have subjects about which they never seem to get any smarter, no matter how long they’ve had time to try, or how often they get to practice.

However, given the right circumstances, people and things can sometimes seem to fall into place in new ways, and it’s funny how often that can feel like wisdom.

The kind that recognizes the words are finally there, not to be ignored, but not necessarily needing to be spoken, either.

I have a lot of faith in my fellow man, perhaps because I’ve always been hopelessly optimistic about just about everything.

Although I think I’ve understood it for a long time, I’m finally beginning to appreciate the cadence, passion and rhythm friends can add to life in general.

It feels good.