Palm Desert Photographer- Project G365- Someone to be grateful for on Monday.

Looking for photography in the Coachella Valley and Palm Springs areas? Julie specializes in documentary, lifestyle and storytelling photography serving the Palm Springs, Palm Desert, La Quinta, Indian Wells, Bermuda Dunes, Riverside County and Southern California areas. She is available for maternity, birth, newborn, baby, children and family portraits, documentary, and fine art photo sessions.

Monday's menu for gratefulness turns the lens on 

SOMEONE 

I am grateful for.

G365 4/365 Someone to be grateful for on a Monday.

I could have started with my husband, kids, extended family

or friends,

but today I am actually thankful for a 

stranger 

we met at the park.

She was there with her kids

and they had ingeniously 

repurposed a cardboard box

into a makeshift 

multiperson sled

to speed down

the scalped grass hills.
When Ems asked to join in on the fun,
they were gracious and made room for her.

One of the reasons we personally

like this park is because of

how steep the hills are.

They are great for rolling too.

But I am not just thankful for the 

creative spirit of this mom.

Nope, I am thankful because

she put me in my place

and had every right to do so.

Since I am as old as I am 

and have had as many kids as I have

and have done as many things as I have,

I sometimes(mistakenly)

begin to think I know a thing or two

and feel compelled to share what I think know

with someone who never asked

to know what I know. 

It is actually a pet peeve of mine

when others do it to me,

and as old as I am,

it's been done a lot.

In fact one of my goals 

as a future mother-in-law

when it comes to advice,

is to keep my mouth shut

unless asked to do otherwise.

Even then, to keep it short 

and to the point.

You see, she was telling her somewhat

over exuberant child to run

each time he was disobedient.

Not a bad strategy,

certainly a much more positive one

than others I have witnessed.

Having taught in classrooms

a bit, and caring for other's kids,

especially ones with sensory integration issues,

I have seen how that strategy can backfire,

since cardio exercise will often 

perpetuate high energy levels.

So I pondered in my head for a while,

if I should say anything. 

I really wasn't going to say 

anything,

but my savior complex kicked in,

and I just couldn't help asking,

"So does the running thing work for you?"

She responded that it was something 

new they were trying

as an alternative to time outs.

This is where I should have left it,

but I didn't.

"Well,..." 

Because this type of unsolicited advice always starts with, 

"Well,..."

Before I could really finish my sentence though,

she responded that

 this was how they did things 

and thanked me for my "input".

Ouch.

It was warranted though, 

I truly believe I deserved it.

She didn't know me. 

I didn't know her or her child, 

and most importantly 

she had not asked for my opinion,

or "input".

Thankfully I had enough wherewithal to not keep talking.

As their little family left the park a few minutes later

(they had already been getting ready to leave

before my social faux pas, by the way)

I simply thanked her for her

wonderful idea about the cardboard box sled.

Little did she know I was thanking her 

for something far more significant:

a reminder to treat others,

the way I want to be treated,

to be the person I want to be

and think I am.

Usually, anyway. 

Oh, and if anyone wants to hear 

what my alternative to running was,

feel free to ask.

Palm Desert Photographer-A New Focus in 2016 and the Launch of The G365 Project.

Looking for photography in the Coachella Valley and Palm Springs areas? 
 Julie Moses specializes in documentary, lifestyle and storytelling photography serving the Palm Springs, Palm Desert, La Quinta, Indian Wells, Bermuda Dunes, Riverside County and Southern California areas. She is available for maternity, birth, newborn, baby, children and family portraits, 
documentary, and fine art photo sessions.

I completed my first 365 project at the end of 2014. 

I just completed my second a week ago on Christmas. 

The focus of both of these projects was predominantly 

about capturing and documenting the daily life of my family. 

For many two straight years of nearly daily 

shooting and editing would signal that it was time to take a break 

and sit back and perhaps focus on something else. 

Well I half agree.

I still plan to shoot daily and for the most part,

 my family will still feature very predominantly. 

The focus is very different though, as this year is all about gratitude.

Everyday I plan to find something to be grateful for 

and to document that both visually and though a written narrative. 

I have participated in gratitude studies before

 and I have always been very blessed

 by the change in spirit they seem to produce in me, 

however I have never documented them visually 

and I have never lasted more then a few weeks in my documentation.

So this year, I want that visual record. 

I also know that I have proven to myself that I can complete a 365 project, 

in fact I've proven it twice! 

I want to use that habit to help sustain a new habit 

of practicing mindful gratitude. 

I have prepared a daily theme prompt for myself, 

though I am sure I will most likely often stray from it. 

It is there for those days when I need structure to birth creativity 

and to help remove the blinders 

of poor attitude and circumstance.

The Gratitude Daily Prompts

Mondays: Someone

Tuesdays: Somewhere

Wednesdays: Small thing

Thursday: Large thing

Friday: Experiences

Saturday: Opportunities

Sundays: Feelings

I want to issue both an invitation as well as a disclaimer.

<<>>

 In the past, during my practice of mindful gratitude, 

I have noticed two things happen. 

First, that I begin to see exactly how blessed I really am, 

and the more blessings I look for the more I see.

Second, that whatever negativity in this world there is 

that can find it's way to your door to try to tear you down 

and close your eyes to blessings will in fact do so.

 It's part of the challenge to keep looking for

 and finding the blessings and feel the gratitude

despite the wolves at the door. 

I will also issue a warning that my gratitude is directed to God in all things.

The God I believe in is the God of the bible and that will be reflected in this project. So if you are prepared for all that, then I joyfully invite you to join me on this yearlong journey. Whether you choose to participate through finding and sharing your own blessings and gratitude or just by following me as I do, I am praying that you will be blessed by this project! 

Since today is Friday, I will begin with the Friday prompt of

an experience to feel grateful for.

1/365 Gratitude 2016- Friday. Experience

I often take my daughter to the park, 
but I don't often actually play with her.
I am her primary play mate most of the time.
I am also trying to encourage her independence 
and willingness to try new things 
as she is homeschooled, 
and her siblings are so much older than she is. 
So we go to the park, 
so that she can play with kids her own age, 
and I can just hang back, watch and take a lot of pictures.
Well yesterday, I made a mindful effort
 to climb the jungle gym and go down the slide too.
I most likely would not have gotten this shot
if I'd been following my usual routine.
I would have been on the ground, 
not behind her ready to slide down myself.
It was over pretty quick as we were meeting friends 
who were running only a few minutes behind. 
Their appearance meant I was quickly relegated 
to second or third place in her attention, 
but for a few moments, it was just us. 
I got to be in her world for a however small a time 
and today I am grateful that 
I am still both invited and able to participate.
(Even though I did almost get stuck in the slide.) 


Join me tomorrow as I give thanks again.

Palm Desert Fine Art Photographer- "Game Face"

"Game Face"

July 2015

Go Soak Your Head Series

Just around the time I finish a few images in a series I have undertaken, 

I get an idea for another series.

People often marvel at how eager my daughter seems to pose for me.

The secret is jelly beans.

When jelly beans are at stake, not only is she willing to pose,

she will come up full concepts for shoots.

This image is a product of one of those jellybean quests.

This child would live in the water if she could.

Though she doesn't swim yet, she will jump at any chance she has to get in the water,

even if it's just the bathtub.

In true fish fashion though, she decide that this would be the perfect chance to test out

her new goggles and swim floaties. 

Of course, because she is who she is, she tested them out in her own way.

"Circling the Drain"

July 2015

Go Soak Your Head Series

Palm Desert Lifestyle Photographer~ And Then We Snapped- 365 Blog Circle- 2015 Week 7

Each week I join the most fabulous group of ladies in a blog circle called 

And Then We Snapped.

These ladies have inspired me, encouraged me, supported me and held me accountable.

Without them, my first 365 project would not have gotten finished,

and the second would not have started.

Cheers to these ladies and cheers to you as well 

if you keep the blog circle going this week by visiting each of these ladies!

Without further ado, welcome to my week.

As I had mentioned last week, some of my shots are a bit out of the ordinary for me, as they are exercises from a class I am taking over at In Beauty and Chaos called

Creative Insight with Lucy Baber.

I wasn't sure how much I would get from the class at first, since it's not technical at all.

I am always on the look out for how to improve my shooting skills with better techniques.

This class is aptly titled in that it seeks to improve your photography from the inside out,

at the creative root and heart.

Already in week one I am starting to see how from framing the shot to post processing, I am communicating things about myself subconsciously. I think ultimately the point of the class for me is to recognize it and take it from subconscious to conscious and intentional.

Week 7 

February 8th through 15th, 2015

"Retreat"

That perfect tranquillity of life, which is nowhere to be found but in retreat, 

a faithful friend and a good library.

Aphra Behn

I wish I could do nothing but read. Reading is definitely a happy place of retreat for me.

"Sound"

 The sound of colors is so definite that it would be hard to find anyone who would express bright yellow with base notes, or dark lake with the treble.

Wassily Kandinsky

The quote is not mismatched here, even though it mentions color and this image is black and white. To me, the quacks and splashes sounded more like they did this day

 when they were in black and white.

 "Solo" 

"Life is like playing a violin solo in public and learning the instrument as one goes on."

Samuel Butler

We definitely chose the wrong day to go to the park. It's been a while since we went to this one so we had no idea that this particular day the playground would be closed for repairs. All except these two swings. So we made the best of it. 

A few minutes later, another family showed up in the same predicament. The good things about a closed playground is it gives birth to all manner of ideas for running, tagging, rolling, and climbing of trees. 

"Dirty Money"

"Do you think it's dirty money?-All money is dirty. If it were clean nobody would want it."

Author: Carlos Ruiz Zafón

Only five and already laundering money. I blame the ponies.

Seriously, I never know what I am going to find around the house with this kid. 
Silence is not golden. It is dangerous.

"Horses"

“Employers are like horses — they require management.” 
― P.G. Wodehouse, Carry on, Jeeves

This is one horse obsessed equestrian.





"Conundrum"

"Dave Sim said in his latest thing of his, 'when you're on the right track, you'll know it, but until you get there, you have to believe you're on the right track'. Interesting little conundrum. it's not easy."
-Eddie Campbell



We were all excited about the new reclining sofa glider was gifted to us.
That is until we got it home and tried to get it in the house.

Epilogue: 
We finally got it in the house after contacting our landlord. 
We had asked for permission and help to take out and put back the sliders. 
He responded by showing us that the back actually comes off the furniture.


"Yawn"
"Yawning is like our bodies way of saying 15% battery left."
Unknown

Princess work is both dirty and tiring.
Be honest, did you just yawn after seeing this?

'Tis not her coldness, father,
That chills my labouring breast;
It's that confounded cucumber
I've ate and can't digest.”
Richard Harris Barham (1788-1845) ‘The Confession

This was the image I chose as my final assignment for the first week of my class.

This assignment had to do with illustrating one of ten truths about myself.

 That truth was that I am cool as a cucumber in the midst of a crisis. 

In defining this, I wasn't necessarily thinking of it as completely positive- just necessary. 

Along with the cool I can be "crunchy". 

The way I stay cool in a crisis is definitely a defense mechanism. 

I just internalize the stress and it comes out later bit by bit. 

When they told me my son had cancer, I didn't cry- at least not in front of my son or anyone else. 

I did it later, in my car, all by myself.

It is a behavior I am sure is part inherited (through environment not genetics) from both of my parents and just life circumstances which did not allow me

to do anything other than keep it together in the midst of super difficult trials. 

As for being "crunchy", that is a characteristic I have had to develop

 to be effective at managing chaos and crisis. It is both a positive and a negative. 

When I describe myself as cool- it's a surface quality more than an internal one. 

My emotions run deep, I am just fairly good at setting them aside in the moment 

while dealing with logistics when other people may be overcome by the emotion. 

I find it amazing how much you can tell about someone from their artistic expressions.

Remember those amazing ladies I mentioned at the beginning?

Well now is the time to go visit them.

Start by heading on over to see the amazing artistic expression of 

Jenny | Through My Lens By Jenny .

Her work is simply stupendous!

That's it for my week!

This next week's class is going to be very in depth and very interesting.

Should make for an equally interesting blog post next week!

Blessings, 

Julie

Palm Desert Lifestyle Photographer~ And Then We Snapped- 365 Blog Circle- 2015 Week 6

Another week has passed by super quickly! 

Tuesdays always seem to sneak up on me!

Actually it is late Monday evening here on the West Coast, 

but most people will be reading this on Tuesday 

when it becomes part of this week's blog circle

And Then We Snapped...

Just a lovely bunch of amazing women 

who share my passion for capturing ordinary everyday moments

in a beautiful and meaningful way.

One of the most horrible things about getting older is how our perception of time changes.

We realize exactly how fleeting it is.

Whole weeks fleeting by in the same way Tuesdays keep sneaking up on me!

A perfect argument for mindfulness.

Being thoughtful in as many moments as you can. 

The only way to slow down the relentless future is to truly be present in the moment.

Photography helps me to do that.

So I present to you another seven images documenting moments

from the week I have just lived.

February 1st thru February 7th, 2015

"Shrug"

Suck it up, shrug it off, and laugh about it. Life isn't about pleasing other people.

 It's about making yourself better.

 Unknown quotes  

This has been a trying sort of week. Dealing with personal health issues isn't easy and running into brick walls and eight week waiting periods for an appointment don't help. 

In the meantime, I am choosing to be proactive and try to address the problem at it's root-nutrition.

 It took a few days, but I am already feeling better.  I still need to see a doctor though. 

Feeling better makes waiting a whole lot easier though.

"Breakfast"

"I went to a restaurant that serves 'breakfast at any time'. 

So I ordered French Toast during the Renaissance."

Steven Wright

Though I am making big dietary changes in my own life, 

I am not making everyone in the family follow along. 

That being said, I am trying to sneak in good stuff for them where I can. 

"Slick and splat, girl and cat" 

Stains on the driveway make puddles especially interesting and ominous. 

They are very slippery though.

"Into the Light" 

"Education is the movement from darkness to light."

Allan Bloom

Always moving into the light and away from the darkness, 

though without the reality and presence of darkness, 

the light would blind us just as the darkness does.

Education is very important to me. Though not the kind that is spoon fed to you.

I believe in an education you must carve out and take for yourself.

Self directed learning is far more meaningful and much less likely to be forgotten.

"Ripple"

The impact of a conscious artist is necessary, and it ripples through the world.

Common

She wasn't quite as cooperative as I had hoped i

n trying to get a full body sharp reflection in the puddle.

 Making ripples was a far more pressing priority.

"Morning News"

"I wake up every morning at nine and grab for the morning paper. 

Then I look at the obituary page. If my name is not on it, I get up."

Benjamin Franklin

I was at my desk working on the grocery list and looked over to see this.

"Daydreamer" 

“A daydream is a meal at which images are eaten. Some of us are gourmets, some gourmands, and a good many take their images precooked out of a can and swallow them down whole, 

absent-mindedly and with little relish.” 

― W.H. Auden

I would love to know what she is thinking about in these moments. But I can pretty much guarantee those image meals are comparable with escargot and caviar. 

That's it for my week. 

I have just started a class 

with Lucy Baber over at In Beauty and Chaos, called Creative Insight 

so next week's images 

may a look a little different than you are used to from me.

I am so excited to take it too!

It's my first photography workshop ever! 

If you've made it this far, then surely you know you 

just have to head on over to see the brilliant work of 

Charissa Gilliland Photography 

Love and Blessings,

Julie

Palm Desert Lifestyle Photographer~ And Then We Snapped- 365 Blog Circle- 2015 Week 4 & 5

I really hate missing weeks in this blog circle. The only good thing that comes of it though are extended posts of oversharing. So if you're a fan of the little girl, you'll enjoy this post because she's all over it. The kittens also make an appearance, as do the camera shy menfolk in my family.

For the sake of expediency, I am going to sum up, rather than explain. Generally each image has a quote and a little story. My current story is making  that a little difficult though. I am dealing with some personal health issues. I am still shooting, but I am cutting corners pretty much everywhere else until I get some energy back. 

There are more than two weeks worth of daily images even though several are shots on the same days. It's okay to do that. It is still a representation of the weeks. We stayed home, went places, stayed inside, went outside, did regular things, and a seldom allowed thing or two.

Without further ado, I invite you to witness my 2015 365 project, weeks 4 and 5.

If you've made it this far, I implore you to head on over to see the brilliant work of 

Lynzi Berg Photography 

You will not be disappointed!