Photographic Tale of the Week - Kali Avatar - Mutharamman, Kulasekarapatnam , India

Kali Avatar - Mutharamman, Kulasekarapatnam, India

Welcome back.
The bad news is there has been at least a month of photographs and stories that have gone by without acknowledgement. And, no matter how much I love the cover photo on the Pictures with a Story group, a new one needs to go up.
The good news? I have a brand new daughter, and I have now gathered together enough minutes out of the day to post the newest Photographic Tale of the Week. 
I didn't pick Kartik Kumar S's photo of a Kali Avatar because it's Halloween. The "costume" is the only similarity. Read the description of the photo to learn more about the Dasara celebrations in India, and check out Kartik's other photographs from the festival for other avatars. I expect my selection is no surprise - the beautifully composed foreground with the contrast of the back makes for an especially striking work of art. Thank you to Kartik for allowing me to celebrate his photo this week.

Here is Kartik's description:
Sri Mutharmman temple is located at Kulasekhara pattinam village near Tiruchendur 55 km south of Tuticorin (Tamil Nadu, India) on the East coast Road en route to Kanya Kumari. The DASARA celebrations in September/October every year are second to that of Mysore (Kanataka,India). The uniqueness and oddity of the festival is that the devotees need not spend from their pocket. They are expected to beg alms from door to door and a token offerings only is expected to be offered at shrine after meeting out their expenses. On the climatic day the sea shores of this otherwise deserted coastal village turns into veritable carnival of folk music and folk dance of the devotees in their chosen fancy dresses to either solicit the grace of or to thank for the boon granted by presiding deity sri Muthramman considered to be the incarnation of SAKTHI the consort of LORD SHIVA in Hinduism. More than 1.5 million people gather here year after year on the tenth day after new moon day in the month purattasi (September/October) according to the Tamil calendar.

#52weeksofWE - 43 of 52, Make like a tree

Time certainly flies when you're having babies, and the past several weeks are no exception. Thank you for the congratulations, and the understanding as we ignore the gap between weeks 40 and 43. 
I debated what week would be best to inspire fellow challengers to go out and really capture the changing of the leaves and trees - autumn exemplified - throughout Windsor - Essex. I was going to push it a week so that here are more golds and reds and oranges, but having put the complete family in the mini van today and gone pumpkin picking, I do not believe that challengers would be at a loss for subject matter. Plus, if I left it too long we may be shooting nothing but bare branches. Before you have to go out and rake the pesky things up, take a couple of shots and share them with the group.
Thanks again, and I hope there will be not be any  more gaps this year. All the best.
Submit your photos on Flickr or Facebook, and send the picture files to me if you want them to be featured on my weekly reflections: essex.masqueATgmailDOTcom

Photo Contest Voting at the Tamarack Institute - Possible

This and two other of my photographs are up for a vote at a photo contest. Go to the link below to vote!

Being in community development - when I'm not doing photography - I am a follower of the important work being done by the Tamarack Institute, based in Waterloo, ON Canada. I was overjoyed when I saw that they were running a photo contest with the "Possible" theme. There is nothing better than combining my passions; I immediately entered. I have been waiting for a while for their judges to pick the winning shot, but just noticed that they decided to open the contest to a public vote. Follow the link below to see my shots (Patrick Firth) and the photographs of other contestants. Also, check out what else the Tamarack Institute does. 

Possible Photo Contest

#52weeksofWE - 40 of 52, Windows are the eyes to our houses

Let me be clear - I do not condone window peeping. But here in Windsor - Essex there are plenty of windows out there that are both incredibly beautiful and won't land you in trouble with the police. Whether the sun is flaring off of them in the golden hour, or whether there is brilliant red leaves poking out through their broken panes, it is time to frame them in our compositions and capture the essence of the eyes to our houses.
Submit your photos on Flickr or Facebook, and send the picture files to me if you want them to be featured on my weekly reflections: essex.masqueATgmailDOTcom

#52weeksofWE - 38, 39 of 52 A few of our favourite things

Consider this my treat to everyone participating in the #52weeksofWE photography challenge - a very open ended call to include the type of photography that you love best. Include your favourite shots that you have already done, and track down that content you prefer and compose some new ones.
Though my love of photography goes further back than the shot I selected for the cover photo, it was this one that really inspired me to pursue this creative medium further. There is something about fog and drift that I love, and that makes me venture forth with my camera even when I am sick (in the particular case of this shot) or push my children out of the way to snap some shots before the sun burns it away. 
What do you love? Share it with us, and consider this as my apology for having to cram two weeks into one. Though I think I have a pretty good excuse. 
Submit your photos on Flickr or Facebook, and send the picture files to me if you want them to be featured on my weekly reflections: essex.masqueATgmailDOTcom

#52weeksofWE - 37 of 52, Add some flower

Just seeing my sunflowers, wilting face-down on the ground - a sunflower set? - reminds me that if we want to get a flower theme in where we still have the option of shooting them outside, we better do it soon. There is no time like the present, and there is nothing more photogenic than a good flower - or  a bunch of them. 
 Submit your photos on Flickr or Facebook, and send the picture files to me if you want them to be featured on my weekly reflections: essex.masqueATgmailDOTcom

Photographic Tale of the Week - That little voice in my head is screaming at me now

"That little voice in my head is screaming at me now" by Randi Scott

I am glad Randi included the last sentence in his description of this picture that reassures us he is just being "creative." This expression is the stuff of nightmares, is it not? 

That little voice in my head isn't so little anymore. He's loud and he's angry.

He scares me.

He's stronger in my dreams. I mustn't sleep.

What does he want? The screaming is driving me crazy. I feel so exhausted.
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Once I had a little game
I used to crawl back in my brain
I think you know the game I mean
I mean the game called 'go insane'
Now you should try this little game
Just close your eyes forget your name
Forget the world, forget the people
And we'll erect a different steeple
This little game is fun to do
Just close your eyes, no way to lose
And I'm right there, I'm going too
Release control, we're breaking through

~ The Doors ~
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I told my cat that if I start acting funny - to hide in the closet and call 911
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Actually I'm fine. I'm just having a little fun with my creative side.

It doesn't help listening to the Doors Live album all day long.

A big thanks to Randi for a fantastic set of creative and well composed portraits that are consistently posted to Pictures with a Story. Check out the following links to the rest of Randi's photographs.
Flickr Photostream
Randi Scott Photography website