{Echo} Week 9- ‘illuminate’

      “There are two kinds of light – the glow that illuminates, and the glare that obscures.” – James Thurber

I have a penchant for light. I seek it, I bask in it and I humbly try to capture all of its majestic glory within my camera lens. Those who accompany me on a photo walk can tell you how I light up like a child on Christmas morning when that glorious golden hour comes around and even the smallest blades of grass are all aglow. Sun-kissed, is there anything more magical?

I suppose it is within that hour that I’m brought back to my childhood where fairies danced.. always  j u s t out of my reach, clouds became characters in my latest story, leprechauns taunted me and elves were always causing mischief. Anything, and I mean anything was possible. 

“The questions which one asks oneself begin, at least, to illuminate the world, and become one’s key to the experience of others.” – James Arthur Baldwin

Though the details have matured a bit as I grew up, that light still delivers me the same fantastical feeling of magic it brought me as a young girl.  With age, has come (a bit) of wisdom as well as acceptance of the disorders I was given in this life.  Among that knowledge is the importance of light in managing bipolar disorder.

It is a key factor in resisting depression and a crucial element to pull myself out from under the darkest of days. Even technology is understanding the importance of light, and light therapy lamps are becoming a valuable and more accessible tool for folks like me. Love, love that.

“Better to illuminate than merely to shine, to deliver to others contemplated truths than merely to contemplate.” -Saint Thomas Aquinas

After dark – I find myself drawn to the colorful neon lights … cities are chock-full of them!  There is this unequivocal energy they produce – and instantly, I am captivated. I could never choose between the city & the country … as I love them both.

I don’t always take photographs to capture beauty – sometimes, I just want to capture that powerful, and oh-so-bold feeling of excitement … so I play with long exposures, light writing.. and delight in the abstract beauty it produces. If you don’t want to fuss with manual settings on your camera -turn your camera to fireworks mode (if it has one), aim it at light… and move it around in the air as the shutter is open… but be forewarned, it is addictive.

So, imagine my thrill when Susan sent over her shot …

Photo Credits: © Susan Tuttle (left), © Christy Hydeck (right)
(click image to view it  larger)

… I’m beginning to think she really can read my mind.

I look forward to seeing what you in have store for Week 9 of Echo– illuminate. Susan & I invite each of you to participate in the project and show us your unique vision, your voice, your echo. Remember, to share your link in the comments here so I can add it to the roundup next Wednesday.

• Go visit Susan’s Week 9 post for our other diptych.
• Our Flickr Group for the collab. ~ Join Us! Find a partner there, read the guidelines and more!
• Add the Echo button to your blog if you’d like! Get the code here.

Lastly, allow me to apologize for skipping the {Echo} Week 8- ‘Juicy’ roundup; a few unexpected (of the major time-sucking variety) things came up this week &  killed the time I had allotted for posting it. The round-ups are just a lil way I can thank each of you for participating – so I feel terrible that I can’t carve out the time right now.  Please be sure to read through the comments on this post, Susan’s post and peruse the Flickr group to check out all of the fabulously juicy interpretations. I hope you all know that I love seeing what you share with us, even when I’m looking on-the-run!

If you’d like to see the round-up posted late, let me know in the comments here!

Chrysti