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Best Reason for Celebrating a Landmark Birthday
Why do people celebrate a landmark birthday, like an 80th birthday? Because they can! Actually there is a special reason for celebrating a landmark birthday, even if I did it 6 months early: Gratitude I have several dear friends and relatives who did not reach this milestone, including my dear mother, who died at age Continue reading
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Mastering High Key and Low Key Photography: Tips and Examples
Retirement is fabulous! I highly recommend it at whatever age you decide to bail. Experts say the secret to a healthy retirement is to be productive and keep a healthy social life. The plus of turning to photography after my retirement from teaching (other than never having to deal with parents again) are two-fold: One, Continue reading
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What makes a great photo?
Photography. The word comes from photo meaning light and graph meaning a drawing. How does an image go from a good photo to a great photo. My First Camera I bought my first DSLR at age 67 a few years after I retired. When my kids were growing up I was the parent that took Continue reading
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Photography at the Beach
Memorial Day in the US signals the beginning of the summer season which includes various activities : gas prices go up; the local pools open, teachers remember why they became teachers; parents start to drink a bit more; white is a fashion choice once again. Does anyone follow that half-assed fashion advice anymore? Of course Continue reading
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The Reverence of Mothers: A Personal Reflection
Much has been written about parent-child relationships. And the reverence of mothers. Compared to fathers, mothers in art and literature are legion. My recent post about my amazing daughter Gina who is recovering from breast cancer plus the observance of Mothers Day last weekend have made me reflect on the relationship I had with my Continue reading
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My Cancer Warrior Princess
After having two wonderful, rambunctious sons I really was hoping for a daughter. And on May 7th, 1976 my beautiful Gina Marie came into our family. It was the happiest of days. And for me it started a relationship that has matured into truly being best of friends. Big as the City In the 1980s Continue reading
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The Beautiful people of Ethiopia
The last night I was in Ethiopia our tour group went to a dinner show at a night club in Addis Ababa. I was so awe struck by the beauty of the Ethiopian women who attended I considered hiding in the bathroom. Okay. Not really but that’s how stunning they were. Recently I read an Continue reading
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Albuquerque? Seriously?
Go West, young family, Go West Albuquerque! Where the hell is Albuquerque? That was the reaction we seven kids had when my dad announced in 1957 that we were moving there. We were living in my native state of Connecticut. In the charming town of Kensington. Happily ensconced with many friends in Kensington Grammar School, Continue reading
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Cruise the fjords
Let me start out by saying something that may be anathema to a fellow traveler: I don’t particularly like cruises. I find the ships are too big; there are too many people; you eat your face off so the only thing that fits when you get off the ship is your jammies; and they are Continue reading
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Vintage Shopping
Aka: Who goes to Norway and and goes Vintage Shopping? Me! That’s who. The object of the Photo Tour to Norway was to see the northern lights and visit the Lofoten Islands.(see above image). And I did both! However, I got a bit sidetracked by one of my favorite activities…vintage shopping. If you read my Continue reading
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Why you need a good travel agent.
Lufthansa Airlines (LH) cancelled our reservations to Tromsø, Norway due to a strike….48 hours before we were to depart on a photo tour of the northern lights. Obviously, when this happens everyone and their third cousin from Kentucky is trying to get in touch with LH to see what arrangements can be made to route Continue reading
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Ya gotta love the native dress of Maramures, Romania.
Having traveled to 57 countries around the world on five of the seven continents I have seen many interesting native costumes. After visiting Romania, I have to admit their beautiful dress worn on special and religious occasions is one of my favorites. Over 85% of Romanians are Orthodox Christians. This is no more evident than Continue reading
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On the Ghats in Varanasi
Whenever I mention how much I liked my first trip to India, friends look at me like I’m bananas. Why the hell would I want to go there? India was really not on my radar and I only agreed to go when a friend suggested we go to Bhutan for a week. No point in going anywhere Continue reading
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Laundry Day in Varanasi
When I was growing up in Connecticut I remember my mom always did laundry on Mondays. She was in the basement most of the day doing wash for a family of nine! Her washing machine was a wringer type. There were no automatic dryers. She had to hang clothes on the line outside. If it Continue reading
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Sicilian Faces
Take portraits of Sicilian men? Pick me! Pick me! Have you met me? I love portrait photography. And I love it more for some reason when I’m in another country. There are a few places where I have found it more conducive to shoot portraits than others. Cuba and Patagonia immediately come to mind. In Continue reading
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Joyce Kilmer was right!
Remember that poem by Joyce Kilmer about trees we had to memorize when we were in grade school? Kilmer gave it the catchy title Trees. I thought it was dumb when I was ten years old. Now that I’m approaching ‘older than dirt’, I find the poem has some deep meaning for me. It turns Continue reading
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Bella Faccia
I’m a ‘face’ person. I am attracted to good faces and love to photograph them. The Italians have a name for a nice face: Bella faccia. It doesn’t necessarily mean beautiful or pretty, although it can. The beautiful Ethiopian girl above has both. She is stunning. And very clever with her headgear which was bright Continue reading
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The dreaded family photo
Sometimes you just get lucky. So don’t you love being photographed? Right, I didn’t think so. It’s pretty much the popular consensus. I have never had a portrait sitting in which the subject said: “This is better than sex or chocolate cake! Let’s get started!” For many people it’s more akin to putting ground glass Continue reading
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Beautiful Sintra
Aka: Sometimes you just have to stop and smell the flowers. Because if you don’t you’re going to break your neck….and other precious body parts. I made it! After two flight cancelations because of Covid, I finally flew to Portugal to visit my younger sister Casey. I was looking forward to visit many of the Continue reading
About Me
I am an award winning photographer, formerly a high school Spanish teacher, who loves to travel the world. I have been to 58 countries with a few more left on my bucket list. I also love to decorate my home, especially with my own fine art photography. I have three adult children and nine grandchildren.
To view my fine art Photogrphy: https://PatriciaClairePhotography.com
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Recent Posts
- A Canada Winter in Toronto and Montreal
- Best Reason for Celebrating a Landmark Birthday
- Mastering High Key and Low Key Photography: Tips and Examples
- What makes a great photo?
- Photography at the Beach
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