The photographer Dewitt Jones recently posted this on Facebook (at the end is his permission to reprint this as well as more information about Dewitt).

When my photography is at it’s best, it takes me to a place of reverence.
To that sense of eternity, to the place where the lines between me
and the rest of the world, are not so rigid,
where old boundaries and definitions begin to dissolve.
That’s where I want to live, – both with my cameras and without them. … To be there as the watcher, the appreciator, the celebrator, and eventually
just the lover of the incredible beauty that I see on this earth.

Wow, wow, wow.  That is what I do when I take my pictures, when I blog, when I talk to others – I’m there as the watcher, the appreciator, the celebrator and the lover of incredible beauty.  I’ve shared it with you this year and have been most appreciative in your comments too.

It takes practice to be observant, especially since it doesn’t come naturally to me.  But I have improved this considerably.  For several years I kept natural journals, an amateur in the practice of phenology (the study of biological phenomena).  It sharpened my observation skills long past the keeping of the journals.

Doing the daily photo challenge this year has further sharpened my observations.  But loving it, loving what I’m seeing, having heart for it, loving the beauty of what I see – that comes on its own to this party.

Henry David Thoreau once called himself the “self-appointed inspector of snow-storms and rain-storms”.  That’s what I want to be – the self appointed inspector of the snow and rain, the leaves and sun, flowers, birds, and everything else.

Here’s a recent picture taken from my backyard in the early morning.  The moon was still bright, but if you look carefully, the upper part of the main tree is starting to show reflections of the rising sun.

Dewitt was very gracious granting me permission to reprint this quote (thank you!).  Please note that this work is Copyright 2011 by Dewitt Jones Productions, Inc. .

For  many years Dewitt was a columnist in Outdoor Photographer, often discussing creativity.  It was so different than the rest of the magazine, which dealt mostly with technique.  Dewitt wrote about the reasons to be creative and encouragement hang in there.  While geared towards photographers, it was applicable to anyone who was creative.  He inspired me many times to keep writing in my journals and do what I loved with recording my life.  Unfortunately, those columns are not available on-line (that I could find), but you can check out his photography and sign up for his E-mails here.

Word for tomorrow – SHOE.  If you prefer to work ahead, see the list for the week under “A Word A Day”.

Photography creativity DeWitt Jones phenology photography self-appointed inspector Thoreau