Timeless Wisdom for Modern Times — Quote #1 “Folks are usually about as happy as they make their minds up to be.” Quote #2 “Whatever you are, be a good one.” Quote #3 “Do I not destroy my enemies when I make them my friends?” Quote #4 “My concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on…

Notes from my daily photography experiments #1 — How does one begin to recreate what already exists in nature? I had tried to attempt that this week in preparation for a shoot. I had spent hours meticulously cutting shapes from crepe paper to create fully formed petals, stamens, and pistils, inserting thin steel wires in the proper places…

A day to experiment and document — Feelings of vulnerability crept around me during my self-portrait session. While it isn’t rare for these feelings to be there, which can be attributed to making a video along with my experiments. I’m not used to it, and I have very little patience and experience. …

Fail is, fittingly, what I do for a living — Ever since I was forced to be born, I became obsessed with comedy. I grew up watching every stand-up comedy I could. I realized those comedians sometimes weren’t telling jokes — it was a genuine cry for help. You remove the audience’s laughter in the background, it’s not comedy anymore. …

The crumpled piece of paper was cast about, by a light fairy breeze, along the floor of the forest. It rolled, a tattered paper tumbleweed, until it came to rest at the leather sandaled feet of a thirteen-year-old boy. A boy named Way. …

A photo essay — I enjoy taking a picture within a picture, that is, in my side view or wing mirror in which images are closer than they appear. I’ve always been fascinated by the photos I see in the rear of cars and bicycles. …

Poetry prompt: comedic misunderstandings — Vulnerable people come up to me in my most private hour, spilling their deepest secrets, sob stories about their childhood I’m not in the business anymore, I say but the persona of a helper remains There used to be a notepad on my lap, psychology books lined invisible shelves The neurotic…

three haikus and two words — our souls are puzzles up and down, side to side — clues do our answers link? they must, claim our souls the lifelong challenge and joy interconnection the big bang, the Word its echo, the words in us quests re-birthed as stars to follow. ©Jenine Bsharah Baines 2021 So I…

Get Instant Pop And Beautiful Skin Tones With This Quick Photoshop Hack — For many years, I was primarily known as a black and white photographer, mostly because my color work just didn’t have the same kind of timeless quality to it. I don’t know how to describe my old color work other than it just seemed a little bland. Then I learned…

In The Netherlands, where I grew up, we have this saying that can’t quite be translated into English: “Iemand in zijn waarde laten.” Loosely translated from the Dutch, it means that you should simply accept people and avoid trying to convince them. But that’s not what it actually means. If…

Or will you be happy when it’s over? — “Can we do the death exercise?” a client asked me. I hesitated a moment. This was unusual: it’s usually me that comes up with the exercises. And, if I was going to suggest this one, I wouldn’t describe it like that. It sounds a bit, well, bleak. “You know,” she…

Opening her eyes, she saw a glimpse of a storm Cold air from the sea shivered against her skin The Illuminating sun escaped the sky Letting the rain perform its show The rain was her comfort It was her closure Always getting sick from the cold freezing rain From the magic…

A poem of dreams lost and found — I imagined a life beautiful, dream-chased it through waking hours, trying to knit it into being with images, words, and hope. I failed. Like a spent sparkler that dream life fizzled to dark, causing me ill, leaving me weeping. I failed. My present was my future, nothing would change, I was stuck…