The Art of Aristocracy

While in England in early September, we stopped for a tour of Chatsworth House, the seat of the Duke of Devonshire. The historic art, such as the painted room shown below, was awe-inspiring. The wealth of those who commissioned and collected it boggles the mind. I'm happy to say that the current Duke & Duchess are also avid supporters of the arts, and their modern collections make up a good portion of the tour.

Wealth & Splendor

A Challenge: What Doors Will You Open Today?

We all have skills, talents, and gifts. One of mine happens to be photography, and I have chosen to use it to make a career for myself. Building this artistic business is a constant learning curve. Sometimes the efforts that I work so hard on seem to flop completely, sometimes they create new opportunities. Sifting out what works and what doesn't is a huge part of this journey.

There is one thing that definitely doesn't work - doing nothing. We are meant to share the talents we are given. I can create as many photographs as I choose, but if I don't put them out there in the world, they will go nowhere, they will inspire no one. They will collect virtual dust in the bowels of my hard drive, doing nothing positive in the world. And, without sharing this talent, I cannot create a life and a career that I love.

It's up to me to tell people about my work, to submit it to blogs or agencies or galleries. It is up to me to not just sit there and wait to be "discovered".

What doors will you open today to share your talents (whatever they might be) with the world?

Durdle Door

Green Grass and Gray Stone

More eye candy from my trip to England, both of these photographs are from Dorset.

The Swirling Fog (taken on our walk through the grounds of Lulworth Castle)


Stonehenge (with a very obliging flock of starlings)

Returning from the British Isles

Hello all. My apologies for the quiet blog lately. I've been away in England on vacation with blissfully limited internet access. I'm home and feeling refreshed, with plenty of new photographs to sort through and share with you! I'll be posting these over the next few weeks, and I'd love to hear your thoughts about them. I do hope you enjoy these three:

The Journey


Lulworth


Double Rainbow

Regency Romance

I'm having some fun with photos from my archives, specifically from our trip to the UK this past August. I was going for over-the-top dreamy with this treatment of Lyme Park (aka Pemberley in the 1995 adaptation of Pride and Prejudice). What do you think, have I succeeded?

Oh, Pemberley!

My Addiction to Austen

I admit it, I am a Jane Austen addict. I have read all of her novels countless times and am forever sighing over their limited number. So when my friend took me to Lyme Park during our visit to the UK, I got a bit giddy. You see, Lyme House is Pemberley...



...at least, it was in the 1995 version of Pride & Prejudice. No Mr. Darcy strolling the grounds, but still it was a lovely house with lovely gardens.

Dramatic Scenery of the Lake District

During our trip, we spent a few days walking around the Lake District in England. It was lovely. The weather was not terribly pleasant, on one day we got so soaked through that I needed to buy new shoes in town. However, such chancy weather made for some incredibly dramatic lighting as sunlight periodically broke through the rainclouds. Well worth getting a bit wet.

Black Crag Stile


En Route to Ambleside