Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Mood

Sometimes I don't know what to post. I can't find a single photo that would interest you. I have about 25,000 pictures on file, yet at times not one of them is the least bit intriguing.

The next day, I look at my files and I've got 25,000 photos to show you! That gorgeous shadow, that bright color, that angle! How will I ever post them all?

What's that about? Mood, maybe, but what makes or breaks mood? Is it what I had to eat the previous day, or how well I slept, or whether or not my jeans are too tight? Exercise. Money in the bank. Accomplishment. Cookies.

It's voodoo, I tell you.

How's your mood today? Why?

22 comments:

dive said...

Fungal and trash-barked; yup, that pretty much sums up my mood today.
Your photo looks a whole lot better than I do, however.

Dina said...

I guess we all know that phenomenon, the mulling over which photo to select. But only you, Petrea, could articulate it so well.
A day that starts with breakfast while reading Pasadena Daily Photo can only put me in a good and thankful mood.

What's with that tree??

Andy said...

If you have 25,000 photos and can't find one to post you have high standards and care about what appears on your blog. My mood today and every day is happy. I'm just happy to be alive and enjoy the good things life has to offer.

Petrea Burchard said...

Another thing: sunlight. Dive, you don't get enough. Honestly, I think it affects the mood. When we have a week or two of grey skies here, it gets me down. You have them for months on end.

Dina, thank you. The tree fell some time ago in the canyon, and the natural order is having its way with it. I stood above it to take the close-up.

Andy, I think your skies are sunnier than Dive's! I like your mood.

Jilly said...

Well snap! I do exactly the same! Maybe all photographers do. Can't think what to post, look thru old photos and know everything is simply dreadful, uninteresting and hopeless. Next day, suddenly all is revealed. Often it's a detail in a photo, I find, or the way of light. But right, I think, on the days we don't find a decent photo, we are simply not looking but skimming over ... What could be lovelier than this bark and fungus. Of course the other thing is we are that dreaded thing 'perfectionists' ...

LONDONLULU said...

I'm certainly in the mood to see this today, how calming and intriguing. I love the balance of light and shadow (feeling off-balance today:). You've also highlighted my need to build up better archives!

Petrea Burchard said...

Hm. Perfectionist? Me? Jilly, how do you know me so well from halfway across the planet? Of course I'm not a perfectionist every day, or I'd never accomplish anything.

Lulu, I don't throw anything away. The blurry ones can go, but not the intriguingly blurry ones. You never know.

BaysideLife said...

Sunlight is like breathing for me. Too many clouds and my mood becomes a brood. The sunlight in this photo is lovely. I've missed your photos and words of wisdom.

Kalei's Best Friend said...

I like this photo.. looks like nature's chaos...

Book Dragon said...

That's how I read! I've got a huge amount of books and some days NOTHING sounds good.

Bellis said...

Chaos it is,but also a good example of the eternal cycle of Nature. These fruiting bodies of the bracket fungus have suddenly appeared on the trees killed by the Station Fire. Over the last three years, thousands of minuscule strands of the fungus were quietly feeding on the tasty wood inside the trunk. Perhaps most of the nutrition's been sucked out of the tree, so it's time to fruit, making millions of spores to infect a fresh piece of wood. Soon the tree in the photo will crumble away, making fertile new soil for the trees and shrubs that will replace the burnt ones.

Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, wood to soil.

Petrea Burchard said...

Welcome back, Bayside! It's nice to see you.

Nature's chaos it is, KBF, and amazing in its organization.

BD, I know what you mean. Not a good day to go shopping, either.

Well said, Bellis. I remember a tree that came down at Hahamongna and was left to lie, until someone chopped it up with a chain saw. John Cox, Hahamongna's caretaker at the time, was furious. He knew better than to interfere with what nature already knew how to do.

Bob Crowe said...

Okay, so you're a normal photographer.

Mood? A bit burned out, really tired of 60 hour work weeks. On the other hand, we're heading for Dave's place in Costa Rica next week. There is hope.

Margaret said...

Stated good, but now I'm cranky. Boo!

Petrea Burchard said...

Ahhhh.

Margaret, we need to go to Costa Rica with Bob. The fact that we weren't invited doesn't have to stop us.

Ms M said...

Wonderful photo! Good composition, lighting, interesting forms.

But, yes, subject to mood voodoo :-)

Katie said...

So many moods captured in this photo: dark, light, muted, bright, soft, hard. Overall my mood is fairly positive, as I make a concerted effort each day to keep petty annoyances from being blown out of proportion, and to find joy in little things. Like cookies.

Petrea Burchard said...

Who do that voodoo your moodoo, Ms M?

Please forgive me. Or not.

Katie, you're talking to the queen of blowing petty annoyances out of proportion. Lately, that's my M.O. Or you might call it my moodoo.

Unknown said...

I am always amazed at the variety of funghi. Love them. Great find, Petrea.

Petrea Burchard said...

Thanks, JM.

Anonymous said...

I love the fun-guys too, and the way Barbara tells a story.

Dina said...

Oh, now I see, the tree is on the ground. Thanks.