iPhoneography Challenge: Portraits of Nature for Earth Day

22 April 2013

Lens:

1. White Clay Creek, iPhone 4s, April 2013; © Sally W. Donatello and Lens and Pens by Sally, 2013

2. Landscape, iPhone 4s, March, 2013; © Sally W. Donatello and Lens and Pens by Sally, 2013

3. Clouds and Sun, iPhone 4s, April 2013; © Sally W. Donatello and Lens and Pens by Sally, 2013

4. Sunset, iPhone 4s, April 2013; © Sally W. Donatello and Lens and Pens by Sally, 2013

5. Weeping Willow, iPhone 4s, April 2013;© Sally W. Donatello and Lens and Pens by Sally, 2013

Let me know which is your favorite and why.

Pens:

Gracie (http://graciebinoya.com), Polly (http://watchingthephotoreels.com) and I began an iPhoneography Monday Challenge in February. If you’d like to join the fun, please click here for details. This week’s theme is challenger’s choice, which gives me an opportunity to express my humble admiration and devotion to nature.

For me Mother Nature is the quintessential master of the universe–words that I repeatedly use. Earth Day celebrates her abundance, beauty, bounty, fragility, integrity, and wisdom.

Originally, April 22 was daylong  and honored the health and sustainability of our home planet. Now celebrations can be a week or longer. In my opinion each sunrise should be designated Earth Day. There is oh so much to be done. Too much awareness is never enough.

Earth Day, which began in 1970, has survived a litany of ups and downs, triumphs and sorrows that deeply affect the planet we inhabit. Its legacy is teaching us that we must each do our part.

Accumulative effort is the path to take, so “we” can forge a collective consciousness about the need to rescue our planet. Forty-three years later and where are we?

Commonplace in daily life is conversation that touches on conservation, preservation, sustainability, climate change, environmentalism, greening, recycling, reuse, reduction, global initiatives, and similar topics. Regardless of the venue, the planet’s well-being slides into discussions.

Concerns mount. Air quality. Food quality. Water quality. Melting icebergs. Habitat loss. Chemical infiltration and run-off. Decline of bee colonies and other species. Food supplies dwindling. Toxic waste. Changing weather patterns. Residual effects of human intervention continues.

I read about the odds, and try to focus on broad and wide hope. My thoughts praise such a day as today–one that will educate, re-educate and inspire advocacy. As important, I wish for each of us to take part in this drama. Each of us can become aware of a role that we can play as a change agent–a change agent is born when one sapling is planted.

On this anniversary of Earth Day I have a few suggestions. Join your local horticultural or nature center. Support a national organization that has clout. Use natives plants in your garden. Feed the birds. Reduce lawn areas. Grow vegetables. Turn the water off as you brush your teeth. Reduce waste. Put your computer on low-power mode. Buy locally grown food. These are not new, just that we can all add a few more to our own list of actions.

I think about my individual ability to contribute. How does one person act in a way that positively affects the whole? It’s a legitimate concern. I must believe that any action or change in lifestyle is somehow going to equate a plus where a minus existed, even if it is seemingly miniscule.

I have been a member of the World Wildlife Fund forever. I trust them. I know their work is valuable and worthy. I know that they make progress in their advocacy on behalf of the Earth’s wild creatures and places. One of their mottoes (“Change the Way You Think–About Everything”) has power to empower. Their Website inspires: “The Impact of Our Daily Choices May Be Greater Than We Realize: The seemingly isolated actions we take every day—from our choice of morning beverage to our choice of business practices—leave an imprint on some of the world’s most valuable and threatened places.” Please click here to learn more about this organization that works tirelessly on behalf of all of us.

World Wildlife Fund

                                                              

Earth Day is one of the most generous of ideas. Even in its glory and widespread celebratory events and programs, “we” behave as though we have ample time to  intercede and rectify the environmental changes that are occurring.

From Earth Day’s Webpage: “Climate change can seem like a remote problem for our leaders, but the fact is that it’s already impacting real people, animals, and beloved places. These Faces of Climate Change are multiplying every day. Fortunately, other Faces of Climate Change are multiplying too: those stepping up to do something about it. Help us personalize the massive challenge climate change presents by taking a photo and telling your story. How has climate change impacted you? What are you doing to be part of the solution?”

I encourage you to delve into the layers of WWF’s Webpage. Click here.

For those of you who want tips about going green or greener, visit Howdini, which provides videos on various topics. Click here.

Green Movement, Google Images

I feel a sense of urgency and yet I try to live in the moment, which means that I work every day at being conscious of my lifestyle and its effects on the Earth and others. My quiet advocacy, which includes volunteer efforts, is easier, because gardening season has begun. This morning I’m planting more greens, and watching the arugula and peas reach for the sunlight.

Mostly, I’m determined to be vigilant about my own imprint. Happy Earth Day.

Tip of the Week: It seems appropriate to select an iPhoneographer who has an affinity for nature. Gianluca Ricoveri, who is a photographer from Tuscany, has become known for his lyrical and sumptuous landscapes that are taken with his iPhone. He is an artist who uses his background as a painter to create images of Central Italy. Read more about him here.

Gianluca Ricoveri, Google Images

Please see these entries:

http://angelinem.wordpress.com/2013/04/22/iphoneography-challenge-portraits-of-nature-for-earth-day

http://watchingthephotoreels.com

http://ohmsweetohmdotme.wordpress.com

http://graciebinoya.com

http://nosteptooloose.wordpress.com/2013/04/22/iphoneography-challenge-portraits-of-nature-for-earth-day/

http://ayearinmyshoes.wordpress.com/2013/04/22/iphonography-monday-portraits-of-nature-for-earth-day

http://rfljenksy.wordpress.com/2013/04/22/iphoneography-challenge-portraits-of-nature-for-earth-day/

http://acrossthebored.com/2013/04/22/iphoneography-monday-challengers-choice-2

http://simplylifestuff.com/2013/04/22/iphoneography-challenge-earth-day

http://nwframeofmind.com/2013/04/22/iphoneography-monday-earth-day

http://blogagaini.wordpress.com/2013/04/23/iphoneography-challenge

http://movethechair.wordpress.com/2013/04/24/black-and-white-night

Note: As always I welcome comments about this post or any part of my blog. The following is a reminder of the weekly schedule and themes for upcoming challenges. 

1st Monday: Nature

2nd Monday: Macro

3rd Monday: Black-and-White

4th and 5th Mondays: Challenger’s Choice (Pick One: Abstraction, Architecture, Food Photography, Night Photography, Portraiture, Still Life, Street Photography, and Travel).

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