Doing - Iterations / Jeffery Saddoris (Sun 24 Jun 2018)

abstract - Greenfield Park / Sydney (Sun 10 Jun 2018)

Jeffery Saddoris on Doing:

We need to rethink the word perfect and replace it with purposeful or deliberate - purposeful practice - deliberate practice. Perfect suggests there are no mistakes and it is in the mistakes that provide the opportunity to learn. Practicing deliberately on the other hand means looking beyond simply going through the motions of a particular task or skill, and instead breaking it down into where and more importantly why we are not getting the results we want or expect.

In the same way watching is the flip side of doing, failure is the catalyst to practice. Failure shows us where the holes are - whether that is a hole in a swing, a hole in our game or a hole in our thinking. But it does not happen in a vacuum and it is not binary. Failure is the evidence of doing. And failure just like success is an opportunity for reflection in order to fine tune where to direct our next efforts. When we embrace the missteps we are given the opportunity to see what worked and what did not work in the doing and as a result we can build a more purposeful or deliberate practice moving forward.

via The catalyst to practice (listen to from here) by Jeffery Saddoris.

Science - Peter Cox / Marcus Strum (Tue 04 Apr 2017)

Poster - Victoria Markets / Melbourne (Thu 29 Mar 2017)

Peter Cox on Science:

Science is not a collection of absolute truths. Scientists are delighted when we are wrong because it means we have learnt something.

via Professor Brian Cox on elections: don't vote for politicians who say they have all the answers by Marcus Strom.

Twitter - Limitations - Mitch Joel (Fri 31 Mar 2017)

Be Nice - Victoria Markets / Melbourne (Thu 30 Mar 2017)

Mitch Joel on Twitter:

There is a charm in its [twitter] limitation. There is a beauty in that simplicity. It means so much more

via The Power Of Limitations by Mitch Joel.

Communication - Joel Spolsky / Nick Heath (Tue 10 May 2016)

markings - "it means something to someone" - Wilson Street / Newtown (Fri 01 Jul 2016)

Joel Spolsky on Communication:

the most successful people are the ones who can explain their ideas the best

via Stack Overflow founder Spolsky: The three skills every software developer should learn by Nick Heath.

On Photography and Discovery - Streetshooter (Wed 21 Oct 2015)

Untitled - Molokai (Sun 11 Oct 2015)

Streetshooter on Photography and Discovery:

We all start the journey of life different, but we all end up the same. The beauty is not in the destination but in the journey itself. That means to be in the here and now [..]

During our travels thru a life with photography, certain milestones or markers make themselves evident. These are points of inspiration or interest that we are drawn to. We see these being borne in our photos. [..]

If you take the time to discover what you are doing naturally without realizing you are doing it and make an effort to discover the points in your photographic journey, you will never be bored again.

via Streets of Philadelphia … A Visual Diary … Page 25 … Street … Memories of Future Past … Fuji X100s by Streetshooter.

On Photography and Memories - Streetshooter (Wed 21 Oct 2015)

Jenny and Geoff - I remember it being very hot - Prague (Wed 30 Aug 2005)

Streetshooter on Photography and Memories:

Photography is one of the seductive means of making memories. So I wonder why many aren’t aware that they are making memories. [..]

What’s really going on is that you are making memories and maybe just maybe those photos will have importance to someone. [..]

[during the Vietnam War] I became acutely aware that photography is about memories. It’s about other shit too, but memories are the main source of image information transference.[..]

See, they are not just my memories. [..] All will be forgotten of the pain that still hurts 45 years later.

the photos, well… they are just memories…………..

via Streets of Philadelphia … A Visual Diary … Page 25 … Street … Memories of Future Past … Fuji X100s by Streetshooter.

The very reason I bought a small digital camera in Dec 2000. And just as important as recording memories, you need to make the memories happen. You have to live while you can. And we did just that. Thanks Jenny and Jo.

On Architecture - John Dalton (1961) / Elizabeth Musgrave (Houses 102)

eljeiffel House - Alexandria (Sat 26 Sep 2015)

John Dalton on Architecture:

for us, life in the sun is a reality, and we who build in the sunlight sense the joy of space and light. It is our delight. The magic of shade and shadow capture our senses and direct us towards our purpose, which is to dispense comfort and happiness through useful form

via Sun and Shadow House by Elizabeth Musgrave.

Been lucky enough to have had an Architect and Builder who knows what this means. I live in the result of that intent and purpose, and I still can't believe it.

On Empathy - Iain S. Thomas / Intentional Dissonance

Heart - King Street / Newtown (Mon 24 Aug 2015)

Iain S. Thomas on Empathy:

Niceness is a symptom of empathy. It means you understand how someone else feels and if you understand how someone else feels, it nearly always means you care about them and if you care about them then you’re nearly always nice to them.

via Intentional Dissonance by Iain S. Thomas.

On Travel - Alain de Botton / FT (Fri 14 Aug 2015)

A Globe and an Atlas of the World - Amsterdam (Mon 19 Aug 2013)

Alain de Botton on Travel:

All of us have equivalents. Things we care about that aren’t mentioned anywhere. Part of growing up, and learning to travel well, means daring to take our own interests a bit more seriously.

via Alain de Botton on why we travel by Alain de Botton.

Controlled Uncontrol - Steven B. Smith / Blake Andrews (Mon 06 Jul 2015)

Dinner - Tokyo Syokudo / Croydon (Sat 04 Jul 2015)

Steven B. Smith on Photography and Control:

Embracing the factually descriptive and contextually confounding nature of a photograph is a way of being in control and out of control.

via Q & A with Steven B. Smith by Blake Andrews.

I think I know what he means. And maybe that what life is also?

On Being Interesting - Maria Popova (Fri 26 Jun 2015)

Whosus - North Head / Sydney Harbour (Sat 27 Jun 2015)

Marie Popova on being Interesting:

The key to being interesting is being interested

via Emerson on What Beauty Really Means, How to Cultivate Its True Hallmarks, and Why It Bewitches the Human Imagination by Marie Popova.

We are all interesting in our own ways. We all have our own interests.

On Introspection - William Deresiewicz (Oct 2009)

Untitlted - Zurich (Thu 25 Sep 2014)

William Deresiewicz on Introspection:

Introspection means talking to yourself, and one of the best ways of talking to yourself is by talking to another person. One other person you can trust, one other person to whom you can unfold your soul. One other person you feel safe enough with to allow you to acknowledge things—to acknowledge things to yourself — that you otherwise can’t. Doubts you aren’t supposed to have, questions you aren’t supposed to ask. Feelings or opinions that would get you laughed at by the group or reprimanded by the authorities.

This is what we call thinking out loud, discovering what you believe in the course of articulating it.

via Solitude and Leadership by William Deresiewicz.

On Photography and Commitment - StreetShooter (Fri 15 May 2015)

Abstract - Fremantle (Sun 19 May 2015)

StreetShooter on Commitment:

There is no one way to do anything in life. There is no path to take to get you to the magic garden. It’s inside you and always was. It’s up to you to fight and say,

I am me and good or bad, these are my photos. I love them because they are me and I am them and they do not exist without me and I don’t want to exist without them.

That means that you have committed to your work and committed to make a signature that you recognize.

Via Living With Street Talk … Living With Yourself by StreetShooter.

The Give and Take Miralce of Life and Photography - StreetShooter (Thu 23 Apr 2015)

Street Shooter - "[son] Mummy. What is he taking a photo of? [Mum] Go take a look when he is gone." - Fremantle (Sun 19 Apr 2015)

StreetShooter on Photography and Life:

all the sudden it occurred to me that everything in the universe has the ability to teach and to learn. So even on the streets making photos the energy you receive is equal to the energy you send. So your intent is to make photos but ya know, you aren’t in it alone. [..] If life is a give and take miracle then it stands to reason that photography is also. So that means that we think we are the origin of our work but that’s not true. We are not alone in life.

Our photographs and I am only talking about photography, are a collaboration between life and ourselves. We hope for and strive to find a synergism with the street and make the photos that represent that synergism. We can not rightfully state that we are the Origin of our work. [..]

If you are like every reader that ever was or ever will be on this blog [streetshoot.net], then you are aware that you don’t take any photographs, you collaborate wit Mother Light and The Street and you make your photos.

Tomorrow is another day and if I wake and am healthy, I’m hitting the streets. I hear tell Life is out there and I’m gonna look for it.

via Philly Street … Thoughts With … Olympus Pen EP-5 by StreetShooter.

The Compulsion of Photographing a Building - Kathy Ryan / James Estrin (Wed 15 Oct 2014)

Untitled - Alexandria (Sat 11 Oct 2014)
Kathy Ryan (*) writes on the Compulsion (*) of Photographing (*) a Building (*):

It is like a compulsion. I can’t quite explain where it comes from other than this truly extraordinary building. The combination of the light [..] that cast wonderful striping shadows [..] is extraordinary.

via Loving Light at the Office (*) by James Estrin (*).

I know what she means.

On Asking ‘what if’ - The Story of Telling (Mon 26 May 2014)

Red Balloon - Erskineville (Nov 2013)
The Story of Telling (*) writes On Wondering (*):

Asking ‘what if’ (*) feels risky because it means you might have to acknowledge that what you’ve worked hard to put in place might not be the best solution. But if we don’t have the courage to question our assumptions we’re choosing to stagnate by default.

via The Value Of Asking What If (*) by The Story of Telling (*).

Obviously could not go past this one without making an effort to find a quote and photo.

On the Journey - Seth Godin (Fri 02 May 2014)

Pacific Dragons - 2014 AusDBF Dragon Boat Nationals - Kawana (Fri 18 Apr 2014)
Seth Godin (*) writes On Giving (*):

In the infinite game (*), though, something completely different is going on. In the infinite game, the point is to keep playing, not to win (*). In the infinite game, the journey (*) is all there is. And so, players in an infinite game never stop giving so they can take. [..]

You certainly know people who play this game, you may well have been touched (*) by them, inspired (*) by them and taught (*) by them. The wrong question to ask is, "but how do they win?" The right way to understand it is, "but is it worth playing?"

via The short game, the long game and the infinite game (*) by Seth Godin (*).

I see people like this in my club (*) and as is always the case, Seth is ever so right in his observations on life. And I know, by these experiences in my club (*), exactly what he means.

On Effort and Coaching - Dan Coyle (Fri 13 Dec 2013)

Blackwattle Bay / Sydney (Sun 07 Jul 2013)
Dan Coyle (*) writes On Effort (*) and On Coaching (*):

I think the lessons for teachers and coaches are pretty simple:

• First, connect: like John Wooden said, they can’t care (*) how much you know (*) until they know how much you care (*).


• Highlight the group: seek ways (traditions, mantras, fun little rituals) to show what it means to belong in your crew.


• Don’t soft-pedal high standards. Don’t pretend that it’s easy — do the opposite.


• Emphasize the toughness (*) of the task, and your belief (*) that they have what it takes.

via The Simple Phrase that Increases Effort 40% (*) by Dan Coyle (*).

I think Dan is exactly right. I have been fortunate enough to experience this time and time again in my paddling.

On Appreciation - Jorg Colberg / Conscientious Photography Magazine (Tue 26 Nov 2013)

Street Portrait #9 - Sagrada Familia (*) / Barcelona (Thu 08 Aug 2013)
Jorg Colberg (*) writes (*):

I have literally no idea who any of the people (*) in these pictures are, yet I am interested in each and every one of them. [..]

So then, let’s appreciate (*). To appreciate (*) can mean all kinds of things. In photography, it means to become aware of a moment that might signify something to be appreciated (*), to then capture it as a photograph so that it can be looked at later.

via Eva Vermandel’s Splinter (*) by Conscientious Photography Magazine (*).

Street Portrait #1 - Sagrada Familia (*) / Barcelona (Thu 08 Aug 2013)
Street Portrait #2 - Sagrada Familia (*) / Barcelona (Thu 08 Aug 2013)
Street Portrait #3 - Sagrada Familia (*) / Barcelona (Thu 08 Aug 2013)
Street Portrait #4 - Sagrada Familia (*) / Barcelona (Thu 08 Aug 2013)
Street Portrait #5 - Sagrada Familia (*) / Barcelona (Thu 08 Aug 2013)
Street Portrait #6 - Sagrada Familia (*) / Barcelona (Thu 08 Aug 2013)
Street Portrait #7 - Sagrada Familia (*) / Barcelona (Thu 08 Aug 2013)
Street Portrait #8 - Sagrada Familia (*) / Barcelona (Thu 08 Aug 2013)

Red and Blue on White - Calle de Santa Isabel / Madrid (Sun 11 Aug 2013)

Red and Blue on White - Calle de Santa Isabel / Madrid (Sun 11 Aug 2013)
Spent the afternoon at the Museo del Prado (*) and was overloaded with masterpieces from through the centuries.

Francisco Goya (*) was my highlight. His The Dog (*) from the Black Paintings (*) being my favourite. As Robert Hughes said We do not know what it means, but its pathos moves us on a level below narrative.

After the Museum closed, I strolled through the nearby Park, I then wandered the back streets near our Hotel and stumbled across some more recent works (as can be seen above) on the streets of Madrid, not too far from where Goya created his own works over 200 years ago.