Seeing Beauty. Guest Post by Tina Schell

“Beauty surrounds us.”

Jalaluddin Rumi

ARTIST AT WORK
ARTIST AT WORK

Many years ago I tried my hand at oil painting. The teacher was much too kind to tell me I had no talent, but I was smart enough to figure it out pretty quickly. Not being one to give up easily, I then turned to photography as my avenue for creative expression and thus began my long love affair with the art of the lens.

TREES AS ART
TREES AS ART

“Live quietly in the moment and see the beauty of all before you.”

Paramahansa Yogananda

When Liz invited me to do a guest post for her series on beauty, I immediately thought about that long-ago experience with the paintbrush. Thomas Edison once said, “I have not failed, I’ve just found 10,000 things that won’t work.” Once I determined oil painting wouldn’t work for me, I turned to creating my art through photography.

My interests are quite diverse. I love to travel, capturing landscapes, architecture, portraits, wildlife and tidbits of local culture wherever I see them. Truly, I see beauty wherever I look.

In the smallest details:

ELEPHANT'S EYE
ELEPHANT’S EYE, BOTSWANA

Or the larger view:

FAMILY OUTING
FAMILY OUTING, BOTSWANA

“There is beauty everywhere; even in the dark, there is light, and that is the rarest kind of all.”

Catherine Doyle

In the smallest flower:

YELLOW
YELLOW

Or the grandest landscape:

RICE FIELDS, LONGSHENG, CHINA
RICE FIELDS, LONGSHENG, CHINA

“Think of all the beauty still left around you and be happy.”

Anne Frank

In an architectural masterpiece:

SUNSET, ANGKOR WAT
SUNSET, ANGKOR WAT

Or its smallest detail:

PILLAR TO POST
PILLAR TO POST

“A thing of beauty is a joy forever.”

John Keats

In the heart of a child:

GIRL AT THE PUMP, CAMBODIA
GIRL AT THE PUMP, CAMBODIA

Or the tired wisdom of the elders:

OLD MAN AT THE WALL, CHINA
OLD MAN AT THE WALL, BEIJING

“Anyone who keeps the ability to see beauty never grows old.”

Franz Kafka

In the glory of the sunrise:

SUNRISE, BOTANY BAY
SUNRISE, BOTANY BAY, SC

Or the ending of a beautiful day:

SUNSET, KIAWAH ISLAND
SUNSET, KIAWAH ISLAND SC

“Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us or we find it not.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

My sincere thanks to Liz for offering me the opportunity to share my thoughts on the beauty that surrounds us. Wishing you all a world filled with beauty, and the ability to see it.

Tina Schell

Blog home:   Travels and Trifles

Publications:    Books by Tina R Schell

 

 

 

 

 

 

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54 thoughts on “Seeing Beauty. Guest Post by Tina Schell”

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  4. Beautifully expressed, as always, Tina. You have many gifts, and one I particularly admire is your ability to create a nice flow in your posts, with words and images complimenting one another and expressing a larger point. The best part though, is probably the way your generous spirit always shines through your work.

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  5. What a great post, Tina!
    I can really identify with what you say here. For me, it is drawing. I would love to be able to draw, but I just don’t think that meant to be. I am still trying, but my camera does it much better than I ever could. 🙂
    Have a wonderful week ahead!

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  6. I became acquainted with Tina’s wonderful photography through the weekly photo challenge and it’s nice you hosted her images this week! She’s more talented as an oil painter than she thinks, if anything, painting honed her eye for composition.

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  7. Tina these r just mindblowing…have trouble pointing out just one…but the kiawah sunset is the most amazing i have ever seen…love your ability to capture such great detail!! always happy after viewing 😜

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  10. well I love how this was so meaty and yet succinct – (loquaciousness has never been the case with Tina)- and Liz, I have been following Tina for a few years now and I’d say that this post really highlighted her niche and essence. It was also so interesting to hear about how painting led her to the lens – and she sure did find her sweet spot. Later on I hope to buy one of her books for my coffee table….

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  11. Hi Liz I don’t know if paths have crossed over the blogosphere but I cannot remember you directly. Tina I habe met (not in person) but via the blog and I know that that she is somebody who is thoughtful, appreaciate life, passionately loves photography and is a very beautiful person, and no I am not necesarily talking about her appearence but her being. But I am sure you have notice all of this and then sum. Please don’t tell her i gossiped about her!

    I believe this is an all black day but not an All Black day in New Zealand. Apparently some little country with glowing jerseys accopmlished the impossoible, but I am sure the beauti will prevail. Springbok greetings. Abrie

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    2. Hi Abrie! My husband just found your blog and we looked at “The Early Photographer Catches the Glow” and enjoyed your photos very much! In NZ we’ve just had a close-run election and a subsequent change of government which has completely taken my attention! Nigel’s still at your blog and now looking at “Stuck on You” – love the shot of the stick insect in hand! Thank you for the comment and its lovely to ‘meet’ you! Kiwi greetings, Liz 🙂

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      1. I really appreciate your husband’s/ your visits to my blog and I will certainly still return the favour. Something you do right which Tina does wrong is spelling. She would spell the name of your blog wrong (without the u). I would like to play Scrabble against an American – they would stuggle to use all the u’s if the spell in American 🙂

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        1. Hahaha – yes, the American spelling is all up the shoot! Yes, about the Scrabble… that’s a thought. I think there’s only 4 ‘u’s in Scrabble and its never enough. I suppose its an American who dreamed up the allocation of letters!

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  13. Tina – You have an artist’s eye behind the camera but I can see that portraits are an especial accomplishment that you have – perhaps you can see the beauty in people – a great gift
    – thank you for hosting this Liz!

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  23. Tina, you are trully inspirational on how you look on the world around us, and see the beauty and the positivity it radiates, and how you have honed your creatve expressionism to produce some trully wonderful works of art!

    A fabulous post again, Liz! 🙂 Well done, and thank you! 🙂

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  24. Thank you, I enjoyed this post, with it’s beautiful images, interspersed by wise words. I particularly liked the one by R W Emerson. Interesting to hear some of Tina’s journey too, must check out her blog!

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    1. Hi Tammy! Great you loved the post so much and I share your appreciation of the quotes. I’m very grateful to Tina for taking the time to put this beautiful post together! Best wishes, Tammy and thanks for your comment.

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