My booth at my last show

I am setting up my "blog this" feature on flickr. This is a test...

Niños de la Finca (The children from the Ranch)

I just wanted to share this image taken on my last trip back home in Central America, El Salvador. 

These boys are the boys from "La Finca". In Spanish "Finca" means a large farm or ranch in Spanish Ameria. My dad enjoys this place like no other. By the way, these kids are all brothers and there are three sisters. 

This is the typical lifestyle kids living in the country side have. They enjoy simple activities, like running around the land and playing with little rocks and make their own play games with them. They live in this "Finca" which is a pretty much self sustained place where fruits, chickens, cows, vegetables, even coffee plantations are grown.

Their parents are in charge of the maintenance and security of the ranch, they are kind of like housekeepers and feel like it's their home. They have extended family members living around the land, such as,  grandparents, uncles, and cousins. It's like a little community made within the family, very cool.

I love this family, they are very sweet, nurturing, polite and hospitable and the boys looooove to pose for the camera. The boy in the back with the yellow and blue shirt, is the most talkative of all, he loves to tell stories about his adventures around "la finca". 

Look at their teeth, very well aligned!  I was so impressed the first time I noticed their dental patterns and how lucky they are to have such great smiles and healthy teeth, and they don't go to dentists or have special care as some o us do. They just come naturally!  It's hard not to smile after seeing this pic, and that's what I love the most in this particular scene; the sense of happiness transmitted through these innocent smiles.  So captivating.

I have not printed this image yet, but will soon, along with some other.

This image has been enhanced with a digital painting technique by me and can be printed on canvas or fine art paper.

Turtles at the Lake

Hi!

This one is for these precious turtles I come to see at the lake every time I go on long strolls with my son. 

These image was captured a little after 4 turtles were happily sunbathing at the Lake. 

I had always tried to photograph these amazing creatures but had no luck. These guys are so shy! Extremely shy, I would say. 

One morning I got to the lake and encounter the surprising scene. I said to myself,  this is the time to finally get these guys in a shot! So, I silently approached the four turtles, and splashhhhhhhh..... two of them had just jumped into the water, but as soon as I realized that my plan was a bout to fade.... Click! I managed to get the remaining two in a pic! He he he... It was a great day! I finally had these great turtles in my camera. Right after I took the shot, the remaining two joined their fellows jumping into the lake.  

The moment of capturing these babies had a great deal of excitement and stamina that was going through me, it all lasted about 10 seconds... So fast that I couldn't even blink my eyes. They were teary afterwards from the dryness caused by the non-blinking.

Anyway,

After all that sweet hassle I love how this image turned out. The turtles look like if they were actually posing for the camera!    flawless as they can be. He he he... Great times.

I then did some digital watercolor painting to the image to add that contemporary painting look. 

Find this image on giclee print and on note cards at my Etsy shop (please keep reading). 

My dear turtles are printed as a Giclée on archival fine art paper,  I added a digital bucked edge around the image with a white border so you won't have to use a mat. Ready to be placed in a standard 8.5"x11" frame! As for the note cards, I have only one card left at my Etsy Shop shown in the "Set of any three giclee note cards" listing, check it out here. 

I use great quality ultra chrome inks. All prints are placed inside an acid free cello bag with sturdy backing bend-proof. 

I am proud to say that I personally handle all my giclee production in-house, from handling the digital images through printing and fulfilling. I own my own giclée equipment and I personally do the QA of all my products.

If you want to be directed to these marvelous turtles click here.

Enjoy!

Susana

  

Pathway to Opportunity

For all those people who have lost their jobs, valuable assets and are going through hard times, this one is for you.

Not so long a go, I learned that all you have materially can be easily lost in a heart bit, and regained in a heart bit as well. I've seen jobs and assets losses around the clock and on the news.

My father always says, anybody or any circumstance can take away what you have build with your hands any time, as unfair as it may sound, it happens in reality. The question is, How do you coupe with the loss? Wether is a house, a job, a family business, an asset, money, etc....

For me is with my Faith and with my gifts (skills).

You can lose everything, you can be left alone, you can be taken away from the things you have worked so much for.  Then, it comes the feeling of hopelessness.

So, my father continues saying that the one thing that nobody nor any circumstance can take away is your skills, your gifts,  or if you have one, your career. 

Thank God! I always say, because there must be something that should keep us going despite the ups and downs of life. Now, that along won't make the magic... because as you may know, jobs are hard to get these days.... so, what do you do when you have a career or a skill that you are not currently using in a company set?  

Add, creativity to it!

Be creative!

This can be a Pathway to new opportunities!

In these days, your creativity may save you from loosing your way out. Career alone or skill alone might not be enough.... So I will also add: Creativity to my  plan to coupe with these day's reality.

Wether it is a crazy idea, a unusual way of doing things, a switch on conventional settings, a new way of rearranging life, etc... it all can work... if you are willing to take the chance.

I am just reacting on what I've been exposed these days and how people around the world is responding to all of the mess of the economy's  fall down.

Keep the faith, keep the creativity.

The image featured in this post is a photograph taken in the beautiful hiking areas of Irvine, CA. In collaboration with my husband, this image was captured at the perfect time and perfect place. is one of the most inspirational images I've ever been moved by. It inspires freedom, it inspires life and purpose.

If you enjoyed this image you would probably like this giclee print of a similar image captured the same day, same siting. The image captures simplicity of nature near the urban Irvine. Available as a 8"x10" Giclee print at my shop. To be directed to it please click here

  

Enjoy,

Susana