December 2011 - Lenspiration

About the 2012 Calendar: December

by James Staddon | Dec 30, 2011 | Stories & Expeditions

The Essence of Christmas A freezing, snowy night + an old, rickety piano + an ancient, homely building = a cozy, fantastic picture! This is what went running through my head as I passed through the deserted Staff Center meeting room at the IBLP Headquarters in Hinsdale, Illinois, that late, wintery night in... Read More »

About the 2012 Calendar: November

by James Staddon | Dec 29, 2011 | Stories & Expeditions

Morning Light One could hardly have asked for a more marvelous Christmas morning! It was probably the earliest I had ever awoke for a Christmas Day, but what did that matter? On vacation with the family in Sanibel Florida in 2009, we were blessed to follow whatever schedule we pleased. And being in-landers from West... Read More »

About the 2012 Calendar: October

by James Staddon | Dec 28, 2011 | Perspective

Autumn Wandering I haven’t spent much time in West Virginia during the fall season over the past few years. This year, I was in California. The three preceding years I was in Chicago. Thus, the last time I had the opportunity to shoot fall colors in West Virginia was back in 2007. And I remember how incredibly wet... Read More »

About the 2012 Calendar: September

by James Staddon | Dec 22, 2011 | Stories & Expeditions

First Morning Light It isn’t every morning that the sky is scattered with gold-lined clouds broken by colorful rays of warm sunlight. I was at the Northwoods Conference Center in the Ottawa National Forest for almost an entire week and this was the only sunrise of it’s rank in splendor. The hardest part of taking the... Read More »

About the 2012 Calendar: August

by James Staddon | Dec 21, 2011 | Stories & Expeditions

Falls in the Forest Of all the pictures in the 2012 Calendar, this one is by far my favorite! I had been on the lookout for an image like this for years, and yet I didn’t even see it when I first stumbled upon it. It all started on May 22 of this year when I decided to take a break while driving solo along a 200 mile... Read More »

About the 2012 Calendar: July

by James Staddon | Dec 20, 2011 | Perspective

Life in the Desert How long did it take for you to discover the little chipmunk in this picture? At first glance, it isn’t noticeable. And that’s a good thing. I love pictures that are are deeper than one look and include little things that pop out each time it is viewed. When I took the picture, however, I didn’t... Read More »

About the 2012 Calendar: June

by James Staddon | Dec 19, 2011 | Perspective

Shadows of Approaching Evening I find it ironic that flat, farmland states such as Indiana and Illinois boast parks that feature long, deep canyons carved in the landscape. Whether at Turkey Run State Park in Indiana, Hocking Hills State Park in Ohio, or Starved Rock State Park in Illinois, I’ve observed straight... Read More »

About the 2012 Calendar: May

by James Staddon | Dec 18, 2011 | Perspective

Looking Toward Heaven Just about every flower is beautiful to look at, and for this reason are extremely common subjects for photographs. Hence, to get a unique picture of a flower is not common, and not easy. That is what I was thinking when I pulled out the camera and walked down to Mom’s flower garden at our home... Read More »

About the 2012 Calendar: April

by James Staddon | Dec 17, 2011 | Stories & Expeditions

A Restful Afternoon The afternoon was gloriously peaceful as I strolled along with my family down a country lane after a short hike to a quaint, yet picturesque little waterfall in the valley. We were visiting friends in Canada near Peterborough, Ontario. Down by the waterfall, the dense forest of northern conifers... Read More »

About the 2012 Calendar: March

by James Staddon | Dec 16, 2011 | Perspective

Butterfly Brilliance I remember clearly the peaceful, bright Sunday afternoon in Gageum-ri, South Korea where this picture was taken. It was not necessarily the taking of the picture that I remember so clearly as it was the location at which I took it. You see, after church on that spring morning earlier this year,... Read More »

About the 2012 Calendar: February

by James Staddon | Dec 15, 2011 | Stories & Expeditions

Cold of Snow When West Virginia gets snow, it usually doesn’t stick around unless it’s January or February, the coldest part of the year in the Appalachians. And when it comes, it transforms the dull, brown landscape into an incredibly beautiful winter wonderland. I remember taking this picture back in 2007. It... Read More »

About the 2012 Calendar: January

by James Staddon | Dec 14, 2011 | Stories & Expeditions

Bridge Over the Ice January 21, 2011 was a bitter cold evening. As I recall, the temperature hovered around 10 degrees. It was fairly clear, the moon was full and a nice blanket of snow covered the ground, so I ventured directly from my office into the cold with camera, tripod, and shutter release in hand. After... Read More »

Giving

by James Staddon | Dec 13, 2011 | Perspective

I ran across this quote the other day, and thought it so appropriate for the season that it deserved to be posted. What kind of “giver” are you? When it comes to giving, some people stop at nothing. –Unknown Source It reminds me of Proverbs 11:24, a verse I ready shortly after running across the quote. There is that... Read More »

Pic of the Month: November ‘11

by James Staddon | Dec 5, 2011 | Pic of the Month

Enjoying the Falls I’ve been so busy selling calendars and putting up Christmas lights over the last week that I didn’t have any time to post the Pic of the Month for November! It was a light month for photography anyway, catching up on business and things after my October escapades. Of the few pictures I took last... Read More »

We reached $1000!

by James Staddon | Dec 1, 2011 | Updates & Opportunities

We did it! Thanks to many generous contributors, Lenspiration accomplished it’s End-of-the-Month Challenge fundraising goal of $1000 by midnight, November 30! Visit Purchase with a Purpose to read the facts and events of the campaign. Read More »