Lakota Blessing

Very artistically done, Sky. Is this in Texas?

wow! i love this effect. can you educate me a bit on a lakota blessing?

Hi Margaret, Hi Tammy,

 

Thank you both. I do appreciate your taking time to comment. This one required an artistic approach. Yes, Margaret, this is in Texas about an hour from San Antonio.

 

Tammy, The Lakota people here were offering a blessing to the Great Spirit for another year of prosperity for the small herd that is kept here. He was speaking in his native tongue and I had hoped to capture some of the pinon smoke that he was fanning with the eagle feathers toward the herd as he spoke the blessing. I enjoyed speaking with them. He is seen here with two of his sons, the third is just out of the photograph. The Lakota people used to offer this blessing every year when the buffalo returned on the Great Plains.

 

It's great that their language is still around and some are teaching it to their kids and others. I wish I had carried my digital recorder with me. Forethought is such a big part of photography and life.

 

Hope ya'll are weathering the poor economy well. Thanks for the visit. ~Sky

C & C

I really love the watercolor look to this and the moment alone is worth documenting.... nice!

To: PNF Photography

 

Thank you, I appreciate that. I made a special trip for this photo. Thanks, too, for the visit. ~Sky

Very good effect and colors , I like it, original.

 

Alberto

Glad you like it and glad for your visit. ~Sky

Very good composition. Wonderful moment. Well done.

Thank you. I appreciate you stopping by. ~Sky

Sky....this is beautiful. Your treatment could not be more perfect. And your thoughts on how it affected you are so sincere. Very, very nice shot.

As for the economy....I think we are all in trouble, and better learn or re-learn how to be self- sufficient, and a lot less greedy. And if anyone is waiting on our great and greedy govt. to help...you need to stop waiting and wake up.

Just ask those people in that photo what can happen.

~j

Hi Janis, Thanks very much, I really appreciate that.

 

Economy, Economy, Economy...

 

I guess it's difficult to govern 300 million people. The difficult part is, I think, those in control or wanting to be in control don't know how to admit they really don't have a clue how to do it themselves. (commentary: We've screwed up again, ya'll talk amongst yourselves while we try to figure it out... NOT!)

 

You're on the mark about self-sufficiency. Something that has been missing for a long time in our country. I've learned a long time ago how to be content when abased and perhaps one day I will learn how to be content if I ever abound as well.

 

We could take a lesson from those who used what they had so fully and were thankful for it.

~Sky

don't make me use my dictionary....!

 

Sure that's it ....talk amongst yourselfs while we secure our retirement and future(oh and spend yours).

Can you tell I have lost faith in our rights and the constitution.

I know what you mean. I do realize that we have it good compared to what more than half of the world ever will. I just wonder what freedom has become. The founding fathers, I'm afraid, would start plans to relaunch the Mayflower. I admit it's easy to become negative. It's like bouncing down a stairwell these days.

 

Well, no one understood our government better than Native Americans.

 

Looking forward to better days, ~Sky

Nice effect,beautiful work,Ciao Alessia

Thank you, Alessia. Thanks for your visit. ~Sky

Sky, interesting rendition of a ceremony and prayers in a culture unknown to me. ( only from reading...)I enjoyed looking at it and reading your explanation.

 

I like the trio and the feathers, I wish I could photograph it as well...;-)) the green BG is significant to their prayers for keeping it for their cattle.

Hi Pnina, Thank you. It is unbelievable how that a culture can be lost. Wiped from the planet, no more to be remembered. This culture is not completely lost but so many are. We, as members of the human race often forget how insignificant and feeble that we are and I'm afraid often self-destructive. It is quite interesting watching the world change and seeing how it has changed over time.

 

I'm glad you liked this one and glad for your visit and observations. I read them happily. ~Sky

I love this! How I wish I had your artistic eye and talents! Ah well, I'm just happy I have a camera and can play with it:~) This is wonderful.

I appreciate that Kim. Your eye knows what it likes and that's at least half the battle. I'm sure just a short stroll around your mountain will show you many things that catch your eye. Your photos show that you've got an artistic eye; stop discounting your abilities (I remember the photo of the sunset through the shack window or was it the door - that was nice and the little tree on the boulder, and the dam curving in the canyon below, and the flowers blooming on the cliff, etc., etc., etc...).

 

Here's my only tip: If you spot something that is visually pleasing to you, shoot it from several perspectives and camera settings and when you line them out own your computer screen, you will see real quick what catches your eye. Once you begin to know the perspective you like best, use it often and gradually add new ones.

 

Happy Holidays, ~Sky

Thanks Sky! I'm slowly learning to move around a lot more and try more extreme perspectives. Merry Christmas to you! This time last year we had snow piled up everywhere. This year we're still hiking coatless many days. I love it, but there's always that dreaded "drought" word.