New Spring Growth
New Spring Growth
I generally jot down any ideas I have for photos, photo projects or blog subjects as soon as possible after conceiving them. I then transfer these ideas to a note application on my computer.

Today, after looking at this loose database for inspiration, I can see I’ve not done a satisfactory job capturing these thoughts. Some of them still make perfect sense to me but there’s a large number of others which have lost all concept of meaning. I need to do more then record the core idea but also capture the context of the idea.

I’d be interested in hearing how others collect and cultivate their creative ideas on a day-to-day basis, especially if they have some system for doing so. My memory was never fantastic and has not gotten better with age.

I love spring flowers and blooms but I also find the vibrancy of new spring growth to be just as appealing. There are shades of green during this time of year you can’t find any other time.  

12 Comments

  1. Earl – I have used MS OneNote and ended up settling on Evernote. Evernote is not bad and has enough capability for my needs. There is a free version and a pay version. The main draw for me was the fact that everything you put in is available on the web and as such can be accessed from any computer and most smart phones. This was also a good feature for my needs.

    • Tom, thanks. I looked at Evernote some time ago but for some reason I don’t now remember decided not to use it. I believe it’s probably time I take another look!

  2. This image is so delicate it makes me feel that I should hold my breath to protect something beautiful and fragile. How true about colors that show only in the spring. Interesting that we tend to think of fall colors, but the spring colors—indeed, the colors of each season are unique to the season. We have greens here in spring that are nowhere to be seen the rest of the year.

    I just learned about Live Writer, but I don’t think there is a Mac version. I used Evernote years ago and when I lost everything on it, I was scared away. But, in case of computer disasters, I suspect that I am to blame about 90% of the time. I just never had the urge to try again in that case.

    • Anita, it seems I managed to attain the effect I was hoping for in this photo – delicate and fragile as in newly “born.” That’s not an easy direction for me to move in photography post-processing. I’m normally comfortable with more contrasty and vivid images, yet more subtleness and understatement is an area I need to explore. I sincerely appreciate your feedback on it.

      No, I don’t believe there is a Live Writer version for Mac. I may take a look at Evernote.

  3. Lovely dreamy picture… love the softness!

  4. This image has a delicate feel about that is very attractive. The mild greens and the willowy look of the leaves, I think, gives it this charm. Very well done.

  5. I know what you mean, Earl. I have lots of those transient thoughts for projects or things to do photographically, but I don’t even write them down like you do, so they are ephemeral in the extreme. Truly, just passing thoughts. I need to hold on to a few of them as SoFoBoMo will be here before you know it and I plan to participate again this year.

    For a while, I had been ‘jotting’ down notes on a digital recorder, but that proved to be quite unworkable because I never carried the dang thing with me except for in the car. I had good notes from the car, but that was about it.

    • Paul, my problem is when I do jot down these ideas it’s been in the form of brief keywords and shorthand concepts which are very clear to me in the moment but after a week, a month or a year have lost most of their meaning. :-)

      I don’t know if the perfect recording device exist. I hate having to transfer things from a temporary noye to a another one for saving. Have a good weekend.

      • Yeah, that’s funny. I’ve jotted those types of notes and they seem so clear and obvious at the time, but later they look like something akin to hieroglyphics!

  6. I’m like you, Earl. I have a list started in notes on my iphone for blog ideas and photo projects. Some of these do not seem as emotive to me after I read over them later. But, I do keep them and also adding to the list.

    I agree this image is soft and delicate. The green really has a warm feel for me.