“It’s all a merciful blur…” is one of my mother’s signature responses. (from a description of 10 Silly Sayings that characterize her 80-year-old personality, from THIS POST) Blurring can be a good coping skill. It can be a result of too little sleep, too much crying, too much alcohol, or too much fantasy. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, now and again. Softening edges can be useful when you’re feeling scraped and bruised. But it’s only temporary, for me. I really want to live my life in clear focus, as aware as I can be, facing reality. Consequently, I doubt I’ve kept many blurry photos. Here’s one I took yesterday…
…and here’s one I took from the passenger’s seat on I-94. I was trying to imitate Karen McRae from “draw and shoot”. Her art is superb (which explains why she’s got almost 15,000 followers!).
What I mostly get are blurry photos of people who don’t stay still…
…or places that are poorly lit.
It is a challenge to develop the appropriately artistic “merciful blur”, to be used in scary situations (like on the Jersey turnpike?). Still working on it…
15 thoughts on “Weekly Photo Challenge: A Merciful Blur”
Your blur photos work well, Scilla. With a photo challenge each week, I hardly dare get rid of any photos, no matter how bad or weird, just in case they’ll fit the next week’s theme! 🙂
I suppose I don’t really get rid of them, I just don’t edit and upload them to my media library. It takes some searching, but I’ve got every shot I ever took with my new camera. Some day I’ll run out of memory and really delete!
Uhhh, not my favourites, so they had better scurry away fast!
Oh, he was not interested in me in the least. I’m sure people aren’t his favourites, either!
That’s a great variety of blurred subjects. I would love to feel blurred at the moment as I have torn a muscle and am in agony! Your mother’s wisdom is sound ~ it would be a mercy if my pain were blurred!
I love the phrase “a merciful blur.” I find that sometimes a blurry photo is perfect for an idea that I am trying to convey. Yours are too–I especially love that first shot. Wonderful post, as always!
Thanks, Alicia! Sure, you’re welcome to use it and cite me and my blog for photo credit. What kind of school flyer, may I ask? I’m a curious former substitute teacher….
Your blur photos work well, Scilla. With a photo challenge each week, I hardly dare get rid of any photos, no matter how bad or weird, just in case they’ll fit the next week’s theme! 🙂
janet
I suppose I don’t really get rid of them, I just don’t edit and upload them to my media library. It takes some searching, but I’ve got every shot I ever took with my new camera. Some day I’ll run out of memory and really delete!
I know the feeling!!
I know this too…and I do love that the spider is blurry…
I barely had time to get my camera out to catch his form…he was surprisingly fast!
Uhhh, not my favourites, so they had better scurry away fast!
Oh, he was not interested in me in the least. I’m sure people aren’t his favourites, either!
That’s a great variety of blurred subjects. I would love to feel blurred at the moment as I have torn a muscle and am in agony! Your mother’s wisdom is sound ~ it would be a mercy if my pain were blurred!
Sorry to hear of your discomfort. Time is good at blurring those moments….this from a woman who gave birth with no pain killers 4 times!
I love the phrase “a merciful blur.” I find that sometimes a blurry photo is perfect for an idea that I am trying to convey. Yours are too–I especially love that first shot. Wonderful post, as always!
Thanks, Naomi! I like the ‘old west’ feel of the first shot myself (even though it was taken east of the Miss…)
Hi, I wanted to ask permission to use the Winter Blur image for a school flyer. I love the picture!
Thanks, Alicia! Sure, you’re welcome to use it and cite me and my blog for photo credit. What kind of school flyer, may I ask? I’m a curious former substitute teacher….
Thank you so much! It’s for a conference in philosophy on life and death. If you’re around San Diego in May you’re more than welcome to attend. http://philosophy.sdsu.edu/Colloquia/janssen.html
Very cool! I’ll be in California that weekend, but up in the San Jose area.