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Sigh...

Goodbye #Whitespace .  Time to switch my monitor back to landscape.  Yippee!

I think I like this new layout.  I can finally see more and my mouse wheel will last a few more years :)

Thank you +Google!

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Not only has Google+ changed the way I see the world, but it's made me turn my monitor from landscape to portrait orientation. It's kind of neat since I've never tried it before, but it works perfectly. No more whitespace...now I don't know where I'm going to put the bacon though :/

#usesforwhitespace #whitespace

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The great things that +The Giving Lens does!

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TGL Peru - Day One

After a hearty breakfast and coffee, the TGL Peru team packed up all of their camera gear and set out to explore the amazingly photogenic city of Cusco, Peru. From old, character filled wooden doors, to baby sheep, this city has a ton to offer our photographers while rambling down the narrow cobblestone roads. 

The afternoon led us to the real reason why the team is here. To help introduce photography to the children of +Picaflor House. After some introductions and a short performance by the children, The Giving Lens team members separated into groups and handed out the many cameras that were generously donated. The children's eyes lit up as they ran around the large play area, learning the basics of photographing flowers, people, and of course, group jumps! The team members, and of course, the children, can't wait to return tomorrow to continue the fun.

#TGLPeru   #Photography   #Travel  #Peru

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Thank you +Shannon Adelson.

If there's one thing about Google+ that is great, it's the people you can meet.  Whether in person or online, there's something really awesome about online friends you really want to meet in real life or friends you already know.

Despite my current disappearance from G+, I have been "stalking" and wish that everyone keeps meeting new people, forming lasting relationships, and just seeing the world out there.

Oh and there's so much to learn on G+...There are a lot of great faces in this circle.

I hope to meet you one day Shannon!

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This is my Gratitude Circle

If you received a Notification about this, then you are in it!

***********************

First of all, I'd like to thank +Jari Huomo from whom I borrowed this idea. He posted a similar Circle Share last June ( http://goo.gl/zWn2t ), and regrettably it has taken me far too long to finally put mine together.  Please allow me to apologize in advance if I accidentally left someone out who regularly engages here on my page.

This was a labor of love, as I tried not only to include those that I have regular conversations with here on my own page, but who also are all actively engaging their followers on their own pages.  This is also the first time ever that I curated a circle myself.

Many of these people you probably already have in your Circles, and might recognize from some of the following activities:

+Chrysta Rae's Photography Scavenger Hunt 

+Project 52 B&W 

+FloralFriday 

+Macro Monday 

...and too many more to mention individually!


*************************

Now, I'm sure you'd like to know how it was put together, right? Well, most of you know I have been on G+ since beta and was not a fan of Shared Circles when they were first introduced, because if you can remember back that far, Circle Sunday used to highlight individual profiles, and more importantly why you had those people in your Circles.

As circle membership grew larger and larger, and more people shared them at random, it seemed fewer people took the time to thoroughly vet the contents.  I'd like to point out that I did not include myself in this circle, as it is meant to show gratitude for those that have enriched my experiences here in this community, not as a means of self-promotion. Sure, we all would love to have higher engagement, or more followers, or both -- but NOT at the expense of quality. One thing I've discovered in the past two years on here is that it is very difficult to maintain relationships with hundreds of people, and not have a few (hundred) slip through the cracks.  While I admit my circles are not nearly as organized or efficient as I'd like, hopefully my methods have kept me in the loop so that I don't miss too many conversations with the people I care about.

I should point out that while a majority of this circle contains photographers, that was definitely not a requirement for inclusion. Everyone in this circle has in one way or another affected my life in a positive way. And I am long overdue in expressing my heartfelt appreciation for the plusses, shares and comments that make this place such a joy to be a part of.  *Thank you* to everyone included here, as you have truly added value to my social media adventures: offering advice, sharing wisdom, commiserating about struggles, lifting each other up on the bad days, and celebrating together on the good ones.

********************

For the Public reading this post, please take the time to review each and every one of these people, as I can personally vouch for the quality of their posts, and the honesty of their engagement. All of these people post mostly their own content (for Public consumption), and are actively participating in multiple communities on a variety of topics.  Please check out their work, and show your appreciation as they have so often done for others like me!

Just cruising...

Sorry for being so inactive on G+...I've even been skirting my #FidoFriday  duties.  I'm not sure why, but I just haven't been into it.

Please keep sharing those Fido pictures though!  Thanks to all the people who've been sharing and to +mel peifer, +Lisa Lisa, and +Suhaib Ayaz for helping curate during my anti-social media phase.

Have a great weekend!

Eternity.

One of my favorite locations to shoot is at Eternity beach.  Go at the right time, and it's like your own personal beach.

Have a great week!

It's been awhile since I posted to these themes:

#MyTownTuesday  curated by +Melanie Kintz & +Jamie Furlong.
#SeaTuesday  curated by +Julia Anna Gospodarou.
#landscapephotography  curated by +Margaret Tompkins.

#Hawaii   #EternityBeach   #oahu  

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An amazing shot by +Ralph Mendoza! 

Goodnight G+!

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Station Unkown 

Don't know the name of this train station. This was taken during the afternoon rush hour while heading home. This was imported into +Adobe Photoshop Lightroom and edited to b&w in Silver Efex Pro 2. I did some additional editing in LIghtroom before cleaning up the noise in Dfine 2. 

#LeadingLinesMonday +Pam Boling +Andreas Levi +David Murphy +Elle Rogers +Michael B. Stuart +Simos Xenakis

#MonochromeMonday (+Monochrome Monday) Curated by +Hans Berendsen , +Jerry Johnson , +Steve Barge, +Dominique Hilbert , +David Orr and +Martin Heller 

Have a good week everyone!

Happy #FidoFriday everyone!

Crazy World.

There's light up ahead.  Have a great weekend everyone!

#LandscapePhotography  curated by +Margaret Tompkins,
#ThirstyThursday  (a day late) curated by +Mark Esguerra & +Giuseppe Basile.

#hawaii  

Nikon D800 / D800E / D600 Firmware Update!

Just an FYI...

D800:  http://support.nikonusa.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/18257/kw/D800

D800E:  http://support.nikonusa.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/18262/kw/D800e

D600:  http://support.nikonusa.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/18267/kw/D600

I haven't tested it yet...but I just applied it.

Rain Dance.

This image is featured in the 2013 PNM Contemporary Photography in Hawaii exhibition.  I would like to invite you to come down and see many wonderful photographs by local Hawaii photographers.

The exhibition starts today, but the artist's reception will be on April 5th from 6-9pm with an awards ceremony at 7pm. 

The exhibition is at South Street Gallery / Frame Arts Hawaii located at:

627 South St.
Honolulu, HI 96813

The exhibition is free and open to the public from April 1st through April 20th. (Note reception is on April 5th)

Gallery hours are:

Monday - Friday, 9:30am - 5:30pm
Saturday, 9:30am - 1:00pm
Sunday, closed

A big mahalo to PNM and, especially, to all those who have supported me through the years.

Hope to see you there!

I have a question...curious what other photographers feel about it.

In the an upcoming photo exhibition, there's a photo of a little child naked.  Not my photo.

In Nicaragua, I see this all the time, and I feel there's a way to display the situation without minimizing the dignity of a person, and more so, a child.  I always focus on presenting the situation in a respectful and dignified way, no matter how horrid the conditions maybe.

Part of me is conflicted because I do also want to share "real life" in Nicaragua, but I have my limits.  What do you think?

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Congratulations to +Jess Gibson!

I apologize to everyone who participated for being fairly inactive.  It doesn't mean I haven't been looking though.

On behalf of the #FidoFriday G+ pack leaders (aka curators) are +mel peifer, +Lisa Lisa, +Suhaib Ayaz, and myself, thanks and have a great week!

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Thanks to +Jess Gibson and Maggie--here it is, our #FidoFriday cover photo of the week!  (This lighting--to die for!!)

Thanks again to everyone who participated yesterday!  We hope you're having a great weekend!

#FidoFridayCover  

Hunting Beauty.

After a rough week, I really needed to get out.  I shot a sunrise for the first time in months, and I spent some much needed time with good friends.

No matter how hard it may be to find, there is beauty in everything.     It's just sometimes...Sometimes, it is really, really difficult to find.  This Easter, I wasn't hunting for eggs...but luckily, I was able to find a little beauty.

Have a great week everyone!

Happy birthday +Colby Brown!

To someone who changed my life, I will be eternally grateful!  Have an awesome birthday, and here's to many more wonderful years!

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A great streetshot by +Thomas Leuthard.

Heavy rain is in the forecast.  I might have to find a nice puddle and get ready to capture some inspired shots!

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NYC #7

Kurume City Hall.

Kurume, Japan.

For #RepetetiveTuesday  curated by +Ping Doherty, +Andy Q., & +Frank Schillinger.

Equality for all!

http://newsfeed.time.com/2013/03/26/what-is-the-red-equal-sign-all-over-facebook-and-twitter/

$0.99 for 14+ hours of classical music from the Bach Guild.

You can get it for free if you read the details on the deal from +Slickdeals.  Download a free Android app, and get mp3 credit.

Enjoy & goodnight G+!

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Congratulations to +Light Bandit for being selected as the 3rd ever #FidoFriday  cover photo!  Thanks everyone for participating this week!

#FidoFriday  is curated by +mel peifer, +Lisa Lisa, +Suhaib Ayaz, and +Wes Lum.

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Our #FidoFriday  cover photo of the week!

Speedy Gonzales by +Light Bandit

#FidoFridayCover  

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This photo is by +Andrew Willard.

Thanks again everyone for a wonderful #FidoFriday  and enjoy the sun this weekend!

#FidoFriday (+Fido Friday) curated by +mel peifer, +Lisa Lisa, +Suhaib Ayaz, and +Wes Lum.

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Project 52 B&W
Week 12: Uneven
#p52bw13  | +Project 52 B&W
Curated by +Tisha Craw, +Susan Porter & +David Bowden

I wasn't really sure what I was going to attempt for this weeks B&W themed image, that is until Mr. Roo did one of his famous uneven poses. Surprisingly he isn't leaning up against the cupboard, it's just his odd chihuahua stance. You will also notice that he found the tiny sliver of light coming into the kitchen... he is small enough that he just fits :-)

It's also #fidofriday  ! Woof Woof !
+Fido Friday is curated by +mel peifer, +Lisa Lisa, +Suhaib Ayaz & +Wes Lum

Happy #FidoFriday!

Hope you all have a great weekend!

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What a beautiful dog!  I can't sleep...so I'm looking at all the fido posts.  I think I should try to go to bed again.

Goodnight G+!

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Gustav enjoying the first rays of sun
At only eleven weeks of age and after a very long and dark winter here in Germany, Gustav really enjoys the light outside.
He is a 'Pudelpointer', a german breed of hunting dogs developed in the late nineteenth century by cross-breeding of Hunting Poodles and English Pointers.

For #FidoFriday  curated by +mel peifer +Lisa Lisa, +Wes Lum, and +Suhaib Ayaz.
+Fido Friday 

I am honored to announce that my photo "Rain Dance" has been selected for the 2013 PNM Contemporary Photography in Hawaii exhibition, and I would like to invite you to come down and see many wonderful photographs by local Hawaii photographers.

Opening night will be on April 5th from 6-9pm with an awards ceremony at 7pm. 

The exhibition is at South Street Gallery / Frame Arts Hawaii located at:

627 South St.
Honolulu, HI 96813

The exhibition is free and open to the public from April 1st through April 20th.

Gallery hours are:

Monday - Friday, 9:30am - 5:30pm
Saturday, 9:30am - 1:00pm
Sunday, closed

A big mahalo to PNM and, especially, to all those who have supported me through the years.

Hope to see you there!

Anielka's Medical Expenses

Some of you may know, Anielka had to go to the hospital yesterday after suffering from what we thought might be a burst appendix for almost 5 days.

All of the costs are coming out of +Empowerment International general fund at the moment.  They are helping out beyond just the medical bills, including paying for the transportation for Anielka's mom and sister (they can't afford it otherwise), food, etc.  It's not cheap, and EI doesn't have a lot of money to start with.  So if you have $10 or more to spare, please, please consider helping out.

I'll post updates on her status here:  http://goo.gl/uA1P0
Any messages you want to send her here:  http://goo.gl/PUZV4

We (+Empowerment International, +Kathy Adams, myself, and so many people who know Anielka) love her so much!

THANK YOU!!!

For those that sent messages to her, we are putting them together and passing them to her.  This morning, Kathy told me that Anielka was surprised at how many people care about her...Yes, you guys make a difference!

+Jay Patel +Varina Patel +Julian Ortiz +Elizabeth Lund +NUBIA RICHMAN +dara b +Michael Bonocore +Kate Siobhan Havercroft +dan boyer +Jared Youtsey +David Plowchalk +Karen Rowland Yeo +Tom Bilbro +Colby Brown +Christina Lihani +Pimanna Boonyasak +martin Miguel Casco-Robles
+Ada M +Donna McClure +Mike Culver +Houston Genaux +Abby Wood +Karin Nelson +Cynthia Pyun +michael anthony +Mark Plonsky +LaDonna Pride 

THANK YOU!!!

+Tom Tran shared a post by +Lori Friedrich about water.

Imagine living in a place where you have limited access to clean water.  How would it affect your life?

I hope you will take a look:  http://goo.gl/F8GoA

In Nicaragua, some people still lack access.  In one community served by +Empowerment International, this is still an issue.  Things are changing, slowly.  Coincidentally, while I was in Nicaragua, Santa Ana community just had a new pump installed for potable water by an organization called Living Water International.

It definitely brings comfort knowing things are improving, but there's still a lot of people in the world with no access to clean water.

#WorldWaterDay2013   #WorldWaterDay13   #WorldWaterDay  

Thoughts and prayers for Anielka, please. She just went to the emergency room for appendicitis...They think it might have even burst. It's been a few days since symptoms first showed up. Doctors have been giving her various medications, but she's finally in a hospital getting a serious look. It's a little harder finding a good doctor in Nicaragua.

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I know, it's a little late, but here's a midweek reminder that #FidoFriday  is just around the corner!

Congratulations to +Evelyn S. Lamprey for being this week's cover photo (2nd ever) for +Fido Friday!

Hope you are all having a great week! 

BTW, if you need a midweek fido theme/page, check out #WoofWednesday  and +The G+ DogPark!

Are there other dog themes out there too??

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Our cover photo of the week by +Evelyn S. Lamprey!

We can't wait for #FidoFriday  to be here already!

Happy birthday +Sue Ranscht!

Sue has been one of my inspirations on G+ since it started, and I just want to thank her and wish her the best!  I hope you see this Sue!  :)

This is "Inotani by Day."  I posted a similar shot of Inotani at night last year.  This is right before I walked along the highway, through a tunnel with about a foot of space between me and cars to get to Tokoniji waterfalls.  It was an experience and I lost a step up ring because I tripped over the high curb along the road.  It was a great adventure x.x  Not to mention the old man who told me to watch out for bears at the waterfall.  I'd go back again though :)

Goodnight G+!

#LandscapePhotography  curated by +Margaret Tompkins.
#MirrorMonday  curated by +Elizabeth Edwards & +Gemma Costa.

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This makes me sad...Known +Thomas Schwartz since early G+ days when hangouts just started.  

Wish you the best Thomas!  Things will turn around...

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The Struggle is Real

 I don't know many of you personally, but I do feel as if I have created some lasting "internet relationships" with some of you.

My family has been struggling the past couple of months. My mother lost her job toward the end of 2012, and I worked seasonal for Target, but unfortunately I wasn't kept on after the season. It has been difficult for both my mother and I to find new jobs. She has been in and out of a few "on call" jobs whereas I havent been able to find a job at all.

I have gotten a few phone calls, but unfortunately no one has scheduled an in person interview with me. I have been able to stretch my last paycheck thus far, but it has been extremely difficult and it is almost gone.

I am sad that I havent been able to find a job, but I am more sad for my parents. They are almost 60 and wanting to retire, but they care more about what is best for the family. What makes it worse is that my mom is down everyday, because she feels like she is unwanted in the workplace.

What makes it more difficult for me personally is that I have an idea for a great company(as dorky as that sounds) that I feel would help my family out of its struggle, but I have no way of ever letting my idea see the light of day.

Also, the fact that finding a job for me is a dire need at this point. I have to face the fact that I might not be able to go to college next semester.

All I ask is that you guys please pray for my family and send us positive thoughts that my mom and I will be able to find jobs Thank you guys. 

#thestruggle   #struggling   #economy   #workplace   #prayer   #prayformeplease  

Search for yourself...automatically!

I'm always late to the party, so I'm sure everyone knows this already, but just in case you didn't know, there's a pretty cool feature under your Google account setting that automatically searches for your name on the web.

I think it's both a good security practice...and informational, too.  It'll let you keep tabs of your online profile.

1.  Go here:  https://www.google.com/settings/me
2.  Then click:  "Search for yourself" and add your names / pseudonyms.
3.  Optionally, if you to make it a regular email, click on "Manage my Web Alerts" and add your search terms there, choose how often and where to send it to.

Enjoy!

#GoogleSecurity   #AboutMe   #SearchYourself   #SearchForYourself  

Wow!  Sigma lens better than Zeiss and Nikon equivalents, and it can be had for much less $$$!

Significantly better, btw.

Zeiss 35mm f/1.4 = $1800
Nikon 35mm f/1.4 = $1500
Sigma 35mm f/1.4 = $899

Lens purchase anyone?

Happy Birthday +Elizabeth Lund!

Oh wow, how did I almost miss this one!  To a truly wonderful person...Have a great day, Elizabeth!

This one was taken in Lago de Nicaragua, near the many islets of the lake.  This boat trip is a bird lovers dream.  I didn't have the best gear to take bird shots, but I tried.

With +Empowerment International & +The Giving Lens.

Flying High.

Spent some free time roaming around Granada, Nicaragua.  Found some skateboarders doing some aerial tricks...some successful, some not so much.  They kept going even after taking some pretty mean spills.  This shot was a successful jump.

For #MidairMonday  curated by +Jeff Moreau.
#MonochromeMonday (+Monochrome Monday) Curated by +Hans Berendsen , +Jerry Johnson , +Steve Barge and guest-curators +Dominique Hilbert , +David Orr and +Martin Heller 

Sunset over Volcan Masaya.

Masaya, Nicaragua.

I've temporarily lost my intrigue in sunsets and sunrises.  I don't know why.  There have been some beautiful ones in the past few days here at home in Hawaii.

When will it return?  I don't know.  But I'm not sad about it...I'm just waiting to go back to Nicaragua.

With +The Giving Lens & +Empowerment International.   #TGLNicaragua  

For #SunsetSaturday  curated by +TJ Kelly.
For #LandscapePhotography  curated by +Margaret Tompkins.
It's been awhile since my last theme post to these two!

Have a great weekend everyone!

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Thanks +Christina Lihani for sharing this.  

Goodnight G+!

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NEW VIDEO - #HoldOn  - released as part of National Day of Action Against Bullying & Violence...

Well here it is, the moment I've been waiting for! I am so happy to be able to share my song #HoldOn  with you, complete with new video made from images sent in by YOU, my lovely #spits .

I was truly blown away by just how many people were involved in the making of this video - just goes to show how many people support this worthy cause - things WILL get better, you just have to hold on. To everyone who was involved, Thank you for getting behind this cause... I couldn't have done it without you. I will be doing a post later where I personally thank you all!! <3 <3

Please share the video today on +Google+ & your other social networks with hash tag #HoldOn  - lets try and make a difference to at least one person's life. 

#Lizzyspit   #iamaspit   #HoldOn   #AntiBullying   #NationalDayOfActionAgainstBullyingandViolence  

Life of Pi.

So I just watched Life of Pi, and I was blown away at so many scenes.  As a photographer, I just wanted to jump in my TV and snap away.  Anyone see it?  Such a great story line too.  I can't believe this movie lost to Argo for Best Picture.

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Who are you looking at?

Woof!  Today is  #FidoFriday  by the way...

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prince, nachbars dog

#fidofriday by +Wes Lum +mel peifer +Lisa Lisa +Fido Friday
#dogloversworldwide +Dog Lovers Worldwide - DLW by +Robert SKREINER 
#welovedogs +We Love Dogs!      #nikonshooters
#fotoamateur by +Britta Rogge +Karsten Meyer +Markus Landsmann +Scotti van Palm and me

Well, I really couldn't find a crazy picture for +Wesley Yeoh's birthday, but I know he loves monkeys.  So here's a monkey for you.

Speak no evil monkey.  Dunno what happen to the other two.

Happy birthday Wes! 

From,
The other Wes

#whackywes  

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+Johnny Graterol Guevara lives in Venezuela, and his account is one that I haven't seen or read in all the news on Chavez's death.  It's something to think about.

I hope for the best for the Venezuelan people in the future.

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The Hugo Chávez I knew

This has been a strange week for me. I have received condolences from some of my contacts (both in Skype and Whatsapp) about a person I didn't like, nor care too much about. I have discussed with persons from abroad about my country and our recent history, and I have been lectured about my everyday reality, or what some abroad suppose is my reality. I have been judged, called names by people that doesn't even know me, and my nationality have been put into question. And all this, while I have witnessed the birth and growing of another romantic (yet, unrealistic) legend: The one of Hugo Chávez.

The first time I ever heard of Hugo Chávez was back in 1992, during the Coup d'etat he attempted in February. That night, once defeated by forces loyal to the government of Carlos Andrés Pérez, he was forced to address the nation and his rebels, to make a call for surrender. He was nervous, it was obvious, but nevertheless made a defiant statement: Compañeros, lamentablemente por ahora, los objetivos que nos planteamos no se han cumplido (Comrades, unfortunately for now, the goals we set ourselves were not achieved)

Chávez was in every topic of conversation back then, even for us youngsters (I was 16 at the time). As a joke, and since we were in our senior year, we asked our counselor in High School to name our promotion promoción Hugo Chávez Frias (in Venezuela is or was a custom to name the promotions in High Schools and Universities after a person, and not by the year of graduation, as it is another countries). She was horrified by our request, and as the year-named graduation were being introduced that year in that Highschool, she just said: The promotion will be named '1992 promotion', and that's it . We never discussed the issue anymore, although  being the typical teenage rebels we were back then in that school, we thought our request was kind of cool. And the reaction of our counselor? Even better.

Little did we know.

The years went by, and Chávez was more and more mentioned, as events related to him become more and more news-worthy (so to speak): The campaign for his release, his presidential pardon, from president Rafael Caldera, his nomination to the 1998 election, etc. As he was poised to become the real contender against traditional parties of the old status quo (aged, and obsolete), many were prepared to give him the vote, in spite of the warnings of some historians and intellectual who viewed with distrust the nomination of this former conspirator. 

Nevertheless, I was really disinterested with this election, or its candidates. I didn't like Chávez, or Salas Römer (the other candidate with real chance). So I was in the more than 30% (36.24, according to Carter Center data) of voters that didn't bother to show to cast their ballots. I just spent the whole day watching TV.

Then the results came in. Chavez was elected president (as everyone expected). Everyone went back to their lives, business as usual.

Except, everything changed from then on. 

Changes, or course, were gradual. Drop by drop. The early Chávez, soft spoken, articulated, the one that declared in every interview that "he was willing to leave office like every previous president, in five years", dressed in conservative suits, disappeared little by little, to give place to Chávez the bully: The one dressed either in military fatigues, or red clothes and berets. The one that used curses, the one that called Venezuelans opposed to him escuálidos (a pejorative term now in Venezuela to refer opposition Venezuelans, loosely translated as either scrawny, or filthy), vende patrias (traitors), apátridas (people without country), pitiyanquis (yankee lovers). The one that didn't take no for an answer, because he was surrounded by a court of yes men. The one that went on for hours and hours on national TV, issuing threats and insults to adversaries, journalists and voters alike. 

There were changes in our lives as well. Some more sudden than others. The sell of foreign currency was put under the control of the State, and how much we were allowed to buy was limited (to this day, a Venezuelan is only allowed 400 USD per year to online commerce, and 2500 USD per year to travel). The availability of certain staple products (like milk, cooking oil, maize and regular flour) was clearly not the same. Even coffee, one of the former exports of Venezuela, was now a scarce product, difficult to find. Before Chávez, it was possible to make all your purchases in your local supermarket. Now, Venezuelans hunt basic products from one store to the next, sometimes to no avail. And when they do find what they are looking for, it's very common to find this sign: Sólo uno por persona (one per person)

http://caracaschronicles.com/2013/03/07/my-kindgdom-for-a-cake/

We suddenly found ourselves in a country that despised us, and discriminated us based on our political opinions. We found ourselves in a country that considered us traitors. We found ourselves tried and sentenced, by public officers and state funded TV shows like La Hojilla (the razor), where the Venezuelan version of Bill O'Reilly on steroids, Mario Silva, insulted, defamed and ridiculed everyone daring to oppose or criticize the Government. Mario Silva symbolized the new way of the government to deal with the opposition: Character assassination at his best, a letter of marque to defame and expose the inner secrets of his adversaries (by any means necessary). llegal wiretapped phone calls from opposition leaders and journalists were regularly broadcasted from La Hojilla . In one instance, a Web site managed by government supporters, exposed illegal wiretaps from a local known journalist (a conversation with a sexual partner of the same sex) seeking ridicule as a goal (in revealing his sexual orientation).

What is difficult to explain to people abroad, is how this is different from, let's say, the political animosity in the United States between democrats and republicans under Obama administration. Or in Spain between supporters of PSOE and PP. Although I know a lot of these countries and their political clout, I'm not sure if in any of them a person has ever been denied a job in the public sector, based on a signature placed in a recall request for a public officer. Or fired from a job in the public sector, for the very same reason (something that happened in Venezuela, on the Tascón List incident, where thousands of persons faced dismissal, because of their signing in a recall request against Chávez). Or even denied healthcare coverage, because usted firmó (you signed), as it happened with local sport reporter's father, Mary Montes. Or beaten with sticks and rocks by government supporters, just for having a t-shirt or a sign that identify them as opposition supporters. Even though I have tried to explain to those foreign supporters of Chávez that Venezuela under his rule doesn't work as a normal democracy, with check and balances, the average answer of those persons is: You are just a sore loser. 

And you know what? I wished that was the case. Me, just being pissed that my candidate lost in the last election.

But what it's actually is, is fear.

Fear of expressing your political views in certain parts of my own city (and not only because of the fear of a fist fight), or using your real name in Venezuelan political forums (several Venezuelan twitter users have been indicted for "spreading rumors" in the past). Fear of having your property (being a store, a state, or your own house) seized or confiscated by the government, as it has happened hundreds of times during Chavez administration. 

Private property is anathema for chavismo . Even though they are known for their lavish lifestyles (Chávez himself included, with his Patek Philippe watches, and his Nino Cerruti suits), hundreds of confiscations, expropiaciones , have recurred across the country. The owners, rarely compensated. And all of this happening sometimes, on national TV, in a very public manner. Can you imagine, someone like Obama, or prime minister Rajoy, yelling on a TV broadcast ¡Exprópiese! (expropiate that!)? And then, watch their aides and ministers, rushing to acomplish, and at the same time condone this lawlessness?

(I know I can't)

Chávez supporters abroad seem to (conveniently) forget that detail. Perhaps because they are abroad. Or perhaps, because they don't even know it. Something difficult to believe in the case of journalists like +Jim Naureckas. Or that guy that regularly appears in The Guardian, Mark Weisbrot.

In the end, they doesn't seem to know the Chávez I knew. For the last fourteen years.

---------------------------------------



Enjoy the reading +Ole Olson...

RESHARE:
I don't do this enough...visit new photographers.  Just found +Tadashi Yamashita, and his street photography is great!

Reshared text:
東京落日　Tokyo Twilight
#streetphotography   #streetpics   #monochromephotography   #monochrome   #blackandwhitephotography   #blackandwhite   #blackandwhitephotojapan   #peopleandlife   #tokyophotography   #japanphotography  

Happy Birthday +Varina Patel!

I originally met Varina in July 2012, but since then I've gotten to know her better.  An amazing mother of six + +Jay Patel, so maybe 7 total kids lol, with a great heart and always positive.

I hope to see you guys again soon!

#TGLNicaragua  

Generations.

To all the women out there, moms, grandmothers, daughters, sisters...have a great Women's Day!

#TGLNicaragua  

Market Dog.

Found this guy in the markets of Granada, Nicaragua, quietly slumbering away with all the foot traffic passing by.  He's definitely not in the healthiest condition, but at least he's found some peace in the craziness of everything else going on.

Hope you are all having a peaceful #FidoFriday.

#TGLNicaragua  

#fidofriday  is curated by +mel peifer, +Lisa Lisa, +Suhaib Ayaz, and myself.

Unbelievable!  Imagine this kid in a few years!

#Basketball   #Prodigy   #HighSchool   #Varsity  

RESHARE:
An amazing photo by a young, aspiring photog!  (He took my current profile photo!)

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By Joel.

Joel is one of the youngest photographers in our photography club. He is 12 years old. This past workshop with +The Giving Lens was the first time he joined with older photographers of the club, and he did an amazing job. Unfortunately, he had to use a smaller camera, but still came away with amazing photos and did a great job presenting. His mom was there, and shared with everyone how proud she was of her son. We are too!

#TGLNicargua  

I'm not exactly sure what +Facebook+ plans to do, but this is what I suggested to +Google+ ages ago.

I want a page that I can go on in G+ and see all updates from people in a circle.  Not a stream, but a single page that includes the last update from everyone in there.  If someone posts just a post a week, I want that to receive the same attention as someone who posted multiple times a day in that week.

Essentially, I hate missing stuff from people who post at different times and infrequently.  Those people are just as important to me as those who post a lot!

Google+ please beat FB to the punch!

Hi everyone, I hope someone might be able to help with a fairly simple coding question...

I'm trying to add the G+ button to one of the sites I'm working on, but I want it to reflect the current plusses on our page.

The page I'm referring to is +Empowerment International.

And the site I'm working on is www.micameramimundo.org (you can see the FB and G+ buttons at the bottom).

FB like is working as expected pulling the number of likes from the site, but the G+ isn't and I'm not quite sure how to get it to work.

In the footer code I have:
<div class="g-plusone" data-annotation="inline" data-width="300" data-href="https://plus.google.com/115588738795728061898/posts"></div>

I tried changing the data-href, but it doesn't seem to matter.

Any ideas?  Thank you in advance!

Web designers/coders, help please!

How do you change the G+ 'plus' button to act like the Facebook 'like' button?

Does anyone know how to do this?  Right now the plus button starts at 0, or 1, since I plussed it, but it doesn't sync with the number of plusses the +Empowerment International G+ profile has which is (345) right now.  Is there a way to make it sync up similar to how our Facebook button works?

The site I'm working on is:  www.micameramimundo.org

And the G+ button is at the bottom of the page.

Thanks!

Gel Please.

This is Alex. He just graduated from the 6th grade, and now he begins technical school learning to weld. He starts classes this week! He has faced many challenges, including some of the learning type, but he's come so far.

Alex & +Empowerment International worked hard to get to this point.

Buen trabajo Alexander!

Share with only specific circles.

G+ snuck this in!  Now you can share with just specific circles...so filtering will work two ways.

It's in your +Google+ settings page, towards the bottom.  I'm not quite sure how well it'll work...haven't tried it yet.

Yes!  New cover...so glad it's no longer that tiny strip.  Large cover photo makes me happy.  Thanks +Google+!

Have a great Wednesday!

Deteriorating.

An old wall and doorway exposed to the street.

For #TuesDecay  curated by +Ian Ference.

With +Empowerment International & +The Giving Lens.
#TGLNicaragua  

Is it possible to fix congress?  I like what Buffett proposes even though it's a joke...sort of.

Chicken Ride.

+Kellianne Hutchinson asked why the rooster crossed the road...clearly it's so he could hitch a ride on this cool hen!

Happy Tuesday!

In Granada, Nicaragua with +Empowerment International & +The Giving Lens.

Baby Seat.

With +Empowerment International & +The Giving Lens.
#TGLNicaragua  

#MonochromeMonday (+Monochrome Monday) Curated by +Hans Berendsen , +Jerry Johnson , +Steve Barge and guest-curators +Dominique Hilbert , +David Orr and +Martin Heller 

Toys.

Old plastic bottles.
Cardboard boxes.
Branches.
Wire.
Dirt.
...
Want to play who can find the most white rocks?

For #SocialSaturday  curated by +Baki Karacay & +Naghmeh Khadembashi.

With +Empowerment International & +The Giving Lens.
#TGLNicaragua  

Pup.

How is your fine #FidoFriday  going?  Hope your weekend is off to a great start!

#FidoFriday  is curated by +mel peifer, +Lisa Lisa, +Suhaib Ayaz, and myself. +Fido Friday 

#TGLNicaragua  

With +Empowerment International & +The Giving Lens.

RESHARE:
Such a great shot by +David Plowchalk.  If you're not following David, I highly recommend it.  He's an amazing photographer and an even more awesome person!

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Running with the Bulls

OK - it was more like running from the bulls ;)  On our visit to Santa Ana in the outskirts of Granada, Nicaragua we came across some real live cowboys on horseback running their herd of cattle through the tight rural roads.  Although this was pretty exciting, the real reason for being there was to visit some of the families in this rural community who are part of +Empowerment International  outreach program.  If you want to see what EI does take a look at this great video of them in action:  http://youtu.be/STdjwVYm7ns

BTW +Michael Bonocore these were real bulls not cows ;-)


For:
#breakfastclub  +Breakfast Club) by +Gemma Costa 
#plusphotoextract by +Jarek Klimek (+PhotoExtract Photography Magazine)

#tglnicaragua  +The Giving Lens 

This photo is Copyrighted © David R Plowchalk
Ask nicely and give credit and you are free to use for non-commercial use :-) 

Bath Time.

Oh don't mind the photographer walking by while you're taking a bath.........hm, I don't think I'd be as gracious if I were taking a bath.  These two kids were great sports and the boy in the stripes even came and hung out with us for a few minutes.  The boy taking a bath...well, he decided to stay in his tub, but eventually he smiled.

With +Empowerment International & +The Giving Lens.   #TGLNicaragua  

Perched.

Captured in Kenroku-en Garden, Kanazawa, Japan.

Goodnight G+!  Oyasuminasai!  Buenos Noches!

For #landscapephotography  curated by +Margaret Tompkins.

RESHARE:
You can see a little more of what +Empowerment International does in this video...You might notice some familiar faces :D

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Thanks to Travel with Kate for making this great video portraying the other more real side of Granada, and for sharing some of our work with the world.  And of course, thank you to +Moises Gadea for sharing his music to make this video even more authentic!

Room for One More.

Kids will find anywhere and anything to play with or in--from dirt to old street carts.  I wonder what fantasy world these two kids imagined this colorful, old cart to be?  Maybe a spaceship?  Maybe a fancy car?  Maybe they were just enjoying each other's company...

Goodnight G+!

#TGLNicaragua  

For #portraittuesday  curated by +J. Rae Chip 
With +Empowerment International & +The Giving Lens.

Driver's Ed, Nica Style.

As we walked to the community that +Empowerment International works with, I noticed a horse carriage with 3 young kids "driving" it.  One the whipper, one the steerer, and one, hmmmm, the observer.  As I started to take photos of the carriage, the driver didn't pay attention and the horse started to veer to the right...that's when older brother, I presume, popped out and proceeded to give the driver a whack to the head.

Lesson learned:  Pay attention!  Don't look at the photographer.

#TGLNicaragua  

For +TransportTuesday #TransportTuesday
Curated by +Gene Bowker +Joe Paul +Michael Earley and +Annie Irving
For #equinetuesday  curated by +Jillian Chilson.

Taking a Break.

And it's only Monday!  Ugh.

Here's another scene from the markets of Granada, Nicaragua.

With +Empowerment International & +The Giving Lens.

#TGLNicaragua  
#moodymonday  curated by +Philip Daly.
#MonochromeMonday (+Monochrome Monday) Curated by +Hans Berendsen , +Jerry Johnson , +Steve Barge and guest-curators +Dominique Hilbert , +David Orr and +Martin Heller 

If a Face Could Tell a Story.

What would it be?  Would it be about all the happy and sad moments of life?

This gentleman let me take his picture in the street market of Granada, Nicaragua.

With +The Giving Lens & +Empowerment International.

+Social Saturday 

#TGLNicaragua  

+Google+ why does +YouTube still use "Like" instead of +1?

RESHARE:
Circle share thank yous.

Thank you to +Baki Karacay for creating this circle.  I will admit I haven't been tagging +Social Saturday but I will try to remember...just don't hold me to it.  I keep forgetting themes out there!  But having discovered +Empowerment International & +The Giving Lens, this is one that's dear to my heart.

At the same time, I want to thank those who have included me in circles recently, and I recommend you check them out if you are looking for new content in your streams (especially if you are looking for interaction and stuff related to photography and tech):

+pio dal cin :  http://goo.gl/er3NL
+Gene Bowker :  http://goo.gl/UUPx1
+Rob Salzman :  http://goo.gl/hsxcq
+Kyle Wilbers :  http://goo.gl/3tg1E
+Margaret Tompkins :  http://goo.gl/UAaxX
+Euro Maestro :  http://goo.gl/1IFgV
+Gailen Mapes :  http://goo.gl/4ZNdS
+Circles :  http://goo.gl/j7prc

Thanks to +CircleCount for making it possible to find who's shared you in a circle!

For those that I may have missed, I apologize. I try to keep up regularly with shares, but sometimes I fall behind.

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Impressive Photographers for Social Awareness | January 2013 Circle

This circle includes selected creative photographers using photography to help inspire for more social awareness by recording moments and documenting scenes of unseen and remote worlds of human condition and experience from around the globe and help us feel a connection with other human beings in meaningful ways. Visit +Social Saturday Photography Theme Page if you would like to enjoy fabulous mix of shots with soul from all around the world that inspire for more social awarenes! 

A big 'thank you' to all these socially aware photographers, many of whom generously contribute to +Social Saturday Photography Theme Page weekly and keep it lively and interesting.

Add this circle to have opportunity to explore socially impressive works of great photographers on your stream that will make a difference to grow both as a person as well as a photographer.

If you also use photography to foster empathy and make us become socially more aware of others' conditions, and would like to be included in the next version of this circle, fell free to circle +Social Saturday first and then contribute your relevant photos by adding the following to your post:

#socialsaturday +Social Saturday  by +Baki Karacay +Naghmeh Khadembashi   

The page serves to maximize the visibility of your photos by resharing every contribution. For details of participation, page policy and others, please read the About section of +Social Saturday theme page.

If you've contributed yet are not included in this circle, please make sure you are following the page and then notify me in the comments and I will add you to the next release.

Looking forward to see and reshare your socially impressive works.
+Baki Karacay  

#socialsaturday   #sharedpubliccircles   #photography   #circleshare #photographers   #circle   #photographycircle   #sharedcircles #circlesharing   #circles   #photographycircle

Just finished up a blog post about my last trip to Nicaragua with +Empowerment International!

#TGLNicaragua  

RESHARE:
It Wasn't Me.

For +Mary Clark.  A reshare of a photo taken of +TJ the Chocolate Labrador when he was a puppy.  I see +Kellianne Hutchinson sharing a ton, so I figured I'd join in.  I know FidoFriday is over, but hey there's always the +The G+ DogPark & +Woof Wednesday!  Hope you like it!

#puppiesformary  +Kellianne Hutchinson 

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CHANGE OF PLANS: No more #DogSunday, but there will be #FidoFriday curated by +Shane Raynard and myself.

I've been looking for a reason to post pictures of my dog...now I finally have one! I should also add, thanks to +Eric Leslie for putting together the daily photograph themes.

The Eyes.

This kid's eyes are just mesmerizing.  +Michael Bonocore & +Jared Youtsey also posted pictures of this kid.  It's pretty hard to ignore considering how rare it is to see someone with colored eyes in Nicaragua.  He wasn't very keen on taking photos at first.

This photo was taken during the workshop with +Empowerment International & +The Giving Lens.

Feel free to view more photos from Nicaragua:  http://photosew.us/nicaragua

Have a great weekend!

Thanks for all the wonderful #FidoFriday  posts today!

If you're interested, join the Fido Friday community and share photos of your furry canines everyday of the week,

Have a great weekend everyone!

Your curators +mel peifer, +Lisa Lisa, +Suhaib Ayaz, and myself.

Mean Guard Dog.

Clearly, this guy is supposed to keep people away.  Or is he?  Happy #FidoFriday  everyone!

For #FidoFriday  curated by +mel peifer, +Lisa Lisa, +Suhaib Ayaz, and myself.

RESHARE:
Guess what day it is?  Hint:  Furry, likes to sniff butts, chase cats, and thinks they are human.



(This wonderful shot by +Natascha Schröder)










Can't wait to see all your #FidoFriday  posts!

Curated by +mel peifer, +Lisa Lisa, +Suhaib Ayaz, and myself.

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Ich wünsche euch einen schönen Tag.

(Was sie da wohl denkt +Kay-Morten Schenk ? Immer diese Fotos? ;o))

#fidofriday    by +lisa lisa +Mel Pfeiffer  +Suahib Al Smadi  +Wes Lum 

Little Princess.

I actually didn't expect to repost this photo, but I got some great feedback from G+, and just wanted to thank them.  Here's the end result (a little lightening, lowering contrast, little brushing on her face, and slight crop change).

Original post:  http://goo.gl/3z44r

Sorry color voters, I still couldn't get myself to go color here!  :(

Thank you +Anna Ryndak, +john smith, +Matt Mikulla, +Leah Eckblad, +Subra Govinda, +Gunther D, +Suzanne Copleston, +Reggie Cook, +E.E. Giorgi, +Asa Gislason, +Anielka Gutierrez, +Al Nesbit, +Tom Bilbro, +babu r, +Ning Mosberger-Tang for all the feedback!

Black & White OR Color?

I don't know how to explain it, I just "feel" when a photograph should be B&W.  I've brought this up in the past, but this photo I took in Nicaragua was just such a perfect example of when I "feel" something should be B&W even though the color was so beautiful.

+Varina Patel also has a post on her blog recently about color:  http://goo.gl/j6NCs

This beautiful little girl is from Santa Ana -- one of the two communites that +Empowerment International works with.  

If you had a choice, which would you pick?  +1 the choice below in the comments.  Feel free to share your thoughts, too!

For Ada.

Happy birthday +Ada M!  Hope you have a great day!

Time for bed...goodnight G+!

#wordlessonwednesday   #wordlesswednesday  

#TGLNicaragua  

Gazing Out.

Nica life toddler style.  Patiently observing a group of photographers walking across the street with her bottle of milk.  Life's good.

#windowwednesday  curated by +Jules Falk Hunter +Simon Davis-Oakley +Martin OBER +Jason Kowing +Cheryl Cooper.

With +Empowerment International & +The Giving Lens.

#TGLNicaragua  

Jimmy, the Hammock Maker.

Yesterday, I shared a shot of the thread used to make hammocks.  Today, I'd like to share one of the crafters.  This is Jimmy, and when I asked him to take his photo, at first he kept his eyes close.  After a little hesitation, he opened them.  It's pretty cool that he can create beauty without even seeing it.  If only I could have the same ability.

Yesterday's photo:  https://plus.google.com/100275369366064591159/posts/iP4GE8p6AdU

For #PortraitTuesday  curated by +J. Rae Chip.

#TGLNicaragua  

Isolated.

For #MinimalMonday  curated by +Olivier Du Tré.

Threads.

Captured in Granada, Nicaragua, at Centro Social Tio Antonio which hires those with disabilities.  There's a cafe (Sonrisa Cafe - Smile!) where you order with sign language and a hammock workshop.  Some of the hammock crafters are blind.

For #LeadingLinesMonday  curated by +Simos Xenakis, +David Murphy, +Michael B. Stuart, +Pam Chalkley-Boling, +Elle Rogers.

#TGLNicaragua  

Sometimes You're the Bird, Sometimes You're the Rock.

Hope your weekend is going great, and your week goes even better!

#TGLNicaragua  

Bussing It.

You get pretty close to the bus as it passes through the market of Granada.  I'm not quite sure how people don't get hit more often.

Time for me to hop on the bus called the bed.

Goodnight G+!

#TGLNicaragua  

All Sides Covered!

When +The Giving Lens is in town, no one is safe from the paparazzi!  On the streets of Grananda, Nicaragua.

With +Empowerment International.

#TGLNicaragua  

Behind the scenes.

Some shots of the participants and the students during the +The Giving Lens & +Empowerment International workshop.  Admittedly, these weren't the greatest shots, but I just really had a blast getting to know everyone, and figured I would share a little of what goes on.  It's such a wonderful experience, and I hope you get to participate one day in a TGL workshop or volunteer with EI!

#TGLNicaragua  

+Jay Patel +Varina Patel +Kathy Adams +Michael Bonocore +David Plowchalk +Karen Rowland Yeo  +Jared Youtsey +Tom Bilbro +Sharon Bilbro +Lauren Pupillo 

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Never mess with a dog's frisbee!  The eyes and teeth...scary.  Have a great weekend everyone, and thanks for all the wonderful #FidoFriday  submissions!

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Last of that Frisbee

Cedar and Ranger playing tug o war.  You can see why Ranger puts the fear of God into strangers with those choppers of hers, even though she is gentle.
#dogsrule  

for #fidofriday hosted by +mel peifer +Suhaib Ayaz +Lisa Lisa +Wes Lum +Fido Friday
#hqspmonochrome +HQSP Macro hosted by +Trever McGhee +Luis Vivanco +Rinus Bakker +Beth Blackwell 

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Love the expressions!  Shot by +Asa Gislason. Happy #FidoFriday!

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Is Your Cake Bigger Than Mine

You may be my daughter and my best friend and I love you dearly BUT don't even think about it!


















#valentinesday   #valentinesday2013   #dogs   #doglovers   #dogloversworldwide  +Fido Friday  #fidofriday  by +Wes Lum +Suhaib Ayaz +Lisa Lisa +mel peifer 

Puppy Eyes.

Happy #FidoFriday  to you!  It's been awhile since I've been home on Friday to help curated along with +mel peifer, +Lisa Lisa, +Suhaib Ayaz.

This shot was taken in the barrios of Granada, Nicaragua during the week workshop with +Empowerment International & +The Giving Lens,

#TGLNicaragua  

RESHARE:
Happy Valentine's Day!

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Love is...

It's hump Wednesday, so here's a shot to help get you through the week!

Nothing like an impromptu photo shoot outside of the +Empowerment International activity center.  I even got busted by +carla velez because the kids were getting too crazy.  Ooops!

My Twelve Favorite Photos from 2012.

Over 2 months late, but I finally decided to take a moment to look over my photos from 2012.  When I compare them to my favorites from 2011, I feel like I've grown so much.

2013 has been very quiet in terms of landscapes and nature photography.  I haven't even had photos to post to themes!  So far this year has been about people.  I feel like I'll get back into landscapes soon enough, but for now I'm going to get back to processing my album from Nicaragua.

Patricia.

This is Patricia.  You may have already met her as +Michael Bonocore posted a photo of her last year.

On this day, I took a walk through the barrios with a few +Empowerment International staff to do some home visits and show a visitor what EI does on a daily basis.  

It was nice to see Patricia again, but it was hard to get her to smile.  

I watched Patricia make these mats as we talked, and it was machine like.  The intricate weaves didn't require thought.  Her face emotionless.  It was robotic.  I asked Patricia in my broken Spanish how long does it take for each mat, and she told me 45 minutes.  Then I noticed by her feet a stack of finished mats and even more grass.

Patricia is a participant in EI, but her family also expects her to put in long hours earning money for the family.   The few times I saw her over the 3 weeks, she was always working.  I know she's a hard worker.  In most cases, that's a good thing. As I snapped this picture, I just felt like the youth was being drained from her.

I can only help but wonder, what if my family's lively hood depended on the income I brought in when I was only 12 years old.  Maybe my youth would've disappeared too.

#TGLNicaragua  

RESHARE:
Great shot and words by +Jared Youtsey.

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Nicaragua Update
1st world problems...
We were on a boat on Lake Nicaragua today when we saw this young boy rowing a boat with a tree five times his size in it.  Snapping away furiously I was yelling "Oh, if only I had faster cards!" Trying to take his photo I was overrunning my buffer.  Faster cards would have been nice.  Until I realized that a faster card would have fed this young boy for close to a year.  My problems are not that big.  My cards are not that important.  And I'm humbled by this experience to remember that I'm not that tough and strong, young people are out there struggling just to get by.

#TGLNicaragua  +The Giving Lens +Empowerment International 

RESHARE:
Great shot +Karen Rowland Yeo!  I hope this is not the last :D  It was an honor to meet you and David in Nicaragua.  I have a feeling it won't be our last adventures together.

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I have just spent a week in Nicaragua at a photography workshop organised by the +The Giving Lens (founded by +Colby Brown) and  +Empowerment International (founded by +Kathy Adams). I am not a photographer but I accompanied my husband +David Plowchalk on the trip. After dragging a camera around for a day or so taking the odd shot - only to keep the workshops leaders +Jay Patel and +Varina Patel at bay - when we went to the Barrio for a few hours of shooting, I couldn't help myself - I started snapping shots like crazy. I know that not many people are likely to see this because I have an exclusive circle of 4 followers! Maybe somebody like the humble +Michael Bonocore will be kind enough to re-share. Here is my first ever shot posted on G+ that has been taken with a real camera! :-)     

A dog's life in Granada, Nicaragua. I wanted to thank +mel peifer , +Lisa Lisa , and +Suhaib Ayaz for curating #fidofriday while I'm away. Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

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Awesome news!

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All 3 of our girls that took the entrance exam a one of the best universities in the country passed! This was very competitive We are so proud of you all! Olga, Anielka, and Abagail! 

This is a landmark moment for the children in our foundation and they are showing the rest of the children in the program it does not matter where you come from, when there is opportunity, everyone has a chance to succeed.

Nuestras 3 chicas que tomaban los examines de entra a UNAN pasaron!!!!!!

Estamos demasiado orgugosas de uds!

Solo en Managua se inscribieron un total de 7,738 estudiantes, y en las sedes regionales se calcula un registro de 5,450 estudiantes, para un total de 13,188 estudiantes. (La Prensa/E. Oporta)

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Photo below by Wes Lum of Anielka and Abagail. (Olga is out of the area visiting family today).

Un foto ajuntada de Anielka y Abagail (Olga esta visitando su familia en otra parte de la país).

Road to Santa Ana.

Travelling to the community of Santa Ana requires traversing some pretty rugged terrain.  Extremely muddy or extremely dry and dusty.  Take your pick.  Today, we had dusty.  Really, really dusty.  So dusty, that we could close the windows in the truck (with no AC, btw) and still have a hard time breathing.  The air was so thick with dust.  In addition to the rocks, ditches, and cliffs, you got cows.  This shot was captured while our truck shoved our way through a herd of cattle.  It's a fun road to travel.

+Richard Martin look at all the Fidos!   :)

#LandscapePhotography  curated by +Margaret Tompkins 

Spent the morning with the +Empowerment International photography students, 6 new students and a few veterans, exploring the city.  The theme for the students today was patterns, textures, and shapes.  For the new kids, this is only their second or third time taking pictures.  I was really impressed with their innate artistic talent.  Not going to lie, a couple kids really showed off their creative side while focusing on the theme for the day.  Took a short pit stop to get a group shot.  Photo taken by Rafael.

RESHARE:
Missed a lot of #FidoFriday  posts...slowly trying to catch up.  Love this shot!  Have a great week everyone.

Reshared text:
Snow Glorious Snow

It does not snow often here in South UK. Some are enjoying it more than others...

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/snow-rail-road-disruption-expected-043519027.html#QyHoRtG

Happy Weekend Everyone
















#snow   #snowuk   #uk   #ukphotographycommunity   #ukphotography   #dogs  
#fidofriday  curated by +mel peifer +Lisa Lisa +Suhaib Ayaz +Wes Lum 
+Fido Friday 

Yesterday, I got to see Santa Ana.  What a difference a few miles makes.  +Empowerment International's 2nd community they work with has very different culture from the other.  It was truly an experience to see the environment these kids thrive in.  These kids here were much more shy.  Maybe because of their isolation from other communities in Nicaragua?