Photography 101: Bliss

In March 2014, I started my Living, Learning and Letting Go blog.  Creating posts for the blog has without doubt been a major source of bliss for me. When I think of which post I associate most with the word bliss, Bastet Pixelventures: One Point Perspective photography challenge comes to mind.

When first I read her challenge on June 2, I had no idea what a one point perspective was. I read Bastet’s directions and also looked the phrase up on Wikipedia. Wikipedia says:

A one-point perspective drawing means that the drawing has a single vanishing point, usually (though not necessarily) directly opposite the viewer’s eye and usually (though not necessarily) on the horizon line. All lines parallel with the viewer’s line of sight recede to the horizon towards this vanishing point. This is the standard “receding railroad tracks” phenomenon.

Now I knew what it was, but what photo could I take? As I started on my morning meditation walk, ideas began to enter my mind. I knew I wanted it to be a useful photograph, i.e. something that had a purpose beyond my post. Next I thought of the PNW Litter Project I coordinate. I could take a photo that could not only be used for the challenge, but also in our monthly GreenFriends newsletter and for Litter Project promotion.

Soon thereafter, it dawned on me how I could accomplish my goal.  I was so excited. As soon as I returned home, I set to work.

A main focus of the Litter Project is to pick up cigarette butts, the biggest form of litter in the world.  The butts are so toxic to the earth and to our waterways, marine animals, birds, etc.  To date we have picked up more than 225,000 butts.  We send them to TerraCycle to be turned into plastic pallets.

My idea was to create a photo that shows the never ending nature of the problem. To do that, I placed 1375 cigarette butts in a straight line on a sidewalk near my home. It worked!

I definitely felt blissful while creating the imagery and when I saw the photograph!

Written for Photography 101:  Bliss