Fear minimizes our spontaneity. It's there no matter what decision we finally make.

It's all a process. Observe it. Watch it. Feel it. No need to judge it, positively or negatively.

We exercise courage as we take action regardless of the fear. No avoiding fear.

Here's a secret: Fear is our near steady companion. Our Jiminy Cricket. A cautionary pause to embrace. That's all it is. 

Break on through to the other side of fear into...FREEDOM.

Freedom is the goal. It feels wonderful. Fear is the gauntlet we must persevere through now.

Hold on. Never let go of our goal.  Go with the flow. We explored this here.

Ahh, you ask "What about 'wrong' decisions?" Hmm. We learn from our mistakes. 

No mistakes in our lives? Really? They come. They go. That is life. We observe. We witness. We learn.

Back in the day, graduating from Boston U, my good friend had 2 tickets to the Indy 500, 15th row, 10 feet to the right of the finish line.

My Chevy II Nova had never ventured out of southern New England. Woodstock was a few months away and was not yet on my radar.

This seemed like an adventure of a lifetime. No reservations. No planning. Nada. Off we went. Go West, and we did.

My Uncle's borrowed Fuji Film Fujica-ML 35mm camera (yeah, the one here in The Floyd Gallery) was brand-new to me. Color slides.

It was a rangefinder. with split screen focus. A little clumsy in my hands. Hot day. Noise. Noise. Noise. Unbelievable NOISE.

The sights were out of this world and that was lots of eye-candy fashion in the grandstands. Felt like heaven.

The cars were zooming (no, not that Zoom) by at around 200 miles per hour. They thundered by my field of vision for each of the 200 laps. 

Excitement. Adrenaline. Beating heart. Thumping heart.

The drivers individual courage was off the charts. Their inner voices were loud and clear to them. One race. Once first place.

Finally, with much fan fare, here comes Mario Andretti for his very first win at the Indy 500.

What to do? Had only one fraction of a second to capture him right as he crossed the finish line.

As an Aeronautical Engineer then at Grumman Aerospace, I felt if I saw him crossing the line in my viewfinder, it would be TOO LATE.

I need to anticipate the action. Feel my inner voice. Trust it. Who me?

The checkered flag was raised. The camera pressed against my face. Lots of fear. More fear.

Instinct. Listen to that inner voice. NOW! Click!

That original slide was shared with many a future client holding it up to the light. A WOW moment. One I'll never forget.

Listen to our inner voice. It's all we really have now.

Stay safe, stay strong, and thanks for reading The Floyd Gallery Blog, my friends.

P.S. Recent blog images were expertly scanned from my ol' color slides by Pivot Media, Florence, MA. 

About the Author: Robert Floyd enjoys awareness and being in the moment. So appreciative of heroes in his life. You can usually find him, when he’s not in The Robert Floyd Photo Gallery, leading Zoom sessions and creating 2020 field trips in the beautiful Pioneer Valley, Cape Cod, Cape May, Newport, Manhattan, and Nova Scotia. 

Follow on FACEBOOK: ROBERT FLOYD GALLERY/LEARNING CENTER. You'll be glad you did.

Follow  on INSTAGRAM: floydphotogallery. You'll be very glad you did.

Image: Mario Andretti crosses finish line, Indy 500 ©Robert Floyd, 1969

Our hopes are high. Our denial is strong. Our comfort level is challenged.

Lives were filled with relative satisfaction only a few months ago.

It wasn't perfect yet we seemed to be in charge more, good or bad.

We seemed so saddled with an expanded ritual of routines (covered here.)

What are our needs? Yes, they differ vastly from our wants.

Suddenly our wants take a back seat. What we thought was necessary once isn't as much now.

Rapidly our social scene changes. People are kept distant. We see less and less of our friends.

Then, the realization that we need community for support, trust, and joy.

Our needs are less personal. What is good for the community is good for us, more and more.

So to survive, we need to embrace our community however we define it.

A healthier community is essential for our continued good health, happiness, and survival.

The image

Back when, there was an Easter Parade on Manhattan's 5th Avenue, one of my favorite happenings.

Hundreds and hundreds gathered from all over. It later grew into a 'tourist trap', too much of a good thing.

Camera in hand, I noticed something way out of character for a 'street person.' Their appearance was too polished.

First it was an area of Manhattan normally devoid of those seeking contributions.

The 'theatrics' of the crown, the arty sign, and self placement, right under the "V" of baseball fever sign was peculiar.

Yes, even the yellow bag to draw attention against the drab, 'colorless' long coat was odd.

Having lived in Manhattan several lifetimes offered first hand experience to witness those in need vs those who want more.

There was even a major NYC headline of someone dressed as a nun working outside of Grand Central Station for years.

Bystanders contributed heavily to aid the 'poor.' Instead, it was proven to be a single personal bank account. Hey, it's NYC.

Our needs may be important to us yet in these times honoring them vs our wants for more may be more prudent.

My reputation stands on not photographing street people. It's a form of bullying, I resent it. It takes away their dignity.

Totally believing this situation wasn't what it appeared to be, I casually approached. Click! Walked away. End of story.

Stay strong, my friends.

P.S. Recent blog images were expertly scanned from my ol' color slides by Pivot Media in Florence, MA. 

About the Author: Robert Floyd enjoys awareness and being in the moment. So appreciative of heroes in his life. You can usually find him, when he’s not in The Robert Floyd Photo Gallery, leading Zoom sessions and creating 2020 field trips in the beautiful Pioneer Valley, Cape Cod, Cape May, Newport, Manhattan, and Nova Scotia. 

Follow on FACEBOOK: ROBERT FLOYD GALLERY/LEARNING CENTER. You'll be glad you did.

Follow  on INSTAGRAM: floydphotogallery. You'll be very glad you did.

Image: Isolation at Quabbin Reservoir ©Robert Floyd, 2020

We went to Quabbin to 'isolate' ourselves. Now, it's 'off-limits' due to 'isolation.'

Back when, we often dreamt of our goals, not so much now.

Routine kills Dreams. We seemed so saddled with an expanded ritual of routines.

Like it or not, we are now free from many of our constraints to adapt and forge a new existence.

What do we want to do? What do we want to do more of now?

Harder to be encouraged with all the uncertainty. 

We have freedom to listen to our inner thoughts from our mind, heart, and soul.

One day visiting Quabbin, I searched for that one image that would involve my emotions and feelings.

I searched and searched, then, gave up! What's the point. An off day. 

So I played, wandered, and hung out at the shore line.

I let go of my need to capture that significant image.

Not, having a goal in mind, I felt my passion for my sense of place grow stronger. Maybe, it was always there.

My mindfulness became more evident. Magically, following my inner feelings, a scene unfolded before me.

Wanting a higher landscape horizon, my knees dropped down slowly to the rocks. Squirmed back and forth until the composition felt right. 

My black and white film slide would be devoid of color so leading lines, patterns, and repeating forms would dominate.

Excitement. Satisfaction. Passion realized. Click!

Stay strong, my friends.

P.S. Recent blog images were expertly scanned from my ol' color slides by Pivot Media in Florence, MA. 

About the Author: Robert Floyd enjoys awareness and being in the moment. So appreciative of heroes in his life. You can usually find him, when he’s not in The Robert Floyd Photo Gallery, leading Zoom sessions and creating 2020 field trips in the beautiful Pioneer Valley, Cape Cod, Cape May, Newport, Manhattan, and Nova Scotia. 

Follow on FACEBOOK: ROBERT FLOYD GALLERY/LEARNING CENTER. You'll be glad you did.

Follow  on INSTAGRAM: FLOYDPHOTOGALLERY. You'll be very glad you did.

Image: Isolation at Quabbin Reservoir ©Robert Floyd, 2020

So easy to be caught up in our own world of habit, routine, and-sigh-now, isolation. 

There's a larger world out there waiting for us to contribute to the change. Teamwork.

For many artists, conversations with other artists are essential for growth.

• They critique and inspire each other creatively.
• They share information about craft and technique.
• They debate the future and rehash the past.
• They commensurate about challenges.
• And they learn from each other. Win. Win.

Critics know everything about art except it's joy. The hardest thing for artists is to keep everything we do fresh and alive. 

So we learn the hard way, to take nothing for granted. We need to approach every moment with fresh eyes. 

We know 'we think we know.' That's a big start.

Running away from any problem only increases the distance from the solution. An easy way to escape the problem is to solve it.

Reach out. Pick up the telephone. Connect. Listen. Share.

One hot summer day, on the ferry to Prince Edward Island, I drifted from one scene to another. Was impressed with the aura of confidence, reflection and being in the moment of this passenger. I waited until the sun set more (c'mon you KNEW this wasn't a sunrise experience) for dramatic rim light. Then, it struck me. We were all on our private journeys. Reflecting. Meditating. Conversing with self. CLICK!

Stay strong, my friends.

P.S. All these recent blog images were expertly scanned from my ol' color slides by Pivot Media in Florence, MA.  There is no better, my friends. Try them now. You'll be glad you did.

About the Author: Robert Floyd enjoys awareness and being in the moment. So appreciative of heroes in his life. You can usually find him, when he’s not in The Robert Floyd Photo Gallery, leaading Zoom sessions and creating 2020 field trips in the beautiful Pioneer Valley, Cape Cod, Cape May, Newport, Manhattan, and Nova Scotia. 

Follow him here and on FACEBOOK: ROBERT FLOYD GALLERY/LEARNING CENTER. You'll be glad you did.

Follow him here and on INSTAGRAM: FLOYDPHOTOGALLERY. You'll be very glad you did.

Something catches my eye. Then, a most brief articulation of the scene. Instant assignment. Approach. Click! Onwards.

It was a very hot day. The Tall Ships were entering the Hudson River. Was so looking forward to this.

Jumped on the Lexington subway line at 33rd Street and headed South to Bowling Green station. Then, in a minute, I was in Battery Park, my destination. Lots of sight seekers. Colorful outfits. Strange behaviors. What fun!

In playing pool, one studies the table, observes the possibilities, walks around, chalks the cue stick, stretch, et al. Then, when it's a good shot, all worth it. Not so much when one misses.

My approach is vastly different. My self-assignment is to have a lazy eye approach. First have a purpose. Image the possibilities of a scene in a few seconds. Remain open to possibilities. Walk in the direction. Stick to it!

Then, my process is to react quickly as humanly possible. Start to depress the shutter as I am still in motion to frame the scene not knowing exactly where my focus will remain. Click! Next!

So, approaching the water's edge, I noticed a police officer upriver, all by himself. There's was a famous Tall Ship moving a hundred yards or so away. There was an interesting NJ shoreline in the far background. Suddenly, my inner voice said, 'capture it all.' WHAT!?

Although it is legal to photograph police, it has been met with awful consequences to some photographers.

No turning back now, I was sticking to it. He was looking straight ahead. NOT good! My aiming a camera at him in close range would certainly create an unwanted emotion in his face. 

Meanwhile where was the sailing ship now? There was a very narrow window of opportunity. The #5 pilings were blocking my view of the ship. Nice composition for the officer yet still preventing an 'easy' approach.

I relaxed. Remember, Never Give Up! Never!

Walking steadily closer, the officer's vision needed to be averted. How? Solution! Looking over my left shoulder quickly, while being right in front of him, gave him the slightest urge to look in that direction. That was enough. 

Hold on. Pull! Pull! A leaned into my step, finding the ship in the background, for a nice 'frame in the frame' image. Camera raised to my left eye. Finger on shutter. Camera frames all. Exhale half breath. Click! Onwards.

Sometimes we do not know what we want yet when we do, we create purpose. Stick to it! You'll be glad you did. 

Stay strong, my friends.

P.S. All these recent blog images were expertly scanned from my ol' color slides by none other than Pivot Media in Florence, MA.  There is no better, my friends. Try them now.

About the Author: Robert Floyd enjoys new awareness and being in the moment. So appreciative of heroes in his life. You can usually find him, when he’s not in The Robert Floyd Photo Gallery, learning Zoom to plan 2020 field trips in the beautiful Pioneer Valley, Cape Cod, Cape May, Newport, Manhattan, and Canada. 

Follow him here and on FACEBOOK: ROBERT FLOYD GALLERY/LEARNING CENTER. You'll be glad you did.

Follow him here and on INSTAGRAM: floydphotogallery. You'll be very glad you did.

Many times there's no warning. We need to drop everything and give our all. We've all been there. Exciting. Scary. Thrilling.

Living in Manhattan for many life times, I had my more than my share. WOW!

One summer there, I moved to Maine to be the camp photo director, or something like that, for Camp Modin, the largest and oldest Jewish summer camp in America. I hired four college students to run my photo office and off I went for an adventure. One of the best things I ever did for myself! Teamwork extraordinaire.

There were roughly 354 campers and oodles of leaders. It was a world onto itself. The bonds and friendships were amazing...huh, Myk?

Competitions reigned supreme, in and out of the water. Fierce. 

One day there were tugs-of-war. No biggie. Grab a rope and pull. Fall down. Game over.

This one tug-of-war set had one of my favorite campers. I'd lift her up at times to hold onto a tree branch way above my head. Then I'd walk off, leaving her dangling. I mean walk off. It was up to her to hold on until someone tall came by to rescue her. I was aware yet had no guilt. Never a protest. I have photos to prove it.

Well, there was my buddy. pulling bigger people forward. I was shocked. Blown away.

I'm not a structured portrait photographer. I rely on human emotion to trigger my senses. Watching her, they were on hyper-drive.

I quickly positioned myself over them, watching every grimace, savoring the energies being spent.

Any second, someone would drop the rope, fall down, and game over.

I didn't want to capture many images distracting all. I waited to right before I sensed Victory/Defeat. Click!

This image has inspired me for nearly 30 years. Hold on. Pull! Never give up.

Here's a recent blog post: Remember, Never Give Up! Never!

P.S. All these recent blog images were expertly scanned from my ol' color slides by none other than Pivot Media in Florence, MA.                           There is no better, my friends. Try them now.

About the Author: Robert Floyd enjoys new awareness and being in the moment. So appreciative of heroes in his life. You can usually find him, when he’s not in The Robert Floyd Photo Gallery, learning Zoom to plan 2020 field trips in the beautiful Pioneer Valley, Cape Cod, Cape May, Newport, Manhattan, and Canada. 

Follow him here and on FACEBOOK: ROBERT FLOYD GALLERY/LEARNING CENTER. You'll be glad you did.

Follow him here and on INSTAGRAM: floydphotogallery. You'll be very glad you did.

I  shudder now trying to think of past examples of giving it "the ol' college try.'" Some of those memories are painful. Let me share one now, that is jubilant.

Some 25 years or so ago, St. John's University hired me to photograph a multi-day event, The Inner-City Games. I had shown capability by being the official photographer for the NY Special Olympics and Big East College basketball in Madison Square Garden.

It was summer. It was hot. It was v-e-r-y hot.

From the moment the busses arrived transporting the youngsters, until they left, i worked those days of sporting events like no other. I was all over the place, like a grasshopper. 😉

Looking back, it is one of my proudest coverages throughout my career as a photojournalist. Human Emotion. Peak Action. Spontaneous Moments.

I hustled from one scheduled venue to another, stopping often to capture faces, smiles, expressions, gestures, all of it.

However, there was one young person who refused to be photographed by me. Every time, he turned his body away from me. OK. This had never happened to me. I struggled and struggled. He was quicker than my camera eye.

The next day. Same thing. What the heck? What did I do to him? I tried and tried. He outfoxed me always.

It was the last day, a long week. I was sunburnt, hot, spent, yet I continued through the closing ceremonies until...it was over. Done. I was elated yet so disappointed as the young athlete would not even look at me. No point in continuing. It's really over. I was not a success.

I moped along following him to his bus. He took his seat and turned his back to the window. Really! Aw, come on!

The bus started to pull away. I refused to stand there idle. I raised my camera to my eye. Waited. Waited. Then at the exact second when the bus would pick up speed, I saw in my camera's view, a proud, happy, and approving smile. Click! 

Never give up. "It's not over until it's over."

Stay strong, my friends.

Image: Last Look, Inner City Games, Jamaica, NY ©Robert Floyd

P.S. One of my all time favorite portraits!

About the Author: Robert Floyd enjoys new awareness and being in the moment. So appreciative of heroes in his life. You can usually find him, when he’s not in The Robert Floyd Photo Gallery, learning Zoom to plan 2020 field trips in the beautiful Pioneer Valley, Cape Cod, Cape May, Newport, Manhattan, and Canada. 

Follow him here and on FACEBOOK: ROBERT FLOYD GALLERY/LEARNING CENTER. You'll be glad you did.

Have lots of time on your hands these days? Well, how often can we declutter those drawers, cabinets, and closets? We have better things to do now. Balance.

Playing with something. Creating something. Doing something. Key word is do. 

Engage your mind in something new. Pick up where you left off with a hobby months or years ago? Find something new. Give yourself permission. Google the new art form. 

Consider it an investment in you. Watch it improve how you feel. You will sleep more soundly satisfying the restless mind. Creating helps to relieve emotional depression. Certainly we will live longer, accordingly.

While preparing for The Floyd Gallery's upcoming "Environmental Portrait Photography' Workshop, I am searching for examples to share with participants. What I discover is countless scenes where people are reacting to the art they see before them. Performances. Exhibits. Yes, even parades.

Ms. Ronnie Asbell, a world renowned artist, taught art through puppetry. OK. I attended this parade through the blocks of Brooklyn Heights. They went around them twice. People were so delighted. Not so much for the entertainment alone. It was the joy they felt in their hearts and minds. Joy at recognizing what some of our fellow humans do for the sake of doing it.

PIVOT MEDIA in Florence, MA has been scanning some of my many slides. I am thrilled at how that makes me feel now. So go through your drawers, find images that make you feel good. Pick up an old hobby. Learn a new one. Bring more joy into your life now. If not now, when?

Stay strong, my friends.

Image: Puppet Parade, St. Anne's Academy, Brooklyn Heights, NY ©Robert Floyd, 1979

About the Author: Robert Floyd is a naturalist, photojournalist, photo gallery creative director. ..and so appreciative of heroes in his life. You can usually find him, when he’s not in The Robert Floyd Photo Gallery, he plans 2020 field trips in the beautiful Pioneer Valley, Cape Cod, Cape May, Newport, Manhattan, and Canada.

Follow him here and on FACEBOOK: ROBERT FLOYD GALLERY/LEARNING CENTER. You'll be glad you did.

I have all the time in the world now to sort my historic notes and ideas. WOW. Like being back in Manhattan where I'd lock myself in for a few days and work round the clock till it was done. I always ordered in delicious meals delivered from so many international neighborhood restaurants. Not now.

Our photo exhibits, workshop offerings, new instructors, and the field trips are now extended for some months, never cancelled.

Let me share with you what is happening now at The Robert Floyd Gallery and Learning Center.

Our current exhibit by our Ms. Pat Crutchfield is safely hung. It looks fantastic. We will create a video of it with voice overs by the artist and share this with you via a link.

Our three ongoing monthly seminars meet via ZOOM or a private commentary critique page on our website with images. The private link is sent to seminar participants where they can take it all in as many times as they wish for say two weeks.

Our 19th Annual "Women in History Month" contest is 'on schedule.' The contest details will be posted the week after Easter. Any woman 18+ living anywhere can submit black and white portraits of women living anywhere in the world.

Our long term photo workshops will start in September and early October.

Field trips to select nature preserves and street photography will resume on MAY 1 with social distancing. Images critiqued separately later.

I am mentoring some students online. Their parents need to acquire formerly owned DSLRs and lenses. Kindly contact me what you may have available.

I have volumes of notes and cherished ideas that I am sorting through, hours each day. Also, Pivot Media, Florence, MA, has started to scan some of my treasured color slides created in the '70s and '80s and '90s.

The one here was captured at the Easter Parade on 5th Avenue in the late 1970s. The young girl seemed most disappointed. Her expression is something I never forgot. I so welcome being able to share it with you now. Yes, thousands and thousands of color slides await my edits. Some will feel the snip of the scissors, some will stay where they are, and others will be scanned and printed for exhibit and investment. Sigh.

More of you then I can count have expressed interest in learning more now. I thank you for your interest and guarantee 100% you will be thrilled with what you invest in or a full refund, no questions asked.

Gallery Photographers will be scheduled for solo and group exhibits in September, October, November, and December. Hey, we're getting it together. Teamwork.

We need to focus our energies better and help each other now more than ever. Please do come forward and connect. Call at 413-529-2635 if only to hear a friendly voice. Nobody needs to be dragged through this crisis and experience what this young woman experienced. 

For those more interested in a one-on-one consultation, they are designed for you and 100% guaranteed to match and meet your needs. Now's the time for us to play with our creativity. If not now, When? 

Stay strong, my friends.

Image: Easter Parade, Young Woman in Red ©Robert Floyd, 1979

About the Author: Robert Floyd is a naturalist, photojournalist, photo gallery creative director. ..and so appreciative of heroes in his life. You can usually find him, when he’s not in The Robert Floyd Photo Gallery, he plans 2020 field trips in the beautiful Pioneer Valley, Cape Cod, Cape May, Newport, Manhattan, and Canada. Follow him here and on FACEBOOK: ROBERT FLOYD GALLERY/LEARNING CENTER. You'll be glad you did.

Then, there were all the times, we played in "NO TRESPASSING" fields near where we lived in Fall River. Sooner or later, the field owner would release their dog. It came straight to us. We ran hard towards the closest chain link fence from the dog, usually a German Shepard or a Rottweiler. We were their target. Last one over the fence, well, you know! We always made it over the high fences like a great escape.

Years later, the widely published author, Jeanne Braham, approached me to create images for her next book. Wonderful! Subject? Service Dogs! Dogs? Why me? I had adopted one, Kiefer, shortly before. He was an Australian Cobberdog, the most gentle of breeds known to mankind. I was so spoiled. My images of him sparked Jeanne's interests.

So, I had to overcome my fear of other dogs, keep my poise, and let it go, well, most of it anyway. (I see a dog growling at me bearing fangs now, and I'm running for the nearest fence, or tree.) I did it. I let go. i moved on. Yes, if I can do it, we all can let go of fear.

Fear drains our ability to allow synchronicity to play successfully in our lives. Missed opportunities. It weakens our immune system. It distracts us. People distracted fall down and break bones, literally or figuratively. 

OK. There are levels of worry, fear, and doubt. Others may recognize fear in you. They may even offer some help. It often backfires no matter their good intentions.

My van needed some work neglected with my recent life transition. Yikes! I had instant fear on how to pay for it. Cash flow. Priorities. All those hoarded rolls of toilet paper! ;)

I let go of the fear, moved forward, embraced the procedures as painful as they were (sounds like the old dentist visits) and marched on. 

Doing what we need to do creates a vacuum. What we need next enters our lives. Momentum. Suddenly, I realized the van doesn't need to travel to workshops afar, I can create a ZOOM account for all to learn. This, then, has attracted interest in our online workshop offerings.

We do not give ourselves credit for how capable we are now.

Surrendering to fear is a trust issue. We don't trust our choices. We do not trust ourselves to let go and decide correctly.

There often seems to be a dark patch in an otherwise good day. Worst scenarios battle the best scenarios for our attention.

We need to decide correctly. Move on. Make ourselves stronger for the next decision, the next day, the next chapters of our lives, and beyond.

So with a stronger self and upgraded van, I bravely drove to the auto inspection station for a new sticker. There was still snow. Spring decided to continue regardless. Stay strong, my friends.

About the Author: Robert Floyd is a naturalist, photojournalist, photo gallery creative director. ..and so appreciative of heroes in his life. You can usually find him, when he’s not in The Robert Floyd Photo Gallery, he plans 2020 field trips in the beautiful Pioneer Valley, Cape Cod, Cape May, Newport, Manhattan, and Canada. Follow him here and on FACEBOOK: ROBERT FLOYD GALLERY/LEARNING CENTER. You'll be glad you did.