What Does a Facebook Detox Have to Do with Photographing Deepak Chopra and Arianna Huffington?

What Does a Facebook Detox Have to Do with
Photographing Deepak Chopra and Arianna Huffington?

Today I had the incredible honor and blessing of being able to photograph Deepak Chopra and Arianna Huffington at the University of Virginia, where Deepak lead a half hour guided meditation on the Lawn and the steps of the Rotunda. Over 500 students, faculty, and locals turned out for the event.

I arrived early, very early, and planted myself on the lawn, front and center with my Canon and a blanket. When Deepak and Arianna arrived on the steps, the crowd silenced and what followed were opening remarks and a thirty minute guided meditation by Deepak that I know was life changing for all who were in attendance.

What I haven't shared yet is that today was also Day 6 of my self-imposed Facebook Detox program. Last week I made the choice to walk away from Facebook for 21 Days (other than sharing the images above directly from my website, which technically doesn't require me to go on Facebook).

This is what I've discovered in just 6 Days of being on a Facebook Detox:

My mind is free of all of the mind-clutter Facebook generates (i.e. filtering through News Feeds, reading posts, responding to posts).
My productivity has soared. I am currently ghostwriting a three book deal for a client who called me a "lean, mean, writing machine" this week.
My creativity has soared. My photo shoots are inspired from a place deep within that I wasn't able to tap into as readily before.

And, most of all, opportunities are opening up to me in ways and from places that never did in the few years I've been on Facebook.

What does this all tell me? Detoxing from Facebook was the best decision I could have made for my career, my peace of mind, and my livelihood.

I encourage those of you who may spend a wee bit too much time on Facebook to try the 21 Day Facebook Detox. If you do, and you have some remarkable results, as I have, I would love to hear about them.

In Peace and Joy,

Heather

p.s. One more image of Arianna Huffington

In Other Photography News
Heather Hummel Photography is now several months into her representation by Agora Gallery in the Chelsea District of New York City. The in-gallery exhibition is set for the end of April and early May, 2014. Details to follow as time nears!

In the meantime, 8 of my land and seascapes have been chosen for Agora Gallery's Art-Mine site and are available for viewing and purchasing.
Stop by and see what's on display: Click Here

Heather Hummel's Artist Statement for Agora Gallery

In today's world of social media and technology, I think it's important for people to take time out and appreciate the land and seas that the new, green world is trying to save. It's one thing to recycle and do your daily bit for the environment- it's another to get out and actually enjoy the elements we're working so hard to preserve. It's my hope that my images inspire people to do this.

As a photographer, my interest in land and seascape has always been much stronger than any other source of inspiration. I’m constantly in search of new scenes to spread ‘pixel dust’ on. No matter the season or the setting, Mother Nature continues to inspire me to seek the next photo opportunity. Having driven cross-country eight times, I'm fascinated by wide open spaces and how light, or the lack of light, impacts the scene before me. Everywhere I go, I analyze light.

Agora Gallery is a contemporary fine art gallery established in 1984, dedicated to the promotion of national and international artists, providing original fine art to established and emerging collectors and catering to special events in support of fine art organizations that foster social awareness and promote environmental issues. The gallery is also the publisher of ARTisSpectrum Magazine and the sponsor of ARTmine.Com.  

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To see more of Heather's pixel dust landscapes, visit her newly updated website at: www.HeatherHummelPhotography.com
♥♥♥
For more information, contact Heather at
Heather@HeatherHummelPhotograpy.com

Capturing the Harvest Moon in Aspen, CO

This image of the Harvest Moon was captured in Hunters Creek, Aspen, CO in September, 2012. Watching the moon rise over the Aspen mountain range is an incredible sight to see. Little did I know back then that it would be chosen as one of my eight images that would be represented by Agora Gallery in New York City just eight months later.

My artist statement with Agora Gallery

"In today's world of social media and technology, I think it's important for people to take time out and appreciate the land and seas that the new, green world is trying to save. It's one thing to recycle and do your daily bit for the environment- it's another to get out and actually enjoy the elements we're working so hard to preserve. It's my hope that my images inspire people to do this.
As a photographer, my interest in land and seascape has always been much stronger than any other source of inspiration. I’m constantly in search of new scenes to spread ‘pixel dust’ on. No matter the season or the setting, Mother Nature continues to inspire me to seek the next photo opportunity. Having driven cross-country eight times, I'm fascinated by wide open spaces and how light, or the lack of light, impacts the scene before me. Everywhere I go, I analyze light." - Heather Hummel, Photographer

Press Release

Heather Hummel’s astoundingly vivid landscape photography luxuriates in both great distances and intimate touches. In bringing a wide perspective to a variety of environments, Hummel manages to make even the most familiar scenes seem more encompassing, more complete, as if the entire story were finally being told. Her image of an old wooden schoolhouse includes the long, meandering countryside behind it, where the distant farm, rolling scrubland, and dramatic sky suggest social and economic contexts for the viewer. Her photo of a dirt path stretches out for miles to reach, finally, snow-capped mountains and seemingly the ends of the earth. All parts are rendered in slightly unreal sharpness and brilliant colors, as if Hummel has trained a laser focus on every single piece of the photo at once. The overall effect is both familiar and unexpected — a story with a twist.
Hummel was born in Connecticut and today works in Charlottesville, Virginia. While photography is her passion, she is also an award-winning writer and describes her occupation as a “photonovelist.”

Want to learn how to master low light photography and to capture your own low-light photos? My book MASTER LOW LIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY is available on Amazon.

Photography Degree or Self-Taught?

Question and Answer from Heather Hummel's Facebook Photography Fan Page

Q: A fan on Heather Hummel's photography fan page asked, "Do you have a photography degree or are you self-taught?" 

A: I've been asked that a lot over the years, and here's my response:
I first fell in love with photography in my high school photography class (at which time I also built a darkroom in my bathroom...mid-1980s). 
Once in college, I became the photographer for my college's rugby team, which was when I fell in love with sports photography (and the captain of the team. We were together for 7 years). 
I spent several years in my 20s working in camera stores as a lab tech on a variety of processing machines and darkrooms, including the original Noritsu 1 hour machine.
Over the past three decades, I've spent hours upon hours upon hours actually taking photos. Since I have driven cross country eight times, I had lots of chances for photo ops in a variety of places, lighting, backdrops, and more. Perhaps being born with some level of talent has an influence.

I also ghostwrite for a photography blog, and doing so has taught me a lot through research and testing out what I write about if I'm not already familiar with it. It's a passion that I do for the love of it.

As my artist statement for Agora Gallery says, "Everywhere I go, I analyze light!"





Heather Hummel is a landscape photographer who spreads Pixel Dust and is represented by Agora Gallery in New York City. 
Agora Gallery Representation:
Heather Hummel's Original Contemporary Art For Sale by Agora Gallery
Website:
www.heatherhummelphotography.com/ 
Facebook:
www.Facebook.com/HeatherHummelPhotography

Heather Hummel Artist Statement

In today's world of social media and technology, I think it's important for people to take time out and appreciate the land and seas that the new, green world is trying to save. It's one thing to recycle and do your daily bit for the environment- it's another to get out and actually enjoy the elements we're working so hard to preserve. It's my hope that my images inspire people to do this.
As a photographer, my interest in land and seascape has always been much stronger than any other source of inspiration. I’m constantly in search of new scenes to spread ‘pixel dust’ on. No matter the season or the setting, Mother Nature continues to inspire me to seek the next photo opportunity. Having driven cross-country eight times, I'm fascinated by wide open spaces and how light, or the lack of light, impacts the scene before me. Everywhere I go, I analyze light.

Agora Gallery in NYC Represents Heather Hummel Photography

"Wait for Me"

Heather Hummel, Photographer

"Cancerian Wave"

Heather Hummel Photography has contracted with Agora Gallery in the Chelsea District of New York City for 18 months of representation (May 2013- November 2014).

8 of Heather's spectacular land and seascapes have been chosen for Agora Gallery's Art-Mine site and are available for viewing and purchasing. Stop by and see what's on display: Click Here

Heather Hummel's Artist Statement for Agora Gallery

In today's world of social media and technology, I think it's important for people to take time out and appreciate the land and seas that the new, green world is trying to save. It's one thing to recycle and do your daily bit for the environment- it's another to get out and actually enjoy the elements we're working so hard to preserve. It's my hope that my images inspire people to do this.
As a photographer, my interest in land and seascape has always been much stronger than any other source of inspiration. I’m constantly in search of new scenes to spread ‘pixel dust’ on. No matter the season or the setting, Mother Nature continues to inspire me to seek the next photo opportunity. Having driven cross-country eight times, I'm fascinated by wide open spaces and how light, or the lack of light, impacts the scene before me. Everywhere I go, I analyze light.

Agora Gallery is a contemporary fine art gallery established in 1984, dedicated to the promotion of national and international artists, providing original fine art to established and emerging collectors and catering to special events in support of fine art organizations that foster social awareness and promote environmental issues. The gallery is also the publisher of ARTisSpectrum Magazine and the sponsor of ARTmine.Com.

Heather Hummel Donates Proceeds of Photography Sales to Young Breast Cancer Survivor

 Heather Hummel Photography Donates Proceeds of  Sales to Young Breast Cancer Survivor

Heather Hummel Photography

 Heather Hummel's land and seascape photography has been on display in the art gallery at Valley View Hospital in Glenwood Springs, CO for the months of January and February 2013. The show consists of 8 captivating 16"x20" images (4 land and 4 sea) matted and framed. Hummel is donating 100% OF SALES to young breast cancer survivor Ashley Caddell's medical funds. 

Ashley is a young woman who has overcome breast cancer, but is left with countless medical bills...she tallies them on her website:

"Here is a little glimpse as to what fighting cancer costs: without insurance: $94,428 plus radiation, so add an extra 30Gs onto that for about $124,000; with my insurance, $31,245.90 plus radiation; then what I owe to date: $9,365.75 plus about $8,000 for radiation for approximately $17,365 when it's all said and done, not to mention the $500/month I pay for COBRA."
 




Ashley has also endured:4 biopsies
2 benign tumors, 2 malignant
Too many mammograms to count
2 breast MRIs
Blood work
1 Bone scan
1 PET/CT scan
Genetic testing
1 surgery
A lot of poking and probing
6 1/2 weeks of treatment for 35 treatments
46 hospitals gowns
27 doctors appointments
1,386 miles back and forth to the hospital
All to kick cancer where it counts.....PRICELESS 

Visit Ashley's website for details of her journey: https://www.mylifeline.org/ashleycaddell/default.cfm

There are two ways for people to help.
1. People who want to help can purchase a matted and framed 16x20 print for $400 (free shipping in the continental US).
2. Donate $1 and for every $400 raised, I will give away a matted and framed 16x20 print to a random donor.

The $1 donations can be mailed to: Heather Hummel Photography, PO Box 1712, Carbondale, CO 81623.

Or to order a print in support of Ashley, simply click the Buy Now button below or email Heather@HeatherHummelPhotography.com for more information.

16x20

One Print $400.00 USD Two Prints $750.00 USD Three Prints $1,100.00 USD

If you are interested in buying a print to support Ashley, please e-mail: Heather@HeatherHummelPhotography.com.

♥♥♥

Heather Hummel is the "Photographer in Charge" at Heather Hummel Photography where she Spreads Pixel Dust on Landscape, Portrait and Extreme Sports Photography.

The theme on display is Mother Nature: Land and Sea. These 8 images represent that which is larger and more powerful than us.

Inspired by the Monterey, California Coastline and the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, Heather and her camera are constantly in search of landscape to spread pixel dust on. No matter the season or setting, Mother Nature is Heather's motivation to seek the next landscape photo opportunity.

♥♥♥

To see more of Heather's pixel dust landscapes, as well as an array of portraits and extreme sports photography, visit her website at: www.HeatherHummelPhotography.com

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Below are the 8 prints available, which are 16x20 plus matte and frame.