shadow play

"Every man casts a shadow; not his body only, but his imperfectly mingled spirit."  
                                              ~ Henry David Thoreau

Shadows play and dance. They stretch and mingle; catching light ~ bouncing laughter. Shadows, to me, resemble a sort of freedom of spirit. Shadows sometimes have a mind of their own. Perhaps this is why i love them so.

Today, in the United States and Canada, we celebrate Groundhog Day. What a quirky little tradition! It's one steeped in folklore. A holiday of childhood mittens and snowboots. A holiday that really is no holiday other than giving communities the chance to gather and talk of weather, hope, and patience during this... the longest winter month. It has always seemed to be a day of playfulness.

As the story goes, a groundhog emerges from its burrow on this very day! If it fails to see its shadow it will leave its home signifying that Spring is just around the corner. If the groundhog sees its shadow; however, it scurries back in its burrow to wait out six more weeks of Winter.

Play along with me today, celebrating shadows on this Groundhog Day. Show me your shadow, whether it will be an early Spring or a long Winter, let your shadow self play and rejoice in the sun today.

Comments

[Amy]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/acommonplacelife/4324319461/

[Elizabeth Harper]

While not a shadow, it is a reveal of another sort ... a surprise for my husband on our first wedding anniversary.

http://giftsofthejourney.wordpress.com/2010/02/02/one-year-later-a-shelter-for-my-heart/

Even though it's still cold, wet and wintery here today... we are headed for the beach to celebrate.

[Toni]

This photo was taken last July, during our visit to Germany. We both had a feeling that it represented something much bigger then just a nice shadow photo. We were right, we are now living in Germany until summer!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/simplesparrow/3734424512

[Jennifer]

my shadow: http://jennifer-renner.blogspot.com/2009/10/firts-diana-photo-ever.html

[cdscott]

I love silhouettes and shadows...here are a few from a long time ago.

http://courtneysablogger.blogspot.com/2009/02/silhouettes-and-shadow.html

[Jessica]

Nothing special perhaps....but I like them. I think it's easier to look at yourself in shadow form...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/27982366@N06/4324274106/

and

http://www.flickr.com/photos/27982366@N06/4324274526/

[cindy]

such a fantastic photo with the word act! here's one of me, my husband and our camera, plus some grasses this fall
http://www.flickr.com/photos/71443419@N00/4092621807/

[bright and blithe]

Here is my shadow...my wild, laughing, loving, living shadow...

http://brightandblithe.wordpress.com/2010/02/02/my-little-wren/

[Aubrey]

How fun!!
I got this adorable camera bag for my birthday and got my shadow in the shot too.

What a happy post!

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_f1XfaI2Lc0U/S2M9kNfYLVI/AAAAAAAAAsQ/QTuCKK3s9Jc/s1600-h/DSC_0051.JPG

[lifeineden]

I had a fun day recently watching our twins chase their shadows for the first time. http://www.flickr.com/photos/32837589@N07/4260497069/

[Vanessa]

oh, i love taking shadow pics, always have!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/vanessa_r/3525218953/in/set-72157607454198345/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/vanessa_r/4095627902/in/set-72157607454198345/

but this family shot i took recently has got to be my new favourite: http://www.flickr.com/photos/vanessa_r/4293314372/in/photostream/

i like these too:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/vanessa_r/4309579021/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/vanessa_r/4309572213/in/photostream/

ok. i'll stop now!!!

[Angie]

We came home from the grocery store and II was surprised to see that the shadow of the balloon was in color on the driveway. I thought it was picture-worthy and I plan to try this again with more balloons!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/40070449@N08/4268109488/

[kristin]

thanks mere! i love a fun prompt and project i got right to cutting some paper hearts to play with our morning sun.
staying connected
http://www.flickr.com/photos/14811117@N02/4324675935/in/photostream/

and open hearted
http://www.flickr.com/photos/14811117@N02/4324642967/in/photostream/

xo thank you for this.
i needed some simple fun today. XOXO

[traceyclark]

clever girl.

[Laurie]

Too weird.. I just posted a shadow image yesterday and here you are talking about shadows.. Will try the prompt when I'm not at work.. can't have too many shadows.. thank you!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rdhddpoison/4323251988/

[georgia]

love this shot! great idea for today! the movie groundhog day was filmed in woodstock, il... where i grew up. i got to see some of the filming, so this holiday and that movie are sort of special for me {in a silly way.}

i like the shadow that was created on the wall behind me in a recent self-portrait i took:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/28567264@N05/4316342659/
although, the shadow was not what i set out to capture.

in this photo, it was, though.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/28567264@N05/4324762979

[robyn]

Shadows of me and my husband, taken a few days ago after a snow storm: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sweetgreenpea/4321102600/

[Stephanie]

Play in the sun? Oh, how I wish I could. Alas, the skies are as gray as ever here in Ohio.
Great post!

[spread your wings]

i'm always noticing the shadows around me, however today, on this very cloudy day, in Atlanta there are no shadows to speak of so I share this shadow of me.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/autumnsun/3262760151/in/set-72157613507730668/
it's funny - it was taken almost exactly one year ago.

[damiec]

I love these! Here's one from last weekend.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/22487105@N06/4325606626/?edited=1

And an old favorite from a very different season.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/22487105@N06/3863322257/in/set-72157618298145718/

[Crystal]

This was taken a long time ago.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/11617769@N02/3630046958/

[Kate @ Little House]

What a fun post! I like taking shadows - maybe because its a way of putting my self in the picture, without actually, you know, pointing a camera AT me :)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/30297021@N02/3074940851/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/30297021@N02/3357069757/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/30297021@N02/4253798437/

[rc]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/24475026@N02/4320689453/

[circulating]

dancing with my shadow...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/circulating/2669453593/

[Michele]

Oh, how fun is this!?!? I just love it and try to capture it whenever possible! But lately, the sun just won't cooperate. Too much snow and yucky weather lately. =)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/michele_denotter_photography/4304591078/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/michele_denotter_photography/4325989822/

Thanks!

[June]

It's raining here today and will do so for the rest of the day, which is appropriate since we live in Hawaii. But I did play with shadows last week:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/junedel/4325455105/

And one of my favorite family portraits:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/junedel/4324287529/

[xanthe]

lovely post and what beautiful shadows you've created.

no sun today, but caught this family shot recently
http://www.flickr.com/photos/xantheberkeley/4282962856/

you've seen this before but its my all time favourite
http://www.flickr.com/photos/xantheberkeley/3587108482/

then yesterday the hail stones and railings made fun shadows
http://www.flickr.com/photos/xantheberkeley/4326257756/

i love shadow play! x.

[Tina]

this is so fun. :) here is a shadow photo from this summer:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mageejenks/3682134245/

now i'm off to take some shadow pics for today! Thanks for the clever idea. :)

[Jayne Bramley]

Me and the little guy :)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/14261878@N08/3258215401/in/set-72157613444019084/

[strawberrygoldie]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/strawberrygoldie/4319390134/

[Julie Alvarez]

Here I am, my shadow at least:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/juliealvarez/3525896851/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/juliealvarez/3489889786/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/juliealvarez/3203207842/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/juliealvarez/3030496788/

[daniela]

i couldn't take any shadow pics today, but i'd love to share my very favorite family portrait :)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/danisoul/2214004464/in/set-72157603285797512/

[Trude]

Here's a recent fave shadow shot - my pup's shadow is just too funny! http://www.flickr.com/photos/trudem/4301904114/

[mama-pan]

I'm a little late to this post, but I am a longtime fan of Groundhog Day (the holiday)--which should be celebrated with Chex Mix and a dance party, by the way. Here is a family shadow portrait I took recently:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/98076237@N00/4331198877/
and one playing with the idea of silhouettes:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/98076237@N00/4331063041/in/photostream/

I loved seeing all these shadows!

[gardenymph]

welcome home.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gardenymph/4235898868/in/set-72157622155847856/

[jillian]

I'm a bit late to the game here...

Duck!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/hudster/3952485742/in/set-72157622498022408/

My family:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/hudster/2793373495/in/set-72157606769366529/

[Jacqueline]

I could spend hours playing with shadows!


http://www.flickr.com/photos/44864996@N08/4299842850/in/set-72157623150569989/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/44864996@N08/4299034771/in/set-72157623150569989/

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