Today’s conversation is with a flickrer who I’m willing to bet you already know and love. She has gathered a huge following thanks to her powerful, light filled images and amazing landscapes. I’m lucky enough to call her a dear friend, and have been awed by her enthusiasm for nature, photography, and life! Leilani, known to flickr as “heavenly~flower,” shared her answers to a few questions below.

What is your style?
I’ve always had a random, spur of the moment sense of style and it flows into my photography. If there is a reoccurring theme, it’s light. And it is always the most magnificent when captured on film.

What inspires you?
It takes so little to inspire me when I have a camera in my hands. For a long spell, I was inspired by this hill and the glorious cloud show it offered.

What is your favorite photographic subject?
I really don’t have a favorite subject, but I do have a favorite place. The Haskell Medicine Wheel is within walking distance from my home and I often find magic on it’s sacred grounds.

How did you find your way into photography?
Like many of us, I started with my mom’s instamatic film camera when I was a teen and bought my first Olympus Stylus 35mm in 1988. I had several point and shoot cameras before I bought my first DSLR – a Nikon D40. Now I carry a D90.  My dear friend Laura George encouraged me to join Flickr and begin a 365 of self portraits, which I completed in August 2011. This is where I began to learn about photography.

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I’ve also played with a few film cameras and hope to shoot more film in the future. My favorite is a toy Holga, given to me by the lovely Cara Rose. This is one of my double exposure Holga treasures:

Share with us a favorite recent photo or photos?
If I wake up and see fog out the bedroom window, I’m out the door within minutes and headed for the country. It’s almost like popping back into a dream.

calm with phone camera:

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do trees have souls:

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fog floaters:

Share with us one of your all time most proud photos.
‘Scene of the Birds’ happened a few years ago as I drove around the countyside searching for a selfie location. I noticed what seemed like thousands of birds in a field, grabbed my Nikon and started shooting. The sight and sound was amazing.

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What would your superpower be?
I would have the power to heal others. How wonderful would it be to heal a friend with cancer or send out healing energy and mend a broken heart?

Thanks for the heartfelt interview, Leilani! We hope you go take a look at her photostream; no doubt you’ll be inspired!

Commenting on Mortal Muses posts this week will give you a chance to win. Several of my fellow muses have already announced their giveaways: Meghan is giving away some expired film, Holly is offering a place in Tammy Strobel’s Everyday Magic e-course, Lindsey has some wonderful iPhoneography gadgets for you, Kirstin and Justine each have fantastic books to give away, and Debra is offering up some new Impossible Project PX680 Gold Edition film.  Happy Holidays indeed!

Today it’s my turn. Jenny and I are giving away a Photojojo gift card (in the amount of $30 (US)). So leave a comment below for your chance to win. We’ll announce all the winners on December 25th.

Happy Snapping!
Cara of CaraRosePhotos