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![Rainbow Lessons](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7919ae_8dad8a53d4f242fe99eb6efd8080b36e~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_454,h_341,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/7919ae_8dad8a53d4f242fe99eb6efd8080b36e~mv2.webp)
Paul Cotter
2 days ago2 min read
Rainbow Lessons
When I see things in nature, I often think about the life lessons we can learn from their presence. Take rainbows, for example. These...
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7919ae_d53eb7b5000c4f5aa44e1011a29fa7ef~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_250,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_auto/7919ae_d53eb7b5000c4f5aa44e1011a29fa7ef~mv2.webp)
![Dream Visions](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7919ae_d53eb7b5000c4f5aa44e1011a29fa7ef~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_454,h_341,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/7919ae_d53eb7b5000c4f5aa44e1011a29fa7ef~mv2.webp)
Paul Cotter
Jan 293 min read
Dream Visions
In her debut studio album, Billie Eilish wondered When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? Some people insist that dreams are just the...
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7919ae_d65a8a91b82d4da9887fe9f0ddb6772f~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_250,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_auto/7919ae_d65a8a91b82d4da9887fe9f0ddb6772f~mv2.webp)
![Purple Haze](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7919ae_d65a8a91b82d4da9887fe9f0ddb6772f~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_454,h_341,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/7919ae_d65a8a91b82d4da9887fe9f0ddb6772f~mv2.webp)
Paul Cotter
Jan 212 min read
Purple Haze
When Jimi Hendrix walked into a recording studio, he tried to communicate the mind-bending musical sounds that were in his head. To...
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7919ae_6d479c04a4d345f4a1320963f266f51e~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_250,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_auto/7919ae_6d479c04a4d345f4a1320963f266f51e~mv2.webp)
![That Sense of Awe](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7919ae_6d479c04a4d345f4a1320963f266f51e~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_454,h_341,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/7919ae_6d479c04a4d345f4a1320963f266f51e~mv2.webp)
Paul Cotter
Jan 152 min read
That Sense of Awe
When we were kids, it didn’t take much to fill us with a sense of wonder. A leaf on the ground, a shadow on the wall, the sound of a...
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7919ae_88e23d222b8f471d8bf0ac09ae61caac~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_250,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_auto/7919ae_88e23d222b8f471d8bf0ac09ae61caac~mv2.webp)
![Unwrapped](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7919ae_88e23d222b8f471d8bf0ac09ae61caac~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_454,h_341,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/7919ae_88e23d222b8f471d8bf0ac09ae61caac~mv2.webp)
Paul Cotter
Dec 18, 20241 min read
Unwrapped
With the holidays just around the corner, I wanted to take a moment to thank the readers of Paul's Reflections . Your support and your...
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7919ae_c0d2414efe604798b30cf1235b5c2fd4~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_250,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_auto/7919ae_c0d2414efe604798b30cf1235b5c2fd4~mv2.webp)
![The Truth About Tears](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7919ae_c0d2414efe604798b30cf1235b5c2fd4~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_454,h_341,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/7919ae_c0d2414efe604798b30cf1235b5c2fd4~mv2.webp)
Paul Cotter
Jul 10, 20242 min read
The Truth About Tears
I have a confession to make: I’m someone who gets teary-eyed quite easily. That's not a typical thing for guys, I know, but it’s always...
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7919ae_07453305a49f44eea70123cf1b0fd5c1~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_250,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_auto/7919ae_07453305a49f44eea70123cf1b0fd5c1~mv2.webp)
![The Way You See](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7919ae_07453305a49f44eea70123cf1b0fd5c1~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_454,h_341,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/7919ae_07453305a49f44eea70123cf1b0fd5c1~mv2.webp)
Paul Cotter
Jun 26, 20241 min read
The Way You See
Ordinary things can surprise us by revealing a charm, elegance or quirkiness that's easily overlooked. In the end, it all comes down to...
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7919ae_0edaea445afd462591875e4e8653fa7f~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_250,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_auto/7919ae_0edaea445afd462591875e4e8653fa7f~mv2.webp)
![Rusted Train Thoughts](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7919ae_0edaea445afd462591875e4e8653fa7f~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_454,h_341,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/7919ae_0edaea445afd462591875e4e8653fa7f~mv2.webp)
Paul Cotter
Jun 19, 20241 min read
Rusted Train Thoughts
My mother-in-law, who turns 90 in August, understands the paradox of aging. She suffers from a long list of ailments and chronic pains,...
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7919ae_e22df50a24b24f8b9446b7b81fc7fab7~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_250,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_auto/7919ae_e22df50a24b24f8b9446b7b81fc7fab7~mv2.webp)
![Layers of the Onion](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7919ae_e22df50a24b24f8b9446b7b81fc7fab7~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_454,h_341,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/7919ae_e22df50a24b24f8b9446b7b81fc7fab7~mv2.webp)
Paul Cotter
May 8, 20242 min read
Layers of the Onion
When I was 25 years old, I thought I knew everything about everything – including photography. Full of youthful arrogance, I walked with...
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7919ae_b4bd0e7cd66a4eb181283f2da6557924~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_250,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_auto/7919ae_b4bd0e7cd66a4eb181283f2da6557924~mv2.webp)
![Abstract Thoughts](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7919ae_b4bd0e7cd66a4eb181283f2da6557924~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_454,h_341,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/7919ae_b4bd0e7cd66a4eb181283f2da6557924~mv2.webp)
Paul Cotter
Feb 21, 20242 min read
Abstract Thoughts
For me, abstract photography is like a free-wheeling jazz solo: it riffs and improvises, taking your brain to places it can’t get to by...
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7919ae_dc54a2d3a8284a78ab53b3944629b18e~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_250,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_auto/7919ae_dc54a2d3a8284a78ab53b3944629b18e~mv2.webp)
![What If?](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7919ae_dc54a2d3a8284a78ab53b3944629b18e~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_454,h_341,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/7919ae_dc54a2d3a8284a78ab53b3944629b18e~mv2.webp)
Paul Cotter
Nov 15, 20231 min read
What If?
Whenever we face an obstacle, there’s a simple way to move forward – a way that helps us break through the confines of ordinary thought...
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7919ae_bee2e9bf760240bfa21714e9d6e32f3d~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_250,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_auto/7919ae_bee2e9bf760240bfa21714e9d6e32f3d~mv2.webp)
![Time as a River](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7919ae_bee2e9bf760240bfa21714e9d6e32f3d~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_454,h_341,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/7919ae_bee2e9bf760240bfa21714e9d6e32f3d~mv2.webp)
Paul Cotter
Aug 8, 20231 min read
Time as a River
We think of time as something to be measured in precise ticks of the clock, calibrated with certainty like the markings on a yardstick....
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7919ae_e988ec808441414591c43d5ffbc582bf~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_250,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_auto/7919ae_e988ec808441414591c43d5ffbc582bf~mv2.webp)
![Thoughts About Thoughts](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7919ae_e988ec808441414591c43d5ffbc582bf~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_454,h_341,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/7919ae_e988ec808441414591c43d5ffbc582bf~mv2.webp)
Paul Cotter
Jul 28, 20231 min read
Thoughts About Thoughts
Approximately 6,200 thoughts will pop into your head today, according to the latest scientific research. That’s a lot of brain blips. And...
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7919ae_1a425f54c426434d95a25a71d1752e3c~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_250,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_auto/7919ae_1a425f54c426434d95a25a71d1752e3c~mv2.webp)
![Alternate Perceptions](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7919ae_1a425f54c426434d95a25a71d1752e3c~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_454,h_341,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/7919ae_1a425f54c426434d95a25a71d1752e3c~mv2.webp)
Paul Cotter
Jun 28, 20231 min read
Alternate Perceptions
When my father was in the later stages of Alzheimer’s disease, something happened that turned my notion of reality upside down. My Dad...
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7919ae_da0baa3a996f47ffaf8778def4e44201~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_250,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_auto/7919ae_da0baa3a996f47ffaf8778def4e44201~mv2.webp)
![It's Not What You Think](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7919ae_da0baa3a996f47ffaf8778def4e44201~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_454,h_341,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/7919ae_da0baa3a996f47ffaf8778def4e44201~mv2.webp)
Paul Cotter
Jun 13, 20231 min read
It's Not What You Think
When I ask people to guess what I photographed here, everyone assumes it’s something soft: a plush blanket, towel or other fabric. They...
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7919ae_5bd93503f30642cda362d718068b8a95~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_250,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_auto/7919ae_5bd93503f30642cda362d718068b8a95~mv2.webp)
![When Lightning Strikes](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7919ae_5bd93503f30642cda362d718068b8a95~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_454,h_341,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/7919ae_5bd93503f30642cda362d718068b8a95~mv2.webp)
Paul Cotter
May 24, 20231 min read
When Lightning Strikes
A few days ago, I read about a 34-year-old father in Texas who was killed by a lightning strike in his driveway. At the time of the jolt,...
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7919ae_7ee49288c9f04295ba24193324d09688~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_250,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_auto/7919ae_7ee49288c9f04295ba24193324d09688~mv2.webp)
![The Music of Light](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7919ae_7ee49288c9f04295ba24193324d09688~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_454,h_341,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/7919ae_7ee49288c9f04295ba24193324d09688~mv2.webp)
Paul Cotter
May 17, 20231 min read
The Music of Light
How do you perceive light? When I first picked up a camera many years ago, I saw light as something that illuminated a subject, allowing...
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7919ae_682e3136576747f486c0498b7d32472d~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_250,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_auto/7919ae_682e3136576747f486c0498b7d32472d~mv2.webp)
![The Luminous Core](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7919ae_682e3136576747f486c0498b7d32472d~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_454,h_341,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/7919ae_682e3136576747f486c0498b7d32472d~mv2.webp)
Paul Cotter
Apr 25, 20231 min read
The Luminous Core
When I’m photographing, I sometimes see things that speak to a deeper meaning. This is one of those images. I shot this photo at night,...
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7919ae_8ae450efdca2432d9f625728f3e337ed~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_250,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_auto/7919ae_8ae450efdca2432d9f625728f3e337ed~mv2.webp)
![Shadow Thoughts](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7919ae_8ae450efdca2432d9f625728f3e337ed~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_454,h_341,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/7919ae_8ae450efdca2432d9f625728f3e337ed~mv2.webp)
Paul Cotter
Apr 22, 20231 min read
Shadow Thoughts
A shadow is there, but in another sense it isn’t there at all. It has a shape and a tonal intensity – yet it’s as formless as a thought....
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7919ae_caa397f5c51545faa824e33d34c74069~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_250,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_auto/7919ae_caa397f5c51545faa824e33d34c74069~mv2.webp)
![In Lieu of Flowers](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7919ae_caa397f5c51545faa824e33d34c74069~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_454,h_341,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/7919ae_caa397f5c51545faa824e33d34c74069~mv2.webp)
Paul Cotter
Apr 18, 20231 min read
In Lieu of Flowers
Sometimes when I’m taking pictures, people will stop and ask me “Why in the world would you photograph THAT?” I can understand why...
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