Hello everyone. I wanted to share with you my current collage with a theme of endurance. My style of collage is a Freestyle. Often I do, but I wasn't required to utilize any contest photo in my design. However, if you'd like to join in visit the LMAC Community page.
For individuals like me who suffer from migraines, ours is a test of true endurance and resilience. You may not realize it, but 40 million people suffer from a migraine. Many refer to it as a migraine headache.
However, I discovered it's much more.
Migraine is more than a headache. As a complex neurological condition, migraine is a disorder that affects the brain and can cause intense pain on one or both sides of the head. Symptoms can include nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light and/or sound, and poor concentration. A migraine attack can last 4 to 72 hours.
As a young adult, I worked full time with a stressful legal career, added to that a family, attempting to continue my education, and assisted with the care of elderly parents. I was too busy to realize my headaches were more just being "too busy trying to do too much".
For me, when I feel an attack is imminent, I can immediately assess what level it may rise to. I feel as though my head is being split in half and running amuck in different directions. I can't grab it quick enough to put it back together. Blinding light erupts from my pupils throbbing at a high rate of speed. I literally have to pause what I'm doing and immediately take my medication and lie down. Naproxin works well enough for me to calm my muscles.
Since all individuals are different, any one or a combination of events can summon a migraine attack. Some of the more common events include:
Stress. Certain foods. Alcohol. Skipping meals. Sudden changes in weather/barometric pressure. Hormonal changes in women around the time of their menstrual cycles. Changes in sleep patterns. And, over-medicating.
My daily intake of medications for several underlying conditions is taxing on my mind and body. I have noticed that as I aged to senior citizen, my attacks are less frequent and severity less intense.
In addition to the above, the degree to which one may experience a migraine is affected by one's age, gender, and genetics. Scientists aren't one hundred percent certain but theorize that due to hormonal changes women are thirty percent (30%) more prone to migraine attacks.
Presently, there is no cure for migraines. However, in today's medical advancements, numerous methods and treatments exist to reduce the frequency and severity. Since each person may respond differently to treatments, those treatments must be tailored to the individual's needs and lifestyles.
As I did, consult with your physician if unsure whether you are susceptible to possible migraine attacks.
In preparing my collage, I wanted to portray how I personally feel when a migraine attacks. I utilized a free-sourced image of a female with her head split with one side having fallen. I included an abstract wavy image to replicate how my immediate surroundings are clouded. Sight, smell and feeling are heightened. The experience reminds me of a person alone on an island. No one can empathize if they have never experienced one. It's difficult to explain the emotions rendered and physical pain.
Finally, I included one of my pure fractals that resemble a lightning strike. Members from the LMAC Community through their contributions to the #LIL database contributed the seagull standing near the shore and a giraffe on stilts.
Below are the steps I took to compile my design and images I included. I utilized Canva to blend the different type images. Below are my steps in which I began with a blank, white canvas, then added layers of elements, removing backgrounds, resizing, detaching elements from their backgrounds, duplicating, colorizing, and repositioning items as needed incorporating the tools at my disposal in my Annual Pro Membership Subscription.
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| Item | Contributor | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy Golden sunset | Pixabay | Link |
| Female with head split | PxFuel | Link |
| Fantasy Wood perch near shore | Pixabay | Link |
| Abstract Purple waves | Pixabay | Link |
| Abstract Wavy Brown Lines on black | Pixabay | Link |
| Eye and bird near shore | Pixabay | Link |
| Little Egret standing on bank | Contributed to #LIL by @digitalis | Link |
| Giraffe on stilts | Contributed to #LIL by @eve66 | Link |
| Pure Fractal titled "White Lightning" | @justclickindiva | Link |
Below is my completed collage:
Thanks for your visit. I appreciate it. I hope you like my freestyle collage theme.
CONTEST RULES
IMPORTANT NOTICE:
| What is Let's Make a Collage? | It is a photography and collage contest where entries can be submitted. |
|---|---|
| Who created the contest? | @quantumg is the contest owner. |
| What type of contest is it? | This Contest utilizes a single photo provided by the contest owner as the basis for you to create your own photo collages by adding to the photo provided. |
| What are the rules? | 1. Use as your starting point for your collage the photography provided by the contest owner. It is located on the contest owner's post for free use without any copyright protection. |
| 2. Entries are required to be posted to the LMAC community and must contain a link to the contest post. | |
| 3. Entries need to set the LMAC account (@lmac) as 20% beneficiary to be eligible for the dynamic component of the prize pool.; | |
| 4. Extra support with the LMAC trail to all collages where LIL assets have been included AND the respective LIL-contributors set as 2% beneficiaries; | |
| 5. By submitting your contribution you agree that your artwork remains public domain and that it can be copied, modified and distributed, even for commercial purposes, without requiring further permission. | |
| 6. Any graphical element that is added to the photography either needs to be your own original work (e.g. own artwork or photography) OR needs to derive from sites whitelisted by LMAC. | |
| 7. IMPORTANT: Indicate the source of all materials used in your accompanying post. Otherwise your entry can NOT be put up for the final vote. | |
| 8. All sort of editing, modification and/or manipulation is allowed as long as no copyright is affected. | |
| What do you win? | Prizes listed on the contest owner's post. |
SOURCES:
a) JustClickindiva's Footer created in Canva utilizing its free background and images used with permission from discord admins.
b) Unless otherwise noted, all photos taken by me with my (i) Samsung Galaxy 10" Tablet, (ii) Samsung Phone, & (iii) FUJI FinePix S3380 - 14 Mega Pixels Digital Camera
c) Purple Butterfly part of purchased set of Spiritual Clip Art for my Personal Use
d) All Community logos, banners, page dividers used with permission of Discord Channel admins.
e) Ladies of Hive banner used with permission of and in accordance with the admin's guidelines
f) Thumbnail Image created by me in Canva.
g) "Flames." What is Apophysis 2.09. https://flam3.com/
If translation included, I use DeepL to assist my readers.
Thanks for your patience an understanding.
