What a surreal and heartwarming feeling when a perfect stranger acknowledges and appreciates something you have done. It can be as simple as saying thank you, making eye contact and smiling, a thumbs up, or it can be in your actions. Holding the door open, buying someone a coffee, shoveling a driveway, or boosting a car are examples of showing your kindness to others. Unlike my loving husband, I believe in humanity. I believe that we are kind and good by nature, but over the years some of us have forgotten that amazing feeling that boils up inside you, when someone is kind to you or when you spread kindness to others.

I experienced that feeling yesterday on my drive home. I almost had to pull over because of the tears swelling up in my eyes. I listen to a weekly photography podcast “So You Want to be a Photographer”, where acclaimed photographer Gina Milicia shares lessons, mistakes and turning points in her successful career. Talking with journalist and magazine editor Valerie Khoo, Gina and Valerie explore what it takes to make it in the world of photography.

During Episode 062: Bargain Hunter: How to buy new and used photography gear, Gina answered a question I had posted on the podcast community Facebook page relating to a light box, I had built for my weekly visit at the animal shelter.

"I volunteer every week at my local SPCA by taking photographs of their animals in hopes that a great profile of pictures will help them find forever homes. This week I had the pleasure of playing with kittens!

I decided that I wanted to try and build a little light box which I had placed inside an empty cage. It had worked out pretty well, but my edges can still be seen in the shot (see first picture). I wondered if anyone had any suggestions as to how I could fix this, other than editing them out in the post as I’ve done in the second picture.