Photo Favs

I love the creativity photography allows me to enjoy. A craving that every one of us needs to satisfy on an on going basis. It keeps the brain strong, the mind sane, personal growth healthy. At this point in my life.....I soak it up. I. Crave. It. Live. For. It. Each and every day. I look forward to coming home each evening anxious to find my next shot (okay....a bit repetitive lately maybe...but...life...well you know.)

I have some shots that I do on a regular basis....because they are fun, bring a different perspective. I'm always trying to find a different way to utilize the same process. Some of the shots I love to take:

Framing things
Shooting with a view through things....as the photo above. My garden of Susans as seen through the back of a patio chair.
Bokeh
Totally Candid portraits
Shooting from underneath. I do this a lot with floral pictures...in case you haven't noticed.
Shooting from behind....people, animals....walking away.

I'm always looking for ways of creating in the above formats. I know....there is so much more I could do....that I could learn. I'll get there. I'll expand. I promise.

Faces

Do you see them? The faces. It totally made me smile. Just a bit....of serendipity. Simply found in the abandoned lot next to me. It's time...to buy....a WI Wildflower book.

A Windy Effort

I came home today to find my current 'favorite flower' in my gardens, broken off...by the wind I would suspect..although it was a pretty clean snap. I grabbed it up and floated it in the bird bath hoping it would extend its life a bit longer.

There was even a bit of rippling in the shallow bird bath water due to the wind. It made it very difficult to get the exact shot that I wanted. This one was way over exposed but the less blurry of most of the others. Again, surprised by an element in the picture that I didn't pay attention to until I reviewed the pics on the screen.

One. Refreshing. Droplet. All along I just wanted a picture of its reflection, colorful shadow in the room. Another...Mother Nature surprise...a refreshing one at that.

"What's in a Name"

What is in a name?
Wish I was better at remembering.
But it doesn't matter.
It is beautiful...ly....different but most importantly...it is a perennial. It came back after being covered four months with snow.

I was practicing some f16 shots with this one. I have been so obsessed with the wider apertures and the backgrounds it creates...and now...I see I can get some of the same effects with the smaller apertures....and yet have more of the 'up close' be in focus.

Rain Drops

I took a photography class not too long ago where the instructor joked throughout the session and field trip about "creating your own raindrops"...with a spray bottle...for photographs. Something I've never done before. Hadn't even thought about it. When we did the field trip, some of the other photographers were using that technique and I lucked out in having come in behind some of them where some of their "raindrops" remained.

This weekend....as we prepared for a second day of fishing...I noticed there were still rain drops from the mid afternoon rain on the flowers flourishing in the wild gardens on the property. What fun...capturing what I could...quickly. Again, I didn't use a tripod....I should have...but I still was able to capture some 'naturalities', some Mother Nature wonders.

I like the raindrops. The fuzzy edges. The dreamy looks.

Weekly Assignment - f16

One of the sites I follow with photo challenges that I have actually participated much in has the challenge of f16 photography this week. It gives me a chance to focus on something. I've done so much with the wider apertures lately that this will give me a bit of a change of pace. I captured this one tonight with f16....close to dusk...utlizing a back filter flash. The aster...showing some color.

Just a ...Little Bit Off

If you read my other blog....you know...last night was a personally trying evening...yes...even if for silly silly reasons.

I didn't sleep well...for whatever reason.

Today....I helped with another wedding. The church was hot. I melted...continuously. I was grumpy. I wasn't quite there...mentally....as I should have been. I worried too much about my capabilities. I used a newer lense I had.

I learned.....that when someone else is depending on you, you should use something more 'dependable'....something more familiar.....

You should get a good nights rest before hand.

You should not do something the day before that will get you mentally....going the wrong direction....even if it is for such silly silly reasons.

"Dear Friend, that I assisted. I apologize for not being completely there. I hope that...something was usable...if even just one.

Survival

An aster....showing its face...to say.....
I have survived. I am here. I have not......
gone away.

Patience....I will show my true colors.....soon.

What the Eyes don't see

I walk around my little flower gardens....dreaming of bigger ones of course. This year, I am truly amazed, day in and day out, as to what came back after what seemed like six months of snow laden grounds. So many things that didn't seem to survive the winters in Houston. Heat tolerant, no care, perennial plants. Salvias, roses, sedums, succulents, bee balm.....and the list keeps going.

The rose plants seemed to have been adorned with buds for months (in actuallity only weeks) before they finally started showing some color...color that just naturally attracted the 'looking glass' to it.....to present...yet another surprise...of a little critter (of course, looking for it's next meal). A little critter that is still out there somewhere and although I see signs of it dining...I don't have the heart to.....stop it. The damage....currently....is tolerable.

Macro Obsession

Yes....maybe I am obsessed with my new lense that has macro capabilities. I am really enjoying the 'up close and personal' thing right now with all the different spring/summer surprises that Mother Nature is blessing us with....after a long, restless winter. This sedum....must be created by Energizer....because it just keeps on going!!!!

Itsy Bitsy

This really is a very small little aster that, again, caught my eye because of the daisy like sunshiny face it has. Found when hiking a new trail.

Totally amazed that the picture came out as it did.

I continue to find that the best ones...are just...by chance...simple....serendipity. (Remember that...as it will...be seen again.)

The 'Ugly Duckling'

It pops its head up amidst the beauty of the other wildflowers....insisting on being part of the ooo's and aahh's....shedding its seedlings....insisting on thriving for continued generations.

Not What it Seems.....

It really isn't what it seems.....a tulip with fernlike foliage.

I visited with my mom a bit today and was excited to see that the bulbs I planted for her in the fall were coming up in places that we didn't think they were going to come up. They were just a bit slow due to a location with a little less sun to warm them up and urge them out of the ground.

This one looked so happy and comfy...in the midst of the soft fern bed...peaking its sunshiny face out...singing it's "Warmth is finally here" song to all.

Spring Flowers

I love this time of the year when Mother Earth starts to come alive after a long, silent, cold winter. It continues to amaze me how so quickly things brighten up after months and months of snow white blanketed grounds....and how so heart warming it is....and how the entire universe of life seems to become wonderfully chirpy and cheery.

Daisy Days

I love daisies and sunflowers. I would much rather have a bouquet of them then roses. Oh I love my roses...but I enjoy them more in the yard...although I guess I do just about any flower...enjoy them more in the yard than in a vase...not that I don't like bouquets in the house...actually I guess I like flowers just about any where...but if I had to choose between indoors or out...of course it would have to be out...because I prefer to be out more than I do in.....because when I'm in, I feel I should probably be doing something like cleaning or paperwork...and I'd much rather work in the yard, digging in the dirt...moving it from one spot to another...and as much as I hate weeding...I would much rather pull weeds than clean house....and it has often been my most popular way of procrastinating on cleaning...pulling weeds...which on days when my house is clean and paperwork all done...which isn't very often....the paperwork being done.....then weeding is my least favorite thing and at that point in time....I'll find something to help me procrastinate against pulling weeds.

hhhmmmm....but I digressed I guess...hehehehehe....regardless.....daisies are my favorites...white Shasta like daisies....because to me....they are simple and ....I love the more simple things in life. This 'representative of daisy like flowers' was in a bouquet I bought at the store and when laid on the counter....I saw it reflected in the toaster side and couldn't pass up the chance of 'making two out of one'.

Simply.....Black and White

I remember when as a child we purchased our first color tv. The first show I saw on it was The Wizard of Oz. How absolutely fantastic and so fairy tale when Dorothy walked out of her house into the Land of Oz with so many vibrant colors. The world...came alive. From then and there ....it's been a whirl wind of constant changing technology.....color photographs, computers, cell phones, dvd players, plasma tvs, wireless connections, digital cameras and every day introduction of yet another model of some gadget or another. One of today's roads that goes on and on and on. It can be overwhelming and frustrating to try to keep up with it....mentally as well as financially.

So many days...in more ways than one...I wish for the simplicity of 'ions ago'. Possibly this is why I find I enjoy taking photos as much...if not even more so some days...in just....plain....old.....black....and white. It brings a peaceful serenity to my world that many days is so much needed and appreciated.

BE MINE, VALENTINE

An early Valentine bouquet, an evening walk, a lobster dinner prepared at home, a glass of wine, R&R at home on the couch, warm arms to cuddle in......what more could a girl want.......

Neighborly Gifts

I've lived in many places in my life, having moved every 2 to 3 years when I was a child, and almost as much in the past 8 years. I've not always had the luxury of close acquaintances, best friends until I met my very best friend that I truly miss from down south. She was always there for me with a kind word to get through the day. We've been apart now for almost 8 years and lost contact for a few of those. Now, we enjoy each other from a distance as much as our crazy lives allow us...which isn't enough...it just isn't enough. I've been blessed with a couple other awesome acquaintances since my move to the midwest...a couple of those being my neighbors a couple doors down. Last week after 'the call', I was given a bulb in a vase, with some pale green leaves shooting out. A week later, in the midst of this long winter, just overnite, this awesome bloom spraying the most wonderful fragrance makes me smile and realize how very lucky I am....to have such wonderful acquaintances in my life.