Ice Storm Series I

We had a rather lot of ice coat every surface outside recently in a storm. It was a surprise to look outside the next day and see it totally sunny. It was a great day for photos. I like the colors of the white ice against the midday blue sky.

Land of the Gingerbread People

Mmmm... the gingerbread cookies are the most coveted at my house. This holiday, the red hots were really big! They still tasted great though! I like this photo because I think the perspective is interesting. To make this a better photo I think I could have moved the cookies around a little so even more were in the frame. Also the color seems a little green for some reason.

Waiting for the Bus in the Rain

I woke up really early and happened to peek out the window where I saw our little neighbor waiting for the bus to rumble up the street. She was being kind of funny, just because she kept moving, twirling her umbrella and fidgeting. However, at this moment she finally paused and I like how she's calmly waiting. I don't like how grainy it happens to be, but I blame the distance and the fact that I had to zoom so far. I still like it anyway.

Writings from Yesterday

I found this old notebook of mine from about 8th grade. We had a daily entry to compose for English class, and this day's prompt was "Sleep..." and this was my amusing result.
The notebook was on my my quilt. I suppose the light could be slightly better; I feel it's a little bit dark.

"Lucky" 13

Today I didn't take a picture! I planned on taking a portrait of my brother, but that will have to wait for now. This is from when I was in Munich last year.

Knitting

It's out of focus, but I like the action and blurred hands. It's also a little bit dark, though I turned on five(!) lights in the area.

*You start with nothing but a ball of yarn and 2 needles, then before you know it the yarn has been transformed into something beautiful, something useful. I think I love this aspect of knitting so much because the progress in life is not always so easy to see. It is encouraging to see something come to completion when most areas of life are left open and unresolved. I become hopeful that the loose strings of my life can also be woven into so fine and useful a pattern.* ~ Bree, a fellow blogger

Ansel Adams says...

A true photograph need not be explained, nor can it be contained in words.

I have the pleasure of looking at this lamp shade every day, as it occupies my desk. I enjoy the pattern.

Tenth Day Classic B&W Piano

This is an antique upright piano. I think it's a little bit dark, but I like the angle as well as how the keys are the focus of this image.
'And I've got a feeling that the piano has been drinking' ~Tom Waits

Some Drawers on Day Nine

I walked by the desk today and noticed that just this part of the drawers was illuminated by a sunbeam. I like that it is simple and that all three handles are in the picture. I also like how it fades to black around the edges.

"As I have practiced it, photography produces pleasure by simplicity. I see something special and show it to the camera. A picture is produced. The moment is held until someone sees it. Then it is theirs." ~Sam Abell gets it

Cactus Blooms on Day Eight

My Christmas cactus began blooming recently and they have wonderful, hot pink blooms that remind me a bit of a shooting star. I experimented with the placement of the plant so the background wouldn't be distracting and used the macro setting. Here, I had it on a window sill with a sheet of white paper behind it. I was a little bit disappointed that the flowers look more or less like blobs of pink than flowers, but they are a little bit of a crazy shape. I think what would have made this more successful is to isolate one bloom with a plain background.

A Juiced End to Week One - Yesterday's Oranges

As I've mentioned before, November is a challenging month to start this project -- but I got through the first week! Today was a study in macro and I noticed some interesting little things I hadn't before. However, I chose this image because I like the light, the colors are bright and I think the subject is interesting. Not your typical shot of oranges.
Orange is the happiest color. ~Frank Sinatra

Wind Chimes on Day Six

I've read about but never used reflectors, and I think today I might have benefited from a little bit of extra light. It was pretty windy, and the sound made me pay attention to this wind chime of hammered out silverware. I really like the sky.

Take these wind chimes we bring you,
Let their music fill the air.
Let them sing a song upon the wind,
And feel him standing there.
Source

The Huge Beer Horses

Another miserable, drizzly November day and another group of uninspiring shots.
I went to see the Clydesdales at Anheuser-Busch and was awed by the size of these monsters. However, I didn't get the photo I was looking for, partly because I took too few and also because the lighting was not great. It was too dim inside to not have a flash, but I am never thrilled with my pictures when my flash does go off. So besides the image having a wonky color that hurts my eyes, there are also too many extraneous people besides Chip (the horse) and the little girl petting his nose, which should have been the main subject.

This is the above image, cropped. Here's to learning more about taking photos! I definitely know what I need to work on.

Foggy Day Four on The River

I shot a few different frames of this view and I finally decided that this one was composed the best. It was very cool on the river; from where I was standing I could see fog to the left and right but none right in front of me. Strange.

But the majestic river floated on,
Out of the mist and hum of that low land....
~Matthew Arnold

Three Lights

Today was tough; it was rainy and uninspiring.

"If you are going through hell, keep going." Thanks, Winston Churchill

Day 2 and the Rising Moon

I was outside raking leaves when I suddenly noticed the moon and how large it looked! Tomorrow's moon will be full.

When I admire the wonder of a sunset or the beauty of the moon, my soul expands in worship of the Creator. ~Mahatma Gandhi

First Picture - Oak Leaf on Asphalt

October gave a party;
The leaves by hundreds came –
The Chestnuts, Oaks, and Maples,
And leaves of every name.
The Sunshine spread a carpet,
And everything was grand,
Miss Weather led the dancing,
Professor Wind the band.

~George Cooper