30) Fun-guy February 10, 2010

A lovely array of colours on a dreary day

I have lots of things on my list of t0-dos today… some are very important (like studying) and others not so much (like picking out a lipstick colour for the Ball this weekend).  But no matter how crazy my life gets I still try to keep my eyes open, looking for the little things that make life worth something.  For me (being a Biologist), this picture is a perfect example of a little thing worth capturing.  The fungi growing on this log was so beautiful and colourful, glistening from the water droplets that sprinkled over it like fairy dust.  *smile*  Pictures like this one make me happy.  I hope you enjoy it as well.

Peace and love!!!

29) Day Dreamer February 9, 2010

Day dreamer

I apologize for not posting a picture yesterday.  It was not a good day for me and I was in no mood to communicate with anyone, even a non-responsive audience.  Thankfully, by the end of the day a good friend made me feel better. 

I have class to attend shortly and so again (sadly), I am posting a short blog.

The photo above was taken last year during my Spring 09 semester.  I loved the interesting twisting of the tree above the model, it made me interested in the picture.  The model above has been the best I have worked with to date.  Thankfully, several people have become interested in modeling for me within the next month or so.    So, in the not too distant future there will be more pictures with models in them.  Which is a change of pace for me from my usual nature photos.

I have begun a small project idea for my future model photo shoots.  I am doing a series of modernized fairy tale characters.  Originating from the ORIGINAL fairy tales and not the Disney versions.  I have already done Snow White.  If you have any ideas to help me, I would appreciate it.  Let me know some of your favourite classic fairy tales in their original context.  I’d love to read them!

Peace and love!!!

28) Sea Oats February 7, 2010

Sunset on the Gulf of Mexico

Again today’s blog is going to be short.

As Spring approaches I long to be by the beach again.  Last year I took this photo down in Destin, FL while on Fall break.  I had such a wonderful time with my mother and a couple friends.  The sea oats silhouetted by the setting sun was so beautiful.  It complemented the lovely-ness of that weekend perfectly.  I’m sure soon I’ll be back there enjoying the waves and salty sea air.

Peace and love!!!

27) City Life February 6, 2010

Disarray of city life

I know I like to take picture of nature, but I also like pictures of the city.  Sadly, I don’t live close enough to one to get too many images of it.  This picture was taken a block down from the Cafe Coco in Nashville, TN.  (Where I highly suggest you go if you’re in that general area.  Their German Chocolate coffee is AMAZING!) I love the disarray and confusion elicited by this photo.

I hope you enjoy the change of pace with this picture.

Peace and love!!!

26) Rainy February February 5, 2010

Rain drenched leaves

I went on a search this afternoon around my yard looking for pictures in the rain.  This was one of my results.

26) A Day without Rain February 5, 2010

A partly flooded peanut field

This field has not seen too many of these recently.  I seems as though things start to dry up and get nice, when rain comes pouring down again.  Just like today, and tomorrow, and (as the weather forecast says) the day after!  Where I live, rain is part of the natural cycle.  We cannot live without it.  It’s actually quite amazing how well adapted the local plants are!  I can look outside on a dry Friday and see brownish plants and semi-green trees.  It will rain ALL weekend long, then come Monday… the world is blooming with greenery!  It’ll be everywhere you look.  Such a vivid green… I can’t wait till spring to begin to capture the beauty of this state.  I don’t find it the greatest place to live, but it sure is naturally beautiful!

I have always had quite a spiritual connection with Mother Earth.  If there is ONE thing I believe in, it’s that nature will balance itself out… the Circle of Life is something none of us can escape.  Though, it seems Humans think they are apart from it all.  This saddens me quite a bit.  That people get SO caught up in their lives that they can’t see the beauty and energy flowing around them.  If you haven’t noticed yet, I tend to take a lot of landscape pictures.  The reason: I try to show people the beauty I see in the world that they tend to not notice.   The photo above is a perfect example!  So many people drive by this spot everyday… but none seem to see how beautiful it is.  They see how barren and flat it is, with that horrible flooded area.  If they could see through my eyes… I’m sure the world would look a little different to them.  Lucky for me, I can show people how I view the world!  Photography is one of my outlets.  One of my most important creative outlets (and I have plenty to spare).

I can only hope that you too have a wonderful outlet from life.  When stress and life get too much, there must be one thing that you can always turn to and it will calm you and let you feel as though you accomplished something.  I have many things that give me this sense, but photography is the most rewarding to me.

What hobby/interest/talent do you have that can make a bad day better?

Here are a few of mine:

• Playing with my pets
• Cooking a good meal and seeing others enjoyment from eating it
• Listening to Gaelic Storm
• Writing
• Drawing or Painting
• A great conversation with a loved one (Family and friends)
• And last, but by no means least, capturing a great shot with my camera!

25) Vampiress February 4, 2010

Out of the darkness

Every time I see this picture, I think of a Vampiress crawling out of her cave into the shadows.  Like she’s stalking her prey with those intense, seductive eyes.

There are quite a few elements that make this picture worthy of being called a “good picture”:

• The picture has a natural frame that focuses our eyes to the subject.
• Notice the ledge the model has her hand on, how it gradually gets darker the farther away it is from the lens? This adds depth, leading the eye naturally to the center of the picture.
• The background is darker than the subject, which makes the model stand out more.
• Lastly, a good model can make or break a picture, no matter how good the photographer is!  A model should know how to use her hands in a picture.  I’ve seen many pictures where the model’s face and body are in good positions, but the hands are unnatural and uncomfortable looking.  As you see in this photo, the model’s hands add extra interest and make the picture “complete”.

Hopefully these tips can help you compose a better picture the next time you’re out and about with your camera!

Peace and love!!!

24) Crab Traps February 3, 2010

Crab Traps down along the Bayou

I’m in an interesting mood presently… I don’t really know how to describe it.  But somehow this picture expresses part of the emotions I feel.  An organized mess? Maybe… maybe not.  I’m a little sleepy, but I want to stay awake.  I’m excited, yet subdued.  I’m happy, but slightly depressed.  Eh… it’s part of being a woman I suppose… crazy hormones!

The picture above was taken at the docks of a family members house on an overcast winter day. On my mother’s side I have fishermen, crabbers, and shrimpers down near the Bayous.  Lucky for me, as a result I get free or discount fresh sea food whenever I want!  Last time I went to visit (last month), I took some great pictures.  I attempted to capture an essence of the life they live down there.  It’s quite different from what the average American is used to.  It feels old and true.  People down there really understand life and the quality of it.  And most people in that area are brimming with generosity and love.  I don’t know if it has any correlation with the life they live or just the morals they are raised with.  In any sense, I love going to visit and always feel at home down there.  I also find it amusing, fun, and a journey back through time… meeting people who knew my mother when she was young or meeting people who knew my grandfather (he died when I was a toddler) and hearing crazy stories about the things he did.  I feel like it’s a trip down memory lane.  Not my memories, but other peoples; and I live these memories vicariously through them.  A small step closer to learning the complete story about the blood that runs through my veins.  Where it came from and where its been.

Peace and love!!!

23) Paw-some! February 2, 2010

My cat Skipper pawing for attention

I’ve had skipper since he was 10 weeks old.  He was a little white fluff-ball with beautiful sapphire eyes and a cute bob tail!  Not much has changed, except now he’s 10 years old and is a BIG white fluff-ball!  Skipper is quite a big cat, as most Manx are (almost 15 lbs), but most of it is muscle and fluffiness.  Regardless of his size he has a very cute small meow, that makes him absolutely adorable.  Skippers best friend is a black & white American short-haired named Buddy.  They have been together since they were kittens and are almost always hanging out together.  However, Buddy is a hunter to the extreme… he’s been known to go hunting for up to 3-4 days at a time.  Meanwhile, Skipper will laze around the garage sleeping.  Buddy is almost the complete opposite of skipper in every sense, but they compliment each other so well. 

Hanging out on their favourite window

Why I decided to write about Skipper and Buddy today?  I’m not quite sure.  I suppose my other pets have had a blog dedicated to them, and I figured it was their turn.  Especially considering they were the first animal residents acquired when we moved here.

Have you had any pets that really made an impact on you?

Peace and love!!!

22) TV for two February 1, 2010

Taken in Spring 2008 just outside Atlanta

I began learning photography in 2002.  Talking to professionals, learning easy tricks of the trade, and taking pictures of whatever I found appealing.  I continued learning what I could, but not being very serious with it.  After a few years I picked it up again, remembering how much I enjoyed it.  This led me to decide to take a photography class.  So in the Spring semester of 2008 I took a 35mm SLR film Nikon and went to town! I’m sure everyone was getting tired of me taking pictures… well, they were just going to have to get used to it!  I loved the world that opened up to me through the eye of a glass lens.  My creativity sky rocketed! I suddenly had a new way to look at everything around me.

During this time period I happened to be driving out of Atlanta, GA.  But to explore a little, and possibly get some pictures, I took a scenic route out of the city.  On my way, I saw this burned out wood home and thought it was a perfect subject!  I parked my car next to the house, camera in hand, went out and explored!  I set my meter and started clicking.  That’s when I saw these two old television sets… I knew I had a picture here… and I was right.  Later in the dark room I was SO thrilled to see how well this set of photos came out.  It was wonderful!  By the end of the semester I got my “A” and my camera truly became my best friend.

Peace and love!!!