Little Scraps of Magic

Currently...with a Mug Shot!

Gotta love it when life plays an unexpected joke. A few weekends ago, Phil and I went exploring in Staunton, VA. I enjoyed an iced chai here and then went outside to grab a shot for posterity. Well, turns out there are two puns here! The first being, that when I snapped the pic, I didn't realize that my "mug" was nearly smack dab in the middle. Then, I just blissfully typed: went outside to grab a "shot." Oh, dear!

Currently:

...listening to sounds of folks getting up to be on their way

...drinking a cup of coffee perked in my mom's old coffeepot (Yeah, it's aluminum, but I grew up on coffee made in this pot.)

...wearing some comfortable gray capris with a funky grey and white top; thank you Chico's!

...feeling relaxed 'cause it's Saturday

...the weather is "almost" sunny, but the gray is peeking through, and they're calling for rain. Guess I'm appropriately dressed.

...wanting it to be summer vacation

...needing to declutter, destash, and create some serenity in this house

...thinking that I need to edit my photos, get them uploaded to Winkflash and Snapfish, so that I'm ready for those deals that pop up in my inbox

...enjoying the idea that I get to go bumming today

She's a Cutie-Patootie!

She really lives up to being a cutie-patootie, doesn't she?

Wanderlust struck today, and off we went in search of adventure.

Discovered that Staunton, Va, being part of the "Bible Belt" closed up on Sundays. While we didn't get a chance to poke around in antique shops or funky one of a kind craft shops, we explored some very cool architecture, and wandered through an old cemetary.

A bit farther down the road, we discovered this antique mall, where the friendly folks didn't bat an eye at my request to take some pics. (Snobby antique places most certainly do...bat their eyes, that is!)

Stopped for dinner at a mom and pop sort of Italian place. I devoured lobster ravioli in some sort of to die for shrimp sauce.

Took the long way home, and I saw far too many mountains and cows. You would not believe the amount of cows between Staunton and Sprinfield!

Details to follow!

P.S. With very little to say about those cows, other than there were a LOT OF THEM!

Leading LInes

Focus 52...Week 4

Wanderlust struck today, and I began the hunt.

My object of desire? Leading lines  - the wonderful lines that lead you to the image or maybe across, or even out of the picture.

Wouldn't like to sit a bit? Maybe grab a cup of coffee and read the paper? The curved brick walkway guides you on your pathway; your feet just automatically follow your eyes.

Behind you a creek winds its way towards town, branches reaching out to frame it, and to grab your eyes. I have to admit though, I struggled with these shots. So much gray and brown, the sun fading it. Thank you, Mother Nature, for that shot of green.

All the lines in this image, pull you right to this friendly fellow, from the top of the display case, the meandering line created by the jar tops, and those beads and ribbon frame his face nicely, don't they? (Have to admit, this was one of my favorite stops!)

The diagonal fence line carries you down the hill and across the picture.

A bit of a close up...even the shadows invite you along the path!

I've realized that I really, really need to learn photoshop and the magic of layering. So many of the photos that garner the "oooohs" and "ahhhhhhs" seem to have some gorgeous post processing! They were awesome to begin with, mind you, but the layers seem to equal magic. Another challenge, a fun one to boot!

Eat. Smile. Repeat.

Cincinnati loves to eat, and, oh, the goodies to be found here! We spent Thanksgiving weekend with our oldest, Corey, and his lovely bride, Christina. Yesterday morning, we all got up early to visit this awesome spot, right before Phil and I hit the road. WOW!!! Even though we visited on one of the last days of November, we found plenty to do, buy, and most of all, eat.

The indoor portion remains open all year, and you can find everything from knowledgable butchers whom believer firmly in customer service, to bakery items, to plants and so much more.

Nicknamed "Porkopolis," the market held a fine collection of pigs.

Color, textures, aromas...I wanted it all! But, we had ourselves a mission to be accomplished, and that was to visit the colonel.

I am blessed with men who love to cook, and who do it extremely well. Needless to say, my husband and eldest son find paradise here! Spices, sugars, herbs, rubs and more can be located here, and you buy by the ounce.

This photo barely begins to cover the extent of the Colonel's goodies. Cases stretch in both directions from this focal point, and cares run below as well. We didn't know where to begin.

Along with an outstanding knowledge of spices and such, this guy possesses a wonderful sense of humor.

After leaving the colonel, I picked up a few choice pieces of chocolate here...yummy!

Much, much more to be found here, but I'll leave you with this little piece of advice found in a window shop:

P.S. I had sushi for the first time ever, and I promply fell in love with yet one more type of food! Thanks to my lovely daugher in law, Christina, for a wonderful afternoon together.

Shooting Style!

I love it whan someone says to me, "I knew it was your art work...I recognized the style." I'm amazed, because I don't quite see it. And, I've been creating art journal pages far longer than I've been "serious" about my photography. I couldn't quite figure out how I'd know my shooting style if I didn't know my jounaling style. I think I'm beginning to figure it out, and they are remarkably the same.

I'm a newbie as far as equipment...a Canon EOS Rebel T3, a beginner's telephoto lens from Craig's list, and a few macro filters. Along with a basic camera bag, that's it, so the bag never gets too heavy. That doesn't stop me from whining when I see what other photographers carry; my husband is quick to point out that I have "lens envy." There's a tripod tucked away in the corner of my art studio, but I like the feel of a camera in my hand. To be honest, I need to figure out what the other lenses will do before I buy anything. I do know I want a better telephoto. The one I have just doesn't do what my mind wants it to do. I want to get those gorgeous close ups of an animal's eye for example.

I'm in love with light, especially early morning, dusk, and evening when the colors come out to play, and everything seems so much softer. I took this in late December, standing for nearly an hour watching the wild Chincoteague ponies. It was bitterly cold,and we had experienced a major storm. My husband and I were the only two fools dancing in the cold, trying to stay warm. I took shot after shot, but this one is my favorite...the ponies kissed by the light.

Phil and I are definitely a pair of gypsies, needing no excuse to pick a spot and go exploring...sometimes far away (I shot this at Yaddo Gardens, Saratoga Springs, NY) and sometimes just an hour or so away, and sometimes as close as the local farmers' market, from spring, through summer,

through fall.

I rarely shoot events, unless it's family related. I don't shoot them "professionally," just as a happy bystander...aka grandma, usually!

But, mostly, really it's the everyday, whether it's close to home, or

a close up of a thistle after a balloon ride in Utah. I try to capture the beauty of something that too often gets overlooked.

I'm still stuck in auto, being rather bewildered by manual. I need to figure out manual, but knowing me, I'll go right to creative! I love to play. The camera's almost always with me, and the few times I've left it behind, I miss something really good. Like the sign that said, "Report suspicious icy conditions." (It usually reads "suspicious activities!") I'm a real mix of excurions and eveyday. And, then there's the sheep poking his head out of a second floor barn "window" as we drove through Vermont. The camera was in the car, but we were past that amazing sight, before I could react.

Phil is always with me, often grabbing the camera bag, or handing me a lens. The man is remarkably patient, and despite himself, is learning to find his own "eye." My other camera buddy is my sister; we can spend hours together, each of us happily wandering about doing my own thing.

What a long post...and I have a great deal more I could say. One interesting side note...as I've wandered through files, I realized I shoot far more often in landscape mode than portrait!

Papparazzi Paula

Oh, my...these two gentlemen have no idea they're appearing on my blog. Papparazzi Paula strikes again. (uhm, well...strikes for the first time...)

My newest career began a few weekends back.

The scene? A balcony overlooking Chincoteague Channel

The time? Early, early morning

The photographer? Yours truly, dressed in her nightgown

The plan? Run back inside and grab my telephoto and snap, snap, snap!

Why? Check out the fishing poles carefully - they're bungee corded to the piers on the pole!

Now, I can't quite figure out if these two gents are creative, lazy, or both.

What's your vote?

Snapshot

 
Lunch on the balcony yesterday, talking to my brother on the phone, when these folks came paddling by...an explosion of color and energy.

We had a day filled with wandering around looking for photo ops and sitting on the beach watching dolphins and sailboats.

Life is good.

Good Morning, Sunshine

 
I woke up to this...glorious! I stood on the balcony in nightgown and bare feet, dancing a little jig now and then,a result of some cold toes! But, how could I resist? Watching the sun climb, listening to the ducks dive bomb the channel as they landed (Graceful and light of foot they are not!), hearing the gulls cry. Every sense was on overload.

 
Turning slightly right, I watched the sun climb to the top of this tree. Photo after photo...snap, sanp, snap!

Phil and I are at Chincoteague and staying right on the channel Capturing the light as it changes throughout the day, the reflections of broken piers, and even phone/electircal lines in the water...I'm every so happily occupied!

We just finished breakfast on the balcony. A fleet of kayaks glided by, all the different colors popping agains the water.

We're off to go do some exploring, hoping for some great shots. Then, the beach with a packed picnic lunch. Dinner back here along with watching the sunset. (Our balcony wraps around, so we enjoy bot sunrise and sunset!)

Enjoying my long weekend and some down time...what a gift!

Monochromatic Color

 
Over at Kat's blog, some color wheel exploration has been going on! Kat covered several different color wheel "schemes," but as I've wandered through my photos tonight, I seem to be focused (not a deliberate pun!) on monochromatic photos. As Kat explains it, let go of the idea of black/white or sepia. Think instead about the feeling of one dominant color. I shot this scene while waiting to go on our moonlight sail at St. Michael's in Maryland. This might even be a bit "analogous" since as I look a bit closer, I'm seeing shades of blues and greens.

 

 
A bit of a different take on "blue!" My sister and I shared this delightful rum raisin scone and some spiced coffee. I loved this bunny plate; it just made me smile!

 

 

The coolness of the forest floor...so many greens!

 

 
Shades of gray...an "altar" found along the shores of Lake Erie.

 

 
More grays, but a very different "feel." Shot on the deck of a restaurant in Wacherpreague, VA. This place has a melt in your mouth crabcake salad. I've sampled many a crabcake, purely in the interest of science, and I put the gold seal of approval on this one!

 

 
Another forest floor, and a photo I nearly deleted instantly! I'm so glad I didn't, because I've fallen in love with the blurry background...shades of glorious color and light!

So many more pictures that I could share. I hope you've enjoyed these! I'm learning to look and to "see." I'm beginning to put it all into play before I shoot, and I'm loving this play time.

Tomorrow brings Friday...smiles here! And, I'm pleased to report that even though they haunted me every time I passed the faculty workroom....I did NOT eat the brownies!!!!

Allowing the Eye to Rest

Earlier this week, thanks to Kat's blog, I found another wonderful photography blog, called Mortal Muses. I lingered there for quite awhile, working my way backwards through post upon post, just lost in beauty. If you love photography and/or just want to improve yours, head over to both blogs.

 
The theme? Negative space. Negative space allows the eye to be drawn in and just rest a bit.

 
Phil and I enjoyed our first sailboat ride...a moonlit one!...just a few weekends back at St. Michael's in MD. We sailed using "partial sails" due to an unsettled weather system, and I can only imagine what full sails must be like. I felt absolutely drawfed, but at the same time completely enthralled.

 
While wandering through part of western NY, I glanced down to see this crushed, but still beautiful, fern.  Mom (mother nature) really does know what's best in the sense that she provides space, and along with it peace and beauty. We just need to pay attention and "see."

 
Allowing a bit of that blue sky on the right really helps that red lighthouse roof to pop.

 
I shot this abandoned boat so many times. Something about it haunted me, and I wished I knew its stories.

 
In a bit closer, and if I remember correctly, pretty much nearly flat on the road's shoulder while Phil stood guard. I'm sure I created no end of amusement and bafflement, accompanied by headshaking as the motorists whizzed by!

 
Taken the morning we left Chincoteague. He seemed so lost in thought.

I tend to focus in tightly, but was pleased as I wandered back through recent photos, that I used this technique as well. I've learned so much from both blogs, and I'm really beginning to figure out what makes certain photos work!