Photo-a-Day! On being "fully awake"!

I love cats. Even this one, who is kind of our house-bully! (Thanks Allison!) :]

Along with my photography assignment posts, I've decided today that I am going to do my best to present a "photo-a-day"! I need an excuse to set aside my long list of things to do each day (taxes have been on that list for weeks now!) and spend some time thinking creatively!

Sometimes the photo I post will be of projects I am working on, portraits or landscapes and such, or maybe even past projects, and other times, like today, just something random that catches my eye...like, for example, the kitty who is now sitting on my lap listening to me type!

I think it is important, as a photographer, or anyone involved in a creative craft, (whether it's painting, writing, dancing, playing music, or whatever) to do something, even a little thing, every day...to remain "fully awake".

So, in the spirit of being engaged in the present...meet my kitty!

My new favorite photo...

I am a blog stalker. I admit it! There ought to be a support group for people like me, who can spend hours and hours looking at photos on other people's blogs and websites! Admitting it is the first step, right...?!

But anyway, I was recently re-introduced to a photographer from Central Oregon who not only does amazing work as a professional photographer, but also, and more amazingly, participates quietly in humanitarian efforts. As Kevin Kubota writes (in his blog!), [Benjamin Edwards] "is passionate about using photography to better the world".

This picture made me laugh and cry, all at once...and makes me want to be the kind of person who not only believes that we really can make a difference in the world, but also to be the kind of person who acts on that premise.

Thanks for inspiring Ben! I hope I am passing it on...

Love these....

I love architectural photos...and these are just really cool!
Tyler and his lovely wife spent the weekend in Boise, while he attended a RMSP weekend workshop. He was able to take a little time to wander with his camera and got these great shots at the Boise Temple.

Finally...!!!

I feel really badly when I don't make the time to complete my own assignments! But finally, I have some photos to post...for the latest assignment...PATTERNS!
When you look for patterns, you really do begin to see them everywhere...in nature: flowers, pine cones, tree branches, and even clouds have patterns formed by the winds!
My niece and I stopped by this grove of trees between home and Boise on Sunday afternoon. You've probably seen them...rows and rows and rows of trees! If it hadn't been so cold and windy that day, we would've spent a lot more time...and we decided it would be fun to come back and wander in the dark...!!!



And then there are man made patterns...these being in my game closet! I kind of like the purposefulness of patterns, orderly patterns as well as RaNdOm ones! Makes me feel like things are under control!

Happy Birthday Ashley!

Sometimes I wish you were this little again...and sometimes I am really glad you aren't! But all of the time...I love you! Happy Birthday! :] Mom

Tread lightly...

One of the best things about photography...well, really, any kind of creative field...is that we all see the world so differently from each other. Case in point, Tyler turned in a great couple of photos for the latest assignment, that of PATTERNS! Tyler "sees" things differently than I, not better, not worse...just differently! It's so fun!!
It would not have occurred to me to photograph my car's tire treads as part of an assignment about Patterns. I don't think it's just that, well, I am a girl...and, even more, I am a girl who doesn't pay much attention to treads or tires...(ask my husband who has to remind me to rotate them or replace them when they look like racing tires!)...but I just don't "see" them! But look at them...they are kind of cool! And what a unique pattern! (Perhaps Part II of Tyler's assignment would be the imprint of this tire in mud?! Kind of a negative version to this positive...?)
Anyway, nice job Tyler! I have to find some time to work on my own assignment...been keeping busy enjoying my daughter's visit home from college...and celebrating my other daughter's birthday...and other fun stuff!
Enjoy!

Assignment!!!

I am certain you are ready for your next creative photography assignment...?

We're going to call this one simply "Patterns". Your assignment, photograph patterns! Patterns exist everywhere...in nature or man-made...macro or in landscapes...physical patterns or metaphorical patterns (oooh, got you thinking now, huh?!).

Keep in mind, these challenges are designed to aid you in your creative thinking...aimed at not only your skills as a photographer, but also your willingness to "look" at things differently...and to translate what you see, and how you want to express it, through the lens of your camera. In order to do that, you should be practicing your previsualization skills as well as familiarizing yourself with the mechanics of your camera.

Think before you shoot! What do you want to show...what should you leave out...is there a better angle to shoot from...how is the light affecting your image...? Lots of questions...and I certainly don't want you to lose the spontaneity that photography can often be...but I do want you to think a little about composition when creating your PATTERN IMAGES!

So...email me your images... heartandsoulimages@cableone.net And, have fun!!!

California

If you are ever in or near the Santa Inez Valley, in Santa Barbara County, California...I hope you are inspired, as I was, by these great big oak trees growing on these sprawling pastured hillsides. It is a surrealistic beauty.

Motion!

A couple more great shots from Gail! :]
Stay tuned...another assignment later this week...!!

Reflective motion...

This is entirely fitting, that this photographer would find his movement image in a reflection... You'd have to know Mark to understand fully, but very cool...and isn't that the Idanha Hotel in the reflection? Yes, Mark is a Boisean! Thanks Mark! And I am looking forward to posting a link to your new blog...?!!! Stay tuned!

Moving objects!

So Tyler sat out by the freeway to complete his assignment...?!! I guess I should put a disclaimer here, that I am not responsible for any harm that may come to the participants of these photography assignments, etc., etc....! But thankfully, he wasn't hurt! And he came up with some cool shots of 65 miles an hour speed! That is harder than it looks...?! Good job, anticipating just the right moment to click the shutter!


And then, Tyler looked up!

And this one is my favorite...motion through stillness... Very cool composition!

Thanks Tyler!

Car creeper!

Gail felt like a "car creeper" following alongside these cars...! But what a great combination of frozen motion and blurred movement! Nicely done!

It was a dark and stormy night...

The first of, what is promised to be, many entries in the "motion" assignment...as this one is a fun one to experiment with...! While driving down Highway 1, California's scenic coastal route, in a dark and relentless rainstorm, I distracted myself from being a backseat driver by experimenting with shutter speeds and tail lights! Some very funky results! This one, for example, was about 3 seconds of shutter time, hand holding to allow that jiggled perspective...! I love that you can still differentiate between the sky and the hillside, you can make out the arrows painted on the road, and the leading lines of the lights...! Mostly, it was just fun! And so much better than me worrying about the hydroplaning we were doing on that wet road!
So...email me your own "motion" photo! (heartandsoulimages@cableone.net)