Ribbon Stop

I was headed into the Stop and Shop when I noticed this. I'll admit, I didn't stop, but I did decided to make an image after I did my business in the store. The wreaths by chance were in a good spot for a little snow from the night before, but not to much. The red repeating itself is good, but I like the cool blue in the upper left corner also. Purchasing a wreath would have ruined the composition.

Baby Ferns

This was a bright sunny chilly morning with hard direct sun. I almost didn't know what to do with it. The only thing I saw (or couldn't get out of my mind) was this little patch of baby ferns at the top of my driveway. A regular shot wasn't doing it for me. So I played.

Snow Trees

This was the first snow of the season, way late. We didn't get much, so I decided to try to make something of what was where, if that makes any sense. I liked how the light was sweeping across this tree line and also the contrast of the snow with the darker background. /...

Autumn Afternoon

I was watching the wind in the tree tops thinking not enough wind and not enough leaves. I'd missed it by hours I think. The digital phenomenon allows me to play, and try things where I normally would have been more reserved with film. No cost to trying something. My first thoughts where I wanted to just look through the camera and see if I could find a shot up there. I liked how the upper leaves shoot across from right to left to break up the dominant vertical lines. The soft back lighting with the bare upper limbs seem to look more distant. I decided to make the image. The imperfect foliage worked out after all.

Dizzy Busy Sky

I don't remember why I was sitting here but I know what I noticed. All the gray. The sky, lines, poles, and the tree. For a short time I hoped something of color would happen by, but what is the chance of that when your aiming up. Too bad the street lamp didn't come on but this is what I had. The tree limbs being out of focus is what makes this interesting. It makes me a little dizzy.

Early Autumn

I was thinking how much the sun had moved and realized this was one of those "good light for photographers" moments. I bumbed up the look a little with some multi-exposure, mildew lens, and a dirty windshield. In real life I'd consider this a "nothing view". It serves to block the road and some neighbors. I guess every thing was right at this moment to make this.

Japanese Maple and Sky

Talk about color! My Maple seemed to go red in a hurry and dropped it's leaves as fast. The weather was good this day so I'm glad I took advantage of it. When I look at this tree in this state, I always want to shoot the whole thing from the outside but it just doesn't photograph as vibrant as I image it. When I go inside and shoot out, I get the color. It's the opposite thinking again.

Sonic Maple

I really like this image. I've always tried to make special images of my Japanese Maples and I think think I have one here. It's a combination of many things and missing any one would change it. I had to shoot through my windshield and I purposefully slowed my wipers so rain would collect. I used shallow depth of field, and part of the inside of the car to help vignette. And then there was the timing. The speed of the shutter with the speed of the wiper and the timing of the shutter release. To fast a shutter speed and you could see the wiper system, to slow and you wouldn't have an effect you could see. I shouldn't leave out the "Mildew Lens" either. And how about the sonic wave shooting through the trunk? I like stuff like this.

Tree and Fence

I wanted to do something with the sky, I found the cloud pattern so interesting. I'd rather not make an image of "just" clouds, and sometimes I do, but they have to be special. When I saw the fence and knew I could include it, I figured the image would work. It helps add dimension and gives a good base to the shot. With the lack of light on the fence, it went dark, more icing on the cake.

Contrail Shadow

I don't know if this is a contrail shadow or not, but I've never seen anything like it before. I don't think it is, but what else and what to name this? The BJ's parking lot has proven to be a good place to find images oddly enough. Seems like I've noticed these anomalies there and I'm not there for photography, only a deal. I'm glad I have this image. I don't know what this is, but it is what it is. Case closed.

Grass and Flower

I was playing with some gumped up gear from yesteryear and made this. My plan was to take ultra close-up shots of flowers and kept running into the grass. I decided to use the two together and at the same time take advantage of the breeze. So it's a soft image of nature. When you work close depth of field falls off to almost nothing. It's hard to find focus anywhere especially if it's breezy. I remember my head hurt after scrunching up my left eye in concentration to get this. It was worth it.

Kitty

My cat was yelling this morning at 5 AM for me to get up and do something for her. So I told her to shut-up. I like the all black type shot. You have to study it just a bit longer than normal and then there's that soft kitty thought with the reality of her look. She's good at putting up with the camera and rarely runs away. Today is marks my 100th post. Just thought I'd mention it.

Herm's

This was one of my favorite spots in my resturant/diner series. As I've said before, in this series I try to capture something that's unique to the place and more than just the tourist snap. Herm's was known for many things other than the food. I liked the atmosphere, a little dark, but always something to look at. The exposures for the different powered lights was the only difficulty here. In the end I made it work. I took Herm's for granted, a big lesson. The resturant is now a statistic in our current economic times, everything has been sold off, they exist no more.

Toba

Toba never stayed too far from Gabby (alias "the King"). I like this with Gabby's legs in the image. The shot is of and for Toba, but I'll always think of the two together. The attention Toba is giving me is perfect. This image means more to me now then when I made it. 1995-2008 RIP
Toba 1995-2008 RIP

Birds and Barn

This barn/shed has been second fiddle to another subject I photograph from nearly the same spot but a different direction. I've noticed it for years but never thought I had an image I could feel good about. The fog helped me here in that it hides a tree line in the background and adds a bit of mystery. The birds were what inspired me to break a sweat and give it a try. They were in the tree just hanging out. Just before I did my thing, they went airborne (of course). Pan 2: Shoot Now! I see the birds as the part of the image that gives it life. Way more than I envisioned. Sometimes I just get lucky.

Colored Clouds

My home was nearly in view when I stumbled onto this. Two wonderful rolling bands of clouds that stretched north and south. I sat in my car with the camera lens aimed out the window and contemplated how to handle this. My mind kept telling me "horizontal" and the composition was good, but didn't measure up to the level of excitement when I first saw it. I knew I had to try something different. Turning my camera vertical is a basic thought that doesn't always come to mind. You'd think it would, but not always. They say that car accidents typically happen within three miles of home. I wonder if photography does?

Rain

There are Fireworks and I guess "Rainworks" (?). What could be more opposite. This I stumbled onto. We stood with a few other people under an awning looking at the parking lot. It was pouring rain. I kinda wanted to see the other couple make a run for it, at the same time someone hit a remote car starter the headlights were aimed right at us. It was bright (compared to the night), nobody moved. Sometimes I think I'm sick with "photograpingitus". My camera was off my shoulder before I realized it was time to find a picture. Was I now the only one hoping for this downpour to continue? I had no guilt but for the first time in a while, I sorta felt like a "photo geek". This I don't like. My tripod was in the car, and I didn't think I could convince Lisa to go get it, so I jazzed up the camera as much as I could. Only a few frames were shot (felt like a geek), I knew I'd continue to explore this world with better prepared, and thought out methods. It's a new "study" for me, that's cool.