Protect the Queen

Protect the Queen

Another view of the battle from last night.  Again, shot in macro mode.  This time I played a little in Photoshop adding a soft glow to the scene.

Is not amusement the very soul of life?  ~ Frances Milton Trollope

Definitely on the Mend, Thanks For Thinking of Me

Boat Battle

First of all, thank you everyone for your well wishes.  I am very much on the mend.  Although most foods are still not appealing to me, I will tough it out and eat.  If I have to.  As a matter of fact, I had some ice cream this evening.  It was torture, but I made it through somehow. 

But seriously, I am feeling much, much better.  And I thank you all for your concern.

Tonight's picture is from a school project for my son.  He had to create a commercial for a product.  They had the choice of video taping it or doing it live in class.  The two boys decided videoing was a better option.  After completing all the hard stuff, we worked on the "fun" things that make a commercial, like background music and credits.  We had a mini photo shoot for some still images to be displayed for the intro and credits.  This is one of the photos from the project.

It's always so dramatic to put items against a white background.  Don't you think?  That background is nothing more than several sheets of 12x12 white card stock spaced out enough to cover the base and the background.  We actually shot this on the kitchen counter.  And, if memory serves, it was done with my point and shoot camera on the macro setting.  I mean why "over think" something if you don't have to?  There are many tools that can get you great results.  The key is getting comfortable with the ones you have so that you can use them to their full potential.

Learn all you can from the mistakes of others.  You won't have time to make them all yourself.  ~ Alfred Sheinwold

Keys & Tubing

Keys & Tubes

An older pic, but new to you . . . this was taken with the round of French Horn pictures that I shared about this time last year.  Originally I took them in color.  And every time I think about sharing one and start "processing" it, they always end up black and white.  Mostly because the tubing is so reflective that it's hard not to become very distracted by all the colors (and sometimes images) showing up in the tubing.  Maybe, I will get one done in color and be able to share.  Until then, I hope you like the keys and tubes from a pretty old French horn - and that is still being used today.

Great thoughts always come from the heart.  ~ Marquis De Vauvenargues

Texture and a little Talking on My Part

Textured

Wow, look at all that wonderful texture in those petals.  I love to look at young vibrant roses and the veins that travel through them.  The softness of those petals full of life.  But, really I have enjoyed visiting these old photos of some pretty brittle roses.  Don't see them like this very often, or at least I don't, maybe you do.

So, I've got a little something on my mind.  Actually it's kinda been a thought that's been hanging around for over a year now.  And, well, I'm just wondering, what ever happened to the old way of thinking "if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all?"  I guess I missed out on the memo that says it's okay to say mean things and call people names if you are doing so in a joking manner.  Or even better, for their own good.  Now, I'm certainly not saying that I haven't called someone a dork before (I call myself that a lot of times - and usually I am being a dork).  But there is a time, and a place and a certain relationship that needs to be established for that sort of talking.

And really, saying mean things about someone benefits nobody.  It certainly does not benefit the person it was said about.  And the person that is saying it - well it certainly changes how others view that person.  Or it should.  I mean c'mon aren't we all here to help each other out as best we can.  I think that in order to make my life just a little bit better, I need to make your life a little bit better too. 

So, here's a few thoughts for you.  Some of these I'm pretty sure I've shared before, and if so, please just humor me.  And . . . thanks for letting me get up on my soapbox every now and again.

Any fool can critize, condemn and complain - and most fools do.  But it takes character and self-control to be understanding and forgiving.  ~ Dale Carnegie

There is nothing else that so kills the ambitions of a person as criticisms from superiors.  ~ Schwab

As mush as we thirst for approval, we dread condemnation.  ~ Hans Selye

Another view of the Inside

Soft on the Inside

Along the same lines from yesterday, another one of those roses at the end.  I find it pretty interesting that here, again, you can see those soft areas deep inside the rose.  I don't know that I've ever thought about how protected that inner area is.  I just thought that if the rose was getting dry and brittle where I can see it, it must be happening everywhere. 

I can hear my dog snoring softly in the other room.  I'm sure he is all curled up into a tiny little ball.  It is making my eyelids feel a little heavier, so I'm going to call it an evening.  Have a wonderful rest of your evening and a terrific Thursday.  I will see you back here again tomorrow night!

Some people drink from the fountain of knowledge, others just gargle.  ~ Robert Anthony

Inside

On The Inside

I have overlooked this image many, many times.  And for some reason, tonight it was speaking to me.  Or at least, it was softly whispering "hey take a look at me".  And, so I did.  I remember taking these photos.  I think I remember most of my life according to the photos that I have taken over the years.  I can remember dates of things according to when I photographed what.  It's strange I know, but my brain is what is is.  (Which happens to be a favorite phrase of mine, and one that I have written on my dry erase board that I look at every day - "It is what it is.")

Okay so back to the photo for tonight.  When I pulled this image up to full size, I was pleasantly surprised at one very specific part.  But, before I go there, tell me . . . what do you see?  When you look at this rose that is so close to it's very end, what do you see?  Do you see the brittle edges?  Do you see the shape the petals created as they were opening and the shape of those that have yet to open? 

Me?  I see the reddest part inside there.  The part that is still soft and full of life.  The part that was protected by all those outer petals and just now, barely began to see the world outside.  I see pureness in that one small section of red just to the right of the very middle of the bloom.  And I really want to touch it to see if it is still soft and full of life.  That little section fascinates me.

When the pupil is ready, a teacher will appear.  ~ Zen Proverb

Beginning or Ending

Beginning or Ending

Looked over the posts from the last few days and really enjoyed seeing all those beautiful flowers.  I guess I'm not quite ready to move on - even though I have the next grouping of photos all ready to go.  Instead, I decided to share this photo from last year's Springtime Shoot at my parent's home.  I think - these are from the Seven Sisters Rose vine that is growing along a fence.  These roses definitely looked a little on the worn in side.  But that's okay, I bet they had quite a journey to get here.

If I had my life to live again, I'd make the same mistakes, only sooner.  ~ Tallulah Bankhead

Two for one Tonight

Up

This is the last of the flowers that I took at my parent's house a few weeks ago.  I really like this bud, just getting ready to bloom. 

Youth comes but once in a lifetime.  ~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

And, a bonus for tonight, these two quotes seem to go together quite nicely to me. 

Youth is a quality, not a matter of circumstances.  ~ Frank Lloyd Wright

Short, but Sweet (at least when I want to be)

Yellow

Okay my darlings, going to be short tonight - well technically I guess I'm short every night.  Hee, hee.  Bad joke I know.  But since I am pretty darn tired, please let it slide. 

I'm going to let my picture do all my talking for me.  Well, that and the quote.  So, here you go:

Knowledge will give you power, but character respect.  ~ Bruce Lee

Nature

Red Rose Red Rose

Another of my mother's beautiful roses, another red one, but I do believe it is a different variety.  To me, this is the type of rose that everyone thinks of when they think of roses.  That standard, upright blooming rose.

And, again, I let the natural background, of another rose bush, become the blurred backdrop.  Got to love that macro and how fine tuned it is for focusing.  Very fun to play around with.

Okay, this is a little well, totally me.  Just found the quote for tonight, and I'm not sure if I have used it already.  If I have forgive me, because this one seems to fit today's pic pretty well.  So, please enjoy . . .

Nature does nothing in vain.  ~  Aristotle

Roses - one of my Favorite Flowers

Ruffles and Watercolor

So, after taking photos of the Bearded Iris, my mom pointed out that the roses were in bloom and probably would make some really great photos.  I was quickly running out of room on my memory card, I had to make each photo count.  I really loved the edging of this rose - had such a ruffled almost lace feel to me.  Since I still had my camera set up for macro, I knew that the background was going to fuzz all together.  I had now idea how the light shining through the rose bush right next to this one was going to create such a wonderfully soft almost water colored look.  Love it!  I did not create that background in Photoshop.  I just played around a bit the with the highlights and the shadows.  Not sure if this is what my mom had in mind, but I'm hoping that she knows when a camera gets in my hands, I'm not sure what is gonna happen either - that is until I start taking those pictures.

If you judge people you have no time to love them.  ~ Mother Teresa

Powerful words and so true.  Judging is definitely a subject I have very strong opinions about.  It's one of those topics I've been wanting to get into, but just have not figured out how to "go there".  I think that judging people is one of the single most harmful things you can do to another human being.  It can only bring about hurtful things.  It does not open up the door to positive or encouraging relationships, in fact, I believe that judging a person does the exact opposite and closes them off to you.  Who wants to be judged?  Not me.  And certainly I do not want to be judged by someone else's standards.  I have my own beliefs and standards to live up to.  I really don't need anyone else's coming along and jamming up the works.

Beginnings & Endings

Say Aah

And thus ends the current round of purple, er, Bearded Iris.  I hope you have enjoyed them as much as I enjoyed photographing them.  Next time, hopefully, I will have more time to spend with them.  But . . . that will have to wait until next year. 

And here is a quote that makes me think & makes me smile.  Remember this always:

All endings are also beginnings.  We just don't know it at the time.  ~ Mitch Albom

A Little Correction if you Don't Mind

Untitled

Well, well, well . . . I did hear from a few, wondering what was up with the quote from last night.  Oops.  I guess this is one way to get double mileage from one quote.  I definitely was feeling a bit tired when I typed up my post for last night, and made a tiny error.  Did you notice it?  Here's the correct statement:

We don't see things are they are, we see them as we are.  ~  Anais Nin

That should make just a tad bit more sense.  Have a great weekend everyone - and enjoy this image of some very shimmery purple flower petals.  I think I would really love a nail polish in this color.  OPI should get right on that and make one for me.

A Pleasant Surprise for Me

Glitter Petal

I hardly ever go into a photo shoot with a set plan of how things are going to be.  I may have an idea of what I want to accomplish, or certain elements that need to be included - especially if I am doing work for someone else.  Usually that's pretty simple stuff that is predetermined, such as the background, or whether the images are to be in black & white or color, or what type of lighting will be used.  I always, and I do mean always, let the moment dictate how and what I am going to photograph.  You never know what might be waiting to be discovered.  And you never know how things are going to look until you get everything setup and look through the camera.  I realized a long time ago to just go with the moment and photograph the images as I see them and they unfold.

When I went over to photograph these flowers, I have to tell you I was very surprised when I slapped on my macro lens to see the beautiful shimmer that was on the petals.  I have seen these flowers all my life.  But, I have never "seen" these flowers until that day.  Simply beautiful . . . and perfect.

We don't see things as we are, we see them as we are.  ~ Anais Nin

The Best Medicine

Easy as 1-2-3

Reclaiming the belly laugh can cure a world of woes.  ~ Jamie Sams

My son has this friend in our neighborhood.  He's an interesting kid.  Two years younger and the same height as my son, with probably a good 50 pounds over my son.  He's pretty quiet.  Will speak to you when you speak to him and seems to get our rather strange sense of humor - or at least doesn't act like he wants to run from the house screaming.  He is, however, deathly afraid of bees.  You can probably hear him screaming bloody murder whenever a bee comes anywhere near them when they go swimming in the pool.  And, do you want to know what my favorite thing about this boy is?  He has the absolute best belly laugh.  My hubby and I will be in a completely different room and you can hear him laughing.  And, honestly, neither one of us can keep a straight face.  It's impossible.  We both bust out laughing whenever we hear that laugh of his.  It really is the best medicine!

Give Me Your Thoughts on This One Please

10 Upside Down

Sorry I missed you all last night.  I should have mentioned in my last posting that I was not going to make it Monday night.  We had tickets to go see one of my favorite bands - Linkin Park.  It turned out to be a really late night.  As soon as we got home, my head hit that pillow and I was out until the sun was well in the sky this morning.  It was a great concert and a fun evening. 

Did you miss me and my quote for the night?  I've got a great one for you tonight.  It's all about perspective . . . or is it about opportunity . . . or, well you tell me what does this quote say to you?

What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the master calls a butterfly.  ~ Richard Bach

Not so good with Plants - taking care of them that is

All About Red

Yes, last night's post was a poinsettia.  An interesting plant.  I really was unaware of all the varieties out there.  This one is now living in our home.  Let's hope we don't kill it right away.  I am not so good at taking care of plants.  I did not get a green thumb from my mom.  So far, my husband has been tending to it & that is very good.  He's WAY better at keeping plants alive than me.  I almost felt sorry for it when we bought it for picture taking.  Poor thing . . .

On a different note.  I found myself with some spare moments today.  Not sure how that happened, but I will take it!  Anyway, I spent that time updating the gallery on my website.  I have added a couple new sections - Christmas 2010 and Macro.  And have also added a few favorites to just about every category already there.  It was kinda fun looking through the gallery again.  It's fun to see where I've been and where I am now.  So, if you'd like, go here to check it out!

Flower for Mom

Flower for Mom

This one is for my mom.  I will always think of her whenever I see this Christmas plant.  When I decided to shoot new holiday images for everyday of this month I knew that this plant had to be included.  I'm hoping that you can tell what it is.  And if not, I may be sharing another tomorrow.

Hope you enjoy this image today Mom (and everyone else out there too!)

A Bit of Bling Makes Everything Better

Bling Some?

I'm telling you, everything is better with a little sparkle to it. Add that little touch of glitter and bam - puts a smile right on your face.

I think it's pretty safe to say, I've had a bit of fun with this ornament. And I think it has had it's 15 minutes - or several days - of fame and it is time to move on to something different.

It's been pretty overcast here - and even rained the majority of the day today. Lighting is great when it's overcast. Yesterday I pulled out my rather large "photo box" full of all sorts of goodies, went out in the backyard with some fun holiday items and set out to create some fun images. I downloaded them today and . . . well there is something to work with. In the meantime, enjoy this crazy, blingy, springy ornament one last time.

Oh . . . and enjoy this quote for the day:

Don't go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first. ~ Mark Twain

It's a Good One

Untitled

Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out. ~ Anton Chekhov