Country - Not Me

Down the Lane

I'm no country girl - I've said it for years - I am a total city girl.  If there's not lots of traffic and lots of stores and lots of buildings (to photograph) then I am just not interested.  But, how could I resist such a county image? 

And tonight's quote definitely gives me something to think about.  Maybe I could enjoy the country more if I thought of it in these terms:

I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order.  ~ John Burroughs

An Apple A Day

Delicious

You know the old saying - An apple a day keeps the doctor away.  Well . . . if i had just eaten more of these, then maybe I would not have spent the last 3 weekends trying to avoid getting sick.  Yuck.  It finally caught up to me on the third weekend in a row of not feeling my best - including losing my voice for several days - and I finally came down with a cold.  Today, after getting a large amount of sleep in, I do finally feel like maybe just maybe I will be fully human again soon. 

In the meantime, please enjoy this photo of an apple.  I took this on a recent apple picking adventure (during the weekend when I had no voice - or at least a very squeaky one).  Thanks to my family that went on that adventure with me.  I didn't do much picking, but I did do some shooting during the day.

Deja Vu - Again

Untitled

Once again, I find myself not sure of which version I found the most appealing.  As you are probably aware, I do love my black & white images.  Something about them I just really enjoy.  But this image, I was torn between the two.  I really like the tones in this image.  The softness.  Is it just me, or is really interesting to look at the same image - one in black & white - and one in color and see how very different they look.  You notice different things in each one initially. 

Here is a quote that I came across today and it really made me stop.  I totally agree with it, just had not ever heard the sentiment put in such a direct manner.  What do you think?  Have you ever known anyone that fits this quote - I bet you have.

Unkindness almost always stands for the displeasure that one has in oneself.  ~  Adrienne Monnier

Unique and Wonderful World

Shades of Gray

Back to my staircase obsession.  I mean really, have you ever noticed how different staircases are?  Well, naturally I assume your answer to be yes.  That is, if you are a little strange like me.  It's pretty interesting how something that is meant for function is so artistic in nature.  Each one pretty unique.  I really should make a grouping of all the staircases I've photographed over the years.  And I bet, none of them are alike.  I think that is actually pretty remarkable.  What a unique and wonderful world we live in. 

Every great architect is – necessarily – a great poet.  He must be a great original interpreter of his time, his day, his age.  ~ Frank Lloyd Wright

Dragon

Dragon

Found on one of my city excursions - looking for something interesting to photograph. 

A single question can be more influential than a thousand statements.  ~  Bo Bennett

Entry & Tree

I hope everyone had an enjoyable holiday weekend.  We did.  Kinda busy, some late nights and early mornings, family get togethers and adventures.  After some last minute changes to our weekend plans, we ended up doing our Saturday activity today.  And that has left me pretty worn out and more than ready for bed.  We went on a bit of a drive to pick apples.  (In all fairness I didn't really pick many apples, but had a great time socializing - and trying to avoid all the mud.)  It was a very fun day & I'm glad we were able to go, but now I'm ready to hit that pillow and get some sleep before getting back into normal life again tomorrow. 

Here's a good quote for today:

The most powerful weapon on earth is the human soul on fire.  ~ Ferdinand Foch

Untitled

I haven't had a chance to shoot as much as I would like in the past few months.  I still love shooting.  And I love looking at images and I love the hold of the camera.  I can't imagine not being involved with photography.  It's such a big part of me.  And so, last weekend, we had a family activity planned (let's just say that I was more excited I think than the boys were about meeting a certain Gorilla and Dan Marjele).  I made sure to take the camera with.  And, thanks to my niece and her family moving back to town, we have a few more activities planned with them.  And all of them should be pretty good photo ops.  So, I'm excited to be doing the fun activities and the photo chances make it just that much better.  Oh, and, I have a few portrait sessions coming up as soon as the weather cools of a bit - well not a bit but A LOT really.  I guess what I'm trying to say is there should be more fun, new stuff on the way! 

Okay, so to tonight's photo.  You know back in the day when I first started shooting, I loved architecture.  Loved, loved, loved it!  Well, okay, I still do.  I just haven't shot it in awhile.  But, back then I would never have dreamed of including people.  I never really noticed it, until someone, I think one of my brothers, pointed out to me that my photos seemed to always be missing the people.  Hmm, maybe I was thinking it would be so much easier to shoot my beloved architecture without all those people milling around all the time.  Would this image have been better without the people?  Or is it just fine the way it is?  I'm not certain.  I think it's just different.  And the strange thing is, I had the opportunity to shoot without the two boys in the tunnel . . . and never even thought to take it without them.  Give me a couple of years and I'll probably be back to shooting images with no people again!

Let the beauty of what you love be what you do.  ~ Rumi