Picture Fall - Part 5

This is it!  The last of Picture Fall.

Day 24 - Family Matters

take a self portrait with someone in your family

My husband wouldn't cooperate, so I had to wait until my youngest grandson came over. We made a game of setting the timer on the camera and running to sit down before the light quit blinking.

Day 25 - Fall Colors

look for the rich, quintessential colors of fall.

I found this unusual pink color fall leave near our home.

When I saw this leaf tears came to my eyes.

I posted this in honor of my sister, a breast cancer survivor!!

Day 26 - Open heart, open mind

seek out some kind of openness and shoot it-nothing inside but room for the good that can come when we allow for it.

I found this open rock just waiting to be filled with goodness.

Day 27 - Leafy Love

find a way to capture a leaf that says something totally new

This leaf reminds me of a Spanish dancer

with her black mantilla and vibrant red dress!

It speaks of beauty and love to me.

Do you see the small heart?

The sun peaked through for just a moment after a misty rain. I took so many pictures of leaves this fall.
These covered with rain were my favorite.

Day 28 - The Great Pumpkin

 offer a seasonal ode to the great pumpkin!

He's just a little pie pumpkin, but he has the cutest stem!

Pumpkins need stems that twist or curve!!

We had a lot of fun with this little pumpkin in the class gallery. One girl mentioned that she saw the Loch Ness monster in the stem.  Another, decided we should name him Nessy. If you look really close, the stem looks like the face of the monster looking about searching for his prey!!

Day 29 - Sweet Relief

capture a little something sweet

What could be better than M & Ms!!

Day 30 - Fantasyland

shoot a little bit of fantasy to celebrate the tricks and treats of the season

Fantasy is not my thing, so once again, I drew a blank at something to post. I finally decided to create a fantasy with Nessy being loved by Wellington the witch!!

Day 31 - Thanksgiving

 focus on something that expresses your gratitude

Giving thanks for this wonderful group of talented photographers who have inspired me, taught me, encouraged me, and brightened each day!!

I hope you've enjoy my recap of Fall. 

Do not take autumn for granted; it's days are limited.

And, so it is, that autumn is almost gone.

 The damp, chill of winter is in the air today.

The trees are almost bare.

Winter is coming and with it Picture The Holidays.

I can't wait to share this holiday season with you through my photography!!

Picture The Holiday is being offered free through Paper Coterie's website. The photos can be posted in a private Facebook page and I'm understanding that Big Picture will also have a link for posting pictures. It seems a little confusing right now, but I'm sure it will all work out. If you're interested, all you have to do is visit PAPER COTERIE PICTURE THE HOLIDAYS home page to sign up. You will get a confirmation email soon after. You'll then need to find their Facebook page and request to join.

A Week In Review

My Favorite Photo

This beautiful sunset I captured on the eve of Thanksgiving reminds me of God's glory and majesty!

The sunset changed in an instant.

A few seconds later the sky had lost it's pink color.

Life is like that, fleeting and changing quickly.

A good reminder for me to enjoy each and every moment of the day!!

As I think about moments of the day, I remember as a child singing the following song in Sunday School.

Only to be what He wants me to be,

every moment of every day;

yielded completely to Jesus alone,

every step of this pilgrim way:

just to be clay in the Potter's hands,

ready to do what His Word commands;

only to be what He wants me to be,

every moment of every day.

Norman J. Clayton

Picture Fall - Post 4

I am determined to finish posting my photos for Picture Fall with Big Picture Classes!!!  I need to hurry since Picture The Holidays begins on December 1!!

Day 16 - Juxtaposition

something that consists of two seemingly opposites

opposite colors ~ light and dark

opposite sizes ~ short and tall

I really had a lot of fun taking photos of acorns this fall. I was amazed at the sizes and colors of acorns that fell from the different oak trees.

The new bloom and the withered flower,

each beautiful it it's own way!!

Day 17 - Bounty

especially rich and robust

A bounty of fall leaves; every color of the rainbow, except blue.

Inspired by a photo my daughter sent me.

I had to walk around the neighborhood to find all the different colors.

Day 18 - Muse

what seems to be our inspiration right now

My muse is form. I'm fascinated by nature's form and I love to shoot up close for all the little details.

Day 19 - Scattered

seek out the beauty in things strewn about

My 2 yr. old grandson stayed with me this day.

The scattered toys remind me of the fun day we had!!

The roads and police car were are some of his Daddy's toys.

Day 20 - Connections

observe the many connections in the world around you

All this lichen is connected to one limb, just as so many of us are connected by one common passion, photography!!

Day 21 - Serving Up Kindness

Look for a way to show a little extra love as you go through your daily rounds

Warm banana bread make especially for Mr. H.

Day 22 - Darks and Lights

shoot a silhouette

I very rarely capture a bird in a photo. They're just too fast for me. But this little guy sat still for several shots. I loved the beautiful sky behind him!

Day 23 - The Rhythm of Repetition

look for soothing repetition in our daily routine

Every day when I go outside, I always look at my mums. This is the first mum that I have ever had come back the next year. I'm rather proud of it!!

Tomorrow, will A Week In Review and then I hope to finish posting the fall pictures on Monday!!

Exploring With a Camera ~ Aspect Ratio

As a photographer who likes to get in close and fill the frame with the object, I have to be very careful that I leave enough space around the object for printing. This is called the printed aspect ratio. My camera has a ratio of 2 X 3 which means my 4 X 6 photographs will print exactly as I take them.

When we travel in our 1940 Ford pickup we pull a small trailer for our luggage, lawn chairs, snacks and ice chest. When I took this photo, I wanted to fill the frame with the truck so the trailer would not show. If I were to have this printed into a 4 X 6 print, this cropping looks fine.

What would happen if I want a different print size. If I've not allowed enough extra space, I'll be disappointed in the print. For instance what if I want a 5 X 7. It's too close to the front and back bumper.

Now let's say, I really want an 8 X 10. I definitely have a problem; part of the truck is cut off. 

It's another thing to think about before I take a photo. I need to allow extra room if I wanted it printed a larger size.

If you'd like to read a much better explanation of aspect ratio, visit Exploring With A Camera at Kat Eye View Of the World.

"Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power
and the glory and the majesty and the splendor,
for everything in heaven and earth is yours.
Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom;
you are exalted as head over all.

Wealth and honor come from you;
you are the ruler of all things.
In your hands are strength and power
to exalt and give strength to all.

Now, our God, we give you thanks,
and praise your glorious name."

1 Chronicles 29:11-13

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!!

Family Fun

I'm going to be away from the computer this week.

And, here's the reasons why!!!!

My family is here and we're celebrating!!

Wishing you a happy Thanksgiving!!

Oh give thanks to the LORD; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples! Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works!
(Psalm 105:1-2)

Beautiful Sparkly Morning & 30 Days Of Thanks

What a difference a day makes!! 

Yesterday, sun and in the 50's.

Today, 26 degrees this morning and a heavy frost!! 

 Yesterday, sad about the end of fall.

Today, excited to feel the cold and see the frost!

I guess I'm kind of wishy-washy!!

The sun made the frost so glittery!

 The frost was beautiful on the fall leaves!

 It was equally beautiful on green weeds!!

Looks a little lacy to me!

It was a beautiful, sparkly morning!!

 This has been a good week.

My thankfulness includes:

   brilliant blue November skies

freedom   

fall leaves

               home

gorgeous sunset         

family                

            good books and their authors

"There is always, always, always

something to be THANKFUL for."

~ author unknown

The Last Leaves Flutter In The wind

The last few days have been dreary

with grey clouds, high winds, and rain.

In fact, we've received 9" of rain in two days!

The leaves are mostly on the ground.
Many branches are already bare,
looking bleak and dismal.
It made me sad.

I've enjoyed capturing the colors, textures, and beauty of fall. I'm not ready for this season to end. Then, I read a post by a photographer friend, Deborah, on her blog Learning As I Go. She reminded me that "to everything there is a season."  The leaves must fall in order that next years buds will form. It was exactly what I needed to lift my spirits.

Today, the sun is shining.

There are still a few leaves on my Bradford Pear tree. It loves to show off the glorious colors of fall; shades of green, red, golden yellow, and orange. It is by far the prettiest tree we have in our yard.

Through the branches the November sky was the most gorgeous shade of blue.

I will not rush this season as the trees prepare for winter.

I will enjoy it until the very last leaf has fallen.

Every leaf speaks bliss to me, fluttering from the autumn tree

~Emily Bronte~

The Final Post ~ Find Your Eye: Journey Of Recognition

When I first began this series of classes, Find Your Eye: Photo Courses With Heart and Soul, I’ll admit, I did not understand what that meant. Then, you ask, why did I take the classes? I’ve followed Kat’s blog at Kat Eye View Of The World for a while. Her images, through so different from mind, appealed to me and touched me. There is something special about them. Her images made me wonder, think and imagine. Kat said her images were taken from her heart. I wanted to know what that meant. I wanted to see if I had the heart of a photographer.

So, my journey began. What I’ve discovered is amazing.

I've discovered the reason why I love photography.  My favorite images are macro (up-close) shots of nature. I’m seeking details that my eyes can’t even see. So why do I want to take photos of them? Is it only out of curiosity to see what the stamen of a flower looks like up close? I don’t think so; I could find that on the internet. No, it’s something entirely different. When I upload images to the computer, I see the amazing wonders I’ve captured. It makes me excited, a little breathless, and stunned. This beauty was created by a loving God for his pleasure. He shared that creation with us to enjoy. That is what touches me and changes my life. Photography has made me slow down, look closely, and see the beauty of creation. Photography has made me grateful every day for the gifts God has given us.

I’ve discovered I create art and that I am an artist!!  It took a lot of thought and soul searching before I could finally say this. This class has given me confidence in myself and in my photos. I feel for the first time that I am a photographer and I’m also brave enough to call myself an artist. I realize that art doesn‘t have to hang in a gallery to be called art. Art is what you create when your heart is involved.

I’ve discovered what it means to shoot from the heart.  My photos are an  expression of what I see and feel. Now, when I find an intriguing subject I take the time to compose a pleasing image by observing it from several points of view and looking for the best light. Knowing if I do these simple things, the image will be the best I can create. I want my photos to express a sense of awe and gratitude.

Taking these classes has changed not only my photography, but my life. I think differently, I see differently, and I photograph differently.

"The voyage of discovery

consists not in seeking new landscapes

but in having new eyes"

Marcel Proust

Exploring With A Camera ~ Opposing Lines

The newest Exploring With A Camera  is Opposing Lines. I hope I've interpreted her exploration correctly. Let me suggest, if you would like a more detailed and much better explanation with photos included just click on the link above and visit Kat's web site Kat Eye View Of the World.

When you look at a photo or piece of art, lines can be used to draw your eye to a specific point. At first, I thought the above photo might be opposing lines. But, now, I don't think so. Sure there are lost of lines here, but the line of the stair handrails lead you right up to the top. Your eyes are not really distracted by the steps, balcony and post. Opposing lines distract your eye from traveling in one direction.

The lines of the bridge are opposing lines. You begin to follow them up to the sky and then your eyes vere to the right.

The same thing happens in this photo. Your eyes start up the pole and then, well, they don't know which way to look; diagonally up or down or horizontal.

The boards and their shadows have your eyes going diagonally from bottom left to the top right because these boards are larger and then your eyes follow the smaller diagonal lines the other direction. And lastly, you see the trees above them.

In this one, the bridge sends you eyes across the river; but your eyes don't stay over there. They jump back to the fence that sends your eyes downward to the left corner.

I had to try and find one example of nature confusing your eyes. Your eyes don't know whether to follow the curved stem, the slightly diagonal line, or the straight short lines to the berries.

Like I said I'm hoping I got this right. This was very different for me, I'm not a graphic photographer and that's what I think of when I think of lines. I was pleased when I found images to take and a few from my archives that seemed to work.

You still have another day

to discover opposing lines

 and link with

Kat Eye View Of The World

and