Saturday, January 14, 2012

Week 2: Stand and Deliver

I had the opportunity this week to attend the dress rehearsal as well as the three performances of "Stand and Deliver" at the high school. It was difficult choosing just one image from all of the photos I took, but I liked the blur and action in this shot. This photo is not edited.

"Calculus was not made to be easy. It already is." -Jamie Escalante, Stand and Deliver

Sunday, January 8, 2012

Week 1: A Little Light

I started the blog off simply by photographing the light from a mini disco ball I forgot we had with the help of a mirror to reflect.

"In pop or rock you can make a fast song or a slow one, but in disco there is really just one rhythm." -Giorgio Moroder

New Year = New Challenge

It is hard to believe it is already 2012. I know we say that every year and yet it is true. Time does not stop and we need to take the most of every day. I really would like to start this blog back up again, but decided to start on a smaller scale this year between school, work, family and friends. A 52 photo challenge seems more feasible. With this new year and new challenge I also decided it was time to update the blog a little bit too. I may try a couple different things, but for now it is different enough.

I figured this would also be a good time to mention I recently got Lightroom 3 which I am very excited about. It is going to take me a little while to learn, but I already love some of the features and can see how it will make editing quicker. I may start editing my photos more than I have in the past especially over this next year as I use it.

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Coffee for the Day

I can not believe how fast this semester has gone! Only a couple finals stand between me and winter break. I have learned quite a bit in my photography class and plan to go shoot more with my digital again. I'm also  going to attempt a 52-project for the next year. Between work and school this should be doable. I'm still working on a theme to carry on for the year, but I'll have a little more time to think about it soon.

Until then I decided to include a photo with today's blog. This is the new coffee cup my sister got me for my birthday this past weekend. Not like I needed another reason to drink a cup of coffee in the morning, but to use it is a good excuse.

"A mathematician is a device for turning coffee into theorems." -Paul Erdos

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Photography Class

As I sit here before going to bed this evening (or morning now) I thought I should really update this blog! I apologize for everyone who was looking at my daily posts. There are probably 15 or more pictures that I didn't upload before life took over again.

Even though I haven't kept up on a daily photo (I plan to attempt this project in the future again), I have been enjoying a photography class this fall. When things settle down a little I will scan a few of the photos I have taken on to this blog. In a little over 5 weeks I have learned quite a bit about all of the manual settings and appreciate my DSLR even more. When I'm able to use that instead of my Minolta Maxxum 500si (which is a pretty good SLR camera that I got secondhand). I also was able to get an awesome 50mm lens that also works on my Sony Alpha 200 DSLR. A nice addition to my photography equipment.

Even though the 365 photo project became a little much I hope to start using this blog again more. Make a few more posts instead of disappearing for 4 months (I believe) again.

I can't end this post without a quote either:

"Life is either a daring adventure or nothing." -Helen Keller

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Day 154: Clementine Box

I couldn't resist a photo of the wooden box clementines my mom bought came in. The quote doesn't match, but really liked it.

"I really don't think life is about the I-could-have-beens. Life is only about the I-tried-to-do. I don't mind the failure but I can't imagine that I'd forgive myself if I didn't try." -Nikki Giovanni

Day 153: Painting with Light

I want to try this again, but photos with long shutters are pretty awesome. It's a lot of guess and check though since you can't see the finished product until after the photo is taken. I did crop this photo since the light was only on about two-thirds of the picture. I tried some other things and then decided to try one with just the swirls and curves. This was the last photo I took that night and knew it was the winner.

"Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures." -Henry Ward Beecher

Sunday, June 5, 2011

Day 152: Milan and Sarah's Wedding

Today was Milan and Sarah's wedding. It was a beautiful wedding and I ended up getting to assist and take pictures during the ceremony. I think some of them turned out well, but I am not going to post any of those right now. Many of them will probably end up on Facebook in a few weeks. Today I decided to just post a photo of some of their decorations. These fabric triangles were hung around the reception hall, the sides of the chairs during the ceremony, and through the trees (where these ones were) behind the ceremony. Their grandmother is going to then quilt them a blanket out of this fabric. That quilt is going to mean a lot.

"Love is the only sane and satisfactory answer to the problem of human existence." -Eric Fromm

Day 151: Wedding Centerpieces

Saturday evening was Nick and Sarah's wedding rehearsal. While they were practicing a group of us helped with the centerpieces. The sunflowers were beautiful.

"Flowers have an expression of countenance as much as men and animals. Some seem to smile; some have a sad expression; some are pensive and diffident, others again are plain, honest and upright, like the broad-faced sunflower and the hollyhock." -Henry Ward Beecher

Day 150: Surrounded by Weeds

Yes, this is a toilet surrounded by weeds. On a walk this evening I found this and thought it was photo worthy, they are probably remodeling. 

"Trash has given us an appetite for art." -Pauline Kael

Day 149: Shadows

I thought I'd play with shadows this evening again. The streetlight nearby and moon made some great light to work with.

"False friends are like our shadow, keeping close to us while we walk in the sunshine but leaving us when we cross into the shade." -Christian Nevel Bovee

Day 148: Portrait of Kristen

It was Kristen's band banquet so I decided to stop and get a few pictures of her before I dropped her off at for the banquet. This one doesn't have her awesome hot pink shoes that matched the belt.

"Before you put on a frown, make absolutely sure there are no smiles available." -Jim Beggs

Day 147: Ceiling Fan

A little motion.

"Never mistake motion for action." -Ernest Hemingway

Day 146: Graduation Party

Sara Jo! Sara Jo showed up at Ashley's graduation party which was a nice surprise. Taking a picture of someone taking a picture, pretty classic.

"To the complaint, 'There are no people in these phtographs,' I respond, 'There are always two people: the photographer and the viewer.'" -Ansel Adams

Day 145: High Heels

I'm a girl so I'm allowed to get excited about a new pair of shoes. I found these white heels when we were shopping and just fell in love with them.

"Everyone chases after happiness, not noticing that happiness is right at their heels." -Bertol Brecht

Day 144: Country Hat

Another one where I was working with the texture of the object. The wicker hat and beads around it

"Be like Curious George, start with a question and look under the yellow hat to find what's there." -James Collins

Day 143: Steel Band Concert

May 26 was the high schools jazz and steel band concert. There were quite a few good shots from that evening, but I liked the various facial expressions in this one.

"A fool is like the big drum that beats fast but does not realize its hollowness." -Malayan Proverb

Day 142: Wood Flower

This is the flower engraved on the frame of a mirror in my house. The rustic "texture" shows up well in the photo.
"Age appears to be best in four things; old wood best to burn, old wine to drink, old friends to trust, and old authors to read." -Francis Bacon

Day 138: Fly Away

Yep, it's a bird candle holder.

"Use what talents you posses; the woods would be very silent if no birds sang except those that sang the best." -Henry Van Dyke

Day 141: Wooden Piano

This is a small wooden piano box that was hand carved. My sister bought it for my birthday this past year.

"When you play music you discover a part of yourself that you never knew existed." -Bill Evans