Weekly Photo Challenge

the subject from Assipassi is:

“Candids”

My opinion has always been, the best photos, of living, breathing subjects, come from candids.  Some of my shots are older and some from this week.  All were taken in a mode of hiding either from a distance, an angle or a look of no concern.  In some cases, the subject knew I had a camera but did not see the camera at the ready nor realize I had a shot planned for the taking.

My Photos

This image was taken through the windshield of our moving car.  The location is near the bicycle trail in Loveland.

 

An outdoor image:  Bicyclers resting while taking in the view of the river from the overlook in Eden Park.

 

This image taken from the side window of our slightly moving toward the parking lot, car:  I have opportunity to take a lot of fishermen at Lake Isabella in Remington, Ohio. 

 

An outdoor image:  Fishermen are relaxed and take some nice photos.

 

An outdoor image:  Some fishermen are so relaxed they verge on a little bit crazy.  I have never seen a fisherman walk around in a boat as much as this man did, on the lake, no life vest.

 

This image was taken through the windshield of our parked car:  I love pumpkins and when they make such good seating, you can take some really nice photos. 

 

This image taken through the side window of our parked car:  I took this at the computer store. 

 

This image taken through the windshield of our car:  I never know what I will see when we are driving not quite a mile from our house, .

 

An outdoor, night photo:  The dance at Friendship is a wonderful spot to take some lovely shots and I hope this couple made it to the photo pages to see some of my photos of them.

 

This image taken through the windshield of our parked car:  My daughter who is visiting for a few days.  She likes the coffee shop so we made a stop and I took this beautiful shot of her coming out the door.

 

I like all of the images I have displayed but I continue to learn and connive ways to take “Candid” photos.  The best shots really are “Candid”. 

Have a super week and thanks always to those of you who take time to stop by to see the images burning holes in my Xanga.

Keep on taking those photos,

 

Weekly Photo Challenge

the subject from StormInHeavn is:

“Natural Beauty”

My photos aren’t of recognized scenes or buildings.  They are images, similar to any you might see in your everyday world.  They aren’t a photographer’s dream.  I selected each of them because I think if you use your imaginations you can picture the image without the growth in the photo.  Most everyday landscapes would be very boring if it weren’t for trees, overgrown fields, flowers, clouds, rain, snow or whatever else nature throws our way.  Man does do some creative and at times, ingenious works but it is all more interesting, more beautiful, more photographic,  with greenery, flowers, beautiful skies or clouds, rain, sleet or snow.

My Photos

IMAGINE THIS IMAGE WITHOUT THE TREE and RED BERRIES:  A little wood siding home, not far from where I live.  It’s a cute little house but what caught my eye was the wonderful old Oak Tree sprouting it’s Spring colors with the house the backdrop, not the tree.  This tree has been entertaining the locals with it’s “natural beauty” for a very long time as it is about 7 or 8 feet around.

 

IMAGINE THIS IMAGE WITHOUT THE EVERGREENS:  Another older home, now a business in the bike trail area of Loveland.  As cute as the building is with red painted door and shutter and a patio with a canoe decorating the side, without the trees, I probably would not have snapped this photo.  The trees “natural beauty” offered personality that called to me, sit and relax.

 

IMAGINE THIS IMAGE WITHOUT THE GROWTH and LOOK AT THOSE CLOUDS:  These little homes are typical of the homes sitting on my street.  Obviously small, little boxes with very little eye appeal.  The flowering Crab Tree behind this one sets it off with vibrant color creating a picture that might sell the house if it were for sale.  “Natural beauty” has value.

 

IMAGINE THIS IMAGE WITHOUT THE GROWTH and BLUE SKY:  This photo was taken from our moving car and it’s an on the side of the road scene.  The yellow school bus caught my eye so I snapped the photo.  Looking at the image trying to imagine it without the “natural beauty” of the trees and green grass, I decided it would be a very naked, unappealing photograph.

 

IMAGINE THIS IMAGE WITHOUT THE GROWTH:  Another photo taken from the car, a rural scene of little red barns which would be very boring little red buildings without the green AND “natural beauty” surrounding them. 

 

IMAGINE THIS IMAGE WITHOUT THE STORMY SKY and WET PAVEMENT:  Without the wonderful “natural beauty” of the sky AND reflective puddles” I wouldn’t have thought to take this photo.  The shopping center offers very little to stand alone for photography.  

I realize beauty is in the eye of the beholder but I can’t imagine taking or wasting film on any of these landscapes, if I took film shots, if they were not backdropped with the ”natural beauty” of growth or other gifts of nature.  The draw, in each image, was the tree or the flower or the cloudy sky, the “Natural Beauty”.

Have a great week and thanks always for your comments,

 

Weekly Photo Challenge

the subject from Gitarezan is:

“String”

 

Some of my graphics

 

The image on the left is sporting a stringy or torn look cape.  I like capes so suppose that is why she ended up with one.  On the right, a skater in her fancy skating outfit and I had to have pompoms and they are suspended with “String”. 

I’m not all that artistic but once in a while I try drawing with Paint Shop Pro and that is how these images were created.  It’s fun and something different to do.  All of these images are totally mine.

 

My version of Mr. Bill, another of my PSP drawings using selections tools.  His scruffy look and “string”y beard came in handy for this challenge.

 

 

These ladies were created for Valentines one year.  Notice their “Strings” of Pearls.

 

On the more serious side, I really do use string for a lot of things, from trussing up chickens and turkeys to tying up garbage bags to holding up ornamentals, which I have a lot of.  The grape cluster is quite old, a molded glass shape and probably from Germany.  The very large and some of the others seen here are made of Mt. St. Helens ash and all were blown by glass blowers.  The lighter blue round, hanging at the top is Wedgewood and hanging on the right is a fired clay wind chime.  I have a really large collection of the Christmas ornaments and a smaller collection of windchimes including one of copper pipe which hangs to the side of my bed where it is disturbed everyonce in a while so I can enjoy the sound.  I love hearing the musical sounds they make.

 

Nearly everyone has heard of “String Quartets”.  My image is a “stringed quartet portrait”.    I would like to tell you my family is very talented, and able to play these instruments.  There have always been good intentions but nothing serious ever really happened in the way of our musical talents, EXCEPT for a love of the beauty of instruments and the music they make.  There actually is one real exception in our family, John’s brother David, who loved bluegrass music.  Dave was self taught and played more than one stringed instrument.  He could also carry a tune singing Bill Monroe in circles, with his down south, bluegrass nasal.  Dave taught his wife to play string instruments and his son picked up playing the guitar by watching his dad.  They enjoyed playing in neighborhood groups as well as at bluegrass festivals, having great fun.  The banjo on the left, is one, of ?? number of banjo’s, handmade by Dave, from cast iron skillets.  The sound is incredible and when Dave sang and played, you were entertained. 

 

This image tells the tale of the banjo quite well.  I layered in a small image, top left and it is from the neck of the banjo.  The dots are live primers he used on his banjo’s.  He was adventuresome (a little wacky maybe) as well as talented.

Stringy hair, string bikini, string bean, shoe-string potatoes, string of pearls, no strings attached, string you along, shoe-string budget are a few thoughtful but “STRING”Y images I’ll leave you with.  I am pretty sure there are a few more.

Keep on taking those photos,

 

Weekly Photo Challenge

the subject from stixandstonz is:

“What’s On Your Head”

I wear hats but nothing fancy anymore, only billed types to keep the sun out of my eyes while I’m out with my camera.  My favorite, beautiful hats are saved in boxes in hopes I might wear them again, some day.  

Hats don’t seem to be worn a lot anymore, unless you go where the hat wearers are.  Some of the most beautiful hats can still be seen worn by ladies in church and at the race track where beautiful hats are a tradition.  The movies “My Fair Lady” and “Pretty Woman” show off some great examples of really beautiful hats.  Western dress loves hats, see a lot of them at the rodeo or similar.  Another spot for hats is wherever the good old boys frequent as hats are a necessity for working in the hot sun. 

 

My Images
Three of the same graphic collage,
with three different treatments

 

Some of my favorite people are in this image wearing hats they are comfortable wearing from do-rag and cammy hat to western to billed.  All of them are colorful characters I am acquainted with or just took photos of because of working with and for Friendship Flea Market.

 

The same image, greyscaled, defined with a colored edge.

 

And in living color, the same group of faces familiar to me as I saw them regularly at the market and because I look through my photos, often, recalling lots of fun experience and hard work.

 

I seldom post images of myself as I don’t take a picture I am impressed with but, this is an image of me (color curved to the extreme) taken at Ms Annabelle’s Tea Parlour.  The tea party was a fun time and may become a family tradition.  The hat was a gift from my sister.

 

A super week to everyone and thanks always for your comments.