Weekly Photo Challenge

 

This weeks Challenge

    “Photo Views of the Heavens”    
Sun, Moon, Clouds, Stars, Rainbows or ??

Suggested by ME:  PhotoGraphics

 

My Photos

 

#1- I think I am like everyone when it comes to night photos.  They aren’t always easy to get but very desirable.  I decided on Moon photos for this challenge as I have concentrated on taking them within the environment I usually find myself taking photos, from a moving car.  This image was taken coming home from Rockford, Illinois, a recent trip, July 26, 2008.  I would have called it a harvest moon but it’s a bit early, month wise.  It came up over the horizon like a huge ball this particular evening.  I always wonder how it can look so big and then so small in the same night.

 

 

#2- The same moon, the same night and the perspective is totally wrong but to put it into this image and keep any size for viewing, I fixed it this way.  The neon is a huge billboard sign off to our right as we drive.  I saw it coming and  it is high and to my right and the moon appears to be checking it out.  I don’t know what flex is but I do know about Ford and it can’t hold a candle to the moon.

 

 

#3- Same moon, same drive and another billboard.  The moon kept pace with us as we drove and fixed itself right above some of the night time landscape.

 

 

#4- A different night, hurricane, Ohio, September 14, 2008.  It was an experience I won’t forget, magnificent and a little scary at the same time.  We don’t get hurricanes often, in Ohio.

 

 

#5- The exact same shot but as big as it came out on my camera card.  The moon shines as brightly as the sun when the parameters are right and the wind had been so fierce during the day that clouds were sweeping across the heavens most of the evening and it was as pretty a sight as I have ever seen.

 

 

#6- October 12, 3008, Lake Isabella, Hamilton County Park and the moon is bright and rising.  The silouette of the trees set it off perfectly for photos.  I used a very slow speed for some, ruining shots as the moon tracked across the photos in stages.  I finally managed settings that were decent so this one came out bright, round, shining and very romantic.  It was a beautiful night.  If I ever get a lens to pull the moon in closer, I will enjoy taking larger but the moon by itself isn’t really my thing, I love the story of the trees or the traffic tied into it.  I think a bit of added attraction allows it to show off, in my images, a little more.

 

 

Stay well everyone, don’t eat any peanut butter and thanks always for your comments.

 

 

 

Weekly Photo Challenge

 

This weeks Challenge

   “A View From My Window“   
Suggested by:  StixAndStonz

 

 

Some of my photos, A VARIATION of the theme:

   “Views From My Car Windows“   

 

 

#1-  I had a doctor’s appointment scheduled before our drive to Virginia, in December .  The day was snow, ice, and cars off the road, everywhere.  We re-scheduled for January 27, 2009.  I should have known.  More snow and lots of ice.  The above isn’t my first view from the car but it is typical.

 

 

#2- The view of the snow covered evergreens is always a breath taker for me.  I really like snow and how everything has a fresh, clean appearance.  That is, all except where the cars mess and muddy things up.

 

 

#3- I imagine this fella made a few dollars that day.  I love red and his bright red plow brightened the landscape.

 

 

#4- I was thinking, when I saw this combination, the owner of the car may experience a change in the condition of the car if it slides off the hill.

 

 

#5- There have been deaths in the greater Cincinnati area from this Winter storm. Lots of homes lost electricity and the usual business and schools were shut down.  The driver of this truck is taking some much needed comfort to homes, somewhere, I believe the tanks the truck is carrying are propane for cooking. 

 

 

#6- Headed home and dropping over one of the hills, a flock of small birds circled close enough to catch them in the photo, as birds, not just a blur.

 

 

#7- On our street, all is right with the world.  The flag is flying and at least one child is out playing in the snow.  It’s nice to know snow still calls to some, for outside activities and fun.

 

All of these views, compliments of my camera and a necessary drive on a snowy day. 

 

 

#8- Here in the house, currently, the window view stays looking pretty much like this …

 

 

A few of the “dreaded computer problems” for us this week.  Hoping not to be shut down completely but ???

 

Wishing all of you a great week.  Keep on taking those photos, and 
thanks always for your comments. 

 

 

 

Weekly Photo Challenge

 

This weeks Challenge

   “Hit Me With Your Best Shots”   

Suggested by me:  PhotoGraphics

 

I have favorites in a lot of photo categories.  They vary from photos of my granddaughter to the cat who adopted us to airplanes overhead to fields and flowers and more.  The thing is, I love excitement and “color is excitement” and when we purchased my first digital camera, I knew I really wanted to be able to photograph night shots with its exciting lighting and color.  It is a great satisfaction to me to get the night images.  My camera, even with the compensation for shake, is not the steadiest and many of my images are taken from inside a moving car so I have to fight for clarity and sharpness.  I have gotten better and  I feel pretty good about my photo accomplishments considering.  That being said, a display of some of my favorite night images. 

 

My Photos

… all no flash images …

 

 

This my be the first of my night images that gave me any satisfaction.  Taken with a Kodak DC4800 3.1 Megapixel camera in September, 2004, I really wanted to get the glow of the neon..  My camera was 3 years old at the time and previous night shots were pretty iffy.  

 

 

 

This little steel diner was photographed in 2005 (Kodak DC4800 3.1 Megapixel camera) on a trip designed specially for a good Xanga friend.  He wanted to see steel diners but passed away before he could make the trip.  I look at my diner images and others from the trip we proceeded to take anyway and  remember him.

 

 

 

This was taken in November of 2006 (Kodak DC4800 3.1 Megapixel camera) in Illinois after family spent a great day at a park for Thanksgiving.  I should probably doctor up some of the harsh white in Santa’s beard.

 

 

 

This is the front window of a church about a mile from our house.  It’s a beautiful sight to drive past in the dark.  I have taken photos of it quite a few times and this image is about the best I have taken. (Canon Digital Rebel 10 Megapixel camera)

 

 

 

Dreary and wet and low light and look at the wonderful color reflecting from the neon sign on the roof and the wet parking lot (Canon Digital Rebel 10 Megapixel camera).  I love this kind of photo and keep trying for better.  Not perfect but I’m still pleased I can get the image in this light.

 

 

 

This image you may have to study a minute or so.  We are at the table, beside the plate glass window, in Cici Pizza and the glass looks to the outside in the dark and is also reflecting my husband’s image and the shadows of other patrons.  You see, in the distance, the lights of cars and shops.  The nice thing about NO FLASH is, a lot of people don’t notice you taking photos. (Canon Digital Rebel 10 Megapixel camera)

 

 

 

A hodgepodge of color at night, the reflections of auto lights all over the wet road.  What an array of color and what fun to get the photo to begin with.  There is actually some order in the picture but you have to look at it.  (Canon Digital Rebel 10 Megapixel camera)

 

 

 

This is a near traffic jam, at night, about a mile from home.  Everyone sitting waiting for the light to change and dropping reflection all over the road.  I don’t recall if its wet out.  If I remember right, it’s cold and dry.  (Canon Digital Rebel 10 Megapixel camera)

 

 

 

This image nearly makes you want to meet up with the state trooper.  Wet and cold outside, I took this photo, nearing home, while returning from our Christmas in Virginia, 2008.  The red haze is tail lights reflecting on the cold exhaust emissions.  (Canon Digital Rebel 10 Megapixel camera)

 

 

Tunnels are never boring when you discover how to get the photos.  I wouldn’t want to live here but playing here has gained a lot more respect from my camera.  So, there you have it, some of my favorites, hopefully, leaving none of you in the dark any longer.  (Canon Digital Rebel 10 Megapixel camera)

 

I would like to mention my Kodak DC4800 is alive and well and still used and it takes a pretty nice photo given the chance.

 

 

Keep on taking those photos and thanks always for your comments.

 

 

 

 

 

Weekly Photo Challenge

 

This weeks Challenge

 “Sweet Things”

Suggested by:  ClosetHippie

 

We spent time in Virginia Beach, during Christmas.  One of the side trips we usually make includes a trip to Williamsburg where there is always something to please any tourist.  There is beautiful lodging, fine dining and better fast foods, the William and Mary College campus, historic grounds and buildings and in the beautiful shopping square you will find a lot of better stores including book stores, gift shops, Christmas stores and an ever favorite, the Candy store or Sweetshop filled with “Sweet Things”.  People on the move need their fix of candy and the sweetshop has about any fix in any flavor for any moody, needing their sweets fix, candyholic.

 

 

My Photos

 

 

Eden is one of the sweet things in our family.  At the entrance to the Square she puts up with my taking photos for my seasonal collection.

 

 

 

This is a first peek inside the store which is crowded with candyholics.  

 

 

 

Eden finds her fix, having decided on Jellie Bellies.

 

 

 

Mom, however is no where in site and all important choices need to be made.  She did grab up a prefilled bag from a shelf to get things rolling but she can’t get into them until she goes through the register.

 

 

 

Here you see Eden getting moody, a typical reaction to the lack of a few needed bites of a candy fix.

 

 

 

Having found everyone and paid for her goodies and eaten probably a few more jellie bellies than was really needed, all is well with the world.  And grandma’s think quietly to themselves, how glad they are the “Sweet Things” shopping was done and over BUT, not without having picked up some Chocolate Covered Pretzels, Licorice and some Pecan Turtles for her own stash of “Sweet Things”.  And John, he waits patiently.  His sweet tooth isn’t a bit picky, he likes it all.

 

 

Thanks for all comments and keep on taking those photos.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weekly Photo Challenge

 

This weeks Challenge

“Realizations”

Suggested by:  Sezwick

 

 

 AND VERY QUICKLY,  I’ve been “4th Picture” tagged by Sparkling_Rainbow
“4th picture tag” instructions:
1) Choose the 4th folder where you store your pictures on your computer
2) Select the 4th picture in the folder,   3) Explain the picture, 4) Tag 4 people to do the same. 
The Xangans I tagged:  1- Timages, 2- Gitarezan,  3- fauquet,  AND
4- Anyone wanting to play, grab the ball and run.

The above is my 4th picture.  I have more folders in My Pictures than you can shake a stick at but I did the four thing as closely as I could.  The above image was created, as a photo edited graphic, from one of my photos, for an ART-RAGE challenge called “Lights”.  The object of which was to display an image which had lighting of some kind.  The thing is, I created twenty (20) images for the challenge and displayed only seven (7) which DID NOT INCLUDE the above image.  The original photo was taken at night in my front yard, looking across a snowy scene through falling snowflakes, across the birdbath and into what I hoped was a warm and inviting, THOUGH SOMEWHAT OBSCURED, picture window.  The original graphic image was created September 10, 2007 and you can see my original entry for ”Lights” if you are interested,  CLICK HERE

---

 

My Challenge Photos for “Realizations“
I am using low light settings photos, NO FLASH.

 

#1 
A view, through our car windshield at a stop in the rain.

 

We drove to Virginia over Christmas and New Year.  Though we had some really pretty weather in Virginia, our drive time was spent in a lot of rain.  In this day and age, as fast moving as technology is, the fact is, a huge number of people are digitally computerized with a growing interest in digital photography.  With photography, lighting is key and there isn’t always good light.  Other outstanding particulars with digital photography, their are variations because of the user, the surroundings of the user, the interests of the user and the users perceptions of what may or may not make a good photo in his own territorial circle.  The photographers perception can be as hazy as the image #1  or

 

 

#2 

 

his perceptive realizations, photographically speaking, can be as varied as the living conditions in this little down-home community in the hills.  I would venture a guess, the people living in this community own digital cameras and phones and computers and their tastes in what they speak about or photograph are as different as the clothes they wear and the cars they drive.  Therefore, all of their photos, though many may contain similar subject matter, tell a different and individualized story as varied as the photographer is educated, in his interest.  I think a first realization of any photographer might be 1- he can’t get all the good photos, and 2- he can’t compete with photos of the Great China Wall and Eiffel Tower if he doesn’t travel extensively, and if his life centers around a small, in the sticks or rural community, instead of a big city environment.  His realizations do not mean there is nothing to photograph, only that he must realize, with his photographers eye, the goldmines available to him in his own surroundings.

 

 

#3 

 

My photos are as varied as my activities in any given day.  If I am home, I practice with still life shots or I take photos of the newly adopted cat.  As our recent drive was pouring rain and icy roads and the traffic was backed up for miles, I took photos of wet highways and the traffic jams that clog the highway’s arteries.

 

 

#4 

 

When stranded late at night in a motel due to ice on the highway, we watch television and I take photos of myself taking photos in the mirror.  It’s a fun and possibly productive, photographic pastime.

 

 

#5 

 

When on trips, the sun shines and the rain falls, so I get used to it and take photos.  One of my photographic realizations is how much I like the color in the lowlight, rainy morning settings.

 

 

#6 

 

I realized a long time ago, I enjoy trying to catch good images of fog, rain, spray and mists so traveling early mornings and watching for fast moving trucks on wet highways usually gives me scenes to play with.

 

 

#7 

 

There are always really great shots in the hills and I watch for them rain or shine.  Notice the fog floating back in the trees. 

 

 

 

The realization for me is, no matter the weather, it’s all good.  You just have to take the shots. 

 

I had fun with this.
Keep on taking those photos and thanks always for your comments,

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weekly Photo Challenge

 

This weeks Challenge

“I Used a Tripod Mounted Camera
to Get These Images”

Suggested by me:

PhotoGraphics

 

I’m really tired from our trip to Virginia, we got home late Saturday night.  If anyone wants to see a bit of it in photos, go here:  http://www.xanga.com/RSBlain 

 

 

My Tripod Photos

 

 

When we picked the cat up from the kennel it was a yowling, unhappy cat.  It told me about its experience over the whole evening.  He seems to be back to normal but we drop him at the vets on Friday for more work, neutering.  I guess I’ll hear about it also.  For now, we managed some photos in his worn out but watchful mode.

 

 

 

This poinsettia was a gift from one of my husband’s team at work.  I set it in the sink with some water before we left for Virginia and it survived for some photos when we got back.

 

 

 

A night image, a cookie tin from Germany.  I love buying cookies in these tins, for Christmas.  They are different each year and there is a variety of styles and colors.  The tins and cookies are shipped direct from the baker in Germany, this company, Otto Schmidt Lebkuchen.  The tin, with its cookies, is the most festive purchase I make for Christmas. 

 

 

 

Same window and subject matter but daylight, next day.  Lighting sure makes “difference”.

 

 

 

And a closer view of my bottles.  My mom collected bottles and the two in brown are exact to some she had.  The yellow is a newer piece to my collection, soft in color and beautiful.

 

 

 

M and M’s in pink, money donated from every purchase to Breast Cancer research.

 

 

Have a super week and keep taking those photos.

 

add Accolades – add Approval

 

 

 Merry Christmas Xanga

 

 

Weekly Photo Challenge

This weeks Challenge

“What Christmas Means to Me“

Suggested by:

Stixandstonz

 

 

Christ in Christmas,

 

 

 

Family,

 

 

 

Good food,

 

 

Prayerful thoughts and celebration.  Mitch is in Afganistan this year.  I say a little prayer every day for Mitch and the troops.  Every Christmas candle is a prayer.

 

 

 

A warm fire,

 

 

 

My honey,

 

 

 

Home and a hot cup of tea.

 

 

 

 

Merry Christmas Xanga and the happiest of New Years.

 

 

 

 

 

Weekly Photo Challenge

 

This weeks Challenge

“Childhood Memories“

Suggested by:

jbphotography

 

 

#1- this challenge is probably one of the best ones anyone has offered.  It’s been a hard challenge for me because I have very little really interesting or colorful to post.  The above is the house I grew up in.  It’s changed a lot.  Besides getting older, trees I knew well are missing, the color isn’t the same, the old porch is closed in (probably giving a lot more living space to owners) and mom’s flowerbed is long gone.  There are a lot of memories in the house.  I used to roller skate in the street and on the sidewalk running to the left and a lot of my blood was spilled on the hill headed toward the park on the right.  The blood in itself brings a lot of memories back.  I remember the doctor visit, the stitches and the kids outside the window after I came back home.  It was my head that was split by a flying swing on the swing set in the park.  I’m not sure if I am dumber or smarter after the incident.

 

 

 

#2- You have seen photos of this tree before.  It grows in the park down the hill from my house and it’s the only thing I remember, left in this park.  Everything else familiar stands on the streets running horizontally and vertically to it.  All homes, and I can tell you the names of the people who lived in them then.  I still know where every rabbit cage, chicken coop and grape arbor was.  And there was a culvert I used to climb through, now covered with dirt.  It was much more fun then, meaning 55 to 60 years ago.

 

 

 

#3- This is the White Castle Menu and definitely not the one I grew up with, not the spot, the building nor the food variety.  The hamburgers have not changed, they still, if you eat too many, guarantee a bit of indigestion but we eat them somewhat regularly.  Moderation is the key and to be honest, I love the taste.  When mom said we would have White Castles for a meal, we thought we had died and gone to heaven.  I love the double cheeseburger and I can eat a max of two (these burgers are not huge in case anyone is wondering per my appetite).  For  White Castle Hamburgers, follow the link.  

 

 

 

#4- I went to school here (Reading Public School) from kindergarten through high school graduation.  We walked the distance, which wasn’t far, about 10 blocks from home.  I spent many a day with my neck craned backward and upward, looking at the blue sky as I walked, to and from school.  I think my love of clouds and airplanes began on those walks.  The school I started in (I was in this buiding from Kindergarten through the 4th grade) is no longer there.  I remember it, and and its cloak rooms, and steps to other floors, and being torn down, quite well, to make way for the new.  One of the janitors knew I was interested in fossils and gave me some, found during the digging.  I had them well into being grown, but the rock collection they were part of has now disappeared.  This school system had/has a good educational program and a good program for gym, but it didn’t have a pool, something so many schools have.  One thing I loved they did have, two very nice auditoriums and 2 stage.  The school system regularly brought shows into its auditoriums, live and movies.  I have never forgotten one of the movies, “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” dated 1954.  I added it to my collection of DVD a few years ago.  From the date of the movie, I believe movies were very current when shown at school, something I find interesting. It cost us a quarter to see the shows, and my husband says it was probably equal to $2.50 now.  Hearing the amount makes me know it was a lot of money for mom to hand us, but she always found the money for the shows. 

 

 

 

#5- One of the things I regret in the home we live in is, I can’t see sunsets or sunrise.  My house faces north and south and if I’m desperate to see a sunrise, I must go out into the street early mornings.  This particular sunset is photographed from the hill above the house I grew up in.  It’s windows faced east and west and so every sunset that ever happened, when I lived there, was seen from the upstairs windows and the glow could be seen from those downstairs.  Sunsets are probably my most vivid of memories and this scene, if the resolution were good, and we could move forward to look over the hill, toward the sunset, we would look down on my house.  I also did a lot of sled riding from the top of this hill.  My photos, though few and not so exciting, are very nostalgic for me. 

 

Thanks always for your comments.

Have a great week and keep on taking those photos.

 

Weekly Photo Challenge

 

This weeks Challenge

“Your Name in Nature“

Suggested by:

Ataris822

 

I modified the challenge. 

As this is not a contest, when the challenge is prohibitive to my accomplishing it, I change the rules.

 

“Things in Nature
(I hope others)
relate my name to.”

 

 

My Photos

 

 

 

Courageous

 

 

Intelligent

 

 

Determined

 

 

Resourceful

 

 

Entertaining

 

 

Appreciative

 

 

 

Have a great week.  Thanks always for your comments and
Keep on taking those photos.

 

 

 

Weekly Photo Challenge

 

This weeks Challenge suggested by:
JPPhotography

 

 “Unexpected Treasures”

 

I love color / colour.  My most treasured images are filled with it.  My unexpected shots, images that happen out of the blue may or may not be, but to be treasured they have something, a quality, to cause them to be “Treasured”. 

 

A few of my images,

Treasured, YES,

Unexpected, DEFINITELY

 

 

#1  This cat is fast becoming treasured for several reasons.  First, it’s very smart.  It wheedled its way into our pocketbook to feed it and now it has wheedled its way into our house.  It’s fast becoming an expensive treasure as its shots, worming, de-fleaing and spay is a pretty big bank account.  Add in the toys and the bed and a toll on my sleep.  Its personality is maturing nicely, it isn’t as skinny, it knows how to ask to be let in and out and to be fed or to be petted and it allows us to live here.  It was most definitely an “Unexpected but Treasured” addition to our home.

 

 

 

#2  This “Unexpected Treasure” is one of a series I snapped on the way home from Rockford, Illinois in July, 2008.  The sunset is what my rear view mirror sees reflected in the side of our car. 

 

 

 

#3  I love a redhead and this beautiful family came to the lake to spend time together with a picnic on the water.  She is lovely and the children are beautiful, a perfect ”Unexpected Treasure”. 

 

 

 

#4  This was a definite unexpected.  We were out for dinner and after the fact, I took some images working with no flash but changing light settings.  I really liked what happened in this image.  Just a building is what I was thinking, but it came out as an “Unexpected Treasure”. 

 

 

 

#5  Another image from Rockford/Loves Park, Illinois, July of this year.  I had seen Turkeys on past visits but this trip, we went on a hunt, a photographic hunt and this “Unexpected Treasure”, one out of many, was on the hoof. 

 

 

 

#6  This image was taken only this Thanksgiving weekend, near an eating place we enjoy.  I am sure the wreck was unexpected but as it was raining, not all that surprising.  It was an unexpected opportunity for my photographic curiosities, but I hesitate calling it a treasured moment.

 

 

 

#7  The fact this image turned out at all was totally unexpected.  It was taken while driving at a pretty good clip on the expressway from Rockford to Cincinnati.  I saw the fun colors out of the corner of my eye as I was concentrating on other things.  I lifted, aimed and snapped and It came out quite well.  It was a nearly missed, fun and “Unexpected Treasure”.  

 

If there is one thing I have learned about photos, you can’t catch them all.  You have to leave some “Unexpected Treasures” for others to shoot at, photographically speaking.  There have been many I missed for others to take advantage of with their cameras.  Many images lie beautifully in wait, in Xanga entries for the thought, “I wish I had taken that one.”   

 

 

Have a super week.

Keep on taking those photos and

thanks always for your comments.