365 Project - Day 61

This was the Bible App bible verse of the day and one that I bookmarked. I thought it would be fun to try to isolate the verse in today's photo, while continuing with the black and white theme. I had more trouble narrowing focus to just these words than I had anticipated. I was determined to capture the bible for the day, but I almost switched to a different verse simply out of frustration - yes, I was getting dismayed!

It was an interesting exercise. This particular bible has lots of papers in it that kept sliding out, making the photograph less neat than I wanted. Also, this page has a coffee stain on it. It seemed little would go right in choosing to photograph this verse. In the end, I believe I was able to settle into a photo that provides what I wanted, clear focus on this verse. I will try this again, I'm certain, but for now, I'm pleased.

Happy Holidays!

Today's Photo: "Fear Not!"

"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10




EXIF: Nikon D7100
ISO 100
35mm
f3.3
1/250 (on camera flash)

365 Project - Day 60

I enjoy black and white photography. It is how I got started with film media when I was a teenager and I have never forgotten the feel of looking at photographs I had taken and developed myself: the educated guess at the camera's technical features / settings; the smell of our laundry room converted into a dark room; the tedious, but exciting work of watching the photo come alive from the negative. It is fitting, then, that my day 60 photo is a black and white. I wanted something dramatic as the creative, regardless of content, and I wanted this to be more about my approach to the craft.

I took several photos with my SB700 on camera and in a variety of positions. I have been working on getting more comfortable with flash and had fun moving the head around. The flash position that offered the greatest depth and variance of shadows was with the flash bouncing off the wall behind me, but slightly to the left (large due to how I was holding the camera, more than an elaborate plan!).

Happy Holidays!

Today's Photo: "Elegance in Light and Shadows"

"Everything that we see is a shadow cast by that which we do not see."
Martin Luther King, Jr.



EXIF: Nikon D7100
ISO 100
75mm (70-200mm f/2.8)
f/2.8
1/250 (on camera speed light)

365 Project - Day 59

Photographing one of our violins has been on my project list for awhile. I decided to take the opportunity to combine a photograph of the violin strings with our Christmas tree lights. I was convinced we had a larger violin available for this project. What I found, however, was an empty larger case. I had to settle for a small violin sitting on the piano bench, but I believe this works. I tried a variety of different positions and some of the photos included only white lights and others, like this one, included a variety of colors.

I chose this photograph because I like the in and out focus of the strings. When I look at this, the strings actually appear to be in motion. This shot is handheld and taken with the light available in the room.

I have been hurried when taking my 365 photos this week and this one is no exception. The good news is I still have more than 300 days left to improve!

Holiday wishes!

Today's Photo: "Festive Dancing Strings"

"Silent night, Holy night
Son of God, love's pure light
Radiant beams from thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord at thy birth
Jesus, Lord at thy birth."



EXIF: Nikon D7100
ISO 800
35mm
f1.8
1/45

365 Project - Day 58

I had several Christmas photos of our fully decorated tree (finally!) to choose from for today. I am most excited about this second attempt at a holiday lights bokeh effect. This time I shot further away to illuminate the shape of the tree, incorporate more lights and include the star on top. In post processing, I opened up the shadows and softened the lights by taking both contrast and clarity negative.

I believe this is a special photograph and I am pleased with the results. The one funny thing is that the star looks quite large, but I love that it is brighter and brings in different colors. The star adds unique charm to the photo.

I considered breaking the rules and posting more than one photo, but I like this one enough to go with it for the day. Holiday wishes!

Today's photo: "Christmas Glory"

"And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!"
Luke 2:13-14




EXIF: Nikon D7100
ISO 800
35mm
f1.8
1/45

365 Project - Day 57

These days, melancholy moments come fairly easily. I look at my 17 year old son, a senior in high school, and think, "this time next year ...," or "this is the last time, we will ..." I try to savor much. At the same time, however, it is difficult to imagine the change. I cannot comprehend how he grew to this age. Just a moment ago, I was pushing him on a swing in Texas. It makes no sense to me that he will be graduating from high school.

I glanced over at the piano the other day and noticed that this song was sitting on top of the music stack. My heart sank. "I'll be home for Christmas." How appropriate - next year, we will be discussing when he'll be coming home. He loves to play the piano and I will miss that music in my house when he leaves for school. I added one of our special ornaments from our time in France when he was in 1st and 2nd grade to complement this photo.

As you can likely tell by the shadows, this was taken without flash. I simply leveraged the existing lights in the music room.

Holiday Wishes!

Today's Photo: "A Child Grows"

"Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it." Proverbs 22:6



EXIF: Nikon D7100
ISO 400
35mm
f/1.8
1/45

365 Project - Day 56

Wahoo! My cast is off! The cast removal process is remarkable. I was fiddling with my iPhone as the medical team prepared. Horrified that it kept telling me that I could not take a picture because the storage was full and barely hearing a voice saying, "blah, blah, blah, don't worry about this tool. We only use it to cut off the cast. blah blah blah" I'm frantically trying to delete things on my phone. "It cannot cut skin. So do not be alarmed. Some people get a little freaked out," she went on. Meanwhile, I'm deleting, deleting. Still no room on my phone. She continues, "just be still and be sure you do not flinch." Then I hear the drill and look up! Whoa, woman! Why is there a circular drill on my leg? Perhaps, this whole 365 Project got away from me in this moment and I should have been paying attention! I nearly passed out while she pressed that drill on my cast. I thought to myself, "now what was it she said? It really cannot cut my skin? OWWW - breathe, breathe, breathe!"

When I settled down, there were no scrapes, no scratches, but also no pictures and the cast was in the trash! My leg looked like it had been in a goth cocoon and I was back to frantically deleting photos as I asked my husband to dig my cast out of the trash. "Say what?" He said. But alas, he did it anyway. I had terrific news from the doc: though it isn't visually appealing, my leg is healing well and I can begin to put the tiniest bit of weight on it, 25lbs. Also, I may be off crutches in 4-6 weeks which is way ahead of the last schedule he gave me!

If I'm truly candid, my primary concern now is - have I learned the lessons I was supposed to learn during this time? These are the thoughts in my crazy little head.

Today's Photo: "Strength Renewed"

"But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint." Isaiah 40:31


EXIF: Apple iPhone 5C
ISO 50
33mm (translated)
f2.4
1/40

365 Project - Day 55

I feel badly that my husband has had to try so very hard to encourage us to decorate the tree. He did an excellent job of getting the tree, standing it up and putting on the lights. He's also been a terrific steward of the tree; ensuring that the lights are turned on each day and the tree is getting plenty of water. The rest of us have simply not done our part. We have prioritized other things over decorating the tree, stepping over and around the many boxes of ornaments rather than taking an hour or so to decorate. Shame on us!

Well, in honor of his tremendous efforts, I opened one of the ornament boxes and prepared this photo for him. This is my promise to him that we will get it done before Christmas Day. It might be Christmas Eve, but it will be done! This photo was taken with my camera on my monopod and the flash off camera bounced at the ceiling.

Best wishes for the merriest of Christmases!

Today's Photo: "The promise of hope at Christmas"

"This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world, that we might live through him." 1John 4:9



EXIF: Nikon D7100
ISO 400
35mm
f/8
1/250 - Flash off camera

365 Project - Day 54

Merry Christmas! As I shared in my previous blog, one of my favorite things about this season is the opportunity to enjoy the children's concerts. This photo is from the Newtown High School Singers Christmas Concert. This was a fun evening for the families of the 21 teenagers who participate in this auditioned a cappella group. The only sad thing about the evening was that my son, Aidan, did not sing a solo. He sang with the group and he played piano as the accompanist for several of his friends. He told me that he was too stressed learning the pieces for the piano to even join in singing the smaller group songs. He did a terrific job playing the piano and everyone was fabulous. Another wonderful holiday event.

This photograph was taken from my seat near the front and below the stage. I was only able to capture a portion of the group and the lighting was not the best. From my seat, my son looked green under the lights in the back row - a lovely kermitish look! Though he memorizes the songs, I sure wish he would remember to bring along his Singers notebook!

Best wishes for a blessed holiday! Merry Christmas!

Today's Photo: "Hark! the Herald Angels Sing"

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:8



EXIF: Nikon D7100
ISO 400
35mm
f/2
1/45

365 Project - Day 53

One of my favorite things about the holiday season is the various children's Christmas Concerts. I am enjoying them more this year than ever. I am more fully in the moment, relaxed, listening to the words, watching the kids and absorbing each individual experience without preoccupation. I believe that is the combination of both my retirement and "lessons learned from the fall." I need to be practice - no not practice - but be more mindful. I encourage it. I thoroughly enjoyed the shows!

All of the kids did such a nice job performing at the Sabrina's Encore Productions student event this year. My younger son sang "White Christmas" including Irving Berlin's original lyrics that are rarely sung. Everyone appreciated having a proper understanding of the song and, of course, he is a thorough storyteller:
"The sun is shining, the grass is green,
The orange and palm trees sway.

There's never been such a day
in Beverly Hills, L.A.
But it's December the twenty-fourth,—

And I am longing to be up North ..."

My eldest son, the more dramatic one wanting to tell the tougher side of truth and tug on everyone each time he sings, sung "Christmas Shoes". Leaving many a mom and some of the kids, both boys and girls, in a heap of tears.

They were both fantastic. I had awesome seats for sound that were terrible for photographs. I recorded each of their sessions on video as usual. Then snapped this photograph after the show while everyone was mingling. You see, a gal with a cast is no good at mingling, so there's plenty of time for me to look for an opportunity to grab a photograph. I chose this one of the combination of the poinsettia with the piano in the background as a nice, subdued symbol of the music and beauty of the Christmas season.

Merry Christmas and Best Wishes!

Today's Photo: "Merry Melody"

From "Christmas Shoes" by Alabama
"I knew I'd caught a glimpse of heaven's love as he thanked me and ran out
I knew that God had sent that little boy to remind me what Christmas is all about"



EXIF: Nikon D7100
ISO 1000
35mm
f2.4
1/45

365 Project - Day 52

Holy Smokes! I've gotten so far behind in my blog that I had to rely on my photo dates to determine which pic comes next! The reason for the delay? 70 young people and their head shots. I did not want this project weighing on me through the holidays. This is the first Christmas in 32 years that I have been entirely work free and I didn't need to muck that up with a photo project, much as I love it! So, it is finished! I am now free to fully enjoy and embrace my family! So excited. Whew that was a lot of work ... now back to the photo of the day a few days ago.

I have been eying this sword as it stands propped up against the deep red wall in our family room for some time. Many days I think, "I really want to capture that. Humph - I'll have to try some time." And then just as quickly the urge is gone and I move on. I was determined on this day to succumb and start a journey with the sword and the wall. The sword is quite heavy and I do not have the mobility I need to get creative, but once I heal from my broken leg, I expect to develop a unique dynamic between the sword and the wall.

For now, this simple red - on - red will serve as my starting point. This was a quick photo taken using my on camera flash. I was in a tight space at the time, between my couch and the wall, without the ability to back up to bring the full sword into view and without a tripod on hand to leverage slower shutter speed. For selfish reasons, I chose not to increase the ISO above 400. Lots of opportunity for improvement and that's a good thing.

Happy Holidays and Best Wishes!

Today's Photo: "Passion's Sword"

“When love beckons to you, follow him, though his ways are hard and steep. And when his wings enfold you yield to him, though the sword hidden among his pinions may wound you.” Kahlil Gibran



EXIF: Nikon D7100
ISO 800
50mm
f1.8
1/250 (on camera flash)

365 Project - Day 51

I received an email from Nikon Learn & Explore the other day. An article on how to shoot the classic holiday light bokeh effect quickly caught my eye. I immediately read it and decided that I would complete a holiday bokeh project before the end of the week. Our Christmas tree has been up with lights only for some time and it seemed the perfect opportunity to get the bokeh correct in a completely uncomplicated environment before we clutter the tree.

The project sounded so very simple. I was excited to give this a try. As I glanced around the tree to determine which side to photograph, I worried that the lights were too big, not colorful enough and there was too much space between each strand but nevertheless, I was committed - this was the time. I placed my camera on the tripod, defocused the lens and went for it. I was shocked when I saw "Christmas bokeh in the first photo". Now that's a well written article ;-) I still wish I had more lights and more colors, but this was a good start.

After comparing my photograph with the one in the article, I believe I need to re-process mine to de-saturate, but for now, I'm pleased.

Best wishes !

Today's Photo: "The Magic of Christmas"

"Great little One! whose all-embracing birth
Lifts Earth to Heaven, stoops Heaven to Earth."
~Richard Crashaw



EXIF: Nikon D7100
50mm
ISO 100
f/1.8
1/60

365 Project - Day 50

I may be the only one, but I do not enjoy the taste of Fortune Cookies. I do, however, enjoy reading the fortunes. I'm a little superstitious in that if I open one with a good fortune, I feel obliged to eat at least half of it to be worthy of receiving that fortune! Okay, now that I've put that in words, it sounds even sillier than I imagined.

A good, meaningful fortune can be encouraging. I have kept several taped to a card in my bedroom. Several weeks ago, I had a terrific introductory discussion with a group of people. It was the highlight of my day and later I lazily opened a Fortune Cookie that was lying out on the counter. The message read, "Today, your life has changed forever." I choose to believe that was more than a coincidence.

We have Chinese food at least twice a month. It's a family favorite and I often wonder if we order more than the norm for a family of 4 because we are always given around 10 cookies. Anyway, this is a first attempt at a Fortune Cookie photograph. It has been on my list for some time (since we typically have an abundance of cookies), however, this was not as well planned as it could have been. I will "schedule and plan" a more organized shot.

For now, enjoy and best wishes!

Today's Photo: "You need not worry about your future"

"Only learn to seize good fortune, for good fortune is always there." Goethe



EXIF: Nikon D7100
ISO 400
50mm
f2.4
1/90

365 Project - Day 49

My lovely husband was shopping at Costco the other day, walked past the flower stand and thought of me. Well trained, right? He walked in with a bouquet of the most interesting flowers in bright pink, bright orange and a bluish purple color. Not a combination I would have expected, but definitely eye catching. I have been so busy with Christmas and other projects for the 365 that I actually forgot about this bouquet, though. In fact, we did not put them in water for the first 24 hours.

I initially tried photographing the variety of flowers against a white backdrop and then switched to this dark blue wall. I then placed 1 stem of each color in a vase to photograph separately. While I like the trio of flowers and the radiant mix, I preferred this singular stem. I chose this photo, because I like the subtle mix and blend of the blues with both the flower and the background. The change in temp and tint is attractive to me. This was photographed with the camera on a tripod and the speed light off camera, bouncing off the ceiling angled slightly toward the flowers.

I do wish I had more of the leaves in front in focus, but it is still my fave of the day!

Best wishes!

Today's Photo: "I thirst for you"

"And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." 1 Corinthians 13:13

365 Project - Day 48

It is difficult to explain the experience of photographing 70 children in a single afternoon. I can begin by stating that being organized was essential, as was being flexible. I arrived 45 minutes earlier than I had said I would. Yet, as soon as I arrived, little children wanted their photos taken since I was to start at the end of their meeting. I was early to set-up and because I knew I needed more than the planned 30 minutes to photograph 15 small children.

With a prepared cast/shot list in hand, I relied on my own children to take turns ensuring their friends and fellow cast members were lined up and ready to enter the makeshift studio in rapid succession. We needed to move quickly, plus I wanted the kids to have a moment to get comfortable and I wanted to be thorough, ensuring everyone had a good cast photo.

Overall, things went fairly smoothly. My kids were mostly helpful. Every so often they forgot their responsibilities and fell behind or left me to fend for myself. Not surprising, but aggravating. By the last session, I was running behind, but managing to stay sane.

I did not take a break, working straight through from 12:45 until 5:15. We took time to change the lighting when we shifted from the small children in Cinderella to the older kids. We changed from a single speed light to the speed light + the Einstein E640. I also took 30 seconds to stretch. Other than that, nonstop! Only living and breathing the session.

The only technical issues were adjusting the Einstein since I had not prepared correctly in the final prep and because the room was small and dim. (Did you notice the problem in yesterday's blog?) The other issue was that my SB700 recycle time slowed down midway through the session. I have not sorted out that issue.

Though harried and crazy, I enjoyed it. Who knows, maybe this could be my thing. I am sharing one of my son's headshots from the session. By the way, they were the absolute worst subjects of the day. Go figure!

Best wishes!

Today's Photo: "All the world's my stage!"

A confession - I probably should include the "before" photo. I spent quite a bit of time trying to determine why the photos imported from View NX2 to Lightroom darkened dramatically. When I posted the question in the LR community the response was simply did I have Active D-Lighting on? Yep, I did. And, yes, I went over every camera setting multiple times. Just did not worry about this one since it hadn't previously been a problem. Now, though, I'm happy about the error. I'm enjoying the editing process and the discovery of the details in every photo. I have always embraced a challenge - can I get it right? I believe so.


"But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." 2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV



EXIF: Nikon D7100
ISO 160
50mm
f/5.6
1/180 (headshot lighting kit)

365 Project - Day 47

I've fallen behind in posting again, but I have another excellent excuse. First things, first. I never forget to take the daily photo (boy, I sure hope I don't have to eat those words someday), I just have a difficult time getting to the blog each day.

Now, to my excellent excuse: In 5 hours, I photographed 70 children between the ages of 5 and 18 yesterday. They were being measured for costumes and taking cast headshots for upcoming Winter performances. One studio, 3 shows. It was crazy. I was exhausted and passed out when I returned home. All the details will be shared in the next blog.

Today is about the prep. By now you know, I am operating with a broken leg wrapped in a lovely cast. Everything I do takes extra planning, care and feeding. Head shots are not in my wheelhouse. So, I took care to plan and get organized, particularly since this was for such a large group. I spent the 2 days prior in my basement preparing. As I shared in my last blog, my 17 year old son was terrific about helping the first day, but no one was around to assist with the final prep. I wanted to ensure I had all of my camera settings pre-loaded; the Einstein and speed light pre-configured; and everything documented along with detailed packing and unpacking lists. I also created cast / shot lists for tracking.

I decided to take self portraits as part of the preparation. The small prep space was awkward with my crutches, however, and I could not make it work. Also, the photos kept coming out dark. I studied all of my manuals and could not find an explanation. Frustrated, I texted my husband (hee-hee) and asked him to come downstairs to help. He reluctantly sat for two photos and then offered to get Jamal if I needed more. I said "no, thanks. I will figure this out without Jamal." I did eventually throw up my arms and drag in Jamal. His portrait is below. He's big and heavy, but he's a colorful fellow who doesn't complain, always has a smile on his face and does whatever I need ;-)

I was very proud of everything I accomplished in my prep work and felt ready. In addition to the work I did in the basement I read a lot and watched videos. I was in great shape. I packed everything away in canisters and a suitcase and called my son and husband to carry it upstairs. It was at that point, when I mentioned to my son that we needed to be mindful of an item during the set-up, that he said, "mom, what you're saying makes no sense." Then I realized my entire work effort that day was a spectacular failure. All of my settings were incorrect, but it was too late. I could not unpack and set up the mock studio again. I was going to have to assume I knew enough to sort it out on the spot. The problem? You can see it clearly when you look at Jamal. If you do not, write a comment and I will explain.

One thing's certain, I will never make this mistake again. Resolving it cost me a good 10 minutes yesterday. Plus I had to listen to my son's version of how the world turns. All in a compressed time period. The good news is I am better for the experience.

Best wishes!

Today"s Photo: "I'm going to be a star!"

Churchill said, "success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm."



EXIF: Nikon D7100
ISO 160
50mm
f4.0
1/180 (headshot lighting kit)

365 Project - Day 46

New toys always bring me joy and discovering them with my children double the fun. I keep turning down opportunities to shoot head shots. Well, I finally succumbed and agreed to a rather large gratuitous piece of work, but this falls in the core of what I love to do. More about that later as the session is tomorrow. I have been studying a variety of lighting configurations and finally settled on the combination of my SB-700 speed light as a filler and a Paul C Buff Einstein E640 as the key light. My son and I played around with these lights to sort out the details given the small space we have tomorrow. He hates to have his picture taken, but obliged me with many uneasy expressions as we sorted out how to coordinate the strobes.

This Einstein Flash Unit is fabulous. I've spent 2 days playing around with it and am anxious for the "live" session tomorrow. I will be taking headshots of loads of children from the ages of 5 - 18. I will use only the speed light shooting through a Westcott umbrella with the small children and the fancier combination with the older kids. Wish me luck!

Best wishes!

Today's Photo: "Brilliant !"

"The Lord will work out His plans for my life" Psalm 138:8

"When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be." Lao Tzu




EXIF: Nikon D7100
ISO 100
50mm
f1.8
1/60

365 Project - Day 45

Snow! The late afternoon and evening snowfall was gentle and beautiful. My younger son jumped in the car after the holiday show and immediately checked his school cancellation app. "60% odds of cancellation tomorrow, woohoo!," he exclaimed. What he received instead was a 2 hour delay and he seemed content with that. My husband urged me to photograph the snow at 11PM and cheat on the next day's photos. I can't say I blame him, the late night scene outside our front door was fantastic, but I was way too tired to focus and besides, I had already completed my 365 Project for the day. Yes, perhaps, a true artist would not have missed such an opportunity. Seriously, though, I was really tired.

I went out to take photos before eating breakfast the next day. Oddly, I was determined to take them using the 1.4x teleconverter on my 70-200mm f2.8 lens. I suppose I wanted to check out both devices. Still not convinced my telephoto lens survived my break and not happy with the first round of photos I took with the teleconverter. Years ago when I had more time to take photos, I used teleconverters often with my Nikon FE2. I actually forgot about them when I returned to photography a few months ago. I'm still nurturing my skills and not 100% satisfied with the 1.4x results, but can't put my finger on the problem.

I confess this session was a physical challenge. I photographed from our front porch, while leaning on one of the posts. I asked my husband to come back and get me in 10 minutes to help me back inside. (It was cold outside and he was not interested in waiting alongside me.) My camera was heavy and I was unstable whether leaning on the post or on my crutches. I could not get comfortable and it felt like a futile exercise. I was finished and counting the minutes, long before my husband returned! I thought about sitting on the wet porch to wait for his return. When he did return, I was not sure I had the energy to hop back inside the house. Oh the endless joys of my broken leg!

Today's Photo: "Life's Remarkable Adventure"

"Some journeys take us far from home. Some adventures lead us to our destiny." C. S. Lewis



EXIF: Nikon D7100
ISO 100
105mm (70-200mm f2.8)
f/4
1/350

365 Project - Day 44

What joy to hear the music of the talented youth of the Newtown High School Choral department! Last night's holiday performances were delightful and put us into the spirit of Christmas. The evening kicked off with an entertaining performance by their male a cappella group, XY Chromotones, singing an original arrangement of Feliz Navidad. Unfortunately, I was using my 70-200 f2.8 and could not get the entire group in the shot. On top of that, there was a huge mic stand in front of the group. Nevertheless, I love the dynamics of the group captured in this shot. You can certainly tell they are having fun.

We enjoyed it immensely! It was fun to see both of my children hamming it up! Such a blessing.

Best wishes!

Today's Photo: " Holiday A ca-Jammin'

"Trouble knocked at the door, but hearing laughter, hurried away." Benjamin Franklin



EXIF: Nikon D7100
ISO 1000
70mm (70-200mm f/2.8)
f2.8
1/350

365 Project - Day 43

"If you don't have garbage, you have nothing to use in order to make compost. And if you have no compost, you have nothing to nourish the flower in you." Thich Nhat Hanh

Ah hah! I thought as I read this on my Facebook this morning. We must embrace our compost, our messiness, our garbage. It is that, after all, which makes life interesting, exciting, and beautiful. Something I know very well!

I finally took out my flash for this round of flower photos. I placed the flash off camera about a foot to the left of the flowers and bounced the flash to the left as well, no diffuser, no gels. I used a white foam board to manage the reflection and minimize shadows. I was no more patient with this round of grocery flower picks than the last. I just received a coupon for flowers, however, from an online delivery service. I'm anxious to try something more exotic than the grocery bunch my lovely husband selects.

Now that I am having so much fun with these flower photos, I'm starting to get the itch to do more macro work. I have added a macro lens to my growing wish list. If only money really did grow on trees.

Best wishes !

Today's Photo: "Moonlight Melody"

"Realize deeply that the present moment is all you ever have." Eckhardt Tolle



EXIF: Nikon D7100
ISO 100
50mm
f/11
1/60 (off camera speed light)

365 Project - Day 42

Why is the end of the year is so crazy? Christmas shopping, cards, insurance decisions, school events and more all before the year ends. It's a wonder we don't all go a little bit crazy each year end. All that is to say - Oops, though I took the photo on time, my blog is behind!

For this photo, I was looking around my home for something interesting and different to shoot as a still life photo. I pulled together several objects for this treasure. I'm not exactly sure why, but I have a box filled with masks, some porcelain, some feathered and some bedazzled! There are also hooks packed with the masks. I clearly had planned to display them, I believe in our guest bathroom, but never got around to it. The first few photos were with two masks, but the scene was crowded. This one, while simpler, is more intense. I collected the stones with my boys somewhere near the Grand Canyon and the coins are from my travels around the world. Sorry to disappoint - they are not real pirate booty! The light is natural morning light from a large second story window. This is just a fun photograph.

Today's Photo: "Masquerade Treasures"

I have a slightly lighter version of this photo. I could not decide which was better. I like the intrigue in this one, but you can see more detail in the other. Happy to have your comments.

Thanks and best wishes!

"I would rather die of passion than of boredom." Vincent Van Gogh



EXIF: Nikon D7100
ISO 100
50mm
f/4
1/8

365 Project - Day 41

I am back to working on flower photography. I wanted to work on a series of traditional flower photos with the grocery store bouquet before they wilted. After yesterday's disappointment, I really needed something to conquer and to cheer me up. I also have to say, I continue to be so inspired by the photographs others are producing that I'm anxious to do the same.

Naturally, I tried a little creative license with the flowers, including a "de-constructed vase of flowers." Yep, I am just that nutty. Candidly, I would not have thought to photograph the backside of a Gerbera daisy until recently seeing many Fine Art photos. I also originally kept tossing the white flowers in the second photograph aside, thinking they were throw-away fillers. I'm as happy with this session as I was disappointed with yesterday's. Now, how's that for a turnaround?

I still shied away from the flash, but I was armed with a few lessons learned. I waited for bright natural afternoon sunlight. I used my tripod and the timer and kept ISO at 100. I played with a variety of aperture and shutter speed settings. I am limited because I do not have a macro lens and I'm not a fan of the auto macro setting on my camera. Nevertheless, I am excited about my first couple of attempts and will continue to explore this as a winter hobby.


Today's Photo: #1 "Beautiful Dreamer"

Today's Photo: #2: "Come to Me"

"Everything has beauty, but not everyone can see." Confucius



EXIF: Nikon D7100
#1
ISO 100
50mm
f2.8
1/750

#2
ISO 100
50mm
f/3.3
1/1500

365 Project - Day 40

A bust! Some days you just have to call things what they are. Maybe it was just a bad idea to begin with. Maybe I simply didn't try hard enough. Whatever the cause, I failed to deliver a photograph that I'm proud of today. Nevertheless, this journey is about shooting every day, selecting the best. learning and getting better. I suspect I will be disappointed more often than not during this process. Robert T. Kiyosaki said, "Winners are not afraid of losing. But losers are. Failure is part of the process of success. People who avoid failure also avoid success." Here-here!

My family went Christmas tree shopping for the first time without me. We go to a Christmas Tree Farm not far from where we live, trek out to 'The North Pole or South Pole" and search for hours for the perfect Fraser Fir. Well, mostly, I search for the perfect tree, while my boys chase each other around the field and my husband looks "earnestly". We then chop down the tree, load it up, and enjoy hot cider and homemade cookies by the fire before returning home. This year, I wasn't into "crutching" up the hill in the cold and let them go it alone. When they came home, they said they went up to The North Pole, but could not find a suitable tree and bought a pre-cut one. I know they were worried about my reaction, but frankly, I was just so happy that I did not have to go!

The tree looks great and before we decorated, I wanted to capture the essence of the tree by photographing a portion. Fraser Firs are my favorite Christmas trees. A photograph of a small sample, I thought, would be enough (and artistic?). I'm not sure what was going on in my head, but it didn't work. What else can I say? Well, this - what did I learn?
1) I did not try my flash unit. Why does using the flash cause me so much angst?
2) Using either flash or a tripod, would have allowed for reduced ISO (aka I was lazy).
3) Many photos were shot with the shutter speed under focal length. (I wasn't careful.)
4) I should have backed up to improve context and content (simply too narrow).
5) To strengthen perspective, I need to ask, "what do I see and want others to feel?"

I don't mind this failure, though. Advent is about a journey and Christmas is about a savior. Without the journey and failures along the way, Christmas would be unnecessary.
Peace, my friends.

Today's Photo: "The Christmas Journey"

"The only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing."




EXIF: Nikon D7100
ISO 800
50mm
f1.8
1/45

365 Project - Day 39

Recently, I have seen quite a lot of flower photography float across my Twitter feed. Seems odd with winter approaching, but I'm enjoying it. I am particularly inspired by Fine Art Photographer Juergen Roth's beautiful images and article "The Art of Flower Photography". Of course, since I'm on this path to improve how I "see", I felt compelled to expand the flower image into a broader composition. This will cause angst amongst the purest in flower photography, because it's not only about the flower, but also about the environment. I wanted to capture the flower within the context of a scene. Let me explain.

I chose the navy blue wall in our dining room as the backdrop. When I started to arrange the flowers, I noticed the faint light in the room cast a shadow of the flower and light coming in from the next room through French doors created an interesting effect along the wall behind the daisy. I wanted to capture both effects in the composition and chose to do so without a flash. I have more noise in the photograph than I would like, but I do like the end result.

Now, I would not have normally chosen a pink flower, but this was the best of the bunch my husband picked up for me while he was grocery shopping ;-) It is a nice flower and so, I thought I would share this story. The pink daisy reminded me of a brief meeting I had recently and is my tribute to a little girl who made me smile.

When I was in Las Vegas a few weeks ago, I went to the restroom in a casino and while I was washing my hands, a little girl approached me after she had watched me leaning on my crutches for a few minutes. She said, "I broke my arm when I was six years old." I asked her how and she told me about swinging on a swing set and falling off. She still had scars on her arm from the break. I shared my story, thanked her for sharing hers and showed her my bright blue cast. She then told me that her cast had been purple. "Purple and pink," she said, "are my favorite colors." When I told her that at her age, they were my favorite colors as well and that my bedroom even had walls painted pink with purple carpet, her eyes grew wide and her smile fantastic. It was a lovely conversation. I knew she wanted to make me feel better and I so appreciated her brightening my day.


Today's Photo: "Her Smile"

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance." James 1:2-3

“When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.” Viktor E. Frankl, Man's Search for Meaning




EXIF: Nikon D7100
ISO 800
50mm
f1.8
1/30 (off camera speed light)

365 Project - Day 38

I started reading The Practice of Contemplative Photography, by Andy Karr and Michael Wood yesterday morning. The book was recommended by one of the active participants on Light Stalking. I am just a few chapters in, but was anxious to get started. Color is the first assignment and we were directed to be clear about the intention to shoot bold colors, focusing on a flash of color that stops us.

My husband and I had a lunchtime appointment with our financial advisors so I brought my camera along. The only color I noticed in route were the blue garbage cans at each home, christmas decorations, traffic signs, street signs, business logos and yellow fire hydrants. And, the office park was black, gray and brown. Absolutely nothing excited or "stopped" me - perhaps, I wasn't seeing things the way I should have, but it was all a bit depressing. Everything seemed so ordinary, bland and wintry. Then on the way home after I had given up all hope, out of the corner of my eye I noticed a small group of wild plants with red heads growing along the side of the road.

We turned around and pulled over so that I could take a few photos. I could not get out and walk over to the plants on my crutches. The photographs are not as tight as the assignment requests (or as I would like), but I am clear that what stopped me was the striking red against the faded colors of winter. I am also looking forward to my next "day of color"!

Today's Photo: "Color Guard"

"Color is the place where our brain and the universe meet." Paul Klee

365 Project - Day 37

I do not enjoy being photographed and you will find few photos with me in them. I believe, however, self-portraiture will allow me to have more control over what appears. "How Self-Portraiture Makes You a Better Photographer," by Ryan Pendleton (another Digital Photography School article) inspired me to work on a self portrait project yesterday. This was more ambitious than I anticipated. I chose to use natural light from a large east facing window. Once I lost that light, I switched to light from an adjacent room. The photo I selected is from the latter. I also preferred the mono version.

Of course, I worked through the normal challenges, including lighting, posing and placement. This project was also personally demanding given my limited mobility with my broken leg and on top, I could not find our remote trigger. Therefore, I had to minimize placement adjustments and set the camera timer at 20s to give me enough time to "crutch" over to the stool, drop my crutches and pose. In the end, this was not much of a glamour shot (not my style anyway) as I did not have the flexibility to change outfits, redo my hair or refresh my make-up, but I ended up with few keepers. And, I had a few laughs at myself too.

I love the idea of using self portraits as a creative outlet and tool to develop technique. I learned a lot throughout the day and Ryan is right, I was a more patient subject. As my first sincere attempt at self portraiture, I'm pleased ! I am thinking about this as a regular project.

Today's Photo: Self Portrait #1

"... the Lord bestows favor and honor, no good thing does He withhold ..." Psalm 84:11

"The present moment is the only moment available to us, and it is the door to all moments." Thich Nhat Hanh

365 Project - Day 36

I have decided I need to be more focused on specific photography projects at least once or twice a week. I recently saw an article on Digital Photography School entitled, "How to Create a Unique Bokeh Portrait for Under $10" by Nick Fancher. I quickly skimmed the article, picking up the basic premise of shooting with Christmas lights in front of the subject. The photos were intriguing and I knew I wanted to give this a try. Yesterday when my husband brought out all of the Christmas decorations so he could hang the lights outside, I decided to work on this project. What I failed to do, was re-read the article for the execution details until this afternoon (oops). Now I need a do-over to properly complete the project, in the meantime, here's my version - haha.

Since my family won't model, I chose one of our little Christmas men we set out around the house as my subject. I wasn't creative enough to think of hanging the lights across my tripod at a 90 degree angle, which is really the proper way to do this. Instead, I struggled with wrapping the lights around a large Christmas ball decoration. To add creative flair, I placed my man in front of French doors capturing bokeh from the reflection of the lights. I actually preferred a photo in which the only bokeh was in the reflection, but that's not this project.

In addition to the challenge of not being able to shoot through the lights to create the dancing bokeh effect, the lights created a bright flare. I did not check to see if they were low wattage lights as suggested in the article and the lighting in the room was quite bright, so I did not want to use flash. The project, however, requires one or two flash units gelled red. So you can see, I had quite a few missing ingredients. It was fun to practice anyway.

Best wishes!

Today's Photo: "Christmas Bokeh - Hope"

(EXIF: Lens 50mm f1.8, 1/125, ISO 400)* (from memory, will update if necessary)


"And in despair I bowed my head;
'There is no peace on earth,' I said;
'For hate is strong,
And mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!'

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
'God is not dead, nor doth he sleep!
The Wrong shall fail,
the Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men!' "
― Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

365 Project - Day 35

I have never attempted food photography, but I love to cook. I enjoy making beautiful meals, but I typically make a beautiful mess at the same time.

Since breaking my leg at the end of October, I haven't been in the kitchen much. The two times I did took an extraordinary amount of time and energy and in the end, I nearly destroyed the kitchen. I needed lots of help and I absolutely could not clean up my mess. Ahhh, the blessing and curse of a broken leg!

When I retired earlier this year, I developed a daily dinner schedule: Mondays = European, Tuesdays = Fish, Wednesdays = Soup, Thursdays = Vegetables, etc. I cooked nearly every day until "the break". Last night, I decided to try again. I thought a simple one pot dinner would work well. While that was in the oven, I prepared my son's Mason Jar Salad for his school lunches. The family enjoyed the Italian Roast with Potatoes and Carrots. However, I was exhausted by the time I finished chopping, rubbing, stirring, pouring and roasting. I needed a glass of wine and lots of rest! Perhaps, that's evident by this small sample of the mess I left behind.

You may be thinking, "what 17 year old boy wants a salad for lunch?" I often prepared this as a 10 layer salad on Thursdays and my boys enjoyed it. I should be quick to say that I tried many other vegetarianish foods that did not go over as well, but they are hungry kids that have to eat something!! It's good to be in control. If you're interested, the recipe is at the bottom of the blog!

Today's Photo: "The Messy Art of Food Prep" So, after looking at this again, it's really not appetizing, but it is real, and it's all I've got today!

"My doctor told me I had to stop throwing intimate dinners for four unless there are three other people." Orson Welles


One Final Thought
It is Giving Tuesday and as I complete this post on food, my heart is tugged, reminded of the millions of people here in the US and around the world that go hungry every day. I hope to have an impact on that. We provide food for a family through church each Thanksgiving, but know that is far from enough. So, I am praying for guidance as to the right way to make a difference. I hope you are using your gifts to make your corner of the world brighter! Two suggestions @FeedingAmerica and @charitywater.

"There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work." 1Corinthians 12:4-6





10 Layer Salad with Italian Lemon Pecorino Dressing (dressing is adapted from foodnetwork.com)
Romaine Heart Lettuce
Cilantro, chopped
Thinly sliced Green Onions / Scallions (white and pale green parts only)
Organic Frozen Peas (cooked)
Diced Red Onion
Diced Jalapeno
Cherry Tomatoes, quartered (optional) updated*
Chopped Boiled Eggs
Grated Cheddar Cheese
Croutons (we use garlic and butter)

Optional - Bacon (pan fried and crumbled) (oops - not a veggie)
* My son just said, "I really do not like tomatoes!"

If serving in a large bowl, layer ingredients in 3 layers. If serving in a Mason Jar, place the dressing on the bottom, then layer as follows: tomatoes, onions, jalapeños, peas, lettuce/cilantro, eggs, bacon (if using) cheese, croutons. Shake when ready to eat.


Dressing
Fresh squeezed lemon juice from 2 medium lemons (1/3 c)
1/4 c olive oil
1/2 c grated pecorino romano cheese (I also use parmesan)
1 1/2 t of Italian seasoning
1 t of Oregano
1 clove of garlic, smashed
25 grinds of black pepper
Few pinches of salt

Combine in tightly sealed container and shake vigorously.

365 Project - Day 34

Claude Monet said, "I must have flowers always and always." I'm with him. I love flowers and, by the way, I'm not a fan of red roses or carnations, both represent the two ends of the spectrum of too common (cheap and expensive, but everywhere), for me. I would be delighted,I suppose, to receive a room full of either or both ;-) I do enjoy flowers. I delight in every aspect of their beauty: color, variety and fragrance. What's my favorite, you might ask? The Calla Lily. It is a gorgeous flower whose meaning is associated with holiness, faith, youth and rebirth. Interestingly, however, it belongs to neither the lily nor the calla families, making it a bit of a misfit. The inherent disconnect of the confusion surrounding the name and the purity of its meaning makes the Calla Lily even that much more endearing.

I do like all flowers, though. It is possible IMHO, that Maslow missed flowers as a basic need in his hierarchy. I think Hans Christian Andersen agrees, "Just living is not enough. One must have sunshine, freedom and a little flower."

Since today is Cyber Monday and everyone is shopping for the holidays, I offer this "Christmas Floral Treat"

Best wishes!

"The earth laughs in flowers." Ralph Waldo Emerson