Bouncing Light

I love the fact that light bounces all over the place. Often it isn't really obvious but light bounces and shows up in the strangest places. I was fascinated at a late afternoon football game as it appeared that there was a spot light shining on the person standing right on the 50 yard line. Weird since the sun was setting behind him but then I realized the setting sun(west end) had hit a white sign at the opposite end of the field(east end) and was bouncing back (towards the west), landing directly on the spot where the 5o yard line met the sideline. With that mentality I was entertained one day at the park as I realized the underside of a bridge had light bouncing back up onto it from the water. Light can be a powerful thing, put it to work for you.

The Eyes Have It

A funny thing happens when you photograph someone with light coming from over your shoulder, especially coming from a window or some other natural light source. The eye captures a photo all itself of what is behind you. In this case, not a perfect example, look closely at the iris of the eye and you will see a reflection of the outside. Trees and sky are clearly recognizable from the reflection. I suppose reflections play a large parf of life don't they and our eyes never miss a thing.

I Have a Confession

I love weird socks! There I said it, I can't deny it. I appreciate people who can where socks that speak to them despite what fashion rules might say about weird socks. I regularly wear holiday socks whatever the holiday is. I have Christmas socks, valentines socks, fourth of July socks, I even have the free socks the bowling alley gives out with the American flag on them. I can't force myself to throw them out, I think we have three pairs from a group outing to the bowling alley. In addition to weird socks, I like to mix my socks up. They have to be mixed up with certain socks, not every color mix would work. For some reason I have a strong affinity for mixing my purple and my red socks. I know, you may never read anything else I write and I wouldn't blame you but at least I am honest. Tonight at a local basketball game I couldn't believe the other team was wearing wild socks. I have seen different socks at soccer games, especially the more important games but I was totally taken with these odd socks, I am not sure everyone wearing them felt a great love for them but they sure grabbed my attention.

What a Difference a Week Makes

Just a week ago we were enjoying nice warm temperatures, just what I love. I found time to capture a few images of the fall flowers around. Good thing too since last night a huge freeze hit, which isn't bad by itself. It becomes a bad thing when moisture comes with it and you get ice and sleet. Schools closed, cars wrecked and anything that was in bloom froze. Lucky for you I have these kale photos to bring color back to a grey day. The light was directional and it was late in the day so the colors are vibrant. Two slightly different plants with the bottom plant having great texture.

Explanation Needed

I must admit I don't have the faintest clue as to what is what when it comes to wrestling. Give me lacrosse, football, basketball, baseball, softball, tennis, golf, volleyball, basically anything with a ball but this wrestling is not as clear to me. I get that as long as you keep your backend off the ground you have a fighting chance to win your match. As to how you get there, I really don't get, so with that I give you two photos, feel free to explain to me what in the world is going on in either of them. In the first image looks like the guy in blue top is trying to pull guy in yellow over so he can pin him but in the meantime I think he might be breaking his neck. In the second photo the guy on the bottom is definitely going to need a chiropractor in the morning, seriously look at how he is bowing out his back with all of his weight between his feet and one elbow.

Going Somewhere

Awaken by a really odd dream this morning, I should have known how the day would go. I won't bore you with the details but will share this photo with you. This photo symbolizes an opportunity, a direction, a decision to go somewhere. You don't always know exactly where stairs will lead you but most people go up the stairs anyway. If these are unknown stairs you can't really see from below what might lay at the top of the stairs, you have no idea what awaits you once you get up there and let's face it if there are a lot of stairs you are likely winded and don't really pay much attention to where you end up once up those stairs. I suppose this is where trust and faith come in that all is well once there.

Color in Photos

I look back at old family photos and don't give a second thought to the fact that up to a point they are all black and white. I can only imagine the excitement when color photos became common place. I recently took a photo of leaves on the ground after a light rain, I also converted that image to a black and white file. The difference between the feeling from the two photos is, to borrow a phrase, like night and day. One is a basic photo, nothing fancy but alright, the second has a dark and moody feel(click on the image to see larger version ). Do you agree?

Nothing

Today is all about Nothing. I woke up today with big plans and expectations. That all changed with the sound of a door closing. Almost symbolic, the door closed as if the door was closed on all my plans for the day. What entered through the doorway was one sick puppy and I don't mean a dog. This was my 24hours of doing whatever but it became my day of being part nurse. Still not sure what has hit here but when someone goes to bed and stays there all day with no interest in tv, you know it's bad. So instead of all the cleaning and organizing and whatever I had planned, here I sit typing a bunch of jibberish about nothing. All is not lost I will leave you with something, just still not sure what that something will be... oh I found something to leave you with. I would like to know how in a vertical wall of stone and very old concrete, I swear this wall was part of the works program from FDR's day, sounds a little familiar actually if you go back and read the history. Short version, economy was crashing, banks were struggling, jobs were scarce and in comes new president who created jobs, basically buiding things and I think a lot of the parks around us have buildings that were part of this work program. Which brings me to my How question, if these stones have been around since then (1930's) and the concrete has withstood the test of time, how did this little plant find a place to grow and sustain itself in a vertical wall five feet above the creek?

Reflections

I found myself with a few minutes of idle time and a creek so I made the most of the situation and began to think as I made some photographs. I caught some decent reflections of trees around the creek and thought about the fact that we never see ourselves as others see us. In other words the only way we can see what we look like is from a photo or a reflection. Reflections are not always accurate and I honestly feel that the camera doesn't always tell the truth. Depending on a lot of factors the same person may not look anything like the real deal in a photo. I won't even go into the post processing that can alter a person's appearance. Reflections can deliver a myriad of different looks and they are not always positive reflections. How odd it is that we see the whole world with our eyes but will never see our own face, which is what we are instantly recognized by.

What's Wrong With This Photo?

The first thing some folks might say is that it is out of focus, which isn't really accurate. I intended for only the cat's head to be in focus and for the rest of her to be lost in the grass, softly blurring away. If you said that the cat isn't centered, well that would be wrong also since the cat isn't suppose to be dead center, that would be boring. The real problem with this photo that really gets to me is that the cat is looking out of frame, in other words the cat's gaze out of the frame also takes the viewer's eye straight out of the frame. Too bad because I really like the way the focus works on this photo but those eyes are killing the photo. Better planning next time I suppose, I won't even go into how fast this cat moves and never sits still (am I winning any sympathy yet?).

Toe Dip

For fun I decided to try my hand at photographing some jewelry, unfortunately I did not get my hands on any super fancy diamond necklaces but I did play around with different backgrounds for earrings depending on the color scheme of the design. It was fun and after one of my people saw what I was doing, made fun of me, then they wanted to try too, moving the light around until we got it just right and snapping photos, rearranging the jewelry until it looked just right. So you can call this my time of dipping my toe into new waters. I would love to be able to accurately recount the set up but I think there was a speedlight left and one right.

Loch Ness Something

I wouldn't call it a monster but I love shooting swimming because you get some cool looks freezing the water in motion. I wish I lived out west where they swim outdoors with the beautiful blue water making photos even better but I am stuck in the cold tundra and indoor (badly lit) swimming. Anyhoo, this photo makes me smile. Oh and he did place first in the race.

Like a Bird

I had the good fortune to meet a man named Roger who was kind enough to let me into the locked down American Airlines Center to capture a photo of an event going on two stories below. Thank you Roger, you gave me a chance to do something I had never done, stand out on the balcony with the jumbotron behind me just like the crazy people after sporting events.

City or Beach

This was one of those pleasant surprise images. The sun was setting and was calling for me to photograph it. Of course I did and didn't think about it again since it was one shot after a soccer game. The action shots took priority, once I did stop and look at this image I was surprised because at first glance it looked like the sun was setting over a tumultous body of water, but wait the water was surrounded by clouds but then the light from the parking lot jumped into the corner almost making the sunset look as though it was a back drop and not real. To give some meaning to all of this, I suppose you could say this photo is sort of like life. You see what you want to and your attitude can make a difference in how you perceive your life...

Living History

Many of you know I have been a regular at the annual Cotton Bowl game held in Dallas. What you may not know is that I have been attending Cotton Bowl games as long as I can remember. In 1969 when Texas beat Tennessee 36-13. The weather I have been told was more than chilly and according to my mother after standing outside the locker room waiting for my father I got so cold that I refused to go outside for days. The annual New Year's day game was part of our family holiday routine and it is still to this day. The University of Texas Longhorns became regular Southwest Conference Champions which in those days (I can't believe I just typed those words), meant a trip to the Cotton Bowl where the SWC champion always played. There was no set National Championship game, but on many occassions the Cotton Bowl determined the National Champion. Well back to the fact that Texas made a regular trip to the Cotton Bowl when I was just a young whipper snapper. In 14 years the Longhorns made 10 trips to the Cotton Bowl, some before I was born. Well the first year they didn't go to the Cotton Bowl, I was so upset with my mother. I remember being really upset that we didn't get up New Year's day and head to the Cotton Bowl. We always went to Fair Park on the first of January but that day we didn't go because of something stupid like the Longhorns didn't win the SWC. What? As far as I was concerned January 1 in the Cotton Bowl was just like the first Saturday in October, when the Longhorns would play Oklahoma. You just marked your calendar and went. Someone had changed the rules and we were not going to start our year out spending a day at the chilly Cotton Bowl stadium. Well many of my memories have been made at the Cotton Bowl. I had been on the field as a college student as Texas played OU and my date manned Old Smoky, the cannon that is fired if Texas does something good. I had met, President Lyndon Baines Johnson before a Cotton Bowl game. I even went back and got his autograph. I know not everyone is a fan of his but he gave me his pen! I remember him being this really huge man as I tugged on his jacket to get his attention. His secret service guy had to tell him I was standing there. Can you imagine today being able to get that close to a President. I have photographs of Gene Stallings, Grant Teaff, Darrell Royal and Ara Paraseghian, Troy Aikman, Darren McFadden and a host of other players or coaches that have played and often become a Cotton Bowl Hall of Famer, all some part of the past and current Cotton Bowl history. The point of all of this is the Cotton Bowl still stands and the annual Texas-OU game will continue to be played there but the 74th Cotton Bowl game will not be held there, the game is being moved to the new stadium Jerry Jones is building. I totally understand all the reasons behind the move which I won't bore you with but I had the opportunity to cover the last Cotton Bowl game held at the Cotton Bowl stadium. I made a point to notice some of the smaller features of the stadium and will hold my older memories close as I begin making news ones next year in much fancier digs.

Missing Color

Winter has set in, not like it has up north but it has set in with dreary skies and everything just looks flat. I came across a photo I took recently just before the leaves fell off the trees. We had brilliant color on trees this year but for the most part I missed photographing the fall color for one reason or another. This photo however captured the scene that welcomed me home every day as I pulled into my driveway. The beautiful yellow leaves against the blue sky was so refreshing I ran inside one day and grabbed my camera, firing off a few shots. Nothing fancy but definitely better than the drab skies out today.

Share Your Joy

Meetings, meetings, meetings all day long so I leave you with one of my favorite images from this summer. I was trying out a new lens which was on loan from my friend Jack. If every day gave me an opportunity to photograph things around me I would be one happy gal! Life tends to get in the way but I plan on staying on top of this blog. Oh who am I kidding?

I would like to share a story with you though. I have this friend who is very unique and southern. Who can resist southern hospitality. She told a story about attempting to try to live her life with a more positive attitude and not to get sucked into negativity. I am paraphrasing but I have to admit to trying something more regularly around my house and it works! In her case she decided to do something nice once a week for a total stranger. She said she wakes up every Monday full of excitement to see who's life she will try to bring happiness to. One week it was the girl helping her with her shopping at a store; she overheard the girl saying she didn't get breakfast and had no money for lunch. My friend brought the girl's lunch. The next week she made brownies for this man who parked her car. He never smiled and was always grumpy. He wasn't a stranger but she did it anyway and when she told him she made the brownies just for him, he couldn't believe it. Turned out he took care of his granddaughter and now he could give her dessert after dinner. The next time she saw him he moonwalked over to her car and had the biggest smile on his face. Just once, do something nice for someone around you, either someone you know or maybe you don't know but put a smile on someone's face and you will feel good about it guaranteed! I try to treat everyone I come across with respect and kindness. I have met some of the most amazing people just by saying hi to them. Of course I have a problem not speaking so anyone who knows me will tell you I like to talk! So I challenge you to put a smile on someone's face.

Lucy

Did a favor for a friend and got to make a fun photo of my furry friend Lucy. Lucy is a great dog and sits at her person's place of business quietly watching the comings and goings. This photo looks like it was taken in an calm, organized setting when actually it took three of us to get this shot, one to follow Lucy with the light, one to offer a treat and one to take the photo. She happened to be standing in front of a nice background, which brings to mind the saying better to be lucky than good.

Colorful

Oops, somehow I missed yesterday. I know why, I had meetings and people under foot and in general so much to do I got nothing done because I didn't know where to start. Have you ever found yourself in a rut like that? Well, today is a "get it done" day, so here I am before the start of getting it done. I have three things on deadline, serious deadlines like salestax report. I leave you with my a photo of one of my favorite groups who participate in our New Year's Day parade. They are always colorful, smiling and brighten up the whole parade route. The sun was shining from camera right and directional so that exposing for the dancer left the crowd in the background in the dark. I have other shots that show more of a parade scene but I like the way the lighting almost spotlights the dancer.

Things You Never Notice

I had to make a run to the airport to collect my Fiesta Bowl attendees last week. Our small airport like every other airport in the world makes it a little tricky to pick up arriving people . I do not like to be late and had some other business near the airport as a result I ended up heading into the airport traffic early to meet the travelers. Rather than circle the airport for what would have been thirty minutes I parked in a little semi-circle parking area. I have been to this airport hundreds of times since I was a little girl but never really noticed this particular statue that has been there since the 60's. The sun was beginning to drop in the sky so I took some shots, then waited for more directional light to help define the finer parts of the sculpture. Finally the light was just right and would quickly disappear as the sun dropped lower but I captured this shot and then converted it into black and white. What do you think?

Surprise Freeze

Well the saying goes in my part of the world, if you don't like the weather just wait ten minutes and it will change. That is very true as last weekend we had a record high of 80 degrees and the next day we had freezing rain that caused power outages around the city. I ran outside early in the freezing rain to capture a few images. The sky was bleak and boring and the freezing rain was becoming ice on smaller vegetation and power lines. I didn't spend too much time outside as it was COLD. Today it is beautiful outside again with sun shining.

Confusion and Determination

I can say with all honestly that the last five to eight years we have been just, getting from one day to the next in total chaos, no sense of order. Some things have a place but most just get moved from one spot to another. We like so many other people, have too much going on and have little time to stop and get it together. The danger is becoming accustom to chaos and confusion. Once you get use to it and begin to work around it, you become blind to it. No, our house isn't a total disaster but there are stacks of things around and I am certified stuffer. Combine stacking, stuffing with an old fashion pack rat, well you have a lot to go through and no real starting place. Something came over me recently, I am not sure if it was my laid back, simplified approach to the holidays or just old age but I have a renewed sense of getting control of all aspects of life. Yes that includes working out, I have a self set goal of being in shape by March. Once I quit making and eating my newly discovered recipe for rumcake I might actually meet my fitness goal. In the mean time I plan on staying organized day in and day out so I don't get behind on everything, you know all of the paper work, but also to try to organize a room a month. Once organized I plan on redoing or reworking the said room to get it up to date decoratively. I have tended to care little about the fine decorative details of the house. However for some reason this is beginning to matter to me. So wish me luck and hopefully I can inspire someone reading this to get it together also.

My Precious

As I sit here watching the last real college football game of the year my precious sits at my feet. She is my absolutely crazy dog who has more energy than a two year old and just loves to be around her people. We never had a dog until it was decided to help our youngest over the fear of dogs we should get a dog. I got talked into a Brittany. Brittany's are made to hunt and never sit still. They have an amazing sense of smell. After three and half years she is beginning to spend more time laying on her bed than jumping on me. I managed to capture her sitting still once this fall and you can see just how beautiful she is. For as crazy as she can be and for the two times she has run off and nearly been hit by a car she is really a great dog and lives for us to love her.

City Life

Well things have been crazy again but I am coming up for air and wanted to share one of my favorite shots from last fall. This photo screams to me, City Life. I love the black and white look that gives it more of a timeless feel. Without the context of where it was taken you would take this for some graffitti covered area of town. In actuality it is located in the middle of a beautiful park and these pipes are known by all generations of our little burb, since almost everyone at one time or another has traveled through them and ended up on the other end of town. I will admit to being terribly afraid of rats, snacks, possoms, raccoons... come to think of it any wildlife that dwells in the underworld so I never did this but, my husband used the underground pipes to go all over the neighborhood when he was growing up. Perhaps I will share some of his wild tales of his youth here with you soon.