Picture Inspiration {49/52}

The prompt was "recuperate."  Kira is a champ at the sport of recuperation! One of her fave
places to practice this demanding sport is Becca's bed.

Picture Inspiration {48/52}

I fell off the Picture Inspiration bandwagon for about 3 months. Now I'm hoping to climb back aboard and finish the journey strong!

Week 47 was "Outside Looking In" (or vice versa) and Week 48 is "Winter Light".  This photo covers both prompts:

This was the view from my sun room window at about 7:30 this morning.

Just a Quote for Friday

I'm joining Deb in Just a Quote for Friday (hope she doesn't mind)...

This also fulfills week 37 of Picture Inspiration - Texture Love.

Picture Inspiration {36/52}

This week Tracey was looking for "Punchy Color" and I seem to have been shooting a lot of it lately!

Picture Inspiration {21/52}

This week's prompt was to shoot "from the heart". I coupled that with this week's Mother Load photography prompt which was "self portrait" and took this.

The necklace was a gift from Jay for my 50th birthday.  It is from the "Open Heart" collection at Kay Jewelers. So the significance of shooting "from the heart" is knowing that this necklace was truly a gift from the heart... something he knew I would like, without really even knowing why (after all, he doesn't really consider me a jewelry kind of girl).  The fact that it is a butterfly has personal meaning to me, so that makes this a "self portrait" that is more than skin deep!

Picture Inspiration {11/52}

"In the Distance" - captured the moon on a bright sunny morning at the beach with my Canon Point and Shoot!

Picture Inspiration {13,14,15/52}

From the Ground Up (a bug's eye view):

On a particularly overcast day. And yes, these flowers do lay right on the ground!

A Bird's Eye View:

And Double Vision - the same thing from two perspectives. In which case I just used the two photos above in a diptych.

Picture Inspiration {10/52}

Dishing It Out - Find Inspiration In the Kitchen:

Picture Inspiration 12/52

"Mysterious Ways"

That isn't a water droplet, it is something internal to the flower that oozes out from the stigma (the tip of the pistil).  Isn't it amazing what you can learn on Google?

So why is this flower weeping?

And for those of you who are curious, this is almost "larger than life".

The photo was taken with a Canon Powershot SD1400IS in program mode with the macro setting on and flash off.  Post processing was limited to a very slight lightening of the shadows and a very slight sharpen.  It was actually pretty decent SOOC.

I'm guessing that a DSLR with a macro lens and a photographer who knew how to use it would produce a crisper image with more detail, but for my purposes, right now I'm pretty happy with my little point and shoot!

Picture Inspiration 9/52

"Observation Mode"

Post-salon appointment, I was requested to do a french manicure for Becca.  Other than the fact that I look a bit like  "Cousin It" this is a good interactive shot.  Obviously I'm not the photographer!

Isn't Becca's hair cute?

And to the astute observer, you can see the manicurist has changed. My skills at french manicure weren't up to par.  Apparently, neither were Rachel's.  Ultimately Becca went to prom with purple nails that in her words "look like a five-year-old painted them."  Well Becca, nobody noticed!

Picture Inspiration 8/52

"Totally Random"

I thought this was pretty random...

On that walk, remember the one???, I saw this.

Couldn't help but wonder how a cheetah print umbrella came to be in the trash can on the bike path... and who would carry such an umbrella to begin with???

And yes, I am hopelessly behind in Picture Inspiration.  This was the prompt from April 14th.  But I do intend to catch up soon!

Picture Inspiration 7/52

The Shape of Surprise

Continuing in our study of reflected objects, but this time without the actual object for context...

When I'm home, I plug my laptop into a docking station.  Which powers a separate keyboard, monitor, and trackball mouse. Which makes it much easier for me to work.

My laptop has a very reflective surface (it's a pain in the butt because it shows fingerprints all the time!)

I noticed this reflection one day as I was pondering week 7's prompt.  The laptop had captured a bit of my monitor and the bulletin board on the wall above it.  Of course, it's upside down...

 Here's the same shot but in tighter - the only context left now is the table the laptop is sitting on.

And if I flip the lid open, I can get a nice view of my work arena.  Our living room/dining room turned into studio/office.  Even seeing this awkward view (remember it's reversed because it is a mirror image) reminds me how much I love this space in my home.

Picture Inspiration 6/52

"Seeing Double."  Along the Perkiomen Creek, it is hard NOT to see double.  But then, I'm a big fan of water reflection photography anyway.

This shot also captures some of the reflection of the suspension bridge that separates the two sides of the park.  The twin suspension bridges were built back in the late 1930's and are the site of lots of wedding photography!

This final shot is looking at the creek in the downstream direction.  And I love this because it fills both the "double" and "infinity" prompts from Picture Inspiration!

Picture Inspiration 5/52

I've let myself get way behind in Picture Inspiration.  Over the last month, it was a combination of not feeling well, the weather being too miserable to be outside, and being totally bored with taking photos in my home.

But April 11 was one of those absolutely glorious Spring days that bring a hint of Summer - with temps in the upper 70's, beautiful sunshine, birds chirping... the outside was just calling me.  I threw open a lot of the windows and chased the (hopefully) last bit of winter chill out of the house, then headed out to a local park for a photo walk.

The Week 5 Picture Inspiration prompt was "to Infinity and Beyond".  When I first arrived at the park (near the ball fields) I snapped this photo of the temporary fencing. Does it look like it stretches to infinity?

As you can tell from the bare trees, Spring hasn't fully sprung in my neck of the woods yet.  But it is trying!

Heading onto the walking/biking path that runs along Perkiomen Creek, I was greeted by this harbinger of Spring.  Yes, daffodils apparently ARE blooming in my sleepy little town!

My final "best" shot for Infinity and Beyond.

Our weather has settled back into rainy, grey, and mid-50's for the next few days. But I sure enjoyed that little taste of Spring!  More on my photo walk tomorrow.

Picture Inspiration 4/52

"Stacks"

In the event of severe weather, I do NOT have to run to the store for toilet paper!

Colorful stacks.  I used to maintain color coordination with all the linens.  Now it's a hodge podge of whatever we have.  Upper shelf = girls linens.  Lower shelf = adult linens.  Sorry kids, but the Pottery Barn towels are ALL MINE!

Stacks in the dish cabinet.  My take on the artistic approach.  I'm thinking... meh.  Better luck next time.  Maybe earlier in the day when there is more ambient light?

More colorful stacks - horizontal, vertical, double.  All good.  Those photo boxes?  Some are filled to capacity with photos.  Sorted photos. Unsorted photos. Very old photos. Photos of more recent vintage.  Although probably nothing since we went digital in 2002.  Some of the boxes are (shhhhhh) empty.  I keep them there for looks!

Picture Inspiration 3/52

"Motif"

detail on our fireplace

close-up of wicker medicine cabinet

drapes in studio and office.  In my mind paisley is the quintessential "motif".  And I fell in love with this fabric.  My design of the studio and office was based around this fabric! 

This material is IMPOSSIBLE to photograph!  When you see the drapes from a distance, the overall color is decidedly a sort of olive green.  But it also has french blue, bronze, and ivory.  And a scattered floral in an irridescent thread that you can see clearly in the upper left, but for some reason is showing up as black in the lower right corner.  There is no black in this fabric!

I photographed in natural light (sun not very strong) with no flash.  Any of you photographers have any ideas on how I might capture the true color of this?

Picture Inspiration 2/52

A Little Rhythm:  a harmonious sequence or pattern of masses alternating with voids, of light alternating with shade, ...

For this prompt, I decided to do some shadow play. I was lucky enough to have a sunny day.

I found this rhythm on the hearth in the family room.

I found this bit of rhythm on the sun room floor.  I love the contrast of the shade lines from the windows against the grout lines of the tiles.

But when it comes to playing with shadows... this one honestly won my affections.