Expectations

This is going to be an interesting journey. I'm planning to head out on this road with my camera in hand and take notice of everything around me. The feel of the road under my feet, the smells, the rustle of the leaves. The colors will shift and the intensity will be forever changing. The skies won't always be so clear, I will welcome the storms and the wild results reflected in the sky. I'm going to look deep into the ponds and find myself there. I can't wait to get outside, I'll bring back what I find.

ISO 250
1/400 sec
f/5.6 (f/11 would have made more sense)
24-70 lens

tomorrow

When you see an opportunity take it. Put your hand on that gate and pull it towards you, it will be difficult  to pull through the thicket, grinding at the joints, lopsided and wirey. But once you're through it feels like freedom and open vistas and peace. Go ahead open the gate.

ISO 250 (early morning light)

1/100 sec

f/13

24-70 lens

countdown

2011 is almost gone..

ISO 100

640/sec

f/4.0

70-200 lens

winter sky

I'm going to miss these northern skies. This one was particularly soft and romantic with a slice of travel in the midst. A beautiful goodbye.

ISO 400
1/100sec
f/14
70-200 lens

and so it goes

Is he here yet? 

Wait.... I think he's here. 

No that was a squirrel...

yep, there he is!!

no wait that's not him.

That's him!

oh nope that's not him.

friends

and dreams of sugar plums danced in their heads.....

Presents

You wouldn't need to wrap this present, nature has done it for us, even the white ribbon around the edges.

ISO 200

1/200 sec

f/5.6

100 macro

Indulgence

I'm not here, you can't see me. 

ISO 400

1/200 sec

f/10

70-200 mm lens

stay focused

 

I would like to slide down the leaf into the heart of things and have a little swim in the puddle of love.

ISO 200
1/60 sec
f/6.3
100mm macro lens

motherhood

This is a good time of year to take extra care of each other...

ISO 200

1/800 sec

f/5.6

400mm

Birds of a Feather

Even tricolored herons get ruffled, I thought I was the only one.

ISO 100

1/160 sec

f/6.3

70-200 lens

lilly pads

I just love this photo. The reflection of the bud and the curly edges of the leaf, wish a frog had joined us. I just went back to my file and cropped the image, I was having a problem with that bottom left corner, it took my attention away from the beauty of it.

ISO 200
1/100 sec
f/5.0
70-200 mm lens (I was handholding)

Life Cycle

When a flower emerges from the ground we have great expectations and a certain curiosity about it. What color will it be, will it be perfectly formed, will I like the way it smells? It shoots through the wet dark soil and wraps it's petals and center around our hearts. We want it forever so we cut it and have it for ourselves. Only it knows from the beginning that it is fleeting, that it will give pure joy until it can't.

Let me introduce Bogie. He is fighting cancer with courage and grace. He spends his days loving and being loved. He is teaching all of us how to live in the moment. We have so many lessons to be learned and I'm grateful that Bogie is here to teach us.


this photo was taken by Nancy

inner worlds

My lens fell inside this flower, lost consciousness and dreamed of a world related to a sunset sky.

ISO 200
f/8
1/20 sec (tripod)
100 macro lens

Heads up

This northern tufted titmouse compliments his beautiful orange background, or is it the other way around.

ISO 400
f/13
1/320 sec
400mm prime lens