Daffodils

Just before the sun started to set, there were rays of light shining right on the daffodils. The dark background made the yellow flowers pop right out. And in the image below, the hard shadows made a really gorgeous pattern.

The Moon

The moon was so big this afternoon, I noticed it just as the sun was beginning to go down. Thought it would be a cool effect to make everything out of focus except the moon.

The image below has the moon out of focus -- it looks like a marshmallow in the sky.

More Pussy Willows

The pussy willows have turned yellow and fuzzy now, and behind them is a tree with red buds beginning to open. I may have taken this pic too late in the day for the yellow to show up well enough, but I love the colors in this image. Used my telephoto lens.

Diagonal Lines

I often see shapes and lines rather than trees and branches. This is the base of the pussy willow tree covered with lichen, and the new growth is all growing in a diagonal direction. I stood far back and used the telephoto lens to blur out the background and was left with a lovely gray-blue-green tint to the image.

More Shadows

What can I say . . . I looked out my window and saw these shadows and there was nothing more to do except grab the camera and run outside. I don't know which image I like better -- the horizontal above or vertical below.

Pussy Willows

As I was wandering around my property today, picking up sticks and enjoying the spring sounds of birds, I looked up and noticed that the pussy willow tree was blossoming. Quick! I ran into the house, grabbed my camera, attached a telefoto lens, and ran back outside. I make a series of images from both far away and close up perspectives, but I think this one really gives the feel of a real spring day in the Northeast.

Morning and Cows

This is what I saw on my walk this morning. I had to stop and soak in the beauty, and then I documented it for posterity. Hopefully, this view will stay the same forever and ever, giving us a place to dream and feel peaceful.

Crocus in the Lawn

This cute little bee landed on a crocus I was photographing in my lawn (right place at the right time). I kneeled down as close as possible without invading the bee's territory and zoomed in to make these images quickly, and just after about 5 seconds, Mr. Bee flew to its next meal.

Here is another image I made the same day. It is a thrill to see flowers blossoming right now after the long winter we endured, and it makes me want to stay outdoors all day making images of any new growth -- finally, a sign of life!

Sky

Driving down the road one day, I was preoccupied by the drama of the clouds, so I pulled over into the high school parking lot, grabbed my camera, and took four quick shots before the sun peeked out from behind the clouds and the moment was gone. It was the contrast in colors that attracted me so much to these clouds -- the blue, the black, the dark grays, the white.

Spring is Almost Here

Today was the first kayaking day of the year for me. The water was still. The sun came out every now and then. There were birds everywhere. I breathed in deep and remembered that gorgeous smell of water, earth, and wind. Heaven.

Sunrise

Glad I'm an early riser, or I would miss sights like these. Then I have to grab my boots and coat and gloves and camera and run outside before it's gone -- usually within 5 minutes or so. Another case of always having the camera near at hand with battery charged.

Happy Valentines Day

Hope your day is filled with love, hugs & kisses.

Another Industrial Shot

This is another image I made when passing by a Landoll flatbed at work. It is not too old, but the control panel looked retro and interesting to me. I like the rust, the colors, and the Landoll logo. I crouched down low to make the below image of the Landoll flatbed to give it a wide-angle feeling (I do not have a wide-angle lens) and to give it a feeling of action or motion.

Freightliner

I do a lot of industrial photography for my job, most of which is for documentary purposes, but I always try to sneak in some arty shots that I can use in brochures or advertisements. For instance, when I walk past the trucks, I cannot help but feel like a little kid looking up at that great big grill and feeling awestruck. I think this image adequately portrays that feeling!

Dinner

While preparing dinner, I cut in half a head of red cabbage and couldn't resist photographing the breathtaking layers and colors. It is as beautiful as it is delicious. I grabbed my tripod real quick and took 5 or 6 shots and then continued on making dinner.

Snowy Days

On weekends I stand by the window and enjoy the wildlife outside -- better than tv. Taking pictures through certain windowpanes gives a dreamy blurry effect that gives a painterly feeling. The color on the male cardinals this winter is spectacular -- I did NOT enhance the color in any of these images. All natural.

Below are some of my shadow images. My attraction for shadows has become apparent, and I plan on putting together a series for my blog.

Favorite Bird

The female cardinal is my favorite bird. She is green with a bright red beak and red tuft on top of her head. She's not the obvious choice for a fascinating bird because her partner is such a brilliant red and so beautiful himself. But she is stunning and faithful to her red partner. They look out for each other with such love, they are amazing to watch. This female was sitting on my picnic table, and I shot this image through the window with a telephoto lens and tripod.

Her partner visited moments later. My goal is to get a better image of him, but they are quite shy, and whenever I see them at the feeder and grab my camera, they fly away!

Over the years I have collected a variety of nests that have been abandoned by their hosts. They are awe inspiring -- how can birds and bees create such amazing shapes? In the image below, the robin's egg was not found in the nest, but it was on the lawn and became a part of my collection. The color and shape of the egg gives the composition the focal point it needs to make your eye want to move around the image.

Clematis

Last June I wandered out to my garden to find that my Clematis plant had blossomed with more flowers than ever before. Their vivid color captivated me and I made a series of images that I cannot choose my favorite from, so here are a few more:

I experimented with depth of field and used my telephoto lens for this last shot, to make the background a blur of green.

Ethan

Ethan is my son's friend, and he is very cool. I knew I wanted to photograph him, but didn't want to impose too much, so I took two or three quick pics while I had the chance. I asked him to kneel down on the brick patio while I stood higher than him up on the front porch, directing him to look up at me through his hair with those gorgeous blue eyes. I love the result -- his expression, the colors and patterns. It may be hard to see, but Ethan's shirt has a drawing of a hairy chest on it. He is all about hair!