photography – Page 6 – Through My Eyes

The Elusive Dragonfly

I have always been facinated by the dragonfly. They are colorful and fast but more importantly a symbol of peace and prosperity. Some years ago I was able to get a shot of one of these special creatures.

While he nestled quietly on top of an unopened day lilly, all seemed to be right in his world. Yes, this was shot with a film camera. A Canon AE1 to be exact with a micro lens.

We should all be like the dragonfly and seek to find peace not violence and destruction.

Peace be to you all.

Falling For Fall

I love the fall. While we are only seeing subtle color changes… there are also wildflowers.

Little surprised when I saw this in bloom.

I am loving the fall weather and the anticipation of the changing leaves that will soon come.

While the past months have given us little to be excited about, I am hopeful for the future.

Photography Sampler

I apologize for my lack of blogging lately. My time has been tied up with home renovation and fall cleaning. While cleaning I stumbled upon some pictures stashed in a container I had forgotten about.

This is a mixture of different types of photos, hope you enjoy.

Now this one is really old. A few old rusty cowboys at Ghost Town!

A special moment. This was part of a maternity package I shot in b&w.

Cowboy up! We used to love to go to rodeos where bullriding was the highlight!

Surf’s up! I am not really a beach kind of girl but love action shots.

For whatever reason, I have always been facinated by statues. Check out the face, while we may be wearing masks on the lower half of our face she looks like she is wearing one on the top half of hers.

These were the bikes of me and my two sisters. Over the years they just got tangled up in the weeds of our orchard.

Thanks for taking this short journey with me. These are not my best shots but probably some of the more unique. It is not as important what you shoot as it is how you shoot it!

Happy shooting!

Changing Seasons

I absolutely love fall! While the changes are slight right now, I will shoot anything with color.

Photography And Nature

While I love things that are complex, there are times when I just want to shoot something that is natural.

This is a Cypress Knee. They are a natural oddity that are usually found on river banks. I love photographing them because they are like people, there are no two alike.

I call this Nature’s Hand because if you look closely it has five fingers and the “thumb” in the foreground look like it has a fingernail.

When you are shooting look for things that appear to be something they are not. I have shot a lot of trees, tree roots, stumps and other oddities of nature. Insects, dragonflies and other creatures can also make interesting artwork.

So get out those cameras people and get shooting.

Old But Not Forgotten

I am one of those rare birds who not only shoot in digital but also still shoot with film. So, when I started gathering rolls to develop I also realized I had some old rolls I never developed. The picture above was one of the old ones so I can’t recall where this was taken. I love the geometrics of it. Circles, triangles and squares always intrigue me. Here are a few more.

The time of day you shoot roses makes a difference…

Replicas of history…

Like me, a little withered and worn but still has value.

Who would have thouht a tower could make such a statement…

Just because things or processes are old doesn’t mean they can’t work. I really miss developing film. There is something about watching that picture develop before your eyes that is always Intriguing. I still shoot in film because you just can’t duplicate the quality. I shoot in digital because it is sometimes quicker, not because it is better.

Point N Shoot has never been my thing. I like detail and sometimes the mystery that can be found in a photo. What is the real difference between film and digital you ask other than the equipment? The difference is with film you are actually getting a true copy of the image you see, with digital you are getting only a computer generated copy of the imager. Which is more correct? The true film image.

Yes shooting with film is more costly these days, but if you want quality, it is worth it.

Happy shooting!

The Barn Quilt Trail

I have always had an interest in barn quilts. A few years ago I started photographing barn quilts on both the western end and eastern end of the trail.

For those who are not familiar with barn quilts, they were original placed on barns as a sign of welcome and friendship. They have since been recognized as pieces of art.

Western Carolina – Marion/Flatrock Area

Most barn quilts like these are patterned after traditional quilt blocks. Most are constructed of plywood or sometimes barn wood.

While others display information or lifestyles.

There are those that relate to the type of business like these ice cream cones that referenced an ice cream shop that was also housed in this building.

These guitars quickly let visitors know where the local music shop was.

Eastern North Carolina – Martin County

Thank you for taking this journey with me on the Barn Quilt Trail.

Once Upon A Cloudy Day

Once upon a cloudy day, I drifted down the road a ways

And for a brief moment in time, I forgot about all the negativity in this world there is to find

While raindrops fell to a dusty ground, new life will soon be found.

When through the clouds a ray of sun shines down, to sparkle on the lake of duck down.

So don’t be sad on the next cloudy day, it’s God’s way of giving us a break.

Black, White & More…a Sunday Venture

As much as we love to travel, now seems to be a difficult time to do that but we don’t let that deter us completely. Unplanned short trips sometimes reap the most rewards. Today we ventured out about forty minutes from our home to the Rock Ridge Community. Below are a few pics from our short adventure.

Home alone… this old structure while not fancy is still a reminder of a previous lifestyle. This was someone’s home.

While this may not look like much to the average eye, I love taking geometric shots. Look at the different lines and angles.

This old barn, while a little different, still made an interesting shot against the soft edge of the flowers on the fence.

A simple pathway can make for a tranquil setting. That is a stream in the background.

This may not be the best shot of the water but it is the overall look that caught my eye. I had to stand at the edge of the road so I could not get a better shot of the water itself. The one thing I value in photography is privacy and respect.

For those who prefer color, here are a few “green” shots.

Hope you enjoyed this journey with me. Don’t be afraid to step out and capture life. Have a great day.

Photography – Shooting The Beach

While doing some pre-fall cleaning, I have found more beach photos. As I have gotten older, I really am not a beach person. There are a few things at the beach that can make shooting interesting. The piers, the dunes, the sunrise and sunsets and more….

Not only are you looking at sand but snow on the dunes!

The first lesson of photography, don’t shoot just to be shooting! When I shot the pier I was not just thinking “Oh that would make a cute pic” but how interesting the geometrics were of the cross beams underneath the pier. The more complex your picture is the more interesting to the viewer. It’s the “WOW” effect that you are after.

In the second picture, I didn’t just want to get the beach but to capture the whole experience. Even the sea oats seem to make a statement. Make the uninteresting interesting. It was important not to just capture the beach but the snow on the beach. Not just the dunes, but capture the holes and footprints on the dunes. Don’t settle for less than perfect pictures. If you are not there yet, keep practicing you will be there soon.

Have a great day shooting!