Another Peaceful Day

Down in Yon Forest

Something a Little Different

Today I've been working on a project I may not have done if left to my own devices. I'm converting some of my color photographs to black and white at the request of a client. I wasn't sure how successful the process would be, but as it turns out it's been a lot of fun, and I enjoy seeing the results. Photographs have such a different character in color versus black and white. I've been noticing different details, having a different emotional response...

Here are a couple of comparisons between the color and black and white images. Do you notice different things about the different versions?

Hump Day Happiness

Another week has rolled on by. Every day is getting me closer and closer to Spring and, I must say, I am so very glad. Winter is a nice, quiet, slower time. But I love when things start to grow again. (For those of you in the Southern Hemisphere, I do hope you enjoy your Autumn!)

This week, I'm grateful for:

1) Nature. Wow. Such a continual source of awe and wonder to me.



2) Earl Grey tea, black. (and handmade mugs to sip it from)
3) Morning sunshine.
4) The hawk that has returned to hang about my back yard again this year.
5) Eager anticipation of this year's travel plans! (I tend to plan trips when I start getting cabin fever.)

How about you?

Sense of Spring

I sat down at my desk this morning with a mug of coffee, and saw a hawk fly down into a tree in my backyard. I heard the birds singing. I think Spring is coming...

Paperwhite Bulb

Art and Literature

How was everyone's Monday? I had a productive day, and I'm happy with myself. I kept my focus on one of my goals for this year - getting national/international exposure - and didn't let myself get too distracted.

My big task of the day was starting to prepare a submission in response to a call to artists for the Annual International Conference on Virginia Woolf - Virginia Woolf and the Natural World. After reading the exhibition theme, I knew I wanted to participate. The artwork is to be based on this excerpt from Virginia Woolf's "The Waves":

"Sharp stripes of shadow lay on the grass, and the dew dancing on the tips of the flowers and leaves made the garden like a mosaic of single sparks not yet formed into one whole. The birds, whose breasts were specked canary and rose, now sang a strain or two together, wildly, like skaters rollicking arm-in-arm, and were suddenly silent, breaking asunder."

When reading the imagery about the birds, I was strongly reminded of a morning on the beach in September, when the swallows were flying about and singing - coming together in a whirl and then seeming to explode apart...



So we'll see. It's been interesting to translate the excerpt into imagery, hopefully it will get into the exhibition!

As an aside, this is actually a great example of why I love being involved with my local Arts in RI Etsy Team. I would have never heard about this if a team member hadn't mentioned it.

Baby, It's Cold Outside

I feel like hibernating. It's not all that terribly cold, hovering around 25 degrees F, but tonight is a warm blanket and good book kind of night.

Woodpile

Swampwalker

Tools of my Trade

Where Will You Go?

Springtime is coming - new possibilities for new journeys...

The Path

Shades of Gray

It's been snowing on and off all day... 12 more days until it's officially spring. The good news today is that my latest roll of Diana Camera film has been developed and returned to me for scanning! Someday I'd like to develop my own film, but for now someone else does. At least I can control the rest of the process, now that I can scan film!

Dancing Glade

(title inspired by Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier)

Remnant of Industry

Metallic Waterfall

Night Time

I need to spend more time and energy taking photographs, and less trying to create photograph "products". I paused in my day yesterday and went to a beach to take some night photos. Salt air, windy, cold, dark... it was bliss. I arrived at my meeting with mud on my shoes, but I didn't care one bit.

From the Archives

I was browsing around in Picasa today and found some interesting photos from my archive. I thought you might enjoy seeing some. I also found some funny ones of my husband sitting on a pile of coffee, from my early digital 'sandwiching" days, but out of respect for his dignity I won't post those here. :-)

Which ones do you like best?

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7)

Blooms

Daffodils are finally blooming here in Smithfield. Down at my sister's house in South County, she's had flowers for weeks! But Spring has finally made it here, and I'm very happy about it.

I didn't want to cut my precious first flowers, and they border on the road, so rather than get myself run over attempting to photograph them, I chose an indoor blossom as my subject. This Gerbera Daisy was a gift from the same sister mentioned above, and apparently will purify our air! Nothing like clarity and fresh, benzene-free air to get the creative juices flowing!

Gerbera Daisy

Barnac-ular

Just a quick post before I head out to my much anticipated, greatly needed massage appointment at the wonderful One Yoga Center.

I've gone back to my black and white roots with this one. Enjoy!

Barnacles