Low Key

and so I'm back, unable to change my hosting domain or blog accounts yet. Hmmm, grrr
today's challenge is Low Key


I was enjoying the sunshine today so I took a walk in my yard.

and the sun does shine in N.W. Indiana, sometimes

Thorns


Reaching

To what extreme's would you go for an image?

Do your families think your strange? Do you lose sleep hunched over your computer post processing and learning/reading photography related things?
Are you aware of the light around you at all times? You may be a little bit obsessed. Not to worry your not alone. There are a bunch of support groups around. This is one of them, Facebook Project 365, project 365 there is alot of support out there, but not to help you quit, only to make you better.

This one was a bit eerie. Night shot - hand held because my tripod broke. It's 15 degrees F out. I almost froze!
This was a little strange. Found it behind a church. We pulled up to take a picture of a window and this was behind the church. No fence, no signs. It felt weird so we left right away.



Lonely & cold - here's another park bench.


I haven't been able to warm up so I'm getting some hot tea! Enjoy your weekend.

Landscape photography . . .

One of my goals for 2011 was to join a photography group. I've accomplished that already. Actually I signed up for two photography groups. One of them is informal. Just getting together for meetups and such. The other is a bit more structured and is based on learning, sharing, participating and showing your work, as in contest(sigh). This is all part of the plan of continuing my photography education and growth.
Yesterday was our first meet-up. We got together in the state of Michigan. It was really cold! We had 9 (total) dedicated photographers who withstood the elements. We spent in excess of 4 hours walking and taking pictures. We walked in town and then went into a restaurant to warm up. Then we went to the lake/beach, then we went to a carousel house. It was so much fun meeting new photographer and making some new friends. I look forward to our next outing.



Pier Workers
please note that they are walking on ice. The Pier was completely frozen over with the waves still splashing over. I was walking on ice but it was not that narrow.








I haven't found a niche in landscape photography yet. I haven't studied it enough to figure out how to make them interesting, now give me a person and I've got that!
The Copper man. Is he real or not?


Read: 11 Surefire Landscapte Photography Tips

Images Viewed: AutoMatt

Helga Kvam

D-361 Just keep shooting

When the world says, "Give up,"
Hope whispers, "Try it one more time."
~Author Unknown


Yesterday's post were not exactly up to par so today, still working on something different, I have a winter path.

#ds408 Illustrate coldness in a photograph today

D-352 Falls of Ohio (Kentucky) State Park

Yes it's called Falls of Ohio State Park and it's located in the Indiana/Kentucky borders. I don't know why, just is. LOL
We stopped there, even in the frigid cold, to see the falls.



We had a nice relaxing weekend with my daughters (yes 2 of them) and granddaughter. Now we are back in the comfort of our home.

Images viewed: Craig Wetherby

D350 -351 Ice Magical lights

We took a quick trip to Kentucky to visit my daughter for the weekend. We also took Isabella down there to visit with her mom.
Yesterdays Project 365 Facebook was "weather" we took a late night walk and I was amazed that everything was covered in ice and with the little available light, it lit the ice up magically.
The branches look like they have lights and the grass looks like diamonds.

D-337 Abandoned

City Methodist Church was shut down in the 70's due to a lack of attendance. There have been several fires in this structure but the building still stands. This structure stands 9 stories tall, The Church made unique use of commercial and office space, classrooms, meeting rooms, an auditorium and a large sanctuary. Storefronts were incorporated into the building. The main goal of this church was to help people in the community.

The church was built at a cost of more than $1 million by the Rev. William G. Seaman in 1926, built in English Gothic Style.
This information came from this site: Historic Buildings of Northwest Indiana

I will be uploading more images from this outing tomorrow.

This is my daughters best friend Alexis, she's an aspiring photographer/graphic designer. She is currently in college in Ohio. She has a great eye, I would say she's already a very good photographer. She's visiting for the holiday and we took her with us.

Yes it is snowing and yes it did get cold

there are more on my Flickr

Thanks to everyone who has shared their thoughts on the 365 Day project. I appreciate your comments.

D-336 Water and oil part 2

Heather from our Facebook Project 365 wanted us to use the water and oil from Art for our Friday challenge. So I tried to make it different but I think it's about he same.


I love how the beads I used on the floor turned out in this one.


just changing the items in the background makes a big difference in the final results.
I also spent a little time (enough to almost get frost bite on my fingers) in my garden. I told David then when I got home I saw this plant and the Nikon Angels sang to me. AAAWWWWWWWW LOL


I took enough pictures to end my 365 project for this year, but I know that's not how it works. LOL
Are you still enjoying your project? I have a list of things I want to try, I have enough Ideas to get me through the rest of the year. How's your project going? Need ideas? What are your plans when you complete the 365 days?

D46 It's more than just Black & White

I came across this 365 blog today and I really enjoyed his ideas and his photography. His 365 project includes reading a section of his camera manual daily and/or posting a blog or site that he has come across that inspires him. Read in his own words here and his Blog
Thanks for the inspiration.

Monochromatic Monday -
It's one of the areas I'm trying to learn more about. I have learned that contrast is very important for Black & White images. I also learned that some textures work really well for black & white images. So during my lunch break I was ankle deep in snow looking for contrast and texture.


I thought of texture and the contrast in the "white" sky


Thanks for reading my blog.

44/365 Winter

“In the depths of winter I finally learned there was in me an invincible summer”
Albert Camus


black & white


coffee


sepia

41 - 42 - 43/365 Update

Yes I have been taking pictures I just hadn't had a chance to post them but here they are:
Wednesday is my Winter Star. Another boring white/grey winter image so again I added some of my favorite textures. I like it.


Thursday I went to a basketball game. I stayed until half time trying to capture a good image of this kid but the lighting was bad and I have not practiced sports photography enough. His mom told me that right after I left he got elbowed in the face and he blacked out with his mouth pouring out blood! They also thought that he fractured his hands from the fall. The good news is that even though he had a huge gaping hole inside of his mouth they were able to stitch him up and his hand were just badly bruised. Back to school the next day.


and Friday's Fun Photo Challenge is "A loved One" even though I have many loved ones in my life - who else would I put here but David.
I mean he drove us to downtown Gary and even took off his jacket in 20 degree weather so that I could complete my challenge. Thanks Babe. He could tell you stories of the places we go and the things that we do just so I can take a picture.
He supports my passion whole hearted.


Rumor has it that this used to be a park with a huge circular fountain. I Have yet to find actual documentation of this place in the archives but it looks like it could have been a great place once upon a time.

Monochromatic Monday

The sky was a perfect white today. It goes along with my theme for today - Monochromatic.
I used my Beast of a lens for this one. Nikon 70-200mm
I love the detail on this church.

Thanks to Pam for suggesting I add Topaz for added demension.


Just Darn cold!

But

spring is right around the corner

A day for shooting and more shooting

What a perfect day, sort of, I had a baby shoot this morning, and yes baby B was cooperative (Got some great images, I'll share those tomorrow) and then I met up with the photography group "Meet-Up" in Valparaiso, Indiana. It was supposed to be an architectural outing but I'm a people photographer and pets and plants. Besides, I've been there so many times I wasn't interested in the buildings. Well, we had an unexpected snow storm.

See, it was really snowing hard




My fav

and

there are some more on flickr


Need some inspiration but do not want to commit to a 365 day project, try this one then. It's from Digital Photography School. 53 Weekly Themes

Back to reading my camera manual at a much slower pace, on page 55.