Photography Experiments

Time for another photographic installment:

This is one of the best shots I took I think. I did as you can see, use the color accent feature. I accented yellows, but didn't make the the accent a strict "yellow;" thus the yellow in the green was also highlighted.

Once I had it on the computer, I enhanced the colors a little and sharpened the focus. I honestly couldn't tell the difference when I did sharpen it, so perhaps the image was as "sharp" as it was going to get.

Why do I love this picture? Partly because of the (accidental) composition. The lone sunflower being attended to by the dutiful bee. This was taken up Emigration Canyon on a pullout where people could look at the spectacular view of the mountains (mountain shots coming soon). Nature eking out a life in such inhospitable environs.

I also love how the accented colors added...something...to the picture.

What do you think?

Photography Experiments

Many of the pictures that will follow come with great thanks to two very special people:

My friend Steve(n) who gave me the camera for my birthday. Without his generous gift I would be stuck taking film photos and you would be left waiting for me to get them developed.

Also, my friend and "husband" Andy. While we sat at the coffee shop one day he started playing with my camera out of boredom and in the process learned more about it than I ever would have. Without his experiments many of the pictures you will would not have happened.
***
Pepsi Blue, Pepsi Red
These two pictures were taken in my car playing with the Accent Color feature. And may I just say I love that feature! You can do some very amazing things with it.
















Identical shots, different colors accented. I did edit these: slight blurring of the edges and color enhancement, as well as touch-ups to remove dust specs and such.

I know they aren't the most "artistic" of shots, but I really like them. I like how the eye is automatically drawn to the color and (at least to me) feels almost forced to stay there because it is the only thing to really see.

Isn't that what Pepsi and Coke are really trying for anyway? To make their audience see them...everywhere?

Photographs coming soon!

Greetings all!

There will be new pictures coming soon! A friend gave me a sweet digital camera for my birthday and I've been experimenting with it. Have taken some really cool pictures, which I will be sharing with you...

...as soon as I figure out how the hell to get them from the camera, to my USB drive, to here.

Once I've got that part figured out, I'm good.

Photography Experiments

Another post about my attempts at black and white photography.

I learned something today: I finally got around to developing the 6 rolls of film I took while visiting my college and watching friends graduate.

When I looked at them on the computer however, I was upset to see that nearly every shot I had taken indoors was grainy. Not blurry, grainy.

I asked my nearly all knowing Uncle Arthur why, and he said it had something to do with the speed of film I bought. The faster the speed, the larger (or was it smaller?) the crystals in the film at that "melt" when hit by light.

If I bought a high speed film (which I did thinking it would be better), indoor shots would be grainy because the shot was exposed to less light. Huh.

But back to the picture above: I love architecture, and this is, I think, one of the most interesting buildings in Salt Lake. This is our public library. I took this shot wanting to capture the play of reflection on the glass. I think I did an okay job. I wish the background were less busy (what with the billboard and the umbrellas), but all in all, I am rather happy with this picture.

Comments?

2nd place winner!--submission online

If you are interested in reading my story, visit this website: http://www.slcc.edu/cwc/publications.asp#2008. Mine is the 2nd place non-fiction piece titled "Nothing Special."

Any comments you have about it are welcome, just post them here!

Photography Experiments

This is one of the first pictures that I took. I read a blog somewhere that mentioned when taking photos of people, to not have them centered.

Centered photos were like mug shots. So I played with taking this shot of my mom as we were out to breakfast off center.

I should have listened to my camera however. The flash popped up, but silly me thought it would wash out the photo.

The only thing that really worked I think, is the background. I wanted the foreground to be in focus and the background to be slightly out of focus.

Still, I wish I knew why the image was grainy though...

2nd place winner!

On the 28th of June, I won 2nd place in the CWC Iron Pen Writing Marathon. Contestants were given a prompt at 5pm on Friday, and had to complete their submission by 5pm Saturday.

I entered the non-fiction category, and won!

I will provide link to the site where it will be posted when it gets up.

Black and White Photography

Lately I have been on a black and white photography kick. Call it looking for one more way for the humanities major to starve.



Anyway, I'm going to start posting pictures that I take and talking a little bit about them. Enjoy!


This picture is if my church. I'm not exactly sure what I was going for. I'm am interested in architecture, I love the play of design, flow of edge, and the manipulation of light and shadow.

If it hadn't been for the fence Fr. John had built around the front, this shot wouldn't have been so far back. I wanted to be closer, but then only the tips of the globes and the crosses would have been visible.

One thing I did aim for though was a sense of power. I read somewhere that when you shoot up at something that gives it power where shooting down removes that power. Whomever said that was right. I feel...cathedral-esk inferiority when I look at this picture.

Passing Comfort

The sun was warm. It reflected softly off the gold rimmed frames, as dust motes danced with wild abandon.

His head nodded in time to the gritty folk strains pouring from the old record player in the corner. Calloused finger tips, nicked and bent with age, traced the arm of the rocking chair he had built 30 years ago. He sighed.

Through the partially closed door to his office, down the pea-green wallpapered hallway, across the living room where pictures of his children and grandchildren smiled, and into the kitchen, he could hear his wife preparing dinner.

Settling his tired body more comfortably into the cushioned chair, he folded his arms. Minutes passed, slowed in their passing by the ageless music that continued to softly fill the sunlit room. His head began to sink, and soon his chin was resting gently between the open collar of his golf shirt. His eyes closed. He sighed.

His wife called, dinner was ready.

He did not hear her .

Picture Perfect

He had her in his sight. Tenderly and with much care he traced her silhouette, taking in each crystalline detail.

There, on her right foot, the muddy spot from where she tripped on a stone. Her socks were lightly dusted from the three mile hike. He paused, watching each minute twitch of her calf muscles as they stabilized her on the precarious pile of rocks. Her hat was slipping.

Carefully focusing, he could see the outline of the tank-top she wore under the linen shirt. Her hair floated lightly behind her, blown like little white tufts of cotton on the summer breeze.

Her finger squeezed, the camera clicked, and she fell. The remaining echo from the shot skittered down the canyon walls.

Now for the Great American Novel...

It is finally official! I'm published!

Two poems - one that I wrote 3 years ago and the other that you see below (with edits). I don't normally write poetry, it's just not my thing.

I prefer prose; to me it is more satisfying. But even I get hit with the urge to create poetry. Sometimes there are just those things that can't be related in normal writing.

When I have a link and image to share, I will.

Publications!

I'm going to be getting "The Watcher" and another poem I wrote titled "The Truth" published this month! The Writing Center where I work publishes work by writers in the various writing groups we run. It's a small magazine, but still - published!

"The Battle Field" or "The Watcher"

The sun dawned red on the battle field below
bodies rose like lumbering Goliaths
twisted limbs wrapped 'round them
denying the gapping maw within.

Mists flee before the graying light
slithering, sneaking, sliding
over and under, between and beside
humps of withered flesh.

As dawns fair light creeps above
piercing dewy darkened ash below
one with those I see, I stand
the watcher.

~CAS

Depressing? Meh. Dark? Maybe. Visual? I hope so...

I don't write poetry often - really I don't think it's my forte. But there are times when something happens in life, or when you see an image that the only words to describe it and the feeling you get is through poetry. At least, that's how it is for me lol, not sure about the rest of you.

I found this image while stumbling pictures. This is the site I found it on. There are many wonderful images, but once I saw this one, I stopped. Now that I've gotten this out of the way, I'll keep looking :-). http://www.alpics.net/

PS: I'll make the image bigger when blogger stops giving me an error message...