At first I resisted…it was relatively early this morning (for me anyway)…when my husband summoned me from my ever lengthening getting-ready-for-the-day rituals.
H: Hey come here. I want to show you something!
Me: What?
H: Come on!
Me: What is it?…grumble grumble.
H: Come see!…all bright and cheery, the morning person that he is.
What could I do?
Me: OKAY!
Wow.
The condensation on the outside of one of our picture windows had been opening into an ever widening viewfinder…revealing a splendid Autumn display.
Getting ready for the day would have to wait a few minutes…for this one of a kind moment.
Now that Autumn is in full swing, pink and yellow don’t bloom from nearby neighborhood gardens anymore. However, during one of my many walks this summer, I thoroughly enjoyed the sight of these pink and yellow flowers.
Their name escapes me (or was never there to begin with…).
So I’ll just call these the Fun Flowers of the Day. 🙂 Unless someone can fill me in.
Happy Thursday everyone! Hang in there. Here’s hoping that the next time these flowers are in bloom, life will be back to the “normal” we used to know.
You are invited to share your photo walk, whether park, beach or street.
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Every walk I take usually ends up as a “photo walk,” transforming most walks into their own photo diaries. I often head towards the beautifully landscaped neighborhood next to mine. It consists of single homes which are part of a condo development. A pond, located in one curve of the road, supplies water for potential firefighting purposes (I think).
Photo opportunities have been plentiful along this street, but not just for the flowers. It has also been the home of various wildlife – both winged and webbed.
Back in May I attempted to photograph a duck family making its way across the pond. Little did I know that by September the water level would be reduced to a fraction of what it once was. A drought has hit the northeast United States (in this case New Hampshire) and sights like this are becoming more and more common.
As we all know…what a difference a few months can make.
May 25, 2020
September 27, 2020
No more ducks, fish, turtles or frogs when I pass by. I wonder, where did they go? 😦
Not all wildlife is gone however. A family of deer (looks like a family to me) and I meet at a bend in the road every so often. In August, I was mesmerized as – after the first one stared at me for about 30 seconds – they crossed one by one to the woods on the other side, bringing to mind the age old question…
Why did the deer cross the road?
I must clarify…they actually sauntered across the road, not seemingly in any big hurry. I’d like to think they’d seen me before and figured a human with camera in hand was a safe bet. They hung out in their destination spot for a few minutes…too hidden from view for another photo.
This bright autumn display greeted me during a walk last week. Fortunately I took the picture when I did, as the leaves had totally fallen within days of this photo.
We are in the middle of a severe drought here in the northeast USA and nobody complains when dark clouds appear in the sky.
Mother Nature was kind enough to grace us with a brief period of rain one morning last week. The leaves are falling faster than usual and one landed on the back stairs in time for a photo. The wind picked up and within minutes it was gone.
BeckyB October Squares: Kind One Word Sunday: Skyline
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Lake Champlain – June, 2019
Thanks to the kindness of dear “old” friends, I enjoyed this view across Lake Champlain last year. I was treated to a peek at the Adirondack Mountains of New York while waiting for a sunset one evening…during a relaxing weekend visit at their summer home in Vermont.
I am just a few days late getting started with BeckyB’s October Squares Challenge. I figure it’s better to be kinda late than never. The theme this month is Kind…
Something of the kind (similar to something or even a carbon copy)
Our imagination kindled (inspire us!)
Of its kind (a unique object or an example of something such as a flower or bird)
Two of a Kind (or one, or three or multiple!)
Kindred spirits (kindness in action or photographs of people)
I recently discovered a display of gourds (which I used to call baby gourds) piled in a bin at a local farm stand. Ready for fall decorating for those who are so inspired!
This week, we invite you to explore Symmetry as a way to create dramatic and impactful images. Show us your images that use vertical, horizontal and/or radial symmetry.
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Symmetry is…calming. Nice and orderly. Perhaps predictable.
Gee…what’s been missing for the last 6 months?
When I read Patti’s description of symmetry as it relates to photography, I realized many of my favorite shots inadvertently head in that direction.
For instance…horizontal symmetry is illustrated below. A walk with a friend one afternoon prompted…I have to stop and take a picture of this!
There was just something about the scene that drew me in…
Exeter River, Exeter, NH
Many walks in the woods behind my condo building are made possible by a long dirt path littered with stones, leaves, twigs and errant branches. It becomes muddy in Spring (although not this year, as we are experiencing a drought) and icy in Winter.
A few months from now, when the trees are bare, much more space will open up and the path will appear to widen. But now…with leaves just beginning to drop and colors starting to turn from green to yellow to red to orange to brown…it feels just right to me.
Vertical symmetry…
During one of those walks in May, I spotted a row of leaves, which to my eye appeared to be waiting in line. Hanging out – all fresh and new – ready for Summer, which was fast approaching.
Their veins exhibited nature’s predictable patterns in impressive detail.
Perhaps symmetry within symmetry?…
And then there are flowers. I discovered a plethora of socially distant sunflowers during recent gotta-get-out-of-the-house visits to a local farm this summer. One day I was lucky enough to find a bee who would hold still. Bonus!
Radial Symmetry Sunflower
Last, but not least, a small town baseball field captured my attention back in August. Empty no doubt because of local restrictions on gatherings…but ready nonetheless.
…think back to those moments that changed your life. No need to use the prompt; just demonstrate how “it” started.
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I was only 10 years old when I got my first camera. And fell in love with photography. I don’t remember the circumstances of who gave me the camera or why. I just thought it was cool (or as we used to say back then…”Keen!”…”Sharp!”) and I’ve never been without one since.
My first attempts at photography – with a Kodak Brownie camera and black & white film – manifested as square blurry images of trees, lean-tos, and other 10 year olds at Girl Scout camp. Hard to believe that a week of rustic living became a defining moment in my life as a photographer, but I guess it did. This despite my most vivid memory being the latrines (just plywood for seats, people – I mean seriously?) and how I dreaded making the trip to That Building (no pictures, sorry).
It was also where I discovered (after the film was developed) that when I held the camera on the lean-to railing the blurring disappeared…
Over time, I slowly improved at steadying the camera and moved on to capturing my younger siblings when they least expected it. As the years went by I became the family photo historian by default. Even more so when I advanced to color film! Very exciting.
My friends knew I would always show up with a camera as the unofficial keeper of the memories. Even at a young age I became acutely aware of how quickly life – and people – could change. It became very important – for me at least – to preserve what I could. I do remember feeling all of that. Which kind of astounds me now.
Oh…and it was fun.
I was 14 ½ when my 4th and youngest sibling was born and he became a willing subject for photography practice. Never mind that he was exceedingly cute and followed me around constantly. I was “in charge” of him most of the time so taking pictures was easy.
Younger Brother’s party 1964
Littlest Brother 1969
Both little brothers 1970
The photographs I took at college and summer jobs are best left off the internet, but they are definitely treasured keepsakes.
I graduated to a Canon SLR camera shortly after I got married and burst onto the taking-pictures-of-my-children-at-every-milestone-possible scene. They were my inspiration for decades and have appeared in many blog posts, so I will restrain myself from adding them in here. Same goes for my grandson, who is now 4 and very comfortable getting his picture taken as a child of the smartphone generation.
However, now (accompanied by a Canon DSLR camera) I am also inspired by the ordinary…what’s outside my window…down the path into the woods…winding around that chain link fence. The mesmerizing waves at the beach. I am constantly looking up and down and to the side…not in as much of a hurry as I used to be.
The best photo moment – for me – still springs from the unexpected…no matter what (or who) the subject happens to be.
Last week I was able to return – after several months of Covid restrictions – to walk along the water’s edge at Hampton Beach. The tourist season is over. Crowds are gone. The parking rules have been relaxed. I couldn’t resist the trip on such a beautiful…sunny…blue sky windy day. Even with a mask on, it was worth it.
As I made my way across the sand to walk back along the street, I spotted something bright in the sky.
Off came the lens cover.
It wasn’t the surf or the rocks or what usually fascinates me about the beach.
I had to get a closer shot.
I set the camera on what I call Grandson Mode or Freezing the Action Mode.
one letter UP ~ diary 2.0 