Sunday, January 29, 2012

Ducks at Waterworks Park, 1/8

I decided to go to Waterworks Park to see where the kayakers land, and was happily surprised to see a huge flock of mallards. The males are already in their snappy breeding plumage, even though it was still early January. Check out the bright orange feet.


A couple of domestic ducks had joined the crowd.


In the short time I was there, at least three carloads of people came to feed the ducks - and the ducks sure weren't shy about about visitors with food in their hands.

Waterworks Park is along the Cuyahoga River in Cuyahoga Fall, Ohio, on Munroe Falls Ave. There's a big community pool in the front, drive beyond that, and under a bridge, and the park drive runs past the river access, picnic areas and playing fields.

January 2 - 7, 2012

All the Christmas ornaments, ready to put away for another year. 1/2.


So happy the winter's been very easy so far. 1/3.


This is for Shutter Sister's One Word Project. Mine for this year is building friendships. This started out as a photo, but I wasn't happy with the background, so I extracted the stamped letters and overlayed them on a couple of blended Kim Klassen texture layers. 1/4.


My January photography theme is "A light in the darkness". The days are getting longer and the end of winter is almost in sight. Used another Kim Klassen texture on this one. 1/5.


Full moon, just as the sun was setting. 1/6.


Saturday dinner at Mom's isn't complete without plenty of dogs. They are the most accomplished set of beggars you'll ever see - each one does "starving to death" better than the last.





That's it for now.

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Last Batch of Picture the Holidays

The last batch of photos from Picture the Holidays. Days 26 and 27 are from the Rockefeller Greenhouse in Cleveland - it's kind of a tradition to visit the Greenhouse and the Botanical Garden on Boxing Day. The Botanical Garden was closed on Monday, so we missed it this year.



Pretty sure the 28th is missing because it involved me taking a picture of myself. That'll only happen under duress....


Forgot to drink my tiny bottle of Champagne on New Year's Eve, but it made a good prop here.


My sister-in-law's cat, Blue, being pensive for just a moment.


Kent Winter Market, nice light on these apples. The farmer's market is a good place to shoot food earlier in the morning. This basket of apples caught winter morning light from one of Lucky Penny Creamery's windows.

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Great Falls on Tinker's Creek

Viaduct Park is a gorgeous little gem hidden off Willis Road in Bedford. It's named for a viaduct built in the late 1800's to carry the railroad over Tinker's Creek. Later, with steadily increasing train size, the viaduct was partially buried and replace with a sturdier crossing.

Three of us went out shooting this morning, Jerry, Dave and I, all from CVPS. Pretty cold, around 20 degrees when we started. At the viewing area just below the falls, the temp felt a lot lower because of all the mist coming  off the falls.

This is Great Falls from the upper part of the viewing area. Pretty decent volume of water, due to all the rain we've had. In other photos of the area, the large rock ledge to the left is usually dry.


From the lower viewing area, converted to black and white.


Dave, out on the rocks just above the falls. It was a bit slippery, enough to make me a little nervous. Desaturated this one, leaving only a bit of color.


Tinker's Creek, rushing to get over the falls.



Two versions of the same view from entirely too close to the edge of the falls. I'm leaning toward the color photo, though the color of the water looks better in black and white.



So it's twenty degrees, we're about 50 feet below street level, and darned if four little mallards aren't dabbling for lunch in the creek.


Shot these weathered maple leaves for an assignment in the the mini photography course I'm taking at www.kimklassencafe.com.


That's it - great frosty morning. I can't wait to see the falls in the Spring. January 14, 2012.

PS: Bedford Reservation is worth a visit. Lots of trials, picnic areas, great view of the gorge.

Sunday, January 8, 2012

Picture The Holidays, Group Two

More prompts from Picture the Holidays. The 19th was Checking It Twice. Even with lists (kept, of course, on my beloved iPad), it was still hard to keep up with everything going on in December. This list has Georgie's party meatball recipe - a jar of chili sauce, a jar of grape jelly, and a bag of frozen meatballs. Mix it all together and cook in the crockpot for four or so hours. Sounds weird, but tastes good.


Chuck was the perfect subject for Wrapped in Love. Used a soft focus Lightroom preset on this one.


The prompt for the 22nd was (C)Attitude Adjustment. Sootie's eyeballing a blue jay here. He has no idea how fierce they are.


You are Getting Sleepy, Day 22. New bedding, soft blue and cream, very pretty.


Apple bread for life is sweet on the 23rd. Shot this with my new 50 mm f1.8 lens. It has a really narrow depth of field at f1.8. Interesting effect, sharp in the middle and soft around the edges.


Christmas Tree magic on the 24th.


Mom and Ryan on Christmas Day at Greg and Sheila's.


This was a great project - I'll upload the last part of the month soon.

Sunday, January 1, 2012

Kent Winter Market

We went to the Winter Market at Lucky Penny Creamery yesterday and bought dill bread, pecan- cranberry waffles and kale chips. The dill bread and cranberry waffles were delicious. The kale chips taste good, but the texture is odd - Chuck describes it as ashy. I think I'll try them crumbled over salad.

This is the dill bread, with (top) and without (bottom) a texture called "Friday" from Kim Klassen;



Which do you like better?

Picture the Holidays

One of the things I really liked about this challenge was feeling free to stage photos. Usually, I just take what's there and edit in post (photo geek speak for messing around on the computer). My favorite place to stage is the kitchen table. In the morning and on overcast days, it gets really nice soft light that makes almost anything look great.


Thanks for the card, Mom!


Made these ornaments for a couple of beach-loving friends. I'd planned to put tiny flip-flops on them, but they just didn't look good. The bead and charms were from some wine glass charms I made last summer, and they worked perfectly with the beach theme.


Wreath on the upper deck.


Candle glow is so pretty.


The prompt for Day 18 was "Recharge". Making things, like these birdhouse, helps me get centered. This was set up on the breakfast table with Christmas Tree light bokeh in the background. See what I mean about the light? Clean and soft.