Rockefeller Greenhouse Christmas Display, 12/26/10

Some photos from our Boxing Day trip to the Greenhouse. Gorgeous display of an amazing variety of poinsettias. It's so nice to smell green living things during the winter. The cute guy below is Chuck. Even though I've taken his picture a 1000 times, he's still willing to smile (usually!).

Wonderful Christmas Time...

Merry Christmas!

Hope you have a wonderful Christmas!

Cookie Meditation, 12/23/2010

Today is Russian Teacake Day. I’m rolling dozens and dozens for my brothers for Christmas. Somehow, the repetitive cookie rolling put me in a kind of meditative trance. I thought about my Dad, and grandparents, and the aunts and uncles we’ll miss at Christmas, wondered if tutoring Math, English, or Biology would be a good retirement project. And all the things I have to be grateful for - my brother’s surgery went well, he and his wife will be at the family Christmas celebration, Chuck’s promotion, even the little things, the smell of baking and butter, pretty Christmas decorations, making vegan stuffing for Matt, Tabitha and me. Good morning, good day.

Heron, Falls at Peninsula Trailhead

Busy Christmas season so far. I'm having friends over for a holiday brunch tomorrow. Chuck's making french toast, I'm making mimosas and quiche. Should be fun!

LightRoom 3

Looking toward the Towpath bridge from the Peninsula trailhead, Thanksgiving week.

This is the first image I edited in LR - just loaded the software yesterday. It has presets to size and upload photos to flickr and facebook, so cool! Still looking for a preset to upload to Blogger.

We got to leave work early today, due to the horrendous weather, so I get to watch LR3 videos and catch up on Christmas stuff.

More Shots for Life on the Towpath

These are from Thanksgiving week. It was pretty drizzly most of the week. Nice though, because the overcast and water helped to intensify color and moodiness.

The first four photos are going north from the Peninsula trailhead (Lock 29), the last one was just south of the Boston store, under the 271 bridge. Used the circular polarizer on all of these. The vignettes were added in Photoshop Elements.

Tiny Things: Shells

I've had these shells since I was a kid - bought a bag of them somewhere, Shoregate maybe. They are beautiful - amazing that homely little snails produce such complex and lovely shells.

Lustrous pearl.

Creamy, fine-lined brown.

Contrasting textures and shapes.

My favorite, brown and cream, rough textured exterior and glossy smooth interior.

I need to step up the pace if I'm going to get 30 tiny things done before holiday photos start piling up.

One Tiny {Feathered} Thing

Lots of very bold chickadees at Beaver Marsh - one tried to land on my shoulder! First photo has a texture and vignette, the second, just a vignette.

November 24, 2010.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hope you have a wonderful, peaceful, and happy Thanksgiving.

Beaver Marsh, Cuyahoga Valley National Park.

Life on the Towpath, 11/22/10

Working on some photos for the Life on the Towpath photography project sponsored by CVPS and CVNPA. They're looking for photos of or from the towpath. The ones below are looking up at the turnpike bridge between Stumpy Bottom and the Boston Store.

I like the processing on the color shot. The black and white is red/yellow/blue desaturated - trying to keep some of the drama in the clouds.

Two Tiny Things

Then I have to go to the barn to see Larry:


A Brambly Hedge mouse I made years and years ago. No idea what Brambly Hedge is, but the patterns are cute as can be. Flower brush is from Jason Gaylor's Japanese Foliage,

Just a pine cone - such a complex seed pod. Why did pines evolve to do this?

Tiny Things on Blue Velvet

I like the lighting on the Beanie horse:


Not too excited about the photo of this little jewelry bag. Cute bag, but uninteresting from any of the 27 angles I shot it at. Still, vastly better on blue velvet than white cardstock.

Credit: Color Inspiration digital papers, 11/12/10, Katie Pertiet, Designer Digitals.

Geauga County Fair

My favorite fair...

Credits: Fall Orchard digital papers, Katie Pertiet, Designer Digitals. Font is Georgia.

Geauga Antique Market, Sept. 25, 2010

Love this show - it's held in June and September at the Geauga County Fairgrounds. They have the most amazing collection of stuff, from furniture I'd kill for to woeful kitsch (see the chair in the layout). Went with Regina, had a blast, bought...nothing. Ah well - next year.

Credits: Cover Inspiration 07 04 10 digital paper, Katie Pertiet, Designer Digitals. Font is one of my favorites, Georgia.

More Tiny Things

Gingerbread cookie buttons.

A small padlock, missing its key.

Expertly repaired dino Christmas ornament.

New horse ornamnent.

Really homely sea turtle toy. No idea where this came from.

Several notes to myself:
1. The white backround is already pretty boring.

2. Dust first, shoot next.

3. A big, ole glob of glue does not make for an attractive repair.

First Snow

Nice to wake up to light snow this morning - the woods behind Summa Wellness was transformed. Snow-covered branches contrasted against wet black trunks and blue sky.

Tried this shot in black and white and color - kind of liking the B&W.

The shot below suggests the transition between Fall and Winter.

Lots of trouble posting tonight. Blogger just isn't uploading photos normally.

Tiny Things

The next photo project on the list is "Tiny Things". I set up a small light box to get even illumination, and plan to take macros of small objects. I like Rose's Tea animals - this is the one from the last box I bought.

1/60 s, f8, 62mm. Two incandescent lights, one on either side, with the flash set up to bounce off the top of the box. (Thanks for the Speedlight, Honey - it's sweet!). Credit: Rhonna Farrer Bold Borders brush, Two Peas in a Bucket.

Blue Hen Falls

Missed the CVPS photowalk Saturday, so I went to Blue Hen Falls on my own tonight. Nice walk, with a bunch of chipmunks for company. I didn't see another person until I was on my way out. The photos below are going to the critique tomorrow.

Wish me luck!