Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Team-Up Thursday: Week Twenty-Seven (DOORS)

doors

Anyone else wonder where the summer is going? All of a sudden, it's Thursday again, and it's almost the end of July. Next thing you know it will be time to open the DOOR to Fall.

Like how I did that? Melody and I went with DOORS this week, and I absolutely aDOOR her shot of V with that fabulous hat. I swear, that girl is a born model!

My shot is all door, all the time. We ventured downtown this week, and I brought my camera with the express purpose of shooting doors. And I did find some wonderful specimens. This example really was this red -- and I loved the gold "IN."

Show us what you've got this week, and don't forget to make some comments on other dips in the flickr pool.

Next week, Melody and I are going UP for our theme...join us!

Saturday, July 24, 2010

Less Than Enthusiastic

less than enthusiastic

One person in this photo is thinking he's got too many sisters.

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Team-Up Thursday: Week Twenty-Six (SILHOUETTE)

silhouette dip

This was a fun one! I really love silhouette shots, and I wanted to try to capture one in a new location, somewhere you might not immediately associate with this type of shot. The perfect opportunity presented itself when James and Owen went to hit balls at the driving range. The shot is somehow intimate in the middle of a very public setting as they lean towards each other to study the ball.

And doesn't Melody's just scream FREEDOM? Love the joy captured here, even though the viewer can't see the jumper's expression. That's what I love about silhouettes: the ability to express a feeling just by looking at the outlines of a figure, no face necessary. FYI: This shot looks even better in the large size, so click on over to flickr to see it there.

Looking forward to checking out all the dips this week, here and in the flickr pool. Remember, if you've just been watching, jump into the diptych pool at any time -- we'd love to see your creativity!

Next week, Melody and I will be working on DOORS. Don't let one hit you on the way out...:).

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Greeblepix Entry

swing high

Sheer joy.

One of my favorite shots from this past weekend with the cousins.

Visit Greeblemonkey for more great photo entries in this month's contest.

Monday, July 19, 2010

The Blog Cafe

A few weeks ago, I was honored to be asked by JoLyn to host The Blog Cafe over at A Year of Happy for the week. I've never been asked to guest post before, so what a treat for me!

Each week, the moderators ask one blogger to "host" the cafe, complete with setting the scene and asking a thought-provoking question. This week, we'll be visiting The Portland City Grill in downtown Portland, Oregon. And instead of concentrating on the food -- although it is delicious -- we're going to drool over the view.

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We went to the Portland City Grill for our anniversary dinner last weekend. As we sat at the window, gazing out over the city as the sun slowly set, we admired the glow of the sun and the magnificence of Mt. Hood in the distance. And, boy, did I wish I had my camera.

Now, I will take my camera many places. I've hauled it pretty much everywhere. But I do draw the line at bringing it with me to a romantic dinner. That might set the wrong tone. But the view was so inspiring -- what's a shutterbug to do?

Answer: whip out the camera phone. These two shots were taken with my iPhone camera, and while not technically perfect, certainly capture the essence of the scene as we viewed it. Looking at these photographs brings back lovely memories of the evening, the food, and of course, the fantastic company.

Which leads me to my questions for today's Blog Cafe discussion: What situations have you encountered where you really wished you'd had a camera but didn't? And, do you use your cell phone camera (if you have one) for many situations like this?

I ask because despite its limitations, the phone camera can capture spontaneous moments. One can whip it out of a pocket or purse almost instantly to grab photos that would otherwise go untaken. So chew on the gorgeous view above and let us know what you think...

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Team-Up Thursday: Week Twenty-Five (WHERE YOU LIVE)

where you live diptych

When we embarked on our theme this week, I had so many ideas in mind. Most of them revolved around my house and neighborhood. Then I branched out and began thinking about the Portland area. What I ended up with, however, is representative of the state as a whole.

Imagine my surprise when Melody sent her fabulous photo. We both chose very public, wide-reaching views of WHERE WE LIVE (I hope I'm correct in assuming this is the state capitol building in Texas). My original thoughts had all been so small, so intimate, trying to think up ways to represent my house or family life in a single shot. Instead, my shot is much less personal, but still speaks to the theme.

WHERE WE LIVE would actually make a great series. Taking a group of shots, each representing different ways of viewing where I live would make a fascinating compilation.

I can't wait to see how you have interpreted this theme (if you chose to play along this week). Show us WHERE YOU LIVE here and in our flickr pool.

Next week, Melody and I are working on SILHOUETTES...come join us!

P.S. I've got another person looking for a partner. If you or someone you know would like to play along, contact me at monamegs@hotmail.com

Sunday, July 11, 2010

BSM: More Beach

I know, yet another photo from our beach day this week. But the kids actually let me take photos of them dancing, doing cartwheels, and other weird things. That doesn't usually happen, so I figure it's OK if I post another one.


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Plus, they're darn cute.

Friday, July 9, 2010

Dancin' With Myself...And my Brother

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The beauty of nature...and other strange creatures inhabiting the coast.

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Team-Up Thursday: Week Twenty-Four (CELEBRATION)

celebrate dip

This week, Melody and I are CELEBRATING. Someone turned six at Melody's house -- love that cupcake lick:). And here in Oregon we're just celebrating summer at the beach. Nothing wrong with that.

I took a bunch of July 4th shots, but really, I ended up posting the one I loved early. You can check out the previous post if you want to see what to wear if you really want to celebrate:).

What do you have to show us this week? Remember to leave a comment, and check out our flickr pool for lots of great diptychs and inspiration.

Next week, Melody and I are doing WHERE YOU LIVE for our theme. We'd love you to join us!

Sunday, July 4, 2010

Happy 4th! (and BSM, While We're at it...)

owen (aka elton john) does the fourth

Yeah...I'm not really sure what to say about this picture either....

Have a safe and happy 4th of July!

Saturday, July 3, 2010

Underwater Universe

I just love this whole waterproof camera thing. Here's a few that I considered for Team-Up Thursday:

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A few of you asked about the camera. It's an Olympus Stylus Tough 6000. I had been toying with the idea of getting a waterproof camera last summer, but I couldn't quite justify it. This year, Costco had this model on sale. And if you know how I feel about both Costco and sales, it was a done deal. My other p&s is a 2005 Canon that is way too big to fit in a pocket. I've been wanting one that was more easily portable, and the Olympus seemed the perfect solution.

It's definitely a p&s: shutter lag, no manual controls, bad in low light. But that's what I expect from a p&s, so I'm not at all disappointed. It's freeing to simply pick a mode (I usually use sport) and shoot! It's been to the beach and pool with great results.