Through the Lensbaby Blog Circle: December

The last three weeks haven't been particularly productive

 around our house due to the flu (guess that flu shot didn't work too well).

We have gotten a lot of reading done though!

My reading has ranged from macro photography books,

 to floating down the Mississippi river,

to photography of Lake Superior,

plus some haiku. 

But, now I'm back to studio work on an elaborate bead project for a show

 and some photography of a beautiful Sphinx moth.

Life is good.

Wishing you a wonderful holiday season!

See you in the new year.

Due to the busyness of the season,
our Lensbaby Blog Circle is a circle of two this month.
So head on over to my talented friend, Caroline Jensen,
for some winter inspiration!

Extra-Ordinary Spiderweb!

The fog rolled in and stayed all day -

quite unusual to have fog this late in the year

and very unusual to see it last all day!

On this unusual day I found an extraordinary

 spiderweb behind the garage's drain spout.

An original creation, or more likely a time-worn creation,

its asymmetry was embellished with the dampness of the day.

Wishing you extraordinary finds in your corner of the world!

Autumn Plunder

We're in the depths of a north woods winter already...

but, please humor me today as I turn back the clock of time a few weeks

and picture flickering sunlight filtering down through treetop canopies

onto a patchwork bed of leaf litter.

It was among this leaf litter that I found these macro wonders.

My favorite is the first image.

This gem was painted with touches of slug slime, or some such,

which shimmered with silvery opalescence.

I hope you're enjoying the season,

whatever the weather!

Through the Lensbaby Blog Circle: November

Today, I'm excited to tell you I'll be part of Through the Lensbaby Blog Circle. 

So, around the 20th of each month you'll be able to follow the links to

 an amazing group of Lensbaby artists.

As I mentioned in my last post, I've been chasing natural light around our home.

Different window sizes, times of day, and exposures (North, South, East, & West),

present some subtle and some marked variations.

Late afternoon light streaming through large arched living room windows

created the warmth in the first image.

A spotlight effect was achieved by diffusing the light and

 directing a sliver of light toward my center of interest.

Love when things can be done in-camera.

The rose images were made in a pretty classy set-up...

picture light from a large basement walk-out window + a rose filled vase sitting

 on an empty boot box on the floor + a black velvet backdrop - 

at least the roses and black velvet qualify as classy :)

But, hey, it's really all about the light and the painterly blur that the Lensbaby gives!

Next follow the link to Sarah's, Story Lane Photography

for some wonderful inspiration!

Light and Pattern

Lately, I've been chasing light and pattern around the house -

sometimes by design, sometimes by chance.

These two images are my favorites,

so far.

Happy creating to you!

Dragonfly Wings and Dew Drops

I was going to photograph the sunrise one foggy, damp morning until 

I got sidetracked by a dragonfly.

This dragonfly was lying upon a cushion of fuzzy moss,

 its wings covered with a million - give or take - dew drops.

These million-drop covered wings glittered and sparkled

like my grandma's vintage rhinestone jewelry.

Happy bokeh filled day to you!

Comments are off.

Drizzle

Autumn displays a variety of looks, from flashy and colorful

to muted monochromatic attire (think fog, rain, and drizzle).

I've been photographing all these looks,

but was actually surprised to find beauty on a super drab, drizzly morning.

With color little more than a B&W,

form and pattern were the order of the day.

Yes, even drizzle can be a good thing!

Comments are off.

Sacred Spaces

I find places of meditation, prayer, and worship intrinsically fascinating.

These spaces are filled with history and wonder.

It is as if the human thoughts, prayers, joy, and angst

are all forever imprinted here -

etched upon the walls or gilded onto the towering 

columns and ceilings.

My interest in these spaces has evolved into a personal

 photography project titled, Sacred Spaces.

These images were made in a very beautiful sacred space,

Saint Marys Chapel.

Happy creating to you!

Comments are off.

Into the Fog

Cold nights and warm days have brought a shroud of morning fog to the lake.

This creates a minimalist fantasy land of shifting light and

unusual color harmonies.

Hope you're enjoying autumn!

Comments are off.

Firelight & Dandelions

There's something magical about firelight.

Picture a huge, crackling bonfire (a.k.a. burning slash pile)

against the waning light of day -

vivid color, dancing shapes, and drama.

Against this backdrop juxtapose a wispy, delicate dandelion -

pale, fragile, and ethereal.

Sounds like a study in contrasts,

don't you think?

A couple dreamy versions...

Hoping your life is filled with a little firelight 

and magical contrasts!

Comments are off.

Autumn

Autumn is in the air.

  Cool night temps create swirling morning mist on the lake.

The red maple trees are turning a fuchsia hue,

while the birch, aspen, and butternut are showing touches of gold.

Harvesting the last garden strawberries.

Yes, autumn is here...

wishing I knew a magical spell to extend this spectacular season!

Hope you're enjoying the season,

wherever you are.

Comments are off.