I found this cute little guy stalking bugs in my flower bed.
And a shot of the flower he was creeping on.
All Stories
Praying Mantis And A Flower
What it is
This is not a stream, lake, pond, or river; it is a grassy area, used for overflow parking. And so is this.
Yep, last May we had a wee bit of water problems.
Challenge: Bi-Weekly Challenge - Texture, Design, & Patterns
Thanks, Penny, for the Sun-Catching challenge!
I have a fascination with especially interesting patterns, both natural and manmade. So for this challenge, I am looking for entries where the overall texture, design, or pattern IS the photo, instead of just adding interest to another subject.
It might be a treeline, a single tree, or just the bark.
It might be wet rocks (this photo borrowed for example only), or a dry creek bed.
Maybe it's from a bountiful harvest, or on your window sill.
Sometimes it's manmade, like apartment balconies, a medallion facade, or fence post bundles.
And reflections can be a good source: pier reflection, or building reflections (notice the diagonal lines - this is three buildings reflected on one building).
So for these two weeks, see beyond the subject into the patterns around you. This is not meant to be an exercise in abstract art, so make it a design that we can recognize.
Pat has agreed to take the next challenge - hope it isn't all things adobe (there aren't any here) ;)
I COUGHT IT!! My last Challenge shot
Well..... There weren't no sun yesterday. That seems to be the statement of the day lately. So for my last-late and final entry in this worthy challenge, I went out and caught the thing myself!!!
At least I caught the sun in my computer, I did!
A little late, but that 24 hour thing wouldn't let me cheat. I like that. But I could not click on the enter the challenge button either because it wasn't there yesterday when I wrote the story.
Onward and forward to the next one......
Thanks again Penny, it was a learning experience. Never worked so hard in PS.
Indulge Me...
I have a few more zoo shots...
July 5, 2008
An evening at Lake Elsinore
This is my 1st attempt at fireworks. I really wish the Obvious Troll had posted a little sooner. 8-) I did a lot of experimenting, but the shots I chose were all on the fireworks setting. I have some with longer exposure but they did not come out like I wanted. I played with one shot on PS but the others are as shot.
Comments & Critiques welcome!
County road 139
Fourth of July Fun!!!!
Well another great 4th of July has come and gone and I know there are a lot of shots here but I couldn't choose so I hope ya'll had a great one and enjoy some shots of ours.
firework fun100_2153 , face paint100_2095
This was our parade celebration100_2206 100_2247 100_2221 100_2297 100_2309 100_2324
100_2321 100_2337 100_2342 100_2348
HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!!!!!!
GOD BLESS OUR TROOPS!!!!!
"Leon came to Santa Fe"
- So last night I went to see Leon Russell 20080705_8222_copy
- As the night went on people were floating around and this gentleman came around introducing himself as the "Mayor"...Well, he certainly a character.Local Mayor
- Some things are best left unsaid
- Above is my friend who refuses to believe her shirts are toooo short. Helloooo
- Then there are the one's who bring there own things to dance with...as here is my friend Meg .One who dances with her own pole.
- Some just like to playSome play and don't know what else is happening around them..
- Some just poop out from all the fun and dance.Oh,my head...
Beginner's Luck!
I was on my front porch watching a storm coming in over the far mesa when I noticed a rainbow starting to form, so I grabbed my camera and started snapping. I noticed a flash of lightning just as I clicked the shutter button, but never dreamed that I caught it. Imagine my surprise when I put it in the computer and zoomed in on the image.
--Pat
Rained Out
Our Fourth of July got rained out. It was So Sad , but we still rocked out a little, playing those Playing those Red, White and Blues and, later, we had some rainy day fireworks:
holiday
my day off this week wound up being on the holiday. i took a little roadtrip to san francisco and beyond.
a few shots from the day:
4 July
Happy day after the 4th! hope everyone had a good & safe holiday.
I've been trying forever to get good shots of fireworks...it's a shame they're not used very often. This years batch is better than what I usually take, so I'm encouraged.
There was a kid with some of those glowsticks who helped me get a good setting. I like how it came out, so here's the one who was helping me out
My son took some too. me KFW1 KFW2 Here's my little shutterbug . Kael loves his camera & I'm happy to have something we share.
Have a great weekend everyone!
Summer Skin.
During the 4th of July we went to a neighbours house who had a beautiful backyard with flowers and plants everywhere. The air was cool and it was the perfect weather. With my i-pod ear buds in my ears and music playing I went on my own little photo adventure while in my own world.
Irish Bells are ringing but in a different tone.
I hope that everyone had a great 4th!
One more Sun for the Road.
Might be my last entry in "Catch the Sun". It is more play than a real attempt. If I can get another and post it late Saturday night, it might show on Sunday, but anyway, I think this challenge was different, challenging and fun! Thank you Penny!
Here it is....... You Light up My Head!!
On a more serious front, here are a few goodies I would like to share with y'all.
This one is just a day Lily that is in abundance up here now,
These are a couple in the water that I spotted alongside a road we were traveling this afternoon.
This is not a flower at all but a rail eating tree. Too late for another "rails" entry, but there it is none the less.
Can't wait for the next challenge!
Speed and Precision
Elmendorf air show - June 28-29 - Arctic Thunder
Last weekend the Air Force was in town and showed us their amazing men and women demonstrating what they do. Hats off to them, and all our armed forces this 4th of July. Thanks, for keeping us free.
From a photography perspective, this was a first for me. I found AF would not work, so I was using manual with a wide open aperture (very narrow depth of field) trying to catch the action at 1/1600 of a second. I now have a real respect for action photographers! Thank goodness for digital, so I could "burn" the 100's of images out of focus, at no cost!
On to the show.
Jon Melby started things off with loops, rolls and dives.
The F22 Raptor war bird was inspected by its pilot before launched into the sky. A fly by with belly open, anawesome machine! When it throttled up it's Pratt & Whitney engines and went by low and fast, water vapors didamazing things in the air. The WWII P51 mustang fighter, 'ole yeller , took to the air and it was really cool to see how far we've come when it flew wing tip towing tip with the raptor.
Students from the academy also took to the air , what a pleasure to see and meet these fine young men and women serving.
Then, the Thunderbird pilots climbed into their F16s and started their demonstration. The day had a variety of clouds providing a varied and dramatic back drop. Speed, precision, teamwork. They flew in the diamond low and high.
Below is a sequence that I wanted to put in a slide show, but don't know how yet, sorry...
Tbird02 Tbird03 Tbird04 Tbird05 Tbird06
Sequence pilot is one of two women on the team, an Alaskan local, Maj. Samantha Weeks (http://community.adn.com/mini_apps/vmix/player.php?ID=1963043&GID=118), you go girl!!!
Wheels down and lined up with the run way. Truely an awesome show, sure made me proud, congratulations to our air force on this 4th of July, 2008.
(I've added a flight in an f16 to my bucket list)
Roger Williams Zoo
Forgive me for so many...My daughter and I took Benjamin to the Zoo..Despite 90 degree weather and a flat tire...we had a great time...Happy 4th everyone!
