Chance meetings

It was a beautiful day.  It had snowed this past weekend and it felt like winter again. Then today the temperatures soared and it was in the mid 60's.  I guess that it what March weather is like around here.  We knew we had to take advantage of the day and go for a bike ride.  Many others had the same idea.  We saw other bikers, walkers, joggers, skate boarders, serveral families out together enjoying the warm day.  To our surprise, as we reached the end of the bike trail, we met an acquaintance from a number of years ago.  She was out for a walk with her daughters.  My, her girls are getting big.  It was fun to talk and the girls had fun with Sebastian. (He had fun too!)  Luckily since I always try to have a camera with me, I was able to get this cute shot.

Celebrate!

Celebrate the times of your life with photography.  One photograph can say a thousand words and can bring back the feelings and thoughts of many memories.  Today is my husband's birthday.  We went to Culvers to have lunch as is our standing lunch engagement each Tuesday with a group of our friends.  Our one friend's grandson works at our Culvers.  She mentioned to him that it was Wayne's birthday.  They brought him a little sundae and sang "Happy Birthday" to him.  Being the photographer, I should have hopped up immediately and taken a picture of them singing to him, but at least I had enough sense to snap this picture before he ate his sundae.  Now I look at the picture and it reminds me of this day.   It reminds me of the friendly staff of our Culvers here in Zion, IL. It reminds me of my husband of 30 years.  It reminds me of spending his birthday with our friends.  It reminds me of all the things we have done together over the years as a group of friends and of all the things this group of friends have gone through and shared with each other through the years.  This is truly something to be thankful for and to celbrate.

High Key Photos

Our latest theme competition was High Key Photos.  High key is a lighting technique which produces images that are bright and not too contrasty. High key photos are characterized by the dominance bright tones and the lack, if not absence, of shadows. The histogram of a high key picture will be condensed on the right side (bright tones) but without losing too many details of highlights.  They usually have bright neutral backgrounds such as a white wall. To get this effect use diffused light, overexpose your image, concentrate on the interesting features of your subject when composing, find a bright neutral background, and do some post processing to get the best results.  Here are my experiments with high key.

Danger Thin Ice!

Since the weather has been warmer than usual this winter, the ice on the ponds is thinner and it has melted around the edges and other spots.  I watched the geese standing on the ice and imagined myself trying to stand out there.  What if the ice suddenly gave way?  Well, I guess they would just swim.  And so my saying for the week is "If you can't walk on water, then learn how to swim."

Winter Deer

It is interesting to see animals change in color with the seasons as a protection.  Even in deer coloring.  In the summer they are a warm cinnamon color.  Then in winter they turn a dark muted brown.  They are harder to see in the tall brown brush they like to hide in.

Monochrome Plus One Color

 The fun in photogrphy for me is not only to observe the variety in nature but to also have a challenge.  In our Chicago Area Camera Club Association we have a special category digital competition.  It is a challenge and fun to try out different photography styles.  All the pictures that are entered in the competition are posted on a Smug Mug website.  This way you are not only challenged to try out a certain technique on your own, but you in turn get to see all the other entries and how other photographers imagined the subject.  There are some amazing photographers in the Chicagoland area.  This past months competition was black and white plus one color.  I was happy to learn that my Marsh Marigolds won Best of Show and my Red Barn won an award.

First Snow

 The first snow of the New Year is here. 

 It is the nice picture taking kind that sticks to branches. 

It is fun to take pictures of paths and streams and close-ups.
It is nice to have a ravine a block from our house that we can go and explore.