Flowers On The Sidewalk

Posted on September 9, 2013 | Leave a comment

A while ago I wrote a post about working with what you have by utilizing your backyard for photography subjects.  If you take the time to look, you can find quite a bit to photograph in the most unlikely of places.

That’s even more true when it comes to a city or town sidewalk.  There is a plethora of photography subjects on a sidewalk from the sidewalk itself to architecture, people, objects, and flora on the sidewalk.

Recently I took a trip to my hometown and the neighboring town and while walking along the sidewalks, I passed several potted plants and flowers, some of which I can’t name (hey, I’m no botanist here!).  Luckily, like every dedicated photographer out there, I had my camera on me and ready to go.  I managed to capture a few decent shots before moving on to my destination.

Here’s one.

 

Flowers on the Sidewalk

Keep an eye out while you’re walking down the street, folks.  You never know what you’ll pass by if you’re not paying attention.

Until next time…

[^_^]

~A.M.

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Cat In The Office

Posted on September 2, 2013 | Leave a comment

I’ve read from numerous sources that the secret to productivity (especially in the case of writers and photographers editing photos) is to keep any and all distractions out of your office space.  That includes staying away from windows with scenic views, keeping parents, spouses/partners, children, and pets out of the room, and not having a TV or music on in the background.

Easier said than done.

I work better with music playing, but that’s not what this post is about today.  I don’t know about anyone else out there, but my cats are like my kids.  They’re spoiled as spoiled can be.  I can’t seem to say no to them when they look at me with those cute little cat faces of theirs.  That’s why when I’m trying to edit a photo, or write, I can’t shut them out of my office space.  For one, they tend to sit outside the closed door and cry (Kenzi in particular), and they’re so used to having the run of my house that they seem insulted and irritated when I close a door in their face (unfortunately for me, this also holds true with the bathroom door!).

My youngest cat, Kenzi, has taken to napping in an inconvenient place in the small portion of my room that serves as my office.  And recently, the newest addition to my cat army, Abby, discovered the same spot.

My laptop case.

I don’t mind if they nap on the case while I’m using my laptop or when my laptop is put away.  It’s when I’m trying to get my laptop into or out of the case while they’re napping that causes issues.  I’m a softie and I don’t like to disturb my pretties when they’re catching up on their beauty rest, but when I have work to do, I have work to do.

 

 

Kenzi Napping on my Laptop Case

See what I mean?  She’s just so cute that I can’t bring myself to shoo her away.

Until next time….

 

[^_^]
~A.M.

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Posted in Animals, Cats, Photography

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A Day At The Beach

Posted on August 26, 2013 | Leave a comment

I can’t recall if I’ve ever met someone that didn’t like spending a day at the beach.  The sun, the sand, the surf, and the over-all tranquility.  Awesome.

When I go to the beach to take pictures, like when I hike, I tend to focus more on nature and the wildlife traipsing about instead of any people that may be around me.  Let’s face it, the people at the beach are pretty much always doing the same things.  Kids are running around screaming, drawing/playing in the sand, building sandcastles, and swimming while their parents look on from beach chairs or blankets.  All those activities can make for some nice photographs, but they tend to get old really quick.  At least for me.  I like to focus more on the things most people simply pass by, like patterns left in the sand by the receding tide, rocks that are in natural but unusual formations, and feathers left behind by sea gulls.

Recently, the weather cooperated long enough for me to take a trip to the beach (I love living less than five miles from the ocean!).  I managed to bring home some, in my opinion, decent photographs.  I’d like to share just a few of those with you folks.  Hey, I did promise you last week that I would include two or three images this week!

Patterns in the Sand

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tiny Feather

 

White and Brown Feather

 
Until next time…

[^_^]

~A.M.

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Mosquitoes SUCK!

Posted on August 19, 2013 | Leave a comment

This past weekend, Saturday in fact, the weather decided to play nice and I was able to hiking for the first time in almost a month.  I was so completely stoked to get out into the fresh air and into the wilderness that I made a rookie mistake.  I forgot to apply bug spray.  I was smart enough to apply sunscreen before I left my house, but the bug spray escaped me.  Thanks to that little brain fart, I ended up getting eaten alive by mosquitoes.  I loathe those things.

So, as you can see, there’s no new photograph this week.  I blame the mosquitoes.  They were out so thick that I couldn’t even stop for a second to take a picture of the trail in front of me without being bitten ten or fifteen times.

I’ll make it up to you, folks, by posting two or three pictures next Monday.  Deal?  Deal.

Until next time…

[-_-]

~A.M.

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Posted in Hiking, Life, Miscellaneous

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Rights Of The Photographer

Posted on August 12, 2013 | Leave a comment

This week’s post is going to be short and to the point as I’m currently dealing with some family issues.

Have you ever wondered just what rights you have as a photographer?  Have you ever been taking pictures somewhere and been stopped by security who then tried to confiscate your camera and/or memory cards?  I’ve been lucky enough not to have been accosted by security guards wanting to pull rank, but I’ve educated myself enough to be ready should that moment arise.   One of the first things you need to do that kind of situation is stay calm.  Next, be respectful even if you’re not being respected.  The worst thing to do is snap back with some aggressive comment when you’re being confronted by a security guard or other authority figure who has an inflated ego and is ignorant to your rights as a photographer.

To learn the basics about your rights as a photographer when photographing in public places, check out this site and download the PDF file.  You may also want to check the local laws of your state for anything governing photography, as well as the laws of any state or country to which you plan to travel.  I also purchased the book listed on this page from Amazon.  It has some good information on not only your rights to photograph but also rights concerning copyright and more.

Until next time…

[-_-]

~A.M.

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Posted in Life, Miscellaneous, Photography, Travel, Writing

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