Travels with Mom

Diana, Murphy and I went out for DQ with Mom last night, then to the refuge. Visiting the refuge always brings new surprises!! Last night we saw a tundra swan, Western Grebes, and the always beautiful Great Blue Heron along with assorted yellow-headed blackbirds, black-necked stilts and American Avocets and ducks! Here's some pictures from the trip.
Murphy put his head on Mom's lap all the way - she loved it!

Ansel Adams

When I think of Ansel Adams I think of the wonderful, incredible pictures he took. I also remember reading about the work he did in the darkroom so that the picture that was printed looked like what he had envisioned when he took the shot.
Now, as I've moved along with my photography, I'm starting to work with my own 'envisioning' and beginning to get a sense of what this is. Today I came across a quote by Ansel that struck me directly:

"Simply look with perceptive eyes at the world about you, and trust to your own reactions and convictions. Ask yourself: "Does this subject move me to feel, think and dream? Can I visualize a print - my own personal statement of what I feel and want to convey - from the subject before me?" - Ansel Adams

That is my challenge and I love it and the discovery that it provides.

Murphy's gift

Murphy and I were messing around out front and he ran through the white flower bed and broke off a beautiful tulip! So we picked it up and took it to his Mom who put it into a neat little vase and set it on the windowsill in the kitchen. Later that evening, I took this picture, using a tripod and remote release and ambient light. Then, with a slight change in white balance, I came up with this! And I like it!

Socks and tulips

Sometimes things just say - "take a picture of me" - and I do. Then I wonder why I took the picture as it doesn't fit into any category of what I would normally shoot.
So, I was walking in and out of the bedroom the other morning and finally got my camera and took a picture of these socks. Even after doing a lot of different things to them in Lightroom, I'm unclear on why...but what the heck!
What do you think?

On the other hand the tulip's colors and shape fascinate me. I'm a bit dissatisfied with what I have done so far, and am re-evaluating what I might have done or could do - both from taking additional pictures to work in Lightroom or Photoshop.

I feel that is what digital has brought to the table, for me at least. There is incredible opportunity to work with the pictures, throw it all away and start over, and try so many different things.

Leah

Our neighbors took a trip to Belize with their kids a couple of weeks ago. When they came back, their daughter, Leah, had a new 'do'... Leah is so darn cute anyway (and headstrong!!!!) but couldn't resist capturing her. So here she is!!

Spring

77 degrees in SLC today, so it must be spring! Families at the Baskin-Robbins for ice cream, walkers in the park tonight, just a great evening!
Diana planted these very small but beautiful tulips in front, and they are fascinating! The color is deep purple, and they have yellow in the center. I've not gotten a satisfactory shot of the center, so that will have to wait to show off. But here's the purple in the evening sun.

Flowers

Diana created a new bed for flowers using just white flowers with green foliage. It's an experiment that has worked out quite well, and - now into its second year - most of the flowers have returned. Here's a multi-dimensioned tulip that struts its beauty quite well.
Again and again I find myself drawn to attempting to capture the play of light on objects. There is something incredibly fascinating about these temporary moments of beauty.