mar 16 - winter's blossoms

A just-because shot.

Just because I love crepe myrtle in winter.

Because I love blue.

And sunlight.

And spring.

And because this shot has a story behind it. It's been tempting me since we first looked at our new house - one of the positive things about changing yards and moving three streets over.

This morning, I didn't really get a break between kids to do my shooting, so I wrapped the baby up and told the toddler to stay inside. I would be just outside the door (eight feet away) to take this picture.

It's the longest eight feet in the world when you're holding a three-month old and the toddler comes out and lets the one remaining cat out with all of her stuffed animals in the space of a minute.

And rounding them all up with camera in hand...

Well, let's just say I'm good.

And we'll be working on that listening thing.


(Image © Informal Moments Photography)

Mar 13

(22/dust)

The self-portrait almost defeated me today. But it couldn't overcome my good mood. Because it's spring outside. And my windows are all open. And the breeze is coming through smelling like home, because we have a boxwood hedge here, and boxwood is my Virginia scent.

So. Take that, camera! You can stare and click and blur at your leisure, but you can't embarrass me today!


(23/dust)



(23/365 SOOC)

Did I mention it is spring?



(Images © Informal Moments Photography)

109/365 - more of the same

For lack of a better title. I got this done early today, and I'm posting it late. Go figure. I love these. Not sure what they are, but I love 'em.

And a variation on the theme.

108/365 - april mornings sparkle

The texturing on this shot was unintentional - the screen from my window worked like a filter to make this magic. I adjusted the colors only a little.

72/365 - Impressions in Peach

It's raining today, and the strangely green dogwood blossoms across the street need sunlight. Every so often, I like to warm things up in Photoshop because it fits my mood a bit better than the light and colors I am given. It's what I love about art and having the tools to make it an expression of myself. This shot was great SOOC, but I am totally in love with the peachy tones I got while playing with the color in post-processing!

Weekend Giveaway Results: Congratulations to Claudia/Gnubee/Cosi, whose photos I absolutely love, and whose name my Piper drew to win the lovely painted pear print this morning!

For those who commented, I am offering you a special giveaway rate if you would like to order and own a painted pear print:

*4x6 print for $10 (normally $15)
*8x12 print for $28 (normally $35)

Just drop me an email with your size request and your mailing address.

And just to note, prints of almost all of the photos on this blog are available for sale; just email me your request (size and photo).

Please allow two-three weeks for prints to arrive - getting to the post office with a toddler is an adventure!

Sixty-Eight - Dogwoods a-Comin'

The Legend of the Dogwood

There is a legend, that at the time of the Crucifixion the dogwood had been the size of the oak and other forest trees. So firm and strong was the tree that it was chosen as the timber of the cross. To be used thus for such a cruel purpose greatly distressed the tree, and Jesus, nailed upon it, sensed this, and in His gentle pity for all sorrow and suffering said to it: “Because of your regret and pity for My suffering, never again shall the dogwood tree grow large enough to be used as a cross. Henceforth it shall be slender and bent and twisted and its blossoms shall be in the form of a cross. ..two long and two short petals. And in the center of the outer edge of each petal there will be nail prints, brown with rust and stained with red, and in the center of the flower will be a crown of thorns, and all who see it will remember.”

Sixty-Seven - Lamplit Spring

Daylight savings time does bad things to my body. I am so peeved with the government who didn't check with MY energy levels before instituting this energy-saving thing. But I have to admit that this morning, the time change was worth having. We had to get up early to shower so I could be ready to drop Pete off at work and get out to ship some prints today. He woke me from a dream in which I was trying to compose a shot for a photography contest, and told me I could go outside and get a lamplight shot I've been wanting for a week or so, now that the sun isn't beating me up. Well, okay, it still is, but anyway.

I stumbled outside, grabbed my very-little-used tripod and an extra lens, and played around with my settings and my camera timer to see what I could do.

I found a dew-laden spider's web, a gorgeous play of light and color, blossoms waiting for morning, color I've never captured, and lovely mist I've been craving!

These are SOOC or almost SOOC (straight out of the camera) - I lightened and sharpened only a little to bring out the focus.

Bonus Shot Friday

As I said, I overshot yesterday. Piper and I took a walk down to a church near our house, and found these lovely blossoms hiding on a rather bare tree... I love the simplicity of this shot, and I totally had to share it!


This almost-twilight shot makes me feel so peaceful. I love the way the ends of the bare branches are almost flowered out, reaching, reaching, reaching...

In case you haven't guessed, it's Bonus Shot Friday at my photography blog today! What about you? Did you get a shot this week that didn't fit anywhere but in your heart? Here's a reason and an opportunity for you to share, share, share! Leave the link in your comment!

Fifty-Nine - Pink Spring Coming

I absolutely love the pink bokeh around the edges of the background in this SOOC shot!

Fifty-Five - Pink Spring Rising

The problem with this 365 project is that some days, I just find way too much to shoot. This is somewhat okay today, because it's Friday, and I'm putting up a bonus shot, but good grief, I got a bunch! This is what happens when the sun comes out! So I had to pick a 55/365, and I found a criteria to pick, anyway. Shutter Sisters gave a bit of a challenge yesterday that I decided to try, about intentional bokeh. This is the shot that grabbed the most bokeh this morning, so this is what you get! Go visit them and see what they had to say about bokeh - it was really helpful for me! I've gotten this stuff accidentally before, but the on-purpose stuff is a bit more creative. I just love this one pink bud emerging from the bokeh background...

Forty - Impressions of Spring

Piper and I took our walk this morning around ten, before the sun's light moved to the noon-time bright, but I was still having a bit of trouble with my exposure. Still, Trouble or no, I fell in love with the way this one came out, all bokeh-ey and colored, shot through with purple and bright that really shouldn't be here in February. So since I'm shooting a photo a day that I *like*, this one definitely gets the number, even if it isn't sharp or focused or perfect.

Thirty-Eight - New and Old the Same

the new among the old
clustered together in tired and brown
fallen the same
in the sigh of today

the promise the end
all must fall
to rest

Thirty-Three - Reach

I desaturated today's photo a little for a softer effect. There is nothing so fresh as spring in the morning, reaching boldly for the sky...