Essay #52: Creative Lens Flare

Glenn Lavender, bassist extraordinaire for the band downhere.

I'm usually adamant about avoiding lens flare. I hate those circles that obscure parts of the frame and more often than not fall across the subject's face. But, on occasion, intentionally including flare can add, well, flair.

Essay #51: Boy, am I glad I didn't park there

Wednesday was a record-setting snowstorm. And one big headache for my neighbor.

And to think, my car was parked only two slots away.

Essay #50: Birthday cake

My family recently celebrated my uncle's birthday, with much pomp and ceremony.

Chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting: my new favorite cake. Mmmm. The candles may have been a little much, but the little kids were delighted to help blow them all out.

Essay #49: On Wisconsin

Last weekend the Badgers trounced the Michigan Wolverines, and I had the pleasure of seeing it first-hand.

Live sporting events are so much more engaging than televised ones: the crowd, the cold, narrow bleachers, the announcers, the concessions, the big-screen marriage proposals. Plus, it allows for sports photography, the genre that first hooked me on this hobby. I first fell in love with a camera's power to capture motion and energy, freezing a moment in time, while on the sidelines of a college football game taking pictures for the student newspaper. It's amazing how a still image can contain so much motion.

Essay #48: Concert perspective

Okay, so I've taken a lot of photos of the downhere guys over the years. A lot of photos. So last weekend my goal was to capture new perspectives.

Essay #47: Concert light: Black and White

I saw the band downhere twice over the weekend. Each venue had its own set of lights--with their own pros and cons. So this week I'll talk about shooting at a concert: the most exciting light, while also most challenging light.

Concert lighting, while spectacular in person, can wreak havoc with a camera. When colored lights result in unnatural skin tones that no white balance can counter, I have two options: embrace the oddity (see previous post), or go back into the trick archives and pull out the oldest one-shooting in monochrome.

Essay #46: Concert magic

The next couple of posts will be more concert photos--second only to produce in sheer quantity of what I shoot.

Needtobreathe played in Madison last night, closing out The Outsiders Tour (which also began in Madison--fitting, no?).

Something about live music is just...magical. I have zero musical ability of my own, so I'm amazed by the lovely sounds artists can conjure. A strum, a hum, and the air thrums with dazzling beauty, a profound connection that stirs in the hearers and binds the audience to each other and the artists in shared sensational experience. I'll pay more for a concert ticket than I will for an album.

Essay #45: Pumpkins

 Have a safe and happy Halloween!

Essay #44: So cute it's sick

She looked at him.

He looked at her.

And everyone who saw that look wanted to throw up a little.

And as if they weren't absolutely adorable enough...let's add a puppy!

Essay #43: Fun with filters: Star

Apollo 14 performs at Battle of the Bands in Mineral Point, WI. These guys have talent--check 'em out!

I like playing with filters. My favorite to use at a concert is a four-point star (six-points can be good, too, but it's usually too much). The filter itself looks like a grid carved into the glass. It does bring the exposure down a stop and makes the focus less crisp, but there's no better way to add a little "star power" to an aspiring band.

Essay #42: Golden apples

Mmmmmm.
There's just something about eating an apple right off the tree, its lifeline severed only seconds before enameled dismemberment, juices still flowing.  These were cold and crisp, with traces of frost lingering on the leaves.

Essay #41: Fragile tenacity

A cold, frosty October morning isn't the most hospitable environment for new blossoms. That didn't stop these lovely flowers from opening to greet the day. They're a bit beaten down by the chilled wind and an early morning snowfall, but not defeated. I guess it's true: You can never hold back spring.

Topic: Life, the Universe, and Everything

Between having limited availability and limited internet access, the old topic-a-week format probably isn't going to work well anymore. So I'm changing things up a bit. While I may occasionally have a topic that spans a few posts, most of my "essays" will be one-offs, or what used to be "freestyle," from now on. Or at least until I have better internet access.

Essay #40: Blue potatoes

Some bizarre kind of fruit? A frostbitten kiwi, perhaps? Nope, these are potatoes. No, not rotten ones; fresh, yummy, starchy spuds.

What makes then blue? Not a dye or anything to be leery of, but an antioxidant also found in blue or purple fruit. I knew that someday I'd find a carb that's good for me!

Essay #39: Emu eggs

OK, so this week was a lot busier than planned. I guess that's what happens when you're a working girl? But I'll try to make it up to you by posting all weekend.

There are a couple of vendors that sell ostrich eggs at the local farmer's market, but this week I came across these beauties: emu eggs. They're a beautiful blue-green; I tried several different white balances and couldn't replicate the color. I did a little research: According to the all-knowing Internet, they cook and taste like chicken eggs...or, actually, a dozen or so large chicken eggs. They take upwards of an hour to hard-boil. That's a lot of egg.

Essay #38: Cheese curds

A staple of Wisconsin farmers' markets (and grocery stores), cheese curds are squeaky fresh cheddar cheese, no aging or processing. They're best within 12 hours of their making--as in, they were milk that morning. They typically come in white or yellow (or a mix, as shown above); most people have a preference, but I've never been able to taste a difference. Critics claim they have the texture and sound of chewing on a balloon, and while that may be somewhat accurate, it leaves out their fresh, creamy, salty flavor. Mmmm.

And yes, that is a Holstein-printed tablecloth underneath them.

Topic: Fun at the Farmer's Market

I love the farmer's market. Where else can you find such an assortment of fresh produce, familiar and exotic? Two words, people: ostrich jerky. This week I'll showcase samples from the fascinating (and sometimes freaky-looking) world of the farmer's market.

Freestyle: 50 posts!

A milestone today: 50 days of photos!

Another milestone: I start a new (albeit temporary) job on Monday!

What does that mean for this blog?

If you recall, my goal was to post a new photo each day until I started a new job. I'm not going to stop blogging, but I may have to slow down. Every day might become an impossibility, but I'll update the blog a few times a week.

Thanks for reading, dear followers! Stay tuned!

Essay #37: Water

Power, grace, motion

Force of life and erosion

A buck a bottle

Essay #36: Invitation on a cold, rainy day

You shouldn't go out.
Come, get lost in me instead.
I'll show you the world.

Essay #35: Summer's sacrifice

Summer's sacrifice

Her crown laid in winter's path

Glory on the ground

She gives her splendor

For promise of renewal

Sadness comes untrue

Essay #34: Ode to a Red Velvet Cupcake

Oh, sweet decadence!
Harbinger of happiness
You have made my day

Essay #33: C'mon, baby, just a little smile

 

Enough posing now!
How can I wreck this picture?
I'll stick out my tongue!

Topic: Haiku

Japanese poems
Three lines of five, seven, five
They don't have to rhyme.

This week I'll blog with
Syllabic frugality
In all my captions.

Like sun, sky, water
Beauty in simplicity
Is haiku's hallmark

Freestyle: Football

Today was the homecoming football game at my alma mater. Here are a few game-time images.

Essay #32: Turn, turn, turn

Season's change brings such beautiful color combinations.

Red, yellow, green and a hint of purple. Nature's own tie-dye.

38mm 1/800 f/7.1 ISO 200

Essay #31: Wildflowers

Wildflowers are so colorful. So much vibrance in such delicate packages.

45mm 1/500 f/5.6 ISO 200

Essay #30: Walk in the Woods

How I always pictured Mirkwood Forest:

Walking through the arboretum today, I almost expected to happen upon some elves talking to the trees.

18mm 1/40 f/3.8 ISO 400

Essay #29: Rushing water

 

27mm 1/40 f/4.5 ISO 100

Essay #28: Seeds in the wind

I suppose I could claim to have taken this photo as a commentary on the fleeting nature of life, or some other such pretentious nonsense. I just thought it was pretty, and then the wind picked up.

45mm 1/80 f/5.6 ISO 400

Topic: The Great Outdoors

All my photos this week will be taken outside. I'm determined to enjoy the weather while it lasts. I don't often get to revel in the changing of the seasons, but this week I'm going to appreciate the onset of autumn.

 

81mm 1/640 f/5 ISO 100

Freestyle: Mushrooms

Since I spent all week raving about the things I like, I figured it would be best to balance things out with something vile.

Ew.

I firmly believe that fungus is not intended for human consumption. I will painstakingly pick it out of any dish. The argument that it's "just another plant" is erroneous: mushrooms are NOT plants. Fungi is its own kingdom. Mushrooms are saprophytes, meaning they thrive on death and decay--and they can stay far, far away from my mouth, thank you very much. They play a vital role in the ecosystem; that doesn't mean they belong on my plate.

43mm 1/100 f/8 ISO 400

Essay #27: Puzzles

Sudoku, crossword, jigsaw, logic: puzzles are acrobatic exercises for the mind. Who knew any kind of exercise could be so addictive?

However, let me tell you, attempting to one-hand his shot with my left (non-dominant) hand was one workout I probably won't repeat.

And yes, I routinely do my Sudoku in pen. I'm not so foolish with crosswords.

38mm 1/80 f/5.1 ISO 400, flash bounced off ceiling

Essay #26: Woodland paths

A quiet, shady path is one of the most enchanted places. Something about strolling down a tree-lined lane brings order to my muddled thoughts and carries a great sense of peace and wonder. Perhaps it's the feeling that, at any moment, the trees will start dancing or an Ent will hoom past. There's something very deep about places like this. I can see why, in all the old tales, forests are places full of magic.

14mm 1/40 f/3.5 ISO 400

Essay #25: Peanut Butter

As a kid, I was very specific about my sandwiches containing only PB, no J to taint the peanutty goodness. Now, I love to lavish this creamy, nutty, salty-n'-sweet spread on just about anything. Bread, muffins, crackers, cookies, ice cream (yes, ice cream: try it, it's fantastic!). I substitute peanut butter for syrup on waffles and pancakes. The thicker, the better. A friend sent me an entire box full of peanut-butter-themed treats for my birthday one year; I was giddy for a week.

What's your food addiction?

42mm 1/50 f/5.4 ISO 400

Essay #24: Bookstores

Stepping into a bookstore or a library is an unparalleled experience. I enter, close my eyes and draw a deep breath, savoring the aromatic blend of paper, ink, binding glue, coffee and a hint of dust. It's sweet and spicy and rich: Heaven. In used bookstores and libraries, the air is tinged with age, the tangy flavor tickling my nose and tongue. The soft hum of circulating air bears with it whispers of a thousand books recounting the tales bound within their pages, waiting to be unfolded.

I could spend the day here.

14mm 1/2.5 f/7.1 ISO 200. I used another bookshelf as a tripod.

Essay #23: The color green

Green is my happy color: the color of life, of growth. When editing, I always use green pen--it's so much more encouraging than red. I took this picture specifically for use as desktop wallpaper, something I do not infrequently. Since the last three years of my career were spent in a windowless office, I couldn't rear any deskside plants. Instead, I took pictures of green shrubs and shade plants for my computer display, to give me a hint of something fresh and alive every day. In the dead of winter, green is also an encouraging reminder of the life dormant beneath the snow, and that a new season will bloom out of the frozen earth.

Topic: Things I Like

Yesterday's post about downhere inspired this week's theme: things I like. You may learn more about me in the next few days than you'd bargained, dear reader. But if I can't rave about things that make me happy on my blog, where can I?

41 mm 1/100 f/5.3 ISO 200, flash bounced off ceiling

Freestyle: Concert

This is Marc, one of the lead singers for the fantastic band downhere. Not only are the members of this band amazingly talented, they are also four of the most genuine people I've ever met. Their music has been a defining soundtrack of my life for the past eight years. They have a Christmas album coming out this year that everyone with holiday spirit should own, regardless of your feelings about "Christian" rock.

One of the things I appreciate about Marc here is that he's also a photographer, so he and the band not only allow fans to take and post photos, they encourage it. Don't ask me to explain the newsboy cap/plaid shirt/necktie combo, though (he chose to complete the ensemble with combat boots).

The key to concert photography is no flash, high-ish shutter speed, high ISO and wide-open aperture. 150mm 1/200 f/4.5 ISO 400

Essay #22: Chopsticks

Popcorn with chopsticks? When I was first learning to use chopsticks about two years ago, a friend told me to practice on popcorn. I've eaten those buttery, snackable exploded kernels that way ever since. It forces me to slow down and not shovel in handfuls at a time, but the real draw? No greasy fingers!

45mm 1.80 f/5.6 ISO 200, flash bounced of ceiling

Essay #21: Pears

A new crop of apples and pears is arriving in stores. Time for a trip to the orchard!

I guess they left the leaves on to reinforce the "organic" label.

40mm 1/200 f/5.3 ISO 200

Essay #20: Cupcakes

I baked today.

Banana cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. Be still, my heart.

Although I enjoy it, I rarely bake. Baking these today brought to mind the plethora of things I've wanted to pursue but didn't have the opportunity while I was working. I could brush up on my French, remove the rust from my piano skills, finally bring all those old clothes in my closet to Goodwill, and maybe learn a couple of recipes that don't call for cream of chicken soup.

36mm 1/80 f/5.0 ISO 200, flash bounced off wall to the right of the frame