Political State Park

This shot was taken at Lake St. George State Park on May 27th. There is obviously concern around our state government and how it will release funds to keep our park running. I struggle little with this because it seems so idiotic to close down the State Parks because of political infighting. What did it always used to say on our license plates? Vacationland, right?

Skittles; Old School

So this shot I got of an old "skittles" game, where the board held "pins" and a top was used to make its way through the openings and knock over pins. High score won.

Grandsons Again

I never really tire of posting images of my grandkids as it seems (still) we only see them once in a while, although we get down to New Gloucester every other weekend. They provide for me a never-ending variety of emotion and interaction with one another, which enriches my life greatly. I took probably more than 80 shots Saturday at our picnic at Lake St. George State Park, including one political that I will post soon.
What attracted me with this shot (telephoto) was that they were doing something together, and I'm not sure what, whether to figure something out or to simply make some sort of adjustment to the hardware and that one of them was looking at the camera.

Driftwood

I saw this section of a piece of driftwood while I was cutting it up for a project around the house today, and it simply struck me as to the coloration, the range of values, and the "implied" imagery I found in it. I dragged the spruce tree, which had become driftwood a while ago, up the driveway and began to cut it to length for a post when this one section caught my eye. I pulled out my phone and here is the result. I love the image! Un-retouched.

Ink Jet Ink

Some papers are difficult to work with when printing digital photos, but I think among the worst I have seen is the National Geographic High Gloss Premium Photo. I have found it takes forever (figuratively)  for the ink to dry, but there is an upside to the paper; you can manipulate the ink and the image itself with simple water and a variety of tools. I've done some image "lifting" in the past with inkjet images using hydrogen peroxide, but this is very different paper, as it allows for smearing and moving in so much. Here's a resulting image with "sharpie" embellishment. Not really a finished piece.

(re)Cycle

My NAHS group is working on their induction show for next Tuesday, and I put together a show poster for them to advertise around school. I have been having a lot of fun with my digital media class and designing with Illustrator. Here is the "header" for the poster.

Being Back on the Bike

It feels great to get outside, and after the initial chance to ride it is especially nice because the weather is cooperating for the first time in weeks! This image tells the story of the ride, but sort of indirectly. I went in close for this shot mainly for compositional reasons. The helmet on the bike seats seems to be a preparation before the ride rather than after, where the helmet might have been hanging off a handlebar or on the ground.

A Friend's Daughter

Sometimes, in capturing a portrait, it is the less that is said which is the better road to take. I find that the telephoto lens (100-200mm or so) is a great tool for capturing people not only inconspicuously, but also with a variety of possibilities for framing and for background. While this portrait doesn't reveal a great deal, it does give forth an expression of curiosity and preparation to speak. I also like the light and the framing by the closer person out of focus.

Grandsons Weekend

I know I'm doing portraits with my Digital Photo class this week, so I thought I might get a head start with that by taking some photos of the "boys" this weekend. Here are some of my favorites using the criteria of "cuteness"! In no particular order!

Roots

Overcast day and I was moving some mulch into the compost pile, when I noticed the spruces by the house and all the roots that were exposed. It had been a few years since I really examined that part of the woods near our house, and it seems like new every time. I took my phone and tried to capture not only the root system, but also the branches at the lower part of the trees. I like the "busyness" of this shot!

Drama Through Contrast

The sun was setting tonight and I got a great glimpse of the fantastic things in my studio through that special sunset light. I'm always telling students how important light is to the images that they capture, but I am also in awe of the certain times and situations where it is so striking as to draw my attention profoundly. The subject is an old tattered t-shirt on a hanger. No adjustments to the image.