Day 150 of 365, Happy Birthday PawPaw John #87 !

Today, we celebrated my PawPaw's 87th birthday. He is a sweet, sweet grandpa.  Love ya PawPaw John!

My uncle came over with his hot new wheels!  He and his wife special ordered this camero.  I think he got it at the first of the year but this was my first time to see it up close.  He got it loaded to the gills!  (speaking of gills...This is my fisherman uncle.  One of these days, I want to go to the lake with him so that I can get some sunrise lake pictures.   

Let's see what's rumblin' under the hood that makes this a Super Sport edition! 

Then, when we got back home, I knew I had to gather up my stuff and pack it inside. Terry likes to keep his truck neat. No clutter junk in his world, Please! As I was getting out of the vehicle with my big ole purse and camera, I told him I would come back for my craft project stuff. "No, no, go ahead, I'll get it."

Awe, isn't that sweet of him to carry my craft project in for me? I am glad he did. Otherwise, I couldn't have turned around and took his picture. :)

Big Daddy had to set my craft project down so that he could open the door. He is so sweet. Now, hurry up Big Daddy. What's taking you so long to open the door? Let me in. geesh!

Day 147 of 365, Color My World

Day 145 of 365, Bridge to the Light...

Today's Photo Challenge was Bridge.  I left my house at around 7:30pm with my camera.  I didn't want to go far from home to take a picture because I knew that I was losing light really fast.  I knew there were small wooden bridges constructed to cross over the wide drainage canals at the local park.  So, I headed that way.  One of my flickr friends is the inspiration for the title of this post, "Bridge to the Light".  She said this looked like a path to the light.  I thought that was a poetic interpretation.  Since the object of the challenge was bridge, I chose to caption this post..."Bridge to the Light".  Thanks LaValle for the inspiration.

I love to watch people play.  Here are two men practicing their sport.  It had  just rained and I could see them kick up a spray of water every now and then.  I was so tempted to ask them if I could practice some action shots with water spray.  Wouldn't that have been neat?  I didn't have the nerve.  Shucks!  I did play around with some coloring on this one.  I was trying to kick it up a notch.

For this shot of the kid on the bike, I had my apperture at 2.8 because I needed all the light my camera could take in at such a late time of day.  I saw him coming around the path and took this shot.  Obviously, I desaturated the colors to create this grainy black and white image.  But, the motion blur that you see is authentic as shot.  I was quite pleased and excited.  I love how you get a real sense of speed thanks to my slower shutter speed. 

Then, it had really gotten dark and I knew I needed to leave the park.  I spotted this magnolia at about 9 feet above the ground.  Luckily, I had my 105mm lens on my camera.  I tried to capture the flower without flash but there was not enough light.  So, I had to use my accessory flash to get a clear shot.  It rained earlier so I got some bonus water droplets on the flower petal.  I thought it turned out pretty. 

Also, I got to see my sister and brother-in-law tonight.  They were doing some fitness walking on the new walk path.  I was sitting on the sidewalk with my camera stuck to my face while focusing on the the scene of the bridge above.   When I realized they were coming around the bend, I yelled out to them, "I'm too sexy for the track!"  hehee...truth is, I better get my lazy self on the track Pron-TO!

Day 143 of 365, CHEERS!

 Happy Day to ya! 

Today's Photo Challenge Subject was All One Color.  I had an idea that I wanted to try.  I thought that if I used a collection of clear items, using a wide apperture, the background colors would show as a tone instead of defined colored items.  This is what I came up with.  Here's to a gorgeous summer day!

CHEERS!

Day 142 of 365, Textured

Today's challenge subject was:  Textured.  I titled this one Fluffy vs. Parched. 

We had a wind storm while we were gone yesterday and some dead branches from a tree on the other side of our fence fell into our yard.  Terry picked them up and started a small fire today.  I used it for my Texture image as well.  I called it Fire and Ashes.  What else? 

Is this a Gecko?

                                  Is this called a gecko? Finally, I caught a picture of these illusive little night creatures.   These little pink, rubbery clear looking creatures come out of every nook, crack and cranny after dark.  When my daughters were little, they would kinda freak them out because they look so strange.  I have no idea where they live because they never come out during the day.  Every night, I see them on my screen room windows.  I have never been able to catch a pic of them because A)  there is not enough light.  B) they are fast as lightning and extremely illusive.

Tonight, I was walking to my backdoor and happened to have my camera in my hand.  Terry's headlights were shining on the gecko so I thought I might get a picture.  I saw this one with something in its mouth.  I could see wings sticking out on each side.  I picked up my camera to get the shot.  Immediately and before I could press the trigger, it scurried off, and either gulped the winged bug or dropped it.  Quick as a wink, it had  run off and tried to hide behind the door hinge that you see in this picture.  Then, it froze in its tracks for a couple seconds for me to snap this pic. 

I think it is a gecko.  That is what I always called them anyway.  I know one thing for sure.  When we built our house, we used to see black widow spiders.  The girls were little at the time and I was so fearful that a poisonous spider would bite one of them.  Some years later, the geckos moved in and set up residence at the entrances to our house.  They have lived here for many, many years now.  I have no idea how they came here but I am thankful that they did.  I think the geckos took care of the dangerous spider problem around here. I am not going to say that we will never see another spider because I don't want to jinx myself.   But, every time I see the geckos suctioned upside down to the ceiling of my front porch and back screen room, I say a little thank you.  I love my geckos!  If we move, I want to take some with me.  Truly, I think of them as our family guardians who work for us while we sleep. 

Old Fashioned is the Subject

Todays's Photo Challenge Subject:  Something Old Fashioned.  I took the picture of the dining room in one of the buildings located at the Historic Plantation Farm located in Baton Rouge, LA.  It is now on display as part of the LSU Rural Life Museum.  Anyway, notice the ceiling fan.  You see the string that is attatched?  That is used to manually swing the ceiling fan over the table of food to keep the flies away.  ewww...I think every generation deals with their own difficulties.  Life was simple but hard back then.  In our generation, life is simple but hard. We just have different challenges.

Day 141 of 365, Yesterday, I did a Bridal Shoot for an upcoming wedding.

Photo by Betty Slaton

Photo by Betty Slaton

The above two pics were taken by my mom.  She rode with me to help with the Bridal Shoot that I had scheduled for yesterday.  The location is the Audubon Historic State Park and Oakley Plantation in St. Francisville, LA.  It is an absolutely perfect photography site.  The first pic above is the old Plantation Home.  Featured also is the Chief of Hospitality.  His name is Gus the Turkey.  He greets everyone who drives up.  The parking lot and front porch is his territory.  While Mama was talking to Gus, she was snapping a few pics.  When she walked into the museum where I was paying the entry fee, she told me about what Gus did.  She said that the whole time she was taking his picture, his tail feathers were up and proud and he was wobbling around in a strut.  As soon as she started to walk off, pppphhhhhhh, down his feathers went in a big dejected sigh.

Here, I was trying to make Gus look glamourous.  How about it?

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I sent my bride and her mom to the password protected gallery of images that we captured.  After she viewed them, she sent me a text message that made me soooo happy.  She wrote, "I love them!...We are at our honeydo shower.  But I completely love every single one them!"

Goodie, goodie!  She loves them!  I knew she would.  I told Kristin that I am itchin' and can't wait to post the Bridal Session images but I have to wait until after the wedding, of course.  Kristin (bride-to-be) and her mom, Norma were phenomenal to work with.  Norma came up with some really great poses.  Combining mine and Norma's ideas and Granny's (my mom) assistance with the lighting, we made a great team.  I sure am happy with every one of our shots.  Kristin was willing to try anything we threw out for her to try.  It is a big effort to do a Bridal Photo Session.  For the bride, it is early morning hairdo and make-up, then meeting up at the location with her dress in tow.  But, I will tell you what...it is all worth it in the end!  After the wedding cake is long gone and honeymoon is over, what will remain?  The amazing images of the hopes and dreams of new couple starting a new life together.  Then, for my efforts in the Wedding Day Photography, I hope to capture special and memorable moments to hold forever in the hearts of the bride/groom and their families.  It is so important to capture today's images of our Parents, Grandparents, Siblings, Family and Friends.  All moments captured are priceless treasures for future generations.  

Is it all worth it?  You betcha!