A moment for the evening

Sometimes a totally random encounter can change everything that goes through your mind. Or, at least one’s perception of it.

This takes a minute, so please read on a bit and maybe you will see the cathartic nature of this post.

Today was kinda interesting. I had a really rough night’s sleep last night. Lately, I have been sleeping OK. Lately, I have been sleeping through the night, as opposed to waking at least once to go pee, or just lie there wondering why I can’t sleep. But last night was different. I kept waking up and not easily going back to the bliss of sleep. 

I think my inability to sleep may have had something to do with the upcoming portrait shoot I had scheduled. I was worried that I could not perform in a satisfactory way and let down the talent and me.

The shoot went well, but I felt there was no direction, or meaning to what we were doing. The talent did not really know what he wanted, or where he was going. So, I did the best I could. Maybe I’ll put some of his pics here, I don't know.

I stopped at a local place I go to when I have finished a shoot. It is kind of a way of closure, like a dog shaking off its’ latest bath. But, that did not clear my head today. So, I went home and had dinner. It was good, but I still had a dark thunder cloud over my head.

About that time, I looked outside and saw that there may be a nice sunset lining up. I have been trying to get a decent shot of the Cathedral at All Souls for a New York Minute. Father's Day is coming up and I want a really great shot for Dad, and this might have been the very moment for it.

I finally got to the site and fiddled with settings on the camera so I could get the Sky into a good exposure, but still have some really good detail on the building. I think I did a pretty good at it and will post the best ones a little later. I walked around the building to see if there was any other angles that could make the cut. Maybe I found some, we will see.

As I was walking around the building I came back to the entrance and saw the columns of the front porch and thought maybe I could do something with perceptive and light. 

I dunno, but these are the thinks that go through my underexposed brain. 

I started to line up the shot and saw a shadow walking in the distance. “Hmm, maybe I can get an interesting shot with a silhouette to give some depth.”

Well, here it is. I don’t really care if you like it or not, I’ll put a print on my wall, even though it is not sharp or balanced. It works for me.

So, there is my attitude—Deal with it-All of you!

On the bright side, I spoke with this person for a moment whose silhouette you see here. We shared a couple close memories, she had a nice smile, even though it only came out briefly. I was done at the Cathedral and headed home. But when I looked in the car rear view mirror for a turn, I saw a slight smile. There was a song on the radio, a happy song and my smile got even bigger. I felt my shoulders relax and my whole outlook changed.

I am not sure what happened, but here is the picture that started the metamorphosis.  

Please don't worry mystery woman, we cannot see your face very clearly, though I think I could capture your beauty with only a little thought.

olc

Wanna get this out there fast---there will be more

Sometimes something so unexpected comes along and changes the whole days(Day's) perception. This shot is one of those times.

Here is a cattle Truck

Silly me, for some reason I thought this was some kind of dump truck, so I put some rocks in it.

Man From U.N.C.L.E

Any one out there remember the T.V. Show call Man from U.N.C.L.E? 

Check out NCIS and you may remember some one from both shows.

A Christmas present---Amaryllis

olc

Amerylis

What can I say?

Angles ready for it

She is ready for battle. What out evil doers

olc

Teddy in a basket

My friend just bought this wire basket and said i could take a few of it. I have a picture or two if it with fruit which I am still trying to get the shadows out of, but I like this one more.

Amaryllis

This was a Christmas present to my parents, from mom's fav niece.

olc

Chick with a gun and a pick'em-up

OK, so she is not a chick. I have had the fun and privilege to work with her a few times. She takes a good picture and helps to make me look like I know what I'm doing.

The weather was a little iffy when we started, the sky was threatening rain, but we had planned on the shoot for a while, so we went ahead. The truck is her boyfriends, which he had restored and boy did it sound good.

As for how it looks? You tell me.

olc

Music sheet background

More with the the still life. I have been doing a good bit of close up and still life in the home. It is boring to just use a white or black back ground, for most subjects though they isolate so well. The black, especially uses so much light! So, here is another idea. Do you like the way the bottom of the music sheet is in focus, yet fades to obscurity? Let me know what you think!

olc

Oh! It's a dragon.

I bent up an old clothes hanger and strung fishing line across the gap. What ya' think?

olc

Risking the Dead Guy Ale.

     Though it was pretty expensive, the name screamed at me. The beer, or ale I'm not sure of the difference, was good. Something my local beer-bartender called "A good experience." I'm not really sure how to define a good beer experience, I just liked the taste. It was a little nutty and sweet with a slight bitter after taste. I may not get it again until I win the lottery, but if you have some extra money and wanna try something different...go for it!

As for the photograph, I'm experimenting with lighting a little. I need to work on reflections, but I think the rest of the image is pretty good.

Since taking this photo I learned an interesting trick. You probably saw it, if you scrolled from the top. I have learned how to dull out the reflections. And will retake the image. Minus the full glass of beer here! It may take a New York minute to get the image up, though

olc

Rainbow Hummer

Here is an experiment in depth of field. Again I think the color balance could be better, but...

I'm gonna retake this one and see about keeping the whole image in a better focal range. If you started from the top, you have already seen the redo.

olc

Now for something a little different---Rootbeer bottle tops

It is not like I don't have enough to do, but I saw this root beer bottle in the Runtyun's room. So I guess I needed to immortalized it.

She said it was OK, but the cinnamon added took some of the joy away. Maybe I'll have to try one just to find out.

olc

Stray cat

We live in an area that is not really wild, but very rural. We have woods and mountains and deer and turkey and even a bear or two, walking through the yard on a daily basis. It seems like cats and maybe even a dog or two may have litters away from their human keepers. Maybe the term is feral.

Over the years in which we have had the pleasure of living in this house more than a few kittens and young cats have tried to convince us to take care of them. I'm not a cat person, so their pleas have gone unanswered for the most part. This little sweetheart would not take the hint though. She keeps calling us to pay attention to her (I think there must be some Siamese in her, because she yowls more than meows) and of course she has a gimpy eye and that of course called out my

bleeding heart 15 year old. (Damn teenage LIBERALS  having to help the world). She does not come into the house, the cat that is, but she has figured out that the window she sits by leaks warmer air.

Well, maybe she will find some food to eat every now and then. And maybe the mouse population will decrease!

olc

Pink Elephants?

Maybe I should have known by those elephants that this was strong beer. For sure the taste was not so spectacular. Again, I am finding out that just because one spends a lot for the bottle, it does not mean the beer has a profound, or memorable flavor. But what with the high alcohol count after a couple of sips...who cares, right?!

O and did you notice the initials? "DTs" Are they trying to steer our thinking in a certain direction? Let me know what you think.

olc

More Beer bottle tops

If you, as my loyal readers, only knew the sacrifice I make to bring these outstanding images to you. I have to go to the store and buy these beers and then I have to drink them, TOO!

After that I have to break out the camera and flashes and stands, and defusers and filters. Then I have to set up the scene and experiment with exposure and all that technical stuff. And by that time I'm thirsty and need another beer! O the sacrifices I make your reading pleasure! But it is worth it to me because of the comments you leave. O wait, No Comments.

Well, here is another...

Whatduya' think?

Olc

My new/old film Camera and lens

I answered an ad on Craigslist for a event. Actually, they wanted a musician for an old folks home celebration, but being an entrepreneurial spirit, I asked if they wanted to record with some photos by me.

Well, one thing I have learned is that one should have a back up camera for any event, just in case the main goes south. I have my iPhone and another digital point and shoot, but felt they were not what I wanted to use. So I pulled out my old Canon TX film camera.

Relearning how to shoot with film is a story for another time, but let's just say I really like it!

Here are a couple of pics of the camera.

It is kinda old and has a couple of dings on the body, but the shutter works well and the lenzes are SHARP!

olc

Another attempt

A friend let me have these earrings to see what I could do with them. Well, the first attempt was not so good, so I did a little research on still life and staging and this is what I came up with.

What do ya' think?

Olc