Saturday, October 17, 2009

Round Robin Photo Challenge: Shooting In Low Light (Inside And Out)

From For Ellipsis


"In the right light, at the right time, everything is extraordinary."

-Aaron Rose

RRC: Shooting In Low Light (Inside and Out)
Suggested by Terri, author of the blog, Ways I See The World.

Low Light photography can be really challenging! That is exactly why I thought it would be a great challenge to take on, as we approach those lovely shorter days of the year. I have the hardest time taking photos at dusk on sunny days. If there is even a little cloud cover, I seem to do much better. I am not sure why, I suppose it might have something to do with the natural filter clouds provide. There is less glare to worry about. Anyway, I tapped into my archives for this one, and came up with as many different examples of photography I have done in either very low light or at times no light at all. Here are the results...

The Lady in the Nickelodeon...

From For Ellipsis


From For Ellipsis


The Golden Gate Bridge Under Cloud Cover...
From For Ellipsis


From For Ellipsis


Three Pelicans In Flight (Marin County)...
From For Ellipsis


The Bay Bridge At Night (Clear Sky)
From For Ellipsis


The Golden Gate Bridge On A Very Hot Summer Day...
From For Ellipsis


Fireworks...
From For Ellipsis


Flame From A Tiki Torch...
From For Ellipsis


Late Autumn Shadows...
From For Ellipsis



"Light gives of itself freely, filling all available space. It does not seek anything in return; it asks not whether you are friend or foe. It gives of itself and is not thereby diminished."

-Michael Strassfeld


That's my collection, now go see what our other photographers have chosen for this challenge, just follow the links below!

Linking List - As of 12:00 AM, Saturday, October 17th, 2009
**Welcome, New Members!**

1. Terri... Ways I See The World


2. Carly... Ellipsis
Posted!

3. Karen... Outpost Mavarin
Posted!

4. Linda... Mommy's Treasures


5. Monica... Shutterly Happy


6. Jama... Sweet Memories
Posted!

7. Suzanne R... SuzyQ421's Photo Blog
Posted!

8. Hip Chick... Hip Chick's Photos
Posted!

9.Betty... A Glimpse Into Midlife
Posted!

10. Sandra... A Cappuccino A Day


11. Gattina... Keyhole Pictures
Posted!

12. Sandy... From The Heart Of Texas
Posted!

13. Peggy... Holmespun Fun

Posted!

14... Sherri... Sherrie's Stuff
Posted!

15. Eva Cathrin-Norway... Hagemor

Posted!

16. Carolyn... Ford Family Photos

Posted!

17. Quiltworks... World Through The Eyes Of The Fiber Artist

Posted!

Thanks Terri, this was a fun challenge! :)

-Carly


Friday, October 16, 2009

Autumn... Taking It's Time

From For Ellipsis


"Everyone must take time to sit and watch the leaves turn."

-Elizabeth Lawrence

I have been checking the Leaf-Peeper reports, and it seems that autumn is getting off to a slow start here in California, which means my trip to Plumas County will probably be late next week, if I go at all. That's ok, here in the Berkeley hills, we are beginning to see some color, and it's keeping me occupied. Here... have a look at Tilden Park!

From For Ellipsis


From For Ellipsis


From For Ellipsis


What is autumn looking like in your neck of the woods? Are the leaves in your area making a colorful display?

-Carly

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Dylan Auditions For Dancing With The Stars

From For Ellipsis


"We're fools whether we dance or not, so we might as well dance."

-Japanese Proverb

Funny story. There is a big storm going on here in the Bay Area, so on Monday afternoon I thought it would be nice to spend some time with the boys, playing Mouse Hunt and Chase the birdie. I just thought it would make the boys happy to have us play with them... and I knew it would lift my spirits. Alan got the catnip monkey on a stick and swung it around for the boys to chase. Hendrix didn't want to jump, but Dylan really got into the fun! I tried to get some good action shots of him, because he is such a good jumper, but all the photos look more like he was doing "jazz hands" or actually... "jazz paws!" LOL. What do you think? Does he have a future on Dancing With The Stars? Tee Hee...

From For Ellipsis


LOL. What cutie pie! I really need to work on my action shots!

:)

-Carly

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

He Still Loves Me After 19 Years!

From For Ellipsis


"Only choose a man in marriage a man whom you would choose as a friend if he were a woman."

-Joseph Joubert

19 years? Really? I can't believe it! Marriage to Alan has been a blink! Well, a blink for me, maybe a little longer for him. You see, he is amazingly easy to live with, me... not so much! I wouldn't consider marriage to me an easy thing, hell, sometimes I want to leave me! LOL. My best friend is a guy... HI H.P... and even he says he would have left me long ago if he was married to me! LOL. Thanks Pal. Actually, he always follows it up with... "I would probably comeback though." LOL. Probably... sheesh!

Alan really is the perfect husband. And we get along because we have shared the same goals for the future. We are happy because we were best friends first, married people second. When things go wrong, we seem to do better then when things are going just ok. It's a weird dynamic, but it's true. Our first year together, should have been the most difficult, but in truth we were having too much fun learning to be married people. We learned, among other things, that you can't substitute laundry soap for dish soap in the dishwasher. LOL. BIG LESSON LEARNED. A couple years later, we learned about "in sickness and health" when I got Epstein-Barr disease, and couldn't hold food down for the good part of 6 months.

We have shared the loss of family members when my parents passed away, and when his brother Darryl passed away a couple years ago. We dealt with a miscarriage a couple years into our marriage, and the death of the best cat in the world, Elvis, in 2008. Before we got married, we went through a major natural disaster, the Loma Preada earthquake of 1989, and after we got married, the Oakland/Berkeley firestorm in 1991.

We have ridden the roller coaster and laughed till we cried, with a few screams along the way, and now we are happily aware that we are indeed growing old together.

It's love.

:)

It's 19 years.

Tonight, instead of going out into the first MAJOR rainstorm of the autumn season, we are having a nice dinner at home.

The menu includes...

Roast Chicken w Gravy
Sweet potato Casserole
Green Bean Bake

Warm Chocolate Cherry Brownie Sundae for dessert.

Then, we are going to cuddle up and watch "So I Married An Axe Murderer."

It's our movie! :)

Later in the week we have a date to go to the movies, and then out for a burger at Red Robin afterwards. We love Red Robin. We have been eating there since we were kids. Gosh, when we walk in there, and they are playing 80's music, it's like a time warp all the way back to before we were dating, when we were just really good friends. Friendship is good... love is better!

I know why I am married to Alan, but I swear, I will never understand why he is married to me!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY ALAN :)

Love, Carly


Monday, October 12, 2009

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot# 59: 1 Subject 4 Different Perspectives







"You have your way, I have my way. As for the right way, the correct way, and the only way, it doesn't exist."

-Friedrich Nietzche







EMPS #59: 1 Subject 4 Perspectives. NOW CLOSED!
Just as the above photograph illustrates, choose 1 SUBJECT out in the world, any subject, and show me 4 DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES. Use lighting, or time of day, or color, or anything you can think of to help us see your subject in 4 distinctly different ways. Archived photos are fine for this one, but brand new is even better!

Extra Credit: Tell us about your experience, which one of the 4 perspectives did you enjoy photographing the most? Which one was the least enjoyable. Let's share about this one.

**PLEASE READ**
This Monday Photo Shoot assignment closes next Sunday evening at 9:00 PM ET. So you have until then to do the assignment, post it to your blog, journal or website, and comeback here with the direct link. Please remember, it must be a link which goes back to an entry which is specific to this week's photo shoot assignment. NOT A GENERAL LINK TO YOUR SITE. Hyperlinks are not accepted and will not be added to the Linking List which I post with next week's assignment. Also, please include a link back here in your entry, so other folks can play along. And it's always a good thing to double check the link you leave me, to make sure it is correct.

Linking List for EMPS #58: Bridges And Walkways 10/05/09

NOW CLOSED!

1. Jama

2. Suzanne

3. Greg

4. Vicki

5. Hip Chick

6. Carolyn

7. Karen

8. Duane



Okie Doke, that's it. I will try my best to get around to everyone this week, but Alan and I are officially on vacation for the next month, or so, so my comings and goings will be somewhat erratic and last minute. If I don't comment on your entry during the week, I will be by next Sunday afternoon. One way or the other I will be by if you will just be a bit patient.

-Carly


Sunday, October 11, 2009

Miscellaneous Monarch Moments...

From For Ellipsis


"Don't ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive."

-Howard Thurman

The second big trip I am looking forward to, well, at least hopefully I am looking forward to, is my annual ride down to Pacific Grove to see the Monarch butterflies at the Monarch Sanctuary. Pacific Grove is known as "Butterfly Town USA," because each year the town is completely covered in Monarch butterflies! Hundreds of thousands do their over-wintering there, high in the eucalyptus and cypress trees. It's nothing short of amazing! If you live anywhere in California, trust me, it's worth the drive to Pacific Grove to see these magnificent butterflies. Here is a small sample of some photos I have taken in the last few years...

From For Ellipsis


From For Ellipsis


From For Ellipsis


Aren't they just gorgeous? Wish me luck for this trip as well! :)

-Carly