A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day~72 Deepest Sympathy And Love For Aurora

If tears could build a stairway,
And memories a land,
I'd walk right up to Heaven
And bring you home again.

~Author Unknown


**Warning... this post is not a lighthearted one. If I offend anyone, I apologize... but I am not sorry.


FUCK YOU! The Rant Paragraphs...


Every time I hear someone say American is the greatest country on the planet I want to borrow their rose colored glasses, so I could see the world the way they do. And yet at the same time, I want to point out how very wrong they are. I did a little Googling, and as an example, we don't lead the world in EDUCATION, but want to know what we do lead the world in... HIGH SCHOOL SHOOTINGS. That is what we are doing for our children, that's the world we are giving them.. AMERICA... LEADING THE WORLD IN SCHOOL SHOOTINGS SINCE 1999. 1999... And the Columbine Massacre.


Both Mitt Romney, and President Obama held their respective press conferences today, and neither candidate had the BALLS to say ENOUGH. GOD BLESS AMERICA  and GOD BLESS THE FUCKING NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION. If I hadn't made up my mind before, it's made up now. If President Obama doesn't do anything SUBSTANTIAL about gun control between now and November, I will NOT vote for him, or anyone else who can't stand up the NRA. And don't give me that BULLSHIT about if you don't vote you can't complain... SHUT UP! As a matter of fact I can, and I will. LOUD. Because that's what AMERICA is about. The freedom to speak. To seek change. To insist that our government DO IT'S JOB!


The Government has kept us safe since 9/11? No, not really. The government has us being molested at airports. The Obama administration has more guns on the street now, then when George W Bush was in office, and oh by the way, we weren't being molested at airports during his administration.


There are more Americans, then members of the NRA. It's time for those of us who can think straight to make our voices known, not just loudly... DEAFENING!


PRESIDENT OBAMA. DO SOMETHING NOW! I DON'T WANT A PRESIDENT WHO CAN'T STAND UP TO THE NRA!


WEEP... The Sadness Paragraph...


Every time one of these shooting takes place, invariably I will learn about someone's life. Someone extraordinary. And while I may have never met them, I never forget them.


(Dr. Michael Griffith)
1991 - Lubby's Masacre


(John Scully)
1993 - 101 California St Shooting


(All The Children Of Columbine)
1999 - Columbine High School, Columbine, Co.


(Amish School Children)
2006 - Amish School, Bart Township, Lancaster, Pa


(Gabby Giffords)
2011 - Tucson Shooting, Tucson Az


(Jessica Ghawi)
2012 - Aurora Century Theater Shooting, Aurora Colorado


In Aurora, as of right now... 71 Shot or Injured. 12 Dead.


Enough...weep... weep... weep. I am sorry, I will PRAY for you is just NOT ENOUGH.


Brady Campaign To Prevent Gun Violence (Website)


Brady Campaign (On Twitter)


Please take a moment to sign the Petition at the Brady Campagin to Prevent Gun Violence.


Share These Badges In Support Of The Victims Of The Aurora Shootings. (From ABC7 News San Francisco Facebook Page)
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~Me :(

NOTE: I am taking a few days off. I thought I would make it to my goal, but I just feel the artist in me draining out, and an exacerbation of my Fibromyalgia flowing in.  I will be back soon I think. Gotta take care of the health first.


:(

A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day 71: San Francisco Brides

"Longed for him. Got him. Shit."


~Margaret Atwood


On any give Tuesday, or Wednesday you can probably find a bride and groom, posing for romantic pictures, somewhere in San Francisco. I have had amazing luck in finding such scenes to photograph, and it always makes me a bit reflective. In the moment, I will more than likely not have much time to grab my camera, put it on the proper setting, and get the photo. My best luck has been in Golden Gate Park, at the various picturesque points, but the Palace of Fine Arts and the Legion of Honor are great spots as well. I mostly photograph the couples in color, but I think I have gotten my best scenes in black and white.


I don't ever show the faces of the brides and grooms, as I am mindful of the moment for them. But also because sometimes it isn't the couple themselves that makes the photo, but the scene around them. Of all the photos of bridges and grooms I have done over the years, this is one of my very favorites. I think there is a lot to take in. Is the man walking away from the bride, as in letting go of a lover, or is he the Best Man, and simply done fulfilling his job as the witness? Is the man more of a haunting figure? Does the presence of the man evoke a sad feeling, or one of indifference? Personally, I am not sure how it feels to me. I was there, and I know who and what he was, but I still find myself pondering the man's part in the photo 6 years after taking the photo.


So, tell me your impression. Do you like the addition of the second man in the photo? Or should I have simply cropped him out and had the photo be just about the couple? Does the second man diminish the romance of the bride and groom? Good photo? Bad photo? What was your first thought when you saw it?


Opinions. Opinions.


"I was married by a judge. I should have asked for a jury."


~Groucho Marx


~Me :)

A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day 70~ 211, 212, 213

Careful now.
We're dealing here with a myth.
This city is a point upon a map of fog;
Lemuria in a city unknown.
Like us, it doesn't quite exist.

~Ambrose Bierce

 

And the beat goes on. I am in pain head to foot, but I am dealing with it as best I can. I know in a few days it will be better again. It's just the nature of the beast, but it isn't super helpful when dumb stuff happens to make it worse. Folks with Fibromyalgia cannot tolerate SPLENDA (Sucralose). Not in any way, shape or form. It causes us to experience painful headaches, extreme stomach troubles and all the extra symptoms tends to exacerbate the usual pain. Well, the other day, Alan and I decided to split a burger meal from McDonald's. He wasn't thirsty, so I ordered a large Coke for me. What I got was a large diet Coke, and it was diet by way of SPLENDA (Sucralose). I am so used to drinking diet sodas because of my diabetes, I didn't even notice it wasn't a regular flavored Coke So, the rest was, shall we say, bathroom history. LOL. It was painful, unnecessary, and inconvenient. And the stupidest part of all was, McDonald's didn't just mess up the drink order, they gave me the wrong burger as well. LOL. All you can do is laugh... right?

Sure! :)


Oh well, the important thing is that I am keeping my word, I have posted 70 blog posts in a row now, and that is phenomenal, compared to my energy level of just a year ago. So, onward and upward.

 

Tonight I am bringing you the results of the Huffington Post Photo Contest, which was held in honor of the Golden Gate Bridge's 75th Anniversary. I submitted 3 photographs, and didn't win, but it felt good to take part in the fun along with the other shutterbugs.  It's good to participate in things. I don't mind that my photos weren't chosen, I know I am not the beginning and end of semi-amateur photography, but it helps a lot to see how others approach a subject. I hosted the Round Robin Photo Challenges, the Monday Photo Shoot, and even the Weekend Assignment for a while, and it was good for me, so I will probably be back to doing the EMPS sometime in the autumn if there is enough interest in my doing so. If not, I may just put a random challenge out there, something not quite as structured as the EMPS, on a semi-regular basis. We will see.


Anyway... here are the non winning photos, and a link to the page on the Huffington Post where you can see the winning photograph. It's awesome. But if I am telling the truth... I like mine better!



LOL. WINK~


"One day, if I do go to Heaven, I'll look around and say, "It ain't bad, but it sure ain't San Francisco."


~Herb Caen


~Me :)

Golden Gate Bridge Photo Contest Winner Revealed


And now... go and see what our friend JR is up to today!


JR
http://jrclinephotography.blogspot.com/2012/07/apadf6-69.html

And
 http://jrclinephotography.blogspot.com/2012/07/apadf6-68.html

A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day 69~ Here Ghostie, Ghostie, Ghostie

"An idea, like a ghost, must be spoken to a little before it will explain itself."


~Charles Dickens


And the Fibromyalgia pain continues. So, tonight I thought it would be fun to just sharing a little about what is probably the strangest item on my Bucket List, my desire to see a ghost one day, better yet, to actually photograph a ghost. Yep. A ghost.


Why a ghost?


Well, why not a ghost?


It's not to become famous, although why photograph a ghost and then not share it with the world? On the other hand, if I did manage to capture a specter, I would also be very tempted to keep it to myself. I think that would be a rather personal and profound thing. I would be a little caught up in what the ghost thought of me. Did the ghost connect with me on some level? Did the ghost like me. Hate me? Did the ghost appear to anyone who sought it out? There are some questions above and beyond the immediate. I think that good ghost or bad ghost, the entity deserves respect. People, live people that is, rarely seem to put much thought into what comes after the sighting.


I have seen some things in my 50 years. Not all of which I can fully explain. I do know, however, there is a certain responsibility to things beyond this life. Respect should always be the first step. After I am gone, if I do end up being earthbound, I don't want to be one of those cheesy... "GET OUT"... ghosts. I want to be a... HI LIVE PERSON, SIT DOWN AND I WILL TELL YOU ALL ABOUT. "It" being whatever they want to ask me. LOL. Call it the top item on my After Life Bucket List. Of course if my sense of humor follows me into the beyond, I could also see myself as a prankster. I would probably mess with the ghost hunters by wispering something stupid like... SARAH PALIN SUCKS MOOSE ANTLERS. LOL. Can you imagine?


Ghostie Me: Sarah Palin Sucks Moose Antlers.


Ghostie Hunter: Ohh.. The spirit seems to be saying... Sarah Palin Suck Moose Antlers?

Ghostie Hunter: Clearly what we have here is an Intelligent haunting!


Ohh... how about... MacArthur Park Is Melting In The Dark (Worst Song Ever)


You gotta admit... it would leave them guessing. LOL


When I leave this current existence I have here, I would like to be cremated and my "remains" GOD I HATE THAT WORD... "Remains" put into a strong ziploc bag and sewn up into a teddy bear. Alan thinks that creepy, but who hasn't wanted to be a teddy bear... now I ask you?


Yes... I would like to see a ghost. Probably. Well... I mean... sure. Right?


Hmmm...

 

So how about you? Anyone wanna go ghost hunting? And what about orbs? Personally, I don't buy it. Dust. It's dust I tells ya!


Opinions Please.

~Me :)

A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day 68~ It's Just So Dull :)

Chip Conley: "How often are you up in Sacramento?"


Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom: "Like one day a week, tops. There's no reason... it's just so dull... Sadly, I just, ugh, GOD."



I am still in a bit of a Fibromyalgia funk, still widespread pain, but I haven't lost my sense of humor. LOL. For today's posting I bring you a different bridge. This is the Tower Bridge in Sacramento. The bridge itself actually sits on the banks of Old Sacramento, which in my opinion is the most picturesque part of the city. Oh don't get me wrong, there is a lot to admire and photograph in Sacramento, especially in autumn, but I always gravitate toward the Old Sacramento area because it's such a lovely peaceful part of town. The wooden streets, and shop fronts right out of the old west, not to mention just down the road is the California Railroad Museum, It is pure charm to be sure, and I haven't spent nearly enough time there with my camera.And as much as I am looking forward to exploring Old Sacramento, I also have the Governor's Mansion on my list of THAT WHICH MUST BE PHOTOGRAPHED while on vacation in October. Exploring the whole town is something I am looking forward to.

 

So, how about that quote of Gavin Newsom's? LOL. Delightfully honest isn't he? I have been to Sacramento in the summer... OMG... It's 1000 degrees and boring as hell! NO JOKE. But poor Gavin, I think he is talking Sacramento at any time, any season! LOL, Personally, I agree! And I miss Gavin Newsom now that he is Lt. Governor, because he brought a lot of honesty to San Francisco when he was mayor as well. Given the mess with Ross Mirkarimi, I wonder how differently he might have handled things. Shrug. I wonder if Mirkarimi would be throwing around the same allegations he has with Mayor Lee. Shrug again.The world will never know I guess.



Since Gavin Newsom left San Francisco, he is rarely in the news anymore, well except for this flub. LOL. But see, I understood what he meant, I think most folks did, but it was still amusing. Newsom can be so delightfully honest about how he feels about things, and that's what I love most about him. You pretty much get the truth from him. He is kinda cut from the same cloth as Joe Biden, and that is a good thing. :) Those two are honest, and while some folks insist on calling that honestly flubs, I don't, as I am an occasional flubber or is it flubeee... myself. LOL. Those two are characters... and there is always room for a little more character... right?


Wink. ;)

~Me  :)


Today's Link


JR
http://jrclinephotography.blogspot.com/2012/07/apadf6-66.html

A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day 67~ Photographic Evidence

"Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored."


~Aldous Huxley Complete Essays 2 1926 - 29.

 

I have proof! I have the evidence! But that's the middle. Let me start at the beginning. One of my favorite movies is The Graduate. Great acting, Great cast. Great soundtrack. It was partially shot in Berkeley, in around the Cal Berkeley campus... which is Great. What's not so great? That irritating scene where the character of Benjamin Braddock drives up the coast from Los Angeles to Berkeley, to talk the girl he loves out of marrying another man, and his car is shown driving into San Francisco on the Bay Bridge. Why should that bother me? Well... see... if he did that he would be going away from Berkeley... not toward it. LOL. And yes, it bugs me every time I see it. Why did director Mike Nichols do that? If the scenery was such a big deal, why not have Benjamin fly into SFO and then drive across the bay into Berkeley? Oh yeah, that's right, when going from the city into the East Bay... you take the lower deck. There would be nothing to see. Okay... reluctantly... I get it. It was an important scene, and the sight of San Francisco did make the emotion of the scene come together. Okay.


But enough is enough. Today I found a promo for a new ABC show, set the debut in 2013, called RED WIDOW. Apparently set in San Francisco, RED WIDOW is about a young widow who finds herself reluctantly drawn into organized crime in an effort to keep herself and her children safe. Ummm... huh? On it's most basic premise it doesn't sound particularly new or interesting. That premise has been done before, but who knows maybe it will start out old hat, but go to new places. Let's hope so. It seems like scripted shows are having their share of struggles, with "reality" based shows becoming all the rage, not to mention they are cheaper to produce. So don't get me wrong, I really hope the show does well, I just wish Hollywood would stop changing the skyline of San Francisco, especially when I think it's beautiful just as it is. 


I mean look at these photos... what's not to love?





I love San Francisco, and all the crazy beautiful bridges in the area. If Hollywood wanted to show off the gorgeous San Francisco skyline, why didn't they just photograph it from either Oakland, or Alameda. From Treasure/Yerba Buena Island for that matter. Come on Hollywood... you can do better.


:)


~Me :)


Now, go see what my pal JR was come up with. His photos are awesome...


JR
http://jrclinephotography.blogspot.com/2012/07/apadf6-65.html

A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day66~ Another Attempt At Natural Monochromatic Conditions

"No matter how much water a sink takes on, it never lives up to it's name. The Titanic would never have sunk if it were made out of a sink."


~Jarod Kintz, The Titanic Would Never Have Sunk If Were Made Out Of A Sink.


Well, I almost posted a new photo each day this week, but this morning I got up and could barely move. For whatever reason, my Fibromyalgia has decided to knock me down. It's okay, this happens from time to time, and all I need to do is rest and do my best until it passes. We had a few really hot days this past week, then a sudden cool down, which sometimes triggers it, but who knows... only the Fibromyalgia. Alan is a lot of help when it hits me hard, and as I have shared in previous posts, he is a trooper about the situation. He speaks ME. LOL. It's hurts, and days like today it's all I can do to move, but I know it's important to try.


So, lets discuss the photo for today. I am still working on spotting those opportunities to photograph naturally occurring monochromatic scenes. I think I came close here. I  was out with the camera while back, when I decided to grab some lunch and take it down to the Pacifica Pier. It was around 2 in the afternoon, and there wasn't much going on, even the surf was down that day, but I did begin to notice, that the sun was beginning to cast an even tone onto everything. Over all I was very happy with what I got that day, and I suppose if I had waited another hour or so, it may have delivered that grayscale I was looking for, but I think I came pretty close here. But then again, you know what they say, a miss is as good as a mile. Right? SHRUG. :)


Oh well, I will keep trying. That's all I can do... right? :)

"Always be like water. Float in the times of pain or dance like waves along the wind which touches it's surface."

~Santosh Kalwar




:)


~Me :)


Today's Link...


JR
http://jrclinephotography.blogspot.com/2012/07/apadf6-60-64.html

A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day 65~RRC: On The Walls

"There are no walls at the edge of the universe... absence of gravity is the limit of space existence."


~Toba Beta, Betelgeuse Incident


RRC: On The Walls


Above you see one of my very favorite paintings at The Legion of Honor, in San Francisco. I took this photo in July of 2006 on my first visit to the Legion of Honor, and so it was the first time I had actually seen this piece titled, Dorothy Spreckles Munn, by Salvador Dali, in person, but I instantly loved it. I was at the museum that day to specifically see the Monet in Normandy exhibit, but was thrilled to be able to just get lost in all the art at the museum. The picture I took of this painting, really doesn't do it justice, it should really be seen in person. Her eyes are mesmerizing. It is absolutely stunning!


Now, take a look at what I have found on other walls in my many travels...


Autumn Leaves On The Wall At The Ghiradelli Candy Factory...
Late December 2011



The Bubblegum Wall San Luis Obispo California...
October, 2005
Yep, that is really random bubblegum, deposited by random people along a full sized wall on an alleyway. 




On The Wall Of A Business in Berkeley, California...
January, 2007



"Free Paris Hilton", Berkeley, California...
December, 2007




Brown Moth I Found On The Wall Of Our Gardening Shed...
(2007) Obtuse Euchlaena - Euchlaena obtusaria



Clock On A Wall In Lafayette, California...
2006




Okie Doke. That's my round up of ON THE WALL. Click here to visit the official Round Robin blog which contains a link to the posts of the other participants for this round. Better yet, why don't you join in the fun. You can find all the information you need by clinking the above link!


:)


~Me :)

A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day 64~ Ooops!

"Exerperience is the name every one gives to their mistakes."


~Oscar Wilde


LOL. Ooops might be an understatement. I was out with my camera a while back, when I saw this pretty bird, so I thought it would be a good time to get in some practice with action shots. As you can see, it didn't exactly turn out as I hoped it would, in fact it was way off. As frustrated as I was, I couldn't help but see the humor in the situation. LOL. You see, this bird had been buzzing me, and my lunch, while I was enjoying a really pleasant day at Chrissy Field in San Francisco.

After about 25 minutes of solid buzzing, I decided to get the camera out and give the pesky bird the attention he was apparently demanding. I got it out, got my settings a fixed and ready, and what do you think Mr. Bird did? He came to a landing almost directly behind me on the picnic table behind me... LOL... where he settled in and refused to fly for the remainder of the time I was there! When things like this happen, I am pretty sure it is a message from the gods of photography saying... meh... you aren't so great!


Well, it could be, you never know about these things. LOL.

Anyway, Alan and I did have a good laugh about it, and as it turns out it's kind of a fun photo... don't you think? I mean you can tell it's a bird, and if you look really close, you can see one of the bird's eyes, and his beak. See. Wings, skinny bird feet. One eye and a beak. Yep, that's a bird. Right? LOL.


Sure it is.

"Take chances, make mistakes. That's how you grow. Pain nourishes your courage. You have to fail in order to practice being brave."

~Mary Tyler Moore


:) By the way, Chrissy Field is absolutely gorgeous, and one of the best places to visit in San Francisco. It is great place to do some birding as well as enjoy the view of the Golden Gate Bridge. If you ever come to San Francisco... don't miss it!


~Me :)

A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day 63~ Unrelated Subjects

"The first rule of hurricane coverage is that every broadcast must begin with palm trees bending in the wind."


~Carl Hiaasen

Photo #1... PALM LEAF (palmate)


Okay, so just to be different I thought that I would take on two subjects that I rarely find myself photographing. Palm Trees, and almost anything related to commuting. I dislike palm trees with a passion, probably because they are just so darn common in California, but it could also be because they provide very little in the way of shade, and because they are so very uninteresting. Once in a while, however, I do see something about one of them that I will find photogenic, and earlier today that's what happened. The sun just happened to be shining through the leaves of a palm tree, in such a way as to be very  pleasing to the eye. SNAP. 


Tell me what you think about the photo. Good points. Bad points. Indifferent.


Now on to photo #2... TAKING THE FAST TRAK...

"Americans will put up with anything, provided it doesn't block traffic."


 ~Dan Rather

 

Now, there are a lot of things about FAST TRAK I find amusing... like why didn't they just spell it FAST TRACK? And isn't it amusing that it's called FAST TRAK and yet the little light that tells you to go through the toll booth, because you have already paid your toll with your FAST TRAK device, is yellow, which means SLOW DOWN. Okay, okay... I know... the powers that be want you to go through the poll booth area at a speed that is safe, which I completely get, and observe, but it's still odd to me. LOL. Was FAST TRAK the best name the powers that be could have come up with? Probably... but I kinda like... PREPAID CAREFUL. Nah... too long. Hey... how about... PAID SLOW. Nah... what does that mean? It sounds like I made payments on my device, and now everyone knows I had to buy it on layaway. Nope... that wouldn't work. Okay... I guess FAST TRAK was the way to go. But it's still kinda funny. Well, to me anyway. 


:)


To be serious for a moment. Every once in a while the news will report that someone, who isn't observing the proper speed limit, will go racing through the toll booths in the FAST TRAK lanes without slowing down. NO A GOOD IDEA! Humans work in that area. Driving really isn't that hard. Follow the rules. Leave early to avoid being late. SERIOUSLY CALIFORNIANS... PUT THE DAMN CELL PHONES AWAY ALREADY!

~Me :)

A Photo A Day For 8 Months: Day 62~ Garden Update

"My green thumb came only as a result of the mistakes I made while learning to see things from the plants point of view."


~H. Fred Dale 


Time for a garden update. As you can see, the veggies have finally begun to make an appearance. The ones you see here are my beloved Heirloom tomatoes. Mr. Stripey to be exact. I have two Heirloom tomato plants this year, the other one is a Black Krim, and while he is coming nicely too, he is just a bit behind Mr. Stripey, but I think I will have some pictures of the Black Krim soon. Alan is also growing some lovely Momma Mia tomatoes along with some Zucchini and some yellow Crookneck Squash. The veggies are all doing well, and I think I will be posting some pictures soon of some wonderful homemade pizzas and perhaps some soup, stews and pies. I have several recipes I am working on developing. We'll see. I always look forward to coming up with my own recipes, and I love cooking in the autumn.


 

And now the roses...

 

 

What can I say, I have no complaints about me lovelies. Since I first began the rose garden, 4 years ago, I have had my ups and downs. Aphids. Cats who enjoy a good rose as if it were a box of popcorn, and the occasional gopher... lol... well... you know about gophers... but this is the strongest and most disease resistant the roses have been. They are all really strong, and I am confident they will do really well over next winter. We have added some white rock this past week, which give them a lot of protection when weeding. I am planning to do some cuttings in October, and if all goes well, I will have some second generations to plant in the early spring. At least that is what I am hoping for. Last year we took 5 cuttings and 3 survived. That's not too bad... is it?

 

:) Heirloom Tomatoes YUM!
 


~Me

A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day 61~ Black And White Revisited

"When words become unclear, I shall focus with photographs. When images become inadequate, I shall be content with silence."


-Ansel Adams


I am definitely in a black and white mood, both in my photography and in day to day life. I made an observation today on Twitter regarding the upcoming presidential election, and just how weary I feel about it. Odd. Most years I can't get enough politics, but this time around... well... sigh.


It all feels incredibly dismal. 4 years ago I wasn't ready to put my faith in Obama because it seemed like he had too much figured out. Its not that his theories seemed unsound, no, but rather he was so very sure that every step he had planned was going to absolutely work.


I found him to be unrealistic then... and four years later... he is unrealistic now. NO DOUBT... he inherited a MESS. He has tried in good faith to help America undo the damage left behind by nearly a decade of incompetence by the Bush administration, but I am out of patience watching Obama hope... yes... hope that the GOP will wake up one morning, ready to compromise.


President Obama announced yesterday that he wants to see the tax cuts for the middle class extended for another year. Okay, what about those fat cats who haven't paid their share? What about them? Obama says he wants those tax cuts to expire. Haven't we all been to this dance? It's Tax Cut Roulette. Is there one reason that I should expect that this round will end any different?


Its exhausting.


It makes me want to turn my head and look away.


But the resistance to that is that I have NO patience for folks who don't care enough to pay attention.


By my own standards for myself... I have to pay attention.


And I want to pull my hair out.


Vote Obama? 


I am finding that prospect nearly impossible. I don't have much faith in him. He refused to listen to the experts on how to rebuild the economy, and here we are, 4 years later, and the best we can realistically say is, we could be worse off. How sad is that? The thought that we could already be in better shape, on our way to financial and social prosperity, if it wasn't for those damn republicans. We may not have made much ground,  but at least we know... it could be worse.


Sigh.


Vote Romney? 


All I can say is... A WORLD OF NO.


Let's pretend he never strapped the family pet to the top of his car and drove to Canada. Let's pretend he doesn't seem to know what his own values are. Let's pretend he isn't indecisive. Let's pretend he doesn't have tax shelters in the Cayman Islands. Let's pretend he doesn't own 8 houses, and his wife, Anne, doesn't drive 2 Cadillacs. Let's pretend...


I would rather not thank you.
 
Shrug.

~Me :)


As always, please feel free to share your opinions. Agree? Disagree? Indifferent? It's all good. Share away. However, respect is expected and encouraged.

A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day 60~ Summer To Autumn

"If you see something that moves you, and then snap it, you keep a moment."


~Linda McCartney

 

Linda McCartney took amazing photographs. I have loved her work and style since I first saw her photos in the 70's. It was heartbreaking to me when she passed away from breast cancer in 1998. I have a few books of her photography, and at times I have tried to style certain photos after some of her lovely photos. My winter photographs mostly, and of course my black and white ones as well. She had a lovely, soft, uncluttered style to her photography. I find them comforting. While capturing a single moment, she at the same time, reminds one that life need not be rushed. She understood life and it showed in the gentle photos she took. Someone told me once..." If you love the subject you are photographing, your pictures will convey that love." When you look at her photos, it was apparent, she knew about love.

It's nearly the middle of July, and I am already thinking about the coming autumn. Photography speaking, I will have a very full October this year. Alan and I have a lot of special days planned for this year's vacation month. Along with the usual photo jaunts, we are adding a ride above the San Francisco Bay in a Cessna, and now we have added a whale watching trip on board a catamaran. I don't get seasick... not even a little bit... but this is the smallest boat I have been on, so it will be a new experience. I am so excited to step outside my comfort zone and try these new opportunities. With my camera in my hand, I am always braver. LOL. We'll see. I know both are perfect ways to spend an October day. October is a lovely time of year in the Bay Area. 

So, this week I am putting one foot back into the water, so to speak, by doing all new photography. I am particularly interested in doing some black and white scenes. Some simple, everyday scenes is a start. It's been too long since I worked with that. I need to also do some summer photos that are as interesting in black and white as they would be in color. That takes a lot of thought. Weather, time of day, and choice of subject must be planned out. On the other hand, just getting in the car and photographing subjects as they introduced themselves is fun also. I want to begin a transistional file of season to season. Summer to Autumn has challenges of it's own. Should be a good way to exercise those creativity muscles that have been neglicted while my thyroid needed attention.

Again... We'll See.

 

 

:)

~Me :)

Today's Awesome Photography...


JR
http://jrclinephotography.blogspot.com/2012/07/apadf6-57-58-and-59.html

A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day 59~ Outrageous Color

"Imagine a delicious glass of summer ice tea. Take a long, cool sip. Listen to the ice crackle and clink. Is the glass part full or part empty? Take another sip. And now?"

~Vera Nezarian, The Perpetual Calender of Inspiration 
 



Color... Crazy, Vivid, Picturesque... Color. I enjoy photographing grays and muted earth tones, but how could anyone with a camera ever pass up the bright, cheerful shades of summer. Blue like the ocean, purple of royalty, the bright sunny oranges, which will transition to soft pumpkin shades in autumn. Color.... Crazy, Vivid, Picturesque... AMAZING COLOR.

 


Happiness.


~Me :)