7/365-2 A Natural Treasure

"Good Morning Sunshine"

I mentioned yesterday, Macro Monday, that I really thought the acorns on the tree out from would be a beautiful macro shot and that although I thought that, I couldn't think it into being.  Yesterday's acorn photos were not good.  When I saw today's prompt - natural treasure, loved, not artificial, outside - I felt that I was being given a second chance to do justice to the acorns.  I looked at yesterday's rejected photos and decided that perhaps the problem was that I had shot with my aperture too wide open.  So armed with my camera set way stopped down (f22), I tried again.

I will admit that I am a little happier with today's attempt.

I do love that the inside of the acorn looks like a sun.  They really are quite cheerful and beautiful.

From what I could see outside on my camera display, which is not always the best way to make a decision, I figured that I had something that would work for today.  As I started into the house, I noticed the sun gleaming through some fallen leaves that the wind was tossing around.  The sun almost looked like it was dancing on water.  That image looked like a perfect place to play with my Lensbaby.  I am still trying to get comfortable with it and its manual focus.

I'm sure I looked like an idiot to any of the neighbors who might have been watching.  There I was, laying on the ground in the freezing temperatures taking pictures of dead leaves.  Yesterday is was dead flowers; today dead leaves.  I think I need a therapist.  Oblivious to whatever else was going on in the neighborhood, I enjoyed the sights and sounds of the leaves and just playing with the possibilities of the new lens.

When I looked at the morning's images on the computer, the acorn photos were better than yesterday. That was good.  But, the leaf photos just made me laugh.  They kind of look like you are tripping on something but in a pretty cool way.  So again, the acorns are usurped as the daily photo by a dead piece of nature.

I love the colors in the picture of the day above.  Here are a few of the other "trippy" photos.

I posted this one on Facebook this morning with the comment, "This is what happens when you mix morning sunshine, dead leaves, a Lensbaby and two cups of coffee."

"It's All About Me!"

I have read online about the Lensbaby flare and what a cool effect it can be.  It is cool; but honestly, I have no idea how I created it in this photo and not the others.  Beginner's luck?  Idiot's Luck?  Having really no idea what you are doing?  Whatever the case, there you go.

6/365-2 Unique - Macro Monday

"Flower Power"

We are slowly getting back into our normal routine.  Weber went back to school today, but it was a teacher workday - no kids; and, he got home a little earlier than usual.  Though I don't officially start classes until the Tuesday aster MLK day, I did do a little school related work this morning.  I was glad to be able to work from home and not have to get out early this morning in the 13 degree temperatures.  I know that is warm compared to what much of the nation is experiencing today, but it is cold for Dallas.

After I finished the project at hand, I got to work on the daily photo.  Today's prompt is a technical one - macro photography.  I have a macro lens and use it quite a bit, but I would not say that I am particularly skilled or intentional with my macro shots.  I look forward to this repeating skill builder prompt throughout the year.

In thinking about what I wanted to photograph today, the "perfect" idea came to mind.  I have been fascinated by the beautiful colors of the acorns on the live oak tree in our front yard.  They would be a perfect object for today's photo.  I bundled up, which means I actually put on a coat, and went outside to capture the beauty of the acorn.  It was windy and I was having trouble with focus, though I thought that I probably had something that would work.

After taking quite a few shots, I came inside to check the images on the computer.  What I saw was major disappointment.  Somehow, the pictures were not what I thought I saw on the true.  This is often the case when I look at photos on the computer, but most often they are better than what I saw. Today was quite the opposite.  Even more puzzling, I couldn't really figure out what was "wrong."  Here is the best of those shots, and that is not saying much.

I do love the colors.  The acorn itself almost looks like a finely crafted piece of pottery. It's just that the image overall feels like something is missing, something big.

I let this puzzlement sit for a while and I started cleaning up a little bit.  Part of that cleaning involved picking up dropped leaves and blooms from the flowers that have been around since my birthday.  In a moment of desperation, I decided to see what kind of images I could get of them.  I don't know what makes one think that they can get a good creative shot of nearly dead flowers when they can't get one of really pretty acorns.  Never try to figure out how my mind works!

Let's just so that one thing led to another and that is how today's official POTD was born.  It required the use of the flowers and other supplies.  I ended up taking the photograph on the front porch because even though it was cold outside, the sun was shining so the light was good.  When Weber got home and went to check the mail, there were little drops of liquid all over the porch.  Oops.  He asked what they were.  I said, "vegetable oil."  To which he said, "I'm not even going to ask."  I didn't say anything but I thought to myself that that was probably a pretty good plan on his part.

On an almost completely different note, about this time last year I also took a picture of my spent birthday flowers for a completely different prompt.  You can see it here. 

How many times do you have to do something before it becomes a tradition?  Perhaps I have officially begun the tradition of photographing my birthday flowers right before they go to the great compost bin beyond.  What is weird about this is that I didn't photograph them when they were fresh and super beautiful.  Like I said earlier, don't try to figure out my mind!

5/365-2 On A Fork

"Eats Shoots and Leaves...and Berries"

After the seriousness, and perhaps edginess depending on your perspective, of yesterday's photo, today I am back to the whimsical me.

I will admit it.  I am obsessed with the Lego minifgures.  They are so much fun and in the big scheme of things, a fairly benign obsession.  The newest series of 16 figures, which is supposed to accompany the upcoming Lego movie, was released in the stores last Sunday, I think.   After my thyroid check on Thursday, Weber took me to the Lego store to get my first couple of Series 12.  

If you are not familiar with how these work, the figures come in unmarked bags.  It is luck of the draw as to which figure you will get; unless you are a master at feeling the individual pouches for the unique piece of a particular figure.  Since I had none of this new series, I didn't work too hard on Thursday to feel for particular minifigures.

Last night we went to Target for dog food.  Just dog food.  At Target the dog food is all the way in the back.  You have to pass virtually everything in the store to get to the dog food.  As we passed the toys, my enabling husband asked if I wanted to see of they had any minifigures.  Our Target, for some reason, has not had any of the last two series.  Assuming that this would still be the case and I therefore would not be tempted, I said, "sure."  Surprise!  Not only did they have tons of the new Series 12, they also had bags from series 9, 10, and 11 too.  Im not sure what that is all about.

I succumbed to the temptation.  After my trip to the Lego store on Thursday, there were four of the figures that I wanted specifically.  I knew what to "feel" for those four.  Of the four packages I got last night, I was successful in getting three of the figures that I wanted.  Those are pretty good odds.

The panda was one of them.

4/365 - 2 A Little Bit - January Self Portrait

"Here I Am"

I think that at one time or another we all struggle with our self image.  This is a place where our own reality often differs from the reality seen by those around us, those who see us as a whole person  rather than as a series of disconnected imperfections.

As a person with albinism, as one who looks different from most of society, this struggle has been extremely difficult at times.   In fact, it has taken me fifty years to get to the point where I can say that I honestly don't worry too much about this particular aspect of myself anymore.  I am who I am and that is good enough.  This is due to the amazing NOAH community.  I only wish that I discovered this awesome group of people earlier in life.

I also have lupus.  Fortunately, for the most part I have had no serious manifestations of the disease.  My body and I have an agreement with one another:  I'll do my best to take care of it - feed it what it needs to be well nourished and let it rest when it needs to rest if it will cooperate and not keep me from doing the things that I want and need to do.  So far this arrangement has worked.

Two and half years ago it was discovered that I have a benign nodule on my thyroid.  It is just there, not affecting anything one way or the other.  The only time I pay any attention to it is when I go for my yearly sonogram to check on it, which I did last week.  Though the rest of me has grown a little over the past year, the nodule has actually gotten smaller.  I don't know why or how, but that is a good thing.

So, as an attempt to be thankful for the body that carries my soul and spirit around, I have pushed myself out of my comfort zone for this first :official" self portrait of 2014.  I want to celebrate who and what I am - all of it.  This photo has pushed me creatively and emotionally.  Living beyond the confines of "the box", no matter how big or small our personal boxes may be, is what allows each of us to grow into a whole and happy human and spiritual being.  I'm doing my best to become that being.

3.365 - 2 Winter Sports

"A Good Sport"

I had to deviate slightly from the daily prompt and go with an image of a good sport rather than a winter sport.  Texas is not a place that makes for fun winter sports.  Though we often get the cold, if it is accompanied by any precipitation at all, the result is usually a nasty ice storm rather than a beautiful soft snowfall.

My personal winter "sport" of choice is knitting, though I must admit that it has taken a backseat to photography lately.  However, I do want it noted, again, that Weber did get his second sock for Christmas!

I am lucky to have such a supportive better half for all of my hobbies and obsessions.  Not only is he always willing to help me out when I need a model for a daily prompt, he also is appreciative of all of his knitted gifts - even the ones that aren't socks!  

When you are a middle school teacher, you will do almost anything to engage the kids - including wearing a goofy hat on those cold wintry days when you have outside duty.  Such a hat gives you almost as much power as a superman cape when you spend your days surrounded by sixth, seventh and eighth graders!

Cheers to a good sport and an awesome husband!

2/365 - 2 Goals

"Embracing the Muse"

In the past few years I have discovered a lot about myself,  some good things and some not so good things.  I have learned to embrace who I am and be the best that I can be by honoring both my strengths and my weaknesses.  Doing so has equipped me to extend the same love and respect toward others.  When you can love yourself despite shortcomings, it is much easier to love others despite your own perceived imperfections.

We tend to focus on our own imperfections when it comes to making New Year's resolutions or setting goals for the coming year.  I don't want to focus on such things; therefore, I don't make true resolutions.  I am more interested in focusing on the mystery, the unknown, the possible.  I know there is still much for me to learn about myself, others and the world.  And as I do, new challenges and opportunities will appear before me.  My intent this year is to be open to all that presents itself, to make wise choices and to honor all those with whom my path crosses.

Part of my intentional self discovery is to grow into my own photographic style.  I wish for a look that is like the sound of Debussy - it is almost impossible to confuse a piece of music by Debussy with any other composer.  I trust that the muse will lead me in the right direction as long as I remain open and willing to follow.

1/365-2 Celebrate

"Looking at 2014"

If you've been following me here for any length of time, you know that when I began the CY365 photo project this time last year, I dreaded the fact that every month there was a self portrait.  I have always HATED having pictures of myself taken.  And to have to take them myself was just adding insult to injury.  After taking twelve such photos over the course of 2013, I am a little better about being in front of the camera.  Taking the photos myself has allowed me to embrace my inner control freak.  At least them I can choose what aspect of me to photograph and which ones not.

For some reason that I cannot explain, I felt called to take the above image as my way to usher in 2014; today is not even the "selfie" day.  Perhaps my need for this shot is because I am still on a journey that urges me to see the world in new an incredible ways.  Being comfortable with taking this self portrait is a true testament to my growth as a person and a photographer over the course of my first CY365 year.  At the beginning of 2013, I struggled both technically and emotionally with the self portrait prompts.  It is a great feeling to see and feel the progress that I have made in the last twelve months.  (Thanks to Weber for the new tripod that is more stable and much easier to adjust than my old one.  It made this process so much less frustrating!)

It seems funny to be back at Day 1 of 365 again, but I am excited to be here.  And we begin again....

I don't have any real concrete resolutions for this year.  I simply want to live life to its fullest and to be grateful for all the blessings that I have been given.

Welcome 2014!