Shadow Shot Sunday 03-01-09: Marina

Visit other shadow shooters via Hey Harriet's site.





At Riverplace Marina, downtown Portland, on the dock.

PhotoHunt: Thankful

This week's PhotoHunt assignment: THANKFUL

Ellipsis - Monday Photo Shoot: Best Shot

This week Carly from Ellipsis says:

EMPS #26: HIT ME WITH YOUR BEST SHOT! Ok, now it is your time to shine! We photographers might tackle a lot of subjects, but we all have one type of photography that is our very favorite. Landscapes, Still Life, Night photography, Portraits, Pet photography, Seascapes, Sunsets, Macro photography... it's all good. For this assignment you are welcome to look in your archives and post your best photo, or you can set the scene sometime within this week, and show off the type of photography you feel you excel at. If you do go with a shot from your archive, try to make it one you haven't posted before, I am really interested in seeing something new if possible. HIT ME WITH YOUR BEST SHOT!

Extra Credit: Write a little about your personal style as a photographer. Why do you like a particular subject? What is the most challenging aspect of photography for you?

I still wanna know what we get for extra credit!

This is one of my all-time favorite photos. I took this late last summer after the artichokes had gone to bloom. One day there were honeybees almost swarming around the plants. They were so intent on getting the good stuff from the blossoms, they didn't care how close I got.

Clicking on the photo will enlarge it a bit more.



I love this photo for a couple of things - the detail on the bee, of course, but also the vibrant almost neon colors of the artichoke flower.

And for my extra credit (what? Carly's giving me an all expense paid trip to Paris?!): I'm very new to photography, so don't know that I have a style yet. I love macro photography because I get to see things in the photo that I didn't even see in real time, like the pattern in the bee's wings. I'm beginning to see art and beauty in places I never expected. I love playing with light and shadow, and I love taking something ordinary and making it extraordinary in the way I photograph it.

Right now the most challenging aspect is learning my camera. There are settings on it I haven't even tried yet; and I want to learn more about the manual settings. Some photog classes in the near future will help answer some of those questions.
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Camera Critters - 02-28-09: Reptiles

This meme is all about photos of animals/critters.







I visited a reptile store in the neighborhood this week. It was a smelly place. And I felt sorry for the creatures in the cages and the plastic containers. A few of them offered up some nice photo ops. These were all taken through glass, so they're not as clear as they might be. I didn't mind though.




Corn snakes.






Visit more Camera Critter gitters.
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Looking at the Sky on Friday: Sunset-ish

I really have no idea if this is a decent photo or not. My laptop screen has gone all wonky and colors are off and funny red dots are all over every photo. So, off to the computer hospital today, which means I might not be posting for awhile! Hope your weekend is good.










Visit Trish for more wonderful sky photos.
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PhotoStory Friday: Portlandia

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek


On a shelf of the Portland Building overlooking 5th Avenue in downtown Portland sits the second largest hammered copper statue in the US (the first being the Statue of Liberty). Her name is Portlandia.





She was installed in 1985, after being shipped by rail from Maryland, assembled in a shop in Portland and delivered to the downtown area on a barge up the Willamette River.


Raymond Kaskey is Portlandia's sculptor.






I used to work in this building. Every morning I'd give her a little nod and ask her to help me do my best work.




Portlandia is 36 feet tall in her kneeling pose - if she were to stand up for a stretch, she'd be about 50 feet high.




Welcome.
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Thursday Challenge: Jewelry 02-26-09

Thursday Challenge for Fun and Learning - this week's theme is JEWELRY.


I have no idea how one would wear these earrings. Or why.

Sepia Scenes 02-25-09: Boxes and Clocks

Sepia Scenes is hosted by Mary T, who also hosts the fabulous Ruby Tuesday.







At one of my favorite junk store haunts:

Alphabet Finds: K and L

Ever on the lookout for new and different challenges, I've decided to take on Melli's alphabet challenge. The idea is to find each letter of the alphabet in a naturally occurring state. In other words (or in other letters), no fair using the 'S' in a stop sign; rather you need to find something that is shaped like an 'S'. This week: K and L.

I had to get pretty creative to find a K. I'd see almost-Ks everywhere, but finally spotted this one in a bridge. Here's the original, the one below has the K red outlined. Can you spot it before looking at the one below it?





Ls are everywhere -- the challenge is finding one that has some interest!

Ruby Tuesday - 02-24-09: Outside the cafe

MaryT/theteach hosts this weekly event - photographs of all things red.

Macro Monday 02-23-09 Signs of spring

Macro Monday - hosted by Lisa


Hope! Promise!








New hydrangea leaves prepare to unfurl.




Soon daphne will be scenting the neighborhood with its luscious fragrance.


Daffodils within - dancers backstage waiting for their cue.

Weekly Winners - 02-22-09

Some of my favorite photos from this week. There's a definite - but unintentional - blue theme here.

Sculler on the Willamette River

I love the way the rope lights reflect differently in every object here.

Ms. P having a fine afternoon.

Sentries.

Dragon boat practice crafts.

Buddies, fishing.

Blue light special.

Color and reflection study.

Visit other Weekly Winners at Sarcastic Mom's site.
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Shadow Shot Sunday 02-22-09: Sweet Dessert

Visit other shadow shooters via Hey Harriet's site.





We went to Sweetness Cafe last week for coffee and a nosh. The south facing windows made wonderful shadows on the walls and furniture and and and:

Camera Critters - 02-21-09

This meme is all about photos of animals/critters.







Canada geese flying downriver on the Willamette in Portland.




Visit more Camera Critter gitters.
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PhotoHunt - WARM

This week's PhotoHunt assignment: WARM

Friends.