photography

January 23, 2012

Santa Fe Blues

I love wandering around neighborhoods of other cities and towns.

It seems like everything is just more colorful, more eclectic, more interesting, more fun than anything you can find at home.  I’m sure that is because we tend to ‘not see’ things at home because we’re on auto pilot most of the time.  We don’t expect to see anything out of the ordinary – so we usually don’t.

At least that’s how I think it is.

Think about how many times we’re driving somewhere and we get there but don’t remember much about the drive itself.  We wonder how we managed to get there safely…did we even stop at that last red light??!!

These images are all from a very colorful, very eclectic, very interesting and fun neighborhood in Santa Fe.

Can you tell I have a ‘thing’ for blue?

January 18, 2012

Raise your Sights

Now is the Time…

to look up

Take the opportunity to raise your sights – literally.

Look up from your normal field of vision:

take in the roof lines of buildings, the hills, skies, treetops, birds.

There’s a whole new world there.

It’s all about changing your perspective.

“Our senses don’t deceive us: our judgement does” – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832)

from the book, Now is the Time, by Patrick Lindsay

(cell phone image – abandoned building, lakewood, texas)

November 22, 2011

Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds

I have a Closet Plant in my office at work.

Normally it’s green.

A nice shiny, waxy green.

Occasionally it will wilt (as Closet Plants do) when it needs something – like more water, or more or less light…etc.  And that’s the great thing about these plants.

But even when they’re getting all the attention they need eventually the blooms turn brown.

And this particular bloom looked exquisite brown – don’t you agree?!

Of course I had to take a picture!  And this with my cell phone!

I added the ‘stars’ in the background – just ’cause.

November 10, 2011

Winter Blues? Bring ’em on!!

On a cold and snowy day – be a passenger with a camera – and see what you can get!

These images taken through the window of an airport shuttle.

 

I

love

the

winter

blues!

October 14, 2011

I have a Secret Garden.

I have a secret garden.

Its not a typical garden with flowers.

In fact its not really a garden at all.

But I like to call it that because its a hidden place I sometimes go to play…

October 12, 2011

Orange you glad…

Orange you glad you’re an artist?

aRtist’s R DifFereNt.

Unlike anybody or anything else.

Distinct.

Unusual.

Eclectic.

Quirky.

Colorful.

Creative.

Inventive.

Fun loving.

Adventurous.

We’re a special breed.  And it’s all good.

But what would the world be like if everyone had artistic tendencies?

I don’t mean to say everyone would necessarily be artists but what if everyone had the capacity to see things artistically?

Can you imagine it?

My first thoughts are – No more litter!  Or if someone did litter, the person following immediately behind them would quickly scoop up the goods to use in a collage!  And then that person would chase the litterer down and give them a stern talking to, even if it meant chasing them a really, really long way (even if they were on their lunch break) and after having to repeatedly honk the horn at multiple red lights (getting attention from everyone) before getting them to finally agree to pull over. Hypothetically.  (It’s a long story).

Everyone would have nice yards.  Every person would want their landscapes to reflect their love of nature.  And everyone would love nature.  They’d probably write poems about it.

There would be no more crazy drivers because everyone would be slowing down to look at the cool clouds or rainbows or fall colors, or spring wildflowers, etc., etc., .  I suppose this behavior could cause more fender benders – but at least everyone would be traveling at slower speeds on impact!

People would be more healthy ‘cause there’d be no more need for fast food since we’d be more interested in the quality and taste and not the convenience  – due to the fact we’d no longer be in a rush because of the slower driving/cloud watching thing. Hey, it could happen!

There’d only be quality television to watch.

There’d be flea markets and art shows and bake sales and talent shows and fundraisers… every weekend in every town! 

There’s be no more ugly billboards littering the landscape.

Jobs would be more fun because everyone would have great ideas.  Note:  I didn’t say more would get accomplished – I said they’d be more fun.

Kids would grow up feeling encouraged because people would be interested and open to their ideas and their uniqueness; not much reason to rebel. Now there’s a game changer.

There’d be no more wars.  No explanation needed.

 Orange you glad you’re an artist?

We’re the lucky ones. 

It’s too bad everyone can’t see the world the way we do.

But since they can’t …maybe it’s up to us to help them along.

Maybe we could drop a hint, give a nudge, put a little fun in their day…

They need all the help they can get!

🙂

October 4, 2011

Mother Knows Best

Ya know, we have no business complaining about lack of inspiration.

Inspiration is everywhere.  Literally.  We just have to open our eyes and see it.

Just look around.

Nature is constantly creating art just for us to see.  She obviously wants us to create.

Why else would she go to all that trouble?

September 18, 2011

Partly Cloudy

I was expecting sunny skies this weekend – had big plans to break out the cyanotype supplies…but yesterday was partly sunny and I held out till today thinking it would be mostly sunny (and a better choice for my plans).

But I was mistaken.

The forecast was incorrect.  Gee..that’s never happened before.

Oh, well.  Another day…

But because the weather wasn’t cyanotype-worthy I ended up getting rid of a whole lot of stuff  indoors (that had been piling up in the corner of one of the spare bedrooms which I’m now using as an office) – which worked out better anyway…now when the weather is sunny I won’t feel guilty about playing when I should be cleaning.  Yay!

I did take advantage of the nice light and grabbed a few shots this evening as I was wandering around the yard – so it ended up being a very nice weekend.

Hope you had a nice one too!

September 7, 2011

My Happy Meal

I realize going out to lunch can be a real treat.  Especially a lunch during the week when your day has been exceptionally long and you’re definitely needing a break.  Most people think about treating themselves to one of those ‘nice’ places they normally wouldn’t go to – or at least not that often anyway.

Well, today was a long day – it was a long day before it was even lunch time.  One of those days.

Normally I like to bring my lunch so that I can enjoy the whole hour. I like to read or cruise the internet – it makes me feel like I’m getting more bang for my buck.

But I’ve found, when I do this, more times than not, my lunch ‘hour’ gets interrupted – alot.  I think it’s because whenever anyone sees you at your desk (whether you’re scarfing down a sandwich, reading a book, surfing the net, whatever it is you like to do during your lunch) – it always seems to appear to them that you’re ‘available’.  And even though they claim they don’t want to interrupt you – they always do.

SO… Out to lunch I go – book in hand.

Where can a person go for some real quality book time AND lunch?

Sonic of course!

What better place to park the car, roll the windows up, (or leave ’em down if the weather’s nice and you don’t mind their choice of music), pop open a book or listen to your own music and relax – all in the comfort of your own car while having a tasty snack!  You can even (sort of) stretch out – just don’t fall asleep!

And in honor of today’s lunch… and because I photograph the weirdest things…here’s a picture to prove it!