Fancy Pink Petals / Project 52 ~ Week 8

  Happy Weekend!  I'm running a bit behind this week and have been processing several photographs captured this past Friday.  I found the most gorgeous bunch of pink gerbera daisies this past week. Unfortunately we were greeted with some clouds, thunder, lightning and rain on Friday....meaning I had to photograph indoors...again!   I chose a rainy window sill and selected three of the best in the bunch.  

This week's image was captured in the cloudy natural light, with a rain dotted window providing some interesting shadows.  I chose one of the images that was very detailed and macro-like for Week 8:

"Rainy Fridays n.10"
{Captured:  ISO 200 - F2.5 - 1/125}

  I've always found daisies so beautiful.  Each petal so delicate all leading back to one amazing centerpiece in the middle.  These gorgeous pink daisies were no exception.

  I'll be adding a few more images to the Facebook page today, stop by if you get a chance.

Hope your week is amazing!
-Jennifer

Foggy Days At The Beach / Project 52 ~ Week 7

  I took quite a few moments this week to capture some photographs - and I was so proud of myself for stopping and focusing when I could see the lighting was "just right" or the subject was "just right".  This week I chose an image from our trip to South Carolina yesterday.  Late afternoon was very cloudy and somewhat foggy, with just a hint of mist.  We went down onto the beach, barefoot, with dreams that summer will be here soon.  I watched my kids play and run {we are all very much "water babies"} and enjoyed these perfect moments.  On our way back to the car, I stopped to take a few last glances at the waves.  It was then that I captured this image:

Project 52 / Week 7 "Ocean Side n.1"
{Captured:  ISO 1000 - F.2.5 - 1/250}

  The aqua and dark weathered wood tones really appealed to me visually.  I also liked the bits of wintered plant growth and calming sandy hues.  I always find it a bit sad to leave the ocean - it is definitely one of my most favorite places to explore and relax.  I cannot wait to have this image enlarged, I'm thinking 16x20 or 20x30 at least, I've got a wall in mind just for this image!

  I will be adding a few additional images taken in the past week to the Facebook page - stop by if you get a chance!

Hope your week is amazing!
-Jennifer

Rainy Days / Project 52 - Week 6

  After a long week stuck inside, I was hoping for some outside time and some warm sunshine this weekend.  But instead, I was greeted with dreary storm clouds, rain and much colder temps that dropped steadily yesterday.  Staying inside was the best {and warmest} option!

  This week's photograph really reflects my "stormy" and "cloudy" mood.  I worked indoors to capture this small and fierce bloom with natural light during yesterday's storms.

Project 52 / Week 6:  "Sunny Inside n.4"
{Captured:  ISO 200 - F1.6 - 1/60}

  I loved this final image for a few reasons:
   *This bloom is different - almost like fireworks exploding - each petal seemed to have a different shape and shade.
   *Using a rich black and white was the best choice - this allowed the different shaded petals to be showcased and gave some depth to the small shadow.
   *The minimal empty space.  I sometimes like to offset my main focal points.  Normally I leave an equal empty space for balance.  When I reviewed the image, I decided that this flower was bursting with originality and leaving a smaller empty space really showcased it's features.

  Do you ever struggle with weather limitations or notice that weather affects your art's output and mood?

Because I won't be posting until next weekend - I wanted to wish everyone a very

Hope everyone has a wonderful week!
-Jennifer

Taking A Second Look / Project 52 - Week 5

  This morning, I found it a bit difficult to get up early and finalize this Photo Of The Week post.  I've been struggling with some late night ideas...the kind of ones that won't go away until I get them finished.  Currently I'm working on a new watercolor.  I have this small blank canvas and every day I pass it at least a few dozen times.  I know what I want to paint...and hopefully today I can finally get it finished. I forgot how intense and demanding a painting can be at times - but I wouldn't trade this for anything.

  Photography can be quite similar to a painting.  The photographer sees the final product, even before clicking the shutter release button.  I know I do.  When I found a few minutes to work on this week's photo, I already knew what the image should look like, it was only a matter of perfecting the lighting and scene.

  Earlier this week, when I was changing out the vases with new bouquets of fresher blooms, I came across  one older flower that captured my attention.  I found myself taking a second look and really looking at the petals and structure of this bloom.  I knew that I wanted to use it for this week's photo in that same minute.  While the bloom was nearly on it's last days, I could still see the brilliance that it once held, and still held.  I took a few minutes on late Friday afternoon to capture this image indoors using natural light from a nearby window.  I applied a small texture to the empty space and was immediately in love with the final image:

Project 52 / Week 5:  "White Bloom n.1"
{Captured:  ISO 200 / F1.4 / 1/400}

  I try to make it a point to always take a second look, to look for the beauty in everything, even if at first glance it may not appear.

**I'll be adding lots of fun images today to Facebook - stop by if you get a chance!  Below is a sneak peek:

"Buttons n.1" 

"Candy Love n.4"

  Hope everyone has a wonderful week!!
-Jennifer