While I continue to attempt to finish up some projects — here are some more pictures I took this spring when it wasn't raining like cats and dogs and a plague of locusts. This time around: redbuds.
Friday, May 27, 2011
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Outside: Bradford Pear blossoms
I'm going to play catch-up with the spring blossom pics that I took this season, since it's rainy and I seem to be working on a project that does not involve wandering around aimlessly in down town areas photographing other people's trees & flowers. I've gotten some looks and concerned questions from some on-lookers this year — yes, I'm taking pictures of a tree in broad daylight wearing a bright magenta colored shirt — uh-huh, that would kind of make me a terrible burgler, wouldn't it? I mean, where's the stealth?
So, yes, this tree has already bloomed and moved on to just having leaves. Oh, and it's actually the Bradford pear tree in my front yard.
So, yes, this tree has already bloomed and moved on to just having leaves. Oh, and it's actually the Bradford pear tree in my front yard.
I'm not a photography purist, whatever that's supposed to mean. And quite frankly, there have always been lenses and different styles of camera and various miscellaneous factors, so, you know: it is an image taken through a piece of glass with various mechanical variables. How on earth that was ever pure... ah, that's me being esoteric.
I was recently (okay, maybe 4 weeks ago, it's a relative term) reading someone's blog where they asserted that they would no longer process their pictures using "filters" in photoshop. And I just kind of thought - eh, I'm not that declarative. Visually, if I think something needs to be tweaked or altered in a certain way — then I'm going to do it. I'm not going to let some false principle of "not doing something" cloud my better judgement. So, yes, these are all manipulated, and that's how I like them.
When I was photographing the plum cherry tree from a few entries back a neighbor actually stopped me on my way to my car to ask me what I was doing. I mean, he knew I was taking pictures of the tree, it was a question of why. My answer was this: because it's pretty.
It's the same thing with photo editing, relatively: because I like the way it looks.
Plus, it's an image, it's meant to be evocative. And besides that, anyone who owns, knows of, or otherwise lives near a Bradford pear tree can tell you: they look very pretty when they bloom, but they smell terrible. Although the bees don't seem to mind. There were points when this tree bloomed that it was just abuzz.
I was recently (okay, maybe 4 weeks ago, it's a relative term) reading someone's blog where they asserted that they would no longer process their pictures using "filters" in photoshop. And I just kind of thought - eh, I'm not that declarative. Visually, if I think something needs to be tweaked or altered in a certain way — then I'm going to do it. I'm not going to let some false principle of "not doing something" cloud my better judgement. So, yes, these are all manipulated, and that's how I like them.
When I was photographing the plum cherry tree from a few entries back a neighbor actually stopped me on my way to my car to ask me what I was doing. I mean, he knew I was taking pictures of the tree, it was a question of why. My answer was this: because it's pretty.
It's the same thing with photo editing, relatively: because I like the way it looks.
Plus, it's an image, it's meant to be evocative. And besides that, anyone who owns, knows of, or otherwise lives near a Bradford pear tree can tell you: they look very pretty when they bloom, but they smell terrible. Although the bees don't seem to mind. There were points when this tree bloomed that it was just abuzz.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Outside: magnolia
Spring has been a little strange this year. According to the calendar it began on 20 March 2011... well, it sure hasn't felt like it. It felt more like winter-lite. At least it did until this week, when the temperature seems to have risen. So, the magnolia had an interesting season of blooms. I mean about 3 weeks ago there was a day where the buds were covered in snow for 24 hours...
And now the blooming season is drawing to a close, so the petals are dropping... I suppose it's like confetti.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Sidewalk Tourism: cherry plum blossoms
The weather is getting warmer which means it's sidewalk tourism time. So, this is someone else's tree. After consulting Google I think this is a plum cherry tree. But I could be wrong about that. It's not my tree — I just drive by it in the spring and think "man, that is a pretty tree."
merry cherry
cherry wonder
cherry affection
(not yet titled)
cherry impression
I think I stood there for about 20 minutes photographing this tree, it was just that damned cool. I so have tree envy. You can find some of them in my Artfire shop: SunshineSight
Anyway, Mother's Day is on Sunday — so everyone have a Happy Mother's Day!
Anyway, Mother's Day is on Sunday — so everyone have a Happy Mother's Day!
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Outside: magnolia
As many of you know — we had some severe weather here in the United States this past week, including tornadoes in the Southern States. Well, I live in Michigan, so we just had rain, rain, more rain, and finally one giant thunderstorm that overflowed every river, stream, lake, and farm field or low area. I was at work listening to the rain pound on the metal roof when it happened... and then drove home on those country highways punctuating farm fields that looked like they were full of chocolate milk. Weather is not to be taken lightly.
Anyway, it finally stopped raining — just in time for the art walk. It was nice to finally participate in that event without rain.
In the mean time, the magnolias around these parts have been ready to bloom. That always seems to happen right when we're having inclement weather. Magnolias just have the weirdest timing. They're such pretty bushes, but it always seems to be gloomy out when they bloom, so, there was some photoshopping that took place with these photos... to make them seem less somber.
Anyway, it finally stopped raining — just in time for the art walk. It was nice to finally participate in that event without rain.
In the mean time, the magnolias around these parts have been ready to bloom. That always seems to happen right when we're having inclement weather. Magnolias just have the weirdest timing. They're such pretty bushes, but it always seems to be gloomy out when they bloom, so, there was some photoshopping that took place with these photos... to make them seem less somber.
They are actually all other people's magnolias, since ours has yet to open. Hopefully it doesn't snow tomorrow or something equally wacky like that.
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