Moon and stars over water

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It's time to think about gardening

It's time to think about what the garden should look like. The garden centers are full of gorgeous annuals and perenniels, and the other day I filled my imagination with the possibilities. Although it's still cold here, you can see that spring gardening is on peoples' minds.

 Some times, but not every year, I get my mother a bowl of pansies to enjoy while the weather is still cool. Her mother used to remark that pansies are very 'happy' flowers, because they look like smiling faces.

Tulips in containers are wonderful to enjoy right now, whether they're planted outdoors or kept indoors. The problem with tulips, however, is that critters like to eat them. I've planted them many times, only to find that some muskrat or other creature had made a meal out of them. I've been reading up on how to foil the critters so that I can plant and enjoy the flowers for more than a few days.

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Gay Civil Union

This was taken in June at Millenium Park where 33 civilian unions were performed.

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A Canadian Sunset

Is a sunset photo worthy of submitting for a contest?  Aren't there more unique things to capture than a sunset? Sunsets can be stunning and there is a lot that can be done in digital editing programs to pump up the richness and intensity of the colors.  This one was slightly enhanced in Aperture.

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The right moment

The right moment, the right light, the right angle, you have a snapshot of a captured moment.  Priceless.  Previously I talked about the Potowatomie Park Pavilion and how when standing at Boy Scout Island in the morning, the lighting wasn't the best to take a shot of the Pavilion.  This shot was taken that same morning at Ferson's Creek Park. 

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The right light

Lighting is important when snapping shots; the right light makes all the difference in the world as you can see with these two photographs of the same exact structure. I went out in the early morning and took a shot of this structure and then later that same afternoon. The morning shot shows the structure backlit, the afternoon shot shows the sun almost directly opposite.

This is the aternoon snap. Notice how more clearly you can see the detail of the structure.

These shots of the pavilion were taken from Boy Scout Island. This snap was taken from a slight angle.

This is the morning shot.  Because it is backlit, you cannot see much detail of the structure.

The right light cast on your subject will make your images pop, but it takes some thoughtful consideration and planning to be there at the right time of day.

When taking images in a dark church, knowledge of how to compensate for poor lighting is a must.

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