Odd Duck

This is a bird I've been photographically stalking for awhile.




Hooded Merganser

Despite the biting cold on Long Island on the weekend, I spent a couple of hours on the beach looking to take some pictures. I have felt SO creatively stale and uninspired recently. But I woke up yesterday just needing to get out....so out I went.

I knew it was going to be cold and I was prepared. But it was REALLY cold. The funny thing is that it wasn't unpleasant (to me). In the time I was out, it occured to me just how much I really like winter. Now, I'm not saying I'm up for tromping around in sub zero weather. But temps in the teens....I can do. My friend Lori says "there's no bad weather, just bad gear

The best photo subjects of the day were the little sparrows in the brush. They were very busy and not particularly skittish. Actually, they were unusually bold. I was thrilled to get some nice sharp images.








I just liked this. I love the texture and swirly pattern. It's swamp grass in the deep freeze,

The latest challenge presented here is to create greeting cards from photographs. I decided to do one with a winter theme but not specifically for a holiday.

I recently found some GREAT textures to play with here at Flypaper Textures. I treated myself to a holiday gift of these wonderful, colorful textures for just this type of creative project.

Here's the original image, a little sparrow I photographed in the snow right outside our living room window.



And, the greeting card it inspired...



Please find links to the creations done by other challenge participants here.

This was great fun! I may have to do some more...

OH...and...HAPPY HOLIDAYS to all!!

Blogger Community Photo Challenge

The use of Leading Lines in your photographs can have a very powerful effect.
• They can create depth and perspective to an image.
• They can convey distance and provide a relationship between the foreground and background of the image.
• They draw the eyes into a picture, leading them through a scene or directing them to an area in the image that the viewer would otherwise not have noticed.
[above taken from http://blog.fotonomy.com/tips/creative-composition-leading-lines/]

I had hoped to get out and try and take some new photos for this challenge. Unfortunately....that didn't happen. So, please enjoy these images featuring the use of leading lines from my archives.





Please visit the blogs listed here to find links to the other participants of this challenge.

Two Eagles

I was in my home state of Indiana last week. I was driving down the road, and I saw a flash of white... a large bird out of the corner of my eye.

"Is THAT an eagle??"

It was! In fact, there were two.

Bloggers Community Photo Challenge - Autumn Colors

Let's see if I can even remember how to do this...
:)

The Blogger's Community Photo Challenge is back after summer hiatus and just in time to take advantage of the beautiful fall colors.

Peak fall color has not arrived on Long Island yet, but about two weeks ago, I had the occasion to be driving between The Berkshires in western Massachusetts and Bridgeport, CT. I think I lucked into the height of color in that area.

It was a strange day. The sky was dark, threatening bad weather. Some of the resulting photos have a slightly unrealistic color. It was one of those days when the sky was angry but at times, the sun would appear at an angle to give the entire scene a special glow. Just wanted to clarify that this was nature, not photoshop.






This is a different lake...right on the Connecticut line. The weather had cleared and it had turned into a beautiful day.



You can find links to other challenge participants in the comment section here.

Sometimes Your Coolest Dreams Come True...

I've had a secret in the works for a couple of months now and I think I'm finally ready to share some news. I've been afraid to say it....

I just made an agreement to sell the rights to FIVE images for use in Bruce Hornsby's upcoming album, Levitate.

I would have been thrilled with one....ecstatic over two....Bruce picked five. This is incredible....I'm beyond grateful to have this opportunity.

I have a contract here on my desk. The album is scheduled for release September 15.

He's touring again with his band. I saw three shows at the end of July, and I have four on my radar for the end of September/early October. He's playing dulcimer on one of songs from the new album. This is something I'd never heard him do before, and it was great fun to photograph.