Me…from down under

Is it possible that I’m a dreamer?
Do I spend too much time with my head in the clouds?
Or my nose in the air?
Or my eyes on the sky?

Maybe, just maybe.

Because when I was getting photos together for Ailsa’s Travel Theme Challenge theme BELOW, I realized how much time I spend looking up and how lucky I am I haven’t fallen over and broken my nose!

But then again, perhaps it’s not so much dreaming [though that’s okay] as what I like to think of as paying attention, seeing the whole picture, taking stock in everyday life, seeing beauty in the ordinary…

Right?

Oh alright. I’m a dreamer then and damned proud of it!

So let’s see what a dreamer with her head in the clouds, nose in the air, eyes on the skies, is all dreamy about then.

And if you are a dreamer too…would you see what she sees when the lens go vertical?

The Tate Museum in London from an ant’s perspective:

A Lloyd Wright design as seem from this lowly architecture lover on the ground:

Reflections are just reflections until they become art. Can you see the cranes? Construction never looked so good!:

It would be shameful it no one paid attention to the details of something as innocuous as ceilings…but when they look like this, it would be a crime!:

Bridges are a favorite of mine, and the Tobin in Boston is no exception. This, however, was taken on the fly and yes (shhh) I was driving! Thank goodness for sun roofs 🙂 Oh, and thank you God that I’m still here (dumb, I know):

Street light art? If you’re in London, the answer is a resounding YES!:

It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s a bird, it’s a ….yup, like that:

It’s a religious experience!:

Clouds are the ultimate source for wonder and awe from below:

Ever the Patriot:

Goodnight Moon:

Cheers everyone up there…from me, down below 🙂

Simplicity isn’t always simple!

This week, I’m trying a new challenge with Cee. This is her Compose Yourself Photo Challenge and the theme this week is Simplicity.

I encourage all my photo buff friends to go here and read her directives as well as her tips and tricks, as you have nothing to lose and tons to gain!

Here goes nothing…per instructions…4 photos of nearly raw and simple

(And as always, simply click on photo for full version. See what I did there? Simple? You got it).

Tree with Hula Skirt :) OR Lake Reflections — **Tree with Hula Skirt 🙂**
OR
**Lake Reflections**

What comes next is for extra credit (sweet)

Cropping before and after and Color vs. Black and White

The crop before and after:

BEFORE * I chose this because I like it, but also because the boat is about 1/3rd of the photo and wanted to see if I could crop it from landscape to portrait and still like it — **BEFORE**
*
**I chose this because I like it, but also because the boat is about 1/3rd (okay, maybe a little more) of the photo and I wanted to see if I could crop it from landscape to portrait and still like it**

AFTER * I find that I may have to redefine what the subject is with the crop version...but I still like it. Rather than the boat, I think my new subject is the light. — **AFTER**
*
**I find that I may have to redefine what the subject is with the crop version…but I still like it. Rather than the boat, I think my new subject is the light through the mist.**

The Color vs Black & White: I still struggle with the tones of black and white, but I do love them. Hopefully, they’ll get better with practice (or an editing software? Santa, you listening?)

COLOR VERSION * This regal fella doesn't have a whole lot of color to begin with, and I hope that is okay, but sometimes the most challenging for me are photos with a lot of white — **COLOR VERSION**
*
**This regal fella doesn’t have a whole lot of color to begin with, and I hope that is okay, but sometimes the most challenging for me are photos with a lot of white**

BLACK & WHITE VERSION * I'm surprising myself, but I actually like this one better. :) — **BLACK & WHITE VERSION**
*
**I’m surprising myself, but I actually like this one better. 🙂**

I may not have gotten the simplicity in every photo I chose, but I think I’m at least on the right road.
Cheers 🙂

W o o D

Cee’s Black & White Photo Challenge: Things Made From Wood

Hangin' out with the bouys — **Hangin’ out with the bouys**

Careful what you wish for…

In response to The Daily Post’s weekly photo challenge: “Careful.”

I hope those who read my blog, take the time to click the link above and view some of the entries for these weekly challenges. They are well worth it and the fun is seeing someone else’s take on the theme of the week. And the bonus is – some are astonishingly good! Just a thought 🙂

Anyway, I try to go with the first thought that comes into my head when I get see what the theme is, and this week is no exception.

When I saw the word “careful”, I felt the words “what you wish for”.

So..I gathered some photos of things that I often times wish for but more often than not, wish I hadn’t.

Let’s see if you agree…

How about when:

You wish for the un-decorated end of fall to become the clean and pure snow white of winter…does this wish become UN-wished by January?

Be careful what you wish for.

November Un-Adorned

December Purity

January Captured

Or when his ultimate wish for that first ride on the big boy tractor, then becomes…nah, been there done that, no thanks?

Be careful what you wish for.

Daddy and Me, Yay!

I think I changed my mind Dad!

That’s okay, I’m done now Dad

Let. Me. Off. Now. Daddy!

Have you ever wished for a little rain and been granted that wish one hundred fold? To the point where you start singing “Rain Rain Go Away?” (you hummin” it? lol)

Be careful what you wish for.

Cascading rain gets your feet wet!

We did wish for it…

We did need it…

But ENOUGH already!
My hometown of Northfield, VT in 2011, courtesy of Irene’s rain 😦

So, there you have it
We make wishes every single day
It’s just sometimes…
Be Careful What You Wish For!

Hat Heaven

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Hats

I don’t often see women wearing hats anymore. Nowadays, when I see a woman in a hat, it’s usually part of a costume, or a fashion show of clothes no one actually wears but all ooh and ahh over.

We see them on TV when the British Royals are in view, or if it’s The Derby on the news, you see American women sporting rather lavish head coverings, but honestly, they don’t seem to carry it off as well as the Brits.

Men? They’re a different animal all together. Put a ball cap on and call it “Honey, let’s go” time!

But I do remember a time when hats were ‘the thing’. Especially on Sunday mornings in church…hats, hats, everywhere or at the very least, a square of lace pinned in place.

Makes me wonder…where did all the hats go to die? Well, apparently, flea markets and antique stores!

Seriously, it’s a veritable hat haven! Or would that be hat heaven…hmmm

It was there all along…

The Daily Post Weekly Photo Challenge this week is: (Extra)ordinary – Mundane and meaningful objects. Beautiful everyday things. This week, surprise us with something or someone (extra)ordinary

Seeing the world through a lens is as second nature to some of us as changing our underwear.

Would you leave the house without changing your underwear?

No…nor I think, would you leave the house without your third eye…correct?

Anyway…for people like us, (the underwear changing kind) seeing the Extra in the Ordinary is really just a matter of perspective.

We see it everywhere in every thing…eventually.

Sometimes, it’s in the reason we stop and shoot.

And sometimes, it’s in the 5th or 10th or 30th shot with minute changes in a particular subject.

But most of the time (at least for me) it’s often just a change of perspective…moving my focus, moving my feet, or just plain, being moved.

Below are some of my photos that I believe are Extra-ordinary. Not because they are great photos, because they are not. Some are pretty good, some are damned good, but some are just okay.

And I’m good with that. What I appreciate about all of them, is that by changing my perspective, choosing to shoot in less than favorable conditions, or focusing on the emotion of them and therefore hopefully translating it to the picture, more often than not, bring out the Extra in some of the more everyday, mundane, and ‘it’s just a sunset’, pictures.

Thanks for looking and here’s to more of the Extra in all of our Ordinaries.

And by all means, click on the photos to get the ‘extra’ full size effect. lol

Cheers 🙂

When a beautiful ocean sunset... — **When a beautiful ocean sunset…**

...become 'extra' for the frond silhouette — **…becomes ‘extra’ for the frond silhouette**

**When a lone fishing boat surrounded by sea birds becomes ‘extra’ for the blanket of morning sea mist**

**Or when a lonely cabin in the middle of acres of dormant farm land becomes haunted and ‘extra’ for the snow fog quietly taking over**

**When I capture a magnificent ‘*bird of prey*‘, I’m not yet thinking..**.

**…about who he becomes when zeroing in on this beautiful ‘*bird who prays.* For me, they both become the ‘extra”**

IMG_0023 (2) — **When a sunset becomes so much more, has so much ‘extra’, when captured on a day the sky is teaming with the right combination of pollutants. Pollution as extraordinary? Extraordinary!**

1015230_10201188597627895_1558047865_o (2) — **When what the ocean throws away that which is more beautiful than anything than man can make…it becomes ‘extra’**

1040100_10201276390022650_1394358944_o — **And when the ocean captures and transforms what man has left behind, and turns it to something beautiful…it has that ‘extra’**

**Or when a forgotten church, surrounded by shadows of life forgotten…seen from a distance, and imagining its history…it becomes the ‘extra’**

S L I T H E R I N ‘

“Shannon’s Creative Photo Challenge: Spooky/Mysterious”

What spooks me?

Ummmmm

If you slink and slither…YoU WiN!!!

**Me thinks this Babe in Armour needs a good Mani-Pedi! Any volunteers?**

**Alright already…wish she’d stop glarin’ at me. It was just a suggestion. Eeeew**

**That’s it. I’m not sticking around to find out! Ugh**

**The lady in white herself – Bella Luna – Um…yeah Spookity Spook!**

ONE WORD – AUTUMN

A one word photo challenge.

Keeping things to one word is certainly a challenge for me!

And so is keeping it to one photo 🙂

Ha…not what she meant, I’m sure.

Anyway, here’s my entry for Jennifer’s One Word Photo Challenge: Autumn

My favorite time of year in my favorite place to be…Autumn in Vermont

TAG…You’re It!

CEE’S FUN FOTO CHALLENGE: MAN-MADE ITEMS

Graffiti and Murals

Considering the amount of PRIME tagging surface in and around the city of London, I was amazed and impressed that the graffiti artists show so much respect for their city by adding creative value where they doodle rather than taking value away by defacing beautiful architecture. (Either that, or the laws for graffiti are so tough it’s not worth getting caught!)

Anyway you look at it, what graffiti and murals I did find, were photo worthy and I’m happy to share them here, as well as some from the coastal town of Whitstable, where I was lucky enough to plant my arse in the same seat where Peter O’Toole planted his! True story 🙂

This mural, painted high up on the side of an old building, is meant to depict the royal family. I don't know if it's offensive to them, but personally, I think it rocks! — **This mural, painted high up on the side of an old building supposedly depicts the royal family. I don’t know if it’s offensive to them, but personally, I think it rocks!**

These three were painted on the walls surrounding an area kids use for skateboarding and bike tricks. It's quite clever what they've done and the murals are fantastic! — The above three pieces of wall art, are on the walls and a concrete column surrounding an area kids use for skateboarding and bike tricks. It’s quite clever what they’ve done and the murals are fantastic! And yes, that’s OUR fearless leader; so popular in Bonny Ol’ England. That’s something huh?

Glad we cleared up who the author is right? Would hate not knowing! :) — **Glad we cleared up who the author is right? Would hate not knowing!**
🙂

This one was just too cute to pass by...no clue what it means, but me likey — **This one was just too cute to pass by…no clue what it means, but me likey**

Graffiti's answer to the Rorschach test? — **Graffiti’s answer to the Rorschach test?**

Talk about creative! This is actually a beach hut in Whitstable, painted entirely with these characters. Tiny though the beach hut is, it HUGE on fun — ***Talk about creative!***
***This is actually a beach hut in Whitstable, painted entirely with these characters.***
***Tiny though the beach hut is, it HUGE on fun***

And finally (blurrily?)... Life is Beautiful. Yes. Yes it is! — **And finally (blurrily?)…**
**Life is Beautiful.**
**Yes. Yes it is!**

SHANNON’S CREATIVE PHOTO CHALLENGE: SILHOUETTES – Through the trees

Photo Challenges. Before this week, I didn’t know they existed. Since then, it’s become almost a full time job…one that doesn’t pay a cent…but I love it anyway!

Here’s my entry into Shannon’s Creative Photo Challenge: Silhouettes