Once Upon A Time In The (mid) West

Photo Friday - 'Grandeur'

2012-06-01T01:10:00.000-04:00

SPC - 'Shadows' - #5 (and then some...)

2012-05-29T22:38:00.000-04:00

I ended up with a bunch of unused outtakes that I'm sharing below. I found myself much more consciously aware of the 'shadows' theme than I usually am of other themes.

Outtake #1 -- 'Minnestrista Glass'

Until I fell in love with the tones in 'Visitor' (above), I figured this shot would be the one I'd be submitting to SPC for the final week of the 'Shadows' challenge. As soon as I saw this installation at Minnetrista, I had this shot in mind. The kids both acted like they didn't want to be in "another" one of Daddy's self-portrait photos, but they ended up in more of them than not. This was my favorite.

Outtake #2 -- "IU"

I've used this public sculpture for a self portrait before, though in an entirely different manner. There are three of these large U-shaped sculptures. Kids love to play on them. I suppose this proves that I do, too. :-)

Outtake #3 -- "Stairs"

This one might have been a contender if I had thought to reach out and grab the rail to make it appear as though I was holding the lightning bolt on the left side of frame. "Any resemblance to Greek Gods, living or dead, is purely coincidental."

Outtake #4 -- "Bundled Yellow Pipe"

Meh.

Outtake #5 -- "52 Card Pickup"

This shot has been done before and much better than this one. I had conceived that the shadows from the cards would be more dramatic than what I got. Thought I'd share it, anyway.

Reclining Pagoda

2012-05-29T17:10:00.000-04:00

It appears that I neglected to post my photo from my Monochrome 52 project here last week. I posted it on Google+ and Flickr -- just spaced the blog, I guess. So here's the shot from last week:

15/52 for Monochrome 52

...and here's the shot for this week:

16/52 for Monochrome 52

Photo Friday - 'Of House And Home'

2012-05-25T10:59:00.000-04:00

SPC - 'Shadows' - #4

2012-05-21T02:03:00.000-04:00

My idea (above) quickly devolved into the (possibly better) idea that the kids had: Thankful that they'll cooperate with me for one shot (if I'm sufficiently fast). More thankful for their free spirits which inevitably turn into better moments that what I had planned. :-)

Photo Friday - 'Walk'

2012-05-18T01:49:00.000-04:00

SPC - 'Shadows' - #3

2012-05-16T10:22:00.000-04:00

Deference

2012-05-15T17:20:00.002-04:00

As much as I love lonely trees located in the middle of fields primarily used for planting crops, what I like to believe is that somebody loves these trees more than I do. I don't own the property. I don't have to maneuver my plow, planter and harvester around the trunk and root system of this old tree. I don't have to sacrifice the pride of perfectly parallel planting rows. I love being able to appreciate the beauty of these solitary beauties -- I guess it's good to know I'm not the only one.

14/52 for Monochrome 52

Photo Friday - 'Detailed'

2012-05-11T11:46:00.000-04:00

World's Biggest Rubik's Cube

2012-05-07T23:28:00.000-04:00

13/52 for Monochrome 52

SPC - 'Shadows' - #2

2012-05-07T23:23:00.000-04:00

#2 For Self Portrait Challenge - 'Shadows' -- playing with homemade cookies.

Interestingly enough, this particular cookie was a cooling rack (wire grid) that Christy usually uses for -- you guessed it -- cookies (the kind you eat).

Worlds are colliding!

Photo Friday - 'Downward'

2012-05-04T12:14:00.000-04:00

SPC - 'Shadows' - #1

2012-05-03T17:46:00.000-04:00

The challenge theme for the month of May is 'Shadows.'

After a washout Tuesday, I found some lovely late evening light last night for this shot:

Grazing

2012-05-01T13:44:00.000-04:00

12/52 for Monochrome 52

We had a foggy morning one day last week. I love making photographs in the fog and I often have monochrome in mind when shooting in these conditions anyway. I figured I'd be able to find a subject that would work for this week's Monochrome 52 project.

Here are a few other shots from the same morning:

Photo Friday - 'Portraiture'

2012-04-27T09:08:00.000-04:00

SPC - 'Black & White' - #4

2012-04-25T08:23:00.000-04:00

About a week ago, friends from college who are missionaries in Paraguay were involved in a fatal car accident there. The wife and mother, Julie, and her six-year-old son, Timmy, were killed in the accident. The father, Norberto, and adopted daughter, Anahi (18 months), survived the accident and are OK after a brief hospitalization.

While the university community through which Christy and I knew them mourns, it has been good to see and be a part of the outpouring of prayer and financial support to the Kurrle family.

This account of the memorial service for Julie and Timmy at their church in Paraguay is nothing short of inspiring (and heart-wrenching -- you've been warned) whether you knew this family or not.

Another college friend said this: "It is hard to be joyful in the midst of grief. I've experienced such a sadness since last week's tragic news of Julie and Timmy's deaths. But reading about what took place at Saturday's memorial service offers a glimpse at how joy and grief can co-exist. Julie is still teaching us, after death, through the memories of those individuals who had the privilege of knowing her."

Surface Tension

2012-04-24T17:06:00.000-04:00

11/52 for Monochrome 52

SPC - 'Black & White' - #3

2012-04-20T22:37:00.002-04:00

Photo Friday - 'Crimson'

2012-04-20T01:10:00.001-04:00

Cades Cove Black Bear

2012-04-19T17:20:00.000-04:00

This was our third trip to the Smokies in four years -- and our first bear sighting!

There was also a cub that you can't see in the first shot.

There were also some other odd creatures nearby:

Predators, by the look of them.

**

These creatures multiply with great speed:

Sad Tulip

2012-04-17T21:42:00.000-04:00

Inevitably, after the temperatures get warm enough to entice the tulips to blossom, we have a cold snap. Later this same day, this resilient little tulip was straight as an arrow, standing straight up. I guess a little bit of sunshine helps us all get through the days.

10/52 for Monochrome 52

Photo Friday - 'Soft Light'

2012-04-15T22:29:00.000-04:00

Our last day in the Smoky Mountains, we visited Cades Cove. Somehow, the previous time we were there (3 years ago), we must not have stopped at the Cable Mill section of the loop.

As soon as I entered this room at the Becky Cable house, I was attracted to the light pouring in to this empty room from the north-facing windows.

I asked Christy and the kids to pose for quick portraits.

Yes -- Harrison had a bit of a shiner on his left eye. The Friday before we left for Tennessee, he lost a fight with a teeter-totter at the park. We had a running game to guess what color his eye would be the next morning.

Photo Friday - 'From My Window'

2012-04-12T17:00:00.000-04:00

Just now getting in late on last week's theme: Hoping from my CAR window qualifies... There are so many things wrong with this sign...

SPC - 'Black & White' - #2

2012-04-10T22:16:00.001-04:00

Astute observers may notice that I have one wet pant leg here. We had lunch near a rocky stream and the kids were enjoying jumping around the boulders among the stream. I was helping the kids navigate across the trickier sections.

Harrison decided to use me and my arm as a repelling rope of sorts which had been OK the day before among similar terrain when I was wearing hiking boots and the boulders weren't quite as mossy. Unfortunately, this time the rocks were wet and mossy and I was wearing my chucks. Again, mostly OK, but one time he jumped out away from me when I wasn't expecting that and I lost my footing.

What you can't see in this photo is that my left hip was also soaked from when I fell and took a seat in the stream.

Could have been worse. I managed to save D90 which I had across my shoulder. I didn't have my camera bag with me at the time and I didn't have my iPod in my back pocket like I sometimes do. My wallet in my left front pocket got a little wet, but nothing that wouldn't dry. Both kids managed to stay mostly dry as well.

Pretty sure I wore my boots for all hiking/climbing activities the rest of the time. :-)

Here's a color version of the same shot:
Hopefully more vacation photos coming soon!

SPC - Black & White - #1

2012-04-10T17:42:00.000-04:00

The challenge theme for Self Portrait Challenge for the month of April is 'Black & White.'

This is a shot from our spring break vacation to the Smoky Mountains last week: