Bird on a cold, snowy roof

46/52 for Monochrome 52

SPC - Magic - #3 & #4

Here are my final two posts for Self Portrait Challenge's December theme, 'Magic.' #3:




Christmas magic is a toy train around your Lego Christmas tree outside of your Lincoln Log home -- with a creepy guy standing in the background for no reason.

Seriously though, this shot wouldn't be possible without my kiddos and they are among the things I love most about Christmas.


and #4:



As we made some hard candy tonight, I was again amazed by the process of candy-making.  To watch through the various stages of the molten mixture changing texture, boil speed, temperature -- all without changing the applied heat or stirring.  It's gotta be magic!

The Lemon Drop

I guess because this building is bright yellow, I've never really considered it for a black and white photograph, but it turned out OK!

45/52 for Monochrome 52

SPC - 'Magic' - #2

Me and my girl on her birthday, Friday;

Her choice for dinner -- a local sushi place;
Kids even enjoyed going to a place they'd never been before (they were reluctant to try the sushi, but liked the teriyaki chicken and rice -- Harrison may or may not have been drinking his mix of soy sauce and wasabi);
Our favorite place for ice cream afterward and staying until closing;

Hugging these kids a little tighter and a little longer after the events of Friday morning;
Noticing the little things and realizing they are the big things.
This is magic.

Anderson Arts Center Chandelier

This is a chandelier at our local Arts Center. My company hosted its annual Christmas party there last night. I was interested in this chandelier as a photographic subject, but I try to be discreet in such settings. This was meant to be just a blind (not looking through the viewfinder or live view) test shot for purposes of focal length and framing.

I ended up widening up a bit and getting a straight on shot without the camera shake, but ended up liking this one better, anyway. Go figure.

44/52 for Monochrome 52

SPC - Magic - #1

Nothing up my sleeve

Near....Far....

on a recent foggy morning.

43/52 for Monochrome 52

SPC - Six Word Story - #4

Say hello to my little friend

So, last time we did "Six Word Story" as a challenge theme for SPC (November, 2010), I managed to extract a few six word stories from a few favorite films (Lord of the Rings; Star Wars ; Jaws)

One that I considered, but never got around to was this line from Tony Montana/Scarface.

I'm taking a slightly less violent approach (though I'm not sure that Gingerbread Man will survive that head wound -- and that screw eye through the skull's gotta hurt).

This is easily the most diminutive Christmas ornament on our tree, so it seemed appropriate.

Alternate shot below:





Here's the artoo-nate shot:



Say hello to my little astromech

All that remains...

42/52 for Monochrome 52

Revisiting this location as the building that once stood next to the remaining smokestack has been demolished, leaving only rubble.

SPC - Six Word Story - #3

85mm is too long for this

This was the only thing I have passing as a self portrait for this week.

Standing on top of some monkey bars on an unseasonably warm Thanksgiving Day in the park adjacent to my old elementary school watching my kids play with cousins.

Some alternate titles: The Kit lens might've worked better.

Who says longer is better, anyway?

Shoes photo will have to do