Forest Park.

Yesterday there was actually a break in the rain, and my friend was in town and had her camera, so we went to Forest Park and took some pictures. Forest Park is a big place and it is mostly just greenery - no gardens or anything, so I always wondered why people wanted to photograph there...but, if you look in unusual places, you can find things.









About the raindrops shot - I've talked about the "macro" setting on most cameras (symbolized by a flower), which lets you get pretty close to things but doesn't, obviously, function as well as a specific macro lens. But if you want to simulate a macro shot, just make sure that you get as close as you can focus, and that the picture has very good clarity (as clear as you can get it, which is made easier with a tripod, which I didn't have on me yesterday). That way you will be able to crop the photo and sharpen it in post-processing.

When you do major cropping like this, it drastically reduces the size of the file, meaning you won't ever be able to make good quality large prints, but it's still something that's nice to know how to do while you're waiting on the money to actually purchase a macro lens. :-)

A blackout, a freakout, and the zoo (again).

My laptop is temporarily out of commission as, due to manufacturer error, the screen has gone dark. Everything works fine...just can't see anything. So I'm posting this on a little netbook borrowed from my dad. Can't tell you how nice it will be to know, in a couple of days, that my photo editing resources are once again accessible!

Also, I'm thisclose to booking a flight to....Oakland, California! (Paid for, obviously, you know I'm broke) The lady who currently employs me wants me to help out with her archives that are two thousand miles away, so yes, it is highly possible that one day soon, this blog will be classed up with dreamy photographs of the beach and the Golden Gate Bridge. (Or whatever it's called. You know. The one in San Francisco) Eeek!

Lastly, yes, I went to the zoo again last week. But this time there were beautiful leaves on the trees and the temperature was a marvelously perfect 68 degrees. Hardly a trace of wind, either. Lovely, lovely day to be there (especially with kids in school!).

So sit back and enjoy the view. I think I'm getting better at this. Oh, and if you're tired of the animals, hold on to the end - the zoo also had....tulips!!

So, is there such as thing as animal portraiture? If so, I think I'd like to do that.









Of course, I could catch you in a bad way.



That will never fail to make me laugh. Moving on!







(He's alive, I promise)

I still need someone to explain the turkeys (?) let loose to wander.



I caught the tigers in stalking mode.



And, as promised, the gorgeous tulips.









It was a lovely, lovely day. =)

Marshall, TX.

While driving through the small town of Marshall, Texas last month, I passed by two buildings that stood side-by-side and knew immediately I had to turn around and capture them. One was condemned, the other long shuttered.







I passed so many wonderfully dilapidated buildings during my trip, but didn't have the time to stop for them like I did this. Guess I'll be building my crazy old buildings collection slowwwwly but surely.

(The "watermark" is still me, just from my side business. These were already prepared for Flickr so I didn't start from scratch)

Spring.

Spring is here. Really here. No more snow, just blues skies, cloudbursts, and blooming. Lots and lots of dogwoods blooming...









And magnolias, and orchids, and many colorful blooms of which I do not know their name. :)









Mind the ducks...

Pelican Island, which you may recall, is showing off the true beauty of the last of winter through vibrant browns and blues and whites, a perfect contrast between earth and sky.





And on the other end, spring sunsets are ablaze. (Not like our awful, boring summer sunsets)





Spring is here!

What in the world am I doing?

Worse than not posting, I've been neglectful of other blogs, and I really, really plan on getting over to them this week and doing my civic duty.

However, I have also been taking pictures and dreaming of getting them up here on the blog. I still have plenty of photos from the trip to post, but first, I'm planning an extravaganza - an ode to spring. This is the snowiest winter I can remember, and we are all soooo ready for greenery and tree blossoms and birdsong and warm evenings...ahhh. I've been out and about capturing all the newness, and you will see it all here shortly! Hold your breath!