Little Adventures

I have been lazy in photographing my paintings lately. But I haven't been too lazy doing photography. So, here are some of my latest fun photos. They are through the viewfinder of my Kodak Duaflex II. I ran a roll of film through it, but have yet to get it developed. So, in the meantime, I've been taking photos through its viewfinder, as well as the viewfinders of my two other TLR cameras. The following photos are all from the Duaflex II, though.

1. Indian Paintbrush atop Black Rock Mountain.




2. Pines near the summit of Black Rock Mountain.





3. Jaw bone on windowsill. Discovered while walking around Eureka, Utah.

4. Ancient mining machinary in Eureka, Utah.

I don't normally believe in love at first sight...

But for you, I'll make an exception. I have a confession to make, I've fallen for you, Seattle. I am, at the very least, totally and completely infatuated with you. I am smitten by your history, by how nature is reclaiming you crumbling brick by brick, by how close you are to both mountain and sea, by your sites, and smells, and the people that fill you.

I admit to even liking your quirks. I figure that's a good sign. A sign of potential perhaps. I quite adore how wonderfully mismatched you can be--how sleek, crisp skyscrapers jut out, protectively shadowing clusters of softened, worn-in mortar and brick buildings...how in some places you have crammed yourself right up to the edges, to the brink of falling into Puget Sound, and yet you have space for parks and grass and trees and courtyards...how you can be so full of grays and yet so vibrantly colorful. And I didn't even mind that it rained each time I visited you, even though it was not my favorite kind of rain. That's sort of a big deal for me.

You are large, but still have quaint corners, full and yet somehow still roomy-- how do you do it? How do you still leave me thinking that there may yet be room within you for me?

Some day, just maybe.

Geometry and Lights

Observe

A Corner Peeling

Various Stages

Neatly Arrayed

Arcade Fruits

Tasty

Skipping June

These are images that make me happy. I like the colors, the textures, and the memories associated with them. So I'm sharing a few recent photographs, taken in May and July:

Dappled
Photo taken in Eugene, OR.

Dodge Tire
Photo taken just outside Zion National Park.

Blue on Top
Photo taken just outside Zion National Park.

Theater
Photo taken in The Dalles, OR.

J.C. Penny Co.
Photo taken in The Dalles, OR.

Opportunistic
Photo taken in The Dalles, OR.

Honeysuckle Sherbet
Photo taken in The Dalles, OR.

In Spite of Circumstance
Photo taken in The Dalles, OR.

Birthday love

I just wanted to report that I got an awesome present from the Folks for turning another year older. I'm not sure what the big deal is. I mean, really, I should be giving my mom gifts on that day... but I'll go along with custom.
Now, it may have started from a recycled thought, but the product is brand new. My step-dad decided (again) that I might like a new digital camera*. It has been nearly 4 years since the first camera-giving, and even though it was an old idea, I'm more than satisfied with the new camera: a Canon PowerShot SX110 IS. A mouthful, I know. I can't even tell you just how excited I am about using it. Besides having all kinds of automatic and specific settings, it has a manual setting. It isn't quite a SLR, but I'm not quite there yet. Besides, I'm currently borrowing Jon's film SLR for practice, and any time we're out together, he lets me take all the digital SLR shots I can handle with his Nikon.
Now I'll be able to take really nice, crisp digital photos along with my Holga and toy camera shots. Oh the possibilities!

* I'm so grateful I have people in my life that support what I love and love me, and that my folks get me. I get that that's a big deal.

Worldwide Pinhole day

It's on my birthday this year.

And, yes, there is a website!

I'm prepared. I have a Holga that I now know how to easily convert to a PinHolga. Later this week, I'm planning on making a cheap little pinhole camera with my own two hands. Two pinholes for Worldwide Pinhole day, for my birthday. What a treat.

Indiana Photo Adventures

I have taken a good number of photos while I've been in Indiana. If the weather would have cooperated, I would have taken a great deal more. As it stands, it has rained here more than it has not. That hasn't been beneficial to my photography explorations. I'm not going to complain too much, however, since I did have a few gorgeous days out here, and I put those to good use.

In the days to come, however, I will have a few rolls of film developed and scanned to share. I'll admit that those are the ones I am the most excited about. I spent one day walking around Indianapolis on my own with a borrowed SLR Minolta (thanks, Jon), my Holga, my Windsor, and my old Nikon Coolpix E4600. Yep, that's the scrappy little digital that I use. Nothing special, but I have fun with it. Here are a couple of the photos I have to share for now:

self-portait on museum grounds

Garden Symmetry

This, my friends, is my Holga. I lent it to my dear little Jenna, who took it on adventures with her. When she returned, I took a couple of photos of her on a hike we took. Those photos can be seen here. (She's got this one shot with an amazing sun flare in it--I'm a little jealous.)

Since being reunited, I turned my Holga into a pin-Holga for a few shots, and then finished out the roll with the lens attached. I did this while my Holga was rigged to take 35mm film. I have that roll as well as a roll of color 120 format slide film to look forward to from my time out here. My Windsor has gone through a roll of 120 format B&W film and is working its way through some color slide film as well. When I took the Minolta with me to the Indianapolis Museum of Art, I took all sorts of photos on it while walking around the gardens. It was mostly for play, so I'm not sure how the shots will turn out, but either way, it was exciting.

The only wish I have left when it comes to all of this photography fun is to go back to Lafayette, Indiana before I leave. I would still like a nice day out there to photograph the buildings around the Tippecanoe County library. They have so much personality and history.

Life in February

I've been busy. Photographing, doodling, and moving. Life has been full of all kinds of things to do and see and accomplish. It'll be another couple of weeks before the doodles and sketches and little watercolors start showing up on here though.

I promptly followed moving across town with a road-trip to Arizona. So while this gave me loads of new ideas for paintings, and lots of opportunities to take photos, I haven't yet had the chance to get my computer set up at the new place. (I'm not even back at my new place yet!) So, no recent sketches to post, but here are some photos to check out:











The first few are from the Wave, near Kanab, Utah. (Coyote Buttes, to be more specific.) The last two I took at the Desert Botanical Gardens in Phoenix, Arizona.