Took a photo of my love this week. Handsome lad. 
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Monthly Archives: January 2017
Photo Challenge 2017 – Week 3, Artistic: Red
This week’s challenge was to do something artistic with the color red and make red the focus. When I first stated thinking about possible ideas for this week, I immediately thought of Iron Man. I love Iron Man. I also wanted to incorporate the snow as a background and then as the snow began to melt this week, there were puddles everywhere and I love reflections. So here is my shot for this week, Iron Man in red, reflected in a puddle with a background of white snow.
Photo Challenge 2017 – Week 2, Traditional Landscape
This week’s challenge was definitely a challenge. We’ve had so much snow, grey and dreary skies and then travel became hazardous and then school was cancelled for much of the week. I had time scheduled to go out and take my landscape photos, but the weather and school schedules didn’t cooperate. I do love the snow though and I am very thankful that the school district is working to keep kids safe.
Finally, on Friday, the sun came out in all its glorious splendour. The boys and I had to get out of the house so we ventured to downtown Bend and went to Drake Park. I had visions of the boys frolicking in the snow while I wandered around taking pictures. The reality is that it was flippin’ cold, the snow was crazy deep and we lasted about 10 minutes in the park. It was absolutely gorgeous with the blue sky and sunshine though.
I took several photos of the river and I can’t decide which I like best – I like different things about each of them.
I like the crispness of color and the shadows in this one.
I like the detail of the post in the foreground and the birds in the distance in this one.
I love shooting into the sun. You never know what effect you’ll get and I love this one. The trees, the sun, the reflection in the river.
And finally, because I love them so, a couple shots of my boys.
Photo Challenge 2017 – Week 1, Self Portrait
Self portraits are strange, but as a highly introspective person, I think they’re pretty cool too. There are many types of self portraits – you might want to highlight your best features, or one particular trait, or show something that people might not know about you. You might want to capture a moment in time, a struggle or a triumph. You might want to don a costume or a mask to convey something about yourself that is inside of you.
For my self portrait, I simply wanted to capture this moment in time. I’m seeing the years make their mark on my face. Time marches on. I’m thankful that I have the opportunity to age, but it’s not always fun to see it happening to my face and body. The lines represent lots of worrying, tears and even some anger. There’s also so many smiles and a lot laughter etched into my face. Our friend, Gravity, is there too.
I’m thankful for the places these eyes have seen; Jamaican fruit trees, Tower Bridge, Lake Victoria, Crater Lake, my sister walking down the aisle in her wedding dress. I’m thankful for the sounds my ears have heard; Colin playing the piano, the voices of friends and family, the laughter of my boys. I’m thankful for the smells my nose has experienced – my Mom’s homemade bread, fresh cut grass, the London Underground (it’s a special smell). I’m thankful for the things that my mouth has tasted; jerk chicken from Barry’s at the end of our driveway in Linstead, Jamaica, a pint of Guinness at a pub in Dublin with Becky, a pot of Bi Bim Bap that my friends bought me when we went out for my birthday. I’m thankful for the things my hands have touched; my boy’s skin when they were babies, a bucket of wet plaster as it warms up before I dip scrim into it to create a sculpture, the dojo floor when I’m doing another push-up.
Genetics, time, experiences – these things shape us. This is me, January 2017.
Thankful Thursday – New Beginnings
I love Mondays and January 1sts and September school starts. I love new beginnings. I know that a lot of people don’t like or believe in New Year’s Resolutions, but I like the idea of looking back on the year that has gone by and making plans and setting goals for the year ahead.
I’m thankful for the opportunity to be able to look back, to look forward and to help direct my own life. To be able to think about the things that I am passionate about, to look at areas that can be improved, to celebrate victories.
Bright Starts and New Beginnings
I made a list of goals at the beginning of 2016 and it’s cool to be able to look back and see that I achieved some of those goals. I didn’t complete them all, but I made progress and that’s what is important.
Not everyone has the chance to plan and dream, many people have to simply survive. I am thankful for the opportunity and don’t take it lightly as the New Year begins.
Words on Wednesday – Thoughts on my Photo a Day Challenge in 2016.
I made it! I loved having a daily challenge in 2016. And it was, indeed, a challenge. In the end, I missed 6 days where I took no photos of any kind. That’s a bummer, but it also means that I took 360 photos! (I actually took so many photos this year and I love it!)
Day 1 2016 My First Image of the Year.
I shot the majority of my photos on my Canon D7200 that I got the year before. I took a photography course in October of 2015 and it was amazing! I have shot my photos almost exclusively in Manual mode since then. I took some photos in the challenge with my phone, but most of them were with my DSLR.
Day 29 2016
I have discovered that I love the journalistic style of photography. Capturing moments of everyday life.
Day 121 2016
I was lazy at times and only grabbed photos in the moments before falling into bed. This was good and bad. It caused me to look around my home and find those interesting (to me) scenes and images that I might have missed.
Day 207 2016
I didn’t do much planning at all. I just tried to be mindful of seeing things and getting my camera out and grabbing a shot. I carried my camera with me almost constantly, which I’ve never done before.
I definitely see the world in photographs. I love the idea of capturing and keeping moments. Nostalgia and memories are so important to me.
Day 261 2016
I did increase my skills with the camera, just through constant use. However, one of my hopes for this challenge was to try new techniques and explore more of what my camera can do and that didn’t happen. It turned into more of just getting a shot each day rather than planning shots and creating something. I don’t regret it at all and I got some amazing shots, but I do want to push myself more.
Day 246 2016
Looking ahead to 2017, I am embarking on another Photography challenge. It will be a weekly challenge and I found the prompts online. It will be something that I will be able to take the time to plan and work on various techniques. The website I found the challenge on is Dogwood Photography, and I like that it is more than just a list of prompts.
I imagine that I will return to the Photo a Day challenge in future years. Despite its challenges and frustrations, I loved doing it.
Day 115 2016
Photo a Day 2016 – Days 345-366
Day 345 – Colin and I helped out in the 4th and 5th grade class at church and the kids had to make Nativities out of Play Doh.
Day 345 2016
Day 346 – Getting jars and jar lids ready to our neighbor gifts.
Day 346 2016
Day 347 – Moon Rise.
Day 347 2016
Day 348 – I usually carry a huge bag day to day, but when I go out for an evening, I love being able to use one of the many vintage bags that I have – this one from my sister.
Day 348 2016
Day 349 – We had a big snow storm and I love it!
Day 349 2016
Day 350 – Two days off of school because of the snow required walking to the park to play in the snow and get some energy out.
Day 350 2016
Day 351 – Back to school for one day before the Christmas break. Parties and fun. Jude made a gingerbread house.
Day 351 2016
Day 352 – What a beautiful place we get to live in. Winter wonderland indeed.
Day 352 2016
Day 353 – Icicles.
Day 353 2016
Day 354 – The slushy, messy aftermath of snow.
Day 354 2016
Day 355 – Out looking at Christmas lights with the family.
Day 356 2016
Day 357 – Christmas moments – West Wing, Josh and Leo.
Day 357 2016
Day 358 – Dabbers.
Day 357 2016
Day 358 – Jake, the Snow Dog.
Day 358 2016
Day 359 – Homemade sushi for Christmas Eve Dinner.
Day 359 2016
Day 360 – This boy and this face.
Day 360 2016
Day 361 – The advent Nativity is complete and Jesus is in the manger.
Day 361 2016
Day 362 – Pretty lights.
Day 362 2016
Day 363 – My moon boots. Never got them as a child, but snagged them as an adult.
Day 363 2016
Day 364 – Snowshoeing. Beautiful day.
Day 364 2016
Day 365 – Jude and Zane have been eating the gingerbread house they made at Grandma and Grandpa’s. Jude decorated a couple of pieces for Zane. They said, “I love you, Zane. From Jude”. It’s not always sweetness and light, but my boys do really love each other.
Day 365 2016
Day 366 – Ringing in the New Year with my boys. Final photo in this challenge.
Day 366 2016
