Life as I see it ... through a camera lens

Anastasia Island, part 2

2006-10-01T22:25:00.000-04:00

The best part about our walk on the beach was how few other people there were around us. Most of the beach was pretty much deserted. It was really, really nice.

There were actually a few nice looking shells on the beach, since so few people were there to scoop them up. This one was broken, but I thought it looked neat anyway.

I had never touched a live starfish before. Actually, I thought this guy was dead until I picked him up and he started wiggling. There were actually a bunch of them around.

Another thing I can't remember seeing before: baby seagulls. They're really cute. The gulls here didn't seem as aggressive as the ones at somewhere like Clearwater Beach, where they'll peck your eyes out to get your Wheat Thins.

Check out Adam's footprints in the wet sand. He was heading up to the sand dune that seperates the beach from the salt marsh.

Anastasia Island, part 1

2006-10-01T21:59:00.000-04:00

Pictures from the beach at Anastasia Island state park. It was a beautiful day.

The thing that always strikes me about the east coast is how the afternoon sun is at your back, rather than out over the water. I know it's a very "duh" thing, but since I usually go to beaches on the western coast, it is a small but unusual change. This is the afternoon sunlight reflecting off of the wet sand.

There were a few minutes when the sun went behind a stray cloud, and everything in sight was suddenly a deep, lovely blue.

There were very few people on the beach at all, but this mother and daughter seemed to be enjoying themselves. They both seemed so relaxed, just letting the waves roll up to their feet.

Since Anastasia Island is only a few minutes outside of St. Augustine, we decided to stop by our favorite mexican restaurant while we were there. We sat on the second-floor balcony, which is completely open to the bay. We have been very lucky when we go there, since we almost always get the very best table in the house -- right on the edge of the balcony, with a perfect, unobstructed view.
This picture is blurry on purpose. It sort of reflects how I felt at the end of the day ... so relaxed, a little drowsy, but happy.

eric and erin's wedding

2006-08-26T22:18:00.000-04:00

Eric and Erin had a lovely wedding recently. I wish more of my pictures had turned out well, but here are a couple that I liked.

I love the way the intense light washes out the window panes. Oh, and the cake is super cute!

The candles were so pretty as the backdrop to the ceremony. I really wanted to photograph this mantle covered with candles from a million different angles afterward, but I thought I might look kind of creepy, and I was hogging up the prime family photo backdrop, so I only took one angle.

This is Erin as she and Eric are leaving the reception hall.

Yay, Eric and Erin!!

P.S. ... if you happen to go to their professional photographer's gallery to view their pics, check out #709 ... it's me with my ever-present camera!

from june 2006 ... stuff I forgot

2006-08-26T21:55:00.000-04:00

These are some miscellaneous photos that I meant to post several weeks ago, but never got around to it. They are from our trip to Boca Grande for Jana and Howell's wedding.

This, my friends, is homemade motion blur. This is un-photoshopped. (Actually, 99% of the pictures I post are unphotoshopped, but mostly because I'm lazy.) Anyway, this was a cool looking tree stump outside of the beach house. Made cooler looking with motion blur. I'm thinking of making it my wallpaper.

This is just some random boat rigging / dock hardware stuff that had such an interesting form ... and notice the contrast of the heavy metal with the wood. Fun stuff.

A lovely picture of the lovely Miss Kate that somehow got left out of the original post of this series of pictures.

from may 2006, part 2

2006-08-26T21:47:00.000-04:00

These photos were also taken inside of the state park. A little less nature-y, though.
The fourth one is my favorite.

from may 2006, part 1

2006-08-26T21:28:00.000-04:00

These pictures were taken in May in a state park in Tampa, somewhere off of Fletcher I think. Adam, his dad, and myself went for a couple of hours one day in May. I think we plan to go back sometime when the weather is cooler. Anyway, there were plenty of fun things to explore and photograph. The picture below is of a calm, quiet little creek inside the park. The water was pretty cloudy, which gave it an interesting color and let the light reflect in such a pretty way.

lots of new pics!

2006-06-13T18:13:00.000-04:00

Adam and I were in Boca Grande last weekend for a wedding, and I took a zillion pictures. I put a bunch of them (28) on here, so scroll down and enjoy.

P.S. ... you can click on the picture to view it full-size.

relaxation

2006-06-13T17:55:00.000-04:00

Some of the porch chairs overlooking the water. I could sit here for hours on end.
Reflection of one of the boats and dock on the water.

The sunset reflecting on the water. Did I mention this was a relaxing weekend?

us in boca grande

2006-06-13T17:44:00.000-04:00

Adam outside of the beach house.
Me sitting on the dock. I was watching this school of crazy hyperactive minnows swim around.

Adam's big catch. I think it was the only thing anyone caught all weekend, actually. It was thrown back, of course.

Adam in the palm trees.

why don't we go to the beach more?

2006-06-13T17:30:00.000-04:00

This felt so nice!
Sea foam ... sort of.

Low tide on a gorgeous day.

High tide. Notice how the beach is practically non-existant. The waves were coming basically right up to the rocks at the sea wall.

Adam's dad and his cousin's wife, Jeannie. About ten seconds after I took this picture, it started to POUR down rain on us and we had to run back to the house.

momma and baby manatees!!!

2006-06-13T17:20:00.000-04:00

A baby manatee!! Right by the dock, close enough to touch. I have never seen one that tiny before.
Momma manatee with her baby.

Can you hear the cute gurgly-splashy sounds?

I only wish there weren't so much reflection off of the water. Maybe I can Photoshop that out ... later.

fun with family

2006-06-13T17:07:00.000-04:00

Adam and his cousin Abby seem to have the same thought going through their mind: "Mmmm ... biscuits."
I love love LOVE this picture. Adam and Kate. Perfect.

Daniel was not very happy that I stuck my camera between him and Spongebob.

This house was so relaxing, even Daniel took a break on the porch. Notice the legos on each armrest.

Adam became Daniel's new favorite toy. He spent a good five minutes figuring out how to tie the rope around Adam's legs to keep him from getting up.

As you can see, he was somewhat successful.

a couple of goofballs

2006-06-13T16:57:00.000-04:00

Adam and Kate at Jana and Howell's wedding reception.
Like, OMG, no way!

Hey, that was almost a great picture.

Oh, just forget it.

jana and howell's wedding 06.10.06

2006-06-13T16:51:00.000-04:00

Kate's bouquet.
Jana and Howell entering the reception. Yes, it's blurry. But I like it.

The sunset view during the reception. Beautiful.

driving through rural georgia

2006-04-13T10:39:00.000-04:00

can you find adam?

2006-04-12T21:40:00.000-04:00

jellyfish in motion

2006-04-12T21:28:00.000-04:00

the georgia aquarium

2006-04-12T21:23:00.000-04:00

What are these things? Tiny sand eels or something? They're neat, anyway.

They kind of look like confetti, don't they?

Sammy, the cutest kitty in the world!!

2005-12-30T23:17:00.000-05:00

museum trip part two

2005-12-30T22:51:00.000-05:00

At first there is nothing spectacular about this picture. That's me sitting on the wall thingy behind the Tampa Museum of Art. But I was struck by all the the cool geometric shapes and lines and angles in the picture. I like the way the wall sort of bisects the picture, and the squares of light on the sidewalk mirroring the square holes in the wall. And then there is the design in the sidewalk itself. But my favorite part is the ripples in the water behind the boat, and the way they create a pattern that sort of interacts with the wall.
Well, anyway, I thought it was neat. Good job, Adam.

I've always thought that this was a cool looking building. It reminds me of Legos. I want to put another piece in the top of it, inside of the groove.

I know I look like I'm strung out on bad meds in this picture, but I love how cool the buildings look in the background. Especially the B.O.A. building. It almost looks like it was pasted into the picture.

at the art museum

2005-12-30T22:44:00.000-05:00

Outside of the Tampa Museum of Art.

After about half a dozen pathetic attempts to take a picture of myself, this is the best I could come up with. Sigh.

Christmas Eve

2005-12-30T22:28:00.000-05:00

Adam and his little sister, Kate, decided to play on the trampoline for a while. Goofiness ensued.

Shoes in motion.

the open road at dawn

2005-12-30T22:24:00.000-05:00

Christmas Eve morning

Dogsitting

2005-12-09T22:41:00.000-05:00

I found out today that animals make very difficult photography subjects. They just won't stay still for the camera, darn it. Especially when they're doing something really cute. And when you finally get one to be good, the others are jumping all over you and tyring to get your attention. Sigh. So, out of about four dozen pictures, I got about half a dozen useable ones. These are a couple of my favorites.

Harley relaxing in the sunshine.

Nugget looking regal.

Nugget pouting because I am making her get off of the bed and go back outside.

Baxter behind bars.

Baxter looking adorable.

I love these dogs!!

fun with black and white

2005-12-08T11:52:00.000-05:00

I actually took these pictures about a year and a half ago using the Rebel. These were actually taken the day after Adam and I got married, as we wandered around St. Augustine. I still like them.

another nice day, another set of tree pics

2005-12-06T21:53:00.000-05:00

I have a very strange obsession with trees.

I don't know why really, but I think that trees are absolutely beautiful. To me, they are the perfect example of nature's beauty. I spend a good deal of my morning drive to school/work admiring the trees that line the roads.
I was especially struck by these trees today:

I thought this tree had such a brilliant color, and it looked even more stunning next to the sky. I couldn't get a good clean shot of the whole thing, so I just took a picture of what I liked: the leaves against the sky.

As I was leaving the mall at dusk, I noticed how pretty this line of bare trees looked silhouetted against the sunset.

Adam!!

2005-12-06T21:36:00.000-05:00

In case you were wondering, this is what Adam looks like when he stands behind you while you are sitting at the computer desk, if you were to lean backwards in the chair.
I knew you wanted to know.
Actually, I just think it's cute.

if you want nuts, you want professional quality nuts

2005-12-06T21:21:00.000-05:00

Does anyone else think this is a little strange?
Adam and I saw this sign on Saturday.

new camera testing

2005-11-28T11:22:00.000-05:00

Here are a couple of super-lame test shots just to check out the resolution. I will have to play with it much more over the coming weeks to see what it can really do. Each set is the original and a zoomed/cropped detail.

This is the result me sticking my head out of my front door to see what I could find to take a picture of. All I found was this plant outside of Eric's door.

This would be Adam's spice shrine.
Chili, anyone?

My morning

2005-11-22T22:01:00.000-05:00

This is my morning ritual and the only way I can stay awake all the way through a thrilling geology lecture. I adore Einstein's.

I actually went to my classes today, but I was pretty much the only one. Ok, there were a few people there, but it was pretty pathetic.

Extreme Dorkitude

2005-11-22T21:59:00.000-05:00

This would be Eric and Adam playing with their homemade D&D figurines. Ok, they weren't technically playing in this picture, but still. I've been dying to post it.

chili

2005-11-01T19:12:00.000-05:00

I didn't even mean to take this picture. I was just messing with my phone while we were at Steak N' Shake a few nights ago, and accidentally took this.
It was yummy, by the way.

i do occasionally have fun at work

2005-11-01T18:55:00.000-05:00

Top: Keith, wearing the Material Girl costume, which he split down the back when he bent over, and me.
Middle: my beautiful makeup job on Chris. He got screwed.
Bottom: Garrett is a dead ringer for Harry Potter. He put on the Gryffindor robe and the glasses, and I drew a scar on his forehead, and little kids actually asked if they could have their picture taken with him. It was awesome. We're trying to get him to come to the HP party.

camera phone pics

2005-10-21T23:33:00.000-04:00

The first picture is of a sign that hangs inside of one of my classrooms. For real.
Good thing there are only 100 eople in the class.

The second picture is of my and Adam's feet while we were swinging on the porchswing at Oven park a couple of weeks ago. That was such a nice night.

the halls of learning

2005-10-18T17:11:00.000-04:00

Strozier Library

oldies but goodies

2005-10-14T12:10:00.000-04:00

I took these pictures at the St. Louis Zoo a couple of years ago at Christmas. I stumbled upon them the other day, and remembered how cute they were!

surreal sightings at lake ella

2005-10-13T23:20:00.000-04:00

If I didn't know better, I might have thought I was on a bad LSD trip or something. While I was at Lake Ella, I saw the local bagpipe band holding a practice session, and some girl dressed up in a ballgown walking around the lake. Random.

lunch with adam

2005-10-13T13:32:00.000-04:00

at the old city cemetery and lake ella

2005-10-12T13:01:00.000-04:00

hello out there

2005-10-11T09:59:00.000-04:00

So I have been recently inspired to take up photography again, and I decided that it might be fun to post some of my photos on a blog. I make no promises as to how often this will be updated, but should I begin to seriously slack any of my friends should feel welcome to shove the camera back into my hands and tell me to go take some pictures.

I am going to go spend the better part of the day getting reacquainted with my camera, and then hopefully I'll be able to post those photos on here soon.

For anyone interested, I will be using a Canon Rebel. The good old fashioned film kind, not digital. At the moment, I can't afford a digital of the quality that I want, and there is just something about film that I really like. Occasionaly, you will find a picture taken with my camera phone. The quality varies, but sometimes I luck out and get a really great picture.

The picture above was taken with my camera phone. I saw this as I was walking through the student union on campus. It was drawn Friday night as part of the "Art in Low Places" sidewalk chalk contest. I have no idea who won, but this one would have gotten my vote. I think it is just beautiful.