I'm relatively new at taking pictures just for the joy of it. For every good photo I take, there are a couple of others that are deleted immediately and another dozen that I keep even though they aren't anything special. Fortunately, the camera seems to know what it's doing sometimes when the photographer doesn't.
Yesterday, for example, driving to work, I saw a hawk coasting in the wind. I grabbed my camera off the seat, put it against the windshield as I drove and snapped about five shots in the general direction of the hawk. The hawk didn't show up in a single shot, but this photo saved me from disappointment. The tint at the top of my windshield is responsible for the deep blue of the sky, but the wispy, watercolor clouds? I think Van Gogh's angel painted those.
Speaking of watercolors, that's what this next photo reminds me of. I was in the car when I took this one was, too. I had almost--but apparently not quite--stopped for a traffic light.
The next one is from our zoo trip last spring. I was trying to take a photo of a baboon sitting in his little concrete cave watching the people go by. Instead, I got a really nice closeup of a fence, with some soft baboon colors in the background.
I really like the colors of this next one. I took it through the window in my boss's office one day when it had been raining all afternoon. It was supposed to show how much water was standing in the parking lot, but I zoomed in too close and got this instead. Who knew the reflection of a dumpster would look so much better than the real thing?
When I took this one, the wind was huffing and puffing with all the force of the big, bad wolf. The action of the wind, in conjunction with my overzealous finger on the zoom button, created the waves in this photo of what I think was trees. I'll never know for sure.
The Spanish moss hanging down in this next blurry photo gives it a fantasy quality I like a lot. I think the bright colors and gentle curves would make it an appropriate illustration for a children's book. All it needs is a bunny in the foreground.
The fault of this final photo was a fast-moving peacock. I'd lined up what appeared in the viewfinder to be a good closeup, but my "model" took off running just as I pressed the button. Even in motion, these colors are beautiful.
Have I said I love my camera? Yeah, I've said that.
Hi Velvet, Cool photo essay! The next to last one kinda makes me dizzy!
ReplyDeleteIt is too bad you didn't get a pic of the fleeing feet and flying fur. :-)
ReplyDeleteI will have a cam in the layaway very shortly. I'm getting tired of all of yall with these nice photos and I don't have any anymore. LOL. My my Fuji 5 mega pixel rest in digital peace. Amen
I like the dumpster puddle best. It's quite relaxing.
Austin
the digital died several months back. I've been grieving it's passing ever since. His little silver body sits on my chest of drawers waiting for a proper burial. He served me well so ya know I can't just toss him in a 33 gallon bag like he never meant anything to me. We've been through too much for that. LOL. Oh my loyal friend, why, why did you leave me Fuji cam?
ReplyDeleteAustin
Can I steal the peacock eyes? I love them.
ReplyDeleteWell, I took them...did not think you would mind.
Sis 3
Happy accidents...my favorite is the first one, I just love clouds. I miss my digital camera, poor waterlogged thing.
ReplyDeleteWonderful accidents! Thanks so much for sharing them with us...the sort of images you could probably never plan for. Carmon
ReplyDeleteCreekhiker, I should have put up a warning: "Dramamine may be required."
ReplyDeleteAustin, I'm so glad you're getting a new camera, but I understand your attachment to the old one. Maybe a nice memorial service is in order. You could put him in a nice box and surround it with photos he took.;-)
Sister-Three, it's all yours. (And we need an update on Patsy, pretty please.)
Kat, I love clouds, too. I never imagined I'd take so many pictures of the sky, but I can't seem to stop.
Carmon, I make mistakes in a lot of ways, but I usually won't admit it unless they have a happy ending like these photographic errors.
I'm glad I wasn't the only one who needs Dramamine! I especially liked the cage-not enough people take photos of the cage. Who needs to see another baboon anyway?
ReplyDeleteWhat camera do you have? I wanna get me one of those!
Velvet, Patsy has what my RN daughter thinks is "sundown craziness". Erin says it is common in old folks who are on a lot of meds and even afraid of the hospital...when the sun goes down Patsy goes a little berserk.
ReplyDeleteShe is not doing well. Back in ICU.
Erin does think she will pull through. They have called her family to her bedside once. She has had 3 operations on this hernia. He said the scar tissue was all in the intestines. The Dr. did not give us a lot of hope, but we will see. I think I can post all this here as her daughter willnot see it. Patsy's daughter lives with her...she is able to work and care for herself, but has what I would call "low IQ". I try not to post anything that would frighten her.
Betty
I didn't know Patsy was having trouble. I hope things work out for her, sounds like she's been through a lot.
ReplyDeleteYou are demonstrating here one of those little "truths" I live by, that there is almost always something salvageable in everything we do. And, three of those photo-mistakes, as you call them, look like they could have been planned. Bravo on this blog post, Velvet. I really enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteJanet, I don't mean to brag, but I took a LOT of cage pictures that day--and some of them are even better than this.;-)
ReplyDeleteBetty, thanks for the update on Patsy, and I'm so sorry it isn't better news. Is it the pain medication (morphine?) that's causing the "going berserk" problem? Will the doctors do more surgery to attempt to remove the scar tissue? Patsy's daughter must be very worried about this whole situation, and it's kind of you to be so sensitive to her needs.
Annie, I'm glad you liked the photos. There's no doubt in my mind that there'll be more photos in this "mistake series" in the future.
My favorite is the first of the clouds and the puddle. All of them are very good though.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a small child, I was extremely frightened of those big male mandrills with the brightly colored faces. We went to the zoo several times and I hated to go near the baboon cages. I loved the chimps though and still do.
These are great - a different perspective - I'll have to stop 'deleting' so fast when I use the digital!
ReplyDeleteThe photo of the clear bars and the blurry baboon make me sad. That baboon sees those bars clearly everyday. The photo is like I'm inside looking out. I don't like zoos or circuses.
ReplyDeleteI haven't been on much, the girls keep me busy, and my dear sweet father-in-law recently passed away, he was such a good, kind man.
Schremsgems
Cindi, I don't know if it's the piercing eyes or the "war paint," but they do look fierce, don't they?
ReplyDeleteJackie, I rarely delete a photo until I look at an enlarged version on my computer. I delete a lot of 'em then, but sometimes they surprise me.
Sandy, I'm so sorry to hear about your father-in-law. Kindness is a wonderful legacy to leave for those who'll miss him.
I just love your spirit and the way your mind works. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteMy turn to share with you! To love the images you have posted,I think you would also love this 26 year young guitar player my son sent me a link to (for whom my son sent a link" sounds too odd): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUQzXQhAgvw
If that doesn't come through, just look up Erik Mongrain.
live and be well,
Christy
Christy, thank you for the link; he is AWESOME! After I watched the YouTube video, I went to his site and listened to the rest of the music there. What a talent!
ReplyDelete(Sorry, Janet, I said "awesome" before I remembered how you feel about it. But he IS. Awesome.)