Photographs

A Few Flower Photographs

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Introduction:
I can’t tell you how thrilled I am at the support I’ve gotten for my photographs! I am really touched. Today I wanted to make another “creative” post, but just couldn’t get behind showing any of the things I’ve started but not finished. What is consuming me creatively, is the photography so I hope you’ll indulge me one more post. However, I am working on finishing the linen series with hems, sewing, etc.

We have a big rose garden on the terrace and I’ve followed the season from the beginning first blossoms. I like the buds a lot.

I also like to take “arty-fartsy” photos of the roses. Lately our rose committee has dead-headed the roses so scrupulously that there aren’t many opportunities to find things.

I think this is called a passionflower bush.

A pink rose. What more can be said? Perhaps, I might need to look for captions for flowers here. Ugh, do I?

I liked this flower and was reminded of my mentor, Helen Pope. Her ikebana teacher recommended humiliating the main beauty by having something, maybe a leaf just slightly in front of it. I often have thought of that with my weaving and creative things.

Another rose. I like the two-tone color scheme.

And Now for Something Different:My Photography Progress Report

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Introduction:
It seems long ago, but I began learning to use a real camera last fall in preparation for a photography trip to Southeast India. When we got home (FEBRUARY 4th!!!), I continued practicing so I wouldn’t forget what I’d learned. About two weeks ago my neighbor down the hall GAVE me her “old” 3-year-old Olympus E-M1 camera plus 3 lenses! The learning curve has been hard and exciting so far. There are so many buttons, I can’t remember what all they can do and the book I have has been hard to figure out, too. However, on Monday of this week we were finally allowed to leave the premises to walk in the neighborhood or take a drive. Here are my shots from this week from our terrace and from a bike path along Corte Madera Creek just down the hill. I know this is a weaving blog, but just wanted to share more of my projects for once. My scroll work has been interrupted to learn this wonderful camera. Back to work all weekend!

I got up early yesterday to photograph the sunrise. The smoke from the fires in northern California made the intense color. I got up especially because people said the sunrise day-before-yesterday was spectacular with the smoke influence and lots of clouds. For 6 months I haven’t been allowed to leave the premises of the retirement place where I live. So I know the views from our terrace very well considering I’ve been going out on it every day.

Looking out from our terrace with the sun just about to rise. The rowers on the creek interested me. You can also see San Quentin in the distance.

The bike path goes along the Corte Madera Creek which flows into the San Francisco Bay. The tide was out and some shore birds have come back for the winter. I watched this great egret hunting for food and learned to know just when it was going to pounce.

Another egret photo.

I caught this one as it was about to take off.

Here is a black necked stilt beginning to take off. Sometimes out of focus is a good thing.

And finally, I finally caught a bee in the flowers on my walk on the terrace.