Saturday, January 31, 2009

Ship Cleats


Ship Ties, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

This is another photo from my San Diego trip. These are what the ship was tied to, and I think they're called cleats. This is in keeping with my recent trend of photographing gritty, worn things. Also, I like stars!

Friday, January 30, 2009

Ship & Sky


Ship & Sky, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

This isn't a new photo; in fact, it was taken Christmas Eve in San Diego. I'm just now getting around to editing those photos though, because I'm a procrastinator.

There were a ton of boats and ships anchored everywhere, and I loved the tall mast on this one, and the sky behind it. This is an attempt at a pseudo-HDR from a single RAW file.

Thursday, January 29, 2009

White Picket Fence


White Picket Fence, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

Our version of the white picket fence: short, wobbly and cracked. We'll be trying to grow jasmine on it this summer. It's part of our American Dream.

BBQ Rust


BBQ Rust, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

The rust collected on my fiance's old camping BBQ, which we call R2-D2 because of the little round shape of it. I don't know why I've been so interested in rusty, worn out, damaged things.

Monday, January 26, 2009

Dewdrops


Dewdrops, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

These dewdrops were so pretty, I couldn't resist.

Buttons in Sepia 1-25-09


Buttons in Sepia 1-25-09, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

An assortment of black and white buttons I have. I like the sepia tone better than the color version or the black and white version, and so did Cate :)

Friday, January 23, 2009

Purple Plant with Spring Flowers


Purple Plant 1-23-09, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

This plant is crazy. Yesterday it had no flowers. Today it's blooming all over the place. Maybe it's the 80 degree temp that's making it confused.

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Denali's Shake 1-22-09


Today you get a snapshot of one of our babies, Denali, learning to shake. She's so cute!

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Clay Sun Glow 1-21-09


Clay Sun Glow 1-21-09, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

When I got home from work today, I let Denali (our dog) outside as usual. I just happened to be there at the right time. The warm afternoon sunlight was hitting the clay sun that hangs on our fence. The glow was perfect, and I ran inside to grab my camera.

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Horsehair Vase 1-20-09


Horsehair Vase 1-20-09, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

Success! This morning I was whining about my preference for shooting close-ups and macros (except landscapes), and my difficulty photographing an entire object.

Here I actually started with close-ups of the pattern because it's so intricate. But I kept moving back, then I saw the shadow on the side, then I got out the black background and... I love it.

Monday, January 19, 2009

Worn Child's Chair Close-up 1-19-09

I like this photo much better. What I love about the chair is how the wicker is so worn, broken and unraveling. This is much more interesting than the full-length, in my opinion.

Worn Child's Chair 1-19-09


Worn Child's Chair 1-19-09, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

I'm not too happy with how this came out. I didn't get the angle right to show how small it is. But I suppose that's what happens sometimes when you're trying new things.

This was my fiance's favorite chair when he was a kid. Obviously he sat in it whenever possible.

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Morning Light Cactus 2 1-18-09


Morning Light Cactus 2, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

Another view of the cactus in front of the window.

Morning Light Cactus 1-18-09


Morning Light Cactus, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

As soon as I came downstairs this morning I saw what I wanted to photograph! All of our plants are inside because it froze overnight a few days last week.

The cactus was glowing from the light coming through the blinds, and I feel lucky that I caught it at that moment.

Penguin & Turtle Contemplate Life 1-17-09

This is the second photo for 1-17. Cate gave me these for Christmas this year. She's the penguin, and I'm the turtle (but the rest of the time we're ninjas).

Kimono Landscape 1-17-09


Kimono Landscape 1-17-09, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

You may have noticed there's no photo for 1-16. I'll admit it - I was just completely uninspired. I tried to make up for it by doing 2 photos on 1-17.

This is a scene from a beautiful kimono my friend Jessica gave me when she returned from living in Japan for a year.

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Retro Sunglasses 1-15-09



Today's challenge was photographing myself, which I haven't done before. I wanted to show off my awesome new sunglasses, and I think it came out pretty well. Sadly, watching every season of America's Next Top Model has not taught me how to model!

Happy Gas Tank 1-14-09



Obviously this isn't an artsy photo, but it does have a story:

Last night on my way home from dinner with Cate I ran out of gas. Fortunately I had taken 183 and was near an exit - a downhill exit, thank god. I turned on my flashers and prayed for a gas station on the access road. I saw one only a little farther away, but my downhill momentum didn't get me there. By the time I got to the bottom of the exit ramp I was barely moving.

Somehow I made it over to the right-hand lane without getting killed (sorry, everyone who was behind me). A nice guy had realized I was in trouble, pulled into a parking lot, jumped out and started pushing my car. I got out to help when I could, but I kept having to run to the front to steer.

After about, oh, forever pushing the car, he and I got it to the gas station. A couple had spotted us and pulled into the station. Unfortunately, there was a ramp to get up to the gas pumps. You don't realize how heavy your car is until you and 3 other adults are pushing as hard as you can, and it won't budge.

We got it up enough that it wasn't in the street, and the husband of the couple suggested buying a gas can at the next station. (The store where we were was closed, of course.) The nice guy left, and I went with the couple to get a gas can. We chatted on the way.

It turns out the couple was from Dripping Springs and had come into town to pick up their Saturn because it broke down a couple of days ago. The wife said, "Honey, the other day someone was helping you push this car, and now you're helping someone else. Isn't that funny." Thank you, karma.

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Basket 1-13-09


Basket 1-13-09, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.


My fiance's parents gave us a bunch of Christmas decorations they didn't want/need, and for some reason this basket came along. With shiny beads, gold wire and brightly painted slats, how could I not photograph it?

Monday, January 12, 2009

A Bit of Shine (aka Shiny Balls) 1-12-09


A Bit of Shine 1-12-09, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

My friend Cate gave these to me at some point, knowing how I love colorful, shiny things.

Old Skates 1-11-09


Old Skates 1-11-09, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.


This is a pair of my fiance's old skates, and I mean OLD. Last year he got a new pair, but he'd been wearing these for years - torn up, broken down, halfway tied, loose blades and all. I think it's so cool to have an object that shows all the work you've put into something.