Orchid Photo

New Website

2009-06-27T13:44:00.002-05:00

I broke down and bought a website awhile back, hoping to look more professional and maybe someday sell some photos. I really didn't want to announce it until I got the theme looking exactly like I want it, but that has proven difficult. I'm a photographer, not a web designer! I know a little CSS, but no .php. Try to focus on the photos :)

http://michellegarrettphotography.com

Website Under Construction

2009-05-25T20:49:00.001-05:00

I'm moving to a "real" website that hopefully will be more professional. I don't know how long it will take, but I'll let y'all know!

Bead Blocks

2009-05-07T20:13:00.006-05:00

I found these beads in a drawer and loved the colorful stripes. I had fun stacking them up, moving them around and changing the focus. They came out just how I wanted them too.

Connection

2009-05-06T11:58:00.002-05:00

Connection, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

I noticed the spirals on the right-hand limb, and then I realized they were created by the left-hand limb reaching out and wrapping around. I'm not a philosophical person really, but it made me think about different connections, and also how people can grow together over time.

'Moses in a Basket' & Raindrops

2009-05-04T20:06:00.004-05:00

Purple Plant & Raindrops, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

This was originally named 'Purple Plant & Raindrops' but thankfully my friend Jessica knows the real name :)

This might be the best raindrop macro I've gotten so far. I've been envying other people's techniques with this on Flickr (and I'm still not as good). Cate at www.catescott.com has some great raindrop macros, so check those out for more.

KC & Cate in Sepia

2009-05-04T19:58:00.003-05:00

KC & Cate in Sepia, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

This was toward the end of our fabulous day with Cate & KC at Bull Creek. A tired KC came over to get some love from Cate. I love her expression!

Bokeh Love

2009-05-04T19:56:00.003-05:00

Bokeh Love, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

I got SO much bokeh, wheeeee! Kevin and I spent Sunday afternoon at Bull Creek in the most awesome spot that Cate found. Denali and KC got to see each other again, swim, chase each other, fight over sticks etc. The adults got to laugh at them and get a lot of sun. And photos, of course.

Begonia 2 textured

2009-05-02T21:52:00.003-05:00

Begonia 2 textured, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

I'm really proud of how this came out! With the texture it reminds me of a painting.

Bokeh Begonia

2009-05-02T21:51:00.003-05:00

Bokeh Begonia, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

Fountain Drops

2009-04-30T11:56:00.002-05:00

Fountain Drops, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

This is the edge of a really cool water fountain outside a Dr. office I visited yesterday. Apparently I have gotten over people staring at me taking photos, because I sat down on the sidewalk and snapped away for at least 20 minutes.

I took a whole bunch of photos because I couldn't tell on the LCD if the drops were in focus. I also wanted to get some good bokeh in the background. I think this is a success :)

Purple Flower

2009-04-30T11:53:00.002-05:00

Purple Flower, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

Playing with my new 50mm lens! I'm a lot more pleased with my attempts yesterday than I was on the first try.

I used Google images to try and find out the name of this flower, but I still don't know.

"Swine Flu" Kit

2009-04-29T09:48:00.003-05:00

"Swine Flu" Kit, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

Everyone in my office got this today. It's our swine flu voodoo kit! Cross your fingers, people.

Rusty Grill Texture

2009-04-26T19:14:00.003-05:00

Rusty Grill Texture, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

The little camping grill gets more and more rusty and discolored the more it gets rained on.

Torn Paper Texture

2009-04-26T19:13:00.003-05:00

Torn Paper Texture, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

I'm not sure I've got the color balance right on this one. Welcome your suggestions!

Grunge Metal Texture

2009-04-26T19:12:00.005-05:00

Grunge Metal Texture, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

This is my favorite new texture! It's from the top of a barrel Kevin's had for years.

Tortillas

2009-04-26T19:10:00.003-05:00

Tortillas, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

I guess I'm hungry, taking food photos!

Finger-lickin' Chicken

2009-04-26T19:08:00.002-05:00

Finger-lickin' Chicken, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

Kevin called me outside to look at the chicken he was making for dinner. This is not artsy, but I like it for two reasons. One, I can remember how it smelled by looking at the photo, which is what I wanted to capture. Two, the curlicues of smoke rising up from the grill.

Creepy Stuffed Puppy

2009-04-20T17:47:00.003-05:00

Creepy Puppy, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

First thing Denali chewed the plastic eyes and nose off her puppy (see my Flickr page). I thought it looked so creepy! Then it looked even creepier in black and white. Success.

Kids on Beautiful Day

2009-04-19T18:04:00.004-05:00

Kevin, Denali and I were hoping to meet Cate and KC at Bull Creek today. It was such a beautiful day! Then we realized Kevin doesn't have two arms to control Denali, and I have a hard time when she's super excited about swimming with KC.

So we had to settle for an easy walk behind our house and down to the park. These kids were so cute, riding their bikes and splashing through the puddles.

Big Bubble!

2009-04-18T21:23:00.003-05:00

Big Bubble!, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

I thought I had such a simple idea: I'll photograph bubbles! They're shiny and rainbowy, and it'll be easy. Ha!

I took so many bubble photos. I took them indoors, outdoors, floating in water, sitting on grass. This is one where it was floating in water on a clear platter. I put a black piece of paper underneath in hope of showing the colors and shine more.

I think the colors came out well, especially the reflection of the window. And I got some bokeh as well!

Yes, It's Flowers (Don't Judge Me)

2009-04-17T21:31:00.006-05:00

Yellow with Raindrops

Petals on Rocks

I can't resist posting these photos of the flowers in my mom's long stem rose garden. They're so pretty!

Wine Glasses

2009-04-15T19:39:00.002-05:00

Wine Glasses, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

These wine glasses were perfectly poised on a table, on the balcony outside Shawna's reception room in Shoreline Grill. The trees and water in the background are part of Ladybird Lake in Austin, TX.

I like the depth of focus, the distortion through the glasses and the reflection of the glasses on the tablecloth.

Peaceful Walkway

2009-04-15T19:35:00.003-05:00

Restful Walkway, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

This is a beautiful walkway by the Four Seasons in Austin, next to where my friend Shawna had her wedding reception.

It caught me because of the tree leaves hanging down and shading the stairs. Nature with man-made stone and all that.

I feel like I could sit there all day.

Update 4/18 - After much discussion, Cate and I finally determined the structure in the middle is not a pagoda, portico or porch; it's a pergola!

Bus at the Basin

2009-04-14T21:21:00.003-05:00

Bus at the Basin, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

Last Thursday Kevin was in a wreck, and our VW Bus was crushed. It's sitting in our driveway looking very sad.

I didn't want to post a photo of that, though. Here is the Bus in our happiest time, when we spent 11 days at Big Bend National Park. A perfect home in a gorgeous place like that.

Resting Canoes

2009-04-14T21:15:00.003-05:00

Resting Canoes, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

These canoes were sitting alone, looking so nice against the blue and green background. What a beautiful day it was!

Sandals on Kayak

2009-04-07T13:04:00.003-05:00

Sandals on Kayak, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

A shot of my flip flops sitting at the front of mine and Kevin's kayak. A beautiful sunny day without being too hot or windy. I love being on the water!

Heron Flying

2009-04-07T13:00:00.003-05:00

Heron Flying, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

Cate, Kevin and I went kayaking on Lady Bird Lake Saturday afternoon. The weather was absolutely perfect, and we all had a great time! We're planning to go again very soon.

Cate and I took tons of photos, and I'll be posting more (at least on Flickr) as I get them edited.

I'm generally terrible at photographing anything moving, so I was pleasantly surprised I caught this heron flying away from us.

Lost Your Marbles?

2009-04-07T12:47:00.002-05:00

Lost Your Marbles?, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

These adorable figurines were at a booth on First (1st) Thursday on SoCo in Austin, TX. They are so cute, and I bought a calico cat, a turtle and a skunk (for Cate).

The guy, Sid, and his wife, Debby, start with marbles and then add clay and paint. They call them "Marblies" and you can see the whole collection and how they're made at www.marblies.com.

I think this is the first time I've managed to focus on something in the foreground and have bokeh in the background! Yay!

Gypsy Jewelry

2009-04-06T20:18:00.005-05:00

Gypsy Jewelry, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

The gypsy who assaulted Cate (see here) also insisted we take photos of his jewelry. This one came out rather pretty and shiny in the light.

You're So Vain

2009-04-04T21:06:00.003-05:00

You're So Vain, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

Austin has 1st Thursday every month, where the stores that are open stay open until 10:00. There are tons of booths outside with local artists, and this time there was an awesome percussion group with dancers.

This mannequin just struck me in a store window as looking so vain and self-serious. I tried to catch the weird lighting that was hitting it. Cate and I were standing outside, and I shot through the window.

Happy Reunion March 2009!!!

2009-04-02T12:47:00.002-05:00

Happy Reunion Mar 2009!!!, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

My friend Jessica's been living in California for several years but finally moved back to Texas! Since I never won the lottery I only got to fly to CA twice. It's been a few years, so we're thrilled to be closer again. I got all teary-eyed when I saw her :)

I drove to Jessica's dad's house in Ft. Worth where Jessica and her husband Kris had a joint birthday party for their 2 kids, Jacob and Ella. I'll probably post a few pics from that, as well as a couple from our adventure to the Kimbell and the Modern museums.

Last Vee-dub Post

2009-04-01T19:16:00.006-05:00

Rusty VW Icon

Blue Bus Hinge

Red & White Grill

Totally Rad Hippie Bus

2009-03-31T07:25:00.004-05:00

Hippie Bus, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

Old VW Textures

2009-03-30T14:17:00.011-05:00

I had a great time taking pictures of old VWs when we had to pick up Kevin's 1976 Volkswagen Type II Bus from the shop. There were a lot of old Buses and Beetles that must have been there just for parts. There were also a few that were being repaired and/or restored. I saw a shiny light blue and white van and a beautiful orange car, but those aren't as interesting to photograph, now are they?

Check these out on my Flickr page to see them separated and much larger: http://www.flickr.com/photos/orchidphoto/

We Had a Storm!

2009-03-25T20:40:00.006-05:00

We had a hail storm today! There was also a tornado warning. Tornado warnings I'm used to, but hail I haven't seen in awhile, maybe not since I left north Texas.

I really hope my car is ok. It didn't last very long, but it was crazy while it was going on (I know some of you think this is really weird if you live in a stormy place).

The first photo is the pile of hail that built up next to the back door. I risked life and limb, and camera, for this shot. Those dime-nickel sized suckers can hurt when they smack into your head.

The second photo is from the front door looking into our main road. There was so much hail on the road, it was amazing.

Study in Lines

2009-03-23T21:36:00.004-05:00

Study in Lines, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

Sometimes you just get lucky with timing and lighting.

Spade and Soil

2009-03-23T21:35:00.002-05:00

Spade and Soil, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

I've been digging up weeds, and Kevin's been working on a little garden in the backyard. I was chillin' outside with Denali and noticed the spade shining through all the dirt.

I decided to take a shallow DoF because I like the texture of the soil in the middle.

Checkered Bowls

2009-03-23T21:31:00.002-05:00

Checkered Bowls, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

This is an attempt at a still life of my bowls and plates. They're so colorful and bright, and I tried to capture it with natural light coming through the kitchen window at the right.

Walmart Flasks!

2009-03-23T21:30:00.002-05:00

Walmart Flasks!, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

Did you know Walmart sells flasks? I didn't either, until this random end cap next to the pork rinds. Unbeatable price of $3.88; get yours today!

(taken on camera phone)

Cate's Birthday '09

2009-03-23T21:28:00.002-05:00

Cate's Birthday '09, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

We finally celebrated Cate's birthday like 2 weeks after her actual birthday. She's been going to a sushi place called Kenobi, here in Austin, TX. It's a really cool place with great food, and we had a great time!

Check out photos of Kenobi by Cate at www.catescott.com.

Magic Wand 1

2009-03-17T12:57:00.010-05:00

Magic Wand 1, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

These 2 photos are close to identical, except for the focus point. They're a tiny bit off since I was holding the wand in my left hand and the camera in my right hand, crouched down next to the back door.

I wanted to get the little rainbows spread by light coming through the crystal. I took several shots I didn't care for, several 'meh', and then I got this idea. These are the last 2 photos I took, and they came out just how I wanted.

P.S. Yes, it's really a magic wand. It says so on the tag.

Magic Wand 2

2009-03-17T12:57:00.009-05:00

Magic Wand 2, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

I'm thinking these should have gone in the same entry. I automatically sent them from Flickr, and I don't feel like messing with it now. Oh well, surely my readers are smart enough to find 'Magic Wand 1' to see the description :)

P.S. Yes, it's really a magic wand. I can smite you with it, so watch out.

Out Sick

2009-03-16T11:03:00.003-05:00

I know y'all have been missing my blog (haha). I've been knocked out with some random illness that made me sleep about 3/4 of every 24 hours. I've hardly been on the computer much less taking photos. Hopefully I'll get something today!

Hand-Painted Bike

2009-03-12T15:22:00.004-05:00

I took photos of this cute painted bike on campus one morning (before the time change!). I've been playing with Poladroid too, and I thought this would be perfect for it. I like the little fingerprint smudge it added at the top.

Rain Bokeh 3

2009-03-11T08:35:00.003-05:00

Rain Bokeh 3, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

Even MORE bokeh. Rain is fun! This time I was sitting in a left-hand turn lane with a green light, hoping no one would come up behind me while I took a photo :) It's not really focused anywhere, so there are circles plus a lot of other color shapes.

Rain Bokeh 2

2009-03-11T08:32:00.007-05:00

Rain Bokeh 2, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

More bokeh from drops on my windshield, but this time I tried to focus on the drops.

Rain Bokeh 1

2009-03-11T08:32:00.006-05:00

Rain Bokeh 1, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

It's raining! I can't believe it. I hope it keeps raining for awhile so we can have water to play in this summer.

Anyway, this is bokeh from the rain on my windshield this morning, focusing past the rain drops. I like how the circles are broken up.

Jasmine Blooms

2009-03-09T14:33:00.007-05:00

Jasmine Blooms, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

Our two jasmine plants just started blooming. The flowers are so cute, and it smells really good.

I used a Gaussian blur, Screen Mode, Opacity 50% layer to give a little softer, glow-y feel.

Parking Garage Bokeh

2009-03-09T14:33:00.006-05:00

Parking Garage Bokeh, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

This is my second attempt at bokeh, so don't be too harsh please. The first attempt was miserable, and no way was I going to post any of it.

Obviously this would have been better with a tripod so I could use a lower ISO. However, I was walking to work from my car, and I don't carry a tripod everywhere.

The lights are from a parking garage on campus. The orange circles are from the lights inside the garage, and the other colors are from the outside staircase.

Dancing Curtain

2009-03-06T20:35:00.004-06:00

Dancing Curtain, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

Johnson City, Tx Series #8. It was a windy day, and I noticed this curtain fluttering in the wind. It really fascinated me for some reason.

Generally I'm terrible at capturing motion, so I was pleased at how well these came out. They are in order from left to right, top to bottom.

Pipe Guy

2009-03-05T20:36:00.003-06:00

Pipe Guy, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

I am so proud of myself - this is the first time I've ever approached a total stranger and asked to take his/her photo!

I was walking from my office at a university to my car, and I saw this kid out of the corner of my eye. I thought, is that guy smoking a pipe? I looked again, and sure enough he was.

I have fond memories of my Papa smoking a pipe. It smelled so good. I still love the smell of the smoke.

When I first saw the photo at home I wondered if I should have given him some kind of direction on how to look. But by the time I had cropped and tweaked the color balance, I decided I liked it. After all, that was his exact expression the whole time I talked to him, and why would I change that?

Happy Birthday Cate!

2009-03-04T19:19:00.003-06:00

I wish you were here, but I'm glad you're having a great time in Vegas!

Blue Grooves

2009-03-02T19:57:00.003-06:00

Blue Grooves, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

Since I started this learning experiment of photographing a lot of different things, I've been suddenly noticing things around me. It doesn't happen everyday, unfortunately. That sure would make doing this blog easier!

So one morning I reached for a cotton ball in my "peacock" pottery jar. I randomly closed in on the detail of the lid. I wanted a macro to really show the texture in the lines and grooves.

Afternoon Dragonflies

2009-03-01T20:17:00.003-06:00

Afternoon Dragonflies, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

As I was laying around being lazy, I glanced down at the end table. There another of my dragonfly candle holders was glowing in the afternoon light. I really tried to capture that glow.

I have more photos I've tried to edit to post, but I'm not liking them right now. More photos coming up this week!

Ink and Paper

2009-02-26T19:16:00.004-06:00

Ink and Paper, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

This is writing ink dripped onto handmade paper. I have no idea why this idea popped into my head. I can't draw or paint, so I rarely make anything.

I wanted to get a close-up to show the texture of the paper, and how the ink ran together and spread. I think it came out pretty well.

KC is a Seal

2009-02-26T18:00:00.006-06:00

This is my friend Cate and her awesome golden retriever KC. Last night I learned KC is not a dog; she's really a seal! Possibly even a ninja seal. Cate throws the ball to her, and KC hits it back with her nose. It's so cute.

To see more KC photos (and art photos) visit Cate's website: www.catescott.com

The Wal-Mart Cometh

2009-02-24T18:08:00.005-06:00

You might want to read this first unless you're from Austin: http://walmartwatch.com/blog/archives/more_on_victory_austin_tx/

About the photo - I took it awhile back but kept forgetting to post it. There's a skating rink that moved from the mall to the other side of the parking lot, and I skate there Saturday mornings. I don't usually drive all the way through the lot, since there are fences and construction everywhere. One day I did, and this is what greeted me. I was totally shocked.

I tried to find a photo of the Northcross Mall before it was torn down, but I couldn't. You'll just have to imagine that there was an entire mall where this destruction is now. My fiance and I used to live in an apartment complex across the road. When we first heard about the fight against Wal-Mart we kind of rolled our eyes. Where were these concerned citizens when the mall was there and dying? Were they shopping there; were they helping the local businesses in the area?

When we heard the size and scope of the Wal-Mart plan, how the trucks would be going down residential streets, and how there was no way the streets would be able to hold all the extra traffic, it got a lot more serious. We're all used to seeing Wal-Mart on the highways and interstates, but a 200,000 sf 2-story monster with attached parking garage in a small neighborhood? Is that really necessary? No. I'm so glad we bought a house and moved.

Blue Smoke

2009-02-22T19:48:00.002-06:00

Blue Smoke, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

I really need a digital flash or a real light to get it sharp. I like the shape of this one, though.

Green Smoke

2009-02-22T19:47:00.002-06:00

Green Smoke, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

My next attempts at photographing smoke. Today I used more light, but they still came out with some noise. It's so hard - I deleted over half the photos I took.

Pink Smoke

2009-02-21T21:27:00.002-06:00

Pink Smoke, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

My first attempt at photographing smoke. Unfortunately, I didn't have enough natural light, and no external flash or studio light. This is the only photo out of many that actually looks ok after processing. I may try again tomorrow.

Fire Woman

2009-02-19T21:43:00.002-06:00

Fire Woman, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

A sculpture I saw in San Diego. I like to think it's a phoenix rising in flames.

Grackle Attack!

2009-02-17T19:29:00.005-06:00

After a dreary, drizzly day this is what I came home to. Freakin' grackles everywhere! On our trees, all the neighbor's trees, on several houses and all along the power lines. Every black dot you see in the photo is a nasty squawking bird that poops on everything.

One guy tried honking his truck horn at them, but they were not deterred. Nothing deters them. They're the Chuck Norris of birds.

By the way, this is not a black and white photo. It really was that dreary and depressing.

Oceanside Beach

2009-02-16T21:01:00.009-06:00

Beautiful Beach, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

One of the beaches in Oceanside, California. It was cold outside, so I didn't get to take many photos. I'm glad I got a nice landscape.

Surfer Boy

2009-02-16T21:01:00.008-06:00

Surfer Boy, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

For a change of pace, here are a couple of photos from our trip to Oceanside, California at Christmas. I'm not sure if this kid was posing for me, or just waiting for me to get out of the way. Either way, I really like it.

Baby Cactus

2009-02-15T19:58:00.004-06:00

Baby Cactus, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

Apparently I was into macro plant photography today.

Our cactus is having a baby! It's so darn cute I had to get a nice closeup of it.

We'll be registered at Target for the baby shower. Baby cactus loves towels and Xbox games.

Our Plant Has Hair

2009-02-15T19:56:00.003-06:00

Tomato Plant, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

My fiance got 2 tomato plants yesterday. I was outside with Denali at about noon, and I went to check them out. The sun was lighting the little hairs perfectly, so I went inside and grabbed the camera.

I'm really pleased with how sharp the hairs came out. I love macro!

Yellow Lamp Post

2009-02-13T18:20:00.002-06:00

Yellow Lamp Post, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

Johnson City, TX series #6. This lantern lamp post is the prettiest thing I saw there. It has a lovely yellow color with all the scroll details in the metal post. I wish I could have it at my house :)

Rusty Bicycle

2009-02-13T18:19:00.002-06:00

Bicycle & Cactus, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

Johnson City, TX series #5. More rusty, cracked and weird stuff, but with some random cactus thrown in! Awesome.

No Photo Today :(

2009-02-12T20:56:00.002-06:00

I was sick for about half the day, but I stayed at work, and then I decided to go skating anyway. I know, I'm a smart one. So I'm just too tired to choose, edit, post and update everything. Back to lying down for me.

There will be TWO photos tomorrow!

Rusted Gears

2009-02-11T19:04:00.003-06:00

Rusted Gears, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

Johnson City, TX Series #4. A black and white of some rusty gears hanging on a wall. There are things hanging everywhere in this place, which I'll probably show in another photo.

What attracted me to these gears is that each one had a different color and texture. The wall also had a lot of bumps, cracks and stains. I decided to go black and white to showcase the texture over the rusty colors.

Room with a View

2009-02-10T20:05:00.005-06:00

Johnson City, TX, Series #3. This is looking outside from inside the room with the blue floor. It has a lovely view of the decrepit, falling-down place across the sidewalk. I particularly like the broken window hanging out of its frame.

I think I should look up the history of this place and find out what these buildings were used for.

Colorful Water Towers

2009-02-09T17:28:00.002-06:00

I'm not feeling that well today and am really tired, so I didn't take a new photo. This is another in the series of Johnson City, TX photos, and another attempt at HDR.

I'm also having trouble with Flickr lately on the "blog this" feature. It looks better on Flickr, so head over there.

Please leave comments on HDR!

Disinviting Entrance

2009-02-08T19:12:00.002-06:00

Disinviting Entrance, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

An HDR of a locked cyan "Entrance" with autumn leaves at the bottom, and fantastical artwork painted at the top. This was also part of my shoot in Johnson City, TX. I'm not sure if I saturated the colors enough. I don't have much experience with HDR, so I'm practicing and trying to learn.

Blue Boot on Blue Floor

2009-02-07T18:57:00.005-06:00

Today Cate and I drove out to this strange place in Johnson City, Texas. Most of the buildings there were locked. I found this one open and loved the blue floor. I ran back to pick up the lost blue boot, and the colors are exactly what I wanted.

Yellow Narcissus

2009-02-06T20:22:00.003-06:00

Yellow Narcissus, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

I'm always swearing not to take any more flower photos, but this one bloomed today and looked so bright and happy.

Mismatch

2009-02-06T20:21:00.004-06:00

Mismatch, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

My boss has been stressed out lately. Can you tell?

Dragonfly & Candlelight

2009-02-04T18:27:00.002-06:00

Dragonfly & Candlelight, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

Yesterday I was all proud of myself because the photo didn't take very long and didn't require much editing. Today was a totally different story.

This was actually the 3rd thing I tried to photograph, and it took forever. First I tried to capture something moving (horrible), and then I decided to play with candle light.

Editing was still easy though, and I'm happy with the result. Phew!

Crystal Ball

2009-02-03T18:05:00.003-06:00

Crystal Ball, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

Cate gave me this for Christmas. It's a small glass ball with a blue flower in the bottom. It's so bright in the sunlight, I wanted to capture it. Amazingly it didn't take that long or very much editing. Bonus was the refraction through the bottom.

You Love Me

2009-02-02T18:27:00.005-06:00

You Can't Resist Me, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

Not an artsy photo, I know, but who can resist this face?

Feather in Black & White

2009-02-01T18:11:00.004-06:00

Feather in Black & White, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

My fiance and Denali went on a walk and came back with a big white feather. I took a bunch of photos and played around with them before settling on a color outdoor shot, and a black and white indoor shot. Pick your fave!

Feather in Color

2009-02-01T18:10:00.003-06:00

Feather in Color, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

Ship Cleats

2009-01-31T21:37:00.005-06:00

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!

Ship & Sky

2009-01-30T18:29:00.005-06:00

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.

White Picket Fence

2009-01-29T19:26:00.004-06:00

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

2009-01-29T19:25:00.005-06:00

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.

Dewdrops

2009-01-26T19:23:00.002-06:00

Dewdrops, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

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

Buttons in Sepia 1-25-09

2009-01-26T12:18:00.001-06:00

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 :)

Purple Plant with Spring Flowers

2009-01-23T19:47:00.004-06:00

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.

Denali's Shake 1-22-09

2009-01-22T21:12:00.003-06:00

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

Clay Sun Glow 1-21-09

2009-01-21T19:16:00.005-06:00

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.

Horsehair Vase 1-20-09

2009-01-20T18:40:00.004-06:00

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.

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

2009-01-19T18:57:00.002-06:00

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

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

2009-01-19T18:56:00.005-06:00

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.

Morning Light Cactus 2 1-18-09

2009-01-18T18:46:00.002-06:00

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

2009-01-18T18:41:00.004-06:00

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

2009-01-18T18:37:00.003-06:00

Penguin & Turtle Contemplate Life 1-17-09, originally uploaded by Orchid Photo.

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

2009-01-18T18:35:00.002-06:00

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.

Retro Sunglasses 1-15-09

2009-01-15T18:12:00.004-06:00

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

2009-01-15T09:10:00.006-06:00

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.

Basket 1-13-09

2009-01-13T20:15:00.004-06:00

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?