Sara’s Fave Photos

Yes, this is with the new camera, but unfortunately I did not have the right settings in place, and the quality of this image, which is straight out of the camera, is pretty poor. But isn’t it a lovely scene? There I was down near the water, with such a sunset and the ferry right there, as scenic as it gets, and fumbling around in the almost dark I just failed to get it right. Darn. Well, try to imagine it with sharp, brilliant edges, and all the water ripples showing.

Visit Thursday Challenge for other special images. This week is free choice as to theme.

We went to a new (to us) park nearby in Burien, WA. Hubby has discovered geocaching and of course I wanted to try scenic shots with my new Canon s90 Powershot camera. What do you think? This it totally straight out of the camera (SOOC). I am trying to master the manual controls, a very difficult endeavor. This had the ISO set to 80. I thought I understood cameras and settings from my old SLR film camera days, but these have so very many settings that there seems to be no logic to it.

In any case, check out Watery Wednesday for more cyberwetness. And you can always stop by Scenic Sunday (I’m early, I know) for more scenigasms.

I know Christmas is over, but just one more photo of lights, and then I promise I’ll stop. My new camera, the Canon S90, is especially good in low light so I had to see what it could do handheld with holiday lights. This fired at 1/60th of a second, which is great for a night shot, even one with lights.

I truly love this candycane archway and would love to have something like it. It was very tall, and felt so cheerful and welcoming. Where do people get stuff like this?

For more photos with some ruby redness, visit Ruby Tuesday.

I seem to be most attracted to photos from exactly half a year ago. This one was in a neighbor’s yard. Alstroemeria is a very nice spreading perennial that can take a bit of neglect. And they make superb cut flowers, lasting a LONG time. The only downside is no scent. I planted some pink ones and we’ll see if they do well.

For more closeups, visit Macro Monday, and for more brilliant yellow, visit Mellow Yellow Monday.

This is my friend Lyle’s dahlia garden. You can see the telltale shadow of me trying to photograph with one hand while holding the bouquet I had just picked in the other. Oh, the warm and sunny days of summer!

For more lovely flowers, visit Flowers For Today.

A sunny patch in the weather made some lovely shadows the other day. Visit Shadow Shot Sunday for more interesting and entertaining shadows.

It’s also straight out of the camera, or SOOC.

And even a week later this photo still makes me pause, so I’ve tagged it Best Post of the Week.

Santa came a bit early and I got a Canon Powershot S90! Here’s a very appropriate photo of the dawn, taken yesterday morning in my backyard, as my first post with the new camera. The only benefit of the days starting so late is I get to see the actual dawn sometimes. Have you guessed I am not naturally an early riser?

It’s going to take me awhile to get comfortable with the manual control features (which were part of the reason I got it) of the new toy. And it’s very small, no bigger than the 3-yr. old Canon point-and-shoot it replaced. Another plus is it does REALLY great in low light indoor situations without a flash, which I prefer in most cases. But so much to learn! I prefer things simple but I am pledged to master this.

Can’t wait to see what it does in the garden with flowers. For that I must wait.

For more skies of happiness and inspiration around the world, visit Skywatch Friday. And have a great holiday.

I do love Santa the best, but Frosty is my second fave holiday personage. Something so delightful about him; I just can’t explain. Perhaps his rotund shape, and now that I think about it, Santa qualifies there, too. In any case, one of those houses near me that go all out with Christmas lights and decor featured this Frosty who doffs his hat repeatedly for you. Nice!

This week’s Thursday Challenge is Lights, and a very perfect subject it is. Merry everything to you!

This was taken at the opposite time of the year, on June 22 of last year. What a difference the tilt of the earth makes! Here is a scene from Highline Gardens for your enjoyment.

Visit Watery Wednesday for more cyberwetness.

It’s almost time for presents! Don’t you just want to open every single one? I do. Have a happy Ruby Tuesday, all. Santa’s coming SOON!

That’s what my mom used to say, snug as a bug in a rug. As a literal-minded child, I was mystified. But now that’s what comes to mind when I see a photo like this. These are not my kitties, more’s the pity. Can’t you almost hear them purrrrr? And there’s that faint smile I see. Life is good, the look says.

For more photos with at least a dash of yellow, visit Mellow Yellow Monday. And while this isn’t really a macro, it is kind of close up, so check out Macro Monday for more carefully seen things.

I know a dahlia grower over in Des Moines, Washington. He grows about 250 different kinds of dahlias. I wish he would use a computer and see this photo (mong many) I took of his flowers on a fine September day. It looks a bit Christmassy, doesn’t it?

I like the neat shadows on the petals. Visit Hey Harriet for more cool shadows.

This was taken at my old front yard in the Des Moines house. Glads closest, yellow and orange day lilies behind, and some Asiatic (Oriental? I always get those confused) pink lilies behind that. The glads were such a thrill, and easy, too.

Visit Flowers For Today for more floriferousness. And Scenic Sunday is a great photo browse as well.

These rhodies are from my old house in Des Moines, Washington. It was noisy, right in the SeaTac flight path, but we sure had some great flowers. The magnolia tree I’ve posted a couple of times was growing there. In front were some huge rhodies and some orange azaleas, too. I miss them, but I sure don’t miss that noise.

Winter hasn’t even begun officially and I’m already thinking of spring.

For more pleasing pinkness, visit Pink Saturday. And this one, like most of my entries, is SOOC or straight out of the camera. I rarely even crop them after I take them. Flowers are nice that way, staying still for you while you compose a pretty frame.

There’s a Winco grocery store in Renton, not too far away, that not only has great prices but has a parking lot with very sculptural trees and a big sky, too. This was taken last week. We are now entering the darkest week of the year (in the Northern hemisphere, of course), and soon the days will be on the upswing. Let’s hear it for the Solstice!

For more skies seen round the world, visit Skywatch Friday.

And thank you so much for those who clicked through to the Photoblog Awards and left a comment or a vote. I appreciate it so very much. And thank you to everyone for putting up with all that repeated blurb about it! We are done now.

These were taken a couple of years ago in the town of Redondo, south of Des Moines, half an hour or so south of Seattle. This one street just goes all out, collecting food for a food bank and everything. I love the lights. Nothing makes me feel like an enchanted child like Christmas lights sparkling in the nighttime.

You can see more Window and Doors here, and have a very merry time doing so. Try Color Carnival for more brilliant colors, too.

Today is the final day for voting on the Photoblog Awards for 2009. If you like the photos on this blog, please vote for it today by clicking in the link below. You have to register (name and password only) and then click on the word Vote in the upper left. Thanks very much! Photoblog Awards 2009.

I’ve been saving these photos since I took them in September at a local garden because I knew I wanted to show them at Christmastime. The common name is Doll’s Eyes, and the real name is Actaea pachypoda plant. I just think they are so cool. Of course, any white berry is probably poisonous, so don’t plant them around kids, but I just love them, and especially their highly descriptive name. Happy Holiday to you, and happy Ruby Tuesday also.

Tomorrow is the last day: PLEASE IGNORE IF READ BEFORE about the 2009 Photoblog Awards. If you like my photos, please vote for this photoblog before Dec. 15 and leave a comment in the link  below. You have to register (name and password only) and then click on the word Vote in the upper left. Thanks very much! Photoblog Awards 2009.

This sunflower, photo taken in my garden in September, is actually a volunteer plant, sown accidentally by the birds or squirrels from the black oil sunflower seeds they love to eat. It’s a good system. The birds spill a ton of seed from the feeder on a pole on the lawn, and the squirrels who cannot raid the baffled feeder are the clean-up crew on the ground. Everyone fat and happy, and the contented squirrels seem to leave the tulips and daffodill bulbs alone.

Visit Macro Monday for more close ups and Mellow Yellow Monday while you’re out and about, along with Color Carnival.

Free Photography Lighting Class starts tomorrow, Tuesday, 11am Seattle time. I’m registered and can’t wait. These classes (I’ve taken others from this group) are just super, and they are free.

Just a few days ago, this view of Seattle (see the Space Needle over on the left?) was taken from the Viaduct going into the city, late in the afternoon. They’re going to tear it down due to earthquake concerns and build a tunnel, they say. Safety is good, but I’ll sure miss the incredible views.

Visit Scenic Sunday for more sunny wonderfulness.

And just a few more days of Photoblog Awards stuff: PLEASE IGNORE IF READ BEFORE about the 2009 Photoblog Awards. If you like my photos, please vote for this photoblog before Dec. 15 and leave a comment in the link  below. You have to register (name and password only) and then click on the word Vote in the upper left. Thanks very much! Photoblog Awards 2009.

This is a kind of oakleaf hydrangea, I think, with very double flowers. This was blooming in mid-September in the Seattle area. I’ve not seen another one like it.

For more flowers photographed all over the world, visit Flowers For Today. And for more straight-out-of-the-camera shots, visit SOOC.

The weather has been so cold that it’s discouraging to be out of doors too much, but the sunny weather is so appreciated for us sunlight-starved Seattlites. Here’s a recent photo of my early morning window view of cacti, right where I have my coffee. The rocks (mostly heart-shaped, although you can’t see that here) including the agate one, were found digging in my garden.

For more truly fascinating view of shadows around the world, visit Hey Harriet on Shadow Shot Sunday.

Visit Weekend Reflections and Window Wednesday, too. And SOOC, while you’re at it.

And just a few more days of Photoblog Awards stuff: PLEASE IGNORE IF READ BEFORE about the 2009 Photoblog Awards. If you like my photos, please vote for this photoblog before Dec. 15 and leave a comment in the link  below. You have to register (name and password only) and then click on the word Vote in the upper left. Thanks very much! Photoblog Awards 2009.

As we approach the Winter solstice, I found this photo taken on a Summer solstice at the Woodland Park Rose Garden in Seattle, right near the zoo. It has been clear but very cold out, and this vision of the warm days of summer does seem almost impossible, but so sweet.

For more blissful pinkness, visit Pink Saturday. And this one (sunshine makes it so easy) is SOOC, or straight out of the camera.

This is from the archives, taken on a fine April day from the famous and beautiful Astoria bridge over the Columbia River.

So many photos, in just three years of digital. I think I’ll never run out of things to post. Visit Skywatch Friday for more skies around the world. Weekend Reflections always features a highly creative set of photos, and visit Scenic Sunday for more scenegasms.

I’ve tagged this Best Post of the Week. It’s a keeper.

PLEASE IGNORE IF READ BEFORE about the 2009 Photoblog Awards. If you like my photos, please vote for this photoblog before Dec. 15 and leave a comment in the link  below. You have to register (name and password only) and then click on the word Vote in the upper left. Thanks very much! Photoblog Awards 2009

Today’s Thursday Challenge is WRITING (Pens, Paper, Words, Signs, Graffiti, Books, Magazines,…) and I’ve got to go back to the two printing-related workshops I took for more cool photos to show you.

Here are two from the snowflake block print class. We each made a little paper snowflake by folding and cutting a square of paper, then tracing it onto linoleum, cutting away the snowflake or the background, then inking the blocks.

And voila, giftwrap! Later sheets got better.

And then the letterpress class had (besides the colorful inks I showed a couple of posts back) this fabulous array of letters you could arrange on a tray. It was fun figuring out how to spell things backwards, sort of.

One more photo, I can’t resist, of one of the the truly magnificent presses:

A few weeks ago we were in Portland and I took the shot from the window as we drove across the Willamette river on the Morrison bridge. I once met someone from Willamette University and he told me it’s pronounced to rhyme with “damn it” as in, “It’s Willamette, damn it!” So now you know, and the river is pronounced the same way.

For more photos featuring water in all its wetness, visit Watery Wednesday.

PLEASE IGNORE IF READ BEFORE about the 2009 Photoblog Awards. If you like my photos, please vote for this photoblog before Dec. 15 and leave a comment in the link  below. You have to register (name and password only) and then click on the word Vote in the upper left. Thanks very much! Photoblog Awards 2009