Thursday, February 28, 2008

Model Rocket Club


Watering Can

Wednesday, February 27, 2008


Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Magnetic Poetry




I'm caught up. I only actually missed taking pictures on one day, so two of them I just posted are from the same day.

This magnetic poem has been stuck to a filing cabinet next to my computer desk for what seems like forever. It has seriously probably been years. Some day maybe I'll get inspired to change it. But probably not for at least another month.

Glasses

Monday, February 25, 2008



Leaf

Sunday, February 24, 2008

Trees

Saturday, February 23, 2008


Desk Lamp

Friday, February 22, 2008



Monday, February 25, 2008

Catching Up

Just a quick note to say that although I have not posted in a few days, I will catch up, hopefully tonight. Grades were due at school today, and I'm still not quite done. I actually didn't take any picture on Friday, but I will be making up for it with pictures I took Saturday and Sunday. Sorry for my slacking--only a little more than a month to go, and I'm sure I can make it...

Thursday, February 21, 2008

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Stamps








I have liked my last couple of posts. This one I especially like--and it was one of those serendipitous ones. I had taken a bunch of last minute pictures of the potted cactus plants Mark just put in our bedroom. I wasn't particularly happy with them. When I put my card into the card reader, it did what it has been doing a lot lately--absolutely nothing. My computer repeatedly refuses to read the card reader, or anything plugged into the USB ports on the front of the computer, until I restart the computer. Aaarrgghh. I turned the computer off and while I was waiting for it to reboot, I looked down at the desk and saw these stamps. I liked the way they looked, all rolled up like that, and I love the simple images on them. I decided to move them over to the black filing cabinet and shoot a few pictures. I ended up with some that were much better than the cacti.

This shot looks clean and peaceful, although the surroundings outside the photograph are anything but. A messy office with papers and stuff piled up everywhere. But that's one nice thing about photography: sometimes you can transform a scene by focusing on the image or the feeling you want to capture, and leaving the rest out. Doing that with this picture brought a little bit of peace and calm into what has been a wearisome day.

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Fresh Flowers II






I wasn't quite done shooting this subject.

Monday, February 18, 2008

Sunday, February 17, 2008

Crystal


Gulls

Saturday, February 16, 2008




Orchids

Friday, February 15, 2008





















Orchid Mania at the Cleveland Botanical Gardens

Friday, February 15, 2008

Play Doh

Thursday, February 14, 2008









This is from an activity I did with my eighth graders yesterday. We are starting a unit on urban planning and development. As an opening activity I had them make a city out of Play Doh. It was a good way to get them thinking about what makes up a city. It was interesting to note what were some things each group's city had in common, and what were some of the things they left out. I used to do this activity with college students when I was Urban Project Director with InterVarsity, and I wasn't sure how 8th graders could handle it. But they did a pretty good job. I threatened them with detention if the Play Doh was used for any purpose other than building a city.

Pillow

Wednesday, February 13, 2008







I haven't posted for the last couple of days because of problems with my computer, but I have been taking pictures. Here's one from Wednesday (my birthday) of a pillow on my bed. Very Valentiny.

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Warm Bath


Monday, February 11, 2008

Sunday, February 10, 2008

News

Since I'm having trouble sleeping, I've decided to take this opportunity to share some photography-related news.

First, thanks to the fact that Mark's sister and her family have invited us to visit them over my spring break, I will have an exciting and exotic ending to my year of daily picture-making. Last summer Lynne, Scott and their four kids moved to Shanghai, China. Mark and I will be flying to the other side of the world on March 22, and staying until March 30. I think the last day of my project is March 29. I'm a little scared of putting pressure on myself to take outstanding photos during this trip (I have mentioned before that my best pictures seem to be of the more mundane), but I think I am practically guaranteed to get some interesting pictures.

Secondly, I would like to announce the plan for my next project. Although I have learned a lot from disciplining myself to take pictures every day, I'm finding that at this point I'm just focused on getting a picture to post. I haven't spent much time actually learning about my new camera, or challenging myself to become less dependent on the automatic settings (although lately I have been shooting in aperture priority mode, which requires some thought). And I have spent no time learning about Photoshop Elements.


So, starting in April, I will be taking each month to focus on a particular theme or subject matter. I will try to post at least once a week, and will not limit myself to just one photo per post. I think I'll commit to another year in this new format, and see how it goes. Just thinking about it makes me very excited--hopefully this will jumpstart my enthusiasm for photography, which has been waning a bit lately.

Wedding Cake






There is a coffee shop that I frequent that is across the way from a bakery specializing in wedding cakes. This one is actually kind of plain compared to some of the works of art in the display case. I like the dramatic lighting, which is due to the fact that the store was closed and the lights were out except for a spotlight shining right on this cake.


Saturday, February 9, 2008

Hair Cut


Tail Light

Friday, February 8, 2008





Thursday, February 7, 2008

Wednesday, February 6, 2008

Sheets


Shoes






With less than two months left, I'm becoming such a slacker. I didn't take any pictures yesterday. I thought about it, but I didn't do it. So I will post two pictures today, from two different shooting sessions. Neither of them is any good. I've been so uninspired lately. I've also been tired from teaching. And the weather has been terrible. This weekend I should consider going someplace new and exciting, someplace indoors where I might get some interesting shots.

Monday, February 4, 2008

School


Sunday, February 3, 2008

Saturday, February 2, 2008