eye of the sun

Here's another sunflower shot, but this time it's the more typical view. The focus is a bit soft, because I like to shoot flowers with a lensbaby.

awakening

I thought I'd try something a little bit different with sunflowers.

tunnel vision

This was taken at Fort Pulaski. Fort Pulaski is pretty cool, because if you walk around the outside you can see damage from the Civil War.

on the right track

I like railroad tracks. It's one of those cliche things to shoot. I think with the lensbaby I was able to get a different result though.

ruffles

Flowers aren't my favorite thing. I just can't lie about that. I did get a new macro filter and wanted to test it out. I have to say flowers are a lot cooler up close.

sarah pollen

Another day/Another flower macro. :-)

anew

This was taken at the Old Mill. I felt a bit silly standing over flowers trying to grab some macro shots, but I suppose it was worth it. When I started out doing photography, I was very nervous about how I looked in public. These days I don't care. Though I realize how I must look.

white out

The Ozarks got nearly a foot of snow this Spring. Arkansas has actually had a ton of snow. Zack, Caden, and I had already made plans to head up there and test out Zack's new Jeep. The snow was icing on the cake. We woke up at 2am to get there for sunrise. It's lucky we did, because most of the snow had melted by 10am. We managed to get some shots before that happened.

I loved the sun in this shot. It's rare to be outside and have it be warm enough you don't need a jacket, but snow completely covers the ground. I overexposed this a bit then upped the contrast in post to sort of blend the horizon line.

it's a small world

I headed up to Wye Mountain to take a few shots of the daffodils. I was excited to take a few shots of them with the lensbaby, since I just got a macro attachment for it. I think for a manual focus lens I got a few decent shots. I certainly have to practice with it a bit more though.

what remains

I have a thing for ghost signs. I've always liked advertisement of yesteryear and modern day. It's just interesting to see the way things are marketed to us. This is from Eureka Springs, Arkansas.

staying focused

Ward and I went to Camp Robinson (near Mayflower, Arkansas) to take some pictures. Ward was interested in getting shots of the golden winter grass. I was apparently fixated on macro shots. I got very few shots of anything else.

Here's a shot of Ward where I bokeh'ed him out. For some reason this was really amusing to me at the time.

leafed out in the cold

This was taken at Haw Creek Falls Campgrounds in Johnson County, Arkansas. I liked these leaves. I can't really explain anymore about this shot.

mossy depths

Here's another shot from Holla Bend National Wildlife Refuge in Pope County, Arkansas. I really liked the way the trees were staggered and the light.

forever young

I avoid cemeteries because they make me sad. I ended up going to Mount Holly in Little Rock anyway, because it has some amazing statues. I know it isn't an uncommon feeling in a place like that, but I start to mourn the loss of people I don't even know. I'm especially sad when I see gravestones that are no long readable. When I find a baby's grave, I'm just at a loss. I wonder what sort of impact that might have made if they had lived longer. I'm glad that I went. I think sometimes it's important to remember how short the time between dates can be. I hope to make the most of mine...

being looked down on

I took a wandering trip around Eureka Springs in early December. I had been wanting to go there for a while, but I hadn't made the time. It is such an amazing city full of history and charm. I already want to go back. This was taken at St. Elizabeth Catholic Church. The cool thing about this church is that you can only enter it through the bell tower.

spit free zone

I try to take my camera with me if I'm headed anywhere remotely interesting. (That basically means anywhere I go.) Even if I don't stop for pictures, I tend to view the world around me a little differently when I have a camera with me.

This shot above is a great example. It's in Cabot, Arkansas and located a few buildings down from my dogs' vet. I had to have seen the place dozens of times. However, this was the first time I've noticed it. I love the hand-painted signs all over the walls. I love the fake leather couch sitting outside. I especially love the warnings not to spit on the slab!

merry christmas charlie brown

I haven't had the most enjoyable holiday season. I even refused to put up a tree at home. I did put up one at work. The Charlie Brown Christmas Tree. I sit right next to one of my best friends, Tillie. Her and I had planned a hot pink tree with lime green ornaments. When we went to get this tree, I found the Charlie Brown tree and I was in love. You see, I've always been more of the sarcastic and cranky type. Tillie is very happy and energetic. So for the past month her hot pink tree has sat next to my Charlie Brown tree. Our personalities proudly displayed through holiday decoration.

Work has been a bear and almost everyone up there is cranky. I've taken to saying, "Merry Christmas Charlie Brown!" anytime someone is cranky. It started because of my tree, but seemed to fit because Charlie Brown was always so gloomy. It's morphed into a cuss word substitution that's caught on and others say it now, too. It's sort of funny.

No matter how cranky I get, Tillie doesn't tend to give up on me. Anyway, I went to lunch with her today and she gave me a Christmas gift. There was lots of cool stuff including the ornament seen above. The "sprinkle, sprinkle!" is an inside joke, but it was the first thing that made me wish I had a tree up at home to put it on.

I guess the whole time I was turning "Merry Christmas Charlie Brown" into a cuss word, I forgot the end of the story. Sure Charlie Brown was sad. Sure Charlie Brown had a crappy tree, but his friends saved the day. Remember? They all took stuff from their tree and made his better. Then they all stood around and sang together. I guess maybe it isn't always that clear cut, but sometimes we all do end up with a Merry Christmas after all, Charlie Brown.

Merry Christmas, Tillie!

letters from the first lady

This is just down the road from Cunningham Falls (see previous entry). I was very confused by Brian's directions to Cunningham Falls. It's difficult to give directions to somewhere in the middle of nowhere. Finally he said it's near the Hillary Clinton mailbox. I knew right away I would need to take the Holga along!

This is scanned straight from the negative and not edited at all. There really is a mailbox near Bun Hur, Arkansas full of bullet holes with hand-painted letters saying Hillary Clinton. Does it get any better than that!?

leaf me alone

I shot this a month or so ago when I was anxiously awaiting fall colors. This is at Mt. Nebo which is a very cool place. I spent several hours exploring and photographing the short trail. For those that don't know the area well I'd recommend going after a heavy and extended rain. There's a few cool cascades at the top, but to see the actual Mt. Nebo Falls it will take a lot of rainwater.

radiation vibe

I loved this old school in Helena, Arkansas. The light in these places seems to have a life of it's own. So many details seemed so magically even after years of abandonment.