Highlights & Shadows

SOMETHING DIFFERENT

2012-01-25T21:18:00.000-05:00

Just playing around with a couple of polarizers and some plastic dinnerware:

SEA SMOKE

2012-01-16T19:11:00.000-05:00

Breaking with tradition, I got up bright and early this morning to take photographs. Someone had told me this was going to be a good morning for sea smoke, so I trudged out there just after sunrise (at 2° below zero!). It was a disappointing showing; I've seen much more dramatic sea smoke. But after all that trouble, I just had to work on a few:

ICY SNOW

2012-01-15T18:30:00.000-05:00

Brrrr..........we had a snowstorm last week:

Then we had a fine rain on top of it, and the snow now reflects things..........and the temperature is in the single digits!

Winter is a great time to take photographs, but when we're looking at them, we seem to forget how cold it really was........

HAPPY (FROSTY) NEW YEAR

2012-01-01T10:09:00.001-05:00

As much as I'd like to say that I got up, camera all primed and ready, to take pictures of the first dawn of the new year, I just can't. Nope. Ain't gonna happen. But I did get out fairly early, before the sun got too high and the frost was gone (does that count?). Sadly, there was no snow - was the day before Thanksgiving all the snow we're going to get this year? - but the grasses were all frosted:

And I just love the way the ice crystals encase anything metal:

NUBBLE LIGHT, YORK, MAINE

2011-12-10T21:16:00.000-05:00

Tonight was the annual lighting of the Christmas lights at Nubble Lighthouse in York. Very picturesque!

A BIT EARLY

2011-12-08T23:04:00.001-05:00

I never had much luck growing things, and when I bought these paperwhites, I followed the instructions that said to plant 5 - 6 weeks before you want blooms. Mindful of my past history, I planted them 6 weeks before Christmas, and they're blooming now. 2 1/2 weeks too early. By the time Christmas arrives, they will be all dead and wilted :-(

Oh well, I can enjoy them now, and I'll haul out that artificial wreath yet again...................

THANKSGIVING SNOW

2011-11-23T15:41:00.000-05:00

Wow - two posts in one day! I was just taking a break from my Thanksgiving cooking, and thought I'd download some pictures I took earlier today. Although it's not unheard of, we don't usually have snow the day before Thanksgiving:

RED LADDER

2011-11-23T14:03:00.000-05:00

I love the red against the gray! Here's one from a field trip I took last week:

MORE WATER

2011-11-11T22:03:00.000-05:00

Somewhere, just over the horizon, the sun is shining.....

....and the car wash people still think I'm nuts..........

FINALLY BACK !

2011-11-05T18:01:00.000-04:00

I've been MIA for a while, due to some major life events, which coincidentally involved lots of flowers. Of course, I couldn't resist photographing them:

And naturally, I had to get in even closer:

SILKY WATER

2011-09-25T19:55:00.002-04:00

Along with the colors starting to turn, I had a chance to photograph this mill waterfall at Willowbrook at Newfield today. The color of the leaves is reflected in the flowing water:

FALL EQUINOX

2011-09-23T17:06:00.000-04:00

Happy fall! My favorite time of year. The leaves down here haven't started turning yet; maybe just a bit. The sumac in the back yard has a few:

And it's always interesting to see how the green lingers close to the veins:

PLAYING WITH GLASS

2011-09-22T22:26:00.000-04:00

Love textured glass bottles, and how the light makes them look like tall buildings next to each other:

GIRL IN THE WINDOW

2011-09-02T14:16:00.000-04:00

When the Portland Public Library was remodeled, they saved the statue of the little girl with the water bowl. Instead of outside in the entryway, it's now in the front window. I liked the view, and happened to have my infrared camera with me, so voilà! I didn't bother to do a custom white balance, but I liked the colors I got just the same:

NEW RESIDENT

2011-08-15T17:06:00.000-04:00

A brand-new visitor has taken up residence at my house. This is a red-tailed hawk; not sure if it's a parent or juvenile, but suspect it's a juvenile who fledged not long ago. S/He is still having a problem with a smooth landing, but it shouldn't be long before everything falls into place.

LITTLE DOGS ON MAINE LAKES

2011-08-09T12:08:00.000-04:00

This little guy does not like to be left by himself! That includes when the rest of the family goes swimming. Just in case he decides to jump in, he's outfitted with his own doggie life jacket:

He usually just watches from shore for only a little while before he jumps in:

FOGGY PORTLAND, MAINE

2011-08-02T10:41:00.000-04:00

It seems the fog follows me around! Just when I thought I had enough shots, another opportunity presented itself yesterday morning:

Gotta love it!

MAINE - SUNRISE AND SUNSET

2011-07-29T16:28:00.002-04:00

I'm not often awake at sunrise. And when I am, I'm not often coordinated enough to take a photograph. But I couldn't resist the sunrise in the fog:

And I also happened to be in Portland just when the sun was beginning to set. This is the Portland skyline from Baxter Boulevard:

COMING HOME TO MAINE

2011-07-17T21:00:00.000-04:00

A friend and I went to a photo conference for the weekend, and we were reflecting on how nice it was to live in Maine. If we go somewhere for a holiday, or a weekend, the tourists are usually going the other way. It was no different this weekend - this is the scene as we were driving home:

While we were gone, we got a chance to photograph some hot-air balloons:

MORE MAINE COUNTRY FAIR

2011-07-11T22:22:00.000-04:00

Other sights at the fair included booths selling everything you could ever want (boy, would I hate to set up/take down this booth!):

A patriotic tractor:

Bored sheep:

And of course, the 4-H show. Showing their cattle is serious business for these kids:

But coming out on top is worth all the effort!

MAINE COUNTRY FAIR

2011-07-09T20:03:00.000-04:00

Today I went to the Ossippee Valley Fair, the first of the Maine county fairs. We used to show cattle at this fair, and it was great to see the dairy show.

However, I naturally gravitated to my first love - horses - and I found plenty to photograph. There was a large entry for the pulling contests, and I got to photograph this handsome guy:

Along with a couple of his competitors:

There were pig races:

As well as fake pigs:

And of course, the "fair food":

T-BALL ~MAINE PHOTOGRAPHER~

2011-06-19T19:56:00.000-04:00

All-star in the making:

They have to start somewhere........

AHHH......SUNSHINE AND LADYSLIPPERS ~MAINE PHOTOGRAPHER~

2011-05-30T16:26:00.001-04:00

Good weather at last! Maybe a bit muggy and humid, but it's far too early in the year to start complaining. My friend said she had some ladyslippers in her yard, so I had to photograph them this morning:

And while I was at it, I couldn't pass up a chance to photograph her cat:

Unfortunately, he did not want to be immortalized digitally, so this is the only shot I got of him, but that's the way it goes with cats........

ONE MORE FROM LAST WEEKEND

2011-05-27T22:57:00.001-04:00

This is a familiar sight for anyone who lives near Portland - Bug Light:

This weekend the weather looks to be a little better, but somehow, clear skies aren't nearly as appealing - photographically - as dark, brooding clouds.

IT'S AMAZING.....

2011-05-24T22:52:00.000-04:00

...how complex the most mundane things are:

STILL FOGGY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS......

2011-05-21T12:00:00.000-04:00

Well, it seems like years! This morning I found Portland once again socked in:

Although it wasn't raining, plants all had raindrops on them:

But wait - could it be.....? Is it over? This wasn't forecast, but just look out the window!

Maybe it will be a good weekend after all....

RAINDROPS KEEP FALLIN' ON MY HEAD.....

2011-05-18T16:47:00.001-04:00

When will it ever stop? The forecast doesn't look very promising....Meanwhile, here's what the ground looks like:

April Showers was LAST month!

SUNSET RIDE

2011-05-17T20:56:00.000-04:00

Just playing.....combining two shots. Note to self: take more sunsets this summer!

WILD TURKEYS

2011-05-15T09:05:00.000-04:00

A couple of them have taken up residence at the farm. One decided to get brave and explore the back yard early last evening:

After insepecting the empty bird feeder, he (she?) decided to try again another day....

MORE FLOWERS - SPRINGTIME IN MAINE

2011-04-30T12:37:00.000-04:00

Well, cut flowers don't last forever:

However, at this time of year, there's always something to take their place:

ROSES IN MAINE

2011-04-23T18:09:00.000-04:00

Whew - it's been quite a while since my last post. Busy, busy, busy........getting ready for the Spring/Summer/Fall family portrait season! In the meantime, I just couldn't wait for Spring to get here, so I went out and bought some miniature roses. This will have to hold me until I see some real progress by Mother Nature!

In a day or so, these should be fully open, providing me with some more photo ops...

APRIL FOOLING STORM

2011-04-02T08:46:00.000-04:00

Just when we thought it was safe to wash the car..........

WORLD'S LARGEST WHOOPIE PIE - IN MAINE!

2011-03-26T15:18:00.000-04:00

There has long been a friendly (or maybe not-so-friendly) debate about where the whoopie pie originated. Pennsylvania lays claim to it, but so does Maine, and we all know Maine is the place where the whoopie pie got its start. The ordinary, everyday whoopie pe is a fairly substantial cake-cookie type thing, which fits on a regular dessert plate:

However, the Wicked Whoopie Pie Company decided to prove once and for all that Maine could make the world's largest whoopie pie. And they did just that, at the Maine Mall in south Portland today.

When I arrived at the mall to document the event, they already had it half-built:

All that remained was to put the top layer of cake on. There was a bit of strategic planning going on at the side of the ring:

But the crew bravely hoisted it up and walked over to the half-built pie, to slide it off the board onto the filling:

Unfortunately, the top layer was a bit too heavy, and the filling started oozing out from the sides, making cracks in the top:

The final whoopie pie, weighing in at over 1000 pounds, is not picture -perfect, but it IS the World's Largest Whoopie Pie!

And in case you're wondering about the statistics:

Way to go, Wicked Whoopies!

AT LAST!

2011-03-14T16:30:00.000-04:00

Finally we have flowers. Although these were store-bought, and you can see there's still patchy snow on the ground outside, it still means that spring is not too far around the corner.

...and as long as we're photographing flowers, it's always nice to get a few macro shots in as well:

HERE WE GO AGAIN

2011-02-25T15:37:00.000-05:00

It's snowing. Not all that unusual for Maine, but I've found that in the past, whenever I get new tires to deal with the weather, we don't have any more snow. It didn't work this year:

There was one good sign, however. The blue Bud Light truck managed to get through!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY - THANK YOU, SUSAN!

2011-02-14T15:52:00.000-05:00

Peanut butter balls, fudge, chocolate-covered pretzels, oh my!

PORTLAND CAR WASH ABSTRACT

2011-02-13T16:08:00.001-05:00

My dark green car was gray; moreover, the gray rubbed off on my clothes when I touched it. It was high time to get the car washed. The snowstorms had been coming so close together, it was pointless and a waste of money to do it earlier. But we were finally presented with more than 2 days of clear weather, so I took a deep breath and sprang for it. This is what your car sees going through the car wash:

READY FOR SPRING

2011-01-26T15:33:00.001-05:00

More from the view at the top. Across the street there is an old building (used to be a department store) that has been converted to condos. The tenants on the top floor get to have balconies. One tenant has decided to keep the grill all covered up, and the patio furniture out, just in case Spring comes unexpectedly:

YES, MAINE WINTERS CAN BE FUN!

2011-01-25T16:30:00.000-05:00

The high school cross-country ski team practicing in the front fields:

BRRRRRR....................

2011-01-24T14:19:00.001-05:00

At 2:15 in the afternoon, with the sun shining brightly, it's the "feels like" number I don't care for! There shouldn't be 15 degrees difference between what it "is" and what it "feels like." :-(

VIEW FROM THE TOP

2011-01-21T14:15:00.000-05:00

This was the view from my office window this morning:

That was around 10:00. It's now 2:00, and the sun is almost out. Gotta love Maine!

CUDDLING KITTY

2011-01-10T17:12:00.002-05:00

This little one-year-old took a break from her session to cuddle with Bo:

MAINE MORNING

2010-12-29T15:02:00.001-05:00

A sign of the times here in southern Maine....

SEEN AROUND TOWN

2010-12-19T21:10:00.000-05:00

I'm glad I decided to act on the resolution to take my camera with me when I go out. At this time of year, there are lots of decorations to photograph. At the mall, there is a large train display set up to amuse the kids while they're waiting to see Santa:

Thomas was even there:

At L.L. Bean, there are ice sculptures all over the grounds, including (of course) a fisherman:

Catching a fish:

And a bear in a tree!

CHRISTMAS TREE (PORTLAND, MAINE)

2010-12-16T21:32:00.000-05:00

Here's the tree from the November 19th post, all lit up in Monument Square:

The full view of the Square:

Monument Way, leading off the square:

Store windows have enticing indications of what's inside:

Other stores have pretty decorations in the windows:

Oh, yes, 'tis the season in Maine - now if we could just have some snow.....

DEAR SANTA

2010-12-09T17:40:00.002-05:00

Kids all over the world are asking themselves this question right about now:

THE COUNTDOWN BEGINS (HOLIDAY SHOPPING)

2010-11-29T21:38:00.000-05:00

It's that time again. You'd think, after all these years, I'd have a handle on what this all entails, and plan accordingly. But no........I'll be the last one out of the store on Christmas Eve.....

IT'S UP (PORTLAND, MAINE CHRISTMAS TREE)

2010-11-19T16:29:00.002-05:00

Yesterday the big flatbed truck came rolling down Congress Street to Monument Square, where, for the next month at least, the Civil War monument will be eclipsed by this 50-foot tall Christmas tree. During the coming week, the lights will be put on, and the grand lighting celebration will take place the day after Thanksgiving.

Let the shopping begin!

WAITING FOR WINTER

2010-11-14T20:58:00.000-05:00

We've had some great weather the last few days, but the landscape is starting to look a little dreary, especially in the very early morning. Recent rains have left puddles, and the grass in the front field is turning brown:

Some of our residents are leaving for their winter homes. I hope they get there; in this photograph they were flying north:

MORE DOGGIES

2010-11-03T11:03:00.002-04:00

I had the opportunity to photograph some more dogs. My thanks to those who took the time out of their day to get the dogs ready.

This American Bulldog, a sweet girl who had been rescued from a very hard life as a puppy-mill Mama, still didn't completely trust strangers and had eyes only for her owner/rescuer:

My Boxer friend wanted nothing more than to play, as all Boxers do, but he did manage to stand still for just a few moments:

FALL IN THE BERKSHIRES

2010-11-02T22:25:00.001-04:00

Last weekend I attended a wedding at the Seven Hills Inn, in Lenox, MA. The original inn was built in the 1700's. The day after the wedding, I had a chance to stroll the grounds on an early-morning search for photographs:


The front door of the Inn


There was still some foliage left


A statue at one corner of the patio

A table with a Victorian flower arrangement. The wedding couple was married in front of this window.

The staircase leading up to the rooms on the second floor

THIS IS WHAT I THINK OF YOUR PHOTO SESSION!

2010-10-25T16:00:00.002-04:00

I am trying to do more pet photography, and with the gracious consent of (almost) all concerned, I have been adding to my dog portfolio. This little lady was not particularly impressed:

SACO HEATH

2010-10-15T21:12:00.000-04:00

What a neat little place! The heath is a bog, actually, and the Nature Conservancy has thoughtfully put up a boardwalk so that we can walk across. That's a good thing, because one step off the boardwalk means you're knee-deep in mud:

There is color everywhere, including lots of wild blueberry bushes:

Even in the deep woods approaching the bog:

For more information about Saco Heath, go to the Nature Conservancy website.

PHOTOGRAPHING AT HIGH NOON

2010-10-09T19:59:00.000-04:00

It's a well-known axiom that photographers shouldn't photograph in the middle of the day: the light is too harsh, the sun casts dark shadows, etc. However, there are times when this works out to your advantage, such as when the subject is lit from straight above and slightly behind.....

WALKING AROUND PORTLAND, MAINE

2010-10-02T21:20:00.001-04:00

I thought I'd take an early morning walk around Portland, starting at Commercial Street on the waterfront, where I found more pleasure boats than I expected to see:

The resident sea gulls were out enjoying the sun and planning which fishing boats to attack next:

And when I got back to the parking lot where I'd left my car, I found one of my favorite subjects: fall foliage -

MORE ABSTRACTS

2010-10-01T20:09:00.000-04:00

Fun with macro - this one could be turned any which-way and still look intriguing:

Any guesses as to what this is?

Well, since to post the pullback later would be to spoil the whole thing, here it is:

Some Post-It notes taped into position, light shining through a colored glass (I used several different colors, but liked the blue best).

LADY WITH LACE

2010-09-27T22:26:00.002-04:00

I was going through all the files I took this month, looking for candidates for culling. I had almost forgotten that I'd taken this at the Professional Photographers of New England convention in Springfield, during an evening session started by the incredible Arthur Rainville:

A little playing got me this (and there's lots more to be done...):

HORSES IN INFRARED

2010-09-20T08:17:00.000-04:00

Just a quick shot from a field trip yesterday:

These horses reside at the Morris Farm in Wiscasset, Maine, which is open to the public and offers gardening and husbandry classes. For more information, click here.

VIEW FROM MY WINDOW

2010-09-17T18:38:00.000-04:00

I just got back from the Professional Photographers of New England convention in Springfield, MA. I had a very nice room at the Sheraton, and I could see City Hall Tower (I hope that's what it was!) in one direction:

Looking the other way, I could see the tower reflected in another building:

I wish I'd had time to explore the neighborhood a little more...

EARLY MORNING, PORTLAND MAINE

2010-09-01T18:02:00.002-04:00

Early every Wednesday morning, in Monument Square in Portland, vendors from surrounding farming communities set up their stands for the weekly farmer's market:

THANK GOODNESS FOR FENCES !

2010-08-21T17:01:00.001-04:00

They're bigger in real life than storybooks would have you believe.......

ROSE HIPS

2010-08-14T11:35:00.000-04:00

Another "find" from my little excursion last night:

A PROMISE

2010-08-13T20:40:00.001-04:00

This evening I decided to take some pictures just for me. While wandering around Portland Head Light, I saw, hidden in the sumac bushes, a hint of what's to come. This has been a good summer as far as not getting rained out, give or take a tornado or two, but it's been pretty warm with a lot more humidity than I feel is fair! Anyway, these turning leaves reminded me that the next season - the BEST season - is right around the corner:

SUMMER SUPPER

2010-08-02T07:30:00.001-04:00

This little guy was (almost) completely oblivious to the photo session going on around him. He kept eating his supper until we got a little too close for comfort:

SOFT LIGHT THROUGH THE TREES

2010-08-01T10:45:00.000-04:00

IT WAS A SUNNY DAY

2010-07-28T10:00:00.006-04:00

......until the fog rolled in. The sailboats were headed back in:

...and this could have been a scene from the Civil War, when Fort Gorges in the background was built:

AHHHH........SUMMER!

2010-07-27T21:57:00.000-04:00

Two cousins going for a paddle on the lake.....talking about what only teenage girls talk about...

WHO DO YOU THINK YOU'RE KIDDING?

2010-07-25T09:42:00.001-04:00

I realize there has been a bit of discussion about the esthetics of cell phone towers. People feel they're destroying the view, and perhaps they are (but how many of us are willing to give up our cell phones?) Here is one example of how they're trying to camouflage the towers to make them less obnoxious to those who object to them. Never mind that no other pine trees in the area are nowhere near that height.....you have to give them credit for trying!

LAWN ORNAMENTS

2010-07-20T21:17:00.001-04:00

'Tis the season......with thanks to Ford, John Deere, New Holland, et al.....

DON'T FORGET YOUR BEST FRIEND!

2010-07-12T08:00:00.006-04:00

I always encourage seniors to bring their pets to their photo session. Why not bring along the one living being in this whole world who always thinks you're the best thing ever!

OUT AND ABOUT

2010-07-11T14:39:00.000-04:00

Black-and-white is a great choice for a dreary day. And even with the clouds rolling in, the infrared effect still shows up. You can see the telltale white foliage of the trees in the background and the plant clinging to the base of the lighthouse:

This is Bug Light, in South Portland, Maine.

4TH OF JULY AT THE LAKE

2010-07-05T17:09:00.000-04:00

I almost didn't take my camera with me, but at the last minute I grabbed it. Glad I did, or I would have missed the beautiful sunset we had:

And my daughter's fish:

And of course, the fireworks:

TWO FAVORITES

2010-06-26T14:16:00.000-04:00

Here are two of my favorite (and convenient) subjects, both in one photograph - infrared and cows:

VIEW FROM THE CAR WASH

2010-06-25T20:01:00.000-04:00

I was going to just post an abstract and leave the interpretation up to the viewer. But I have to say this is what it looks like from the driver's seat just coming out of the car wash:

And yes, I do take my camera with me to the car wash, looking for that perfect abstract. This isn't it; waiting for the car to get dirty again....

MMMMM.....FARMERS' MARKETS

2010-06-19T15:03:00.000-04:00

It's always nice to have fresh, locally-grown vegetables, that haven't been trucked in from more than a half hour away. It's still a little early here, and there seems to be more flowers and bedding plants for sale than a huge variety of vegetable, but we're rolling. This morning I found some young bok choy:

In addition to some nice green leafies:

Not all of the produce was organic, but the farmers who were organic proudly displayed the fact:

This year we have been blessed with an earlier-than-normal growing season, so there are lots of my favorite - strawberries! They're a little pricey, but if you can find some that are either organic or at the very least, "non-sprayed," they're well worth the cost:

MORE VISITORS

2010-06-13T17:42:00.000-04:00

Not just one -

But TWO buzzards! I hope they didn't chase the hawk away....

NEW BABY

2010-06-12T21:16:00.003-04:00

Less than 24 hours old, this little girl was wide awake and alert:

This was taken as part of a photography project with the theme "Connections."

FREQUENT VISITOR

2010-06-10T22:55:00.000-04:00

I just happened to catch this shot of the one responsible for keeping the pigeons at bay:

He (she?) does the job very well. And very discretely, too. We never see any carnage........good thing.......

This was just a grab shot (hawks don't take direction well), and it flew off right after I clicked the shutter. Maybe sometime soon I'll be able to make a good portrait. I'm not holding my breath!

I DO KNOW WHAT THIS IS !

2010-06-08T12:40:00.001-04:00

Yep - they're wild raspberries. Amazing what you can find right in your own yard:

And how about this? Buttercups!

"PORTRAIT OF A WEED"

2010-06-05T15:26:00.004-04:00

That's the answer I got when I asked someone, who should know, what kind of grass this is. I do not pretend to be any kind of botanist; I don't even make a half-decent gardener. But I do love to photograph all colors and shapes of plants:

THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN

2010-06-04T22:40:00.000-04:00

The seasons roll on, and it's time to start getting the hay in again. This is a hay rake seen from a different angle:

Against an infrared sky, of course....

POOR SOULS

2010-05-22T14:48:00.007-04:00

While wandering through Evergreen cemetery this morning, in search of interesting patterns and infrared images to photograph, I happened on this monument, surrounded by about 20 markers:

"HOME FOR AGED WOMEN"

It looks like something out of a Dickens novel. Old people, indigent, being taken care of by the town or city, just waiting to die. Which struck me as odd, since some of the markers were for ladies who died in the 1990's. Was there a "home for aged women" in Portland then?

Was there no family? No family plot where they could be buried? Were these childless old ladies with no relatives? The last of their line? Or did they prefer that their final resting place be with the other ladies that they had spent their last years with? True friends, perhaps. We'll never know - at least not without a bit of research.

I am thinking of making an effort every once in a while to visit this place, since I doubt that very many people do. If there were concerned relatives, you'd think they'd replace that dead evergeen next to the stone.....

SWEET OLD BOY

2010-05-15T11:42:00.004-04:00

This is Tanner, a 14-year-old Golden Retriever:

I took his picture, almost as an afterthought, when the session was done - so glad I did!

AHHH......SPRING (ALMOST)

2010-05-10T22:23:00.001-04:00

Yes, recently we had a couple of days near 90°. Not for long, though. For the past few days it's been COLD! I did manage to get up to Brunswick, and while there I stopped at a spot I've always meant to, but never did. It was the footbridge across the Androscoggin River right in the middle of town. With my infrared camera I focused on the contrast of the white foliage on the riverbank against the deep blue water:

Turning the opposite direction on the footbridge, there was the Fort Andross mill complex:

I couldn't stay long; the wind was whipping through, and I was chilled to the bone. But it's now infrared season again, so that makes it all right!

WHAT WERE YOU DOING AT 15:00 GMT TODAY?

2010-05-02T18:22:00.000-04:00

If you had access to a camera, you were taking a photograph of whatever was in front of you at that time. The NY Times is sponsoring an exhibit called A Moment in Time, which features photographs from around the world taken at the same time: 15:00 GMT. That's 11 AM for those of us on Eastern Daylight Time. The deal is to upload your images to the NYT website, and they should all be available for viewing after Friday, the 7th. This is my entry in the "Work" category.

EYES

2010-04-27T16:06:00.001-04:00

WELCOME TO OUR WORLD, LITTLE ONE!

2010-04-26T09:13:00.000-04:00

This morning I had the pleasure of photographing this very new creature - only 7 days old. What a cutie he is!

He looks like he's trying to sort everything out. That's okay, little guy - all in good time........some of us still haven't got it right yet.

BACK FROM CAMP

2010-04-18T13:02:00.002-04:00

I just got back from "photography camp," or NEIPP (the New England Institute of Professional Photography), put on by the Professional Photographers of New England. This school takes place once a year, and draws people from all over New England and beyond. My instructor this time was Ed Pedi, of Ed Pedi Photography in North Andover, MA. His specialty is family portraiture, and we learned a lot in the 6 days we were there, observing him photograph both outdoors and in studio:

I love the opportunity for intensive photography instruction, and I always come back with lots of ideas!

WHERE'S THE BIRDS?

2010-04-10T10:03:00.001-04:00

One of my cat's favorite pastimes is watching the birds out the window.

There weren't that many this winter, because they hadn't discovered the feeder yet. But now that they have, kitty spends lots of time on the top of his tower:

IMAGINATION

2010-04-01T14:42:00.000-04:00

Quite often we will see things or designs in objects. This design is in a piece of wood paneling - what does it look like to you?

BIRD AT THE FLOWER SHOW

2010-03-29T22:06:00.002-04:00

I didn't quite know what to expect at the flower show, so maybe birds are supposed to be there. After all, most gardens have at least a few bird visitors:

This is s Golden Pheasant, and I was surprised to read that it is native to New England. How many of us have ever seen this bird?

BEAUTIFUL, INEDIBLE CAKE!

2010-03-27T23:26:00.005-04:00

A friend and I went to the Boston flower show today. I have vowed to lay off the flowers for a bit for the photo-of-the-day, and it ordinarily would have been very hard to do that after going to the flower show. So here's a compromise: this was a "cake," entered in the category "Dessert Anyone - Taste." Exhibitors must make a cake using all dried plant material with a slice removed for viewing:

This would be a fun piece to use as dining room décor, but they look really difficult to do. I'm convinced the people who entered their creations in this category had WAY too much time on their hands!

WHICH WAY?

2010-03-25T14:57:00.004-04:00

I'm getting a lot of mileage out of last weekend's walk in the park. I couldn't decide just which way to crop this image. Does it look better horizontal:

....or vertical?

I love the "milky water" effect. This is possible mainly in the spring, since the stream dries up to a trickle in the summer.

WOODS ABSTRACT

2010-03-24T14:40:00.001-04:00

DO - OVER

2010-03-22T15:28:00.001-04:00

Yesterday's walk in the park yielded a lot of shots that I liked, but some could have been better. I had to go out again today and do this one over:

It's still not as good as I'd like, but much better than yesterday.

2nd DAY OF SPRING...

2010-03-21T13:09:00.002-04:00

...and I went out shooting with my daughter-in-law. We didn't see too many signs of spring, mostly leftovers from fall:

But we did find some activity among the moss:

So here's hoping it all comes with a rush. I'm so ready!

GOTTA LOVE IT!

2010-03-20T15:22:00.008-04:00

Of course, tomorrow is another day:

Living in Maine - never just the same old, same old.....

NIGHTMARE

2010-03-16T17:18:00.007-04:00

Some more fun with special effects. (Note: Bo is not nearly as vicious as he looks here!)

STAIRWAY TO.......?

2010-03-13T13:11:00.000-05:00

CITY SHAPES

2010-03-12T14:59:00.001-05:00

I've always liked the way the roof of the parking garage forms an arrow that points to a car: