In the right light, at the right time, everything is extraordinary.

[Jennifer]

That is one of my favorite quotes of all time, by Aaron Rose.

I miss sharing things with everyone here, and I feel like all of the artists here have gotten quiet (at least on the art front). I'm sad to see how long it's been since anyone posted anything creative in this particular sub-forum. So I'll put some things in this thread, and anyone else who wants to share some recent work can put their things here as well if they don't want to start a thread of their very own.

I recently updated my gallery and blog with some wedding photography. Beautiful brides are easy to photography.

[Mike]

umm... Have you done something with your hair?

Oh wait...


I'd say it's very difficult to photograph beautiful brides. They tend to dress in white, which reflects loads of light. Especially when the sun comes out. Getting the lighting just right (especially when it's not right) is a task I'd say no to. But then, I'm a coward.
The angle on the second pic is oddly funny. The first pic is great, capturing every bit of beauty of the bride. But I'd crop it a tiny bit and leave out the edges of the dress at the bottom, at the risk of suggesting too much nakedness, but who knows
Anyway, I love the pics. And the fact that you posted them. Extraordinary

[Mike]

Oh, here's my pic of the day:

SAM_0162sml.jpg

It's a new camera, so I'm not used to it yet, which leads to unwanted focus thingies like so:

SAM_0079sml.jpg

[Jennifer]

Thanks for the feedback, Mike! You know, the second pic has been bothering me a little bit as well... I wonder if it's the way her eyes are...

I like your pic of the day...the butterfly looks like a desaturated monarch butterfly, heh. And what kind of caterpillar is that?!?

[AquaFizz]

For real. That caterpillar is creepy as hell.

I recently bought a new camera. It doesn't have adjustable shutter speed, because I just couldn't find a DSLR in my price range (read: tiny). But I got one of those Nikon Coolpix with 21x optical zoom. I took it to my first concert last night and I was a little disappointed. It took great pictures in the dark before the music started, but once the bass began to vibrate me (I was front of center, of course), all my pictures became blurry. I DID try to do a couple on the "sports continuous" setting, so perhaps that will have worked-I haven't looked yet. But it seemed like even if the faces were clearer, that setting may have given the pictures a more grainy quality. I'll investigate later and report back. Two things my camera does amazingly well, though: Zoom and Color! A couple weeks ago I went to see my cousin perform with the Madison Scouts in Muncie at the Indiana State Football Stadium. I was pretty high up but I zoomed in tight and got a GREAT shot of my cousin's "Redemption! Face" toward the end of "Empire State of Mind." I was so far away, I could barely even spot him among the hundred-or-so other boys, but with my zoom, I found him. All the parents were swooning over my picture. And the color! I'm in love! I've taken a liking to taking pictures of all sorts of inanimate objects recently. Anything with a pattern, I like to get up real close & capture the pattern and nothing else. So in love. My camera has made me fall in love with turquoise.

So...all of this to say: I'll try to post a few pictures soon, too. Just so I can geek out a little about my nifty new technology. They won't be as awesome as yours, though, because you're both just superior. Jen, I especially love those scrub jay pics. Such pretty colors!

[Mike]

Not sure what kind of caterpillar it is. I'm sure it'll grow bigger and bigger and turn into a huge butterfly that will darken half the country with it's wings. Same goes for the desaturated butterfly, I haven't got a clue what it is. I enjoy them, and I take pics of them. But I can't be bothered to read the signs that explain what is what and why.

Enough compact camera's around nowadays that allow full control and deliver DSLR-like quality pics, but unfortunately they're usually not available for tiny budgets.

Jen, there isn't much wrong with the second pic other then the dark eyes. Preferably they should light up, but I guess that demands the ritual sacrifice of a piggy bank in exchange for a cool flash. I'd do it if I were you. You're way too deep into photography not to.
Err... You have a cool flash already! Use it then, especially on these occassions. Daylight, and sunlight in particular, has a tendency to cast shadows where you don't want them. Throw in a flash to even out the light and magic happens.

[Jennifer]

I have a few butterflies as well from EPCOT's Flower and Garden Festival. Those little guys...NOT very easy for me to photograph. I try to get the eye of the thing in focus but it rarely works out that way.

[Jennifer]

Took my friend to the Central Florida Zoo today for a few photography lessons...unfortunately that zoo is not the best place to learn because the nature of the enclosures makes it a hard place to shoot. Still got a few decent ones though.

[Mike]

OOh, that leopard is gorgeous. Might be getting a good spanking for naming some cheetah or whatever a leopard, but I'm aware of my shortcomings and accept any spanking ... perhaps even happily.

Took this today, in the Efteling park. Kinda like Disney World, just less fake cowboys and indians and more fairy tale. I haven got a clue about the actual looks of the pic. I'm doing all of this on an old laptop so I have no idea how good/bad the screen is and whether it shows me real colors or not, and with software I never use (the Gimp)
A shot from the boat in Fata Morgana

SAM_0283sml.jpg

[Jennifer]

It looks like you're riding a boat into the fiery sewers of hell.

[Jennifer]

Last week, my hubby and his coworkers went to a ziplining course at our local zoo and I got some video. It's not exactly, art, but it's pretty funny, I think!

http://youtu.be/oY-ipXg6v74

[Mike]

Clumsy people on a string? That's art alright

[Jennifer]

Created a new card...hopefully it can drum up some business for me.

[Mike]

I see a pattern there

But it looks good. Let the drums roll!

[Jennifer]

My hubby and I were driving through some mountains in North GA just to get out of the house for the day and saw this wall of icicles! Being from Florida, frozen water that didn't originate in an actual electrically powered freezer is not something we encountered often. So of course, I made him pull over so I could get out and take some photos.