Paying Attention

The resident ducks of Carson Park on a snowy afternoon.  Did you notice how much attention I am getting?  It is as if they had a meeting and decided, "Let's ignore him, maybe he will go away."  Their strategy worked but not until I captured this picture.  It's OK.  They got what they wanted and so did I. :-)

The black and grey against the snow creates some strong contrast and does grab your attention.

Cabin (1857 Style)

This is the restored cabin of Lars Anderson located at the Chippewa Valley Museum.  I believe the building is open for display during the summer months.  The picture got my attention because of the contrast between the lumber and the mortar. 

It is hard to imagine people staying warm in such a building during our Wisconsin winters.

 

 

 

Fireplace?

I went to the Home and Garden Show and saw all these new things for your home.  They called this a fireplace but there was no wood, no chimney, no venting, no smoke,  and you hang it on the wall like you would picture. There were flames and warmth but nothing was being burned.    Creates very nice atmosphere.  Very attractive.  Very interesting. Very hard to photograph.

Kristi Kruse's "Lightcatcher"

Instead of taking a "Picture of the Day" I spent my time learning how to put a video on Utube and at the same time promote Kristi's new CD entitled "Dakota Sky."  One of the songs on the album is entitled, "Lightcatcher."  The music and the title was interesting to me so I gathered up some of my pictures of "lightcatchers" and put them on a Utube video.  You can hear the music and see the pictures by clicking below.

Double Chocolate Delight

It was hard to see this leave the house.  Jackie made this for a church event that I did not attend so I never really had a chance to enjoy it.  Some people did and I am glad for that.   I was fortunate to be around to get a picture.  My mouth waters just looking at it.

Recently I discovered there are some photographers who do nothing more than food photography.  There are probably some extra perks when that is your focus.

Chilly Park Bench

I read in a photo magazine that repetitive lines in a picture gets attention.  Did it work?  Black and white picture, hard structure, bold lines, cold day makes this an uninviting place to be.  However we know that soon people will be sitting here enjoying the beauty of the Chippewa River. Think spring. It's coming.... I hope soon.

More Color in Glass

Same set up as previous days.  Different light source.  Nothing expensive or elaborate. Just a flashlight used by campers. 

I am amazed at the many different ways  photography can be used to capture a moment, a scene, a memory, an image.

Color Beauty in Glass

 

Same set up as yesterday. Different light source.  It is amazing how a different light source can change the picture in dramatic ways. 

Beauty in Glass

 

It is too cold to go out side to take pictures.  They are predicting a -25 wind chill tomorrow morning. So my picture for today must come from the inside.  I go my workshop, place some black velvet on a board, get one of Jackie's candle holders and begin taking pictures.  Here is the result.

 

 

 

 

 

Be Quiet. It is Sleeping

You could call this contemporary art.  Or you could say, "Dave, have you lost it?  What are you up to now?"  Remember, I did not promise you 5-star pictures in this endeavor.  I only promised to try to take a "Picture a Day."  I am trying to explore different photo taking opportunities.   So stay with me as we explore a variety of situations. 

The title is to "Be Quiet.  It is Sleeping".  The  earth is sleeping. It is getting ready for a new season in just  few months.  It is at rest getting refreshed for another year of production.  This is  picture of a corn field from the top of a hill looking down at what is left from last year's crop.

Nature has a rhythm of rest and renewal in order for things to grow well the next year.  Some of us would do well to adopt that kind of rhythm in our own lives as well.

Cardinal Anxiety

Our cardinals stay away from our feeder when they see a camera in the window. So this time I put the camera near the back of the room and used the zoom lens to get this picture.  Yet the bird was still very cautious and it appeared that he kept looking at me out of the side of his eye. 

It is always kind of special to see the red of the cardinals in the midst of winter.  They seem to stand out and grab out attention. 

Blanketed by Snow

Four inches of snow brings a fresh feeling to the area.  Everything looks so clean, pure, and one gets the feeling of new-ness. It looks so good you don't want to destroy the setting by messing it up with getting the snow blower going.  In Wisconsin it is helpful to find beauty in fresh fallen snow.

Evening Sky

 

It had been a busy day with lots of things to do and no time for doing any photography.  Just as I was getting ready to put the camera away I glanced out the window and saw this scene. I took a very quick shot as I was heading out for an evening meeting.  I only wish I had  the time at that moment to set it up with tripod and all, but this one was done on the run.  Now I will be looking out that window about the same time of the day looking for another chance to get a better picture.



Qwackers for Lunch

A special moment for the girl and the duck.  Both were eager to complete the transaction and both benefitted.  The duck got the cracker and the girl got the memory and the thrill of the experience.  It was a win-win situation.

Wouldn't be great if every situation was win-win?  Special moments for all.

Commtment

Commitment is staying with something you believe in even when you are not getting the results you want.  It is a sign of determination to accomplish what you want to do.  I admire people who display that kind of focused attention allowing them to complete the task at hand.

This gentleman demonstrates commitment.  On a cold Sunday afternoon I found him sitting on a bucket in the middle of the lake in front of  hole in the ice trying to catch fish.  He had been there over an hour and a half and did not even get one nibble.  Yet there he was happy, relaxed, smiling, planned to stay there even longer.  That's commitment.  I admire that.

Solitude

It is a lonely time of the year for picnic tables.  There is nobody around. The park is silent. Quietness fills the area.  The table just sits there waiting and waiting and waiting for something to happen.  

Soon solitude will turn to activity.  The snow will melt.  The grass will grow and children will be sitting on the benches for birthday parties.  Moms and Dads will be there watching the children swing.  Senior citizens who are out walking will stop to rest here. 

Could it be that times of solitude makes it possible for us to enjoy the times of action more than if we never had the solitude?  I hope you have time for both in your life.

Photogenic Brdige

 

 

You don't usually think of bridges being photogenic but this one always attracts my attention no matter what the season is.  Walking across this bridge today would give you a full taste of Winter in Wisconsin.  Snow flurries, cold wind, slippery conditions, and a forecast of icy roads later in the day is something we learn to accept.  Yet we live as people who have hope that spring is not too far away.  If the picture makes you feel cold just turn the heat up a bit.

Birds Eye.....Viewing

 

Just was getting ready to go out and take a "Picture of the Day" it started snowing.  On my way out I checked the bird feeder and found this hungry creature.  He watched every move I made and wanted to stay and eat but knew he should keep his eye on me.  He wasn't afraid of the snow but was suspicious of the camera.  He stayed to eat.  I stayed and got some pictures.  Here you will see the bird's eye ...viewing.

Yearning for Spring

Are you tired of the cold mornings?  Have you had enough of winter? Is it time for a change? Well, I am ready to move on, eager for a change, and yearning for spring. Have you seen any signs of spring yet?  I wanted to go looking.  So I grabbed my camera and began looking.

This is the best I could do!

Ordinary and Special

Lights like these are seen all the time but we never take the time to examine them closely.   Here is a case where we see the ordinary and miss what can be the extra ordinary.  In the ordinary setting they are very important providing safety and serve a very useful function.  But when examined more carefully they look very different.

This is a picture of the tail light on my Hyundai Azera.  Remember one of my goals is to find something special in the ordinary.

Maybe there is a lesson here in the way we see each other.  We may see someone who seems very ordinary but if we look a bit harder we are likely to find something very extra ordinary and very special .  Let's keep looking for the best in each other.