Thursday, August 21, 2008

For Buddy

This post is for you, buddy, to explain butterfly wings.  Because clearly I'm an expert :)  

I have been looking for a picture that will show you how it's possible for that to only be one butterfly, and I think I've found it:

See how the top wings kind of overlap the lower (brighter blue) wings?  They're actually able to separate, which is why in the picture from before looks like it has 4 separate wings.  So when you look from the side, they look like 2 whole wings, but when they're balancing and you look from the front, it looks like 4 separate wings.

That's about as scientific as I can get.  After all, I got my degree in psychology, not biology (or entomology?).  Anyway, hope that helps buddy! :)

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Butterflies + Bees + Macro = FUN

So here we are.  A brand new, distinctly different and therefore correctly labeled post.  Dedicated just to the butterflies and bees that I could not get enough of this weekend.  Let's be real - these would not have looked good lumped together with the previous landscape post.  Plus, it makes me feel organized and sane, ok?  Ok then.


Clearly these don't need much of an introduction.  They are butterflies and bees, taken with my macro.  Somebody make me put that thing down!

They were beautiful though.  I love the colors nature produces...

And the bees!

I could not get enough of those bees

Don't worry mom, I didn't get too close...

Except when I took this one. (you know I'm a hypochondriac...I had already asked D, a 30+yr ER nurse, all about the symptoms of anaphylactic shock, just in case.  You can never be too careful).  Pretty cool though.  

As much as I love the above picture, I don't want to end on something that could be considered "scary".  

Wimps.  

Just kidding...if it were a spider I would have beaten an Olympic runner in the 100 meter dash to get as far away from the 8-legged creep as possible.  And I don't run.

So here's one that's a little more pleasant.  Cute, even.  
Ok, that's the end of my bugs. 

Saturday I'm taking some pics of another little angel I know, so if you prefer sweet little girls to bees, I suppose you'll enjoy Saturday more than today.  I guess I could understand that :)

I like bugs though.  As long as they don't have 8 legs.  Ew. 

Taking a SHOT at landscapes

First of all, I know you love my play on words.  Don't lie...it made you giggle.  Or maybe that was just me.  Hmm...

Moving on.

I know I said I took pictures of things besides my sweet niece, and I promised to post them, but I can't resist starting with one more sweet shot.  Especially since clearly I need to work on taking pictures of people rather than, I don't know, PLANTS.  For that little wedding in 3 weeks...kinda important.

So here's one more of E, because she's just that dang cute:

OK.  Onto some landscape/non-human shots.  Here's a tree.  If you know me at all, you know that I love plants and the outdoors, so when I saw this scene I just couldn't help myself.

This was an out the window shot at Cades Cove.  I realize it's a little washed out, but it was a little hazy, and I do love me some mountains

On our drive home we got a little distracted on some country roads, especially once we realized we were literally in the middle of a cloud.  Pretty cool feeling to watch fog roll into you

So there you go...some landscape shots.  

Now, while on the foggy mountain I got a little distracted by some butterflies and bees.  Distracted to the point that J actually walked away and when I finally looked up and realized it was 20 minutes later I had a mini panic attack thinking he'd finally ditched me for stopping mid hike for the zillionth time to take random pictures with my beloved macro lens.  Fortunately, he had only wandered a short distance and wasn't (too) frustrated by my little pit stop.  This is why I love him so much...he puts up with all of my nonsense and maybe, perhaps, loves me a little more for it.  

However.  I can't put those in this post because they don't GO with the pictures I've already put up.  And I get a little OCD sometimes about things GOING together.  So those will come later...probably later tonight, because I'm busy and cool like that. :)

Monday, August 18, 2008

Weekend with the family

We just got back from a weekend at a cabin up in Sevierville with most of the Pinchok clan, and we had a great time.  It was my FIL's 60th, and since he, J, Big J (no pun intended ya'll...he's the oldest!) and I all have birthdays within 2 months of each other, we thought we'd do a weekend away.

I don't think I put my camera down the entire time we were there...so many things to shoot!  Now, as much fun as nature is, NOTHING beats an adorable 3 year old.  And I had one at my fingertips.  E is not only as cute as can be, but she's also a HAM for the camera!  She clearly loves to have her picture taken (and loves seeing every shot after you've taken it).

Since she was so much fun, I thought I'd do a post just for her.  Plus, I know that her mamma is going to call her in to look and she will positively squeal when she realizes that all of the pictures are of her :)

This speaks for itself.  I mean, the girl is just plain cute

And look at these little toes!  They tell her she got Uncle J's chubby toes...I would definitely agree.

She loves her daddy too.  What more could you ask for?

You are looking at a little artist right here.  This girl can color in the lines better than I can, and she chooses perfect colors every time.  Look at that concentration!

She does let Mamma help sometimes though.  Good job M...you're a great "colorer" too!

I did take a *few* (read: hundreds) of other pictures.  But I'm tired tonight, and I have to go back to work tomorrow, so those will have to come another day.

Love you E!  Thanks for being such a fun subject!


Thursday, August 14, 2008

More Kitties, because I love them

Have I mentioned how much I love my cats?  Because if I haven't, I feel that now is an appropriate time.

I love my cats.  I probably love them more than any person should love any animal.  Truthfully, if it weren't for J and his "rational thoughts", I would be that crazy cat lady because I would a) not be able to leave the shelter without at least two cats and b) own every single "free kitten" in the city of Atlanta.  And I'm pretty sure that's a LOT of free kittens.  This is not to say that I haven't been burned on multiple occasions with shelter/free kitties.  They've run away, or had diseases, or any other crazy things...but I love them all, and I would go out tomorrow and get 50 more if Josh would let me.

But he won't.

I suppose the negative side is that my house would be like those crazy ladies on TLC Documentaries where their whole house is a litter box and there are 800 bowls of food and 10 pregnant cats at any one time, and that would be kind of gross.  That would actually be really gross.  So I guess his "rational though" comes in handy, because I could probably get out of hand pretty quickly.  I have no self control when it comes to cats...I'm not afraid to admit my flaws.

ANYWAY.  At the request of my cousin Stef (a fellow kittie lover), and because I think they're pretty great, here are a few pics of my little cuties...


Here's Gus, being a little devil.  He only looks sweet...don't let him fool you.  This little sucker has claws like a lion and he's not afraid to use them.  Except with kids...for whatever reason, he's extremely tolerant with tail pulling children.  I cannot say the same for the cat we owned when I was little, and I have scars to prove it. (Not really, but she did scratch my nose one time)

Oh how I love me some kitty feet!  I mean really, could they BE any cuter?

And here's Maxine, or Fatsy Maxie as we like to call her.  You can't tell she's fat because (clearly) this is just of her eye.  This is the only picture I could get before she ran away.  She does NOT like for her picture to be taken.  I'll get a good one though...just you wait.

And for all of you who don't like cats?  Well, I don't have a dog, so that's just tough cookies, isn't it?  I do have a friend who wants me to take some pics of her ADORABLE dog Sadie, so maybe she'll let me put a few up here when it's all said and done.  But don't get your hopes up...the cat reigns in this garden.

Monday, August 11, 2008

Blast from the past

So I realized that thus far I've been all talk and no show.  I mean, I could blab all day long about loving photography back in the day, but I haven't shown any of my old stuff!  Now, I'm not claiming to be great by any stretch - this is just something that I loved to do and was pretty good at coercing my friends into participating in :)  

Like I said, these were all taken with a 35mm in black and white film.  I developed the film and then developed the prints in a dark room. When they didn't turn out the way I wanted them to, I usually just colored over them.  Totally easy cop-out, but occasionally it would yield something worth while.  OCCASIONALLY.  Since I was a dancer at that point, most of my photos were of girls in my company.

This is one that I manipulated with art sticks (sticks of straight pigment).  We were decorating our hands for one of the Primitive Light shows

 My friend who's getting married?  See below.  The sweet little girl on the stool?  Her flower girl

I loved these black tutu's so much!  I only got to wear white (boo)

And here's the bride again, showing off her best *assets*.  Hehe.  I couldn't resist :)

Ahhh the pain of pointe.  Love it.

Sunday, August 10, 2008

Jumping back in...photography style

All righty!  I guess I'll get started :)


A little back story...


About 6 years ago, I was very into photography.  I worked with an old Nikon 35mm in all black and white film and LOVED it!  Then I graduated, started my career, and the time to exercise creativity seemed to slowly dwindle until it was completely obsolete (post for another time, but finding a work-life balance...not an easy thing to master).  So anyway, a few months ago I decided that I needed to "re-connect" with my creative side, and I started back in with photography.  And all was well in my little world.  


Then one of my best friends asked me to be her wedding photographer for her beach wedding in September.  Of course I couldn't say no!  She was one of my original favorite subjects (we were dancers together and she was always up for anything) - what fun to shoot her again!  So I said yes.  And then I panicked.  Holy freaking moly - what was I thinking?!  I haven't taken pictures for real in forever...years even!  I had better get to picture taking.


Over the past few weeks I've been diving in, head first.  J and I bought a new camera (Cannon EOS 40D DLSR - *love it*) which has allowed me to truly step it up.  Here are a few shots from this weekends excursions to Lookout Mountain and Piedmont Park:






First Post...

Well well, first post.  I've been debating back and forth with myself whether or not to get one of these things started.  I mean, recently it seems like everyone has a blog, and they seem so therapeutic for those who have them.  The only problem was that I couldn't imagine that I had things to even write about.  (I'm really not that exciting...)

So today I came to a realization.  I love my job, I really do.  However, I've realized recently that it offers me absolutely ZERO creative outlet, and I've been searching for a way to re-capture that side of me.  And truly, what better outlet for creativity than a blog?  

So here we go....who knows what will happen? :)