Painting Nature...

I have really developed a true love for nature photography. I will always remain faithful to my first love of architecture and structure, but recently I have decided to challenge myself to embrace other subject matters.  I began painting again and rejoined a watercolor class after a three year hiatus.  I stopped painting because I felt that my skill level just wasn't developing, that I was painting too much for what I thought it should look like as opposed to what I thought should feel like.  I could not find myself in my work.  It was then that I picked up a camera and began my odyssey in photography. What photography taught me was to let go, let loose and discover my art.  The lesson that I learned from my photography, I have applied to watercolors.  My painting has truly developed from where it was three years ago.  I paint for me and how I envision the subject matter to be.  I also found that I should paint what I love, that being nature.  Not to say that I won't paint other subject matter when I have the feel to do it, but I want to really hone into my first love.


Seeing that I am painting lots of flowers, I decided to also work on that skill set in my photography.  Really stretching the look and feel of the image itself.  I am really focusing on bringing painting techniques and style to my photographic art.  Below is a new piece and example of what I am trying to do in both my photography and painting.

"Thistle" (c) 2012

Summer Colors....

Summertime is known for bright colors everywhere, this is nature's chance to put on a show and exhibit all of her beauty for all to see.  It is the time of vast gardens, fireworks and family get-togethers, vacations to exotic locales and highlighted by spectacular sunrises and sunsets.  It is my favorite season of the year.  July is the one month for gardeners when all of their hard work pays off, everything is in full bloom.  The piece below is that of my absolute favorite flower, the daisy.  It is the happiest flower around and I have blogged about her fairer version, the classic and friendly Shasta daisy with it's white petals and perky yellow center.  Here is her grown up cousin, the Gerber daisy.  She dresses for the occasion displaying brightly hued colors of pinks, yellows, oranges and my personal favorite, a rich red.  The red Gerber daisy is seductive and beguiling... and when she stands by herself, she reaches for the heavens and pops against any background.

"Red Daisy" (c) 2012

It's Hot Out There...

There is nothing more damaging to your camera's sensor than extreme weather conditions.  I have the blessing to have the choice of when to bring out my camera for work, but there are photographers who are not so fortunate.  They have to shoot in any condition presented to them, and when it comes to extremes in temperature, there is nothing more dangerous to the inner workings of your camera.  We know that when it is raining to shoot with a camera sleeve, but what about going from very hot to an air conditioned room and vice versa?  


The first piece of advice that I every got was to temper your camera to the temperature.  Meaning, keep the camera in the camera case which is insulated and still protecting the camera and after a couple of hours you can pull it out without a fear of condensation wrecking the inner components of the camera.  The best piece of advice I got was to put silicon packets in your camera bag.  These are the same packets that you get in a shoe box or brand new bags, because they are designed for that.  They prevent moisture from ruining those shoes and bags and in essence they do the same thing for your camera.


I recently visited the Washington DC area to visit my best friend and her husband and one of my goals was to shoot the monuments and have my creative fun with them.  Unfortunately due to the extreme heat and subsequent storms that wrecked havoc on the area, I was unable to put my camera to use in the way that I liked.  Hopefully, the next time I visit, the weather will cooperate in my best interest!


Not to leave you without any examples of my recent work, I decided to go with the image I call "Rocky." But today, with the majority of the nation under heat advisories I thought this image might provide a cool and refreshing escape.  Can't you just imagine your feet in the water of this piece?  I know I can!

"Rocky" (c) 2012