Ariana's Art - My 365 Project

Day 70, Saturday

2012-03-10T19:30:00.005-08:00

I was very happy today to finally get around to shooting this collection of fruit that I've had in mind as subjects for many days. And since everyone seems to want to know, yes, I eat my subjects! Good thing I don't shoot portraits.

Day 69, Friday

2012-03-09T18:43:00.001-08:00

Again my day was entirely taken up with chores, tasks and duties. I managed to squeeze in a few shots of my daffodils again, this time with my intensely purple hyacinth, whose scent is filling the kitchen. I like how they turned out, in spite of being handheld at 1/20!

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Day 68, Thursday

2012-03-08T18:03:00.004-08:00

My day was so packed! But I didn't let anything take away my determination to continue with the 365. I have a lovely hyacinth blooming on my windowsill, and the texture is so beautiful I wanted to try it. I didn't really have the time to do it justice, so I'll try again another time. But I also have some great shots from the full moon last night! So today is a double helping.

Day 67, Wednesday

2012-03-07T19:35:00.000-08:00

I had a big container of ripe luscious strawberries in the fridge, and a bowl of kiwis (the fruit not the bird!) and some nice yellow bananas, so I thought, Ah! A fruit bowl shot! All I need is an orange.
So I went to the supermarket, and while I was there, I picked up a small bunch of beautiful daffodils. While I was putting things away, I glanced toward the counter and was struck by the contrast of the bright orange globe of the orange, and the soft delicate and intricately detailed daffodil. So the fruit bowl will have to wait. Today is Daffodils and Orange day!

Day 66, Tuesday

2012-03-06T17:36:00.003-08:00

I quite enjoy baking, especially cookies and muffins. I rarely do anything fancier, except pie. And now I'm finding I really love photographing what I'm baking! It's like a double helping of creative expression!

This is a batch of Brasa Corn Muffins. I got this recipe from a magazine, and it is really easy, and the muffins are delicious, especially with chili. Dig in!

Day 65, Monday

2012-03-05T19:23:00.003-08:00

It was so cold today! When I walked the dog at 6:30, I thought I got frostbite on my hands, in spite of the leather gloves I was wearing. So outdoor shooting was not on the agenda for today! Instead, as I was working in the kitchen, I kept my eye on the feeder outside the window, and got a nice variety of birds visiting. I missed getting a shot of the junco and the American tree sparrow, but these few at least stayed still long enough for me to grab my camera.

WEEK 10, Day 64, Sunday

2012-03-04T17:38:00.000-08:00

I went back today to the spot by the lakeshore that I discovered last week. I was hoping for a nice day, so I could explore a little further, but although it was a bright sunny day, the wind was fierce (as you can see from the waves) and it was very cold. I didn't walk far! But I think I got a couple of nice pictures. The cardinal was very co-operative, and the flock of geese had great timing, too!

Day 63, Saturday

2012-03-03T20:17:00.000-08:00

I am going to work intermittently on a project I dreamed up for my 365 project. I thought it would be really cool to photograph the letters of the alphabet created from food. They won't be every day for 26 days, they will be spaced out over time, but I am going to try to do it sequentially. When I'm inspired, I will take on the next letter.

Day 62, Friday

2012-03-02T19:45:00.001-08:00

My dear mother was an English war bride from WWII. She was born and raised in the Potteries area of Staffordshire, which was the district where the famous English china was made. During the war, all the china produced in England was earmarked for export, in order to bring some money in to support the British war effort, so my mother's mother gave her a sort of IOU for a set of china as a wedding gift. By the time the English were allowed to buy china again, Mom and Dad had been married for some time.

Through the years, Mom carefully packed and moved her treasured china set many times over their almost seventy years of marriage. She had it all put away when us kids were small, and when I had my first daughter, my Mom passed it on to me. Now this beautiful set of china is one of my most treasured possessions.

PS: I'm going to choose one of these images for a print for Mom's 90th birthday next month. So if you know her, don't tell!

Day 61, Thursday

2012-03-01T20:20:00.000-08:00

I was very happy (and flattered!) to be requested to photograph a pair of small statues for a friend, with the request that I use backlighting. I was also trying out a new lighting gadget that I picked up at a discount store for $7.

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Day 60, Wednesday

2012-02-29T17:13:00.002-08:00

I've been out of the house most of the day, with no opportunity to take any photos. Luckily, I knew ahead of time, and I bought myself a pretty bunch of yellow mums. These were a quick shoot, but I may take another shot at it later in the week. Maybe some macros?

Day 59, Tuesday

2012-02-28T18:39:00.007-08:00

I love finding a new spot to walk and shoot! I was up near the lake on an errand today, so I drove up a couple of blocks, and voila! A paved walkway by the lake, overlooking the marina and a view of Toronto dimly seen across Lake Ontario. The wind was really cold and I wasn't prepared for the chill so I didn't stay long, but I'll definitely be back!

Day 58, Monday

2012-02-27T12:44:00.007-08:00

I have a Peninsula Field Naturalists meeting tonight, so I baked some cookies. Now there's a subject I can really sink my teeth into! Sorry for the bad pun.

WEEK 9, Day 57, Sunday

2012-02-26T19:46:00.001-08:00

I was lucky to have a day nice enough to enjoy my walk today, so I headed over to Merritt Trail Knifeworks. It was sunny at time, and has been mild enough I was hoping for some interesting birds. I saw another mockingbird! That's the third one in a couple of weeks! And a couple of others too, but no big influx of migrators yet, just a few robins. I did get some shots of a tree I've always liked, so it was a great day!

Day 56, Saturday

2012-02-25T16:51:00.001-08:00

My favourite kind of vacation is a driving holiday. I am very fortunate to live in such a huge country as Canada, and there are many beautiful and unique sights to see in each province. I have visited almost every province in my life, but having been a resident of Ontario for twenty-five years, I would love to see more of it!

Day 55, Friday

2012-02-24T18:41:00.000-08:00

I've always loved the texture of peanut shells.

Day 54, Thursday

2012-02-23T18:07:00.005-08:00

I've been learning so much from my 365 project, but it comes at a cost. Some days it can take up to four hours to shoot, process and post my day's shoot. And sometimes I just am so tired it's hard to get up and do anything. Those are the days I have to really dig deep to get a shot. I had one of those days today. Luckily, I have my "tickle trunk", which I have stocked with dollar shop items and other miscellany, for just such a day. (Those of you who are Canadians and of a certain age will know what a tickle trunk is!)

Day 53, Wednesday

2012-02-22T16:50:00.000-08:00

It was quite a blustery day today but I lucked in to a 45-minute window when it was neither snowing nor raining. I headed over to the quarry, because it's a great place to walk. The ice was quite a bit less, but whether that was because it was slightly warmer over the last day or two, or because the wind had broken it up, I couldn't really tell. The scudding clouds gave me a great backdrop, and made the sun play peek-a-boo, giving me some good light, too.

Day 52, Tuesday

2012-02-21T17:16:00.000-08:00

Today's subject is a small statue that is an important part of Chinese and Japanese culture. It is called a Jizo or Jizu.

Day 51, Monday

2012-02-20T19:15:00.000-08:00

A beautiful sunny day. The temperatures have been unseasonably mild, but not warm enough to melt all the ice off Lake Gibson. Even so, It was a gorgeous day for a walk. Today is also the last day of the Great Backyard Bird Count, so I wanted to see what waterfowl I could see on the water. Turned out, mostly just Canada Geese, but I did see the Kingfisher again, and gott a lovely view of a White Breasted Nuthatch, too. Double bonus!

Lessons Learned

2012-02-19T17:09:00.004-08:00

Fifty days in, and I'm loving my 365 project! I've learned so much already, so I thought I would share a little of what this project has taught me.
1. Work flow - an issue I've struggled with for a long time. Having to work through sometimes dozens of photos every day has helped me to trim it down and streamline the process so that I can do it quickly, efficiently, and get a finished product that I can post on Flickr, my blog, my stock photo site, FB, or send to a printer. Saves me hours!
2. Culling - With so many pictures, I've learned to pick out the better ones in a series quickly. I also don't suffer twinges of regret any more when I delete the culls.
3. Time management - I have had to juggle my schedule quite a bit, and kicked myself when I leave my shooting till after supper. It can take up to four hours to shoot, process and post. Now I do it earlier in the day, and with milder weather and that dratted cold gone, I've been able to get outside a lot more. Tabletop shooting is a lot of fun, though. I have some things in mind when the weather is bad.
4. Motivation - One of the reasons that I wanted to do a 365 was to motivate me to get more exercise on my road to improved health. That was stalled for a while with that unshakeable cough and then very cold weather, but now I'm feeling great, eating healthier, and I'm out almost every day for a good long walk. Just because I take my camera with me doesn't mean it's not good exercise!

WEEK 8, Day 50, Sunday

2012-02-19T17:09:00.001-08:00

I visited Glenridge Quarry, which is a former landfill, now reclaimed and planted with trees and shrubs in a natural setting, and includes very walkable paths and even a little pond. It's a brisk 45 minutes for the full circuit without stops, with enough hills to make it a bit of a challenge. The landscape is still mostly dull grey and brown, especially under solid grey clouds, but I managed to capture a few decent shots, I think.

Day 49, Saturday

2012-02-18T19:24:00.000-08:00

I always like to make a nice supper on Saturday, not just a throw-together like during the week. One of my favourites has always been home-made spaghetti and meat sauce. So I assembled my ingredients before I started cooking, and I was on my way to today's shoot! How many people do you know who shot their own supper!

Day 48, Friday

2012-02-17T20:55:00.000-08:00

What a great day! I had a nice long walk at Lake Gibson in the morning, and in the afternoon, I went to Malcomson Ecopark. Lake Gibson offered up some icy landscapes. At Malcomson, the snow was mostly gone, so I concentrated on shooting the fallen trees, rotting logs, and last year's leftover leaves. But I like what I got!

Day 47, Thursday

2012-02-16T20:09:00.000-08:00

Another dull, gray day, but at least the temperature was mild. I was in Hamilton, so I headed over to the marina. The water was so calm and smooth, and matched the sky, making it look like the ducks were suspended in mid-air. I appreciated an obliging ring-billed gull posing for me so co-operatively. I also added several species to my Year List, including long-tailed ducks, double-crested cormorant and goldeneyes.

Day 46, Wednesday

2012-02-15T21:35:00.000-08:00

Another mild day, and I headed over to Lake Gibson, where only five days ago it was so warm that it felt like spring. Now there's snow and ice, but plenty of geese! I also saw the kingfisher again, and this time I got some much better shots.

Day 45, Tuesday, Valentine's Day

2012-02-14T18:08:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day! Today I did something a little different, and much more challenging than I expected. The idea was just to get a shot of two strawberries, shaped to look like hearts, on a bed of whipped cream. But boy, that whipped cream melts really fast! The angel food cake I put it on was a good base. And yes, I ate it for dessert when I was finished!

I call it "Love is Best when it's Sticky and Sweet".

Day 44, Monday

2012-02-13T18:34:00.000-08:00

After our snow storm on the weekend, today was quite cold. The sun was brilliant, and sparkled on the ground and on the lumps of snow still clinging to branches. I headed over to the Green Ribbon Trail, where I had been about a week ago when the weather was much warmer. I thought the contrast would be interesting, so I made sure to shoot several of the same scenes.

WEEK 7 - Day 43, Sunday

2012-02-12T17:50:00.000-08:00

The world is snowy again, with four or five inches of fresh snow falling yesterday. The sparrows and juncos were eager for their birdseed this morning, with a half a dozen mourning doves also waiting in the wings (no pun intended!). It was bitterly cold and very windy, with heavy cloud. Not a nice day to be outside!

I had an errand in Hamlton, and by the time I got there, the wind had abated somewhat, so I took a few minutes to stop at the harbour to see what ducks were there. I added several species to my Year List! Lesser scaup and redheads abounded, and there were many mallards, as well, plus a beautiful pair of mute swans. The photographic details were very difficult, with a dull grey sky, biting cold numbing my fingers, and the diffuse light being scattered and reflected by the wind-tossed water.

Female mallard

Mute swans - with a little bit different kind of post-processing treatment.

Day 42 - Saturday

2012-02-11T19:35:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was so beautiful, but today Old Man Winter closed in again and dumped about six inches of snow on us. It wasn't good weather for walking, of course, but I did enjoy watching the sparrows at my feeder. I was also able to process my pictures from my walk by the lake yesterday, so I have a nice selection for today!

When the seed lump gets small, it's hard for the sparrows to reach it.

This clever female solved the problem brilliantly!

A starling is a rare visitor at the feeder, and I had a chance to see that they are starting to get their spring plumage.

LAKE GIBSON

I was thrilled to see a Belted Kingfisher buzzing and chattering around the lake.

These small palm-sized bumps of moss were like hidden emeralds under the dull brown fallen leaves.

This stand of brush had a peculiar colour pattern, looking like it had been spray painted with an orange paint.

A small flock of common mergansers were on the lake, obviously thinking about pairing up. They wouldn't let me get close enough for a good shot though, but I managed to get this shot at a great distance.

Dead leaf and bubbles in a frozen puddle

Water races down a flat slope of concrete, pouring out of one area of the pond, and on into the watercourse that goes past the old mill. Ice builds up on the edge, and moss grows in the cracks.

Mergansers near the far shore

Everywhere I look, the landscape is brown and grey. These clusters of small red berries are a small splash of bright colour!

I love shooting various kinds of fungus, but it's a rarity in winter. Another sign of spring?

Day 41 - Friday

2012-02-10T19:03:00.000-08:00

Today was my birthday, so I spent much of the day walking in parks taking pictures. That's what I love to do! I had a great time, and enjoyed my time at Morningstar Mill, a collection of 19th century buildings that have been restored and are open to the public. Here's a link for more information: Morningstar Milll

The weather was still okay, although getting colder, and there was ice on the edges of the pond. The monochromatic landscape was beautiful, and the light was clear. Great for getting some interesting photos!

Day 40 - Thursday

2012-02-09T18:46:00.000-08:00

Today I had an awesome opportunity - a chance to photograph a high-ranking martial arts teacher in his dojo. He asked not to be named, and I will respect his privacy, and I very much appreciate his permission to publish these photos.

Day 39 - Wednesday

2012-02-08T19:29:00.000-08:00

Another beautiful day in Niagara! A little frosty in the morning, but the sun came out and by 10 am it was warming up nicely. I headed over to Malcomson Ecopark, one of my favourite places to walk. You can read more about it in my Nature Niagara blog here.
There were quite a few signs of spring, buds on the tips of twigs, robins etc., but for my 365, I was thrilled with the landscape potential. The sun was bright but hazy, and there were skins of ice on the ponds and little streams that reflected the brilliant blue sky beautifully. I'll be going back again soon, I hope. I'd love to try some closeups and macros on those seed heads!

Day 38, Tuesday

2012-02-07T19:33:00.000-08:00

I missed posting yesterday, although I didn't miss photographing, as you'll see from today's earlier post. Today the lily I bought a few days ago finally opened, and I was just setting up to shoot it when I realized my tripod was in the car. So I went out to get it and was amazed at the gorgeous full moon in a sky full of stars. Awesome! So I left the lily for another day, and went to shoot the moon. And Orion and the Pleiades. I found there was too much drift for the stars, so I'm going to try it again another day.

Day 37, Monday - Fun with Erasers

2012-02-07T11:42:00.000-08:00

Last time I was in the dollar shop, I picked up a few packages of colourful things. I wasn't fussy about what they were, but I wanted bright pretty colours, so these erasers and pencil grips are just the thing. I also found a spot in the house that is perfect for shooting small objects such as these. It's the kitchen sink! The daylight comes in the window right above, and reflects around the stainless steel interior, giving nice bright even light. It won't work for everything, of course, but it's definitely cool!
PS: I'm a day late posting, but I shot these yesterday, so I'm still on track with my 365.

WEEK 6 - Day 36 - Sunday

2012-02-05T16:22:00.000-08:00

Another beautiful warm day, and we can almost believe that spring is in the air. (Shh! I'll jinx it!) A short walk in a small park was a delight, even though I wasn't able to walk far. I enjoyed it very much, and got a couple of good shots. I was hoping to spot some early migrators, but all we saw were a few chickadees flitting about in the bare bushes. Seems to me they should have been called "quickadees"!

This black railing I have photographed many times ("Knifeworks" is one of my favourite walks) but I have never been happy with the results. This shot, with the shadows like a reflection, is so far my favourite I've done of this subject.

Day 35 - Saturday

2012-02-04T18:44:00.000-08:00

Another unseasonably warm day, and I headed off to a tiny park that I've wanted to visit for months. The Green Ribbon Trail is on Martindale Road, and although is itself small, it is an inlet of Martindale Pond, where the regatta is held. I like it because in spite of its modest dimensions, there are always interesting birds there. I've added several species to my Life List at that location. Although it is still winter, the weather has been so mild that the water was open.

Day 34 - Friday

2012-02-03T20:16:00.000-08:00

I have been saving my Christmas roses and lilies (see Day 1 and others) and today I bought fresh a couple of fresh flowers. My idea was to put the old and the new together, the fresh and the dry. A statement on mortality if you will. And while I had that gorgeous luscious fresh red rose, I couldn't help myself - I had to break out the extension tubes!

Day 33 - Thursday

2012-02-02T20:58:00.000-08:00

Well, I'm cutting it close today - almost midnight! But I'm still okay.

The weather has been so mild, it almost feels like spring (although I wouldn't be surprised if we get more snow before it's over). So I got out my violets again, and this time went for the extension tubes to get in close for some macros. I needed some extra light, because I really wanted to see the sparkle on the petals, so I got my little reading lamp ($7.95 at Walmart), and diffused it with a clear plastic cutting mat that I picked up at the dollar shop for a buck. For a reflector I used a piece of shiny white paper. Who says photography has to be expensive? *giggle!*

Day 32, Wednesday

2012-02-01T20:15:00.000-08:00

I was in the dollar shop, and picked up a little package of dice to shoot. I figured the geometric shapes and different colours would be fun to shoot, but I found that the cheapie look when I got up real close was hard to deal with. However, I think I got a couple of nice shots in spite. I would like to try this subject again when I get better dice.

Day 31, Tuesday

2012-01-31T18:48:00.000-08:00

What a glorious day! Plus 12 degrees C, and sunny. Who would have expected it on the last day of January! So I celebrated it with a little walk up to the historic church to take some pictures. I used my wide angle, and would love to go again and use my long zoom to get some shots of the details in the stonework.

Day 30, Monday

2012-01-31T18:36:00.000-08:00

A busy day, but I still managed to get this very cute shot of one of my favourite seed bell visitor. I don't know why I see the female so much more often, but they are welcome any time. As a bonus, I'm also including this charming portrait of a mourning dove, a much rarer visitor. Cheers!

WEEK 5 - Day 29, Sunday

2012-01-29T18:18:00.000-08:00

It was snowy today, but still relatively warm, so I ventured out for a short while. (My cough is much better, but still not gone altogether.) I went back to a one of my favourite nearby spots - Lake Gibson. If you search on my Flickr stream, you'll find shots from all the year round!

The lighting was really difficult - fresh snow, brilliant sun and sparkling water. But I did my best, and hopefully you will enjoy the shots I managed to get.

Day 28 - Saturday

2012-01-28T12:47:00.000-08:00

I've been yearning to get outside to do some landscapes, but the weather is miserable today. Rain, snow, rain, snow, and then more rain. Ugh!
What I did have was some finchy visitors at my feeder. The goldfinch males are definitely starting to turn colour - a first sign of spring for sure! I've had the finches as regular visitors, and I'm even starting to be able to tell individuals apart. The males in particular have some pattern of black right around the beak.

Goldfinch male in changing plumage

Goldfinch Female

Goldfinch female not very happy at having to wait her turn at the feeder.

Goldfinch Male in changing plumage

House Finch Male

Day 27 - Friday

2012-01-27T18:25:00.000-08:00

After many weeks of dull dreary cloud-covered days, punctuated infrequently by brilliant sun, I thought it was time for a little colour. So when I was in the supermarket, I picked up a couple of potted violets. They looked quite pretty, but the light was quite dim so it was hard to shoot. My goodness, I really have to get some lights! And learn how to use them, of course.

Day 26 - Thursday

2012-01-26T20:09:00.000-08:00

The new black backdrop worked beautifully! The blacker background made a big difference in my chess series. I got lots of good shots!

Day 25 - Wednesday

2012-01-25T18:58:00.000-08:00

I didn't get a chance to reshoot the chess pieces, but I did buy the drop cloths. Instead I shot some residents from our little cactus garden.

Day 24 - Tuesday

2012-01-24T19:06:00.000-08:00

Today I was trying something a little more challenging. A beautiful chess set with a marble board. I had some great ideas, and I was pleased with what I got, but I saw some shortcomings, so I am going to give it another go tomorrow. One thing I need to get,definitely!, is a better black back drop. That poster board is just not black enough! So here's what I got today, and we'll see if I can do better tomorrow after picking up a nice black drop cloth.

Day 23 - Monday

2012-01-23T19:26:00.000-08:00

I had so much fun last week, I wanted to try some blackberries. I figured that the interesting shape might look really cool with bubbles. I learned some important things. 1. Blackberries roll a lot when covered in bubbles. 2. Tonic water does not maintain its fizz for long. 3. Blackberries, after being plonked into half-fizzy tonic water two or three times, get soggy then start to fall apart. 4. Blackberries are delicious even if they are soggy and falling apart.

I managed to get a couple of decent shots, but my real goad today was to shoot some dry, faded roses, and maybe some of the dried lily leaves (see Day 1 post). I think I managed, and I enjoyed the challenge!

WEEK 4 - Day 22, Sunday

2012-01-22T19:28:00.000-08:00

What a gorgeous day today! Still a little snow and kind of damp, so I couldn't go for a walk, but I did go for a drive up to Woodend, which is a Niagara Nature Conservation Area near Niagara College NOTL campus.

I was just about to pull in to the parking lot when I spotted a beautiful big Red Tail sitting in a tree beside the road. I got a chance to watch him and his mate for quite some time, even hear them calling to each other. It was so inspiring! Of course I quickly put on my long lens (a 70-300 mm Nikkor zoom) and the pair was good enough to pose for me a few minutes. They were still far away, but I managed to get some shots.

Afterwards, back home, the bright sun was filling the kitchen, so I got out some of the things from another hobby - cross stitch. What a great subject for my 50 mm prime and an extension tube!

For prints of these or any of my images, please order through my website www.arianasart.com

Day 21, Saturday

2012-01-21T18:03:00.000-08:00

The end of my third week, and I'm very happy with what I've done so far, and what I've learned. I'm ready for more!
I was trying to shoot the blossoms on our Christmas cactus today. The area where they sit is quite crowded with stuff, and very cold, so I didn't linger. I got a shot, but it's not great. More like "meh".

But then when I was cleaning the kitchen, with my camera handy of course!, a slate-coloured junco came to check out our feeder, and then sat so prettily posing for me. The light was good, and I was ready. I got the shot. This is straight out of camera except for resizing. I love shooting birds!

Day 20 - Friday

2012-01-20T17:45:00.000-08:00

I spent most of the afternoon today throwing cranberries into tonic water. I watched a few of the Bryan Peterson videos on Youtube (you'll find it easily with a search), and was so intrigued by his one of the fruit in the soda water that I thought I would try it. It's a lot harder than it looks! The light from the kitchen window lasts only about 45 minutes where it hits the kitchen table, so I had to work fast. I chose tonic water instead of soda because ... well, because Walmart didn't have a big bottle of soda. But it worked just fine.

After getting a couple of acceptable shots of cranberries, I decided to try an orange. Again, it was tough! But easier than trying to shoot high-speed cranberries!

Did I succeed? You decide.

Thank you, Bryan Peterson! I love your books!

Day 19 - Thursday

2012-01-20T17:32:00.000-08:00

Our first snow storm came today, and it was quite intense for while! Blizzard-like conditions and all that. Our winters here in Niagara are quite mild, compared to other places in Canada. White-out conditions don't make for good photos, though! Although I did get this shot in my favourite spot - from my kitchen window.

Bonus pics! Critters and Onions

2012-01-18T19:03:00.000-08:00

Day 18, Wednesday

2012-01-18T19:02:00.000-08:00

The weather has turned blustery, but it's not too cold to stop briefly at Gibson's Lake to see the ducks. There were a small flock of common mergansers and a lone bufflehead duck, but unfortunately they were on the other side of the lake, so I couldn't get a good shot.
When I got home, the sun came out briefly, and so did the squirrels. This big fat fellow decided it was time to raid my seed bell by my kitchen window. I got a few good shots before I chased him away by opening the window and squirting him with the rinse hose from the kitchen sink!

Still Day 17, Tuesday

2012-01-18T17:32:00.000-08:00

As my FB friends read, I went over to the local pet store on Tuesday night, and spent a couple of hours with Joe, who recently got a Nikon D5100. Nice! We had a great time sharing lenses and taking pictures of their collection of beasties. It's a pity about the reflections on the fish pictures, but they were in round containers, so there wasn't much we could do. There are more pictures from the pet store over at my Flickr stream.
Ariana's Art on Flickr

PS: The hamster and chinchilla pictures will go up on my blog for Wednesday.

Armadillo Lizard

Siamese Fighting Fish - Can he really be a fighter when he looks so pretty in pink?

Black Scorpion - big and scary. I'm glad he was behind glass!

The fish were not particularly co-operative. Except this beauty, who stayed still long enough for a clear shot.

Day 17, Tuesday

2012-01-17T09:52:00.000-08:00

I was intrigued by an "assignment" on my favourite Photography blog - digital-photography-school.com. If you are learning, practicing, or interested in photography, that's the place to go! This week's assignment was "Time", so I was trying to convey the relaxed time of a Saturday afternoon with nothing on the agenda and a sunny window to sit in.

Day 16, Monday

2012-01-17T09:48:00.000-08:00

I had a real treat when I went out to feed the birds today. A flock of about six American Tree Sparrows followed me around from feeder to feeder, cheeping at me and watching me at my task. I went around the side of the house to fill up the one under the kitchen window, and this little fellow was good enough to pose for me.

When I went back into the yard, I was watching the four mourning doves in the tree high above the sparrows, when suddenly, they all took off, flying quickly away in one direction. And right behind them, a small hawk cruised right through the yard! I guess he's clued in to where the good hunting ground is!

WEEK 3, Day 15, Sunday

2012-01-17T08:44:00.000-08:00

Another Sunday, and a brilliant sun plays among fluffy white clouds. The temperature is quite mild for January, too, but the wind blowing across the snow on the ground makes it quite chilly, at least to me. A beautiful day for a drive!

Near Short Hills Provincial Park, this barn has long tempted me to stop and shoot. It's not a good spot to stop though, and there's no place to safely pull over. Today there was no traffic, so I just stopped and got a couple of shots out the window with my 70-300mm zoom lens. Not bad, but I will look for a better opportunity another day.

Back home, and this little female downy woodpecker enjoys a good feed at my seed bell, which hangs outside my kitchen window. Downies are small, not much bigger than a house sparrow, but they can be quite assertive. I've seen them chasing other birds, even blue jays, away from the bell when they are feeding! They look quite comical, chasing the other birds around, leading with that strong sharp beak. The other birds just fly away, of course!

Day 14, Saturday

2012-01-15T17:34:00.000-08:00

Saturday, January 14th - definitely time to put the Christmas decorations away. But I couldn't let this one go without photographing it first.
Kiri-gami is the Japanese art of paper cutting, an intricate and extremely delicate art form. This was sent as a gift from a friend in Japan. I shot it in front of a sheet of white tissue paper with Christmas lights behind it. I'm quite pleased with how it turned out, even with my clumsy hand at post-production taking out the wires that showed through.

Day 13, Friday

2012-01-15T17:29:00.000-08:00

Friday, and things are normalizing, so I feel like I am hitting my stride. I'm finding nooks and corners of the house where the light is good, and I am thinking about subjects, too. I am still struggling with laryngitis and cough, so I can't go out much, unless the weather is very warm, so I'm stuck indoors for a while.
Today I bought a pomegranite for a treat, and decided to shoot my dessert. It turned out to be a difficult subject!

Day 12, Thursday

2012-01-15T17:23:00.000-08:00

Another busy day, taking care of a whole bunch of stuff that I couldn't before. Excuses, excuses! Wow, this project is tough, but it is so good for me! I've chosen something a little different for my subject, an exercise in focus, composition and clarity. Not one of my favourites, but technically, I think I did a good job.

Day 11, Wednesday

2012-01-15T17:10:00.000-08:00

Ah, a long and difficult day. My last day at work, and now I'm laid off. I'm going to really miss those guys! What a great bunch of people to work with.
So by the time it came for me to pick up my camera, it was tough, but then, that's what a 365 Project is for, right? Finally, I chose for subject a large (football-sized) sea shell that was given to me by a friend. I've had it for many years, and the pattern and lustre has always fascinated me.
I don't think the photos came out as well as they could have. Perhaps if my skill was greater, or the light was better. I might try to take it outside and shoot it in daylight instead of in fluorescent. What do you think?

Day 10, Tuesday

2012-01-15T16:12:00.000-08:00

I managed to grab a couple of minutes at work to shoot what was handy, but I wasn't very satisfied with what I got, so I stopped by the Hamilton Marina after work. It was quite mild, and a beautiful sunset unrolled before my eyes as I walked up and down the pier and shot some ducks. There were mallards, a coot, a common merganser, and a juvenile mute swan. A flock of Canada geese flew overhead. I'm a lot happier with these ones!

BORING! But maybe okay for stock photography. I'll try it, anyway.

Day 9, Monday

2012-01-13T16:08:00.000-08:00

I so enjoyed shooting that apple last week that I decided to try some more fruit. I came up with an apple and an orange (that later became my lunch) and here's what I got. I'm quite pleased with these ones!

WEEK 2 Day 8, Sunday

2012-01-13T15:29:00.000-08:00

Ah, another Sunday, another week in my 365 project. I love Sundays, because I have time to do stuff I don't normally do, such as make a nice breakfast, or get the bread machine going and have fresh buns with dinner. Of course, in the middle of it, I have to grab my camera!

Here's my best shot of the day. I like the diagonal shot of the eggs better, don't you? I think some of these others aren't too bad as well. And the bread dough? It just looked SO COOL coming out of the bread machine!

Day 7, Saturday

2012-01-13T12:40:00.000-08:00

You'd think I would have more time for photography on the weekend, yet here I am, between errands, laundry, housework and cooking, snagging a few minutes for a rush job on this shot. I love the set up, but again, the focus is soft because I didn't use a tripod. Oh, when will I ever learn? I'm going to try this one again another day.

Coffee Man

Day 6, Friday

2012-01-13T12:37:00.000-08:00

Who doesn't love Fridays? I had a beautiful spot to spend 10 minutes of my lunch hour with my camera, right in the lunch room at a lovely table of dark wood. I love how the light works so perfectly with the subject. If only I had used a tripod! The focus is soft, too soft for it to be a good shot. I tried again another day, but it just wasn't the same. Wow, tough lesson. I hope I learned it!

Apple Sliced

Day 5, Thursday

2012-01-13T12:04:00.000-08:00

I made sure to arrive a little early today at work, because I wanted to take some shots of the statuary in front of Liuna Station. It's so beautiful! Downtown Hamilton is rich in these statues. I'm hoping to shoot some more of them soon!

A Face of Serenity

Mother Martha Van Bunning

Founder and Mother Superior of the

Sisters of St. Joseph, Hamilton

Click here to order any print.

Fountain in front of Liuna Station

Day 4, Wednesday

2012-01-13T11:52:00.000-08:00

I get off work at 5 pm, and in this part of the world, that means it's almost night before I'm on my way home. The dim light and deep blue skies make this huge convention hall glow orange. I love this new 50 mm prime lens that can capture a nice sharp image even in low light!

Liuna Station, formerly a major depot of the Grand Trunk Railroad, then later sold to the Canadian National Railway. It stood empty and neglected for several years in the early 1990's, then was remodeled as a convention centre.
Click here to order any print.

Day 3, Tuesday

2012-01-13T11:48:00.000-08:00

Well, back to work after the holidays. I have only a few days left before I'm laid off, so it will be tough to find the time until then. But that's what a 365 project is all about, right? Commitment!

All I managed to do today is grab a shot of the bank of buttons on our switchboard. I liked it but thought I could do better, so on Thursday, I tried again with a different set. I like it!

Day 2, Monday

2012-01-13T11:40:00.000-08:00

Out on a few errands, and I'm really primed about my new lens and my 365 project, so of course I have my camera with me! The day is overcast, but lots of light. Then I saw a stand of 8-foot fragmite (those tall bushy weeds that grow everywhere) and I knew I found my subject.

Blue Wind To purchase a print, click this link.

Day 1, Monday HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2012-01-13T08:24:00.000-08:00

I have been studying various sources to improve my photography for a couple of years now, and I found the concept of a "365 Project" to be very fascinating. That's where a photographer commits to taking at least one decent, presentable shot every day. Everyone who has done one as said how satisfying it is, and how much they have learned and grown. This is going to be all about the photos, so I hope you will come along on my Photo Journey with me!

Today is January 13, but I have been faithful with the photography, and lots of my photos can be seen on my Flickr stream at www.flickr.com/arianasart. You'll find the 365 Project folder on the front page. So now I am catching up on the Blogging part.

SUNDAY: Happy new year, everyone! Here are my first photos with my new lens - a Nikkor f1/8 50 mm prime. I just love it! These were taken with that plus an extension tube. The light was a little dim daylight coming in window, plus a $8 clip-on reading lamp from Walmart. Necessity is the mother of invention!

Lily of Light. To order a print, click this link.

This one is the same bunch of lilies. A friend gave me a gorgeous bouquet for Christmas. The holidays are so busy (plus I was laid up with a bad cold - ugh!) I didn't get a chance to photograph them until they were past their prime but that's okay. I find that flowers that are a little faded are very visually interesting, with rich textures and colour variations. What do you think?

Faded Lilies. To order a print, click this link.