Totally forgotten....

It seems I've forgotten about this blog.  I'm guessing the business of life and an especially exhausting day at school has really shown me where my priorities lie.  I really wish I had more energy to devote to shooting and blogging but right now it's just not the case. And I have to be okay with that.  At least for the time being.  For today I'll take you back to some beautiful fall weather and a day spent at Longwood Gardens.  It'll take my mind off how cold and blustery it is outside today.  I'm not complaining because day's snow has given me a snow day and time to do come catching up! 









Photography Camp at Longwood

Friends of mine started a kids summer camp this year and asked me to help out as an instructor for a  few days.  All I can say is "Wow, what I great experience for the kids!"  
The material was well thought out and age appropriate.  I was amazed at how much the kids absorbed in only a few days. I was even more amazed at their creativity when told to "go shoot!"  
When they received a dozen or so printed images on the last day, I couldn't believe how many images they took that I had no idea were taken at Longwood Gardens or that I never "saw" before.  Part of what we tried to teach was to "see" the image before taking it.  Kids as young as 8 took some shots that blew me out of the water! They also motivated me to go back into Longwood, both with my Nikon and my cellphone!  Here are the few of the images that the kids inspired me to take! 


  








Back to Longwood...

I went last Sunday in search of the Blue Himalayan poppies that usually 
adorn on of the conservatory gardens this time of year. 
Unfortunately they weren't in bloom yet, except for one pot, but that didn't stop me from
walking around and soaking up some "spring time!"





















Spring has sprung!

At least it has at Longwood Gardens!  
I spent a few hours there last Sunday morning while it was snowing, sleeting, with a little freezing rain thrown in for some extra fun on the drive home.
All is well though and worth every minute I spent there! 














Project Create 9/26

Project: Create 

We're back this year with a new project designed to help us build more creativity into our photography.
Every other Monday we'll post our images, many of them taken with our Lensbaby lenses.
The effects of the Lensbaby can be somewhat subtle or quite dramatic.
At the bottom of my post, as well as in the post of the other photographer(s), is a link to next photographers images. Click those links to take a trip around our circle!

I'm not sure which of my friends is onboard this week.  This is a busy time of year for the professionals.  I exclude myself from that statement!  

I pulled out the Lensbaby again at Longwood.  
I really tried for some different, and my different I can talking oof and with broken rules of photography.
Just have to change things up once in a while.
Maybe you like.  Maybe not.
But for today, I do!









To look to see who else has posted start with Denean...

The poppies were here! The poppies were here!

The orchid extravaganza at Longwood Gardens is also host to  

When I met my friends from Berks County, out at Longwood, recently, 
this displaywas the first one I visited! 
The blooms were towards the end of their growing season, 
but still beautiful!
I found out the the flowers are harvested from Alaska in the fall, 
and forced to bloom here in the spring by Longwood's staff.








Project: Create 3/26

Project: Create 2014

We're back this year with a new project designed to help us build more creativity into our photography.
Every other Monday we'll post our images, many of them taken with our Lensbaby lenses.
The effects of the Lensbaby can be somewhat subtle or quite dramatic.
At the bottom of my post, as well as in the post of the other photographers, is a link to next photographers images. Click those links to take a trip around our circle!

Longwood + Lensbaby = Love!

Last Sunday I took my camera and my Lensbaby out to Longwood Gardens .

Here are some of the images I took using my Lensbaby!














Start the circle here with photographer
Stacy Heap Vitallo


Project Create 2/26

Project: Create 2014

We're back this year with a new project designed to help us build more creativity into our photography.
Every other Monday we'll post our images, many of them taken with our Lensbaby lenses.
The effects of the Lensbaby can be somewhat subtle or quite dramatic.
At the bottom of my post, as well as in the post of the other photographers, is a link to next photographers images. Click those links to take a trip around our circle!

The images from this week's post come from my last visit to Longwood Gardens.  I went on the final day of their Christmas display, which ended on the 12th of January.

Here are few of the images I took with my Lensbaby.  You can compare them to the images I look with my regular lenses in my previous post if you are interested in seeing how the lenses differ.






  

Start the circle here with
 Stacy Heap Vitallo

A belated Longwood Christmas!

Snow canceled my plans to visit Longwood before Christmas,
not once, but twice! 
Then rain dampened my plans, because I didn't want to walk around outside, 
in cold dreary weather.
Finally, on the last day of the display, I made it out there.

Thinking it would be crowded, we went early. 
But no crowds were to be found!

The theme this year was fruit.  
We found fruit everywhere.  
On trees.
On mantles
Outside feeding the wildlife.










 The Bird of Paradise in bloom!



Outside decorating the wildlife tree!




Inside.  At night.




Peeking through a  window!
 


Sometimes you need to look up!
 

Lights.  Lights. And more lights!
 


Fountain lights!
 



Floating trees with lights!
 



One flower, five ways...

On a recent trip to Longwood I met up with a fellow photographer from my Photoshop group.  
To say he's a talented artist is an understatement.
His work hangs in the halls of Longwood Gardens and in the Bradywine River Museum, which also hosts the works of Andrew Wyeth.
He's a quiet, unassuming man.
He doesn't have the best camera or the most expensive lenses.
He does have a passion for art.
He's self taught.
I would love to just follow him around and watch him work.  
To see just how he shoots.  
To figure out what he sees.
I was fortunate this day.
He shared with me, some of the things he does.  
The things he looks for, like the way shapes flow or bend.  
Some of his techniques for creating an image.
That he likes to watch how people create an image too!
That he shoots, truly, for himself.
Yes, there are rules, but he looks for the beauty.
The interesting.
Regardless of the rule,
He looks for the light.

He pointed me towards a basket of flowers that was high on a pedestal. "Look." he said.  "Walk around. What do you see?" he asked.

This is what I saw:





I owe this man a debt of gratitude!

and now for the rest!

One of my most favorite place to take my camera is Longwood Gardens.  It doesn't matter how dreary, cold, miserable, hot, humid, or even nice the weather outside is, it's always warm and welcoming inside.  
I've decided to try something different on each of my trips.  I want to only take one lens. I think this will force me to see things differently, to take risks, and to grow as a photographer. 
First up, my beloved 105!




































You can see a few more of my pictures from Longwood on my previous Project 365 post!

Macro Monday is back!

It's time for another Macro Monday blog circle.  
All four photographers are participating again this week. 
If you click the link at the bottom of my post, it will take you to Stacy Heap Vitallo's post.
From there click the link to the next one and then one more.  You'll have completed the circle when you return to my post!  

One of the best places to take  pictures of flowers is at Longwood Gardens.  I am so blessed to be able to drive there in a reasonable amount of time and be surrounded by beautiful flowers, tended to by some the country's best gardeners, in my opinion!


 


















 Now check out the rest of the fabulous images from some very talented photographers!




Fifty-two on Friday-Week Forty-nine


 A blog circle of photographers from all over the world, both amateur and professional alike, sharing their interpretations of a common theme.  At the bottom of each post, click the link for the next photographer until you come full circle, back here to my blog.

"red"

For this week's post I am sharing some of the images I captured on Tuesday while visiting Longwood Gardens.
Longwood is a personal favorite of mine and I'm so fortunate that I am able to visit frequently. 
With no further adieu...





 To see what the rest of the circle found that was red, start here with photographer