05 05 2010 - Gulf Shores

I was so happy that I got to spend two weeks working in Gulf Shores and that the beaches were perfect the whole time I was there. I tried to take a lot of pictures, in case the sugar white beaches get messed up by the Deep Horizon oil spill of 2010. The oil rig blowing up was such a tragedy and my thoughts and prayers are with the families of the employees that lost their lives.

Nature is so beautiful and even if or when the beaches are impacted by the oil spill, my hope is that everything will rebound and recover.






Follow Me



The Crane



Uh, A little Help?

05 04 2010 Nature Walk (2)

A few more pictures from my walk. I think the turtle must have been fed by humans in the past because he was totally begging for food with his eyes. I do not know what kind of turtle or tortoise or whatever it was, but I thought it was neat. I found the sign to be very ironic. The second snake I encountered was tiny and translucent. I don't even want to know where it came from or how new it was, or where more where.




Happy Turtle (or Tortoise? I should look that up)



Umm, What Happened to the Sign?




Tiny Snake

05 04 2010 Nature Walk (1)

Alabama has some of the best state parks around. One of my favorites in particular is the Gulf Shores State Park in Gulf Shores, AL. It has great cabins, nature trails, golf, fishing, and more. These photos are from a photo walk down the nature trail. I suggest the trail, but I also suggest that you watch where you step. I almost stepped on two snakes. I almost stepped on snake trying to see an alligator in the pond on the trail. Enjoy the trail, but keep your eyes peeled.





Dragon Fly (or Sit)




Serenity



The Snake (poisonous and dangerous)

05 03 2010 Watching the Waves

A seagull watching over the waters of Gulf Shores.

05 02 2010 - Eclectic Pottery

I bought this bowl from Eclectic Pottery in Eclectic, AL near Lake Martin. If you are ever in the area, you should drop by because they have beautiful work.

05 01 2010 Brilliant Sunset

Another pretty end to a pretty day.

04 30 2010 - Retro Sailboat Photo

I tweaked and tried to make this photo look old. It reminds me of one of those photographs that hangs up for a long time and it fades to one color. I love the nostalgic feel of those kind of photos and since I did not have one, I tried to make one.

04 29 2010 - 1 Photo 2 Ways

When I take photos using the RAW format, I love being able to tweak and change the pictures to what I want.  This is an example of one image that has strong clarity and the other has very low.  There is a dramatic difference between the two using just one adjustment. 

04 28 2010 - Stand Strong

I named this piece "Stand Strong" because as we all know dandelions are very delicate when they open and fluff out, but they hold on as long as they can to each delicate piece.

04 27 2010 - I Heart You

Just a little love coming from some flowers that had bloomed and were on their last leg. There were piles of azalea blooms under their bushes after a storm, so I scooped them up and started playing with them.

04 26 2010 The Brick Wall

This is a quote from Randy Pauch, the professor who is known for "The Last Lecture". He shared a lot of wisdom during his too short life. This is one of my favorite quotes.

04 25 2010 - The Gates

04 24 2010 - Seymore at Rest

In case you have not guessed, which I know you have, I love taking pictures of my pets. They are always available, although not always willing, which makes them great for practice.

04 23 2010 - The Orange Birdhouse

This birdhouse picture makes me wonder what birds may be living in it. I loved the lush green foliage that was around it.

It is another simple item that just strikes me for some reason. Maybe a new little bird family will frown up in this house.

04 22 2010 - Sida at Slumber

Just for the record, I got in trouble with the husband for this one! My little dog SidaLeigh loves to sneak into my bed after I get up in the morning. She knows she is not really supposed to do it, so when I catch her she goes limp and lets me move her around however I want. This allowed me to tuck her in and prop her up for this cute photo.

04 21 2010 - Sucker for Flowers

This image was of a poppy that was blooming in my garden. I named the photo Sucker for Flowers because that is what I am. I love them and I love to photograph them. I got this image while I was sitting out in dusk trying to get bird photos. My ISO was cranked up to 500, which to be honest is a little strong for me. I like 100 and that is, but when that is not an option I try to never go as high as 500 because my images get a little too much grain in them. This is a prime example, but since I am a sucker for flowers, I had to try get the picture even if it meant getting a little grain with it

04 20 2010 - Precious Angel

A simple yard statue can have some drama and be touching if you take time to look at your surroundings. How many times do we walk by precious and special things without even taking stock of them. This garden statue is such an item. It was at my mother’s house. It could have been sitting there for a day or for 10 years and I would not know the difference, but when I really looked I saw how pretty it really was. Take time to really see what is in your environment, you may be surprised like I was at what you find. 

04 19 2010 - And I loose credit again

No excuse this day, I just did not take any pictures.

04 18 2010 - I did take photos, I promise

Okay, I took a bunch of pictures but all just documentary (my father-in-law's birthday party).  Even though I don't think he would mind if  I posted some, I am not going to.  So I get credit because I did take the pictures right? 
To be honest, I took them with my point and shoot camera.  Sometimes convenience overcomes art!

04 17 2010 - Ducks in Flight

This is why I do not delete images in camera. This was an impulsive grab of my camera after two ducks came flying by a pier I was sitting on. I grabbed my camera and snapped - knowing it was a mess. When I saw it a little bigger though, I loved it! This is a picture that I could seen blown up and put on canvas and made into a piece of art, which may be just what I do with it!