2012 Christmas House Tour

It is no secret that Christmas is the one and only holiday for which I go ALL OUT. When early December rolls around, the boxes come out of the attic and it is on. 🙂

The goal each year is to look at what we have with fresh eyes (try it –  it’s like shopping your own stuff) and rarely do items end up in the same location from year to year (‘cuz that would be boring now wouldn’t it? 😉 )

Don’t believe me? Well, you can check out the 2010 and 2011 line-ups to see what I’m talking about. If I do say so myself, I think I just may have out-done myself this year. So, grab a glass of eggnog and turn up your favorite holiday music (Trans Siberian Orchestra is playing here) and enjoy the tour! 🙂

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Abstract Revelations

As promised, here are the revelations as to what the images I posted yesterday in Abstract Reality actually are! Everyone had really, really good guesses! I was very impressed! 🙂

First image: Grill Cover Tear

“Fissure” (Grill Cover Tear)

I focussed in tight on that top corner and then converted the image to b&w. Boy, this thing is really in sad shape, huh? 😉

Second image: Rusty Metal Wing of Hummingbird Garden Stake

“Wired” (Rusty Metal Wing of Hummingbird Garden Stake)

I composed this image using just the wing of the hummingbird garden stake. Because the leaf-strewn ground color was so close to the warm colors of the wing I decided to desaturate the entire image and then selectively bring back those wonderful rusted tones of the metal. Works for me! 😉

Third image: Rusty Saw Blade on Dirty Grill Cover

“Rusted” (Rusty Saw Blade on Dirty Grill Cover)

Yep, nothing more than a very rusty saw blade on a very dirty grill cover. Can’t fake this kind of texture! 🙂

Fourth image: Grill Cover Mesh Panel

“Grilled” (Grill Cover Mesh Panel)

Okay, I admit it, this one really wasn’t fair but Scott never said we had to play fair. 😉 Inverting the colors on the mesh part of the grill cover with the very reflective stainless steel behind gave this abstract a sequin-ish look (I really liked that guess, Kiwi! 🙂 )

Fifth image: Star Suncatcher

“Inprismed” (Star Suncatcher)

Going in close on the center portion of a bevelled-glass star suncatcher made for an interesting abstract. Except for the blue center, the glass is actually clear and gains its colors by reflecting all that is around it (green/blue tones from the evergreen trees close by and warm tones from the leaves and cedar mulch that lay below). My, that 105mm lens gives a lovely shallow depth of field at such a close range, doesn’t it? 😉

Sixth image: The Inside of a Sunflower Bird Bath

“Rosebud” (The Inside of a Sunflower Bird Bath)

I figured most would guess this one! (Does it make up for the grill cover mesh image? 😉 ) The inside of my sunflower bird bath has such interesting patterns and textures. Small red buds from the tree overhead added just that tiny pop of needed color.

Seventh image: Water Bottle with Reflection

“I.C.U.” (Water Bottle with Reflection)

My trusty Cool Gear water bottle! LOVE that it is orange and hot pink! (Yeah, sometimes I’m really such a girl). This thing is GIANT and is with me pretty much at all times when home. One evening, it was sitting on my desk when I noticed the light from the monitor was creating an eerie glow as well as a very cool miniature reflection of the bottom ring in the water line above. I played with many different compostions and angles and ended up liking how this one looks cyborg–ish.

The eighth imagewas fairly obvious: One Red Sneaker, Two White Pant Legs, Three Black Rails

“One Red, Two White, Three Black” (One Red Sneaker, Two White Pant Legs, Three Black Rails)

A pair of legs (if I recall, belonging to a man) wearing white pants and red sneakers. This shot was taken pretty much by accident while watching a parade in the Magic Kingdom and aside from a slight levels adjustment, is straight out of the camera.

So, there you have it, folks! Thanks so much for playing! 😀

Abstract Reality

“Fissure” (??) Nikon D300, VR 105mm F/2.8G, F/8, 1/80s, Built-in Fill Flash w/Gary Fong ‘Puffer’ Diffuser, Nik Silver Efex Pro ‘Architecture’ Filter

Well, it’s time for another one of Scott’s Photo Assignments and for this go around the challenge is Abstract Photography. I generally do not go out looking to take abstract photos but occasionally, they do find me. 🙂

All but the last two photos were taken today. With not alot of color around these parts and very few flowers to be had, I looked for subject matter outside my norm and concentrated on form, light and texture. The last two images I pulled from the archives since otherwise, they probably would never have seen the light of day.

Can you guess what they are? (Answers will be posted tomorrow).
 

“Wired” (??) Nikon D300, VR 105mm F/2.8G, F/6.3, 1/200s, ISO 200, Selective Toning

 

“Rusted” (??) Nikon D300, VR 105mm F/2.8G, F/8, 1/125s, ISO 200

 

“Grilled” (??) Nikon D300, VR 105mm F/2.8G, F/6.3, 1/80s, ISO 200, Colors Inverted

 

“Inprismed” (??) Nikon D300, VR 105mm F/2.8G, F/3.2, 1/100s, ISO 100

 

“Rosebud” (??) Nikon D300, VR 105mm F/2.8G, F/7.1, 1/100s, ISO 200

 

“I.C.U” (??) Canon Powershot SX40 HS, 27.3mm, F/4.5, 1/15s, ISO 1600

 

“One Red, Two White, Three Black” (??) Nikon Coolpix P7100, 42.6mm, F/5.6, 1/250s, ISO 100

Mickey for President

Just kidding! 🙂

Although I’m definitely a fan of the mouse, I’m not so far gone as to think an animated character is qualified to lead the free world. But, if I think about the current list of presidential candidates, eh, we could do worse. 😉

While perusing the shelves at “The Yankee Peddler” in the Magic Kingdom’s Liberty Square, I became fascinated with the rows of trinkets for sale and how the items appeared as little soldiers in some sort of bizarre mouse army.

“Ice, Ice Mickey” (Mickey Mouse Pepper Mills, The Yankee Peddler, Liberty Square, Magic Kingdom Theme Park, Walt Disney World, Florida), Canon PowerShot SX40 HS, 13.8mm, F/4, 1/20s, ISO 1000, Photoshop CS4 Inverted

Back home, I decided the resulting images could use a tiny bit of creative assistance which was easily achieved via Photoshop CS4. For the first photo, I simply inverted the colors to transform what were once rows of Mickey Mouse Pepper Mills into glowing glass sculptures in blue and white.

“Pop Art Mickey” (Best of Mickey Mouse Kitchen Timers, The Yankee Peddler, Liberty Square, Magic Kingdom Theme Park, Walt Disney World, Florida), Canon PowerShot SX40 HS, 13.8mm, F/4, 1/25s, ISO 800, Photoshop CS4 Posterized, Level 2

Since the colors and composition of the Mickey Mouse Kitchen Timers were already reminiscent of pop art, I decided to simplify things even more by ‘posterizing’ – which essentially means, converting a normal photograph into an image consisting of distinct, but flat, areas of different tones or colors.

Luckily, this effect isn’t as difficult as it sounds and only required a single click of the mouse ( 😉 ) and a slider adjustment to achieve.

Oh, why can’t selecting our next president be as easy? 🙂