Posted on March 21, 2011 in Black and White, Landscape, Nature
Holy cow … was it ever foggy here today! We had a bit of snow overnight, followed by rain, followed by fog….typical for March in Pennsylvania. It was 75 degrees outside on Friday and today it snowed! Happy Spring everyone! 🙂 When I got home from work and looked through the window into my back yard, I saw this one lone oak leaf dangling from the branch of a dead evergreen tree. It caught my eye and so I felt it deserved to be photographed. Despite the very harsh winter, with snow, ice, heavy rain, and serious wind, this oak leaf somehow managed to fall from the tree above and become attached to an evergreen branch. Oak leaves are very hardy and are always the last to drop. I still have several trees with many oak leaves still on them from last Fall. I converted this image to black and white, keeping just the leaf in color. I fooled around with some additional zoom-blur to create the final image.
Posted on March 20, 2011 in Painting Effect, People
I just couldn’t resist snapping this image of a mom and her children watching the snow goose migration at Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area. I am always torn about the appropriateness of photographing strangers without their permission. In my mind I justify that if the people are in a public place, then it’s okay, but I don’t always feel comfortable. Still, this was such a sweet scene that I couldn’t help but take a quick photo. The family is likely Mennonite or Amish and all 3 were wearing rubber clogs and trying their best to keep warm on a very windy day. I processed this with a watercolor effect and added some vignetting.
Posted on March 19, 2011 in Animals, Pet Photography
It was later in the afternoon and the sun was coming through the skylights and shining down on this beautiful Golden Retriever at Pawsabilities in Harrisburg, Pa. Pawsabilties is an event that benefits Susquehanna Service Dogs, an organization that provides service and hearing dogs to adults and children with disabilities. These service dogs bring rays of sunshine to everyone that they assist! How fitting that the sun was shining back down on this beautiful dog!
Posted on March 18, 2011 in Animals, Pet Photography
The Chinese Crested is not the only breed of dog that is hairless. Say hello to the Xoloitzcuintli (pronounced Show-low-eats-queen-tlee) or Xolo (pronounced Show-low) for short. This is the newest entry into the American Kennel Club non-sporting group and is a national treasure in their native country of Mexico. They have been around for at least 3,000 years! I met this breed for the first time at the Lehigh Valley Kennel Club show in Allentown, Pa. earlier this year. Xolos come in 3 sizes – toy, miniature and standard – and two coat types. Just as with the Chinese Crested, there is the hairless variety as well as a coated variety. So far I’ve only met the hairless…can’t wait to see the other variety that is completely covered with a short, smooth, close fitting coat.
Posted on March 17, 2011 in Animals, Pet Photography
I love my tennis ball! I love my tennis ball! I love my tennis ball!