Color, texture & intensity... the trio for photographic happiness. I'm anxiously awaiting the flowering of this plant as well as have a keen eye on the beauty bush that's along the path we walk daily... you'll see just how 'worth it' the wait will be!

Color and nature, amazing once again. I love the way this beauty didn't take his eye off me the entire time I was getting set. He had a ladylove - and her eyes were so feminine... it was like looking at a little granny with full battle make-up on. Amazing tho - they can live upwards of eight decades years!

It all has to do with perspective. These crocus were screaming to be photographed, and for all their colorful beauty - I was later devastated when I took them from the camera into editing mode... as saw that there was a horrible cigarette butt amid the flowers on the left hand side. But it's all about how you choose to look at things. It's still a wonderful picture - even if I hadn't told you that I'd cropped very carefully, and chose to show only the beauty.

A little out of season, but still timeless and elegant. Ice tinged edges of a glorious holly bush. I went a little further with this image, and changed it to B&W, then used a history brush to bring back some of the color... less is always more.

I felt so like an intruder. I had been teaching my youngest about how your 'eye' is perceived in photography, 'birdseye view' etc. So we were walking early one morning, AND since I love droplets... this caught my eye. I crouched down and snapped away. Not until I pulled it into editing, did I notice that I had disturbed the peace of the little spider on the backside. He must've just scooted around when I came bursting into his little world. His presence was a little 'extra' that I hadn't anticipated... and now when I look at this image, I'm not so fascinated by the droplets - but more how accommodating the spider had been for me! (yeah, that's the way I see it!)

While on vacation in Aruba I happened upon this pathos ivy mountain. Granted, it's one of my most very favorite plants because it responds so well to attention, love and care. Add to that the ideal environment and this grows to such scale that its leaves, easily 10" across, - would've been ample wardrobage for Adam & Eve! So - let's see. Lessons learned from this - try to be planted where you will thrive, be grateful for love and attention and show your enthusiasm... got it? Sure - life lesson #1... piece of cake!

I seem to really be on a flower kick, but - so be it. Again, truly magnificent colors (applause) and sleek design. Shot with my Sony Cybershot on a white piece of printer paper under the light on my desk. Who says you've got to have all the latest gizmos to get the goods?? Enjoy

mmm. Lovely dogwood, pale and blushing pinks on a wonderfully striated textural background. I dropped out the color of the background so that the blossom would shine. It does, doesn't it?

This beauty is planted in a half whisky barrel right outside the breakfast area, I've been watching it - waiting to pounce. Yesterday it was all wrapped tightly into a pentagonal shaped puff - all points neatly matching up at the seams.
This morning it has ventured forth... but still is not fully unfurled, as the pollen-coated stamens are still in their upright supporting role. I expect in a few hours it will have morphed further. I always marvel at the stunning colors, precision and functionality in nature... as I did today, come marvel with me!
My friend Valerie and I researched it and it's called a Balloon Flower. Apropriate, eh?!

This image makes me think I can paint... I often take shots and as I'd mentioned a few posts ago, then edit with Photoshop's dry brush effect... I was musing how to bring color back in this - and was so tempted to run a page of watercolor paper through the printer, then do a very subtle tint. But, it was just a thought.

Color, isn't it amazing? I shot these at Zilker Gardens in Austin, TX. I can't say that I really contributed too much to this - other than being where I needed to be to find it. If you click on the image - it'll enlarge in a new window - it's just beautiful.

And below, is this stained glass? Monet?

or perhaps a close-up of the water from the larger image below...

Sometimes getting that perfect image is simply dependent upon the luck of timing. Being there at the right moment, prepared to capture it. I was up early to see my son off to the school bus and knew that while it had been cold enough to freeze the evening before, I was not expecting to find what I did that morning! In the quiet of early morning, we were presented with a crystal wonderland... these little ice whiskers had grown on the branches, the basketball hoop, EVERYWHERE - and they were glorious.

Later on, after a little research, I learned that this type of frost is called Hoar Frost and when it occurs, it presents the most magnificent scenarios... I was just lucky enough to happen upon it at the right moment, ready to capture it with my camera.

In the chill of the early morning where shadows are long and cold, the first sign that summer, was in fact, coming to a close is evident.

The sunlight and shadows that play upon this solitary leaf reveal its inner structure, while a fringe of ice crystals define the edges.

Without the sunlight "allowing" the glimpse into the inner workings - this would be any other ordinary cold and very solitary leaf...

If one were able to describe quiet with a picture - this would be it. Taken only with available light... from the moon and a streetlight off in the distance it is surely one of my very favorite shots.

This image owes its life to the 'night vision imaging' capability of the Sony Cybershot DSC-F707. I absolutely love this camera, and while its resolution maxes out at 5 megapixels - it is what I grab as I reach right by my Canon Rebel Xti 10 megapixel.

This amazing camera has a Carl Zeiss lens and can very easily photograph the most minute detail (I do confess - I use it most often for macro photography...) while also mastering a night shot AND serving to entertain the dogs with the IR beam it shoots out to focus in the dark. Love it!

A few years back I did a study to satisfy my curiosity, adjusting the hue in photographs. Not surprising was the finding that no matter what direction I slid the bar, I found that, in nature - the results were always complimentary.

Interestingly enough though was this peacock...
I ask you this:

If you didn't know for a fact what the true colors were - which combination would you think was best suited?

Amazing...

After several seasons of Man vs Wild, I thought it was amazing what nature, herself, had done to tether stalk to stick.