Wednesday, August 29, 2007

Finding the extra in the ordinary

I have the tendency to get a little stir-crazy at times. I have to coach myself into spending an entire day indoors and remind myself that a few hours in front of a TV does not make a wasted day. As such, I sometimes get a little ill at ease when plans fall through at the last minute, and I am left without a good book, movie or a plan for a particular night.

However, I have discovered that I can easily glean some comfort by grabbing my camera and setting off with no particular destination in mind.
Wanderings, if you will.
Sometimes it is a little amazing what you can come across just around the corner.

While I am still decidedly an amateur in my photographic skills, I find that merely having it in hand kind of forces me to take a different perspective on what is worth noticing.

One of the signs of impending Autumn is not only that the sunlight takes on a decidedly more golden glow, but that orb spiders have sprung webs on every possible surface, including connecting a parked car to the ground.
(although most of these webs disappear in the light of the camera, blending perfectly into the colours of the fence or shrub they happen to be strewn against)



These three were the highlights of my venture...






I find it odd how almost natural it looks for the tree's branches to be stretched around the power lines... almost as though we caught it in a big yawn.






I've decided that one requirement of my first purchased house is a giant weeping willow tree looming over it.




If you look closely, you can see another sparking web.






These two were my favourite final products, after playing around with them on my computer.


























Oh, what a twist... the shooter becomes the subject.


Another benefit of these excursions? I have become more sturdy against people's quizzical looks when I come to a grinding halt at some random corner, and start rifling through my purse.

24 comments:

Ultra Toast Mosha God said...

That's some beautiful artwork. It nearly moved me to tears (of laughter).

We had a weeping willow in the garden growing up with us as kids. It was a base and a lookout tower, and an airship and a windmill.

Hazy days.

Anonymous said...

Those were really nice. A cool look into your world!

Anonymous said...

Though you may not necessarily be the top photographic whiz, these pictures are genuine and just as enjoyable. Makes me want to get up and walk. Thanks!

Beth said...

Wonderful pictures - such a great hobby. I love the ones of the sidewalk artwork.

As for your dream of a giant weeping willow with your first house? Beware of those damn roots and the damage they can cause.

Anonymous said...

i know what you mean - i get all artsy when I have my camera, noticing things i normally wouldn't. The pics are lovely! I love playin g on photoshop too!

Michelle and the City said...

photography can be such a satisfying hobby. the lens totally makes you see things in a different light.

keep shooting :)

L said...

LOVE the weeping willow. Reminds me of my grandma's front yard in Red Deer.

Sheila said...

Great Photos! I especially love the phtotos of the sidewalk chalk art. Very cute!

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Anonymous said...

Some really nice photos there, good use of light... but what the heck is with that huge comment?

cdp said...

These are great pictures. What kind of camera do you use?

Airam said...

These are great shots. I love big, mature trees too and would love to live on a street where the trees are kind of like a canopy over the road.

Princess of the Universe said...

Those are lovely. My friends and I like to go on random photo excursions too. It's so therapeutic the way it makes you look at the world in a whole new way.

Lord Chimmy said...

You should get a flickr account and post your pics. All the cool kids do it.

Anonymous said...

Love the photos - and the narrations....

eric1313 said...

Your eyes capture all the beauty that you saw and more.

Don't tell people your not a pro photgrapher, let them discern that for themselves. I'm not a pro, but I have an eye for a shot. I know this because I never have a camera besides my cell phone camera, but most of my friends have sweet cameras. However, I'm always the one alerting everone that a photographic moment is at hand--that, or I comandeer a camera myself with or without asking and take the shot.

When weeping willows get old and too big, they dont die, the genraly fall over. My neighbor's willow is about to take out a large swath of my block. Insurance time, baby!

eric1313 said...

I saw Airams comment and it jogged the memory...

I actually live somewhat nearby a quarter mile stretch of winding road that is a perfect tree tunnel, with tree branches from both sides reaching together, fantastic shafts of light piercing downward here and there. And where the tree tunnel ends, it picks up into shorter stretches of the same thing. It's called Grange Hall road, in gorgeous, rolling, Oakland county (the rich westside, that's pretty much the politics of metro detroit, eastside working class under the thumb of the afluent west--aside from the much more obvious: white north of Eight Mile road, vs black south of Eight Mile, the clear and saddly deffining racial divide of the area. Despite it history being at the US end of the underground railroad during our civil war, Detroit is one of the most racially polarized areas of 'the land of the free' to this day. Maybe interesting fact: Detroit has been occupied by federal troops on five occasions, much more than any other place in the US. All but one was due to race riots.)

Yoda said...

Now that I'm in a totally new area, maybe I'll do the same thing as you, walk around and take pictures!!

I love the weeping willow pic.

Ant said...

You like them flip-flops, don't you?

Nice shots - I always think taking photos of your home is the hardest kind, because of everything's familiarity...

Rosanna said...

No, I think the photos are just beautiful!

captain corky said...

I love the spider web pic. I love this time of year too. The end of Summer is awesome.

Crashdummie said...

the shoter gets shot? aaaah!

Amazing pics - and I just love the way you play with the colors... sweet!

(the one with the Weeping willos was probably my favourite)

Jocelyn said...

I'm loving your attitude towards this hobby...and the weeping willow pix are my favorites.

Princess Pointful said...

Ultra- Made me want to go get a giant bucket of chalk. And climb a tress.

Molly- Thanks! That's the idea! :)

Jeremy- Thanks for stopping by! If they get you outside, they've served their purpose!

Beth- Boo for reality :(. I know-- as soon as people own a house, their opinion of weeping willows seem to change.

Libby- I just discovered all the cool features on my photo software. You can get lost just tweaking colours!

Michelle- I think it will be a good way to keep me grounded with the stress that is soon to come.

Lmizzle- Something does tie those trees to childhood, hey?

Sheila- Thanks for the comment and for stopping by!

Jen- Thanks (and welcome to my blog :) )! As for the above comment... some random religious (or anti-religion... I can't quite discern his/her point) fanatic has seem to have grown fond of my blog!

cdp- Nothing fancy at all. Just a 6mp Canon Powershot SD600.

Airam- My street is like that and I absolutely adore it.

Princess- Yeah, therapeutic is a good word for it. It's nice to have an excuse to lose yourself in random beauty.

Eric- It sounds beautiful! I agree about some people having more of an eye for shots than anything. Getting a digital camera has helped, as it has allowed me to try out my instincts a little more to see what works and what doesn't.
As for Detroit, I have heard that some of it can certainly be a little heartbreaking-- but it seems to hold a special place for you, all the same.

Yoda- What a great way to discover your new neighbourhood!

Ant- I'm sort of in mid-familiarity with my neighbourhood, as I've just lived here since May.
And, yes, good eye- those particular shoes make several appearances on this blog!

Roseanna- Much thanks!

Corky- It is a really refreshing time to be out and about.

Crashie- haha! Thanks!

Jocelyn- It seems as though many a person has a fondness for those particular shots!