Sunday, August 31, 2014

Day 244...Skyline Before a Storm


SKYLINE BEFORE A STORM

I know I have shots of the St. Paul skyline.  I have them from several angles.  I will probably always try to get more of them because I love the way a city lights up in the night.  
Off and on during shooting the city tonight, I could see lightening in the distance, not the kind of lightening that makes for an amazing photo, but you could see a storm brewing.  So we walked out on to the Mounds Boulevard bridge for me to get this one.  And right when I was finishing up, it started raining.

Favorite thing about this shot, that I got the skyline AND the Capitol.


Saturday, August 30, 2014

Day 243...Java Stop



JAVA STOP

So one of my new favorite joints to hit up is the Copper Hen Cakery and Kitchen on Nicollet Avenue just south of downtown Minneapolis.  This is not a food blog, but if you're reading this, you should give the place a try.  

On the way to the Hen is the really cool coffee place called the Spyhouse.  The coffee sign about the establishment is so adorable.  I had to have a photo of it.  See previous post for my "diner" shot from the same street.  

The aroma coming out of this place while I stood on the sidewalk was definitely tantalizing.  But I thought the effect my camera gave this shot was kind of fun!  If you know someone with a coffee shot who needs art work.....well!!!!

Friday, August 29, 2014

Day 242...Dinner Joint



DINNER JOINT

There's a stretch of Nicollet Avenue just outside of downtown Minneapolis that is being dubbed "Eat Street."  I guess it's called that because there are restaurants along the avenue that span about 17 blocks, so you surely should be able to something to "eat" on this "street."

So I wonder what kind of dinner and/or service you could get at a place called "The Bad Waitress."  That's the name of the restaurant bearing this sign!  

I absolutely love this sign though.  First of all, I think neon rocks.  And I love things that just light up and draw your attention that way.  But his one sort of gives you a '50s feel or something.  Maybe it's the word "diner."  I love how the sign contrasted with the slightly stormy sky in the background.  

I have been discovering some pretty cool places around Minneapolis lately.

Thursday, August 28, 2014

Day 241...Burger Joint



Burger Joint

This hamburger restaurant is fairly new in our neighborhood.  It's been there a few months now.  But there's something about the design of the building and the signage that just makes you want to stop in and check it out.  The burgers are pretty good.  And this summer they opened a pretty fun bocce playing area connected to their great outdoor seating area.  

It was a gorgeous night, so we chose to sit at the outdoor dining area.  And the clouds were rolling all around us.  And then it was getting to be nearing sunset as weel so the clouds were reflecting the sun setting as well.  So it was the perfect backdrop for the cute sign they have out front.

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Day 240...At Peace



AT PEACE

Tonight early on, I could tell the sunset was going to be great.  I dropped my daughter off at soccer, and I decided I wanted to see the sunset at a lake.  So I drove to Centerville because many times when I drive by that lake, I think how amazing it must look at sunset.

I left early enough to not feel rushed, and I had at least an hour and a half to enjoy the show while my daughter was at practice.  So I took several photos at several different intervals of the sunset.  I think I can safely say that the entire hour I was there, each stage was magnificent yet different.  

As the sun actually sank below the horizon and it became the magical blue hour, I snapped a few shots and then decided to wrap it up.  As I was getting ready to walk away, I had a realization.  Many times when I'm alone and photographing things, I have a lot of time to think, and in the past few years, I've had a lot on my mind.  So I often have a racing mind while I'm shooting.  Sometimes being alone out there would give me anxiety when I've thought about breakups, or my dad's cancer, or problems with my kids, etc.  

But the realization I had tonight is that the ONLY thing I thought about was being at peace and enjoying the beautiful sunset that the universe had given me this night and getting a great photograph.  I was not stressed.  I was not anxious.  I wasn't in a hurry.  I wasn't worried about my problems.  I felt peaceful and content.

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Day 239....Cumulonimbus



CUMULONIMBUS

When the clouds start to build in the sky, I find myself totally distracted by them.  When I'm driving and I see clouds like this, I look around me to see where I can pull off and set the shot up.  

On this particular day, I was alone and I didn't have any pressing plans.  So I purposely set out to shoot the Minneapolis skyline from the bridge on the west campus of the U of M.  I took shots of the Minneapolis skyline, but they were AWFUL.  Then when I turned around to walk back to my car, I looked behind me to the east and I saw these magnificent storms clouds forming.  

So many times when the clouds are all around like this, I wish I was in a place where there wasn't buildings and trees in the way, you know, big sky country.  But it worked out for me tonight.  I think it's beautiful.

Monday, August 25, 2014

Day 238...Fuzzy Friend



FUZZY FRIEND

I was actually taking a photo of the purple flower with the red berries in the background when I noticed the fuzzy guy crawling around.  Turns out, there were several of the caterpillars munching on the plants all around where I was shooting tonight.  I took a lot of close-up photos of him, but this one turned out to be the most interesting.  

I eventually picked it up and it just wanted to crawl all over me.  I loved it.  I've always wanted to take them home and get them to form a cocoon and wait for them to transform into a butterfly, but whenever I take them home, they die, so I'm not doing that again.  I'm not a killer!  

Sunday, August 24, 2014

Day 237...Beautiful Bella



BEAUTIFUL BELLA

I've made no secret about the fact that I love doing portraits.  I love capturing the human spirit, especially in the eyes.  Baby Bella today was totally under the weather, but we tried anyway.  This is one of the shots I managed to be able to capture.  She's one of the prettiest babies I've ever seen (besides my own children, of course).  

Doing babies that are mobile and slightly fearful of strangers is a huge challenge, but I'm not going to give up trying.  If you know someone wh0 wants their infant's portraits done, pass my name on and help me expand my portfolio.  

Saturday, August 23, 2014

Day 236...Minneapolis, MN



MINNEAPOLIS, MN

If you look on the Minnesota Photography Club Facebook page, this shot gets posted pretty much once a week.  It's the postcard version of Minneapolis, and I don't necessarily want my photos to be cookie-cutter and postcard looking.  But I do like having a good shot of what the city looks like and this is just one of those views I've always wanted to shoot for myself.  

Actually, as we were leaving the restaurant we were at on Nicollet just outside of downtown, we could see huge clouds forming and lightening everywhere around us so I thought I would hit this bridge and maybe get some cool lightening in the sky over the city.  The only problem with this scenario is that I can't remember where I put the plate for my tripod, so the last few times I've done night shooting, I've had to improvise and on the walking bridge where this was shot, the fence is only cutout in spots higher up.  So I had to do the steady-the-camera-on-the-sidewalk method and shoot under the fence.  

But it's still a great view of Minneapolis, so I'll take it for tonight.

Friday, August 22, 2014

Day 235...The Rainbow Kick




THE RAINBOW KICK



PERFORMED BY TIANA

Soccer season is back!  I'm so excited for the fall season to begin.  More chances for me to use my new camera which seems to capture great action!  

The rainbow kick, while rarely used in a game, is a cool trick for the soccer player to play around with.  It is performed by grabbing the ball between the feet and thrusting it up in the air behind you and over your head.  It looks great when you see it in person.


Thursday, August 21, 2014

Day 234...Perspective From the Street



PERSPECTIVE FROM THE STREET

So I went in pursuit of "Street" photography last night.  I was with the "famous" Valerie Jardin.  She inspires me to always stretch my imagination, vision, potential.  Now, althought I'm not a STREET photographer, and likely never will be, I do enjoy hitting the streets, seeing and meeting people, and getting their stories.

I watched Valerie in action last night as we came upon a small urban park of sorts, and people were expressing themselves in chalk about what they want to do before they die.  Of course, reaching your full potential, what better goal could one have than that!?  

This "urban park" was right on Hennepin Avenue in downtown Minneapolis, and I found out through Valerie's interaction with the security gal that was sitting there as we visited that it's a park that a privte business has set up to allow the public to just come visit and hang out.  So cool, in my opinion, and I hope people respect it enought to keep the flow going.

Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Day 233....Summer Hummer



SUMMER HUMMER

Just a fun little shot of a cute little birdie!  I've always been extremely fascinated by hummingbirds, and since I don't ever sit and chill out and just observe things because I'm too busy and I don't take the time to slow down, I've never really seen them in action or up close.

Tonight I got the opportunity to sit in my ex-father-in-laws backyard garden/pond area and just take in the serene and beautiful gardenscape he's created.  He has unique flowers blooming all around his intricately designed pond which harbors Koi and lily pads and other various water plants.  One of the main reasons I wanted to visit was to get some photos of butterflies, and since he plants flowers specifically to attract butterflies, I scored with some great shots of a Swallowtail and a Monarch.  

I never anticipated that I would see a hummingbird this close, let alone not at a feeder, but as I was photographing the butterflies, this little guy kept zooming around me, so I got him quick while he was posing.  

This is the photo I went to specifically achieve....


Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Day 232...Holding on to Summer



HOLDING ON TO SUMMER

Each day we are losing daylight, as the bug spray billboard says, two minutes each day.  So I'm going to have to start getting my photo done during the work day during the week or get creative at dusk or after dark.  

Tonight I realized at about 8 pm that I hadn't attempted my photo yet.  It was certainly a challenge tonight because as I set out, it was nearing dusk.  The lighting was an absolute challenge.  There was no real sunset, and the clouds in the sky were pretty blah.  So I walked down by the pond thinking maybe I would do a blue hour reflection or something.  And as I was peering through the cattails at the lake, I saw these little silhouettes in the reeds.  

When I got closer, I realized they were Hoppers.  Look how cute he is.  They didn't hop away, but when I got closer to them, they tried to move to the back of the grass and hide.  I love taking macros of insects.  Maybe I'll need another lens!

Monday, August 18, 2014

Day 231...CLOUDS! CLOUDS!! CLOUDS!!!


CLOUDS!  CLOUDS!!  CLOUDS!!!

I was out enjoying a wonderful dinner with my daughter at the local burger joint out on the patio.  I could see the clouds readying themselves for a big dumping of rain somewhere.  They were building up for a big storm.  So when we finished dinner, off we went.

I drove to the east and this is what I started with.  I wanted to stand there all night and watch them change.  But then.... on the way home....



And then I finally arrived home, and the clouds were still moving around.  I stood out on my deck, and I could see from the distance that there was lighting coming from somewhere.  So I hopped in the car and headed over to the soccer fields.  It was one of the most beautiful experiences EVER.  I sat there watching the clouds basically boil up and start producing lightening within themselves.  It was so beautiful.  It was also an experiment, and this is what I got....


Sunday, August 17, 2014

Day 230...Lowry Bridge



LOWRY BRIDGE

I've seen this bridge photographed hundreds of times on the Minnesota Photographers Facebook page.  And I really wanted to try to make my look different.  I don't know if I accomplished it, but I do love my version from tonight.  

I have wanted to get to this bridge for a long time, and I never really knew where it was.  It's funny because it's right off the highway.  And when you're standing on it, you have an amazing view of downtown Minneapolis.  (See Day 229).  I'm glad I finally made it here. 

I hope my photo isn't too cliche, but it will just be added to all the other night skyline type stuff I've done, and either someone will love it or not.  And since art is that way, you can love it or leave, and it makes no difference to me.  

Saturday, August 16, 2014

Day 229...Blue Hour in the City



BLUE HOUR IN THE CITY

So I am back to the old plan.  That is, when I set out at the end of the night and I say to myself, ugh...no photo today.  It was so gloomy all day, and what can you possibly shoot on a crusty old day like today?

Well, I just figured I'd fall farther behind and just not deal with it.  But I sent out to dinner with my daughter, and I brought the camera, because, you know, you never can tell what you might come across when you're out.  So on the way home from dinner, we decided to do a little shortcut through Minneapolis.  I hadn't been to Loring Park in a while, and my daughter's never been there.  So we started there, but that was just kind of eh!

So then I decided I really want to see what this Lowry Bridge was all about that I've seen posted everywhere.  Well, you can see that on in Day 230!  But as I was getting ready to leave after taking the bridge photo, this is what the city looked like.  Of course I didn't have the plate for my tripod, so this one was on the self timer sitting on the sidewalk, but I LOVE it!  It was a gorgeous evening.

Friday, August 15, 2014

Day 228....Nicholas David



NICHOLAS DAVID

So something I've for sure never shot is concert photography.  First of all, because they usually don't let you bring in the heavy equipment!!!  And second of all, I go there to enjoy the show and don't want to be distracted by worrying about photography the whole time.

Last night though, I attended a concert of one of my favorite dudes...Nicholas David (Mrozinksi) who was the third-place contestant on the show The Voice.  This is the third time I've seen him live.  The other two times were at First Avenue in Minneapolis and whenever I saw him there, the lighting and backdrops and whatnot were first rate and so beautiful!  I saw the pro photographer done afterward and was envious of their task and their work.

Last night's concert was at the Minnesota Zoo Amphitheater, so therefore, it fit into the theme of my project...OUTSIDE!!  The amphitheater was a great venue to see a concert at, and we had front row seats so it felt very intimate.  I got a ton of great photos, even after the security guy came and told me to ditch my long lens!  But this one just captured the utter essences, in my view, of what Nicholas portrays.

Hey now!!!

Thursday, August 14, 2014

Day 227....Beauties!!!



BEAUTIES!!!

So one of my favorite genres of photography is portraits.  This time of year, I usually have the privilege of shooting several senior portraits as well as some family shoots.  Tonight, I had the immense fortune to be able to shoot the lovely Francesca, pictured above in yellow.  When I'm finished editing her session, I will probably share them on my Facebook page, or maybe here too.  We shall see.

Last year, I did a sister session with Francesca and her two sisters.  Danica is pictured with her here.  Danica came along last night to help with her clothes, posing, etc., and we got in a couple sister shots, this being one of them.

These girls have flawless beauty and are so flexible and awesome to shoot.  Francesca is an absoulute natural at posing, smiling, and it's going to be difficult to narrow down what to provide for her because nearly every shot was a perfect smile or angle.

Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Day 226...Basilica Spire



BASILICA SPIRE

So I love the Golden Hour.  I love silhouettes.  And I love church spires.  So tonight's find was perfection.  I love churches in general, and I don't get to Minneapolis very often. While I think the Basilica is similar to the Cathedral of St. Paul, I just haven't had much occasion to photograph it.  

Tonight, I just saw the top of it through the trees, and I thought it was very pretty, and it was simply the shot I had to do.  Maybe one day I'll go back and see what I can get that includes the whole building or at least more of it.

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Day 225...Being a Tourist, Part 3






TOURIST ATTRACTIONS

When you go to New York, you have to get that photo of the Statue of Liberty, Paris is the Eiffel Tower, Italy is the Leaning Tower of Pisa (among many others, obviously), you get the point.  There's those unmistakable landmarks all around the world.  You see them on postcards.  You see them on your friends' Facebook pages.  

One thing I've been inspired to do learning from my pro friend Valerie is to try to see the iconic landmarks in a way other than the postcards.  This is not easy to do, especially if your visit to these places isn't planned well.  My trip to San Francisco was not a photo-based trip, but I never go anywhere without my camera and I made the best of the short time I had to shoot in this city.  All of the photos on this page are pretty tourist-looking.  But I'm still glad I have them as cliche as they may be.

 OAKLAND BAY BRIDGE


CHINATOWN


MORE CHINATOWN


 ALCATRAZ


 GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE

PIER 39


FISHERMAN'S WHARF


GOLDEN GATE PARK

Monday, August 11, 2014

Day 224....Commute




COMMUTING

I know I'm behind on this project.  I've been really busy at work and in my personal life too.  But I still have been shooting a lot and just haven't had the time to get editing.  

So I went out shooting with my long-time, genius photographer friend, the internationally-known street photographer Valerie Jardin.  I love her.  She's fun and filled with spirit and vitality for life.  We always have so much fun talking.  I've known her since high school.  She's a world traveler, and truly a magnificent photographer who is always inspiring me to be better and push my limits.

So after a drink and a snack, with hit her favorite photo spot...the STREET.  While she's a serious pro at street photography and knows exactly what and how to shoot, it's always an experience for me.  But as usual, we saw many great subjects.  My challenge for myself for the evening was to get the idea of the motion.  And here's what it really does feel like when you're waiting for the Minneapolis light rail.

Sunday, August 10, 2014

Day 223...Cool Guy


COOL GUY

Brit's...Minneapolis.  It's a great place to sit, have a beer, having something to eat.  It's fun to watch people play Bocce, and the best is sitting in the outdoors and just watching people.

I couldn't tell if this guy was scoping for a date or just enjoying the Bocce game.  He was pretty handsome.  Maybe I should have made it more obvious that I found him interesting!  Ha!  

I'm going to miss the days of outdoor dining and glasses of wine or margaritas on the patio outside.  Hold on summer!

Saturday, August 9, 2014

Day 222...In the Garden


IN THE GARDEN

I love that in the city, I can find peaceful places to kind of get away from my desk.  Right outside of the St. Paul Hotel, across from Rice Park, there is a really great little flower garden.  If you just stand on the sidewalk, you can peer over the iron fence and watch the birds fly in and out of the bird bath, as I did above.  Or you can meander into the garden down the little path and watch the bees, dragonflies, and other insects buzz about the beautiful flowers.

On the particular day, the sprinkler was watering the flowers, and there was a nice little iron bench to sit and just relax like I was in my own back yard.

I've said it probably five times or more already in this project, but I just love summer.

Friday, August 8, 2014

Day 221...Rocking the Park



ROCKING THE PARK

One thing I love...When people WANT their photo taken.  When doing street photography, you often try to be discreet, and then people either catch your eye and shy away, or they can be like this superstar and start rocking their swag!  

He said he thought this shot would be worth $2,000.  I love it.  If I ever got $2,000 for it, I'd certainly have to share with him.  He certainly played the part well and was quite entertaining.  I always think of how tough it must be to put yourself out there and throw open your guitar case and see what people think of you.  

It was a perfect day to spend in the park people watching.

Thursday, August 7, 2014

Day 220 ... Being a Tourist, Part 2



SAN FRANCISCO GRAFFITI

I don't usually process my photos to a significant degree, but I thought some of the actions I used for these shots just brought out the feelings I had when I came upon the murals.  The first three were taken right on Haight in the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood, and the last one was right at the edge of the Tenderloin.  

I had heard that the Mission District had a lot of murals and magnificent wall art and Graffiti, but in three days, I only had so much ground I could cover.  Some people really hate graffiti, and I understand that there are elements of graffiti that can be real destructive.  But the graffiti I saw was obviously commissioned to be there, and the artists were brilliant.


There are so many little pockets of cool places to see in San Francisco, and although Haight Street is not very long, I spent a few hours there alone just wandering and observing people, dogs, buildings, and my surroundings.  It was a really great experience.  



Wednesday, August 6, 2014

Day 219...Being a Tourist, Part 1



UP ABOVE THE WORLD SO HIGH

I started on my journey to San Francisco.  It was a mostly-business trip, but I knew I would have to seek out some good photo opps.  When I made my plane reservation, I was like a little kid.  I planned my seat so I could be next to the window and see everything that passed below me.  I mean, if you're not a regular traveler, how often do you get to see the tops of the clouds or the patterns of the roads and farms as if someone planned for it to look like a painting.  

And every time I'm up in the sky, I think about how when roads and fields are planned if they realize how cool they will look from above.


And when you look down that the mountains or other natural land structures, I wonder how they got put their and how the wind and rain has transformed them over time.  And I also stare in wonderment at how humans plan the way they do, and as above, the road just suddenly stops.


As I was passing over things, I tried to see houses and roads and imagine what gets people to land where they do.  During most of the time in the sky, I had no idea which part of the country I was flying over.  I have no idea where the above photo is nor what type of geographical terrain it is.  But I think it's completely beautiful.


I did sleep through a lot of this flight, but the parts I was awake for were magnificent, and it made it worth me childishly choosing the window seat.


Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Day 218...Flowers and A Flying Thing



FLOWERS AND A FLYING THING

I know that's probably a bad title for my photo of the day, but what is that thing?  It sort of looks like a bee that mated with a moth.  It was definitely going for the pollen, but I've never seen one before.  

I waited patiently in the garden hoping to see a butterfly.  My aunt says her garden is full of them.  But I scarcely saw an insect.  Just this crazy looking thing.  But I did enjoy the colorful flowers that were there.

I've said before that I'm not a big macro photographer and I don't really care that much for floral photography, but I know many people really enjoy the colors and shapes, so tonight, I took advantage and shot a variety.....



I've seen a couple posts lately on Facebook and whatnot of crazy people saying things like, "Winter is coming."  How about if we just forget about that and enjoy what we have before us today, all the color, splendor, warmth and beauty that is Minnesota's favorite time of year!  Because....


It's just good for the soul to stop and smell the flowers, or touch them, or just look at them.



Monday, August 4, 2014

Day 217...Coming Home



COMING HOME

I had such a great journey in San Francisco.  I always wanted to go there, and now I can say I've been.  I have many, many photos I'd like to share from there, and maybe I'll do the same thing I did for Florida where I make one day all about my favorite pics from there.  I have to have time to go through them all.

This is the first time I've ever been on a plane when I've arrived when the sun was rising.  It was incredibly cool to see the city come into view as well as the sun rising right at the cloud ridge.

When I got in my car to drive home, I drove over the Mendota High Bridge, and the sun was rising and the was a fog laying over the river.  It was so beautiful and mystical looking and I wanted to badly to pull my car over on the bridge and get out and shoot that scene.  I almost considered it if I hadn't been so delerious from traveling.  I'm sure some of the best photographers probably get their shots that way!

Sunday, August 3, 2014

Day 216...San Francisco


SAN FRANCISCO

So on my trip, I tried to stay away from taking the typical postcard shots, but this scene just says San Francisco, and I couldn't help myself.  You most definitely don't see street cars in many other places.  We waited in line for two hours to get on this darn thing.  We bought an all day pass so we could "jump on" and "jump off" several times.  What we didn't realize is this is one of the biggest tourist-ey things to do, and the two-hour wait on the ride over to see the Golden Gate Bridge was also the same on the return trip.

So we instead decided to start walking until one of the streetcars came by and wasn't so full.  We ended up walking the rest of the way back to our starting destination including walking up very very steep hills to Lombard Street which actually has the most crooked street!  It was super fun.



There are so many amazing views from so many places and for only being here for three days, I covered a lot of ground considering I also was attending a work conference during the day.  If I ever get back to San Francisco.  I will spend more time near the bridges, and eating my face off.