In a Soft Light

Grace in Winter

mrcarroll@optonline.net (Mary) — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 11:00:00 +0000

The ankle is getting better but I'm still hobbling around, with no new work to show. In the meantime, I have been playing around with a series of snowy images of my favorite park, Natirar. I may get some of these printed as Christmas cards next year. Does anyone have a recommendation for an online company that does nice card printing? :)

We're getting some more nasty weather tomorrow. Looks like I'll have to buy some flowers from the supermarket so I can finally get something new to shoot. Enjoy your weekend, dear bloggers!

Winter, Remembered

mrcarroll@optonline.net (Mary) — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 11:00:00 +0000

I sprained my ankle last week, plus I've been busy trying to get a jump on the whole Christmas thing, so I haven't been able to get out and shoot anything. So here is a scene from my favorite park, Natirar, reworked with a little Photoshop magic.

Why is it that snow looks so much prettier when you don't actually have to walk through it? lol

Veiled Figures

mrcarroll@optonline.net (Mary) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 11:00:00 +0000

"The days come and go like muffled and veiled figures sent from a distant friendly party, but they say nothing, and if we do not use the gifts they bring, they carry them as silently away."

Ralph Waldo Emerson

A Day Long Past

mrcarroll@optonline.net (Mary) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 11:00:00 +0000

No, it hasn't snowed here yet. I'm just having a little fun with one of the photos from my archives. :) Have a wonderful week, dear bloggers!

Feeling Spare

mrcarroll@optonline.net (Mary) — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 11:00:00 +0000

I'm in a black and white mood today. Maybe it's a reaction against all the excess of the season, and the season to come. Or maybe I'm just feeling spare today. Anyway, here is one of my dahlias, in black and white. :)

Dream

mrcarroll@optonline.net (Mary) — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 11:00:00 +0000

"What you can do, or dream you can do, begin it; boldness has genius, power and magic in it."

Johann von Goethe

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, dear bloggers!

Dahlia Darkness

mrcarroll@optonline.net (Mary) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 11:00:00 +0000

I've been playing with Photoshop actions and textures again. :)

Are you looking forward to winter? I think I tend to start playing with my flower images at this time of year because I don't want to face the coming season. Or maybe I just like to play. lol Anyway, Florabella action Vintage Wine, and an Ainhorn texture called Romance.

Everyone needs time to play. ;)

Again and Again

mrcarroll@optonline.net (Mary) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 11:00:00 +0000

Sorry to sound like a broken record, but I love, love LOVE these Florabella actions. The one I used here is called Vintage Summer. I added a slight edge burn as well. This image was taken at my favorite park, Natirar, on a late autumn afternoon. I love the long shadows and the gently rolling lawn. It's such a beautiful and peaceful scene, in all weathers. I have shot this same view in mist, and snow, and springtime green. Always lovely. Do you have favorite places that you shoot again and again?

Morning at the Great Swamp

mrcarroll@optonline.net (Mary) — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 11:00:00 +0000

Just some more fun with Florabella actions. What did I do before I had Photoshop? I honestly can't remember. lol

I finally got to visit the Great Swamp photo exhibit where three of my photos hang. I am in awe -- there is some really wonderful work here. This is my first experience exhibiting my photos, and I have learned a lot just from seeing how others frame and present their work. Next year, definitely larger images and better mattes. I'm a little cheap, and I left the framing till the last minute, so I ended up using some frames I found at HomeGoods, with some blah mattes. Next year I spring for the custom mattes. :)

Skywatch Friday: Another Sunset

mrcarroll@optonline.net (Mary) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 21:22:00 +0000

Are you tired of sunsets yet? November through March seems to be the best time for sunsets in my part of the world; we have a beautiful one almost every other day. It's actually a good thing for me, because the landscape is in that California Dreamin' time -- all the leaves are brown and the sky is gray. And until we get some mist or some snow, I have to resort to buying flowers at the supermarket to shoot something decent. Not that I have a problem with that, you understand. ;)

Check out all the wonderful sky shots at Skywatch Friday.

A Little Cheer

mrcarroll@optonline.net (Mary) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 11:00:00 +0000

Shop Rite had a special on roses -- $3.99 a dozen. And I had been sick; I needed a little cheer. So these yellow beauties came home with me, and of course I had to photograph them.

Fresh flowers, milk glass vase, green tole tray and Florabella actions. A little cheer. :) Happy Wednesday, dear bloggers!

There is another yellow rose image on my blog Simple Things today. Hey, I shot a ton of them so I had to use some of them, right? ;)

Monday Wishes

mrcarroll@optonline.net (Mary) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 11:00:00 +0000

"This is my wish for you: Comfort on difficult days, smiles when sadness intrudes, rainbows to follow the clouds, laughter to kiss your lips, sunsets to warm your heart, hugs when spirits sag, beauty for your eyes to see, friendships to brighten your being, faith so that you can believe, confidence for when you doubt, courage to know yourself, patience to accept the truth, Love to complete your life."

Author Unknown

Vintage Summer

mrcarroll@optonline.net (Mary) — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 15:28:00 +0000

Well, alert the media. I'm finally feeling slightly less than crappy which is a great improvement. lol

Turns out I had bronchitis on top of a flu-like virus. Whoopee! I haven't been able to take any new photos while I've been sick, but here is an old image of the Great Swamp, taken earlier this fall, with an action called Vintage Summer, from the new Florabella actions. If you like to play with Photoshop, you will love these actions.

I've photographed the Great Swamp many times in the past, and this year I've been honored to have three of my images included in an exhibit at the Environmental Education Center there. It opened last Saturday, but I've been too sick to go yet. But hopefully I'll get there sometime this week; I can't wait to see all the other photos. It should be amazing.

Have a wonderful week, dear bloggers!

Pretty in Pink

mrcarroll@optonline.net (Mary) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 04:23:00 +0000

No, I haven't fallen off the face of the earth, but I've been feeling pretty low with a nasty virus. So I've been laying on the sofa, passing the time between epic coughing bouts with some photo editing fun. And drinking tea.

Lots of tea.

Hopefully I'll be feeling a little better by the end of the week. Because this really sucks. Oops, did I just write that?

Sorry.

Pretty

mrcarroll@optonline.net (Mary) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 11:00:00 +0000

Pretty doesn't always have to mean flowers, right?

at dusk

mrcarroll@optonline.net (Mary) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 11:00:00 +0000

the sky is filled with dark clouds, a boiling kettle with steam;

the wind takes each errant leaf and madly dances before it.

the sun will leave now, soon.

and I will seek the warmth of the kitchen

and light and love and laughter.

Happy weekend, dear bloggers!

Skywatch Friday: I Love Sunsets

mrcarroll@optonline.net (Mary) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:28:00 +0000

My kitchen window faces west, so I get to enjoy autumn sunsets while cooking dinner. There are lots of trees on the horizon that get in the way, though. So when I see the beginning of the show, I grab my camera and run upstairs where I can shoot through a window in the hallway.

Dinner tends to be a little late at our house. ;)

Please visit Skywatch Friday for terrific images from all over the world.

Through the Trees

mrcarroll@optonline.net (Mary) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:08:00 +0000

We have a lot of scrubby white cedar growing wild around here, and most of the time they are less than thrilling; but only let the setting sun shine through them, and they become something special. :)

*****

Wow I just realized this is my 500th post! Thanks, everyone, for all your kind comments. As always, I'm just thrilled that anybody takes the time to look. Let me get my act together and we'll have a little giveaway sometime at the end of the week. :)

Leaf Litter

mrcarroll@optonline.net (Mary) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 11:00:00 +0000

We had some wind over the past few days, and the Norway Maple in our back yard lost all it's leaves, leaving the deck ankle-deep in gold. It's also been very rainy. Sunday afternoon the sun finally decided to come out a little. We bundled up and sat on the deck, surrounded by leaf litter four inches deep. And that wonderful, leafy autumn smell. :)

Have a happy week, dear bloggers!

My Favorite Spot

mrcarroll@optonline.net (Mary) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 10:00:00 +0000

My Favorite Spot

My Favorite Park

Far Hills, NJ

USA

Earth

The Milky Way

The Universe

(Do you remember doing that when you were a kid?) ;)

Have a wonderful weekend, dear bloggers!

Skywatch Friday: Autumn Sunset

mrcarroll@optonline.net (Mary) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 18:28:00 +0000

It's been such a long time since I've joined Skywatch Friday! My daughter was sitting at the kitchen table doing her homework earlier this week, when she called out to me to look at the sunset.

Wow. This has been such a colorful autumn -- beautiful leaves and skies, too. I can't help feeling like it's a great last hurrah before the cold and colorless winter to come. :(

Please take a moment to visit all the wonderful images at Skywatch Friday.

Details

mrcarroll@optonline.net (Mary) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 10:00:00 +0000

"Every man is tasked to make his life, even in it's details, worthy of the contemplation of his most elevated and critical hour. "

Henry David Thoreau

River of Color

mrcarroll@optonline.net (Mary) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 07:34:00 +0000

I went to Natirar yesterday morning to shoot some autumn colors, but my camera battery gave out after about ten minutes. So I went home, did some chores while it was charging, and went back at 4:00pm. The colors along the river were absolutely amazing -- like a river of color.

Happy autumn, dear bloggers! :)

For a somewhat less dramatic image of Natirar, see my other blog, Simple Things.

Shadows

mrcarroll@optonline.net (Mary) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 10:00:00 +0000

I love the light at this time of year, slanting through the trees at my favorite park, Natirar, in Far Hills NJ. I'm hoping for some nice weather Sunday, so we can go for a hike. :)

The Beauty That Is To Be

mrcarroll@optonline.net (Mary) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 10:00:00 +0000

“Lord of the far horizons,

Give us the eyes to see

Over the verge of the sundown

The beauty that is to be.”

William Bliss Carman