Friday My Town Shoot Out!!

2012-01-26T14:23:00.000-05:00

Delicate: Show us the delicate side of town! The dancers, the flowers, architectural ornaments..that is our subject this week:)

Spotlight Photos - GLASS

2012-01-23T09:15:00.000-05:00

Great theme, great results...it has been an absolute joy to go through everyone's photos this week. Not quite so much fun having to cut down the number of shots for the spotlight to six.

Yes, I know that I could break that rule I've set for myself. Bagman breaks rules on my blog all the time. But if I post seven then why not eight? Or twenty eight?

By the way, you are all welcome to vote! Not that this is a strictly democratic process. Rebecca, for instance, voted that I post one of mine, but as the Spotlight Despot (say that three times fast), I vetoed it. I enjoy spotlighting others more.

So, jumping right in:

Ranu's excellent glass with light and shadows.

Queen Mother's stained glass

I was torn between this and her glass necklace

Jama's "House of Glass" art institute

Hooray for architects who think outside the box!

Dawn Treader's Glassmaster's House

Nice photoshopping

And I also was struck by documenting the process as well as the result

Ginger - the studio where her fascinating windows were made

Welcome back, Ginger! Keep shooting!

And J9's mosaic ball!

And that makes six. However, I am going to cheat a little bit with a verbal spotlight -- Rebecca had some fascinating stain glass windows from St. Mary's castle. But she does an awesome job of protecting the copyright by making it impossible to simply cut and paste them. But you can see them by linking here.

And that makes 6 1/2.

Next week's theme is "Delicate." I can't wait.

Well, actually, I can wait. I have to. It's only Monday. Have a prolific and delicate week.

Friday My Town Shoot Out..Jan 20th

2012-01-19T15:00:00.001-05:00

January 20 - Glass: Interesting Windows, Unique Displays, Beautiful Collections...what glassy things can you find to share from your town?

Spotlight Photos - Arms and Legs

2012-01-15T08:47:00.000-05:00

Time to roll up the sleeves on my arms and post this week's Spotlight Photos. I'm working alone this morning. Bagman is on vacation on a Cruiseship somewhere dancing the nights away. Butler is in the corner exploring the innards of interface and internet trying to figure out why we couldn't seem to pull up Elaine's post at The Scattering. I'm sure it was great and sorry not to be able to see it.

But we had a very large selection this week to begin with - 13 entries for Friday the 13th. A real armful requiring lots of legwork to pull out some for the spotlight. So without further puns, we have:

Dawn Trader's leggy Pinocchio

He can lie all he wants - I'm not challenging him!

Puppet on steroids!

Ann's surfing legs

I could do this as long as I didn't have to go in the water.

Ranu's meditative hands

The color on the left hand mesmerizes me

E.G. Wow's 4 chairs, 8 arms, 16 legs series

(Check out all three versions on the site)

Kerry's baby shot

Everybody say, "Awwwwwwww."

Pauline's loving arms

Everybody say, "Aweeeeeee," again.

I've promised myself to stay under 6 shots. Otherwise I'd just post everything! What a talented bunch of people come here weekly!

Next week the theme is "GLASS."

Firday My Town Shoot Out..Jan 13th

2012-01-12T11:06:00.001-05:00

Our Subject today is......arms and legs!

Spotlight Photos - Music

2012-01-09T01:00:00.001-05:00

First of all, I'm stuck with that old song "Spotlight on James Brown, Y'all" running through my head and Bagman is dancing.

But that doesn't stop Butler from picking his first Spotlight picture for this week:

From Kerry whose blog included her musical husband's hands

BAGMAN (stops dancing to complain): "I thought we were going to use the jazzy motion picture of them playing!"

BUTLER: "I liked the precision of this, the lines of the strings, the close focus, the composition. And speaking of composition...:

From J9

Bagman runs over and posts his picks:

The talented Jessica from Ann Chin

I'd love to hear the music coming from this group caught by Jama.

And I had a similar pick -- With "Spotlight on James Brown, Y'all" still running in my head, I'm dying to hear a different kind of music.

Like these masters from Ranu

Ranu was kind enough to link some audio with his pictures so I could listen.

And I can pretty much imagine what this cute duet sounds like!

From Pauline

It was a true symphony of different sounds and images this week. Music for the eyes!

And one housekeeping reminder: The Mr. Linky site has been retired. Links now appear right here on this Friday My Town Shootout site. It makes it easier to post and easier to review.

We'll see you next week when the theme will be "Arms and Legs."

BAGMAN: "Whoo hoo!!!

2012-01-05T10:50:00.003-05:00

This weeks theme is..musical places around your town..where do you go to hear music!! Yup..will be posting here from now on..so head this way! Have a great week all, Sarah

Spotlight Photos - The End of the Year / Favorites

2012-01-03T22:51:00.000-05:00

Bagman, Butler and I are honored that Rebecca has given us the job of periodically posting the spotlight photos. I am also relieved that these are "Spotlight" photos and not "Winning" photos because I avoid the role of judge as much as possible. Just thinking about it has prompted me toward a possible blog on judgement. To me, every photo posted is a winner and I love them all. But since the spotlight is not infinited, I'll enjoy picking ones that strike my fancy for one reason or another. Rebecca can always fire me. And besides, I do have Bagman and Butler to help me which reduces the pressure.

So last week was the end, and or favorite memories, or favorite photos...I love flexible themes.

And I loved Dawn Treader's duck's end because it made me laugh.

__________________

And from Pauline in the Paddock. I started to pass this one up because I spend so much time with my granddaughter that the baby thing sometimes gets a bit old -- to be oxymoronic. But Bagman and Butler insisted. Bagman kind of liked this because babies are so cute and cuddly but Butler went nuts over it, exclaiming, "The textures, the soft muted light, the easy rolling curves of baby, blanket, couch. And the histogram is to die for."

Jama's wedding shot got Bagman's nod because he loves to see happy people in love and this really captures a wonderful beginning. A favorite memory. A beginning and not an end -- although it could be seen as the end of waiting to be together.

I couldn't resist this classic "End of the snowman family" by Peggy the Queenmother Mamaw. Inflatables end deflated. (I've always wanted to go to wherever the balloons are deflated after the Macy's Parade).

And finally all three of us loved the sunset by E.G. Wow, because -- well -- it is a WOW.

Those are the lighted spots. I'll try to be less wordy next time. But, of course, I will fail.

Changes for the New Year! Authors Wanted!

2012-01-02T09:00:00.002-05:00

Happy New Year

to all of our FMTSO Friends!

We have some news to update you on.

Our administrator,

Doreen,

has requested to step down from her duties at FMTSO

as she is hoping to take a little break from blogging.

Thank you to Doreen for keeping things running for us,

for your time and efforts at FMTSO.

Enjoy your downtime...

and we hope to see you here again when you are ready.

Rebecca will be assuming administrative duties.

Sarah will stay on as an author

and the person posting the linky each week.

We would like to add one or two people

to help author Spotlight Photos each week.

Would you like to join the team?

Send Rebecca a message or

The LINKY is HERE!

2011-12-30T08:45:00.002-05:00

We are sorry for confusion,

but Sarah has not been able to post the linky this week.

I only have the option to post it on this page.

So you can link up here until we get things straightened out.

If needed, I will move your links for you.

December 30 - End. The end of another year. What is your best memory from this year? or How do you celebrate the end of a year.

Spotlight Photos & Help Wanted

2011-12-28T08:23:00.002-05:00

Our theme was LIGHTS

and I am happy to say

there was quite a variety of light included

with all of your photos.

Here are some Spotlights...

This lit tree by Dawn Treader reminds me of patterns of stars.

She did a nice job isolating the light

and keeping the dark background.

Light colored fountains were submitted by Jama.

I love that JarieLyn played with the zoom technique!

And I am a huge sucker for bokeh.

This shot is by Kim.

This is touching by Minor...

lanterns with sentiments to the victims of this year's earthquake in Japan.

And a creative touch by Pauline using natural light.

A nice capture of flames by Ranu.

Help Wanted...

We are looking for one or two people to help

with the posting of weekly Spotlight Photos.

Please leave a comment below if you are interested!

This week's topic: End

December 30 - End. The end of another year. What is your best memory from this year? or How do you celebrate the end of a year.

Double Takes wit Rebecca: Fun with Holiday Lights

2011-12-21T06:36:00.000-05:00

For me it is Christmas lights,

but any lights will work!
Here are some things you can do with lights.

You can make lights seem to twinkle
by using a higher aperture setting.

f25, ISO 400, 30sec on tripod

If you can attach a filter to your lens,
try using a star filter for this effect.

f 2.8 ISO 1250, 1/60 sec on tripod
using a 4pt star filter

Below is an outdoor tree

covered in blue lights.
If you have a zoom lens you can do this one.

My camera was on a tripod,

I selected a slow shutter speed

and turned the zoom on my camera while

the shutter was open.

1/6 sec, ISO 100, f2.8 on tripod
rotating zoom.

And of course, everyone's favorite these days...

bokeh!
The out of focus lights in the background create bokeh.
Use a wide aperture
and add distance between your subject and the lights.

f1.8, ISO 640, 1/200

Do you have any tips for shooting lights?
Please share them,
I'd like to try something new!

I posted Double Takes a week early this month
before the holiday lights come down!!

Spotlight Photos

2011-12-14T20:20:00.001-05:00

Here are some Spotlight Photos for our Wheel theme!

A line up of scooters by Ann

A cutie pie inside the wheel by Coloring Outside the Lines.

An interesting bench on wheels by EGWOW.

A row of wagon wheels by Jarielyn.

A really cool shot through the glass by Mark.

A colorful wheel and a little different 'spin' on the theme by MummyJam.

And a lovely quilted wheel by QMM.

Thanks everyone for your submissions.

I think it was a good topic!

Next up is Layers...

Spotlight Photos for Imbalance

2011-12-05T18:41:00.000-05:00

Well, this was quite the challenging theme. I know I was not sure if I "got it" or not. But our shooters came through with fantastic photos and interpretations of the theme.

Imbalance in photography - Lack of proportion or relation between corresponding things. Shots with strong points of interest on one side of an image and ‘emptiness’ in another area. Misproportioned.

Pauline

Ann

Jama

Kerry

Kim

Our theme and challenge for December 9th is Wheels.
Have fun and HAPPY SHOOTING!!

Double Takes With Rebecca: Panning

2011-11-30T02:40:00.003-05:00

No, I am not referring to panning for gold,

but that would be exciting!

I am referring to capturing the feeling of motion

in your still photo.

Definition

Here is the Wikipedia description:

In still photography, the panning technique is used to suggest fast motion, and bring out the subject from other elements in the frame. In photographic pictures it is usually noted by a foreground subject in action appearing still (i.e. a runner frozen in mid-stride) while the background is streaked and/or skewed in the apparently opposite direction of the subject's travel.

Example:
I took the photo below from a ferry.

I steadied myself along the edge of the ferry

and using a slower shutter speed

I followed the jet ski as it passed

with my camera.

You can see the splash is blurred

as is the water -

caused by the slower shutter speed,

Yet the action of the

jet ski seems stopped -

cause by following it with the camera.

If I had a second chance,

I would have slowed down the shutter speed some more.

But they were not aware of my pleas to circle around again!

Practice:

Here is a great way to practice...

as long as you don't get too dizzy.

Go to a playground with one of those spinny rides.

I don't know what they are called,

but you push them and they go round and round.

Sit on one side,

have someone sit opposite of you.

Keep your camera steady by bracing your elbows against yourself.

Spin the ride and snap your photos.

Here is an example.

Note the blurred background from spinning.

Technical:

So how do you achieve that slower shutter speed?

Option 1:

If you shoot in manual (M)

or shutter/time (S or TV) priority,

you can set your shutter speed.

How slow depends on what you are shooting,

how fast it is moving, and how far away you are.

In the above photo,

the speed was 1/25.

But if it was a race car I was photographing

and I was relatively close

I might have used 1/125.

The great thing about digital is you can experiment

and see which way you need to adjust.

To control shutter speed:

Nikon users select M (Manual) or S (Shutter)
then use the appropriate dial on your camera to select..

Canon users select M (Manual) or TV (Time Value)

then use the appropriate dial on your camera to select.

If you select S or TV the camera will choose the other settings.

If you select M you will have to make those adjustments yourself

until you achieve proper exposure.

Option 2 (Possibility):

I am not sure if you can trick a point and shoot

that does not have manual (M) or shutter priority settings (S or TV)

into doing this or not.

I would start by choosing the landscape/scenery preset on the camera,

usually indicated by the Mountain icon.

That will let less light in the camera

forcing a slower shutter speed.

But the camera might outsmart you and

raise up the ISO too much

and not achieve a slow enough speed.

But you can always try!

Inspiration

For examples or idea inspiration

do a Google search of Panning and select Images.

I hope this gives you something new to try.

Spotlight Photos for Symmetry

2011-11-22T19:27:00.000-05:00

All of our shooters did a great job this past Friday with the theme of symmetry. I was very impressed!!

Here they are!!

Suzy - The Grand Ballroom of Larnach Castle. My eyes are drawn to the fireplace. And I notice how it is decorated so identically from one side to the other. (is identically a word?)

Ann - Viking Boat. This photo is mesmerizing. I look along the sides at the windows and little wall lights, up to the tip of the boat and down to floor with the posts all around and back again to the windows and lights. When a photo makes your eyes travel all around like that ......... that is a great photo!

Heather - Heart. I had a hard time between choosing this one and the walkway she had posted.

Jama - (to quote Jama)
The underside of the 260meter long (850ft) and 70 meter-wide (230 ft.) Esplanade road -bridge that spans across the mouth of the Singapore River in Singapore which is lighted nightly with different colours.

Pauline - Yucca Plant. Perfect!!

QMM - Ceiling Fixture. A beautiful light. Another photo that draws me in.

From my post many visitors really liked my swans. I don't usually post one of mine, but just thought I would tell you all a little more about the shot. I took this shot with my telephoto lens. I was not close to the swans, and there were many on this part of the river. It was our first freezing frosty morning so it was also foggy. I think they were just trying to sleep away the cold frosty morning. I focused in on these two swans. Notice the ripple on the water behind them? A couple of swans swam through the shot. I didn't like the way it looked with them in the shot so I just waited until they were out of the photo before snapping.

Our theme for this Friday is Lawn Tools. Have fun and use your imagination with this one. And, as always, HAPPY SHOOTING!!

Spotlight Photos

2011-11-15T11:05:00.000-05:00

I think you all deserve an A

for your Letter A finds this week!

Here are some spotlight photos

we want to make sure you didn't miss.

An Arched rainbow by EG WOW.

Beautiful!

Ambiance by Elaine Dale

Very moody!

Amphibians by Scriptor Senex

Love how the toad appears to be pushing the grass

out of his way to see.

Autumn by Kerry

What spectacular colors and lines!

Acorns by Kim

A nice capture of an Autumn classic.

Next up is symmetry.

The Challenge for November 18 ~ Symmetry ~

2011-11-14T18:11:00.000-05:00

Symmetry.

This is our challenge for November 18. So .... what is it?

The balance of design elements where one side equals another.

Balanced visual weight in the photo.

The effect of an evenly balanced arrangement of visual information, such as patterns, on either side of a central division.

Whew!! So what does all that mean?

Here is a great article on Symmetry by Jim Zuckerman.

And go here for more examples of excellent symmetry in photography.

Happy Shooting!!

Spotlight Photos for Strange, Unusual or Spooky Signs!

2011-11-08T19:32:00.001-05:00

As you may know, Mr. Linky is being a little spooky itself this past week and it is not working for us!! If I missed any participants in last Friday's challenge it was unintentional. I did post a discussion post for the naughty Mr. Linky but I just received an email from Sarah and she said all is well now. So sorry for jumping the gun here!!

What fun to see unusual signs from all over the world.

Sue CTG

Dawn Treader

EGWow

Jama - (we need one of these in my town)

Southwest Arkie - closed due to flying hot mud

This week the challenge for FMTSO is the Letter A.

HAPPY SHOOTING!!

Discussion on Mr. Linky

2011-11-06T10:11:00.001-05:00

Hi All!

As you may have noticed Mr. Linky has not worked at all this weekend. Now, I just went there and tried to open the comments and those won't work for me also.

What to do?

FMTSO is open now for any suggestions or ways to do FMTSO a new way.

Shall we just do it all on one site?

How about having a post on the weekly challenge and then just go visit everyone by the comments?

Does anyone know how to add a link in the comments that would take the reader to their post for FMTSO?

That would make it very simple I would think.

Open for discussion...........

Spotlight Photos for Creepy Crawlies:)

2011-11-01T19:53:00.002-04:00

OH my ......creeepy even to me and I love bugs..this gave me the willies. By Dinah!

Beautiful spiderweb!! By Dawn!

Cool creepy snake by Ewow!!

Beautiful, creepy cool pics all!

Double Takes With Rebecca: Baked or Raw?

2011-10-26T09:00:00.001-04:00

Did you know a photo is like a cupcake?

If you shoot in jpg,

which all cameras can do,

then your finished photo is like a baked cupcake -

with all the processing decisions being made

by the camera.

You can ice it,

add sprinkles,

and maybe cut off some burned edges if you need to,

but you can't go back and adjust

the ingredients that made the cupcake!

Your camera is very smart

and often makes good decisions for you,

but not every time or in every situation.

Shooting jpg leaves you little latitude later on.

That's where shooting in raw

comes in.

If your camera has the ability to shoot in raw,

it will collect all the raw ingredients

needed for your photo to

give you the power to

make adjustments to the recipe

before baking...or printing in this case.

All images begin in raw...

it just depends on who

makes the processing decisions:

you or the camera.

jpg - Your camera decides

raw - You decide

Here is a diagram from a helpful link

at The Lightroom Lab website:

Most dSLR's will shoot in raw,

and many point and shoot cameras will as well.

You can check your camera's manual

to learn about its settings.

Check under image quality options.

Shooting in raw has an upside and downside.

The downside is

your file size will be much larger

and eat up space on your camera card

and computer.

The upside is

your file size will be much larger

and you have more information

to work with saved on the card and computer!

So, I consider it a win-win!

You can always buy a larger card if you need to!

You do not need to feel like you are cheating

by adjusting your raw photo.

A raw photo comes out unprocessed

and therefore looks kind of muddy.

It is expected that you will

play with the ingredients

to get a recipe

that captures what you saw creatively.

You will need software to read a raw image.

But most photo software including

Picasa, Photoshop and others

(including any software that came with your camera)

will read a raw image.

After processing,

you can save the image in jpg

and share it with others.

Back in the day of film...

the same thing happened.

A photographer could buy specific types of film

and use different darkroom techniques

to get the creative look they desired.

It was a more difficult process,

but there was still a creative process involved.

That being said,

I do not always shoot in raw.

I shoot in raw when

being able to correct white balance

or exposure is important.

When someone pays for portraiture I shoot raw.

When I am taking snapshots, fun shots,

or rapid shots I use jpg.

I shoot my son's soccer games in large jpg.

If you don't shoot in raw...

at least shoot in the largest file size you can

(shown below.)

A large file size collects more pixels

and will give you a better looking photo,

especially if you plan to enlarge it.

Happy Shooting!

Spotlight Photos for Scavenger Hunt - Something Old, New, Borrowed, Blue

2011-10-23T17:16:00.000-04:00

"Something old, something new,
something borrowed, something blue"

was the theme for our Scavenger Hunt suggested by Mark. It was really nice to see everyone's varied choices for this hunt.

Scriptor Senex, new lamb - something new.

Ann, blue dragon - something blue.

Jedediah, the Christianskirche in Altona, built in 1738 - something old.

Southwest Arkie, her homemade stew that she had to borrow two potatoes from her daughter to make - something borrowed.

Our challenge for October 28th is CREEPY CRAWLIES!! There is a definition for this term also - Creepy-crawly is a slang term used for insects or other creatures that crawl and make people feel fear and disgust. Insects, spiders, worms, oh my!!

HAPPY SHOOTING!!

Spotlight Photos

2011-10-19T07:07:00.001-04:00

I love how Collect in Texas Gal

captured this monarch with backlighting.

And these sweet cherries by Jama

are beautifully composed and lit.

I love the waterdrops on

Another Slice of Life's

Sweet Peas.

And the photo of the old Sweet Shop

by Scriptor Senex.

A beautiful collection of photos was submitted

representing sweetness!

Next up...a Scavanger Hunt.

Check the details here.

Member Voice for October 21st Photo Scavenger Hunt suggested by Mark

2011-10-13T05:31:00.006-04:00

October 21st is another photo scavenger hunt for FMTSO. Here is a reminder of the guidelines:

*straight out of the camera, no editing

*one photo per word

*three words for each hunt

* add a fourth photo if you can find all three hunt words in one (or just post this one photo)

* hunt area includes your town, surrounding areas, surrounding countryside

Scavenger Hunt suggested by Mark, Butler and Bagman - Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue. I guess that is four.

Mark's suggestion contains four subjects so use your own interpretations, have fun and HAPPY SHOOTING!!

Mark's member voice below;

When Doreen kindly asked if I could write a short "Member's Voice" bit about the theme I had suggested, my first reaction was befuddlement. I had forgotten that I had suggested that theme. But I get befuddled easily these days. Also, this morning, I have suddenly, inexplicably become enamored of the word: "befuddlement" -- it looks so funny in print.

Where was I? Oh yes, I believe when Doreen was asking for suggestions for scavenger hunts this theme popped into my head for absolutely no reason that I can think of, unless someone somewhere had mentioned marriage that day.

"Something old, something new,
something borrowed, something blue."

This is an old wedding tradition that seems to have come into being in England or Scotland during the Victorian Age. If a bride incorporates these items in her wedding dress she is supposed to have good luck in her marriage. It must be an old custom because it is limited to the bride. What about the groom?

Anyhow, in terms of a photo scavenger hunt it is wide-open to interpretation and variety.

And while it may be more difficult for Friday Hometown Shooters who don't live in Great Britain, you might earn a bonus from the closing line of this matrimonial ditty which is: "And a silver sixpence in her shoe." Or his shoe, to be politically correct.

Have fun and embrace befuddlement!

Mark

Spotlight Photos from October 7 - Discoveries and being Thankful

2011-10-09T16:20:00.002-04:00

Hi all!!

Since it was Columbus Day in the United States and Thanksgiving Day in Canada on October 10th, our challenge was to show something you have discovered or something you are thankful for in your town.

As always, our shooters did not disappoint!

QMM is thankful for a new day dawning. read her clever insight into a new day here.

Dawn caught a cute baby discovering his toes. and to check out her other fabulous discoveries, click here.

Mark is thankful for his neighbor, Steve that is always ready to help out. (and has a nice big truck!) But Mark has a handy dandy hat shown below. To see the awesome neighbor Steve, check out Mark's post here.

Pauline is thankful for her "uppity and downities". check out what she means by that here.

Our challenge for October 14th is Sweet! Show us sweets in your town.There are many definitions for sweet.

An intensive used to express satisfaction, acceptance, pleasure, excellence, exaltation, approval, awe, or reverence.

nice, pleasant, endearing, likable, non-threatening.

a kind thoughtful person / someone you like to be around / a positive remark.

having the taste or flavor characteristic of sugar, honey, etc.

So there you have it shooters. Go out and find your sweet spot.

HAPPY SHOOTING!!

Spotlight Photos - Stairs!!

2011-10-02T18:15:00.002-04:00

EGWOW..

Our fun subject this week was stairs..going up, coming down, from behind. I had such fun feeling a bit            dizzy..wonderful shots that kinda gave me the willies..but beautiful too!


                                                                          Dawn Treader....

Jama's shot....

K ..I want one of these in front of my house! Kim's shot!

Ok..Mark this is just beautiful!!!

Last but not lease..this stunning shot by Doreen!

Beautiful job all!!

Next weeks subject is....Columbus Day in the United States and Thanksgiving Day in Canada are October 10. Show us something you have discovered in your town or something you are thankful for in your town!

Spotlight Photos for September 23rd Black & White or Sepia

2011-09-25T19:23:00.000-04:00

Here are the Spotlight Photos from our September 23rd challenge/theme;

Black & White or Sepia

Monica

EGWow

Kim

Mark

Sandra

A fantastic representation by our shooters.

The challenge for September 30th is Stairs! Going up......... coming down........... from behind. Show us your creativity FMTSO.

HAPPY SHOOTING!!

Spotlight Photos

2011-09-22T14:14:00.000-04:00

Dear Me!

I am late with Spotlight Photos for Letter T.

An unused incinerator Tower from Ann.

From Scriptor Senex,

an adorable Tree house.

Tombs from Gypsy Lala

So sorry I was late...
it is already time for
Sepia & Black and White!

Member Voice for September 23 - Your Choice in Sepia or Black and White

2011-09-20T17:40:00.000-04:00

Hi All!!

The meaning for this theme is pretty easy. Show us your town or your part of the world in Sepia Tone or Black and White. You choose your own theme!!

Flat River that runs through Lowell (sepia)

our clock on Main Street (black and white)

and as always ...... HAPPY SHOOTING!!

Spotlight Photos * Grandparents Day and Patriot Day *

2011-09-14T19:40:00.000-04:00

I am so so sorry for being so late with Spotlight Photos. You would not believe the week I have had. So now, forget about that. Last Friday our theme was Grandparents Day and Patriot Day. Since there were only a few participants I have chosen one from each. Here we go!!

Pauline

Ann

Dawn

EGWow

Heather

Jama

one of mine for Patriot Day

Thank you for sharing photos of your cherished ones.

September 16th our theme is the Letter T.

A tree toad loved a she-toad
Who lived up in a tree.
He was a two-toed tree toad
But a three-toed toad was she.
The two-toed tree toad tried to win
The three-toed she-toad's heart,
For the two-toed tree toad loved the ground
That the three-toed tree toad trod.
But the two-toed tree toad tried in vain.
He couldn't please her whim.
From her tree toad bower
With her three-toed power
The she-toad vetoed him.

HAPPY SHOOTING AND HAVE FUN FINDING YOUR T's.

Spotlight Photos * Human Labor * and member voice for September 9th

2011-09-06T19:51:00.000-04:00

Hi All!

Fantastic photos by all for Human Labor. It was a lot of fun seeing how everyone showed Human Labor in their town.

Spotlight Photos in no particular order:

Tina

Ann

Dawn

Heather

Jama

September 9th our theme is about Grandparents Day and Patriot Day.

The impetus for a National Grandparents Day originated with Marian McQuade, a housewife in Fayette County, West Virginia. Her primary motivation was to champion the cause of lonely elderly in nursing homes. She also hoped to persuade grandchildren to tap the wisdom and heritage their grandparents could provide. President Jimmy Carter, in 1978, proclaimed that National Grandparents Day would be celebrated every year on the first Sunday after Labor Day. When is Grandparents Day?
In 2011, Grandparents Day falls on Sept. 11th

to read more about Grandparents Day click here........

Patriot Day is an annual observance on September 11 to remember those who were injured or died during the terrorist attacks in the United States on September 11, 2001. Many Americans refer Patriot Day as 9/11 or September 11.To read more about Patriot Day click here .......

HAPPY SHOOTING!!

Spotlight Photos * High n' Low * and member voice for Human Labor

2011-08-29T19:36:00.000-04:00

low
Scriptor Senex

lows and highs of parenting
by Heather

high
on the edge of the world pool!! - Jama

low
snake and a pretty one at that!! - Mark

I think this is low - looking through the viaduct
Balcombe Ouse Valley Viaduct- MizzKay

low
resting place - Pauline

high
Sandra

The theme for September 2 is Human Labor. City workers, store clerks, libraries, street cleaners, window washers, police, fireman, artist. I think you get the idea. Show us the laborers of your town that make it what it is today and keep it going on a daily basis. Show us the common, unique or off the beaten path laborers.

HAPPY SHOOTING!!

Spotlight Photos * Match It! * and Member Voice for High n' Low

2011-08-21T18:37:00.002-04:00

Our challenge for last Friday was to take your favorite quote and match it to a scene of your town. This seems to have been a favorite theme for many of our shooters. We will have to do this one again.

ShabbyGirl

EGWow

In her words:

I guess I like this quote because too many people like to take credit for what they've accomplished without giving credit to all that has happened before that made it possible for them to accomplish what they've done.

So how far back does "scratch" go? :)

Jama

Kerry

Time with my dogs clears my mind, renews my faith, and lets me see the world as it is. My only regret loving dogs as I do, is the misery of their early departure.
Robert G. Wehle

Lena

"The caged bird sings with

A fearful trill of things unknown
But longed for still and his
Tune is heard on the distant hill
For the caged bird sings of freedom."

--Maya Angelou from her poem I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

Mark

I dream of giving birth to a child who will ask, "Mother, what was war?"

~Eve Merriam~

This was much fun and an awesome shoot out everyone!

Member Voice for High n' Low:

Friday the 26th of August our challenge is High n' Low. This may be interpreted in a few different ways. Show high n' low in the same spot or use contrasting perspectives. Maybe show us the highest spot in your town and the lowest. I googled high n' low and two very interesting photography posts came up. This can be another challenge if you all are up to it!! :-)

High Key and Low Key

Photography High Key and Low Key Composition

HAVE FUN AND HAPPY SHOOTING!!

Spotlight Photos * Rust * Rusty * Rustic * & Member Voice for Match it!!

2011-08-15T18:55:00.003-04:00

First, what a fantastic shoot out last Friday by everyone. Who would have thought that rust could be so beautiful?

Participation is up lately for our shoot outs. A few new shooters and a few have come and joined us once again. Keep the enthusiasm shooters!!

In no particular order:

John aka Scriptor Senex

Monica aka Dawn Treader

Dinah newcomer!

Peggy aka QMM

Mark aka Bagman, Butler, B&B

For this Friday (August 19) we have a challenge that is very new and unusual. I will let you be the judge of that.

Match it!! Match a photo from your town with one of your favorite quotes. Or ..... take your favorite quote to town and match a scene to it. Let your creative juices flow shooters. This may take a bit more planning and thought than other shoot outs we have had. Then again, this may be right up your alley and be a piece of cake for you.

HAVE FUN AND ENJOY!!

HAPPY SHOOTING!!

Spotlight Photos - Shooter Choice

2011-08-09T18:47:00.000-04:00

Here are the Spotlight Photos from August 5 which was Shooters Choice! You know the saying ..... ask and you shall receive. Well I asked for help choosing spotlight photos for the next three weeks and Pauline has helped me out. Thank you Pauline!!

chosen by Pauline

EGWow sunset

Dawn Treader Cemetery Walk

Heather room at Shelburne Museum

I would like to add .....

Shabby Girl street scene

Mark driftwood and sunrise or sunset. could be both.

All of our shooters do a wonderful job every week. Kudos to you all!!

Member Voice for Rust, Rustic, Rusty

2011-08-07T18:02:00.001-04:00

Our theme for Friday the 12th of August is Rust, Rusty, Rustic. This can be a color or a place, think outside the box. Rust and rusty are easy, I think. Also think of color, etc.

Here is the definition of rustic from Merriam-Webster online.

: of, relating to, or suitable for the country : rural<rustic rolling farmland>

a : made of the rough limbs of trees <rustic furniture>

a : characteristic of or resembling country people

: appropriate to the country (as in plainness or sturdiness) rustic boots>

(rust color and has a country feel to it with the feet sticking out wouldn't you say?) A restaurant along the way on one of my outings with my camera.

These definitions are from Dictionary.com. for rustic.

of, pertaining to, or living in the country, as distinguished from towns or cities; rural.

simple, artless, or unsophisticated.

uncouth, rude, or boorish.

made of roughly dressed limbs or roots of trees, as garden seats.

(of stonework) having the surfaces rough or irregular and the joints sunken or beveled.

It will be fun to see what everyone does with this theme. I already have the perfect place to go for this theme in mind.

HAPPY SHOOTING!!

Spotlight Photos - Pink!! and Member Voice

2011-08-01T18:46:00.000-04:00

Ah Ha!! So pink was challenging you say. That's good! Makes one wake up and really become aware of your surroundings. That is the reasoning for excluding flowers. Too easy! Were you all surprised at the pink you found once you truly started hunting? Fun shoot out and hope you all enjoyed it also.

Our shooters found pink cars!!

a pink toy car behind a pink cactus - MizzKay

a pink 1934 Ford - EGWow

~ and pink buildings ~

pink trim and accents on this Victorian home - Tiffany

a pink building in Chinatown Singapore - Jama

a totally pink building, Ringling Art Museum - Sandra

Are you getting hungry yet after all this hunting for pink? How about some pink food!

pink salmon on pink plates - Ann

pink candles on a yummy cake for dessert - Heather

This Friday, August 5, our challenge is Shooters Choice!! Anything goes as long as it showcases your town. Oh no!! That means we will be setting Bagman and Butler on the loose to shoot at a whims desire. Stay tuned for this one ....... :-)

Spotlight Photos - Fresh!

2011-07-27T18:06:00.001-04:00

Fresh!

Meaning new to one's experience; not encountered before. Recently made, produced, or harvested; Free from impurity or pollution; pure. ( I will be showcasing these words with the photos )

This was the challenge we had for last Friday's shoot out. As always, our shooters all did a fantastic job of finding photos of their towns using the theme of Fresh. We have a great group of photographers and I will add they all are very creative and inventive. Here are the Spotlight Photos for that shoot out.

Pauline - St. Barnabas Church. from one year to the next. what a difference a FRESH coat of paint makes.

Ann - Dragon Fruit. I am sure not NEW to her but definitely NEW to many of us. and recently PRODUCED.

Gayla - Cathedral Rock. is this gorgeous and a sight to see or what? NEVER ENCOUNTERED BEFORE by many.

Heather - butterfly on shoulder. how exciting is this? very NEW TO ONE'S EXPERIENCE for sure.

Kim - FRESH REFRESHING PURE water. and we hope also FREE FROM IMPURITY OR POLLUTION.

This Friday the 29th our theme is the color Pink in your town. ( see previous post )

and as always ...... HAPPY SHOOTING!!

Member Voice - Pink in your Town

2011-07-24T11:20:00.000-04:00

Our challenge for July 29th is Pink in your town. Right away I bet most are thinking of all the pink flowers to show us. FMTSO challenges you to NOT show any flowers. (unless on dish ware, towels, etc.) Really get out there and hunt for the pink in your town or the pink around your home.

HAPPY SHOOTING!!

Spotlight Photos for the Letter B and Member Voice for Fresh

2011-07-18T13:06:00.000-04:00

We are having a heat wave here in Michigan shooters! Right now at 12:52 it is 85 degrees with 77% humidity. That means the air is heavy enough to chew.

Spotlight Photos is no particular order.

Tiffany - band

Heather - bus and on the bus is advertised burgers

JarieLyn - boys, blue, baseball cap and in the background Bank of America and a bat

Kim - barn and baler

Mark - bridge

I also noticed some "behinds" in a couple of pics.

This Friday our theme is Fresh.

Meaning new to one's experience; not encountered before. Recently made, produced, or harvested; Free from impurity or pollution; pure. Many choices here for fresh.

Here is the definition of fresh from the online dictionary.

fresh (frsh)

adj. fresh·er, fresh·est

1. New to one's experience; not encountered before.

2. Novel; different: a fresh slant on the problem. See Synonyms at new.

3. Recently made, produced, or harvested; not stale or spoiled: fresh bread.

4. Not preserved, as by canning, smoking, or freezing: fresh vegetables.

5. Not saline or salty: fresh water.

6. Not yet used or soiled; clean: a fresh sheet of paper.

7. Free from impurity or pollution; pure: fresh air.

8. Additional; new: fresh evidence.

9. Bright and clear; not dull or faded: a fresh memory.

10. Having the glowing, unspoiled appearance of youth: a fresh complexion.

11. Untried; inexperienced: fresh recruits.

12. Having just arrived; straight: fashions fresh from Paris.

13. Revived or reinvigorated; refreshed: I was fresh as a daisy after the nap.

14. Fairly strong; brisk: a fresh wind.

15. Informal Bold and saucy; impudent.

16. Having recently calved and therefore with milk. Used of a cow.

17. Slang Excellent; first-rate.

Happy Shooting!!

Spotlight Photos ~ Small Medium Large ~

2011-07-10T10:12:00.000-04:00

Last Friday was our official third scavenger hunt which was chosen by Kerry. Small / Medium / Large.

EG WOW wowed me with her choices to represent the theme. So fitting the theme and representing her area of this world. Go here to see her post and description of Canadian coins.

Canadian Penny / Small

Canadian Quarter / Medium

Canadian Toonie / Large

I have chosen to spotlight two of our shooters photos for the "all in one" shot of the hunt theme. And I am telling you, it was not easy for me to narrow it down to just two!!

Jama - small / Flower Bunny - medium / Merlion Statue - large

SS collection of rocks and stones. Now see if you can see what I did. Do you see a profile of a face on one of the stones?

Another great hunt done by everyone!!

Just a bit of chit chat here. The theme for the next Friday is "The Letter B".

And I am wondering what to do with the member list on the FMTSO site. Many of the members listed there have not participated in quite a long time. Should I delete it entirely or try to update it with the recent shooters? Or if any of you have any ideas or solutions please suggest them. Thanks for any feedback.

Member Voice for July 15 - The Letter B!

2011-07-08T08:53:00.000-04:00

Hi Shooters!!

For July 15th our theme is ......... "The Letter B in Your Town".

I guess I can't say too much about that theme. Anything that starts with the letter B in your town.

HAPPY SHOOTING!!

Spotlight Photos ~ Simplicity ~

2011-07-03T08:01:00.000-04:00

Everyone did a great shoot out with this one. I had a very hard time narrowing down to just five Spotlight Photos. Reminder, see the previous post for Kerry's thoughts on our next Scavenger Hunt ~ Small ~ Medium ~ Large ~. I think this will be a fun one and to see all the different interpretations from our shooters.

I am not sure if I have chosen the photos correctly for Simplicity but did my best!

Jama, the blue socks draw my attention and the angle of the boots.

Ann, love the slight shadow of her in the corner. My eyes focus on that.

Mark, the lines draw me in to the door at the end.

Tiffany, the stopped action of the water and the blurry background so I am focused on the spout of water.

Kerry, the boot and stirrup draw me in. My eyes are also drawn down the horses legs.

Have a great week ahead of HAPPY SHOOTING!!

Member Voice for our third FMTSO Scavenger Hunt!!

2011-07-01T10:52:00.002-04:00

Our official third scavenger hunt (July 8) was suggested by Kerry ~ Small ~ Medium ~ Large ~.

A reminder of the guidelines for our scavenger hunts:
Guide Lines:
* straight out of the camera, no editing
* one photo per word
* three words for each hunt

* add a fourth photo if you can find all three hunt words in one (or just post this one photo)

* hunt area includes your town, surrounding areas, surrounding countryside

Easy-peasy this week: (in her words)

Something small.
Something medium.
Something large.

Try not to confuse yourself like I just did when I thought about how size is a relative thing. But then I remembered this old ditty from Sesame Street, and it cheered me right up:

Oh, everything comes in its own special size
I guess it can be measured
By where you put your eyes
It's so big when you're close
It looks smaller back a bit
That's about the size of it

a pic by Kerry to demonstrate her thoughts

HAPPY SHOOTING!!

Spotlight Photos * Hats * and Member Voice for July 1st ~ Simplicity ~

2011-06-27T19:59:00.000-04:00

Hats! Hats you say for a theme for a shoot out about your town? Well, it does seem that it would be difficult to do, but I really enjoyed seeing everyone's Hats from their towns. Here are the Spotlight Photos in no particular order, as always.

EGWow - bee hat

Jama - cowboy nephew

Kim - top hat

Mark - yes! she is wearing a hat Mark!! :-)

QMM - derby hat

A very fun shoot out!!

Our theme for this Friday, July 1st is Simplicity. For this theme we are using one of Rebecca's posts "Double Takes With Rebecca". Simplicity. Click on the link to check out her post.

The saying "less is more" is often true in image composition. The photo is often more beautiful and effective if unnecessary elements are left out of the frame. A common mistake is to try to include all possible things in one photo. It is often wise to include only one clear center of interest into the photo.

Look for ways to give the center of interest in your pictures the most visual attention. One way is to select uncomplicated backgrounds that will not steal attention from your subjects.

So my fellow shooters go out into your towns and find one simple subject to focus on and have fun!

HAPPY SHOOTING!!

Spotlight Photos ~ National Fishing Day ~ chosen by Camella

2011-06-22T18:41:00.001-04:00

First off, Pheno Menon the #8 posted link on our Mr. Linky page, I could not connect with your link. It did not work for me so don't think I missed you. I tried several times and no go. Sorry!

It was so fun for me to see everyone's posts on this theme, as I did not have anything to share. You would think living in a town with two rivers running through it that I would have something to show. Great job by everyone!!

Pauline

Ann

Camella

Jama

Kerry

Just a little chit chat. Our theme for this Friday is Hats, chosen by JarieLyn. And if at any time you have an all time favorite for Spotlight Photos, shoot me an email!

Member Voice for June 24 - Hats by JarieLyn

2011-06-20T17:42:00.000-04:00

Hi Shooters!!

Hats is our theme for June 24, chosen by JarieLyn. I have not gotten a Member Voice on the theme and I am not sure what she means by Hats of Your Town. So ........ yoo hoo ......... JarieLyn .......... leave us a comment here so we know!! :-) If not, show us different hats you have seen while out and about in your town.

I also have not gotten around to seeing everyone's posts from last week's theme and I will get around to that asap. Summer, gotta love it! Such a short time here in Michigan so I am not at the computer so much.

As always ............ HAPPY SHOOTING!!

Spotlight Photos - Flags in Your Town

2011-06-14T18:59:00.000-04:00

Hi All!!

Here are the Spotlight Photos from our shoot out Flags from June 10th. In no particular order.....

Tina ..... WOW!!

EGWow .... love the reflections.

Kim...... Congratulations Kim!! (citizenship)

Lena ......... also Congratulations and Best Wishes Lena!! (got married)

Tiffany .... adorable!

Just a little chit chat. You may have noticed that there hasn't been a monthly In The Limelight. Taking a summer break on that for now. For new visitors here, In The Limelight is a monthly guest interview we do of our shooters. There is a tab at the top of the blog if you would like to check it out.

This Friday our theme is National Fishing Day chosen by Camella. Read the previous post for her Member Voice on the theme.

HAPPY SHOOTING!!

Member Voice for June 17 - National Fishing Day suggested by Camella

2011-06-09T20:30:00.000-04:00

Camella's Member Voice on National Fishing Day.

Okay, I admit it I did not do a lot of research when I viewed a web based calendar that said June 18 was Go Fishing Day. I knew that National Fishing and Boating week was in June, so I just assumed… so let’s start over and say our theme for the week ending June 17^th is “Fishing and/or Boating” in honor of National Fishing and Boating Week.

I grew up fishing with my dad. Most weekends were spent at a creek or river in North Florida fishing for Bream but often we would head to the pier on the beach and fish for Red Fish and whatever else we could catch. Growing up on the Gulf of Mexico we had our pick of what to fish for and fish was a staple of our diet.

More than 39 million people fish each year in the United States according to The American Sportfishing Association. This is 33 times more than the average attendance at ALL Major League baseball parks combined!

National Fishing and Boating week always falls the first full week in June and coincides with most states free fishing days. It is sponsored by The (RBFF) Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation which is administered by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service; the RBFF was founded following the passing of the Sportfishing and Boating Safety Act of 1998 which “required the Secretary of the Interior to implement a national outreach and communication plan to address participation issues associated with recreational fishing and boating, while ensuring public support for aquatic resource conservation.” http://www.rbff.org/page.cfm?pageID=7

There are numerous websites that list the free fishing days for your state including www.takemefishing.org www.rbff.org or you may contact your local DNR office.

I encourage you to go fishing or boating or to go observe someone who is. I find it peaceful to just sit on the bank or in the boat reading, shooting photos or marking wildflowers/birds in my field guide. There are so many sights, sounds and smells near the water that just thinking about my next trip brings a smile to my face.

I look forward to seeing all the photos of the fishing, boating, fish, boats, fishermen and women and anything to do with the water.

AND AS ALWAYS HAPPY SHOOTING GANG!!

2011-06-05T14:21:00.000-04:00

Hi All!!

Spotlight Photos from June 3, Night Shots of your Town.

Tiffany

EGWow

Jama

JarieLyn

Monica

A great representation from colorful night skies to the serene dessert to the cities lights to the quiet of country.
Fantastic shoot out from everyone!!

This Friday our theme is Flags. In the United States we have a National Flag Day (or Flag Birthday as some called it) June 14th. For a brief history of the National Holiday click here. As I have traveled around to various towns and cities, I seem to always spot a flag or two waving in the breeze. Shooters............... show the flags of your town!!

Amway Headquarters, Ada Michigan, six miles from my house. Usually each pole is represented by a different country but for Memorial Weekend Amway has an American Flag on each.

Spotlight Photos * Spin * Drop * Rest * and Member Voice for June 3rd

2011-05-31T15:14:00.000-04:00

Hope everyone had a fantastic and safe Memorial Day Weekend. Very busy weekend for me. I took today off work also....... just because. Thank you to all who participated in our second Scavenger Hunt. Here are the spotlight photos in no particular order.

Mark, spin. I also Love his rest pic! Hard to decide which to show here.

Ginger, drop. These falls are just totally gorgeous.

J9, spin. (and drop!) and eventually coming to rest.

Jama, rest. (and the fan spinning) Children are so precious, and when they are sleeping, remind me of angels.

The theme for June 3rd is Your Town at Night or Dusk. Show us your town's hot spots and the quiet spots. This will be good practice for night shots. For a bit of info click on Night Photography Lesson. Dusk is better to shoot in than when it gets very dark. Just have fun and enjoy shooters!!

And HAPPY SHOOTING!!

Spotlight Photos - Flowers with Character in your Town

2011-05-24T21:10:00.000-04:00

Camella / Althea. is she so sweet or what?

J9 / this rose is so soft and I think I can even smell it.

Madsnapper / Mexican Sunflower. I love the way the sun is in the background.

Lena / fantastic frilly flowers in the fog.

Rebecca / Magnolias. so gorgeous!

Kim / simply sweet perfection.

This Friday is our second FMTSO Scavenger Hunt.

May 27 - Second Friday My Town Shoot Out Scavenger Hunt - Spin ~ Drop ~ Rest by J9.

If you are new to our shoot outs, click on the tab above, FMTSO Scavenger Hunts and you will see a post of the guidelines for the hunts. See the previous post for the member voice by J9.

HAPPY SHOOTING GANG!!

2nd Scavenger Hunt - Spin ~ Drop ~ Rest - by J9

2011-05-19T06:01:00.001-04:00

Our second FMTSO Scavenger Hunt for May 27, Spin - Drop - Rest, was suggested by J9.

In her words:

This is a scavenger hunt for images or items, or people or places in
your town that represent the actions of Spin, Drop, and Rest. Because
there really are no rules, you can pretty much interpret this however
you would like. Do you have a drop roller coaster in your town? How
about giving a new car a spin? What about rest? We know at least one
personality thinking of rest rooms (Bagman), but what do people in
your town do to rest? How about rain drops? Whirling Dervishes?
Spinning Laundry? Mattress Stores? Let's see what we can all come up
with, and have fun!

(photo by J9)

This will be quite a challenge J9!!

HAPPY SHOOTING GANG!!

Spotlight Photos - Nurses, Doctors, Hospitals and Member Voice May 20

2011-05-15T09:57:00.000-04:00

This theme was near and dear to a few of our members. Even though we did not have many that participated this week, the ones that did were very touching. It gave me a good feeling to pay tribute to so many that get very little recognition for what they do and the sacrifices they have made.

Peggy, QMM

Mark, Barclay

Monica, Dawn Treader

Ann, Andrew

I was totally unprepared for this theme. But after I browsed through our member's posts, so many things popped into my head that I could have talked about and shown. Duh!! And that my friends is why I love our FMTSO's. It opens your eyes to new ideas and different ways of thinking and seeing the world.

Our theme for May 20 is Flowers in your town. I feel this will be a cheery and very colorful theme.

"Flowers are the sweetest things God ever made, and forgot to put a soul into." ~Henry Beecher, Life Thoughts, 1858

"Flowers... are a proud assertion that a ray of beauty outvalues all the utilities of the world." ~Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1844

"Flowers have an expression of countenance as much as men or animals. Some seem to smile; some have a sad expression; some are pensive and diffident; others again are plain, honest and upright, like the broad-faced sunflower and the hollyhock." ~Henry Ward Beecher, Star Papers: A Discourse of Flowers

I like what Henry Ward Beecher had to say about flowers. Think about it, do they have expressions? Do they emit a feeling? Challenge for our shooters for this theme .....

show us a flower expression

show us a flower thought

show us a flower feeling

show us a flower attitude

show us a flower mood

show us a flower emotion

and as always HAPPY SHOOTING!!

what thought or feeling or expression is this flower emitting?

Almost Spotlight Photos and Member Voice for May 13

2011-05-09T18:21:00.000-04:00

Oh No! Just realized this Friday will be a Friday the 13th!! Maybe I should have made the theme something to do with that! Oh well......... the theme for May 13 is in honor of Nurses. May 11th is Nurses Day. So show us your medical personal, nurses, doctors, helpers, hospitals, doctor offices of your town.

Now the calendar I have next to my computer has May 11th as Nurses Day. When I tried to find info on it, I found a National Nurses Week tribute, all with different dates. ?? It is celebrated from May 6 to the 12th.
National Nurses Day, also known as National RN Recognition Day, is always celebrated on May 6^th and opens National Nurses Week. National Nurses Week begins each year on May 6^th and ends on May 12^th, the birth date of Florence Nightingale.

The history of Nurses Day can be traced back to 1953 when Dorothy Sutherland of the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare sent a proposal to President Eisenhower to proclaim a "Nurse Day" in October of the following year. The proclamation was never made, but the following year National Nurses Week was observed from October 11 – 16, marking the 100^th anniversary of Florence Nightingale's mission to Crimea. Read on here.....

I have decided not to post spotlight photos this week, which would be from our shoot out May 6th, Cinco de Mayo and Mother's Day. How could I choose a wonderful photo of our Moms over another? Just couldn't do it.

So......... HAPPY SHOOTING!!

And if anyone would like to suggest a theme for our shoot outs..... please do not be shy!!

Spotlight Photos - Texture

2011-05-02T19:26:00.000-04:00

Pauline...... many textures from smooth to feathery to the harshness of the sticks

Ginger.... perfect with the way light hits and shows all the textures

Jama.......... can you feel the rope against the smooth surface?

Kerry......... hard surface to the roughness to the softness

Lena......... rough and soft, maybe spiky feel. Have you ever had a caterpillar crawl on your hand? can you feel the feet? are they called feet? lol

check out the member voice for this weeks shoot out (previous post) and HAPPY SHOOTING!!

Member Voice for May 6

2011-05-01T18:48:00.001-04:00

The holiday of Cinco De Mayo, The 5th Of May, commemorates the victory of the Mexican militia over the French army at The Battle Of Puebla in 1862. Celebrated mainly in the state of Puebla and the United States.

Celebrating Cinco de Mayo has become increasingly popular along the U.S.-Mexico border and in parts of the U.S. that have a high population of people with a Mexican heritage. In these areas the holiday is a celebration of Mexican culture, of food, music, beverage and customs unique to Mexico.

Commercial interests in the United States and Mexico have also had a hand in promoting the holiday, with products and services focused on Mexican food, beverages and festivities, with music playing a more visible role as well. Several cities throughout the U.S. hold parades and concerts during the week following up to May 5th, so that Cinco de Mayo has become a bigger holiday north of the border than it is to the south, and being adopted into the holiday calendar of more and more people every year.

I am combining two totally different themes for this shoot out. This way, everyone will find material for the shoot out.

This year Mother's Day is May 8th. Mother's Day is elebrated to honor all mothers and express gratitude for the hardships they bear in bringing up a child. Most countries including US, Australia, Canada and India celebrate Mothers Day on the second Sunday of May. Mothers Day came into being due to the efforts made by Ms Julia Ward Howe and Ms Anna Jarvis. The Resolution for having a dedicated Mother's Day was signed by US President Woodrow Wilson on May 8, 1914. Since then people across the world have been celebrating Mothers Day with joy and devotion. You can open this up for all Mother's you see in your town, human and animal.

Double Takes with Rebecca: Simplicity

2011-04-28T08:31:00.000-04:00

Have you ever looked at a photo

and noticed your eye is so distracted

it doesn't even know what the subject is?

Well, there are some techniques

to keep in mind to help draw the viewers eye.

One of my favorite techniques

is the use of negative space.

Negative space is simply empty space.

Empty in the sense that

there are no distractions.

I love the simplicity it creates.

You might use a solid background,

or a blurred, soft background

which helps frame the subject

and gives your eye a place to rest.

Think of a portrait studio...

in a portrait studio you will find

solid or softly textured backdrops.

Why?

Because it draws your eye to the subject -

the person's face!

Some ideas that create negative space.

The sky

A reflective surface

A shallow depth of field

A backdrop or wall

And sometimes just moving your position

eliminates distracting backgrounds.

Try to apply this idea to some of your photographs.

You can have some fun

and create stunning images too!

Spotlight photos - Earth Day April 22 and a question.

2011-04-25T18:23:00.001-04:00

Here are the spotlight photos for last week; trees, leaves, branches, dirt, planting for Earth Day.

Ann's trail parade. what a fantastic place for a walk.

Camella's little sapling growing among all the dead leaves and seeds and brush.

EG wow part of a tree in the electrical wires! I have never seen this before myself and found it very weird or strange.

Jama's awesome look up a tree.

Mark's friend and fish kiss. now if this is not loving the Earth and all it's creatures I don't know what is!!

Welcome to all of our new shooters that have been joining the shoot outs lately. If you would like to be added to the member list (on our sidebar) please email me with your name and url of your blog. Thanks! You can find a link to my email on the sidebar.

Here is my question. We have quite a long list of members. Many have not posted in quite a while. What do you think we should do with the member list? Should we clean it out or leave as is? Or any other ideas on what to do with it please leave a comment.

This Friday's shoot out is Textures! HAPPY SHOOTING!!

Member Voice for April 29 - Textures

2011-04-22T19:10:00.000-04:00

Think fabrics, exteriors of buildings, tree bark, there are many possibilities.

Textures

Look at a close-up photo of a weathered old barn board and you almost wince at the imagined pain of catching a sharp splinter. Our memories of how things feel are so ingrained in our consciousness that the mere sight of them brings a vivid sensation of touch. By exploiting textures you can bring a tactile dimension to your photographs.

Surface textures become most apparent when they are illuminated from an oblique light source. Angled light catches the shape and imperfections of an object's surface and creates a pattern of highlight and shadow to produce visual texture. The quality of the light is also important. Bold and large textures, such as the bark of a tree or the rough surface of the door detail, are best revealed by strong, direct sidelight. Smooth, more finely detailed textures, such as that of satin, would be erased by powerful light and are revealed best by gentler, oblique light.

Framing is important, too, especially when you want to give texture a leading role. By moving in close to an old, weathered face, either physically or with a long lens, you focus the viewer's attention on the wrinkles and crevices. When the texture is part of a broader scene, as in the surfaces of a coarse and barren desert, it's often better to back off and show its expanse. Sometimes you can dramatize texture by comparing different surfaces within a scene: an elderly potter's gnarled hands turning a vessel of wet, silken clay. In revealing such contrasts, it's important to move in close and exclude everything that doesn't enhance the tactile qualities of your image.

(info from http://www.fodors.com/travel-photography/article-textures-53/)

There are a few things to keep in mind to ensure that the textures you take are as useful as possible. In this tutorial they are illustrated point by point, with as much examples as possible. click here.... 10 texture photography tips.

HAPPY SHOOTING!!

Spotlight Photos: Temples, Churches, Synagogues, Houses of Prayer

2011-04-19T16:19:00.001-04:00

Love the spring flowers Dawn Treader captured with this church.

Love the symmetry and starkness of this photo by E G WOW

although the fall shot is very pretty.

Pauline's country church

The beauty of stained glass by Snapper II

Next Shootout: Earth Day

Member Voice for April 22 - Earth Day - dirt, branches, leaves, trees, new plantings

2011-04-17T16:19:00.001-04:00

Earth Day is a day that is intended to inspire awareness and appreciation for the Earth's natural environment.

The idea came to Earth Day founder Gaylord Nelson, then a U.S. Senator from Wisconsin, after witnessing the ravages of the 1969 massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, California. Inspired by the student anti-war movement, he realized that if he could infuse that energy with an emerging public consciousness about air and water pollution, it would force environmental protection onto the national political agenda. Senator Nelson announced the idea for a “national teach-in on the environment” to the national media; persuaded Pete McCloskey, a conservation-minded Republican Congressman, to serve as his co-chair; and recruited Denis Hayes as national coordinator. Hayes built a national staff of 85 to promote events across the land.

As a result, on the 22nd of April, 20 million Americans took to the streets, parks, and auditoriums to demonstrate for a healthy, sustainable environment in massive coast-to-coast rallies. Thousands of colleges and universities organized protests against the deterioration of the environment. Groups that had been fighting against oil spills, polluting factories and power plants, raw sewage, toxic dumps, pesticides, freeways, the loss of wilderness, and the extinction of wildlife suddenly realized they shared common values.

In honor of Earth Day show your fresh new plantings, leaves, dirt, trees and branches. Plants and trees help us and the environment in many ways.

plants make food

plants make oxygen

plants provide habitat for animals

plants help make and preserve soil

plants provide useful products for people

plants beautify

HAPPY SHOOTING!!

In The Limelight

2011-04-13T17:43:00.000-04:00

Our guest interview for April is JarieLyn. You can visit her at Write Place! Write Chick!

(I just came back from Vegas and while there met JarieLyn and Gayla. Two very nice people and so glad I met them. this is a pic I took of her at Red Rock Canyon.)

In The Limelight

Photography

When did the photo bug bite you?

I remember being in Jr. High and bringing my camera to school with me to take pictures of all of my friends. I took a photography class in the 8th grade but I don't recall finishing the class. I'm not sure what happened.

What was your first camera and what do you use now?

I don't recall my first camera. It was probably a kodak camera that held 110 film. My first REAL camera was an Olympus 35mm. My husband bought it for me before we were married and then I graduated to a Nikon 35 mm camera with a zoom lens and I absolutely loved that camera and did not care to get a digital until my husband talked me into it. When DSLR's came out I didn't want one of those either because I was perfectly happy with my little point and shoot and my Nikon 35 mm. But I finally relented and let my husband get me the Nikon D90 for my birthday in 2009 and I haven't looked back since. I just don't know why it took me so long to progress to that level.

What is on your equipment wish list?

I don't think this page is long enough, haha. I'd like to get a speed light and some strobes and just about every lens you can think of.

What are your favorite subjects to photograph?

I will photograph just about anything. Some people really have an eye for landscape, nature and wildlife photography, and that's not me. I can look at a scenery and think it's really beautiful but not quite capture the image through my lens. I prefer to photograph interesting buildings, old rusty things, pets and people. I like still life and I like getting close up shots of things I see.

What aspect of your photography are you working on? Trying to improve?

Everything. There's always room for improvement and I'm always learning new things. I consider myself a beginner still because there is so much for me to learn.

Blogging

Blogging since

July 7, 2009

Is there a story behind the name of your blog?

I orginally started out with the name Blog Trove. You can read about that here http://jarielyn.blogspot.com/2009/07/my-first-blog.html.

But that name was really atrocious and it just didn't fit my personality. I consider myself a writer more than a photographer which is the reason I began the blog in the first place so Write Place is the place where I write and I'm a female so I came up with Write Chick. Write Place Write Chick. It's not the best name in the world and it was kind of settling but after some research it was AVAILABLE.

What does blogging mean to you now?

It means so much more to me now than when I started writing. I have ventured into photography as a passion and the blogging community is so supportive and I really feel connected to my fellow bloggers. It's really strange how comforting it is to come to blogland and feel a kinship with so many people that I don't even know. The blogland community gives me so much inspiration, motivation, encouragement and friendship. Blogging and connecting with other bloggers is something I really cherish and value. I am learning more about myself every day through this community and I am also becoming a more compassionate and caring person because of all the wonderful people I come across in blogland.

Do you have a favorite time of the day to write posts?

I'm a night owl so that is my preferred time to write, however, I don't always get that luxury so I would say early in the morning between 5:00 am and 7:00 am.

Have you set any goal about your blog? Anything you want to achieve with it?

I really want to get back to writing more, at least write as equally as I post pictures and I'd like to be more consistent with my posting.

What are you favorite places to visit on the web that arent blogs?

I visit lots of astrology web sites. I read about twenty different Virgo horoscopes daily.

Smithmag.net (Six Word Memoirs)

48days.com

Ebay

This is really lame but I am addicted to reading Craigs List Missed Connections even though I get aggravated at the stupidity of the posters.

You Tube

Mytotalmoneymakeover.com

Photography web sites

Fotoblur.com

Guest Interview Questions

From Elaine Dale

Who has influenced you the most in your life?

I would have to say my grandparents. They taught me what it's like to have a generous heart and to be kind to all people. They've been gone for so long now but I still look to them for guidance when I feel off track.

From Lena

If you could have any job in the world, what would it be?

Writing love letters. That would be my perfect job and/or just driving around all day. I don't aspire to much. Haha.

Personal

Which adjectives best describe you?

I always think of myself as quiet and reserved with a wild streak.

How has your life been different than what you'd imagined?

It is so much better than I imagined. I am very fortunate to have a wonderful husband who is supportive in all of my entrepreunerial ventures. Sometimes though, I feel like my happy face masks a tormented soul who is still searching for something. But even with that I am SO grateful for the life I live.

Do you have any special talents; such as singing, dancing, playing a musical instrument?

I can't carry a tune at all so Karaoke is out. Dancing is my biggest passion in life, more than photography. It is my true self expression other than my journal writing.
I used to take piano lessons when I was five and eight but I can really only play parts of songs. So no, I really don't play any musical instruments.
I write poetry occasionally and I think I'm pretty good at that.

What are your basic stats that you would like to share?
I'm a VIRGO
I'm 46 Yrs. Old
Married 16 Years

I have very strong intuition. I believe in reincarnation and psychic ability.

If you could interview anyone from your life living or dead, but not a celebrity, who would it be and why?

Both of my grandparents so that I could get a sense of who they were growing up and where they came from. I would like to know what their happiest memories were as individuals.

Favorite saying or quotation: (or any comment you would like to make)

Of all sad words of tongue and pen, the saddest are these: "It might have been."
— John Greenleaf Whittier

The borrower is slave to the lender: Dave Ramsey

Thank you JarieLyn for an awesome interview!!

Spotlight Photos: Circle Triangle Square

2011-04-11T11:58:00.001-04:00

This past week was the first ever scavenger hunt!

Did you have fun?

Your photos sure look like you did!

This photo is from Kim.

Like Kim, several of you had interesting vehicle shots.

Mark captured all in one

with a magical feel to boot!

And look at this house

Kerry found.

Two offset squares!

I bet you can find all

kind of shapes in this photo by Gigi.

I would love to snoop around here.

And Elaine's square

also has circles

and puts me in the mood for

some Beatles' tunes.

This week...Temples, Churches, Synagogues, Houses of Prayer

Member Voice for April 15th ~ Temples, Churches, Synagogues, House of Prayer ~

2011-04-05T08:24:00.000-04:00

The theme for April 15th is Temples, Churches, Synagogues, House of Prayer. Places of worship are in every town or city. No matter what or whom you believe in, at one time or another we all have prayed, or talked things over with our higher power.

In the broadest sense, to pray is to make a request in a humble manner. The term to pray is now often used to refer to religious prayers: to commune with a spirit or deity that you believe in. While the rituals and conventions of prayer may vary widely, the intention is the same--to renew one's spiritual connection with a power outside themselves.

You will find that you can pray anytime, anywhere, anyhow. It may help to be in a place where the focus is on spirituality (such as a church or temple) or where the environment reminds you of your spiritual bond (like a natural setting, or a spot with a big view). You can choose to pray in the presence of others, or you can pray privately.

Show your places of worship from your town.

(this is next Friday's theme, this Friday is our first FMTSO Scavenger Hunt)

Spotlight Photos!! Favorite Assignment- April 1st!

2011-04-04T08:42:00.004-04:00

Pauline - Weathered..stunning!

This weeks subject was,"favorite of all time" from our Assignment History Page. So it was kind of whatever you loved from the past..archived or renewed..and wow it was wonderful! Here are a few of my favorites!

JarieLyn - Night~ Beautiful~

Jama - Urban Macros...wowza~~~

Dawn Treader - Weird Stuff...yup and weirdly wonderful!!!

Elaine's (A Scattering)Shooter' Choice...seriously stunning macro shot!

Wowowowowowow guys you rocked this week! Don't forget...this week.... April 8 - Our First Friday My Town Shoot Out Scavenger Hunt!! Suggested by Dawn - round - square - triangular!

Have a wonderful week all, Sarah :)

Double Takes with Rebecca: Depth of Field

2011-03-30T09:00:00.003-04:00

When you take a photo,

depth of field or DOF refers to

how much of your photo appears in focus.

You control DOF by controlling how large your lens opens.

But first, make sure you know these terms:

Aperture -

An aperture is a hole or an opening in your lens.

So when you click, it means how large the hole in your lens will open.

F stops -

How large the hole opens is usually measured in stops

called F stops and will often be written like this: f/22

You CAN control how large the aperture (hole) in your lens opens.

Above are two examples explained below.

Part 1: A small aperture/opening/hole gives a deep DOF.
(As in the top daffodil photo.)

If you see a beautiful mountain view

and you want to capture the foreground scenery in focus too,

you might choose the auto option

on your camera marked for scenery.

(Below is a Canon, other cameras are similar.)

This will automatically set your camera

to make a smaller opening (aperture) when it clicks.

It works just like when you squint your eyes -

more of the scene will appear in focus.

That is pretty basic right?

So let's try to understand it

if you were to shoot in Manual (M) or Aperture (Av/A) mode.

Since you want a deep DOF

to capture that scenery

(Lots in focus)

you will want to set your camera to "Squint"

and you do that by choosing a smaller f stop/opening.

Part 2: A large aperture/opening/hole gives a shallow DOF.

(As in the bottom daffodil photo.)

Let's say you want a photo

of your adorable son or daugher

but the background is busy and distracting.

In order to blur out that background

you want a shallow DOF

so the focus is on your child

and not everything else.

You could choose the Portrait setting on your camera.

When you select the portrait setting

the camera will automatically choose a larger opening/aperture/f stop

so that the background is softened/blurred.

If you were to switch to Manual or Aperture on your dial

you would choose a larger opening to reduce the amount of field

in focus.

Here is the easy....but confusing part.

Your F stop/aperture setting makes a SMALL opening when the F number is BIG

and a BIG opening when the F number is SMALL.

F 1.4 is a BIG opening

F 32 is a SMALL opening.

Once you can get your brain to remember that,

the rest is easy!

(PS Not all lenses can open up as much as others.

That depends on the lens you are using.

Larger openings are more expensive.)

Try this.....

If you are new to this

take you camera and set it up on a table or tripod.

Take 2 photos of a scene with objects placed

at varying distances from your camera

keeping the focus on the same point.

Take one photo with your portrait setting

and one with your scenery setting

and check out the difference

on your computer.

That is a quick and easy way to control your depth of field.

**********************

If your camera has the ability

and you 'get this'

you can take it a step further....

Set your camera up with a flower filling about half the frame,

focus on a point on the flower

but keep something else in the background.

(If you have a tripod this is a great time to use it.)

Set your camera on the Aperture setting (Av or A on the dial)

Chose the largest aperture/opening/f stop you can.

That means the smallest f stop/aperture number you can choose.

(Usually you will turn the dial to set the aperture,

and the f stop numbers will change as you turn the dial,

if not, you will need to check your camera's manual.)

Take a photo.

Move the setting one stop/one smaller opening/larger number.

Take a photo.

Move the setting one stop/one smaller opening/larger number.

Take a photo.

Move the setting one stop/one smaller opening/larger number.

Take a photo.

Keep doing this until there are no more stops.

Compare the photos on your computer.

Do you see how very little is in focus in the first photo?

As you move on, more of the flower is in focus

and eventually even the background is in focus.

************

You now have the ability to control

the depth of field of your photos

for composition and creative purposes.

Below: A large aperture is great for bokeh:

(Shallow DOF)

Below: A small aperture is great for sun flares:

(Deep DOF)

Look for opportunities to choose

a depth of field

to enhance your photos.

Improving composition

is the cheapest way to improve

your photography.

Member Voice for First FMTSO Scavenger Hunt! ~ Round - Square - Triangular ~

2011-03-29T19:16:00.001-04:00

Our first FMTSO Scavenger Hunt for April 8th! When I posted this topic and asked for suggestions there was a lot of feedback. That is great! Monica made a suggestion for the guide lines that if you can find all three hunt words in one photo, add that as a fourth photo of the hunt. I think we should also expand the hunt area to include not just your town, but surrounding areas and the surrounding countryside.

if you check the little building you can see Round - Square - Triangular. taken by Doreen at DeVos Place, Home and Garden Show.

Monica was first to respond, so here is her member voice for Round - Square - Triangular. (with added guide lines)

Time for the first Friday My Town Scavenger Hunt!

Guide Lines:
* straight out of the camera, no editing
* one photo per word
* three words for each hunt

* add a fourth photo if you can find all three hunt words in one (or just post this one photo)

* hunt area includes your town, surrounding areas, surrounding countryside

The first theme that popped into my head when Doreen asked for suggestions was a series of different shapes: round, square, triangular. Ooops. It got chosen, and now I have to explain myself! I think architecture was at the top of my mind when I suggested it. Whole buildings, or perhaps just details like windows, doors, roofs, gables... These shapes are typical of man-made things, aren't they? But if you can find them in nature... All the more interesting! Just take the camera for a walk in your neighbourhood and see what you can find.

Besides the "one photo per word"... If you happen to see it... Please feel free to also add a fourth picture including all three shapes. ;)

Monica a.k.a DawnTreader (Sweden)

(I know, I said I would post this tomorrow but I noticed Double Takes with Rebecca is scheduled) :-)

Spotlight Photos - Yellow!

2011-03-28T21:17:00.001-04:00

Last Friday's theme - yellow in your town - did exactly what I thought it would. Everyone's bright and cheery posts for sure lifted moods and left us with a warm fuzzy feeling. The drabness of Winter is washed away with the brightness of the hues of yellow. Feelings of Springtime are sprouting!!

Gigi

Jama

JarieLyn

Pauline

Sue CTG

Rebecca

Sarah

Awesome job everyone!!

There will be a member voice for our first FMTSO Scavenger Hunt on Wednesday this week. The hunt is scheduled for April 8th. This Friday........ April 1st, is your choice from our assignment history page. April Fool's Day!!

Also be sure to check out our latest interviewee of "In The Limelight".

Member Voice for April 1 - Ha Ha Ha Ha !!

2011-03-26T16:20:00.000-04:00

Next Friday is April 1st....... already!! April 1 2011 - April Fool's Day. The theme is ........, HaHa! There is no assigned theme. Your choice of "favorite of all time" from our Assignment History Page. I just checked our Assignment History Page and we have 108 past themes for FMTSO. Now you can go count and check me because I did go through it rather quickly. But that is a lot to choose from, as was mentioned above, choose your favorite of all time from our assignment history list. Or combine two of your favorite themes together.

HAPPY SHOOTING!!

Spotlight Photos - St. Patrick's Day or Show Your Green! and Member Voice for the color Yellow

2011-03-21T19:26:00.000-04:00

As you slide down the banister of life,
May the splinters never point in the wrong direction!

May your neighbors respect you,
Troubles neglect you,
The angels protect you,
And Heaven accept you.

I just love the many Irish blessings and sayings. They are so clever and some so cute! Last Friday our theme was what your town does for St. Patrick's Day, or if that didn't work for you, show us your Green. Everyone had such great photos, once again, it was really hard for me to narrow it down to five. Here they are in no particular order.

Camella's Irish meal

Ann's Clover

Cheri's green eyed kitties

Mark having fun with his green hat on!!

J9's dancers in action

And I just noticed that I didn't do a member voice for this weeks theme. (March 25) Very simple though ......... the color yellow. Many of us have just come out of a long hard cold winter and are longing for Spring. The smells, colors and sounds of Spring. Yellow should brighten up everyone's moods. Show us the vibrant yellows of your town. Birds, butter, lemons! All the varying shades and hues of yellow.

HAPPY SHOOTING!!

In The Limelight

2011-03-17T03:53:00.044-04:00

Our In The Limelight interview is with Jama. You can visit her at Sweet Memories.

Photography

When did the photo bug bite you?

It was in the year of 2001 when I got my first digital camera. I was always interested in photography since in my teens but developing photos was quiet expensive for a teen with limited budget, so most photos are usually of friends and family. With digital camera I was able to capture all things beauty, well, at least in my eyes, and not burn a big hole in my pockets as most photos are not developed but stored in my hard disk.

What was your first camera and what do you use now?

My first film camera was a Kodak,can’t remember it’s model .The first digital camera was just a cheap camera from the brand Orite, it happen to be on offer and the darling husband offered to buy it for me. It was a big mistake, as after experimenting with it for a year, I wanted a better camera. From Orite I upgraded to another point and shoot from Casio, Sony and eventually a prosumer camera Canon S5.All photos I shared in my blog were taken with Canon S5. I just purchased a DSLR Pentax Kr a few weeks ago and still experimenting with it.

What are your favorite subjects to photograph?

Nature and flowers...I try to bring out the beauty in life through photography.

What aspect of your photography are you working on? Trying to improve?

I’m a very much beginner in the world of DSLR, (digital Single Lens Reflex) still got a lot of learning to do, especially with my new camera.

Blogging

Blogging since ……

I’ve been blogging since 2004, but it was a photo blog which I still upload occasionally

What does blogging mean to you now?

Blogging is great way to connect with people and share photos…, at the same time learning from each other.

Do you have a favorite time of the day to write posts?

In the afternoon, usually after all household chores are done.

What are you favorite places to visit on the web that aren’t blogs?

There’s an online parenting forum that I’ve been visiting since it was launch in the year 2000. Most members were from the same country, and we had regular meet ups. Quiet a number of the members are now my good friend sharing the same interest in Photography. I also love to see others photos for inspirations.

Personal

Which adjectives best describe you?

Quiet, reserved, shy…..that’s best described me! That’s why this is just a short interview from me since I can be an introvert at times.

What are your basic stats that you would like to share?

I’m 53 and a mother of 2 young men aged 30 and 23.

Thank you so much for your interview Jama!

Spotlight Photos - CHAOS!!

2011-03-15T18:47:00.000-04:00

I was totally lost on this one but you all did a bang up job!! It is good to be challenged from time to time. I did notice the ones that post their link later are not getting as many visitors from fellow shooters. Always try to check Mr. Linky later in the weekend, if you have time, and visit the late comers. FMTSO has become like an extended family and we all need to support each other. We also are having a few new shooters joining in our fun. Welcome to you newbies and if you would like your name and link added to our member list on the sidebar, send me an email, Doreen, with how you would like your name to appear and the url for the blog. Thank you!!

On with the chaos.........

Jama

Jan Halvard

Sandra, Miss Madsnapper

Sue, CTG. very pretty chaos!

Our theme for March 18th is how your town celebrates St. Patrick's Day or if that is not for you, show us your green!!

HAPPY SHOOTING!!

Member Voice for March 18th - St. Patrick's Day!

2011-03-12T08:24:00.000-05:00

The theme for March 18th is St. Patrick's Day! St Patricks Day is a time for Parades, Parties, Events. It is also a time of fun. Just for fun, here are a few Irish Blessings or Sayings.

St. Patrick's Day is an enchanted time - a day to begin transforming winter's dreams into summer's magic. ~Adrienne Cook

For each petal on the shamrock
This brings a wish your way -
Good health, good luck, and happiness
For today and every day.
~Author Unknown

May your blessings outnumber
The shamrocks that grow,
And may trouble avoid you
Wherever you go.
~Irish Blessing

May you be in
Heaven a half hour before the
Devil knows you're dead!

Dance as if no one were watching,
Sing as if no one were listening,
And live every day as if it were your last.

Here is a link for St. Patrick's Day Around the World!

Show us how you or your town celebrates St. Patrick's Day. Or if this is not for you......... show us your GREEN!!

HAPPY SHOOTING!!

Spotlight Photos - The Letter S - March 4

2011-03-09T14:17:00.000-05:00

I had many favorites from this shoot out so it was hard for me to narrow it down to just five. But I did my best. Here they are in no particular order:

Sandra's squirrel

Ann's scour

Gigi Shrimp Boat

Nicolle spiral

Sara's St David Day Parade

Fantastic posts from everyone! This week our theme is CHAOS!! I can't wait to see how shooters show us chaos in their towns.

Member Voice for March 11 - Chaos!!

2011-03-03T13:21:00.000-05:00

Our theme for March 11 is - Chaos! A condition or place of great disorder or confusion.A disorderly mass; a jumble. An abyss; a chasm.

Abyss -

A bottomless or unfathomed depth, gulf, or chasm; hence, any deep, immeasurable, and, specifically, hell, or the bottomless pit.

the bottomless gulf, pit, or chaos of the old cosmogonies

an immeasurably deep gulf or great space

intellectual or moral depths

a very deep or unfathomable gorge or chasm

anything that appears to be endless or immeasurably deep, such as time, despair, or shame

Jumble -

To mix in a confused way; throw together carelessly

To muddle; confuse

To be mixed in a confused way

Chaos -

a state of utter confusion or disorder; a total lack of organization or order.

disarray, jumble, turmoil, tumult

I think you get the idea..........

HAPPY SHOOTING!!

(good luck with this one...... I am stumped!)

Spotlight Photos for From the Hip!! and Member Voice for The Letter S!

2011-02-27T13:56:00.000-05:00

As I was looking around at all the "shooters" posts, I am noticing the perspective of the shots. I really rather like it!! I think I will try shooting more from mid height. This theme has given me an idea for another theme. What do you all think of "What my toes see", shooting ground level.

Anyway, on to the "spotlight photos" in no particular order.

Elaine

Gigi

Lena

Peggy QMM

The next two photos are fantastic shots from the hip but also show what Rebecca was talking about in her last photography post.

Leading Lines

"A tip for improving the composition of your photos

is to think about the lines created within the image.
Lines in your photo have a way of leading the viewer's eye through the photo.
As you compose your photo, try to look for these lines

and use them to your advantage."

Jama

Kerry

This coming Friday our theme is "The Letter S". What in your town starts with the letter S? I just opened the dictionary to the S and I see squash, squall, spring, sporty, spot........... turning the page .............. sucker, sublime, slowpoke, slurp, slum, saxophone, scale, satisfy. You get the idea. I use the dictionary quite a bit.

HAPPY SHOOTING ALL!!