Summer...

I work on a college campus, and school is ending, seniors are graduating and summer vacation is in the air. And so, what could be more appropriate than a beach photo?

Ripples

This is one of my favorite Cape Cod beaches, its long and flat, so a low tide you can walk and walk before you get to the waters edge. And at high tide, there are so many sand bars the water stays waist deep for ages.


As a kid (ok, still) I was completely fascinated by the ripples left in the sand as the tide goes out. I still don't understand how the water can shape them that way, but I think they look pretty cool. I love how the water and the last bit of light highlights the pattern in this photo

A quick post about a simple picture...



A couple of years ago I took a driving vacation through the Smoky Mountains

I spent most of the trip leaning out the front passenger window with my camera, enjoying the winding drive.

This simple photo, in layers of blue, is by far my favorite result. The different shades of blues are so peaceful and you get some of the sense of space as mountains and hills move towards the horizon.

Front Page!

Yesterday, I was excited to see one of my photographs Golden was in a Treasury West.

Treasury West doesn't get seen as much attention, but still, love the recognition. And Begurple, the curator, used really beautiful blues and golds.

But then, this aftenoon, I log onto etsy and there it is on the front page!

The front page is changing faster now, so I'm glad I got to see it while it was up. Nice way to end the work week.


Anyways, the Etsian responsible for this lovely collection is Begurple

I'd seen Begurple around the forums, but never really looked through her shop, too bad, I really like it.

A couple favorites...


This fascinator is one of her featured items -- I love the exuberance paired with the natural/woodsy colors. Frankly, I could never carry this off myself (although I would love to see someone else do it!) But, never fear, she uses the same flower technique for other items.

She's got a great touch with colors, but I love black and white I think it would look so cute as a brooch on your favorite black jacket or coat. (But you can wear it lots of other ways too)







While I was browsing brooches, I found these sweet little felt flowers too. (And these ones in purple, white and green honor International Women's Day)

And, one last thing, I couldn't leave out -- a line of cards that look like fancy handbags. This one is a clutch in this pretty Tiffany-blue damask pattern.

I grew up on Cape Cod, MA and still have family there, so I visit frequently. As a result, I've spent a lot of time exploring beaches with my camera.

Despite, or perhaps because of, the abundance of glossy postcards of Cape Cod beaches, it can be challenging to take a good picture of a beach. The beauty of the beach is not just visual, it's also about the hot sun on your shoulders, the sound of the waves, the smell of salt water and coconut sunscreen, and frankly the excitement of being on vacation. None of which will get recorded on my camera's memory chip or film, although a good picture can evoke them.

Sunset

This post is taking too long to write, because I keep getting myself sidetracked into unproductive rants and rambles. So, to make a long story short, one of the most valuable things I've learned is the difference between pretty (or even beautiful) and photogenic.

There are plenty of things which are pretty, but not necessarily photogenic. An open strip of sand with a clear sky and calm ocean, while pretty in person, is not necessarily photogenic. It actually tends towards boring photographs.

And I firmly believe that there is plenty in the world that is deeply photogenic, but not at all conventionally pretty. And this is the area that I'm drawn to; finding something interesting to see and capture on film (well, memory chip, now) even when the subject isn't conventionally pretty, or at least to find a different, interesting side to a pretty scene we've seen on a hundred postcards.

Sail Away

All of the photos in this post are from a mucky little beach, with rocky, dusty sand and tiny swimming area in an opening in the marsh-grass. But I've been going back there for years, always expecting that I'll eventually run out of pictures. And I haven't yet. The light on the marsh is different every time I go -- and the marsh grass itself is different in every season -- there's a long boardwalk that lets me change my perspective -- and a small boat dock for added interest. I doubt anyone considers it the most beautiful beach on Cape, but it's been an incredibly photogenic place for me.

Special Offer

Something new...

I'm trying out bigcartel as another online home for my photographs

http://parallaxphoto.bigcartel.com/

While I'm experimenting, you get a special offer: A totally Free 5x7 with any purchase. (Since I only have a few items up, chose from anything on my flickr page)


Offer applies to all orders placed by midnight May 15th

Oh! It's done

I just sat down, intending to write another entry about another photo Etsy voted as a favorite, and was surprised to realize, I was done. Funny how that happens sometimes, you get so caught up in process you don't see the end coming.


So here's a bit of a retrospective....

The results

1st Place * Footprint


2nd Place * Reflections


3rd Place * Twirling



4th Place Tulips




5th Place * Misty Morning




And tied for 5th * Old School

I've had a turbulent, way up, way down sort of week. And today was mostly a "way down" sort of day, but it got a nice little boost tonight. When I found out my photographs were featured in two treasuries on etsy.

Here's the first one: Orange and Brown Delights

ModSquad featured my photograph, Reflections 1

ModSquad is a vintage seller, lots of neat stuff (I love antique and vintage), but I'm partial to these two simple polka dot scarves



Nothing fancy, just pretty patterns in red and navy on white, very classic.

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The second one is in Treasury West : The Birds, the Bs...and Goldfish!

Piedras featured my photograph Summer

Piedras is a jewlery seller, with a really interesting selection. But, these earrings caught my attention.

For one thing, I love pearls, they're always so elegant. And, this display on the flower, is just beautiful, a lovely color to set them off.

Misty Morning

(Favorites Series )

5th Place in my poll of Etsy's favorite pictures was "Misty Morning"


The non-profit I work with starts every year off with a retreat/orientation/training for the 30+ young people we will be working with for the year.

It's an intense week in July, we run workshops all day and team-building events every evening. The participants start telling us they're burnt out by about Day 3. But, there's a lot they need to know before we send them off, so, short of providing all the caffeine, snacks and mini-breaks we can fit in, there's not much we can do about that.

What they don't realize, is that the folks who are running it go back and forth between utmost empathy for their burn out... and a complete lack of it. Because, long as their days are, running a retreat means getting there early to set up, staying late to clean up, using breaks to deal with the mini-crisis of the moment, and meal-times to check in with everyone else. It's a marathon.

My saving grace is the location, right on a beautiful New-England-at-it's-best beach. The water is cold, and often choppy, coast is rocky, and I love it. I'm a morning person, perfectly happy to be up before anyone else, and never sleep particularly well on a strange bed. Since I'm up, I manage to steal a half an hour or so most mornings to head to the beach, sometimes with my camera, sometimes a cup of coffee, sometimes nothing more than an intention of sitting and watching the waves.

There is something indescribably calming about listening to the surf, breathing moist, salty air --- and not having a single person tugging on my sleeve for something. When I read about Victorians going to the sea as a medicinal retreat, I understand completely.

Misty Morning is from one of these excursions. I had the beach to myself and could see the fog gliding down the rocky hill. It was stunning.

And brief. By the time I packed my things and headed for the dining hall, breakfast and the start of the day, the fog had burned off completely, leaving a sun jewel-tone summer day.

Everyphoto has a story... or, sometimes not.

Next up in the "Favorites" results is Tulips

I started blogging with the idea that 'Every photo has a story' (My First Post) but I think I spoke (wrote? typed? blogged?) to soon: sometimes a flower is just a flower.

I got this pot of tulips for something, I don't quite remember what. Easter maybe? But they were beautiful while they lasted. And I kept them fresh and lovely as long as I could. And then they faded.

The End.

Tulips

But, through the wonders of photographic technology, I got pictures first, at least, so that all of you can enjoy them too.



Since I don't have a good story for you, today, a bonus photo: Tulips 2, is from the same series.