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I was looking for something in my photo library and accidentally came across this shot from a shoot I did for a sign company several years ago. I was fascinated by the the neon sign department when I was there. Even more fascinating is how my camera captured the individual pulses of electricity as it causes the gas inside the glass tubes to glow.
I realize that it is highly unlikely that anyone looking at my photoblog today will be inclined to say, "Hey. I think I want Shephard to take my portrait." But it's worth a shot, isn't it? Yes, a do portraits from time to time - it's how I try to pay for things like this web site.The thumbnails you see here are from a promotional card I did several years ago. If you are one of my recent customers looking on today, it's nothing personal that you aren't pictured.
I have been a little wordy lately in this blog so today I will only say that I'm back to posting something green again.
The Blue Mosque gets its name from the blue tile used to decorate the interior, though I'm not sure the quality of this photo shows that very well. We walked through the mosque on our whirlwind walking tour of Istanbul.The area you see in this photo is for worship, though the mosque itself is as much a tourist attraction now as it is a house of prayer. You can see a few men kneeling in prayer while children pass the time by running on the carpeted floor. You won't see any women in this area because, according to Koranic tradition, females are segregated from the males in Mosques. Incidentally, if you look closely, you can see a large vertical niche in the far wall. This is called the mihrab, which orients those praying to Mecca.Istanbul (which means "in the city") is a fascinating place because you see conservative customs, such as the segregation of the sexes in houses of worship, but you also see the evidence of centuries of western European influence. In Istanbul you can sit in an Internet cafe, surf the web and hear the muezzin's call to prayer echoing through the city. Many inhabitants yearn for stronger ties to the European Union; and others seek to purge Western influences and return to strict Koranic law.
The life cycle of these crab apple blooms is about two weeks. So it's good to "freeze" the process in a photo - and maybe even to study it.This photo is a bit over-exposed on purpose. The colors are paler and more pastel. Springier, I guess.By the way, if you aren't seeing something like this when you look at my blog, then you may using an outdated browser. Also, if you aren't seeing a much larger version of the photo when you click on it, then you may be using an outdated browser. Finally, if you aren't seeing vibrant colors, then you may be using an outmoded browser.Did you know that 20% of Internet users are still using Internet Explorer 6, which was state-of-the-art in 2000? Can you say "obsolete?" Consider Chrome, Safari or Firefox for a more satisfying browsing experience. Explorer 8 is OK, too.
I didn't get a post ready this morning so I am doing it at 9:00 at night. I don't have much to say late in the day. Maybe tomorrow I'll do better.
Of course you can't "sail the Alps" but you can certainly sail with the Alps in full view, as here on beautiful Lake Lucerne in Switzerland.The last student group I took to Europe spent two nights in this beautiful place. After London and Paris, it was a perfect place to recharge our batteries. It was also a good place to window shop for expensive Swiss watches. Oh, and I bought a Swiss Army Knife while I was there. It looks pretty much like one you could buy at Scheels.Canon 5D 1/80s f/4.0 ISO400 95mm
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The billboards in Hollywood are different from those I see in Watertown. Why is that?
I've been stuck in Corsica, France, the last few posts. These rocks defined the end of the small beach near which our hotel was located. I was up early (as usual) and found that the soft contours, eroded by millions of years of weather and sea action, seemed kind of sensuous. I also like the sheen that the night rain had given the rocks. And finally, the cool highlights from the soft, ambient morning light are what I really like about these rocks.
I am paraphrasing Marie Antoinette's famous words in the title, though many historians say she never uttered her infamous line ("Let them eat cake.") Since she was Austrian-born, if she had said anything at all when she was told that angry peasants were at the palace gate demanding bread, she might have said, "Let them eat kuchen." The words "quiche" and "kuchen" are actually related. And, as long as I'm free associating, you might be interested in knowing that kuchen is the official dessert of the State of South Dakota. And, while I'm at it, milk is the official drink of North Dakota.But what you are looking at in this photo is salmon quiche served at the restaurant of the hotel Deb and I stayed at while visiting Corsica, France, a few years ago. Corsica, of course, is the birthplace of Napoleon. Corsica is the name of a car, too. Did you know that both of our sons each had a silver Corsica? . . . .
These daffodil leaves are still tinted yellow from their journey from the bulb through the cold earth to reach sunlight. I won't philosophize, though. Instead, I'll just present this uncharacteristic photo of nascent daffodils.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License
