This was the last tree I photographed when I went outside yesterday morning to get some photos of frost on trees. What captivated me was the fact that this tree was more white than green because the tree's needles were almost completely covered with the frost.
I call the photo "A Mysterious Place" because it was somewhat surreal when I stood under the canopy of the tree to get the effect of the soft light illuminating the thin, frost-covered needles.
It has been somewhat foggy the last 24 hours, which means that there must be warmth and humidity in the winter air. I guess that's good. Right now, as I look out my window, I see pine trees flocked in frost and many photo opportunites.
Perhaps tomorrow you will see the result of my efforts. But today I am showing you a misty treescape (I just invented that word) from an October trip to the Black Hills.
I keep finding interesting photos from our visit to the Japanese pre-school Brian taught at the year he lived in Japan. Here the kids were lined up for another play/learning opportunity. I have no idea what had caught the attention of the beautiful girl who is the subject of this photo. I think the girl in front of her is the subject of this photo: "Another Japanese School Girl" (click).
Canon 1D II 1/100s f/2.8 ISO640 135mm
I thought I would post one or two more from our son Brian's experience in Japan, in this case a bunch of kids and Brian getting ready for a group portrait. I love looking at candid photos of groups - there is so much to look at.
One of the things that struck me about the Japanese pre-school we visited was the degree to which "play" was part of the learning process. I think you would find this in most pre-schools. In most societies, though, once "real" education starts, we start to discourage play. That's too bad because I think that playing with things is how we learn and create.
The Google corporation understands this and that's why they have what is called "Twenty Percent Time." Google engineers get to spend 20% of their time working on things that aren't necessarily part of their job description. The get to play, experiment and tinker. What a great idea!
By Scott Shephard
The one thing I have gotten better at in my photography is looking for the sometimes subtle play of light in a scene. And sometimes the camera sees this much better than I do. I believe that the reason for this is that cameras record contrast better. Contrast is the difference between bright and dark and the human eye's remarkable range helps us ignore these differences.
When I saw this grove of aspen trees near our cabin, I found it interesting. But the camera saw much more than I. These days, I take more photos of things that may at first seem un-photogenic because I know that the camera will help me look more closely.
One day I looked out our patio door and saw this squirrel eating the bird seed we had put out. I looked more closely and noticed that he was missing one of his front paws. I turned to Deb and said, "Look - there's a handicapped squirrel on our deck!" She said, "It looks like he's doing quite well with only one paw. I would say he's not really all that handicapped."
In a flash, Deb had rearranged my whole concept of what it means to have personal limits. Is it really possible that a one-footed rodent can change my thinking? Well, it was actually Deb (who has few limits) who did this. The squirrel was simply a metaphor. Our name for this squirrel, by the way, was Lefty. He showed up a few more times over the next few days and then he must have moved on.
I took this photo over 30 years ago when I was in college living off campus in a little silver trailer that I rented for $40 a month. I had my books and I also had cats, including this little kitten, who seems to be looking at me curiously.
Can you handle the inquisitive, yet trusting look of a cat. This isn't just any cat - it's Brian's cat, Lucy. This isn't the only post about curiosity. Do you see any similarities in this photo (click)?
"Rhododactylos" (rosy-fingered) is the epithet that Homer uses to describe the Greek goddess of dawn, Eos. Eos, of course, is also used in the full product name of Canon DSLRs: eg "Eos 5D Mark II," which is the camera I took this photo with. How appropriate!
Was the light really purple and pink? Yes. Was it cold? Youbetcha -- the cold would have frozen Homer's quill.
(My learned readers might be inclined to point out that Homer had no quill since he/she didn't actually put his famous poems to paper. I know that. I was just attempting some cheap Homer humor.)
Check out the artist Bouguereau's conception of Homer, whom legend says was blind. (Click) And while you're at it, check out this "Photo A Day" post that includes another painting by Bouguereau (click).
That's enough free association for one post. . .
I was at a conference in Chamberlain and thought it would be interesting to try to get a second photo of a scene I had photographed a few months ago. Everything is the same except for the season. (I like the green one better!)
Round cheeks and long eye lashes distinguish this pre-school girl. This girl didn't look up at me because she was more interested in her mid-morning snack -- a bowl of rice.
We spent a few hours in a Japanese pre-school when we visited my son Brian in Japan a few years ago. I found this when I was looking for something that I might be able to post in the "Look At Me" series. I love this photo because it just "happened." There was no staging or coaching involved. I stopped and she looked up at me with a curiosity I saw everywhere in the children in this school. Of course her beautiful big, dark eyes help make this photo.
