We be on the lovely, nice & cool LEFT COAST---otherwise known as southern California. The water here in the Pacific
is as beautiful as the Mediterranean Sea. Just look at it.  What's not to love?  (Well maybe the traffic...)
The weather here is awesome!  And there are lots of mini-cliffs at the beach.

Imagine leaving 98* of high, very sweaty humidity and FLAT land.  (Well, I did have to get up 3:30 AM which
was really hard, especially since it takes about 45 minutes to get the there...) to arrive in a place that is 30* cooler with
a light breeze. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH...  At home it's still 80* at midnight, but here it cools off every night &
you wake up and actually need a jacket.
             
Today we went to La Jolla (la hoy-ya)-----SOOOOOOOOOOOOO BEAUTIFUL and very ritzy (as in filled with
expensive, exclusive designer shops for very rich people) for the most part.
We saw some very interesting natural rock sculptures created by the sea.  Guess you could call them sea sculptures. 
They reminded me of things like a manatee, a seal, two giant footprints in the sand and a very weird thing with 5 wavy bumps.  What would you name the freaky sculpture?
  Here's the cute little polka-dot California ground squirrel----mistaken for chipmunks by the uniformed (read MW). 'They're very friendly, so friendly in fact that you wonder if one
is going climb up your pants leg---is that too friendly?? They live right there by the beach, but up high in the dirt where
they can tunnel & get plenty of food even though signs try to discourage visitors from feeding them.  We saw very few seagulls.  You would think they'd give the rodents a run for their money.  In Florida the squirrels wouldn't get off with their handouts so easily.
  And here are the seals, lazing in the sun just down the beach
by the lifeguard stand (and my favorite retirement spot, though not at all affordable) are the seals---looking a lot like
fat globby rocks---many are speckled like the granite of my home state (GA).  The black one in the water with its
tale up was one of the only ones actually making any effort what so ever to move.

PHOTIP:  When a very kind relative like, Michael Wilson, gives you a plane ticket to come out and celebrate his graduation
from a four year residency in Emergency Medicine at UCSD-----enjoy, celebrate to the max, and then go to the beautiful
places nearby and take pictures of the new & exciting things.  

Blessings!
PS Thanks for visiting my show in Atlantic Beach!

See more of my pix
Visit my show

        

PRETTY PORTUGAL

Hi----hope you are doing well now that summer has started.  It is hot---as in 98º hot.  Just have to run from the house
to the car to the store to the car to the house and stay as air conditioned as possible in self defense.

I've been creating some new Portugal photo impressions, I call them.  It begins with a photo, but becomes a
painting.  It's like taking a visual vacation. My theory is people prefer art because it is a little imprecise---so you have to add a little of your own imagination to the image.  Photography is full of detail & information, so the viewer is not as involved----with the exception of journalistic children/people/animal subjects where you can look into their eyes & their world.

I would like to invite you to another show---I'm excited to be the featured artist for the month in the
ARCHWAY GALLERY & FRAMING located where Neptune Beach (which is attached to Jax Beach on the south)
meets Atlantic Beach to the north.  After that you hit the St. John's River & the Atlantic Ocean----probably why
it's named Atlantic Beach.... The Opening is from 5 - 9pm on Thursday, June 16th.

The "north" beaches have a monthly Art Walk that is lots of fun---there is free music outside, wine & art.  What more
do you need for a casual evening out?  Some restaurants have specials, some of the art is outside & many businesses
stay open later than usual that night.  Archway is near Starbuck's : 363 Atlantic Avenue, Suite 2  phone: 249-2222.
Linda & Michelle are both wonderful, creative, fun, art lovers--you will definitely enjoy meeting them. 
Open Monday - Friday 10:30am - 6:00pm & Saturdays 11:00 - 4:00 pm.

The PEACEFUL PORTUGAL collection consists of 7 different framed impressionistic (is that a word?) prints which will be
at the front of the gallery, and another 11 (20 x30) will be available at Archway.  They range from colorful fishing boats
in a quaint harbor (Sesimbra), a hilltop stone castle with a commanding view (Sintra), a picturesque walled city with
whitewashed buildings & flowers (Obidos), sailboats on the opposite side of the Atlantic and a photo from Cabo da
Roca - the westernmost point of Europe with huge cliffs & amazing crystal blue water.  (Click to see more...Look for the Portugal gallery.)

Some of the framed and unframed smaller photography work is printed on metallic paper.  I LOVE metallic---
it's like hi-def for photography.  If you're never seen it, but sure you get a look at some.  Archway will also have a
some 16 x20's mounted & ready to pop into a standard frame, my portfolio of 12x18's (many from Italy,
some from Portugal), 5x7 cards, thank you notes & write-on boards.  If you don't see what you want, just ask about
ordering it.  If you want a different frame, of course, Archway can hook you up.

I HOPE YOU CAN MAKE IT!  Not I hope to see you there?  Well, actually I will be in San Diego, so I will have
to miss my own opening.  But, I would be happy to give you a personal tour when I return at the end of the
month.

PHOTIP: If you have a budget between $5 - $525, you can own a piece of art. 
(Did you think this was blatant self-promotion with the intended result of selling you something?
It's as close as I get.)

BLESSINGS!
My website
Visit my virtual show  

.  

        

Hi there!  Just got back from Lake Oconee one state to the north.  It was actually quite hot & humid &
somewhat miserable outside---a lot like our weather here in J'villle.  Riding the boat to pickup the pizza &
dining at sunset on the water was quite nice.  When the day cooled off and a breeze came in, it was beautiful to sit under
the stars.  You could see the big dipper and those other things that don't actually look like whatever their
name is....you can see so many more than in the city.
  My sister likes to container garden to avoid the horrible & dreaded fire ants
that rule the yard.  She had several very awesome hydrangea bushes, roses, and these Echinacea Purpure.  It's also
known as purple coneflowers.  But, I was sad to learn that the herbal remedy probably doesn't help cure your cold.  When
composing your shot, think of the flower kind like a person....you can take full, 3/4 or profile views.
    It's interesting to include the different stages of the flower's life.  This one is going to seed...
                                            The one above it shows a new green bud & on just beginning to turn purple.
 
PHOTIP:  When photographing flowers, notice the background & foreground and try to position yourself so that nothing distracting is from your main subject.  Shoot different groupings and views of the flower.  Take extra shots, check that you
have good exposure, but don't bother to go through and delete until later.  It uses up time & batteries.

BLESSINGS!

PS Forgot to mention my new art show coming up at Archway Gallery & Framing in Atlantic Beach next week!
See my artistic images
visit my show

        

                                              
Hi---How are ya?  It's gettin REALLY hot down here---like 80º at midnight.  Just when you want to visit the beach
for a week....relax in the sun on the nice comfy, warm white sand, dig some moats & sand castles, dip in the salty
water, get sunburned, have a glass of wine at sunset and then go home....the Official Florida Vacation.

We recently made a quick trip to Tampa on Friday afternoon & returned Saturday night around midnight.  The worst
part of the trip was driving thru Orlando on I-4.  I hate it.  You feel like a prisoner.  It should take 20 minutes, but
always ends up an hour or more.  So, we went up 75 & over to avoid it on the way home.  Much nicer, except Leesburg makes you slow down to 20 mph & that was a bit irritating....                

These three shots were taken at John's Pass---a tourist area where you can shop, go on a boat ride, eat (a great breakfast surprisingly at the Friendly Fisherman), fish, etc and the birds are nice enough to pose on the pilings for you.  They hang out there in hopes of getting food from the tourists & none of them looked malnourished, believe me.
 
                    
This shot is from the Double Tree Resort in North Reddington Beach (part of the St Pete Beaches).  We had a
room on the top floor with a little balcony facing the water.  Birds flew just above you frequently.  Saw this one coming and just happened to capture this Laughing Gull looking at me & my camera with a glint of curiosity in the eye. 
They flew so close you could have hit them with a stick (if you were so inclined, and I am not in any way endorsing or suggesting such behavior).  This picture is so little, it's hard to tell, but the bird's head is cocked and it's checking at me out.
The restaurant was below us, so maybe they were checking the food prospects.  We did actually see a
gull land on a deserted plate and gobble up the leftovers.  It was a very nice place to stay with very good service!

           

And this is the reason we went to Tampa---to pick up my Water Wiggles piece from the ARC Gallery in the Museum
of Science & Industry or MOSI.  It's the gallery's first annual national juried show, and it was called EARTHVISIONS. 
It's a fantastic museum--huge! Several buildings & an IMAX theatre.  In fact the gallery surrounds the theatre and is
rounded with freaky slanted walls which could give you a headache if you're in there too long. That's me without Photoshop---but I should go in to slim down the arms, touch up the hair & even out
the tan lines....

PHOTIP:  Try composing with two main subjects, like the heron & egret at the top of the blog.  Take a shot focusing
on one subject. Then switch the focus and take another shot.  Remember to meter on the midtones--not the brightest
or darkest part of your image. A spot meter will do the best job.  It measures the light in a small specific area of the composition.

BLESSINGS!

Visit my virtual show
Foundation Academy Pictures

        

Hi there!  Thought I'd start with my best phone photo.....
After starting to use my phone camera at the production last week, I decided to go out and see just how good it is.
The magnolia bloom was mostly shaded, but lots of light around it.  I found it in an area where I was working on the Census.  Great detail & color in the leaves & the bloom.  Probably got lucky on that because it all stayed in focus. 

My camera is not in the middle of the phone---it's kinda in the corner of the top.  So, I had to get used to that.  It's why the bloom is over to the side.  I was centering the phone over the flower.  The idea that I had to hold it to one side to
center the subject took a while to sink in.  The phone actually makes a little beep when it focuses on something
in the shot.  When it's bright outside, you can't really see what you're getting---so you just take some extras and hope for
the best.
                       
The sun did a cool thing---makes rainbow streaks.  That's late afternoon in the back yard with the sun behind the
subject---AKA backlight.  You can see the second one is lit up nicely.  The first has too much sun coming into the
lens.
  This is also a find during my census trekking.  And, yes, it was dead when
I arrived---how else do you think I could get that?  Well, maybe I could have used some honey, but since I'm allergic
to bee stings, this is the route I prefer.  I also WAY prefer dead roaches to live ones.  I hate those creepy antennae
moving around on the big ones....yuck! 

The bumblebee & the Agapanthus are cropped a little, using the phone editing software.  Did you read that?  Phone picture editing software---who would've thought?  The image of the bee still has good texture & detail-- taken in harsh mid-day light.  The one below of the flower blooming I intentionally tried to take to get a silhouette--so I used bright light behind it.  (If I used the flash, and my phone does have one, I could have lit the blooms for a more ordinary picture.) 

I used the phone software to crop & create a Photoshop like effect on it---similar to the cut out or stamp.  The black
& white worked well for the silhouette.  I'm still shocked that the phone has such sophisticated photo options.

PHOTIP:  Experiment with your phone camera and the software included.  Then email it to a friend.  That is the one
thing I haven't figured out yet---how to get the pix from the phone to the computer.  For now I'm using email.
Let me know if you have a better way.  I thought I had a camera plug that worked, but the important end was too big.  

BLESSINGS,
See more pix

      

        

                                       

Behold the Red Couch, in all it's glory!  Well, actually it might have looked better with the beautiful young

        

      THE BELOVED CENSUS......
Hi, hope you're doing well and being nice to the poor hot, sweaty, thirsty, tired Census worker who is only very
temporarily employed by and sworn in to protect your information, and therefore a part of the US Government.

Actually, many of the people I have met as a Census worker have been very nice.  One woman went off on me,

        

Hi---We're getting hot down here!  About 90º while I was sweatily, slinking from door to door trying to get
Census information.  Glad to see lots of people are working & not home, but sad to see quite a few vacant homes.
I'm sure if someone is dealing with foreclosure, filling out the form is the last thing on their mind.  On to more
pleasant subjects...
The mighty Foundation Academy, where I teach a
Digital Imaging class, just opened with a great Spring Musical---ON THE TOWN----and two of the
main characters wanted to recreate this iconic 1940's look after the dress rehearsal.  The kids do a great job
& it's a fun, light hearted evening at a great price. 
   
The play is performed & staffed by students.  Director Madeline Hill & tech Director Gregg Stiles have done
a great job creating the New York atmosphere in the school's Black Box.  (What is a black box you may ask?
It's a theater where the stage in on the floor and the patrons are in rising seats.) 

Need a cheap date????  You can get tickets for this weekend's performance of On The Town
by calling The Foundation Academy at 241-3515. 
Visit Foundation Academy.com for more information about the school.  It's on Old San Pablo Rd
near Beach Boulevard in Jacksonville near the ditch.

PHOTIP:  When taking pix at a play, expect their lights to tint the color of your pictures (as you see in the
group of silly sailors).  You can fix that  in Photoshop.  But, if you & your flash are close enough & strong enough,
it will still give you a true white (like the guy jumping).

Blessings!
See more Foundation pix  < click
Find your visual vacation < click

        

 Spring has sprung down here in the south & it's lovely...
For those with DSLR's remember to use a small aperture.  Use single flowers or groups of odd numbers for the most
pleasing pix. 

        

A little visit down memory lane...
I went to a high school baseball game tonight in Jax Beach.
 
It reminded me of my life about 10 years ago when both kids were playing sports.  Turned out that our
daughter was actually more athletic than our son when it came to playing ball.  She played first base &
catcher.  She went one season without ever striking out.  One team in South Carolina won the league. 
That was in fast pitch.

He spent a lot of time as a little speck in the outfield or closer to the stands on the bench.  Well,
not everyone is a great ball player.  He was actually good in football and one team got into the playoffs.
His claim to fame was stripping the ball & escaping with it in jumble of bodies.
        
Anyway the fun is being in the stands and proudly watching your kid play, cheering the others on the team,
and socializing with the other fans which are comprised of family & friends.  A really nice way to spend an
evening.  Note the hits by Mac Helmsworth & Danny Umbreit.
           
The main problems when taking pix are dealing with a net in front of the bleachers, trying to stop
the action, depth of field & having enough light for a good shot.  It was cloudy all day, but the sun came out
about 5pm, in time for the game.  I used two vibration reduction (image stabilizer by another manufacturer)
lenses.  That gives me a little more leeway.  With a small point & shoot you are probably not going to get a good
action shot---more likely a blur (or shall I say artistic feel..). 

When you are behind the net and you zoom in, it kinda disappears.  The more zoom, the less net.
I was trying to get the ball en route (to the batter/catcher depending on who you are cheering for). 
It was zoomed in all the way 200mm & the net is almost invisible.  {Still don't understand how pitchers
can do that thousands of times and not break something...}

PHOTIP: Call in the heavy duty hardware.  Bring a really good DSLR camera or borrow one for good pictures.
Use a VR lense & brace the camera.  Take pix from different parts of the park for different angles & views. 
Mostly, enjoy the game.

Blessings!
See my artistic images
Visit my virtual show

LOTS OF PIX FROM THE GAME including more Helmsworth & Umbreit  ( just click on it)