In the rain with our Azaleas and Live Oak Tree

Before the storm

 

Hitting the ground from within the Azaleas

With word of an incoming storm, I grabbed my camera to photograph what was left of the Azaleas underneath our Live Oak.  I hadn't done so yet this season, and I knew that this storm was going to wipe out the flowers.  With the sky gray and the light filtered, the greens and floras were brilliant reminding me of my favorite days in a rain forest years back.  My mood expanded with happiness as the rains came, pouring onto the petals, the earth, and me.  Even when the scene turned biblical, I stayed under the safety of the tree and my daughter's small umbrella.  I wiped my camera frequently, but didn't run inside because it felt so right being out there.  Totally soaked with the storm subsiding, I thought to myself that this was one of the best Azaleas with Live Oak sessions to date.  Thank you Rain.

The scene from our front porch



Me.



Saving the "sour" flowers

This little shoot turned into another case of first being taken in by the colors only to find myself appreciating the monochrome images more. 

We have the softest earth underneath the Live Oak that sits in our front yard.  Out of it a mixture of grasses and the tiniest of flowers has grown, making it quite beautiful with the surrounding azaleas.  While cutting the grass, I just had to stop and save hundreds of these "sour" flowers from their doom.  (They're edible and very tangy)

I was feeling supernova sensory in the midst of the sights, textures, and smells, and wondered after the fact about the chances that someone viewing the images would share those feelings.  It would be a "Like Water for Chocolate" phenomenom but in the context of photography.  What people experience or don't experience when viewing my photos can be surprising, but it's all so cool when we connect.

Young Fellaz Brass Band, New Orleans, 3.22.11

If you haven't danced in the streets of New Orleans with a brass band, then you really haven't danced.  It's such a release of self and connection to the others around you.  It's one of those things that feeds me now and then, and it's a gift to cross paths with brass players when I do visit the city. 


This is my favorite form of photography.  Years back it was very challenging for me to photograph people, especially those that I didn't know.  I still remember nearly hiding behind a telephone pole just to take a photograph of people sitting on a bench waiting for a bus.  I was so unsure and nervous, and that probably showed in the photos.  It would be interesting to find that set of pictures, and think about how they might look different if I took them today.

Moon homework

There it is.  The moon in its post-Supermoon status.  I had some one-on-one time with it tonight after everyone went to sleep to play around with exposures. I'm getting there.  I love the textures that you can see at the top.



I had also been looking for it earlier while walking my dog with camera in hand.  We had gone along the farm property, but this time in the area under construction, and didn't have any luck.  I did take other pictures, and liked these two for their documentation of my night

Former Ford Property bulldozed for construction :(

Sparkle

Supermoon glow

The Supermoon rise was amazing tonight.  HUGE, orange and beautiful as it sat behind a neighborhood home inching itself slowly into the night sky.  I watched in amazement with my daughters and dog, and attempted a few shots of it close to the horizon.  I couldn't grab any moon details in my exposures, so waited for it to light up the sky.  I managed to take these shots while my daughters whisked me away back towards home.  There's always a balance in enjoying an experience with others by being present and trying to take photos.  We almost reached that tonight, so it's all good.

For the record, this location is fantastic.  It's the remaining plot of land from a former farm that's being developed with a TND.  The silos still stand, and I've got to get back out there for more.

Flowering pear tree blossoms with bee

We have a flowering pear tree that sits over our driveway, and every Spring it comes alive with fragrance, blooms, and bees.  When stepping outside the buzz of the bees was always with you.  Looking above all you saw was the coverage of the blue sky with thousands of little white blossoms and the movement of the bees. 

Where's Yoda?

 

9/23/11:

There hasn't been one time that we haven't looked for Yoda while canoeing in Chicot State Park.  This was taken during the greening season, and it was the first time being amidst the trees without being surrounded by fullness of coverage.  Any visible colors stood out as alive and vibrant.

Fire Man

And he stopped.  Right in front of me.  Fire Man took a big swig of his special fire starter drink, spout it out of him like a whale, and ignited it with his torch.  Right in front of me.

Last night the Southdowns Mardi Gras parade rolled through our neighborhood.  Every year there are our usual favorites, and this time around Fire Man made his appearance again.  As he approached our group, I thought it would be very cool if did his fire breathing for us.  When he slowed down and stopped, my heart started to race because I was thinking, "Irene - don't screw up this shot." It was almost as if he and I were reading one another.  As I was lifting the camera, he was lifting his bottle to his mouth.  As I kicked into taking the shots, he created the spectacle of light.  Yes, it was very cool, and it was even better when I saw the images.

Pine cone in clover

Random.  Good lesson on lighting and moving my body to create different perspectives.  

On Spanish Moss

While visiting Rosedown Plantation, I realized that I like the texture and bundled masses of Spanish Moss mixed with other elements.

Suspended crescent moon in the morning sky

I had my husband's niece and in-laws arriving from out of the country in about a handful of hours and big finishing preps to do in the house.  This crescent moon stopped me in my tracks when coming back in from taking my dog out.  I watched it until it disappeared into the light.


Birds flying through my field of view surprised and challenged me once again to work on my timing with them.  I will get that tremendous bird and moon shot.