Cherry Blossoms

You can always tell when it's spring time in the Pacific Northwest - the cherry trees start blooming! With our fickle weather it's not always easy to tell - this is supposed a temperate, maritime climate but it snowed last week.

Yesterday was a typical day around here - it rained off an on until the later afternoon. In between the rainstorms the sun would come out, the waterdrops were glistening on the leaves of the plants, the sky would turn blue and there were big fluffy white clouds floating about - it was pretty while it lasted. Luckily, my timing was right and I was able to capture the lovely cherry blossoms on the tree in my garden. I especially like this photograph turned out. I was focusing on the blossom in the center of the photograph - hoping for some interesting use of depth of focus and like how the out of focus blossoms frame the photograph.

I'm thinking of offering this photograph for sale in my Etsy and 1000markets shops. What do you think? Is this photograph a hit or a miss?

On The Front Page!!!

See that photograph of the orange dog over to your right? That's my dog, Bruce. A couple of days ago I submitted that photo to my local newspaper, the Tacoma News Tribune, and "lo and behold" it made it to the front page of the on-line version !!! Out of all the readers photographs that were submitted they chose mine. It's in the "Gallery For Photos That Make You Smile" and the "Gallery For Your Favorite Dog". Do I stand to gain from having my photograph in the newspaper? Nope, I'm not credited. Do I still think it's cool? Yep, because it means that someone else liked my photograph aside from me. I've decided to look for the good where ever and when ever I can. It feels good when I'm successful.

5000 Views and Counting!!!!

A) Is it odd to be excited about getting 5000 photo views on your Flickr account? B) Is it even stranger to download a screen shot of your Flickr page showing the 5000 views? Well, I hope not because A) I am and B) I did!!!

Now if I couldn't only get more of my photos in Explore ( and/or make some sales on Etsy or 1000markets I'd be a happy woman.

Explore'd On Flickr

1. Urban Ruins - V2, 2. Weeds II, 3. Before the unfurling..., 4. Untitled, 5. Cherry Blossoms, 6. Cherry Blossoms - University of Washington, 7. Cherry Blossoms II - University of Washington, 8. Bridge of Glass - Museum of Glass

Winter's Cat Tails

Finally, a day with blue skies and fluffy white clouds!!! The Pacific Northwest has a well deserved reputation for rain and grey gloomy days - especially in the winter. For the most part, I don't mind our winters. But this one has been pretty cold, wet and miserable. I'm ready for spring flowers and summer sun.

Today I took advantage of the sunshine and went on a little photo safari. Most of my images weren't that great and that was a little disappointing. However, there was that one image that exceeded my expectations - it's right there, on the left. I think this is one of my new favorites. Of course, it didn't come straight out of the camera looking like this - a little photo manipulation was needed.

Wise Words...

I'm tired of the gloom and doom that I've been getting from the media - it's wearing on me and my spirit. I'm going to do what I can do to lift my spirits and find the inspiration to help me create the life I want to live. I'll start with this quote from Teddy Roosevelt:

"The credit belongs to those who are actually in the arena, who strive valiantly; who know the great enthusiasm, the great devotions, and spend themselves in a worth cause; who, at the best, know the triumph of high achievement; and who, at the worst, if they fail, fail while daring greatly, so that their place shall never be with those cold and timid souls that know neither victory nor defeat."

I don't want to be one of those "cold and timid souls". This weekend I shall go out and take photographs and I will enjoy my time with my beloved woods, with my loyal canine companion (my husband will enjoy the comfort and warmth of having the bed all to himself).

Have a great weekend and keep up the good fight.

Hello.

Just thought I'd check in as it's been a while since I've posted anything. Life around the studio is pretty much at a stand still. I haven't taken any new photographs (too rainy and gray on the weekends - too dark when I get home from work). I'm really looking forward to spring.

I've opened a new shop on 1000markets and I've got my shop on Etsy - they've been pretty quiet (read: no sales - none whatsoever!). I've joined several networking groups and uploaded a lot of my photographs to their sites - received some constructive criticism and lots of great comments. I'm hoping to network with other photographers and polish my skills.

However, it's not all bleak and a couple of really nice things have happened to me. The first one being that Dragonfly Photography was accepted by Trunkt and I now have a portfolio with them (please check it out - I'm craving attention - more so than a sale right now). AND one of my photographs has been featured in a Treasury on Etsy. See, right below there's a screen capture of the Treasury. Pretty cool if you ask me.

Megzytred of Tredlight Photographs chose my lovely Poppy Bottoms photograph. I love her shop - and the concept she came up with to sell her photography. You'll have to check it out as it's "a whole different approach to art photography!".

And how could I forget to mention - my husband bought me a new camera for Christmas. I'm now the proud owner of a Nikon D40 - I love it! It's taken some getting used to - it's a little more complicated. I loved my point and shoot camera - a Fuji FinePix A900 - an amazing little jewel of a camera (and I still use her).

So, all in all, life isn't bad. It's pretty good - I've got so many nice things happening in my life and, most importantly, I'm gainfully employed, have lovely home (and reasonable mortgage), a supportive husband and good friends and pretty darn nice family. I'm blessed and feeling selfish because I want to make a sale or two.