Photo 'a Go Go!: Antvision [[Pix-travaganza]]

I'm happy to say, "I'm still snappin', folks!"

My 365project has been a blast, and it has also been every bit the challenge that I figured it would be! That's a good thing, too, because it helps in both keeping my mind sharp and keeping it in an almost constant state of creative thinking! Since the idea is to produce a new photo every day, I find myself pondering nearly non-stop what sort of subject I'll shoot, the story it (or I) could tell, the technique I might use, etc. I must admit that some days I do feel as if it could all drive me insane, but I usually manage to push through! Usually...

Anyway, if you happen to be interested in seeing more of my project photos, please, step right this way into our Gallery of Fine Art Photography tent. Here, you'll find another (rather voluminous) collection of imagery covering a variety of interesting subjects in this latest exhibit we like to call, Antvision [[Pix-travaganza]]!







Happiness... dried & preserved

October 4th, 2008 was a very important date.
It was also quite a happy one, for that was the
day on which my husband and I got married!
We had already been together exclusively for
18 years by then, but since there was a brief
period at the time allowing same-sex couples
to legally marry, we decided to go ahead and
"seal the deal".

These roses are from the dinner reception we
had immediately following the ceremony. No
matter how dried, dusty and withered they
become over the years, I know that they will
always seem just as beautiful to me as they
did on our wedding day.







Andrew Bear

This cute and lumpy vintage teddy bear is
just about 60+ years old, around the same
age as my mother-in-law. In fact, she grew
up with it, and then years later passed it
down to her son (my husband) when he
was a child.

Andrew Bear has always sat on this little
chair for as long as I can remember. That,
too, was from my husband's childhood, and
even has his name across the back of it in
tiny letters. I like to picture Tommy sitting
on the chair as a little boy. I just know he
had to have been SO cute! Now, it's hard to
imagine Andrew Bear sitting anywhere else...







Branching out

I finally made a point to grab my camera and
take it outside with me, immediately upon
returning home from work today. As I walked
around looking for photo-ops in the late
afternoon sun, I spotted this great tree branch
covered in all of its wonderful craggy bark and
delicious contrasting shadows! So I HAD to
capture it! Boy, have I EVER missed shooting
outdoor photography...







So very succulent!

Just a beautiful plant in a pot, on our back patio.







Oh, so soft and succulent...

Yet another plant on our patio which I
found to be quite striking, shot close-up
and in soft focus. I was real pleased with
how just the right amount of daylight
helped to produce such terrific natural
shades of pink, purple and green...

No help from Photoshop, either!







Mancala

This African stone game has always
appealed to me, mainly because of the
glass marble-like stones that are used,
but also because of its simplicity. I
should admit, though, that I've never
actually played the game. And I even
OWN it - that's MY game in the picture!!
Ridiculous, I know... Just never got
around to learning the rules.

Maybe, before I put it away on the game
shelf again, I'll try to talk someone into
learning and PLAYING this colorful
game with me. Either that, or it'll just
end up sitting on the shelf collecting
dust for ANOTHER 10 years...







Peacock feather (Detail)

Still experimenting with my macro lens,
trying to get used to the focal field & range.
I'm sort of figuring out that I need to be
even closer to my subject than this, for
optimal focus coverage. But I like how this
turned out, with the edges of the feather
being all that's in focus. The colors, too... I
was real happy with how they all turned out!

And is it just me, or does the center of the
feather look kinda like a heart to you? That's
really strange because I didn't alter the photo
to look like that, and it doesn't look that way
to the naked eye, either. Only in my photo.
Bizarre, huh?







Two koi... to be conceited.

I captured this vibrant shot while visiting
with my in-laws. They have a beautiful koi
pond in their backyard, with a waterfall at
one end and a bridge across the center.

In fact, I sat down on that very bridge so I
could take this photo.







What is it?

Well, can you tell what IT is? If you don't
manage to figure it out, you're gonna want
to kick yourself because it's actually pretty
darn obvious...

So put on your Thinking Cap, but don't go
OVER-thinking it. I'll reveal the answer at
the end of this post!







Timeslip

Just the idea that such a paranormal
phenomenon could exist which allows
a person, or a group of people, to travel
through time due to a rift in the very
fabric of time itself, fascinates me to no
end! I'm very open minded about para-
normal and supernatural possibilities,
but I also view the world around me
with a healthy dose of skepticism.

If you could "slip" away to any date or
place in time, what or where would it
be, and why?







Bouncing rubber baby pony

No, it doesn't REALLY bounce, I just
thought the title sounded a lot more fun
that way (plus, it's a fun thing at parties
to try and make people say, real quick-like
and several times in a row)! But it IS made
of rubber, and it's vintage from like the
'40s or '50s. I found it in an antique shop
and gave it to my husband, either for
Christmas or his Birthday. He loves, loves,
LOVES ponies!

We have a few other neat, old, rubber toys
sitting around our house. Perhaps, one day,
I'll make THEM model for the camera, too...







'Magic 8 Ball' optimism

Wouldn't it be great if we could start off
EVERY day receiving this kind of positive
and encouraging prediction?

It would most certainly beat getting the
alternative message, "Better not tell you now"...





I hope that you've enjoyed this latest update of my progress with the 365project. If you haven't, well... that's your problem! I just have one last message for my loyal Captivated Spectators, before I sign off. I'm well aware that when considering the infrequency of my posting, I am very lucky to have many of you still coming back to my circus on a regular basis AND always leaving me such kind comments. For both things, I am extremely grateful! I'm hoping to "get my act together" and eventually start posting waaay more often. Wish me luck with that, I'll NEED it!

Until next time, remember... Clowns are only funny from a distance. If you get too close, you'll find out the hard way. Byyye!



*ANSWER to 'What is it?': The end of a white starfish's arm.



~All photos by Anthony (aka Antvision). Except top 'Photo 'a Go Go!' background dancers, they were spotted hitchhiking along the Google Images highway with signs that read, "Will SHIMMY & SHAKE for FOOD!"~