Monday, December 31, 2012

Flower in the Mist

Hello,

I haven't talked about it before but I love to go antiquing and go to any type of flea market or swap meet.  Both of my parents are the same and I have given the bug to my wife as well.  One day when I was visiting my parents in California all four of us went to a local one but it was all crafts and almost no antique or even vintage items. 

I finished early so I was walking around looking for things to take photos of when I found this flower.  I loved the translucent petals that perfectly showed the dark spots in the center.  I can almost see a face in the center like a dog or even an old man laughing.  The blurred green background so that it isn't boring but also doesn't distract from the flower.  Lastly the water droplets make it fresh and airy.

Thank you very much for reading.

Sunday, December 30, 2012

Fire Pot

Hello,

We have been getting a lot of snow this last week and then all day today we got heavy rain.  We have been very cold almost to the bone because of all of this.  I saw this and felt warmer because of it so I had to update my blog with it today.  Once a year there is a huge summer festival in Nagano near the train station and down from Zenkoji.  What you see is a large container that holds a sacred fire that makes the barrier of the festival.

I love the playing with the light from the orange red hot fire.  You can't see the container at all because of that light so it turns black.  It is a summer festival so it is very hot but around this fire feels warm and comfortable not hot and stuffy.  The waves in the fire also adds movement to the picture that if it didn't have it would been boring.

Thank you very much for reading.

Saturday, December 29, 2012

Bicycle Eating Weed

Hello,

Having passed by the old building in the background a few times, then noticing it was boarded up I got curious.  It is an old building on Shinshu University near my house and on the way to one of the shops that I go to.  It was easy to get to, about ten yards from the street with no fence and near by there is a well used walking path.  Inside was nothing much a big mirror, disused sport equipment and that's about it disappointing.

The lucky find was this picture though.  I took it before looking into the haunted looking building in the background. All the different aged, forgotten bicycles are parked and slowly being eaten by the weeds and plants in the area.  The healthy green plants covering the black seats and tires, moving into the area of all that chrome.  I can see in my mind in the spring all the baskets filled with flowers and the orange reflectors the only part spared.

Thank you very much for reading.

Friday, December 28, 2012

Leaf on Stone

Hello,

I have talked about Zenkoji before and now that the new year is fast coming my thoughts go to visiting it new year's eve and day.  This will be a brand new experience for me to see a temple crowded with people wishing for a great new year with me.  I am going to try to get to visit about three or four temples and shrines in those first few days if it doesn't snow too much or get too cold.

On the way to the main temple you pass many sites to see but at the bottom is a modest looking set of buildings.  On each side of the tree-lined street they sit with a little draining channel.  That's where this picture was taken during the orange colored leafs turning leafs season.  I loved the one leaf that fell early then the rest and the clear water underneath it.  I took about five photos but only this one had the bubbles that really turns it into a great picture.

Thank you very much for reading.

Thursday, December 27, 2012

Lavender Bee

Hello,

Near the Nagano Japan Railroad train station on the east side is a happy little community garden.  Even with the temperature going into the freezing every night I still see them working on it and adding a few flowers here and there.  One day my wife and I talked to someone else that enjoys it and she said that a lot of the plants actually came up on their own.  I am talking about a big rose bush, some tulips and this lovely lavender.

The deep smell of lavender gets me every time I see and even get near a plant.  The green parts change in deepness depending on the season and if they are flowering at the time.  I love these type of flowering lavender because I can easily pick up one of the purple buds and stick it in my bag or pocket and I smell it all day.  Even the bees and birds enjoys the smells and colors with them circling the plants at all hours of the day.

Thank you very much for reading.

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Mean Pigeon

Hello,

Near Nagano train station there is a bus stop that has a big flock of pigeons and that is where this picture was taken.  You can see elderly people feeding the birds along side children chasing after them daily.  They are so used to people and the surroundings that you can walk right up to most of them and if you have bread they will follow you.

This was one of the first days that it reached freezing at night so I can imagine that this bird was fluffing out to stay warm.  Even though I don't feed pigeons I still find the multiple colored feathers around the neck to be intriguing somewhat like a pearl essence paint.  His red eye watching me makes me think he doesn't like me even though I was close enough to touch him.

Thank you very much for reading.

Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Window Fireworks

Hello,

As today is Christmas both in Japan as I am writing this and in the USA I wanted to post a Japanese Christmas photo.  Sadly I don't have any right now but I did have a festive firework picture.  I didn't have to go very far to take this picture at all.  It was taken from my house right on the front porch as a local fireworks festival was going on. 

It may sound weird but I think that what I enjoy the most about this picture is the smoke from the fireworks before.  Don't get me wrong I love the white hot bright center of the exploding firework.  Also the halo of white with the orange burst.  The sound of the sprinkling firework after the big explosion so that it stays just that little bit longer.

Thank you very much for reading and have a great Christmas!  

Monday, December 24, 2012

Yellow Flower

Hello,

It's time for me to be completely honest about this picture, I have no idea where I took it.  I also have no idea what kind of flower it is.  I am pretty sure though that I took it in California because of the date. Since it was taken in California it might be from my mother's garden/jungle.

I find it interesting that in one picture you can see this lovely yellow flower's whole evolution.  You can see the light green new leafs in the side with the deep green mature leafs.  The red-yellow new bud next to a bud that's about to open.  Then you have two views of opened blooming blossoms with the magnificent yellow filaments.  Lastly, the brown ended blossom in the top.

Thank you very much for reading.

Sunday, December 23, 2012

Rain Clovers

Hello,

Wonderful, cleansing rain fell the night before I took this picture.  I knew it would be bright, clean, and beautiful the next day so I went out to take any photos that I could.  I wasn't having any luck because it was getting into Fall and my own abilities to see something worth taking.  As I was taking a shortcut through an area that I know well I came across this scene.

Just the right amount of light was shining off the water on the green leafs.  This was taken right in between rain showers so the water is very clear to be able to see through it.  The cluster of clovers looks very healthy even though the cold weather was settling in for winter.  The hair on the leafs can be clearly seen making them seem like they pop out more then normal.

Thank you very much for reading.

Saturday, December 22, 2012

Clouds through Eyes

Hello,

I remember the day I took this picture clearly.  It was one of those days that even though it was cloudy and hazy it was very bright so I wore my sunglasses.  Also this was early in the days when I just started taking my camera everywhere with me.  I was walking around looking at the trees and the area when it got bright all the sudden.  Looking up I saw the beautiful sunlight above the little bit of clouds.

I took out my camera and looked at the screen and it didn't look right at all, it was all blown out with the haze.  I knew it was my glasses that let me see it the way I wanted to so I took them off and took a couple of photos.  If I hadn't tried the simply trick then I would have missed this picture because I didn't have a polarized filter yet and also the sun was gone within a minute. 

I love the blown out sides that are so bright that you know what it looked like at the time.  The sun rays in the center of the picture pulls you into it.  The white clouds formations against the blue sky has a great contrast.  I made no attempt to hide the fact that I used my sunglasses you get the picture in the least but that is the picture to me.  If I cropped out the glasses then it would be pretty but with no story at all.  

Thank you very much for reading.

Friday, December 21, 2012

North Lake

Hello,

I love to fish river and streams and most of the times not lakes as much.  I love to be able to walk upstream slowly, casting for fish, and enjoying the scenery.  This lake is one of the few that I enjoy, called North Lake near Bishop, California.  It is small when you think about lakes but I have seen some big fish come out of it before.  It has a swallow end with fish swimming around and a couple of feeder streams.  On the other end it's pretty deep with the outlet going out the side of the mountain.

Even though you can't see it this was taken during the turning leafs season, which I have many pictures of.  I saw many people taking pictures of the leafs but ignoring this beautiful scene right here with the great blue and the clouds.  I know the water isn't flat for the mirror effect but the colors are still there and you can still make out the reflecting light.  The dark center with the sun hiding behind it tells a great story of the coming sun.

Thank you very much for reading.

Thursday, December 20, 2012

Bee on Rosemary Blossoms

Hello,

This picture was taken at my parent's house, I still remember when the rosemary was planted.  We had never had a rosemary plant before and I didn't think much of it in the beginning because it was so small.  The first year it grew a little bit but the blossoms impressed me greatly, mainly because I didn't know rosemary blossomed.  The second year it blew up and exploded out to become a large plant and it gets larger every year to now it is a hedge almost.

I am not the only one who loves those wonderful purple blossoms so do the bees.  They come all the time because it is California and warm year round, they almost swarm around them at times and the bushes look alive.  Once again the yellow bee and the green leaves act so well together. I found this article about someone else with this "problem" I found it enjoyable.

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Fake Stream Frog

Hello,

When I moved into my current house I was amazed at the sheer number of frogs around all the time.  It got less as the summer heat got to them and now with winter they are all gone.  I would see them in the morning as I worked in the yard, in the afternoon they would jump everywhere, and at night I could hear them croaking. Now don't get me wrong here I enjoy them though and find them very interesting.

This picture was taken in my yard as I tidied up a little bit one morning.  I love the different colored stones that it's sitting on reminds me of gravel on a stream bottom.  The concert of the left side is the bank of the stream that doesn't have any grass or plants on it because everyone walks there.  The right side with all the grass that is hard to get to so the plants grow strong there.  Then the green frog in the stream keeping itself cool and away from harm.

Thank you very much for reading.

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Bee Hugging White Flower

Hello,

This picture is a very interesting one to me.  It was taken near my house in a little community garden with benches so that you can enjoy the flowers.  The thing is that it is right next to a busy street so it's not very relaxing.  Also it is a common pathway for the people that live in the area which might have been the point to begin with.  I can always hear people talking in their houses or see their clothes drying in the sun.

This bumblebee looks to me that it was enjoy the garden and this one flower the most. She is giving me the evil eyes as I take a photo of the perfectly white flower she is enjoying.  Her black legs grabbing onto them for dear life as her blurry wings try to get away.  I love the green stem with all the lines against her yellow mane.

Thank you very much for reading.

Monday, December 17, 2012

Cloudy Moon

Hello,

First today I have to thank LumixPortal

Someone there pointed out that I didn't have comments enabled which was a major mistake on my part.  Thank you again for that, I was wondering why no one was commenting.  The website is amazing as well and just wonderful picture they have over there.

On to the picture now.  I had seen this great cloud formation and wanted the photo of it and didn't see the moon at first.  After I put on my polarized filter I noticed it and knew it would only add to the cloud and the whole scene.  It didn't come out as large as I wanted but it's there and the fluffy white clouds are there as well.

Thank you for reading. 

Sunday, December 16, 2012

Cactus

Hello,

My love of plants and nature is not only for flowers and trees I also love cactus.  These lovely cactus live at Huntington Library in Pasadena California of which I used to be a member.  It is a wonderful place full of art and plants of all kinds but mostly it is very relaxing to be at.  I would say that if you have the chance to go not to miss it, you will not be disappointed in the least.

What I love most about this picture is that it seems to me that they are all straight out of a game.  I can see myself traveling through a red lava field area on a quest and all the sudden these guys pop up and attack me.  Their purple eyes following me and every step I take with their white bodies tensing to strike me.  Multiplying every time that I attack back against them until there are so many that I have to run away.  I think I play too many RPGs.

Thank you for reading.

Saturday, December 15, 2012

Driving Bokeh

Hello,

The public transport in Japan is just amazing to me compared to California and USA.  I was raised in California so to me if I wanted to go anywhere it was by car or plane but mostly car.  There was a time in my life that it seemed I literately lived in my car, a three hour drive was normal.  A long drive for me would be a week, which is not long in California and truck drivers.

This wonderful picture was taken during one of those trips.  I had taken it mostly for the sunrise which looks great but the blur for me makes the picture.  The headlights give it an aura of discovery, with the dark scenery, and the bright sky.  I almost deleted this picture when I saw it was so blurred but I didn't just because I wanted the sunrise that badly.

Thank you very much for reading.

Friday, December 14, 2012

Moth on Gate

Hello,

As I was going through some of my photos for my blog today I saw this one. I instantly thought, 'Why not keep with the gate theme?' This one is from my gate as well and I thought would go well with the two cats pictures.  Almost the same story with this one as well, but I was leaving to go to the post office.  I had just closed the gate when I saw this moth and loved the look of it and that didn't seem to mind me at all. 

The grey fuzz from it's head and it's whole body scream for me to see it.  Weather-worn wood in the background but with a different texture I think helps give it a nice contrast.  I like the little claws are holding on to the wood so tightly but it doesn't move at all.  My little visitor was still there when I got home and stayed with us for about four days.  I enjoy moths so it was nice seeing it everyday.

Thank you very much for reading.

Thursday, December 13, 2012

Second Part of the Cat Picture

Hello,

This is the second picture from what happened that day with "Short Tail".  I had taken a few photos at this point but needed to get into my house so I opened the gate expecting him to run away.  To my surprise he just walked a little bit away from me and laid down just like you see.  I thought maybe he liked his photo taken so a took a few more at this point as well.

This picture really shows you his great fur.  I have always loved the little tuffs of hair coming from cats' ears which you can see clearly here.  It was a hot and exhausting day and you can see this in his face and eyes.  You almost feels that he is going to go to sleep at any moment here.  I took one step past the gate and I guess that was too much and he walked away.

Thank you very much for reading.

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Cat Peeking through Gate

Hello,

I have talked before about the stray cats that hang around my house.  This is not "Dirty Face" like the last picture but this is "Short Tail" called because he has a stub for a tail.  I wonder what happened to him that his tail is so short, was he born that way or did he have an accident at some point. 

This picture happened when I came home from the store one day.  I had my camera like always and saw that he was sunning himself on the other side of my gate.  When he saw me though he shot up and looked straight at me and that's when I got this wonderful picture.

I love how it looks almost like he is posing for me to take the photo.  He eyes look straight at the camera and are in focus.  The foreground gate is interesting way to add blur to me.  His beautiful coat is wonderful to look at.

Thank you very much for reading.

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Hoppy Beer

Hello,

This photo was very fun for me on so many levels.  I happened upon this when I was walking by basically a Japanese pub that is near the train station.  I have seen beer bottles outside of business before but today the light was right and the way the bottles where just looked right to me.  The box next to this one had green, clear, and a couple of these hoppy bottles in it but this one had only the one kind.

The standard brown beer bottle color even though this drink is actually non-alcoholic actually looks nice in this light.  1948 is when this wonderful white design first showed up in the world.  I even enjoy the scuff marks you can clearly see around the top and bottom parts of each bottle.  Nestled together in the orange crate helps to break up the scene a little bit so you don't get a sea of brown.  Also in a way it was a self-portrait.

Thank you very much for reading.

Monday, December 10, 2012

Butterfly

Hello,

I had many goals for my photography this last year and this picture is one of them.  I always enjoyed watching butterflies flutter as they fly around in between flowers all my life.  On the way to store one day I saw a little farm with mostly vegetables but they did have a couple of rows of flowers that I thought looked beautiful.  Getting ready to snap a couple of photos this butterfly flew right down on the flower and started drinking the nectar.

As a butterfly picture, in focus, was one of my goals this year I took many photos.  The wings slowly beating with the fuzzy body interests in to no end.  Background greens always look wonderful to me when you have bright colored objects in the front.  Purple petals which over lap each other and the yellow and red stamen do that job perfectly.  The antennae on the head with the little black dots complete the picture for me.

Thank you very much for reading.

Sunday, December 9, 2012

Japanese Swallow on Yellow Wall

Hello,

This was one of the sites that amazed me when I first moved to Japan, a swallow's nest close to or in an entrance to a house.  You can see the adults flying and catching insects with the hatchlings crying all summer long.  It was explained to me that if a swallow decides to have a nest in your house it brings good luck for you.  So because of this many people love them greatly and don't bother them in the least.  Most places only put something under the nests to catch any poop or anything that might fall so it doesn't get on storefronts and cars.

What my wife and I first noticed is the yellow wall that stands out in the old part of town.  The straw colored nest against it and you can see the love and care put into it by the adults.  The little hatchlings yellow-red beaks peeking out from the top of the nest.  I love the white in the adult's stomach in contrast to the black back and the accent of the rust brown neck.  A lovely picture that I am glad I had the privilege to take.

Thank you very much for reading.

Saturday, December 8, 2012

Spider Crab


Hello,

I remember the day I took this picture very clearly.  My father and I had decided to go fishing on a boat that he went on all the time.  Very relaxing because it didn't leave the dock very early.  The weather that day was great for fishing, just a little bit of wind, lots of sunshine with no clouds at all but not that hot at all.  We had been fishing for a little while when the captain caught this spider crab.  When you are fishing you can always catch something interesting.

I didn't think it was anything to special because I have seen thousands of spider crabs before but I thought that I should take a photo none the less.  Something about how young it was but it still had a ton of stuff growing on it.  The yellow young sponges on it's head that almost blocks it's eyes.  Mud colored algae all over the whole body makes it look dirty when it is actually quite clean over all.  I have always loved their red claws though with the long skinny legs, the one thing I don't like about spider crabs is eating them.

Thank you very much. 

Friday, December 7, 2012

Tree Stump

Hello,

One of the things that I wanted to do in Japan was go to an Onsen or hot springs.  I knew a little bit about them from other sources and I even went to a small foot bath one in California.  I was overwhelmed by it when I did go though, mostly by the smell and then by how hot it was even just inside the building.  It was very relaxing when I got used to it though and very much enjoyed the chestnut sauna that they had.

I had walked to the Onsen, so on the way back I took a different way and that's where the picture came from.  I don't know what kind of tree it was but it looked interesting anyway.  Mostly I saw the curved inward bark that circled back into the trunk of the tree as it was alive.  The growth rings seem to fade and vanish into itself and there is no real center of the tree either.  The termite damage is just right as well, then the weathered man-made damage tells it's age.

Thank you very much.

Thursday, December 6, 2012

Sakura Blossoms


Hello,

Now that winter is upon us I thought a little bit of spring would be nice.  In my mind that means flowers, rain, and green everywhere.  I was walking around this park in a very windy day this last spring with the blooming tree and plants all around me.  Even though it was windy these Sakura tree blossoms did not want to fall at all.  The spirit that they had to survive for at least one whole day in that cold, rainy, bleak day made me want to take as least a few photos.

Even though the sky in dark and not very colored you can still make out the colors in the blossoms.  The red centers with the white, soft pink petals and then the bark running though the whole thing brings many things to the scene.  I also enjoy the almost soft light effect that the overcast sky has on the whole picture as a whole. 

Thank you very much.

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Brook Trout

Hello,

I have been wanting to put this picture up for a little while now.  This picture was from one of my fishing trips with my father near Bishop, California in Rock Creek Lake.  I have been fishing for all my life and now it has become a true joy to fish not just to catch fish.  This little brook trout is a native which I love to catch.  I saw him and about three other males trying to catch the attention of a female on her nest.  These little, very smart native fish are so hard to catch that I am lucky to get one a trip, which is mostly my fault for not trying though.

For about thirty minutes I tried everything to catch this little one when finally a worm finally got him just right.  It was rare for me to get a native that I wanted a photo of him on the gravel.  Right before I put him back I thought that with my black net it would come out better, boy am I glad I did that.  The photo without the net you couldn't see him very well because the gravel and his skin was almost the same color.  The color spots on his side and the white lines on his fins showing the beginning of spawning jump right out. 

Thank you very much.

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Yellow Flower Bee


Hello,

This is so nice to me that I printed it out and now it is at the entrance of my house.  It was June and very hot but at least the flowers and bugs were out in force.  I happened upon this flower and thought it was pretty and well lit in the sun and took a couple of photos.  Just as I was going to walk away the bee came and landed right on the same flower not even caring I was there.  I took that she wanted her picture taken, so that is just what I did.

This almost all yellow picture amazes me that few do.  The yellow in the overlapping petals and pollen are the same tone so blend nicely together.  Then the black from both the bee and under the pollen pop out to focus your eye to them.  It's like they say watch me I am doing my job I love what I do.  I normally don't do anything for any of my pictures but for this one I turned it upside down.  It has more of an open fell rather then a sad look.

Thank you very much.

Monday, December 3, 2012

Fighting Mantis

Hello,

These two praying mantis were in my front yard fighting last month.  I had seen them earlier in the day walking toward each other and didn't give it a second thought.  About three hours later I went back out and they had just gotten to each other and started to fight but I left them alone.  Another hour going by and I think that they might make a good picture so I go outside and they are still fighting on the sidewalk.  I took a few photos and decide that I didn't want them to get stepped on so I move them to my bushes.

The next day as I was taking out the trash I pass by where I put them and see they are still fighting but I leave them alone. Four hours after that I think that even more photos would be nice because I think praying mantis are interesting.  This is one of those pictures that I took the second day of their fight and they were going all out.  By the third day it was over the one with the back to you won and was eating the loser, and all I could think was that was one long fight.

This was an interesting picture to take because it looks like a lot of action is taking place, when the opposite is true.  It was slow and thought out each one of their moves to the maximum amount.  The green of the leafs and the shells of the mantis blend well together.  Even the spines of the mantis and the leafs like alike.  They didn't get scared of me and I was able to get very close and set up the scene and shot they way I wanted.  Very happy with the results.

Thank you very much.

Sunday, December 2, 2012

Tokyo Cranes


Hello,

Growing up in a big city, vacationing in the country, then moving to a smaller city, I never loved the city much.  When I first came to Japan I didn't think I wanted to spend any time in Tokyo at all thinking it was the same as the rest.  I was wrong of course.  You can have a thousand year old temple with young people listening to  brand new iPhone 5's.  Right next to a modern restaurant serving tomato foam and freeze dried lettuce to elderly elites.   I only spent a little time there though but found it interesting none the less.

This picture was taken on my second time in Tokyo and I had a chance to walk around a little.  It was about fifteen minutes after the sun had set so I still had a little bit of light in the sky.  The blue sky with just a hint of the green flash and the moon is wonderful.  Big heavy motionless cranes add to the atmosphere that is Tokyo and the never ending pace it sets.  The color and setting was so brief that I think I only had a window of ne minute before the light was gone.  The picture came out great though.

Thank you very much.

Saturday, December 1, 2012

Autumn Stream

Hello,

It is the end of the month so now is the time that I download, view, delete, and love the photos from the month.  I like to do it at the end of the month so that I can see the picture from the first of the month in a new light.  If the feeling and beauty is still there then I know that I did a good job with taking the photo.  It's interesting to me when I see a photo and think to myself; "I love it!" or "I have no idea what that is?"  Also which ones I thought I missed that came out perfectly and the ones I took fifty photos and deleted them all because I missed the scene.

When I took this picture I was on one of my "Getting Lost" walks.  This is when I walk to or from someplace I normally go but take a completely different route.  Sometimes I find some very interesting places that I would never see from my normal route.  Other times it is boring because all I see is office buildings and warehouses that all look the same.  I would tell you to try it if you have the courage and see a different side of your city.  It has to be said though that not once have I actually gotten lost.... yet.

The river in this picture is what really caught my eye.  As I walked closer to it I saw the bend in it and the fall color tree.  When I got out my camera I saw the stones in the river and the wall with the plants growing from the top.  Lastly I noticed that the road bends as well to go over the bend in the stream.  The mixture of nature, vintage concrete, and modern steel speaks of the age and also respect.

Thank you very much for looking.

Friday, November 30, 2012

Rock Flowering Succulent


Hello,

As you read in the last post I have always had a lot of plants around me growing up and succulent type plants were always my favorite.  They are hardy and seem to be able to grow in places that even grass refuse to grow.  Some like cactus you shouldn't touch but when they bloom and fruit out that's all I wanted to do.  Most of the year these plants are almost boring but for that short amount of time they are like a supernova burning bright.

This one was flowering with that wonderful yellow and orange flower.  It was growing out of a rock crack on a wall that was three feet off the ground.  By the looks of things I had missed two other flowers but that meant that this third was most likely the last for this year.  It struggles, survives, and looks great doing it as well.

Thank you for looking.

Thursday, November 29, 2012

Flower Sky

Hello,

In spring I was in California visiting my parents and as always I was amazed by all the flowers.  In California you can see flowers all year round all over the place.  My mom has a yard that she loves to have all kinds of plants in it.  Orchids, roses, decorative grasses, fruit trees, vegetables, flowering plants, and just about anything unusual.  This plant is growing right near my old bedroom, so at night I used to smell the lovely scent they would give off.

This photo was taken then I was just getting used my Sony A55.  I was working so hard to learn how to use it that I was taking a bunch of photos of everything.  I was under the plant looking up to get the great light and color that was there at the time.  The pink and white of the flowers with the green of the leafs make a wonderful color foreground to the blue sky.  To me the little bit a cloud coming from the sky is breathtaking.

Thank you very much.

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Morning Glory

Hello,

This beautiful morning glory looks more like the sun in a blue sky to me.  The blue is almost perfect for the sky color.  The yellow center with the rays stretching out is a great sun as well.  The fade from the center seems to me like when you look right at the sun then the blue sky gets darker as you look away from it. Without a single cloud, how lovely an image that is.

When I saw this on one of my walks I just had to take a picture of it.  One shot and one photo, which rarely happens to me, I normally take five pictures and maybe one is good.  There are many different colors and different people that have morning glories around me that I see a different one almost every time I take a walk.

Thank you for looking

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Zenkoji Cat

Hello,

This cat loves to be touched and to be in the way.  As you can see he loves to be touched and petted by anyone that passes by.  He loves it so much so that he lays down in the middle of the walkway so that people can see him.  I think he might be a stray but there is an elderly couple that looks after him.  He was sick for a little while so they took him to the hospital, but he is better now and getting in people's way.

This picture was taken in a warm summer day in Nagano, Japan.  Just a little bit south of Zenkoji temple at a place called Daimon or big gate.  I love to stroll in this area and take tons of photos of everything.   The grounds leading up to it are great, the shops are fun, and it has great atmosphere all around it.  I have many more photos of it so I will talk more about it later, to go with them.

Thank you for looking.

Monday, November 26, 2012

White Flower

Hello,

This picture is one of the first with my new camera that I was actually happy with.  This was taken with a Sony A55 which is my first DSLR, before I only had two bridge digital cameras and one film point and shoot.  The film one was a challenge mostly because I was in high school and was using it for school.  I loved my two bridge camera, one a Fujifilm and the other a Nikon.  Both took pictures very well and easy to boot but I could use any filters for them realistically.  I have some photos from both to upload onto this blog.

Now it comes to my current camera the Sony.  When I first unpacked the camera I was overjoyed, in my mind it was my first "Real" camera.  I could control everything but it and then I could get the pictures that were in my head.  I took a bunch of photos right off the bat and was nervous to see them.  I think that first week I took about five hundred photos, I kept two, only because I felt I had to.  It was so nerve racking to see the pictures were so bad, at first I thought is was the lens but I knew it was me.

I have been working steadily toward getting better and this beautiful flower is one of the fruit of my labor.  The sharpness in the stamen and pollen itches my nose.  The white petals folding over on themselves makes me think of a blanket.  Even the little peek of green and purple background adds a little jab of color.  I am working hard everyday to get better and I hope you all love the results.

Thank you for looking.

Sunday, November 25, 2012

Cat Avatar

Hello,

I was doing some updating to Google+ and thought I should add some type of avatar for myself.  I don't have that many photos of myself so I went through some of the pictures I am going to upload.  The photo I picked was this one of a cat.  I don't own or look after this cat at all it is a stray that likes my garden.  My name for him is "Dirty Face" but that doesn't mean I don't like him though.

He is just one of three cats that like my garden.  They lay on the big stones, sunbath in the grass, and hide from the sun in the shrubs.  None of them like me at all though.  I try to feed them fish or milk, they run away.  I try to take their photos, they run away.  I talk to them, they run away, you get the idea.  I have gotten used to the idea that I can only look at them and smile.

Thank you for looking.

Saturday, November 24, 2012

Farmer's Market

Hello,

Yesterday I walked to a little farmer's market in the area and had a great time.  As I was there I bought a few things that looked very good and fresh.  The red apples in the picture were from a nice old man in a stylish business suit.  The yellow apple was from a young man that came down from his apartment to sell some of his family's apples, I think.  I had more but I gave some to my elderly neighbor that I talk to regularly.  Lastly, the long onions from a little shop that sells mostly purses and backpacks for children.  They also gave me the mango looking fruit and a couple of mandarin oranges but I ate them.

After having the big haul of fruit and vegetables, I got a surprise this morning.  My elderly neighbor rang my doorbell and told me he had some daikon for me.  I was thinking he had one or two for me but he had gone to his farm and had two tons of them!  I ended up with seven big daikon with one in the refrigerator and he ended up with some of my apples.  He seems happy about the exchange and so was I.  He was so happy in fact that he gave me some more long onions as well.  I made onion fried rice with them because of how fresh they were.

Thank you for looking.

Friday, November 23, 2012

Melting Can

Hello,

Today is a picture of a can.  I know that doesn't sound like much but I love it none the less.  I noticed it about 4 months ago and thought it would be gone soon.  I didn't have my camera that day so I was a little bit upset that there wasn't a picture of it.  Two months and a few rain storms later I was passing by the ditch again and to my surprise it was still in the same place as before.  This time though I had my camera and of course I took enough pictures to feel content.  I see the hard life of something that wasn't made for it and should have been recycled long ago and it makes me happy. 

Thank you for looking.

Thursday, November 22, 2012

Cosmos

Hello,

This photo is not that old but I fell in love with it the second I saw it on my computer.  The color is so striking and varied it almost feels like I used Photoshop to create the image from nothing.  The green and black background with the wonderful purple petals showing you the way to the beautiful yellow center.  For a flower on the side of the road in Japan I think it tells a great story and a happy one at that.

Thank you for looking.

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

California Kingfisher

Hello,

I feel I really have to start with this photo of a Kingfisher.  I took this photo about two hours before sunset as I was fishing with my father and wife.  The fishing was slow,so I got out the new camera I just purchased and started taking pictures of everything.  A week later, as I was sorting through all the photos, I saw this one I showed it to a few people and everyone liked it.  This with about ten others turned into a photo-book I got printed about the trip.  I hope you all enjoy it.