photography – Page 3

walks

January 11, 2013January 11, 2013Posted in thoughtsTagged charlottesville, field, flower, landscape, meditation, nature, photography, telephone wire, virginia, walk, walking, winter3 Comments

It seems we’re addicted to walks, at least during this curiously warm week in the quiet days before regular life demands our attention again.

On Monday, I went for a walk by myself to clear my head, twisting and turning through residential roads. There’s been some drama – and some loss – in my circle of friends and I let it get to me. But walking is meditation. You go and you go on your own two feet. You’re tired but you keep moving. You’re farther away than you ever intended to be, but you have the stamina to press on. To compel yourself forward even when your legs grow tired and the sun glares into your eyes as it sets. Walking is uncomplicated, but not necessarily easy. I think that’s the best way to live.

by the creek at golden hour

January 7, 2013Posted in life in photosTagged 50mm lens, adventure, charlottesville, creek, golden hour, nature, outdoor, park, photography, virginia3 Comments

When our original plans of visiting a nearby park were dashed, we simply ventured over to another one. It wasn’t much for looks until the sun started pooling at that magic golden hour angle in the sky. Daniel found a beaten down pathway across the creek and we had a brief but satisfying outdoor adventure.

good morning

January 6, 2013Posted in life in photosTagged 50mm lens, bouquet, breakfast, canon eos rebel xs, coffee, croissant, flowers, grocery, mason jar, mums, photography, still life, trader joes2 Comments

Picked up a bouquet of white and yellow mums and a box of chocolate croissants from Trader Joe’s on Friday. Enjoying them both – and the light streaming in from our wood-framed window – this morning.

The first week of 2013 was wonderful and the second one is off to a good start.

closure

January 2, 2013January 2, 2013Posted in thoughtsTagged 2012, 20s, adventure, change, friends, life, list, photography, questions, summary, virginia, year in review, young adultLeave a comment

The new year always throws me for a loop. I spent yesterday at home, off work, in a miserable mood, lashing out anytime Daniel so much as spoke to me. I guess a new year makes me feel obligated: to change bad habits, develop good ones, get motivated, achieve everything at once. In the final weeks of a year, I’m in full relaxation mode; not enough time to worry about accomplishing major goals or making significant decisions. It’s the only time, possibly all year, that I feel at ease and live day by day. All that being said, I don’t think I gave myself enough time for closure, and I’m hoping this list will help me sort 2012 out, close the book, and move forward.

Five events that have been the best this year?

getting my name in the company newsletter at work
my last summer adventures with Florida friends
St. Augustine for our anniversary (even though it was brief)
seeing Obama in downtown Charlottesville
exploring Virginia

Five events that have been the worst this year?

dealing with corporate crap at my former jobs
getting poison ivy
moving away from close friends and family
my bad attitude during Thanksgiving
doubting myself so often

What have you learned this year?

I am surprised by my own selflessness and selfishness. The pressure to figure out life really got to me this year, but I think I’ve settled into a more moderate temperament, trying to take opportunity as it comes and not be too hard on myself lest I completely destroy myself with internal verbal harassment.

Was it the year that you had in mind?

I was so wrapped up in self doubt and work drama at the beginning of 2012 that I don’t really think I envisioned what the year would be like. I knew we might move, but I didn’t think too hard about it. If I had anything in mind, it was that I would become a successful fashion blogger and adored internet presence by the end of the year. It was my temporary solution to being miserable with my non-virtual life. Things were better than that, though, and I’m glad I moved.

What clothes did you wear the most?

My oatmeal colored Mossimo cardigan, like, every day.

What music did you listen to the most?

the Sherwood CD Jenny left in my car
Mates of State
Sufjan Stevens’ Illinoise album (I listen to it a lot every year)
various Bluegrass music
the Simon & Garfunkel Pandora channel

What have you watched?

TV: Friday Night Lights, The Office, The Middle, My So-Called Life, The Cosby Show
Movies: Bernie, Take This Waltz, Perks of Being a Wallflower…

Which people did you hang out with most?

Andrea and Mike in Tallahassee, a little group of church goers/PhD students here.

What new people did you come to know?

Many, many new people. We’ve met a lot of great people here: Daniel’s colleagues, church friends, small group friends, and my coworkers.

What is the best thing you’ve read?

Fiction: Ender’s Game and The Hunger Games triology.
Nonfiction: Still by Lauren Winner

Did you do anything this year that you’ve never done before?

I traveled to Virginia for the first time, moved far away from family for the first time, and became a barista.

Did some of your friends become parents this year?

Yes, but not close friends.

What was your biggest achievement in 2012?

Managing to make money selling vintage online.

Best bargain?

A limited edition print of Jacob’s Ladder from Israel that I got for .50.

What did you spend the most money on?

the U-Haul truck.

What do you wish you’d done more?

woken up earlier.
practiced the banjo.

Favorite video of the year?

Caine’s Arcade

What did you do on your birthday in 2012?

ate Chinese food at home and felt sad.

How would you describe your style in 2012?

uncertain. I spent a lot of time over-thinking my personal style. I think it’s settled down into a sort of casual-girly-grunge thing.

(list from happy, honey, & lark; from Rodeo)

Baltimore

December 30, 2012Posted in life in photosTagged abandoned buildings, adventure, America, Baltimore, city, foreclosures, human spirit, Maryland, old churches, photography, photojournalism, pride, recession, urban2 Comments

Land of poverty, yarn bombers, abandoned buildings, and a thousand beautiful churches.

There seem to be more abandoned buildings in Baltimore than occupied ones. People linger in crowds on street corners and in alleys, boards nailed to the entryways of row houses, barbershops, and neglected historical buildings. Church doors are locked. In Baltimore, you see the effects of the recession in every direction. In Baltimore you see what apathy looks like. But you also see pride – and a firm resolve to love your home unconditionally, to stick by it even though your lack of resources prevent you from restoring it yourself.

Beanie Boo’s Tiny Adventure

December 26, 2012Posted in life in photosTagged 50mm lens, adventure, beanie boo, canon, canon eos rebel xs, cat, photography, stuffed animal, ty, virginia7 Comments

Beanie Boo travels out of doors for the first time. Images captured with my new 50mm lens.

Beanie Boo traveled from a distant land in a big, brown crate to bring Christmas cheer to all in her new household. She journeyed out into the big world for the first time on Christmas day. First stop, the ledge by the door for a cautious look at her surroundings.

She saw blossoming bushes

and outstretched fronds.

She tentatively climbed a tree. At first she felt exultant, but then she realized she couldn’t get down by herself. A friendly passerby assisted her.

She journeyed on through the yard and happened upon tiny pine cones.

She saw acorns hanging from a twig high above the ground.

She stopped to rest by some gnarled vines

then chewed on the tall grasses.

What a wonderful adventure!

it’s beginning

December 24, 2012Posted in life in photosTagged 2012, charlottesville, christmas, christmas eve, first snow, gifts, ornaments, photography, snowfall, tree, virginia1 Comment

– to look a lot like Christmas!

backyard

December 18, 2012Posted in life in photosTagged backyard, canon eos rebel xs, charlottesville, fall, landscape, macro, nature, photography, shallow dof, virginia, winter4 Comments

I haven’t been able to get out much lately. Between being poor, the weather looking like the above every other day, and Daniel being bogged down with schoolwork, we’ve been hesitant to get out there and enjoy the Virginia landscape. But I’m pleased to tell you that even our meager, rented backyard holds treasures: a pebble-encrusted walkway, a rotting pumpkin, mangled vines, and a bit of yellow in the neighbor’s yard.

shallow dof

December 10, 2012Posted in life in photosTagged 50mm lens, blur, bokeh, canon eos rebel xs, canon rebel, depth of field, dof, landscape, macro, nature, neighborhood, photography, shallow5 Comments

When my sister was in town, I discussed with her how I’d really like to achieve a better bokeh effect by purchasing a 50mm lens. A photography major, she scolded me promptly, telling me that achieving a shallow depth of field had everything to do with knowing how to adjust manual settings, not with buying more equipment. Although I was a bit embarrassed by the chastisement, I knew she meant well. And she was right. Too many wannabe photographers (like myself) think better equipment will automatically equal a better photo. All the while, we fail to take advantage of all the specifications and adjustments our fancy-schmancy cameras already provide. I read up on dof, then tinkered around with my camera outside until it started to rain. I’m pleased with these first attempts at achieving shallow dof.

I leave you with this photograph of my favorite, naked tree.

end of season

November 25, 2012November 26, 2012Posted in life in photosTagged apple, apple picking, blue ridge mountains, carter mountain, charlottesville, fall, friends, hike, orchard, photography, virginia, winter2 Comments

We’ve heard a lot about Carter Mountain during the last few months. The orchard opens to tourists when apples are ripe for harvesting in the early fall. Most apples have been picked by this time of year, but we thought we’d take the trip anyway (it’s only 10 minutes away from our house) since Andrea was in town.

The view was more extraordinary than I expected so close to home and we all had a lovely time walking through the orchard (but the hike back up to the parking lot was torturous). We collectively picked one apple as a souvenir. I still haven’t eaten it. It’s probably going bad!

inspired: Mathijs Delva

November 15, 2012Posted in inspirationTagged flickr, forest, golden hour, image, landscape, mathijs delva, nature, nostalgia, photography1 Comment

Mathijs Delva‘s work is difficult to describe in non-cliche terms. It’s breathtaking, ethereal, harmonious, nostalgic. His landscape work makes you want to fling your arms wide in exaltation and go live in the photograph.

(one, two, three, four, five)

Images via Mathijs Delva on flickr; individual links above. To purchase images, visit the photographer’s website.

Woodstock, VA

November 7, 2012Posted in life in photosTagged adventure, cemetery, fall, family, hangglider, landscape, lookout, parasailer, photography, shenandoah valley, virginia, woodstock, woodstock tower2 Comments

After we visited Luray Caverns, we drove further into the Shenandoah Valley. At one point, we stopped on the side of a winding mountain road to fill up jugs with spring water gurgling out of a pipe. We stopped at my father-in-law’s friend’s family’s campground to park our car, then carpooled over to Woodstock, his childhood home.

Woodstock is a tiny town with a nearly 360 degree view of mountains. We ate at one of the only privately owned restaurants in town, then traveled a short distance to the church Daniel’s grandfather pastored for several years. We explored the small cemetery in the back. I have always enjoyed the stillness of cemeteries. They put life in perspective and reveal the universality of living across centuries and places. Everyone dies. Everyone grieves.

The next part of our journey required our tour guide to drive up a narrow dirt road with corkscrew turns and no barriers to keep us from falling off the mountain. I was glad I didn’t have to navigate it myself. We saw hang gliders and parasailers at their takeoff site on our way up. We parked the car, then took a brief hike up to Woodstock Tower. A narrow steel structure, it used to serve as a fire tower, but was later opened to the public. It provides a panoramic view of Woodstock and its surrounding towns and landscapes. The cold air numbed our faces, but I didn’t mind.

There are few experiences that can transport me out of the daily – the anxieties, the anticipations, the expectations. Looking out from the Woodstock Tower stands out as a moment I’ll continually cling to for comfort. I felt peace and liberty there. I felt refreshed and acutely aware of my body, of myself. Shutting down my internal dialogue – muting the white noise – and experiencing silence within myself, I looked out, my skin reacted to the chill, I was happy, I was fully aware of that happiness, what it meant, and how long it’d been since I’d felt exactly that way.

I came back to Charlottesville with a brimming-over love for the place I live. I am proud to live here. I love this town and its majestic, natural surroundings.

autumn light

October 12, 2012October 12, 2012Posted in life in photosTagged autumn, charlottesville, fall, flowers, golden hour, leaves, light, neighborhood, photography, sunset, virginia4 Comments

I took a short walk yesterday evening to enjoy the crisp air and setting sun. I felt a bit crazy walking more after being on my feet all morning and having to hike back to my car by the least efficient route due to the Dalai Lama’s visit, but I’m glad I got out for a bit. The sun sets earlier each day, but the clarity and warmth it provides during daylight hours at this time of year make up for it.

The leaves are beginning to change their colors and fall to the earth, but many thriving green leaves remain. I plucked some from their branches to use as stamps for a small craft project.

Staunton exteriors

September 23, 2012September 23, 2012Posted in life in photosTagged architecture, color story, downtown, exteriors, facades, historical, photography, staunton, virginia2 Comments

We took a day trip over to the neighboring cities of Waynesboro and Staunton yesterday. While Waynesboro has a delightful Goodwill and a quaint downtown, the historical facades in downtown Staunton can’t be beat.

Brick, peeling with different shades of paint from at least a century’s worth of repairs and design preferences appeal to me because of the visual reminder of their age and history and, more simply, because of their unintended color stories, their unusual juxtapositions. They’re inspiring. I also enjoy the architectural details, so often disregarded in the design of contemporary structures in favor of cutting edge technology.