Saturday, December 14, 2013

Possibilities

Downtown Detroit is home to many things, one of which is quite a few really old churches. The architecture of the old churches is beautiful. Eventually, I would like to photograph all of the ones in the downtown area and post them so others can enjoy the beautiful architecture of the buildings that have stood through the test of time. When you enter into one of the churches, that's where "Possibilities" are endless. Faith, love, hope, etc. are all part of the magic that can happen inside of a church. All it takes is for one person to believe. This photo was taken earlier this year. It sits on one of the main roads in downtown Detroit, right next to Comerica Park (Detroit Tigers), and across the street from Hockeytown Cafe (Detroit Red Wings). Since it is the Christmas season, it seemed like a perfect time to post this photo, and think about the "Possibilities." Hope you enjoy!


Saturday, December 7, 2013

Puddle Jumping!

I was looking through my many photos, and I came across this one that I have always liked for some reason. I took this last year in Florida, on one of the many shores of the Atlantic Ocean. It was near night, which always brings in the tide. In this photo, the tide would wash out and take large amounts of sand with it, creating several pockets of holes in the sand. Then when the tide rolled back in a few seconds later, the large amounts of sand would wash back up on the shore with the tide. This is one of those photos where you can actually see the sand rolling back to the shore. Hope you enjoy!

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Bridging the Gap

This is another fall photo taken at one of the parks I frequent all year-round. I loved the look of this scene because of the many colors that were on display for fall. The bridge goes over the man-made lake that has fountains sprouting through it in the summer. Even in the winter, when the fountains are off for the season, I always find something interesting here to photograph. Hope you enjoy!

Monday, November 25, 2013

Detroit's Heidelberg Project

Last Thursday, I took a ride to a place that is located a few miles from the outskirts of Downtown Detroit, a street named Heidelberg. It is on this very impoverished street, that an iconic urban art display known as the "Heidelberg Project" is located. This two block area is an artistic display of old, abandoned homes that have been turned into art through recycled items, many of which were just originally tossed somewhere on the streets of Detroit. This project was started approx. 23 years ago, by an artist named Tyree Guyton, but was soon embraced by the community surrounding this area, with many contributors including children, helping to create this iconic art display. The Heidelberg Project receives almost 300,000 visitors a year, as a tourist place to visit in Detroit.

Each house that is adorned in art, has a name or theme associated with it, such as the "House of Soul", "The Numbers House", and "The Penny House", to name just a few. In May of this year, and again in October, someone burned down what was known as the "OJ" or "House of Justice" that was part of the project. On November 13th, someone then burned down what was formerly known as the "House of Soul", it's exterior decorated with hundreds of real vinyl record albums. On November 21st, the project was again struck by fire when someone burned down what was known as the "Penny House", which was actually slated to be turned into offices for the Heidelberg Project. Hopefully, this arsonist will be caught before anymore damage can be done to this expression of open-air, urban art.

I have lived in the Detroit area my whole life and love so many things about the city, regardless of the negative press that often surrounds Detroit in recent years. After hearing about yet another fire to another structure at the project, I realized that I had never been there, in person, to see the Heidelberg Project. I decided I wanted to see this iconic neighborhood display before anything more unsavory happens to it. Many people would argue that this is not art, but garbage. I think that art is, of course, always in the eye of the beholder. This project has created a close-knit community of people who love, respect and support this project. It also gives them hope for a better future, and someone is trying to take this away from them, and all who appreciate what the community is trying to create in what would otherwise be, just more old abandoned houses.

It was a really cloudy, dreary day when I went to the project. I took all of the following photos from my car, as I had my Mom with me, and she just had knee replacement surgery, so walking was just not something I was able to do at the time. Here are some of the photos I took of the iconic two block landmark. Hope you enjoy this little tour of art that is somewhat different than what we see everyday!


The Dog House

House of Numbers

Circle House

The Teddy Bear House

The Clock House

Taxi House

Cake House

Each adjacent open lawn area is also covered in some type of art, such as this example:
Noah's Ark

Remains of the houses that were burned down:


Photos of what the original burned houses looked like can be found on the internet, by searching for the "Detroit Heidelberg Project."

Sunday, November 10, 2013

Washed Away

It seems like when the Fall season starts, time changes in preparation for Winter. This particular Fall seems like it is going by much faster than I can ever remember. I went back to the cider mill for the last time this fall, and was really surprised as most of the trees are already close to bare. It was cold and windy, so the river was flowing pretty fast that day. While I stood there watching the river, I saw a fair amount of leaves being "Washed Away" down the path of the river's current. In this photo, there is a clump of leaves that got stuck on a rock, and had not yet been washed away. Enjoy!

Monday, November 4, 2013

Pink Pearl

I have two yellow bushes in my front yard that produce tiny little pink buds twice during the year. These buds are so tiny, most people would not even notice them. They have been in my yard for 3 years now, and this is really the first time that I actually took a good look at them. They are about the size of a dime. When they started to bloom, I saw that they were absolutely gorgeous pink colors with pearly white strands around them. I have no idea of what they are, but up close you can see how beautiful they are. Enjoy!

Thursday, October 31, 2013

Through the Path of Colors

Fall is a special time of year in Michigan, where everything changes in preparation for Winter. The air outside is crisp and fresh, the leaves on the trees change from green to golden yellows, oranges and reds, just before falling off and covering the ground with a great deal of leaves that crunch under your feet as you walk the ground around you. This is a photo I took in the park a few days ago as the winding path was a backdrop of gorgeous fall colors!

Sunday, October 27, 2013

Fall-The Last Sail!

I've been to about 5 different parks in the last two weeks, just to go see all of the beautiful fall colors! Each park has something different as far as the colors go. There is a great variety of colors at each park. Some of the parks have water, as they are my favorite kind of parks. This one, I took a few days ago just sitting in front of the Coast Guard Station at one of the marinas. It was extremely cloudy outside, but the sun was still shining. This lonely sailboat caught my eye, as it appears to be the last boat in the water. The colors of the trees around the area of the boat, created a pretty photo. Hope you like it!

Sunday, October 20, 2013

Fall Morning Mist

After seeing all of the beautiful fall colors once, I went back to the cider mill on Friday. I didn't go for the cider this time. I went because I realized what a beautiful photo background the river created for the fall colors. I went early in the morning this time. After I was greeted by the goats, (pics in future post), I headed down by the Clinton River to see what the colors looked like once again. The first thing I saw was that the sun was just starting to show through the trees and on the river. The effect of the sun-rays created a gorgeous foggy mist on the river! It was a beautiful way to start the weekend!

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Fall Along the River

Yesterday I had the chance to get outside and go visit one of many cider mills in the area. However, my favorite is Yates Cider Mill which turned 150 yrs old this year. I have visited this cider mill every year since I can remember. I love the large wooden water wheel, the smell of apples inside, and being able to sometimes watch the mashing machine as it presses the apples into cider. I also love the warm donuts, you cannot eat just one! On the outside of this particular cider mill runs the Clinton River for miles and miles. There is a trail that can be walked, which seems to go on forever. This is one of the photos that I took while walking down off of the trail and right along the river. The fall colors are beautiful, and the sound of the river makes it feel like a place you would want to sit for hours and hours. Hope you enjoy the beauty of fall in this photo!

Monday, October 14, 2013

The Looking Glass

There is a good contrast of old and new buildings in Downtown Detroit, as my eye is always drawn to both when I have my camera. This photo is one of the older buildings downtown. The architectural detail is what always draws me in to the older buildings, the way they were made, and how they continue to withstand time.

I've been spending time looking at Black & White photos from other photographers online, as it is something I have wanted to learn myself for awhile now. I am having trouble deciding what actually constitutes a good black and white photo. I see some that are a stark black and white together, some that have more black than white, some that have more white than black and some that are even black and gray. I have a number of photos that I believe would look better in black and white, then they would in color. So, as I begin experimenting with black and white photos, I would love it if someone could tell me if I am on the right track or not? Or, is it just a matter of personal preference in this regard too? Hope you enjoy!

Thursday, October 10, 2013

On the Set - "Transformers 4"

This summer I was able to experience something that we do not normally see in the Detroit area. In the heart of downtown Detroit was the filming of the movie "Transformers 4." A few city blocks made up the set of the movie, which was disguised as Hong Kong, and no longer Detroit. I was hoping to get a glimpse of Mark Wahlberg, but there was no actual filming being done at the time I was there. Still, it was pretty cool to see a real movie set here so close to home. Here are a few photos from the movie set, looks like it will be a good movie when it is released in the Spring of 2014.



Tuesday, October 8, 2013

"Summer Farewell"

Saying good-bye for the Summer, to my special place on Lake Huron. I will miss it terribly throughout the Winter, as it is the place I go to find my peace and serenity, alone with my thoughts, and my camera. This is the place where I get up when it is still dark outside, grab a cup of coffee, my camera, and drive a few miles down to the Lake. There, I sit in serene silence, waiting for the magic to happen. The magic happens within minutes. A dark sky starts to lift, going from black to orange, gold, yellow and blue. The best part is when I look out onto the water and see a big red ball come up from the water out of no where. As it rises, it turns all of the magical colors of the sun. Many mornings, I am able to share the spot with geese, ducks, and even deer. I will miss it a great deal during the Winter, and long for the time when I will be back again to experience the magic and beauty of all this magical place has to offer. One last look in my mirror before I go, "Summer Farewell."

Sunday, October 6, 2013

Dawn's Early Light

Last Sunday, 9/29/13 was 9 months since my step-son passed away. I woke up with this thought on my mind, and thoughts of him. I looked out one of my back windows and saw that the sky looked like it was kind of pink. Then, I went to my front window, where our house faces Lake St. Clair about 4 miles away. The view unfolding before me was spectacular! The sky was such an amazing color with the clouds rolling by in different shades of yellow and orange. Somehow I knew at that moment, that my step-son was ok, and that he knew I was thinking of him, especially on this morning. It was also a reminder that life has to go on, and there is still beauty in all the world has to offer. So, this is the "Dawn's Early Light" as the sun came up last Sunday.

Thursday, October 3, 2013

Summer's Harvest Colors

Still going through all of my Summer photos, and I feel so blessed to be able to look back at all of the things I was able to see and do this Summer. I had the opportunity to spend a lot of time with my Mom who is suffering from Alzheimer's Disease. She recently had surgery a few weeks ago, and the anesthesia that was used on her took away her short-term memory, which looks like it is permanent. So while I am secretly mourning her memory loss, it gives me comfort to know that we had so much fun this Summer. If not for my camera, I would not have the reminders of all the new things I was able to let her experience. This photo is of a flower who's identity I do not know. The many brilliant gold and orange colors remind me of Fall. Hoping to get out with my camera soon, and have the opportunity to catch many more Fall colors! Nature's beauty never disasppoints!

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Exactly As I Saw the Sunrise!

Nature and landscapes always amaze me. I went down to the Lake early one morning last month to try and catch the sunrise. I figured that maybe I was too late judging by the sky. Was I ever wrong! This is what I saw the moment I parked my car and got out to walk towards the lake. You just can't make this stuff up! A few moments later, I saw the beginning of a red ball rise from the lake. It was absolutely beautiful! Will post some photos of the big red ball rising in another post. Enjoy the day, it's going to be in the 90's here in Michigan today. Thanks for looking!

Saturday, September 7, 2013

Bee Happy!

Fooling around in my yard taking photos, and found this Bee just having a great time, flying from branch to branch getting whatever food he could get from the flowers. I was surprised at the amount of detail I was able to capture in these photos, as I usually do not get too close to bees. I am hoping that I will get opportunity to take some more bee photos in the future, maybe with a closer view. Hope you enjoy them! Happy Saturday!

Monday, September 2, 2013

Blooming Hostas!

I can't believe it's Labor Day! Where did the summer go? I realized that I have done quite a lot this summer, as my camera tells all of the stories of the places I have been and the things I have done since the summer season started. On the days that I am home, I still love my flower garden in my front yard. Every year I watch as my perennial flowers grow bigger and bigger each year. It's my reminder that life keeps moving, no matter what happens. I really appreciate watching the growth of flowers, even the Hosta plants. Somehow flowers always make me smile inside. So here are a few photos to ponder. I hope someone else enjoys the beauty as much as I do!

Saturday, August 17, 2013

Just Pink!

Just a photo of some of my flowers from my garden. These are really beautiful pink blossoms, and I cannot remember the name of them, but they are just one of many in my garden that put a smile on my face when they are in bloom. Enjoy, and have a great weekend!

Monday, August 5, 2013

The Journey

Life is a journey. For most of us, it is a journey into the unknown. We ask ourselves where will our journey takes us if we pick door #1 or door #2, if we go left instead of right, etc. Many people just want to quickly get to their destination, and give no thought to the journey to get there. More often than not, the journey is more rewarding than the destination. When you take a moment to look back at how you got to the destination, you might realize the incredible steps you took in the journey to get there. It happens more than we realize in our everyday lives, "The Journey" is often more memorable than the destination. Have a great week!

Thursday, July 18, 2013

Reach for the Sky

I've been so busy this summer, running from here to there, and taking photos everywhere. I took photos for about the last month and did not look at any of them until I finally got back home from our summer place in Port Hope, MI. I sat down and went through all of my photos and immediately got rid of what I thought were the bad photos, and picked out some that I thought were really good photos. Then I thought "now what do I do?" I overwhelmed myself a bit because I think I've been spending too much time comparing my photos to other photogs out there. I was asking myself if this photo was any good, would people like it, etc. Then, I took a step back and realized that it doesn't matter what other people think of the photos I take. I am not trying to be a professional photographer, but I do want to continue to learn all of the aspects of what makes a good photo. I do want to take photos that are pleasing to look at, but ultimately all that matters is what I think of my photos. I realized that lately, I'm not having as much fun as I was before. So, I decided to play around with a few photos and have some fun. I took two photos and combined them into one which is called "Reach for the Sky." I will continue to take photos my whole life, as this is my passion. I will continue to learn all that I can, and to know that the sky is the limit as to what I can do with my photography. I will do it for myself first and see what happens after that. The red lilies in the photo are the actual lilies in my garden. They grew so tall this year and are leaning towards the sun, which gave the the idea to combine the photos. I hope you like it, as much as I enjoyed creating it.


Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Just A Daisy!

Getting ready to head back to my home away from home on the Lake for the 4th. Hoping to take some great photos while there, and see some more nature, flowers, etc. like this one. "Just A Daisy!" Have a great 4th everyone!

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Let the Light Shine Down

The woods in our yard at our summer place are beautiful. I can sit and look out there for long amounts of time and never get tired of the view. On the side of our woods is a path that the deer have created for themselves in which they go back and forth from the woods to the street. Usually, in early morning, they can be seen playing in the street and at dusk go back through their path and into the woods. Occasionally, a wild turkey runs across our yard, and the amount of different birds to be seen is pretty unique too. I have been trying to really learn about natural light and how to capture different kinds of photos with them. This particular photo is a picture of the woods where the trees seem to go on endlessly. I did not like the photo as much in color as I did while playing around with Infrared and B&W. I think this depicts more of how I actually saw the woods on this morning. The sun and the shadows the light created really stand out a lot more than the color version of this photo. So, "Let the Light Shine Down." Hope you enjoy!

Friday, June 28, 2013

Wild & Free

For the last two years, I have been having a love affair with photography. I love everything I learn, from the simple reminders to keep back-up batteries with me, to learning depth-of-field, shutter speeds, etc. I see the world in a whole new way, not just the obvious, but sometimes even the mundane. Everything I see suddenly is a photograph in my mind. For quite awhile now, it has become an outlet for me also.
It's my outlet from grief, pain, awkward silence, raw emotion, and trying to put one foot in front of the other each and everyday. Let me explain a little...A few days after this past Christmas, my husband and I received the most dreaded phone call every parent never wants to experience. We were informed that my 26 yr. old step-son had died suddenly at his mother's home in Florida. I've been through a lot in my life, but nothing compares to the pain of losing a child. It has changed me in so many ways, I can't even describe.
I do know that now I try to cherish each day more, say "I love you" more to family and friends, worry more about my own children, and try to see the beauty in all that life has to offer. I see many things that remind me of my step-son, some happy and some sad, but this particular photo jumped out at me in regards to him.
With that in mind...there are all kinds of wild flowers growing along the roads at our summer place. Many of them are just weeds, but are really pretty in their own right with the colors, shapes, etc. The photo below is just a shot of the rows and rows of wild daisies growing along the side of the road on our street. This particular photo reminded me of my step-son, as the flowers are growing wild and free, and their simply beauty can put a smile on your face. Hope you enjoy and "Happy Friday!"


Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Tail Up!

One of my days up north, I had just walked in, and saw this guy at my hummingbird feeder. Of course, I grabbed my camera as fast as I could since I have never seen a bird like this. He had beautiful orange and yellow colors, and definitely bigger than a hummingbird. I was able to grab a few quick shots before he flew away. This bird was so funny to watch, as he kept looking underneath the feeder, instead of trying to get some food from it. Really, he looked like he lost something and thought it would be found on the under side of the feeder! I think he was tipping the feeder to catch the drops of food that would spill out, due to his weight. I found out from one of my twitter friends (thanks Marianne!) that this particular bird is called an Oriole. It is actually the state bird of Maryland. While I am still trying to get my hummingbird shot, this guy gave me a great laugh watching him keep dipping under the feeder every few seconds, while I got my view of "Tail Up" the whole time! Hope you enjoy!

Sunday, June 16, 2013

A Visit From Jay

I was just sitting inside at our summer place, looking out the window into the woods at nothing in particular, except the rain. This little guy just flew over, and sat himself down on our deck. Of course, I grabbed my camera as fast as I could and tried to take a few photos. This is one of the best photos I was able to capture in the rain and through the window. Photographing moving animals is still something I really need to practice with, and is something I am going to pursue a lot more this summer. After I took this photo and the bird flew away, I went outside and suddenly there were dozens of these Bluejays flying around from tree to tree. I am not sure why there were so many in the area, as I have never seen so many at the same time. They continued to stay the entire week, darting around the yard and through the trees. They were fun to watch, and I was able to see a few more different birds while there. I will be posting photos of them soon. So for now here is a picture of "A Visit From Jay". Hope you like it!

Friday, June 14, 2013

Fire in the Sky

One of the advantages of being surrounded by the Great Lakes of Michigan, we have the opportunity to see some truly beautiful and amazing sunrises and sunsets on the waters. At out summer place on Lake Huron, I only have to drive about 3 miles to go and watch the sunrise on the lake. To see a sunset on the same lake, I have to drive about 15 miles to see it. As you can see from this photo, the 15 mile drive is so worth it! When the sun finally starts to drop down into the water, the whole thing lasts only about 5 minutes, as it drops really fast. The beauty of the water with the backdrop of the changing sky is incredible to watch. This is something I could do everyday and never get tired of seeing. I hope you enjoy this "Fire in the Sky" as much as I did!

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Quack Me Up!

I took my Mom to one of our local parks last month to enjoy the warmth and sunshine that finally made it's way to this part of the country. There were a large number of Canadian Geese walking around looking for food. They just love it when people feed them, and some of them get pretty brave just walking right up and taking the food out of your hands. While I was there, along came this bunch of babies. There were about 7 or 8 or them just walking around exploring all that nature has to offer. It was really hard to get a good sharp photo of these little babies, as they would not stay still for any length of time at all. This is one area that I really need to practice some more, but these babies were too cute not to post a photo. I did add a vignette to accent them a little more than just the grass they were sitting on. Hope you like these cute little babies too!