This week I checked off a small photography bucket list item- shooting the Flatiron in Jerome, Arizona!
Although Jerome is only about an hour from home and I’ve been there many, many, MANY times, I had never managed to walk down to this corner to take this photo. This time, we approached Jerome from the Sedona side, so I made a point of telling Lonnie ahead of time that I wanted this shot and to be ready to pull over at the first available parking space. Mission accomplished!
I spotted the shadows on these steps at the Tehachapi train station and loved the lines and patterns they made. I decided to emphasize the graphic design qualities of this shot by doing a little . . . ummm . . .creative editing.
Last week’s road trip back home managed to yield a few photos despite our disappointment about not getting to Monterey.. We spent the night in Tehachapi and went over to the train station so I could have the opportunity to find something (ANYTHING!) to photograph. We had been there a couple times before and knew there were some old railroad items on display. Below is a view of the wheels on an old box car.
Edited with some grunge textures and filters.
We have just returned from a road trip to the San Francisco Bay Area, and this is the first photo I’ve posted since our return (last week’s and Monday’s photos were scheduled in advance before we left). Our trip was supposed to be a two day business trip for my husband followed by a long weekend in Monterey (which was supposed to include lots of photo opportunities. . .). Unfortunately, I had to take my husband to the ER the second night we were in the Bay Area- and he ended up being hospitalized for 5 days! He is much improved now, and “normal” life has resumed.
On the last day he was in the hospital, I brought my camera with me and photographed parts of an art installation across from the main entrance. Since I first saw it, I had been captivated by this piece of art, which forms a semi-wall in front of the parking area. I decided to practice my multiple exposure skills in photographing it, because I didn’t want to just capture someone else’s art- I wanted to create my own.
When I got home and downloaded my images, I was struck by how the jagged lines resembled the parts of the display I was constantly seeing on the monitor at his bedside- as if they were stacked upon each other. Is this why I was so attracted to it? Or does it represent the chaos of dealing with a medical situation while on vacation? I don’t know- but this is the result.
Shifting Realities:
Being a photographer who likes simple compositions, I have to say I prefer the crop below. It doesn’t look like it represents any of the angst of last week- it now looks more like mountains to me.
Night Peaks:
The Anchorage Museum is fantastic for children AND adults. It not only has exhibits of the art and culture of Alaska native peoples, but also has interactive science exhibits (earthquakes for example). The image below is from their contemporary art gallery.
Some of the Alaska native peoples built smokehouses and dwellings underground like these, seen at the Alaska Native Heritage Center in Anchorage (I believe they were Yupik).
Spotted on Glacier Bay while on our 26 Glacier Cruise
This week I’m meeting with my little AAUW photo group- and the topic is emotions in photos. We didn’t have a presentation on this, so I felt like I was flying blind with this theme. I chose a photograph of one of my grandsons looking APPREHENSIVE as he got on the school bus to kindergarten, another of a group of children looking GLEEful as they frolicked on the beach- and then three flower photos (one HAPPY cosmos and two echinacea). I had bought the echinacea at last weekend’s farmer’s market and decided yesterday to photograph them in their current state of WILT.
Here is DEJECTED:
And here is FRAZZLED:
No, the skies weren’t really this dark. But the sun was a vivid red due to smoky skies.
Eagle River, Alaska
Our visit to Alaska this year took place during the longest days of summer. I was fascinated by the constant sun which glowed bright red with the smoky haze in the air- which I found challenging to capture with my camera. The photo below was taken about 11:15pm from a viewpoint in Eagle River. The sky was actually lighter than it appears here- and the sun was much redder (notice the reflection in the water!). I will be posting more of my sun images in the near future.
We have just returned from a visit to our daughter’s family in Alaska. While the best part of the trip was family time with our dear ones, the best family ACTIVITY was hands-down the 26 glacier cruise on Prince William Sound. We had a few doubts, because the sky has been hazy and smoky due to the ongoing Kenai fire- but despite that, it was a glorious day!
And what are those specks in the foreground, you ask? Sea otters! We saw dozens- and I grew so used to them, I didn’t even realize they were in this shot at first!
While Lonnie and our friends Kathryn and Scott were walking part of the trail up Sedona’s Bell Rock in April, I amused myself taking photos. I’ve photographed Bell Rock so many times (and never in “good light”) that it was hard to find a new approach- hence this partial view emphasizing the clouds.
As you drive into Prescott, you see the absolute biggest flag ever. This was taken from the Walmart parking lot- perhaps a first for me!
melinda anderson photography 