Yesterday was a beautiful day. The light was amazing and the snow was glistening. On my way to work, I saw many photos I wanted to take. But I didn’t have time. When I arrived at work, I greeted a co-worker and said in a cheerful tone, “Isn’t it just a beautiful day?” She flashed me a look which screamed that I was off my rocker. So I revised my statement. “It is miserably COLD outside, but it sure is VISUALLY beautiful.” My co-worker gave me a look of understanding.
Since yesterday was New Years Eve, our office closed up early, which meant I had daylight hours to shoot photos! Here’s what I captured.
Icicles on my garage. Yes, I did get out a step ladder to shoot these photos.
I never realized how much air gets trapped in icicles.
Don’t you just love the shadows and lovely light here? This is a great example of how great lighting can occur in fleeting moments. When I arrived home from work, the light looked like this. By the time I dragged out the ladder and was ready to shoot, the light had dissipated due to some light cloud cover. So I waited it out and within five minutes the light was back. Sometimes the greatest skill a photographer can acquire is patience.
I shot this photo because I liked the contrast between light and shadow and the texture of the snow itself.
Ice crystals in snow.
Great texture of ice on the sidewalk being eroded away by salt.
Snow on an evergreen shrub.
I wish you a heartfelt Happy New Year and send wishes for a prosperous 2010. Cheers!
HBO’s newest show, Bored to Death, is entertaining, funny and has a brilliant intro. The intro has not only a great concept, but excellent execution as well.
First, let me explain what the show is about. Jonathan, a pothead writer who drinks too much white wine, just went through a bad break-up with his girlfriend (she broke up with him for smoking and drinking too much). While down in the dumps, he places an ad on Craig’s List as a non-licensed private detective. See, Jonathan reads a lot of detective books and he wants to be a hero, like the ones from his private detective novels.
The intro features a detective novel, which is opened to a page of regular text. The text moves and morphs into illustrations. When the illustrations (made of text) walk or move, words are left behind. I watched the intro frame by frame in order to capture the photos below, and in doing this, learned the deeper meaning embedded. The words that are left behind when the people move are descriptive words about that character.
For example, words to describe the main character Jonathan are: pothead, alcoholic, dreamer, pathetic, bored, books, merlot, etc. See the still shots below.
Tune in to HBO on Sunday nights at 9:30 (check your local listings).
I created this color palette based on me and my personality. (To see previous palettes, click on the category “What is my favorite color?”)
Why these colors? They are a combination of who I am and what I aspire to be. And I love they way they look. Separately as individuals and together as a palette.
Why Red: My personality is full of passion. I’m outgoing. I have strong opinions (see my post about the em-dash, post on compact fluorescent bulbs or my rant/rave about cell phones). This is a strong color and is best served in small doses! In the layout below, where red shows up as little slivers of color it’s enough. And it adds the zing needed to enliven the design.
Why Green-Turquoise: I aspire to be more calm and patient. I aspire to be open-minded.
Why Deep Blue: This blue color is kind of moody and I’m not a morning person. On the other end of the spectrum, this color is classic and traditional. I think logically. I’m well-grounded and I aspire to be humble. I’m trustworthy and honest.
Introducing the complete palette. In the words of Katy Perry, it’s hot and it’s cold, it’s yes and it’s no, it’s in and it’s out, it’s up and it’s down. These jewel-tone hues balance each other out. Calm, cool and collected combined with hot, hyper and highly-enthusiastic.
As with most families, the apples didn’t fall far from the trees. 221 shares characteristics like an outgoing personality with 7406. (I’ve heard some say they are the life of the party!) 519 and 3025 are loyal and dependable friends.
While each color definitely has it’s own personality, they stand together united as a family.
About a week ago, I posted my favorite color: Pantone® 3025. I didn’t think it was good for the color to be alone, so I’ve given him a partner. Meet Pantone® 7406. While 3025 is calm, cool and collected, 7406 is wild, hyper and oh so much fun! Opposites certainly attract. And their differences are a great complement.
Right now I’m loving this color: Pantone® 3025. This blue color reminds me of the color of the sky approximately 1 hour after sunset. This sky color signals it’s time to slow down and relax after a day of hard work. It is lush and slightly moody. Yet it’s calming.
My home office is painted a similar hue, but isn’t quite as vibrant, the walls are a little more grey. (Behr Lost Atlantis)
