sometimes i let the neighbor cat inside to wander my things. tail held high he weaves through rooms, king of the castle, purring. today he finds grandmother’s wood hope chest with the carved letter K, for Kate. “what’s this?” he asks rubbing against my bare legs. “let me show you,” i say lifting him from the lid. her smell is gone, but her things remain, tucked inside mine. old and older. dear grandmother and granddaughter. here. gently i pull out a dark blue handkerchief, tracing the small K. “see?” we walk into the backyard, cat at my heels, and place it upon the bright flowers. she loves being outside. sunlight warms my skin. twice.
“I lоst my hеаrt аt thе fаirgrоund Tо thе bоy оn thе swing mасhinе Hе stоlе my lоvе sо соmplеtеly If оnly I соuld hаvе sееn.” —Glenda Collins
Yesterday I shared some photos from the California State Fair which featured backlighting. Today I’m offering up some more photos for you to enjoy. I hope these bring a smile to your face and perhaps spark a memory of young love, riding the slides, or simply the taste of something sweet. Let me know if you have a favorite.
#1#2#3#4#5#6#7#8#9#10#11#12#13#14#15
Photos were taken with an Olympus OM-D and edited with ON1 Photo RAW
If you want to join the 52 Photo Challenge, you can find all the information at nicolesy.com
“I wonder if his hair is darker than usual or if angels have just started following him around with dramatic backlighting.”—R.S. Grey, The Beau & the Belle
This week my assignment for the 52 photo challenge was backlight. From what I understand, this is similar to silhouette, but you can still see a lot of detail in the subject.
As I was taking my daughter and her best friend to the California State Fair, I decided to do this assignment there. It proved to be only mildly successful, but it was interesting walking around a place that holds such fond memories with only my camera for company.
Let me know which photo best fits the assignment and if you have a favorite. Be on the lookout for more fair photos tomorrow. Hope you have a fantastic week!
#1#2#3#4#5#6#7#8#9#10. This last one probably doesn’t fit the assignment, but I included it anyway. Would have been wonderful for week 21.
Photos were taken with an Olympus OM-D and edited with ON1 Photo RAW
If you want to join the 52 Photo Challenge, you can find all the information at nicolesy.com
nobody cried when sweet smoke arrived. we soot danced, our eyes half-open, bodies ash-drunk on sugar promises plucked endlessly on old guitar
strings. winding streets slowly filled with smoke, siren calling hearts to believe not our choking breath, but it. singing praises like honey symphonies, words
of control. hushing words. lies laying beneath. it quick burns papery thin childlike-hope into dying embers. we believe it all until you
speak. standing atop stacked rocks bright hair blowing, tender eyes locked on us, you say “listen to the wind.” we do. it bends flowers, stops dragonflies, sings
towns alive. go—sweep floors, hug trees, wipe ash from foreheads, clean water, move air. listen to stone, earth, plant. grab my hand tight. don’t ever let me go.
Note: Is this poem inspired by Barbenheimer? Perhaps. Perhaps. Perhaps.
“The skies and land are so enormous, and the detail so precise and exquisite that wherever you are you are isolated in a glowing world between the macro and the micro, where everything is sidewise under you and over you, and the clocks stopped long ago.”—Ansel Adams
This week my assignment for the 52 photo challenge was macro photography. The idea is to showcase a subject larger than it is in real life—an extreme close-up. These are my favorite types of photos and I was excited to spend some time looking for things to zoom in on.
I spent the morning at Folsom Lake with the dragonflies and then finished up with a few shots in my backyard. I alternated between my macro lens and my 14-150mm lens. Let me know which shot you like best and have a fantastic week!
#1#2#3#4#5#6#7#8#9#10
Bonus lake photo:
Photos were taken with an Olympus OM-D and edited with ON1 Photo RAW
If you want to join the 52 Photo Challenge, you can find all the information at nicolesy.com
“If you look the right way, you can see that the whole world is a garden.” —Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden
This week my assignment for the 52 photo challenge was to explore low perspective. I had intended to find interesting shots at WorldFest this weekend, but they changed their policy and I wasn’t allowed to bring my camera in. This turned out to be a blessing, which I will write about later this week, but it meant my challenge photos had to wait until this morning.
Most of these shots are from my yard a little after sunrise. While these photos are somewhat similar to the ones I took in Week 20 for Unique Perspective, I hope you will find something new to enjoy here. Let me know if you have a favorite and have a fantastic week.
#1#2#3#4#5#6#7#8#9#10
After looking down for so long, I had to look up. The darkness on the right makes it look a bit like the view of Earth from space.
Photos were taken with an Olympus OM-D and edited with ON1 Photo RAW
If you want to join the 52 Photo Challenge, you can find all the information at nicolesy.com
“I am my own muse. I am the subject I know best. The subject I wish to know better.” —Frida Kahlo
For the last seven years, my daughter has been part of an amazing organization called G.I.R.L.S. Rock Sacramento (Gender Inclusivity through Radical Love and Support). It’s a wonderful nonprofit 501 C-3 organization that does far more than teach girls to play instruments.
Their mission statement is to help those who identify as girls, non-binary, or gender-expansive youth build self-esteem through music education and performance, collaboration, empowerment, a supportive community of peers and mentors, and the development of leadership skills.
They do this by putting together bands and guiding them as they create an original song. Prior music experience isn’t required, and for some, this is the first time they’ve played an instrument. The week they spend together is filled with workshops, mentors, and fun. It’s incredibly important we support programs like this as they can be life-saving, particularly for LGBTQ+ youth who may not feel safe being themselves.
I’ve watched my daughter grow immensely each summer in confidence and skill. Every single person involved is loving, caring and genuinely wants to help these girls thrive. The love here is what the world needs and I’m beyond grateful for this supportive community.
Last night I had the opportunity to watch my daughter’s band Limerence record their song at Rosa Mortem Recording Studio. From the moment we arrived, the owner Ashley gave freely of herself, her space, and her time. I was floored by the way these girls were treated as professional musicians and how much they rose to the occasion.
The girls recorded in the studio for five hours and Ashley and her assistants are doing the same for all five bands. In addition, she’s using her talent and expertise to make the songs sound the very best they can. It’s no small thing, but a generous gift and remarkable to witness. I left feeling tremendous hope for the future and with a full heart.
The recording studio resides in the Sacramento Media Center and Ashley gave the girls a tour of the entire building. Perhaps this exposure will lead one of them to consider a career in the technical side of production. It sure made me wish I could be a part of this magic.
One of the back rooms belongs to Odin Makes, a YouTube channel that has been described as “a cooking show for props”. This was a highlight for the girls and for me. I’m absolutely obsessed now with watching his videos and hopefully can meet him someday.
Myki Angeline, who you can find at Myki on Middays on 98 Rock, has been involved in G.I.R.L.S. Rock Sacramento since the beginning teaching self-defense. She was at the recording studio last night bringing her positive energy, encouragement, and playfulness. Also, maybe, revealing her true superhero persona.
You might consider sponsoring a girl for the camp or donating to help cover costs. For more information visit:
“I became the fractured shell of a mustard seed to dwell for an eye-blink amid a starburst galaxy of broken dreams.” —David B. Lentz, The Fine Art of Grace
This week my assignment for the 52 photo challenge was to capture a starburst. I spent all last week sick with a pretty awful cold, so I didn’t get out to take pictures until this morning. I hiked my favorite neighborhood trail and I’d forgotten how wild it can feel this time of year. The turkeys were up in the roosting tree, a pair of large hawks kept their eyes on me, and the dead leaves and grass made some parts of the trail slippery.
Although I went to find starbursts, I found lots of other things far more interesting. Let me know if you have a favorite photo and please forgive me for being so behind in reading other blogs. I’m finding it hard lately to keep up with everything, but I’m trying. Hopefully this week things will slow down a bit.
#1#2#3#4#5#6#7#8#9#10#11#12
Photos were taken with an Olympus OM-D and edited with ON1 Photo RAW
If you want to join the 52 Photo Challenge, you can find all the information at nicolesy.com
Bridgette Tales 