08/12/12 - Hummer My Blog: http://maryanng.blogspot.com/2012/08/hummer.html The hummingbirds were very active in my yard yesterday. I saw at least 3 at one time, but I suspect there were more like 4 or 5 circling the house and various feeders. I really like the two shots below but felt I couldn't clean up the noise enough to make them technically good enough to put up as my daily:-( I do also like the shot I posted except I wish it was a solid green background instead of part tree (American Holly) and part green. Oh well. Hummer shots for me are pretty difficult, so I'm happy to have gotten these. SmugMug Link SmugMug Link I got this really cool hummer feeder at Tractor Supply. Neat stained glass tube and atypical pink base. SmugMug Link This goldfinch shot from my kitchen window is pretty sharp and he has a seed. I am thrilled that the goldfinch have stayed all summer. They ignore the thistle this time of year and mostly go for the sunflower hearts. SmugMug Link A spiderweb from off the back deck too. I applied the Picasa Lucky filter to bring out the contrast and colors. SmugMug Link This is a farther back shot of the same web sooc. It's that spiny orb weaver again. SmugMug Link No meteors visible here. Clouds and light rain:-( Thanks for your comments on my spider/butterfly shot... HAGD, Maryann

Thanks for stopping by to view my daily photo! I will post a new photo each day to this gallery. Typically, I will post early morning, and the photo will have been taken the day before. Sometimes the photo may be from sometime earlier in the week, but all the pictures posted will be relatively new. I hope you see something that makes you smile. Feel free to leave professionally appropriate comments.

gallery pages: << < 28 29 30 31 32 33 > >>

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08/17/12 - Dragonfly Hunter

My Blog: http://maryanng.blogspot.com/2012/08/dragonfly-hunter.html

Comments and critiques welcome. This is pretty much a desperation shot;-) I boosted the colors, cropped to maximum 8X10, and added a vignette to try to help.

I went at 6:30PM last night to take some pics on the dirt/gravel road again.  It was really too late, and then a big cloud came up and blocked the bright sun:-(  Oh well.  I thought my shadow with my right arm raised to take a picture of the skimmer dragonfly was kindof cool, so I've posted it.

I also got another shot of the Halloween Pennant in virtually the same spot.  The focus isn't on the head, though, it's on the wings, so I didn't want to post it.  I do like that neutral background, though!

SmugMug Daily Link

I tried to do a few light paintings, but didn't get what I wanted.

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I did however invert the colors, and I think it makes for a great confetti style digital paper for maybe a birthday party invitation or something.

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Thanks for your comments yesterday on my dragonfly. Nature has some amazing detail.

HAGD,
Maryann

08/16/12 - Hallonween Pennant

My Blog: http://maryanng.blogspot.com/2012/08/halloween-pennant.html

Comments and Critiques Welcome

As best as I can tell from Jeff's Dragonfly page, this is a Halloween Pennant.  For sure the variety of dragonfly is Pennant.  It may not be apparent from the picture, but this is a smaller variety of dragonfly.  Taken on a drive down my favorite graval/dirt road, John Adams.  Lately, I get discouraged when I drive down the road, so I haven't been going as often.  The farmer that lives on the road keeps messing with the beavers and mowing down desirable wildflower growth, and it pains me to see it.  The daily is a digital zoom.  from the Canon SX40 HS.  Not sure how that shows up on the exif.  I don't usually post digital zooms, but I thought this one was more interesting that the normal zoomed one and good enough to share.  I also took pics with my Canon S3 IS.  I keep going back and forth just trying to get the most sharpness and least noise.  

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This is the exact same ditch area where I took this daily two years ago.

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I like the greenery of the older shot and the fact that his wings are more perfect but the body was a tad overexposed.  So hard to get every element of a nature shot to be just right.  But I like continuing to try.

Thanks for your comments on my butterfly shot from yesterday and the squirrel shot too.

HAGD,
Maryann

08/15/12 - Butterfly Take N

My Blog: http://maryanng.blogspot.com/2012/08/butterfly-take-n.html

Comments and critiques welcome. My skill prevents me from removing the greenery under the butterfly, but if I could I would. I can often remove stuff like this, but in this case the butterfly parts are too small and the greenery too intertwined. I have PSE7.

I took this shot in August 2010. It was taken on the same day as the #1 most popular shot on my site shown below.  BTW, I wish I'd cloned out the little clump of plant on the lower left.  I have this  shot printed and on the wall in my bedroom, and it printed very nicely but that clump of green bothers me. 

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I didn't have anything else worth posting so looked by through my previous year August galleries until I found something I thought would be a good choice.  I repaired both wings and turned the shot taken horizontally into a vertical 8X10.  I hope you enjoy.

HAGD,
Maryann

08/14/12 - Squirrel Bed

My Blog: http://maryanng.blogspot.com/2012/08/squirrel-bed.html

This flower pot used to have flowers in it...  Now it serves as a squirrel bed of sorts.  He looked quite comfy:-)  The only shot I took of interest yesterday.  I know it's not much.  Sorry.  Taken out my back deck door window.

Thanks for all your comments on the picture of Princess Kitty.

HAGD,
Maryann

08/13/12 - Sleepy Kitty

My Blog: http://maryanng.blogspot.com/2012/08/sleepy-kitty.html

The stray cat that we adopted a little over a week ago is doing great!  A few minutes before this shot was taken, Johnny was cuddled up with her on the floor watching TV.  When I called him to the table, I saw how cute and content she was and took a minute to take this shot along with the food shot below.  Can you imagine a kitty, Princess Kitty that is, that likes to snuggle this much?

I was pretty frustrated to see on my computer that the copyright on the Scooby pillowcase was right beside her face.  Grrrr...  I used the clone tool to review it, darkened up the red blanket, tried soft outer focus but took that back off, and finally added a black vignette to tone down the bright one smidge more.  Also cropped to maximum 8X10 from the original.

SmugMug Link

I tried a new recipe last night to go along with our teriyaki London Broil, onions, and green beans.  It was Cauliflower Mash.  A recipe designed to mimic mashed potatoes without the carbs.  Although you could detect a hint of cauliflower taste, it was really yummy and my boys ate it right up.  How can you go wrong with butter, cream, bacon, and cheese, right?  If you haven't served cauliflower ever (like me) or haven't served it lately, I recommend giving this recipe a try.

SmugMug Link

Thanks for the comments on my efforts to capture a hummer...

HAGD,
Maryann

08/12/12 - Hummer

My Blog: http://maryanng.blogspot.com/2012/08/hummer.html

The hummingbirds were very active in my yard yesterday.  I saw at least 3 at one time, but I suspect there were more like 4 or 5 circling the house and various feeders.  I really like the two shots below but felt I couldn't clean up the noise enough to make them technically good enough to put up as my daily:-(  I do also like the shot I posted except I wish it was a solid green background instead of part tree (American Holly) and part green.  Oh well.  Hummer shots for me are pretty difficult, so I'm happy to have gotten these.

SmugMug Link

SmugMug Link

I got this really cool hummer feeder at Tractor Supply.  Neat stained glass tube and atypical pink base.

SmugMug Link

This goldfinch shot from my kitchen window is pretty sharp and he has a seed.  I am thrilled that the goldfinch have stayed all summer.  They ignore the thistle this time of year and mostly go for the sunflower hearts.

SmugMug Link

A spiderweb from off the back deck too.  I applied the Picasa Lucky filter to bring out the contrast and colors.

SmugMug Link

This is a farther back shot of the same web sooc.  It's that spiny orb weaver again.

SmugMug Link

No meteors visible here.  Clouds and light rain:-(

Thanks for your comments on my spider/butterfly shot...

HAGD,
Maryann

08/11/12 - Beauty and the Beast

My Blog: http://maryanng.blogspot.com/2012/08/beauty-and-beast.html

I guess it was bound to happen.  With a writing spider web mixed in with the butterfly bushes at Donnie's house and the butterflies fluttering about, one of them got caught up in his web yesterday.  I wish he'd caught some other insect.  Earlier in the week he had a beetle of some sort.  But, he's got to eat too.  But, hey, Mr. Spider no more swallowtails!

I know it's not a pretty picture, but for you nature enthusiasts, I hope you find this shot interesting.  I did my best to get good dof and to get it sharp.  I took about 15 shots between my two cameras and studied them for clarity.  I cropped this just a tad and also brightened it a bit.  Auto Contrast and Lucky fix were yucky, so I manually adjusted it.  I like the little spider next to the big one too.  In a later frame he has moved down closer to the butterfly, so I don't think he was stuck.

Thanks for all your supportive comments on my pp trials over the past few days...

HAGD,
Maryann

08/10/12 - Sun Shiny Day

My Blog: http://maryanng.blogspot.com/2012/08/sun-shiny-day.html

I found myself traipsing through a field of sunflowers this morning.  Darn near over my head, close rows, and most past their prime didn't lend well to any super shots.

I guess I'm in a pp kindof mood.  Nothing wrong with the sooc shot below, I just felt like seeing what else I could do with it.  I used the Picasa pencil sketch filter and then darkened the shadows and did the HDRish filter too to bring out some details.  I used the Tint feature to turn the print green.  In PSE7, I then quick selected the sunflowers and bee (3 layers total) and altered the colors.  There was quite a bit of work with the clone tool and eraser to get some of the flower petal tips just right.  Lastly, I used Picasa to add a green colored dark vignette.

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Joey reading with Princess Kitty.  I am amazed at just how much she likes to cuddle!

SmugMug Link

HAGD,
Maryann

08/09/12 - Birth of a Butterfly

My Blog: http://maryanng.blogspot.com/2012/08/birth-of-butterfly.html

I started out wanting to do a graduated color background with a spotlight of sun coming in from the upper left corner.  That wasn't working so well for me, so I ended up using this omni color direction background that comes with PSE7 and putting a lens flare in the center with a vignette on the outside.  Instead of diagonal across the screen, it's increasing size from the center.  All I've got for today.  A good lesson for me in patience and preserverence.  If I had to do it again, I could do it much faster, but the first time around, it took a while.  Getting the antenna on the butterfly isolated from the original background was the only really difficult part.  Lots of mistake and redo for about 15 minutes trying not to erase too much or leave too much. 

We had Princess Kitty to the vet and confirmed that she's a girl, got her microchipped, and got her all her shots.  She was HIV and Feline Leukemia negative which was a relief.  The shots seem to have left her feeling a bit bad.  I hope she's back to herself soon.  She loves to be cuddled and is survivng the boys just fine.  Here I posed her with Blaze beneath the table during homework time.  Considering Blaze was running away a few days ago and Kitty was hissing at every opportunity, this is huge progress.  I don't expect any more issues.

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Here Kitty gets a lesson in Mario.  The boys are playing their Nintendo 3DS games. 

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Today is school picture day.  I swear I don't know why I buy the pics, but I do.  Let's hope the boys smile!

Thank you for your comments on my textured and colorful butterfly shot from yesterday.

HAGD,
Maryann

08/12/12 - Hummer

My Blog: http://maryanng.blogspot.com/2012/08/hummer.html

The hummingbirds were very active in my yard yesterday. I saw at least 3 at one time, but I suspect there were more like 4 or 5 circling the house and various feeders. I really like the two shots below but felt I couldn't clean up the noise enough to make them technically good enough to put up as my daily:-( I do also like the shot I posted except I wish it was a solid green background instead of part tree (American Holly) and part green. Oh well. Hummer shots for me are pretty difficult, so I'm happy to have gotten these.

SmugMug Link

SmugMug Link

I got this really cool hummer feeder at Tractor Supply. Neat stained glass tube and atypical pink base.

SmugMug Link

This goldfinch shot from my kitchen window is pretty sharp and he has a seed. I am thrilled that the goldfinch have stayed all summer. They ignore the thistle this time of year and mostly go for the sunflower hearts.

SmugMug Link

A spiderweb from off the back deck too. I applied the Picasa Lucky filter to bring out the contrast and colors.

SmugMug Link

This is a farther back shot of the same web sooc. It's that spiny orb weaver again.

SmugMug Link

No meteors visible here. Clouds and light rain:-(

Thanks for your comments on my spider/butterfly shot...

HAGD,
Maryann

SmugMug Link SmugMug Link I got this really cool hummer feeder at Tractor Supply. Neat stained glass tube and atypical pink base. SmugMug Link This goldfinch shot from my kitchen window is pretty sharp and he has a seed. I am thrilled that the goldfinch have stayed all summer. They ignore the thistle this time of year and mostly go for the sunflower hearts. SmugMug Link A spiderweb from off the back deck too. I applied the Picasa Lucky filter to bring out the contrast and colors. SmugMug Link This is a farther back shot of the same web sooc. It's that spiny orb weaver again. SmugMug Link No meteors visible here. Clouds and light rain:-( Thanks for your comments on my spider/butterfly shot... HAGD, Maryann" href="javascript:openLB(2020462756,'',XLarge,'',961,768);">