Confusion and Clumsiness = Colourful Chaos

Today's challenge was to communicate chaos, disorganization or messiness in a photograph. Find some beauty in it.

Guess where this was taken? Did you say work? Ding! Ding! Ding! Give that man (or woman) a prize! Feeling over-tired, I wan't really paying attention and pulled out my drawer containing these push-pins all the way and ended up with the pins all over the floor, my desk, my lap and even into my cold cup of coffee. After sitting there for a few seconds feeling dumbfounded (have I mentioned how tired I am?), I grabbed the 'ole point and shoot and started snapping away at the colourful chaos that surrounded me. After a few minutes though, reality set in and I started cursing away as I had to clean up the prickly mess......

Mags.

Take it or "Leaf" it....

Today's challenge was to showcase the beauty of living foliage. Make a photo of a single leaf or and entire "greenscape".

Taking a walk in the garden this evening made me realize two things:

1) Fall is just around the corner. The garden was once filled with big , beautiful blooms and has now transformed into an area of dead, dried up foliage.

2) It's getting dark earlier these days and there is the nip of fall in the air which means it will soon be time to focus on indoor shots instead of outdoor (unless freezing your butt off in the middle of winter is your idea of fun).

I managed to capture this shot of a beautiful variegated coleus . I loved the jewel-like colours that really stood out in the dying garden. Sadly, time will soon be up for these beauties as you can see the leaves are starting to fade and wilt. *Sigh* How many more days left until summer begins again?

Mags.

Pucker Up, Baby!

Today's challenge was to make a photograph using strong verticle lines.

Technical difficulties have prevented me from posting something wonderful and interesting so I had to resort to using a photo I took two weeks ago while shopping with some friends. I didn't get to edit the photo so this is it....I've always loved M.A.C. cosmetics and in my younger wild and foolish days, would blow a good chunk of my paycheques on some M.A.C products ( the other part of my pay would go to clothes and weekend partying). I've always been drawn to displays of lipsticks ...the rows of lipstick colours ranging from just barely there nudes to va va voom reds and every colour in between just begging to be tested and ultimately purchased. Sadly, these days the M.A.C. "lipstick fund" is now substituted with the "grocery fund" , "mortgage fund" and "utility bill fund"... :-(

Mags.

.

Juxtapose...

My sincere apologies for such a lame-assed picture today. I've been awake since 3 a.m. and have been suffering with a mild bout of insomnia over the past few nights. I was lazy in my photography today and for that I feel bad. Feeling tired and a little grumpy at having to return to work after a long (but crappy-weathered) weekend, I was greeted by a beautiful sunrise as I left my house this morning. In fact, the beautiful colours seemed to lure me into a better mood. I took a few shots of the sunrise as I was driving into work. This one seemed to work the best as I was stopped at a red light. I really like how the beauty of nature found in the sunrise and the bird sitting on the light post in the back juxtaposes the ugliness found in the man-made technology of the traffic light, telephone poles and electrical wires.

Mags.

Larger Than Life

Today's challenge was to make a bright, cheery photo outdoors.

This was a challenge since it was a craptacular overcast and drizzly day. I headed to the local community park to take photos of the bright, over-sized flowers and butterflies found in the water park area. Thankfully, the park was deserted and I was able to snap away without having parents think I'm some creeper takin' photos of their kids (sidenote: Does anyone else encounter this? How do you get around this? It seems to be a touchy subject and I'm not sure how to deal with it other than avoiding these areas.......but I digress). I loved how the bright orange colour in the flower and butterfly really stand out against the dull grey sky......I had a hard time choosing a photo and I decided to post some of the other contenders on my blog: http://magneticmags365.tumblr.com/ .

Mags.

Colourful Indoor Water Fun....

Water sustains life. Colour enhances life. Today's challenge was to make a photo combining colour and water.

With the weather being cold and yucky today, I needed to figure out a creative way to combine colour and water together in an indoor environment. Rooting through my kitchen cabinets, I came across some bottles of food colouring and began to experiment by adding a drop or two into a container of water. I realized I needed to move fast as the food colouring sank quickly to the bottom. I played around with different shots stirring the food colour until the water became solid colours of blue, yellow and red. I even took it one step further by combing the primary colours into solid secondary colours ( orange, purple and green). I eventually settled for this shot. I liked the way the movement of the food colouring in the water took on a ribbon-like appearance.

Mags.

I'm such a TOOL!

Today's challenge was to make a photo of a tool...screwdriver, pliers, computer. What's the tool you find most important on a daily basis.

If you recall, a week or so ago, I admitted to the world that I have a shoe fetish (http://365project.org/mags/365/2010-08-14 ). So, with that being said, it shouldn't surprise you that this red stiletto tape dispenser sits proudly on my desk. While it's not THE most important tool I use on a daily basis, it sure is the prettiest, don't you agree?

Mags.

Five

Today's number is 5. Make a photo that illustrates the number in some way, either literally or abstractly.

Feeling a bit peckish when I got home from work today, I put my hand into the candy jar at home to find a little treat to enjoy. The small glass jar currently is filled with these "Chinese Candies" as we've nicknamed since we've got no idea what the writing translates to. The candies are are crispy and wafer-like and taste a bit like peanut butter. (Hmmmmm, suppose that's why on the package they are labelled as "Peanut Crisp Logs??????) They come in a variety of different colour foiled packages. I like the red ones best and wanted to grab and stash them before other people took them so I picked them out of the jar. Conveniently, there are only five left so I figured I would incorporate them into today's photo.

Mags.

I Ain't Afraid Of No Ghost........

Today's challenge was to make a photograph with a shallow depth of field.

Taken from my garden, I focused in on a cluster of the red trumpet-like blooms found on my Ghost Weigela. Apparently I'm not the only one drawn to this plant. It appears that the fly perched on the bloom isn't afraid of a little "ghost" as well. 

A cool weigela with dark red flowers in spring and remarkable foliage that magically starts green then turns to a ghostly, iridescent butter yellow as the summer progresses. They provide seasons of colour and are a good rebloomer.

It’s a great impulse plant that easily adds season long color to any garden, container or landscape.

Mags.

Desperate

Today's challenge was to make a photograph that uses the rule of thirds composition in a very obvious way. 

But what is "the rules of thirds"? The rule of thirds is a compositional rule of thumb in visual arts such as painting, photography and design. The rule states that an image should be imagined as divided into nine equal parts by two equally-spaced horizontal lines and two equally-spaced vertical lines, and that important compositional elements should be placed along these lines or their intersections. Those in favour of using the technique claim that aligning a subject with these points creates more tension, energy and interest in the composition than simply centering the subject would.

Desperate, and with dusk almost turning to darkness, I started to snap away at anything in hopes I had a half decent shot to post for today. Not sure if this shot accurately captures this rule, but I was really drawn to the colours in the sky and liked how the sunset reflected off of the house across the street from me.

Mags.

I Spy With My Little Eye Something That Is ...Green

Today's challenge was to make a photo of a green subject .

With lots to do after work this evening and a short time to do it, I found myself multi-tasking. I had to pop into the grocery store on the way home to pick up a few things and thought it would also be a great opportunity to find something green to photograph. I had several pictures of asparagus, peppers, cucumbers, zucchini, limes, green apples, lettuce and avocados, but decided to post my shot of the artichoke. I love the layers and the unique shape of this unusual vegetable.

Mags.

Putting the "Grrrrrrr" in Cougar.......

Triangles keep the viewer’s eyes on a photo. Follow a triangle, and you see other elements.  Today's challenge was to make a photo with triangles.

Ok, so I'm not sure if I'm pushing this or not but....I thought that the overall shape of the car reminded me of a wedge of cheese (which is triangular) and the leopard print has some triangular shapes in it's print and the open areas on the spokes of the wheels are shaped like triangles......truth be told...I was in love with this tiny little Smart car and it's unusual paint job and was desperately trying to figure out a way to use it as my picture today.  The upholstery is done in the exact same pattern as the exterior.  And since I am now an official "Cougar", I think I'd look great in one of these zipping around town perhaps even wearing that damned leopard print Snuggie that my friends bought me as a gag gift.....ok, drop the Snuggie idea and let's stick with my short skirts and stiletto heels....... :-)

Mags.

With Deepest Sympathy

Sympathy can be difficult to express in words.Today's challenge was to make an image suitable for the cover of a condolence card.

Not feeling really energetic for a photo shoot today after last night's festivities, I decided to shoot the blooms on a Gerbera plant that was given to me as a gift. I wanted to try out the Macro feature on my new point and shoot that I purchased yesterday and followed up with some editing to soften the photo and tone down the bright hues.

Mags.

How Does Your Garden Grow?

Today's theme was to make a photo of something growing in my garden or a neighbour's garden. I found this Rose of Sharon bush growing on the side of my neighbour's house and was intrigued by it's unusual stamen.

Rose of Sharon is a deciduous flowering shrub that has white, red, lavender or light blue blooms. These bushes, which prefer full sun, can grow 8' - 10' tall and 4' -6' wide. Although naturally a multi-stemmed bush, through pruning it can be trained to simply have one trunk; thus some people refer to it as a Rose of Sharon "tree". The main selling features of this gorgeous bush include it's attractive flowers and it's late blooming period (generally in August) thus giving the garden late summer colour when many other shrubs and flowers are way past their prime. They are also drought-resistant and can hold their own in the heat. This is definitely a plant I'm going to look into purchasing as an addition to my garden next year.

Mags.

The Masks We Wear.....

Beauty is all around us. Today's challenge was to make a photo of some naturally occurring beauty in my area.

It would seem that the natural choice would be to photograph something outside like a plant or flower. I chose to photograph this souvenir of a Tribal Indian Mask that I brought back from Costa Rica. These masks are made from woods such as balsa, cedar and other fine woods that can be easily carved. The paints used to decorate the piece come from roots, leaves, fruits, barks and even sea shells. 

Inspired on a Buruca tribe tradition, these masks represent the historical clash between the Spanish and burucas during the Conquest. This is celebrated during the last days of the year, with a party called "devils games". The participants dress with dry leaves, animal hides, and other fabrics called "munchi".

Mags.

Bold and Bodacious

July 26, 2010

What do I love most about Costa Rica? There are many things , but one of the things that tops my list are the pops of colours found amongst the lush green foliage. I'm not sure what the name of this colourful beauty is called but I loved the tiny multi-coloured blooms that make up this flower.

Mags.

Earwigs: Friends or Foes?

I took this photo of an earwig hangin' out on a flower a few days ago while working in the garden. When I was little, I used to be scared of them as I thought they were really creepy.

Despite their scary appearance and reputation, earwigs are not directly harmful to humans. In fact, they are often beneficial, acting as scavengers of decaying matter and predators of insect larvae, slug eggs, aphids, and other garden pests.

Adult earwigs are about 1.5 to 2.0 cm (1/2" to ¾") long and have antennae about half as long. The male has a large, curved pair, while the female has smaller, nearly straight ones. The earwig uses these during courtship and as a defence against attackers. Earwigs have a long, flat body with a tough, shiny, reddish-brown hard outer shell and prominent pincers (or forceps) at the end of their bodies. They do have wings but seldom fly. The female earwig can lay up to two batches of eggs per season and protects the nymphs (young earwigs) for the first two weeks, often chasing the male earwig away.


Mags.

Fire Plug

Today's assignment was to rotate the camera a bit and make a slightly off-angle photograph, making sure the angle emphasizes the subject.

According to Wikipedia, the concept of fire plugs (or fire hydrants as we know them to be) dates to at least the 1600's . This is a time when firefighters responding to a call would have to dig down to the wooden water mains to quickly bore a hole to secure water to fight fires. The water would fill the hole creating a temporary well, and be transported from the well to the fire via bucket brigades, or later, via hand pumped fire engines. The holes were then plugged with stoppers, normally redwood, which overtime came to be known as Fire Plugs. The location of the plug would be recorded or marked so that they could be reused in future fires.

Mags.

Jolly Rancher Martini

Everyone loves food photos! Today's challenge was to make a close-up of food that I was enjoying today. While this is technically a beverage, I was still enjoying it and it is something that I did consume...so...I'm going to say it counts.

It's the end of the week (Thank Darwin it's Friday!) and to celebrate I relaxed with this cold, tasty martini. Mmmmmmmmmm........Named after the famous cubed hard candy, this Jolly Rancher martini tasted just like the real thing.....


Mags.

Abstracted with Abstraction

Today's assignment was to get creative with abstraction by taking a photo of patterns and/or shapes that aren't recognizable objects.

I spent most of my day trying to find an interesting object to shoot. After clicking photos of this and that, I settled for this object. To add an "abstract" feel to it, I cropped it and enhanced the colouring to this everyday object. 

Can you guess what this is?

Mags.