One of my favorite places to walk locally is alone the waterfront in Beaufort, the next town over, and through this old cemetery. Its all overgrown with amazing live oaks, and mosses, lichens, and even a few ferns on the old weathered headstones.
Still on my black and white kick. I loved this tree covered in vines.
I recently read an article about how to take good black and white photos, and it got me thinking. Back in the dark ages, when I learnt to use a SLR, I shot almost exclusively in black and white. Mostly because I had to for assignments, and it was cheaper if I had free access to the chemicals for developing film myself. Also, I had some bullshit idea about it being more artistic. These days I shoot in color, but occasionally take a photo that works just as well, or better in black and white.
I took this pic with my iPhone 6. It works great as a black and white because the focus is on the structure. I feel like it also enhances the contrast to create a more dramatic image.
I took this photo with my Canon 7D DSLR. I used a polarizing filter, thinking that it would enhance to red rocks. It also darkened the sky and the details really pop.
Top Row:
I love my morning walk with my dogs. Notice that Sasha is leading the pack. I haven’t been as consistent this last month as I would like.
Gathering inspriration on Pinterest. I bookmarked a bunch of magnolia flower pictures for an illustration I started over the weekend.
Lemon Ginger tea from a nearby Japanese restaurant, its delicious!
Bottom Row:
Trees reflecting in the still waters of Willow Pond
Willow Pond
A sketch for an up coming magnolia illustration. I haven’t decided if the final illustration will be digital or by hand yet, but I started this in my sketchbook over the weekend. I’m pretty happy with my progress so far.
At first, I wasn’t sold on the idea of adult coloring books. I thought they wouldn’t be enough of a creative outlet for me. But I always looked at them anyways. Then I found one that I loved, “Color Odyssey” by Chris Garver, so I decided to give it a try. And now I love my adult coloring book. Its pretty nice to just do some mindless coloring, without focusing on an end state.
Above is a page I tore out and carried around in my sketchbook for months, working on it a little here and there. I love how the warm colors of the flowers really pop against the blue background. Below is a page that I’m using to experiment with different color combinations.
Have you tried adult coloring books? What was your opinion of them?
Lewis and Clark National Forest, Montana, September 2012
Sometimes, I just need to spend a few hours in nature. One nearby place I like to walk occasionally is the Patsy Pond trail, in the Croatan National Forest. Unlike much of the forest, which is swampy, the ground here is sandy, and covered in grasses and small shrubs between the towering long leaf pines. It gets pretty crowded on weekends, but on this beautiful, 55 degree weekday, I had it mostly to myself. It was incredibly peaceful.
Interesting dead winter flowers and grasses.
A reflection on the calm, quiet pond.
And of course, I had one of my dogs with me. I try to spend alone time with each of them so they don’t feel left out, and this day was Otto’s turn. We adopted him less than 2 months ago, and he is fitting into the family nicely. Even if he is alot of work.
January 2015, Morehead City, NC
Last year, I was taking a mini road trip around Eastern North Carolina and completely by accident found thousands of Tundra Swans in a marsh. Last week I packed up Jon and the Wild Bunch (our 3 German Shepherds) for a day trip to go see the swans on purpose. It didn’t work. It was windy, and not a single swan was in the same marsh where I saw them last year. Driving around we did see a few, from a distance. Not what I wanted though. But thats how it goes with photographing nature and wildlife. We still had a great day.
Lake Mattamuskeet Hunting Lodge. This was originally a pumphouse used to drain the surrounding area for farmland, and later a world famous hunting lodge. Its been unused for the last 30 years, but there are plans to revive it for a visitor/ education center.
A short hiking trail through a bald cypress swamp. I’ve loved these trees ever since I moved to the south.
Storm clouds approaching over the marsh.
On the way home, we stopped at another wildlife refuge, Swan Quarter, and walked out the really long fishing pier into Pamlico Sound.
Cedar Island National Wildlife Refuge, North Carolina and Virginia, December 2012