Hey Baby....

there is this friend of ours who house/dog sits for us when we have to go away. When you meet her it's easy to jump to conclusions about her but trust me, she's one of the good people. I don't care how much you make or how much you swear, whether you do well in school or make a lot of money. I try to judge people by their honesty and integrity. Those are the people I want to be with. So, to return to the plot, this friend's daughter had a baby and they have no money. She asked if I would take pictures for them and I agreed. After all it's just my time really. It was kind of fun. The baby is a cutie and it was a learning experience. :) So here are some of the good shots (many I deleted- babies like to move a lot )

In a Black and White sort of mood

but it's been fun.....

Hard Light

A photographer friend was on vacation and wanted to come to my neck of the woods to take some pictures. His daughter, who's an excellent photographer for one so young, was also coming. I contacted another friend who knows the area like the back of his hand. We had a great day walking around Lunenburg and Stonehurst. It was a hot day and the light was harsh. However, I am not one of those who believe shots should only be taken in 'perfect' light. I also think that sometimes breaking the rules is more fun. Here are some shots from that day:

I sneaked a peek inside the dory shop and caught this artist at work

These are 'thole pins' and serve as oarlocks in dories

This house is Lunenburg has been featured in a few movies and tv shows as a haunted house. So I decided to process it with an 'older' feel

I think the harsh light works here. And since it's my vision, I get to decide :)

one of the most photographed buildings in Nova Scotia this treasure is in Stonehurst. 

An Abandoned Gem

 I finally have bought myself some quality glass- a 50 mm AF-S 1.8 Nikkor. Since it's a 'prime' lens (i.e., no zoom) it's quite inexpensive. Of course, expense is relative in terms of photography. I have put it on my camera and it will stay there while I figure out how to use it. I took it for a test drive last night. On my driving around back roads I found this abandoned home. I checked it out before I stopped to take photos because around here it's just a likely to be occupied.

Chasing Butterflies

Yesterday (Sunday) was a beautiful sunny day. There was even a breeze to keep you from sweltering. It was a perfect day to putter around home. In my puttering I noticed a butterfly having a grand time with my cone flowers. He/She was sharing them with the bees. So I grabbed my camera and started stalking. :)

 

why you should always carry a camera

even when heading to work and here's why. I was driving to work and in the local park was a hot air balloon! But my camera was home. I thought about going back to get it but that would be a bad example and that would be bad. So I put it out of my mind and went to work. A little bit into work and I realized I had forgot something I needed at home. I then had this discussion in my head:
'I need to go home and get _____'
'is it necessary? Can't you deal with it tomorrow?'
'No I really need to deal with it today. I should go home and get it'
'this is about the camera isn't it?'
'no but while I'm there.....'
'AHA!'
'But I need to get ___ and that's why I'm going home. Not for the camera. That's what's called a 'bonus', not the main reason'.
'hmmm' (amazing how this voice sounds like my husband)

So I went and got the missing item.

oh and the camera. :)

it's probably a good  thing that they weren't giving rides......

oh and I was able to finish my project too.

Dust to Dust

I had to travel to Cape Breton for work last week. I've been there fairly frequently due to staff turn-over. Usually I entertain myself by driving to Louisburg and doing the lighthouse hike. I decided to do something else but wasn't sure. So I turned to google and decided that 'Mira Gut' sounded like a good place to travel. As I drove along a back road I spied this:

so of course I had to pull over and explore. I traipsed all around and took some shots:

you can see that the pews and windows have been removed. It's kind of sad really

I was tempted to go inside but decided that that would be foolish since I was alone. It was neat how the trees were encroaching. In a few years it will be completely reclaimed.

and of course I had to play