Light Writing in the Backyard

Four grandchildren in the backyard

+Four White Lightning Sticks with strobe effect (@$5)

+Fading light

+Grandma’s camera on bulb setting, propped on the garden fence.

+Energy and Enthusiasm for the experiment

= ________________________ FUN!

We started out slowly, sitting down on the lawn.

I suggested a little more movement. I’d say they complied on both of these shots.

Michael, Maura, Anna and Jack with their White Lightning Sticks in the Backyard

The final one, directed by Anna, Circles all around. She staggered her siblings so no one hit one another. It started to get buggy. We’ll try again another night.

Diving Board Silhouettes, a Lifeguard, and Clear the Pool for Lightning

Swim and Dive Team Pool Party Celebration Tuesday July 16th A hot, humid day so the water felt refreshing.

Lifeguard on Duty

The whistles blew and everyone got out of the pool due to lightning. Time to go home.

Dear Followers, Readers, Friends and Family,

Thanks for all the lovely comments and emails. I appreciate the good words and your cheering me on.

It was fun to share celebrating the four year mark of the blog.

I think my headline/title confused some people as I meant I was just starting the fifth year of blogging as the four year anniversary occurred.

xxooxx

Ruth

Iris and Lace Curtain

ISO 250 f 1.2 1/40 50mm lens available light

Wordless Sunday.

Black and White Weekly Photo Challenge: Toys

I follow a blogger from South Africa at Sonel’s Corner and you may have read some of her lovely comments on my blog. She hosted Flat Ruthie and introduced FR to the Vervet Monkeys . You can see what a Vervet Monkey looks like at Sonel’s Corner blog post on B and W weekly challenge of Nature here.

She’s started a black and white challenge and I’ve been thinking about participating but kept missing the deadline. The Black and White Weekly Photo Challenge theme this week is TOYS. Here I am in Ohio, visiting the grandchildren and there are plenty of toys.

I shot these toys today specifically for Sonel’s challenge.

Then I converted them into black and white in Aperture and am posting a few from today’s effort. Shot with Canon 5D -50mm 1.2 L series lens. I used the cable remote to avoid camera shake.

My DIL Erika’s Grandmother Marion (Marlene’s mother) crocheted this doll dress, bonnet and undergarments for this doll I took down from the high shelf in Anna’s room.

Caught the afternoon light on her through the dining room window. I asked Erika if she had a name and she said no. Crocheted doll clothes were “in”.

Mark(from Aunt Bobbie) and Erika’s Teddy Bears. Mark’s Brownie on the left and Erika’s Teddy on the right. Presently residing in their daughter Anna’s room on the high shelf, not getting any “play time”.

This little doll was given to Anna in 2003 by my dear friend G. Anna’s first doll. Maura popped into the photo shoot. She is also in charge of tending this dolly now. I knit the old cotton dishcloth pattern extra large for a dolly blanket. They drape so nicely.

Found the missing puzzle piece today. Ooops, the puzzle was discarded a long time ago. (this one shot with the iPhone) Always liked those knob puzzles.

Thanks to Sonel’s Corner for the Black and White inspiration.

Okay Can You See?

We’re celebrating the Fourth of July in Virginia. I’m grateful for another birthday.

When I was Maura’s age I used to think all the fireworks were just for me on my birthday. Ha!

Not sure if there will be fireworks to celebrate the fourth as there’s rain and more rain.

My granddaughter Maura (4) sings the Star Spangled Banner with a slight alteration of the opening lyrics.

“Okay, can you see?” or more like “O-O-O-Okay can you see”

The title for this post could also be How to Photograph Four Kids at a Time. I’ve had a lot of practice. It’s not impossible but to get ALL four with their best expression is not an easy task. Add the new puppy Henry to the effort.

I’ve used the -get ’em in action method- quite a few times. On the playground, the backyard, the hula hoop, the swing, the bicycle. Anything so they aren’t conscious of Grandma’s lens.

The sitting around all in a row or even staggered grouping and looking at my lens with the old CHEEEEESE doesn’t work for me. Or them Not that I haven’t tried. Canon 70-200mm L series lens ISO 100 f/2.8 1/125 I’m up on the front porch.

On Your Mark-

And they’re off-

Uh oh not that view of Henry. Henry, turn around.

Oh Henry, turn around. Nah, too posed looking. ACTION!

Maura, Anna, Michael and Jack and Henry

Here they come.

Anna calls to Henry to join them.

He’s getting it now

A moment of childhood captured.

Maura doesn’t like coming in last. Henry is watching the cows in the field next door.

Just Past Midnight- Columbus Ohio

My son Mark drove me and my sister downtown so Mary could catch a 1:10 AM bus to DC to visit some friends. We’ve had a nice couple of weeks together, first in New York City and then with the family in Columbus.

After we dropped her at the Greyhound station, he drove me around the downtown area so I could get a few nighttime shots of the city. The Ohio Statehouse- just a bit of it as I shot it from the car window. Had the 70-200mm Canon L series lens on the camera. I should have gotten out of the car but we were on our way to take Mary. I had envisioned flags flying as they had been the last time we drove by in the daytime, but not even a breeze.

Ohio Statehouse (Greek Revival) Built 1839-1861

Christopher Columbus in front of City Hall- a 3-ton bronze statue- Uncrated Oct 10, 1955 A gift from Genoa

LeVeque Tower- second tallest building- Art Deco with red white and blue lights on it tonight for the upcoming Fourth of July

The Palace Theatre

The Columbus Fire Department Memorial Eternal Flame

(You hear about “noise” in a photograph. This is a fine example of “noise”)

The Santa Maria in Battelle Riverfront Park on the Scioto River

City buses lined up headed north

The Columbus Dispatch Neon Sign across from the State Capitol Building

Thanks Mark for the just past midnight tour of Columbus downtown.

Weekly Photo Challenge:Fleeting

Several ideas came to mind but I’m posting a single shot of the fleeting sunlight on the curtain in my living room today.

Under a cloud, the sun shifts – it’s gone.

The Beerman Cometh

New York City. Spring Break.

Black Pussywillow Branches Cast Wall Shadows

When we lived in Germany, we’d get Pussywillow with fuzzy gray shapes along the branch and hang wooden eggs and rabbit ornaments to make an Easter Tree.

Add MediaI’d never seen Black Pussywillows until Wednesday night at my friend J’s home. I was to take a photograph over to her and the evening turned into an impromptu supper. My crazy part is I went over without the picture I was to take. J followed me back to my house after we ate and got the photograph to take back to her own home but she didn’t seem to mind.

A great blog post about this unusual looking plant is here. The Latin name (Salix gracilistylus ‘Melanostachys’)

I can’t remember the name/type of ceramic vase holding the branches. (Taken with the iPhone)

NYC Locksmith and Metal Artist: Philip Mortillaro

Do you know how many times I have walked by this locksmith on 7th Avenue and it was always closed? The intricate collage of keys always caught my eye.

Wednesday morning, Mary and I were returning from the Post Office and the locksmith’s door was open.

Mr. Mortillaro was speaking with a customer. Mary walked on ahead but I signaled to her to wait. After the customer left, I entered and although I’d photographed the facade on other occasions, I asked the proprietor if I might photograph him. Mr. Mortillaro was totally welcoming and agreeable and here is the portrait I captured. He told me he has been a locksmith since age 14!

The links to his website and a trailer of a video are found at the end of the post.