day 263: goals.

I was drawn to this basketball goal because I love the game of basketball.

Totally love it.

I played basketball in junior high and then the schedule of band and chorus kept me from going out for it in high school (just TOO many activities for me) but the love of the game never left my heart.

I'm not big on the NBA. NCAA college basketball is what does it for me.

We really need a basketball goal in our back yard.

Digital Field Guide: watched a video on photography techniques.

Images: Sweetblue Photography

day 262: snow white.

I got a new accessory for Squishy!

Yes, I named my macbook.

Her name is Elaine (for no reason), but I call her Squishy.

Yes, I acknowledge that I am weird because I name things. Remember my camera? Named Niki? (I've accessorized her too!)

So yeah, anyway, I got a new accessory for Squishy. I'd been eyeing these decals for months on Etsy and finally got one.

I never really liked Snow White that much. I think it was that voice of hers. She sounded like she was on crack mixed with Helium. But. This decal was way too cute not to procure it for myself, and for Squishy.

Okay. I will try to cut down on the weirdness if you're uncomfortable. "For my Macbook."

Digital Field Guide: read an article on my Nikon School app.

Images: several of my Facebook friends have posted a slew of new photos, so I browsed through them.

day 261: silence! filming in progress.

The other day I mentioned my son, DJ Cue, and his production outfit that he has formed with his friends. They are filming one of their spoofs today. It's called "LOCKED IN," and it is a parody of "LOST." (You can read more about their project in this post.)

I dropped him off at the location and hung out on the grounds with my little ones. (They are filming at Master's Academy, our school.)

This shed is out in the parking lot, and I knew Bobby would love the sign on the door, so I took the picture. He really loves to edit the images himself for the show, so I know he won't use this one. But I can't wait to see what he does with it.

Digital Field Guide: read an article on my Nikon School app.

Images: new Flickr favorites.

day 260: GTO.

This GTO is green. An olive green. Sort of.

It looks really cool. And I don't think it has had its makeover yet.

My mother had a GTO in the sixties. It was pretty similar to this one. It was also green, but I think a darker green. I have seen pictures of her with it. She looked absolutely fabulous. And the car, back then, looked really cool.

So it pretty much makes sense that it looks cool now.

Digital Field Guide: read an article on my Nikon School app.

Images: Nectar & Light

day 259: clock fail.

My son is super-creative.

He is an artist who draws and paints, and has painted many watercolors and acrylics on canvas and drawn his own comic strips. He likes to write stories. He also plays acoustic, electric, and bass guitar, and has started fiddling around on the piano. He likes techno music (among other genres), and likes creating mashups and remixes of his favorite songs and posting them online. He also likes editing pictures!

I wonder where he got all of this creativity from??

He goes by the name of DJ Cue, and he, along with some friends of his, have come up with an awesome way to hang out during the summer. They have put together their own production outfit, called Natural Outburst Productions, of which DJ Cue is the producer.

They are doing a series of videos that will be parodies of popular TV shows. DJ Cue (my son Bobby) is directing and producing the videos (writing scripts, producing the opening montages, producing the teaser trailers, designing all the logos, filming, directing, and editing the videos, providing soundtracks) and his friends are doing all of the acting, writing some scripts, and contributing to the group's blog. All of the episodes will be posted on the group's YouTube channel.

My son's thirteen, and waaaay more ambitious than I was at his age. And I thought I was ambitious.

Anywho, one of the shows is a parody of '24.' It's called, '48.'

He is using Rosebud Photography (that's me) for the images for logos and the opening montages. I've been trying to get a decent photo of a digital clock 48. I've been failing. All I got here was 8.

Digital Field Guide: watched a video on photography tips.

Images: Moon Ko Photography

day 258.

Well, the signage thing appears again.

What can I say? I really like signs. In an irrational way even, methinks.

It may be that whole thing I have about wanting to take something that people may or may not notice and make it look beautiful? Or compelling? Or both? Not that I did that with this photo, because I didn't. I just like the graffiti. Which is compelling enough, considering that the sign was obviously not that way originally. Right or wrong, the art itself is compelling, when I think about how much time it took and how someone managed to get up there to do that from start to finish without getting caught or stopped?? Yeah. Compelling.

I would never do it. I'm just saying.

Digital Field Guide: watched a video on photography tips.

Images: Moms With Cameras

day 257: getting over it in a BIG way.

I had a photo shoot for a friend and her two sons this evening. I am really excited about the photos; they came out lovely. I really hope she likes them too.

While I was waiting for them to arrive at the location, I took a quick self-portrait.

Months ago, I said I was going to get over myself and stop loathing the idea of being in front of the camera, and by golly I have made a whole lot of progress in that area. I started thinking about preserving images of myself for my children and grandchildren, and how I wish I had more photos of my parents and grandparents. That really helped me get over it. I've never looked at the photos I do have of my parents and thought, "Wow, that's an awful picture of him/her," or, "Wow. How unflattering," or, "What IS that thing on his/her face??" Or, "Wow. They're really unattractive."

I am just so happy that I have a few images of them that are not just in my head that I can share with others, like my own children. To me, they are so beautiful, because they are my family and I love them immensely. I have a feeling my children and grandchildren would want the same thing from me, so they would have something to share with their families. When one looks at it that way (which I really feel is the RIGHT way), it's a lot less difficult to position oneself in front of the camera and press the shutter.

Digital Field Guide: read an article on my Nikon School app.

Images: I Heart Faces

day 256.

Earlier today, it dawned on me that I have been looking outward and upward for the majority of my photos, for several weeks now. It's probably due to the fact that I have been in my car and out of the house SO much lately. Life just seems so... busy right now. Perhaps that's why I am attracted to the peaceful, restful vibe of an image like this. That and the fact that I like birds on wires.

Digital Field Guide: page 101

Images: Valerie Belin. Wow. I am mega-inspired right now. Her work is off the chain.

day 255.

Isn't this a gorgeous cloud? I thought so too.

Digital Field Guide: page 101

Images: Vanessa Winship and her haunting schoolgirl portrait series.

day 254.

Yes, this picture is rather busy. Serene clouds interrupted by traffic lights and power lines and a random sign and a giant flag and,...

I don't know what I found more fascinating--the giant flag or the obstructed clouds. But for some oddball reason, I found them both fascinating. For a split moment. Long enough for me to take a random picture of it all.

This is what happens when one goes through a day devoid of inspiration.

Digital Field Guide: page 101

Images: Simen Johan

day 253.

I love theaters so much. I love going to them, performing in them, watching all kinds of shows in them, and learning about their histories. Especially the older ones.

And yet, I don't seem to take too many photos of theaters. Odd that.

Digital Field Guide: page 100

Images: Brian Smith's celebrity photography.

day 252.

The decor in this restaurant is so fun. It's mainly due to the disco ball in the dining room.

Digital Field Guide: page 101

Images: Shutter Sisters

day 251: time keeps on slipping.

I love watching my children play. I love watching them discover things together.

I love listening to their conversations. What's amazing is that there are times when my daughter will say something and I don't know what she is saying, but her brother ALWAYS knows what she is saying. That makes me laugh.

It also makes me want to cry a little, because this time is so fleeting and she is saying so many things so much more clearly and doing so many more things independently (as is her brother) and I just wish time could move a little more slowly. I know I've said that before. It bears repeating.

Digital Field Guide: page 100

Images: added several new favorites to my Flickr.

day 250: trash.

Don't ask me why I find trash so interesting at times. I really do not know.

There is no rhyme or reason to it, actually.

Does anyone else get so fascinated with garbage?

Digital Field Guide: page 100

Images: Jeremy Cowart

day 249.

Young singers.

Always nice to see.

Digital Field Guide: page 99

Images: Zack Arias

day 248.

This is such a beautiful horse. Maybe during the summer I can get some more photos of these beautiful animals. Not something I come across every day.

Digital Field Guide: read a new article on my Nikon School app.

Images: Jessica Photo

day 247.

I really like Jarritos. They have several yummy flavors, including this lovely mango.

Jarritos, for me, are best with a nice plate of flautas de pollo or a tasty torta de milanesa. But Pure Taqueria will do fine too.

Digital Field Guide: read a new article on my Nikon School app.

Images: Jessica Claire

Day 246.

Signs sure are fascinating!

Digital Field Guide: page 99

Images: These incredible images from the American Rockies. This guy's got serious balls (or a lack of sense) to get so close to these animals.

day 245: worn.

It's Theme Thursday over on Tasra Dawson's blog. The theme is "Worn."

There are certainly several directions one can go with this.

I thought about a self-portrait of my tired self in the morning. Quickly ditched that idea.

Then I thought about some of the old cars at my husband's job that are waiting for their makeovers. They certainly look worn.

Then of course, there are various things that can be worn. Like clothes. Jewelry. Hats. All kinds of accessories. Masks. Bandages. Etcetera.

I was thinking about those kinds of things when I realized that I could go "macro" with that thought and pull out what I was wearing on my lips at that very moment. So, that's what I did.

Digital Field Guide: page 99

Images: This post featuring photographs of black women from the 1850's to the early 1900's.

day 244.

I took a slew of flower photos today.

What is it about flowers? They're beyond beautiful. They're like, nature's gems. Besides... well, gems.

Digital Field Guide: page 98

Images: craigemorsels' iPhoneography on Flickr

day 243.

I'm noticing that when I'm running low on inspiration, I tend to stare at my backyard.

I do love it so. Even when there aren't any birds out there.

Digital Field Guide: page 97

Images: Pica on Flickr. Absolutely stunning black and white photography.

day 242.

I did another bag diptych today. My own.

(You can see the rest of the diptych series here.)

Digital Field Guide: page 96

Images: Moms With Cameras

day 241.

One of my favorite cheap places to eat has some bangin' chicken fried rice aaannnd one-dollar sushi. Yummm.

Going there after church is always a treat. Friday or Saturday nights are fun there too.

Digital Field Guide: page 95

Images: browsed the images on the Life Magazine app on my phone.

day 240.

Today was the day for the end of the year plays and presentations at Master's Academy Woodstock. All of the students did so well. One of my classes put on a Nativity play. This baby Jesus has the rosiest mouth I think I have ever seen.

I did not get to my reading and image-hunting today. The plays were this morning, then we went straight to lunch, then straight to a wedding (which was beautiful!).

day 239.

This is one of the art projects that my four year-old did at Master's Academy this year. Celtic art! I am so proud of that little turd.

(Note: that may sound gross but it's just a little term of endearment nickname that we call all of our kids from time to time.)

Digital Field Guide: page 95

Images: looked through several images on the Life Magazine app on my phone.

day 238: thunderbird.

I took a picture of this T-Bird for a few reasons.

One, I have not seen a T-Bird like this out on the road in I don't know when.

Two, I like taking pictures of cars. Particularly, old cars.

Three, we had a similar Thunderbird when I was a little girl (not exactly the same model; I think ours was probably a little older. Maybe one or two years older). It was a darker brown color, but it, too, was brown nonetheless.

Ah, nostalgia.

Digital Field Guide: page 95

Images: added several new Flickr favorites.

day 237.

I have been trying to collect shots of graffiti lately. This tag is not the most elaborate that has ever been seen, of course, but I was glad to get the shot. Things pass rather quickly when one is riding along on the freeway.

Digital Field Guide: page 94

Images: Beth Jansen Photography. So lovely. Her style reminds me of Tasra Dawson's, because of the eye-popping detail and bold, vivid colors.

day 236.

Again, my apparent affinity for water towers creeps up. This one is a cool shape, though. Different.

Digital Field Guide: page 94

Images: Moms With Cameras

day 235.

Have I mentioned how much I love my backyard? No?

Well, I love my backyard.

Because there are all of these lovely birds that congregate there.

Like this cardinal. I think his family makes their humble abode in one of those trees.

Digital Field Guide: page 93, Working with depth of field

Images: Moon Ko Photography. Gorgeous photography AND gorgeous scrapbooking.

day 234: titus.

"For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life." Chapter 3, verses 3-7

Digital Field Guide: page 92

Images: Nectar and Light

day 233: a handsome fellow.

Taken with my iPhone, processed using CameraBag.

My son's first formal. My, was he handsome.

Aaannnd we got to do a parent/offspring dance at the end of the formal! We did the waltz.

Digital Field Guide: page 91, Autofocus modes

Images: historygradguy on Flickr