Sundial

May 10, 2018 (130/365)

"Hide not your talents. They for use were made. What's a sundial in the shade?" ~ Benjamin Franklin

Week 14 - Vision: Triptych

April 5, 2018 (095/365)

"To succeed in life, you need three things: 

a wishbone, a backbone and a funny bone." ~  Reba McEntire

Week 14 - VISION: Triptych

[Connect 3 images together, creating one image, to provoke a thought or tell a story. ]

#dogwoodweek14, #dogwood52, #dogwood2018 • f/1.8, 1/120, ISO32

It was 20 years ago today...

June 29, 2017 (180/365)

Our first date:

Peninsula State Park 💚 June 29, 1997 

#Goals

Those shoes though!

April 13, 2017 (103/365)  “Creativity takes courage. ” ~  Henri Matisse

Throwback Thursday to three week's ago when I attended Art in Bloom at the Milwaukee Art Museum. Although the collection of paintings, sculptures, and floral arrangements are always inspiring, this may be my favorite photo from that day. Imagine the joy in donning a big, pink tutu (to match your pink tresses) and yellow strappy sandals (perhaps sans lucite heel) just to spend timing creating something original and beautiful!

Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could indulge that sense of whimsy -- to allow ourselves to play dress-up and color more often? As Picasso said, “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once [s]he grows up.”

I spy...

March 30, 2017 (089/365)

“When words become unclear, I shall focus with photographs.” ~ Ansel Adams

It's Throwback Thursday and I'm featuring a photo taken barely a month ago. There's nothing profound or poetic to say about it except that somehow a cold, rainy day in Paris really is more pleasant that a cold, rainy day in Wisconsin...and when you see a vintage Fiat with a Jesus sticker in the window, you take a picture!

Navigation

December 8, 2016 (343/366)

“When you follow a star you know you will never reach that star; 

rather it will guide you to where you want to go.” 

~ Jeanette Winterson, Boating for Beginners

The Wisemen followed the star in the East to reach their destination,

but some of us need more help navigating our way.

What is buoying your spirits this holiday season?

[Throwback Thursday photo - Sturgeon Bay, Winter 2012]

Piper's Snake

October 27, 2016 (301/366)

"Every great story seems to begin with a snake." ~ Nicolas Cage

In most stories, the snake is the villain, but in this one, it's her snuggle buddy, her security blanket, her "binky," her doudou. Piper has been in love with her snake since the day we brought her home. The snake belonged to Roxie, Piper's Auntie, who gave it to her on the night they met. It has been washed and mended over and over, yet unlike most of Piper's many other toys, her snake has always been loved and respected. They have a special bond! 

Lottery

January 14, 2016 (014/366) Monaco

I won't be moving here any time soon since

I didn't win the $1.6 billion dollars last night. 

When will I learn? You can't win if you don't play.

[photo taken during 2013 trip to France, Monaco, and Florence]

Office at Tiffany's

August 27, 2015 {239/365} Office at Tiffany's

[Photo taken at Tiffany and Co. - 727 5th Avenue, New York, NY]

“Behind every attractive room there should be a very good reason.” ~ Sister Parish

I've been looking for ideas to arrange and decorate my office this year. This might be a bit much, but I love the vintage touches (the typewriter, the suitcase, the books), the pop of Tiffany blue on an otherwise neutral palate, and the inspiration boards. We spend so much of our time at work. Shouldn't it be a space where we are motivated to be creative and productive?

Homestead

January 29, 2015 {29/365} (Original July 2013)

Some things never change despite a change of season. This will always be "home" for the Larsons. My great-grandfather owned the store and my grandparents owned the house since the late 1800's. My dad grew up here and my Grandma Dodo (my mom's aunt) lived upstairs in the apartment. I spent summers and weekends here and even have a scar on my lip from where I feel on the stairs. Yep, some things last forever!

Whirlybirds

January 22, 2015 {22/2015} "Whirlybirds"

Original photo: February 7, 2013

Unlike other Throwback Thursday posts, today's image is not an edited version of the original, but rather a retake of a subject that still inspires me. After the snow fell in big, fluffy flakes yesterday, I revisited this favorite tree outside my old French classroom. I've always loved how the snow clings to its branches and seedpods. After two years, it's fun to see the progression of iPhone camera technology (clearer colors, higher resolution - Click on the small picture to view its full size) as well as my own progress in framing, focus, depth of field, and composition. Although I prefer the lacier patterns of the original photo's seeds, I must leave those details to Mother Nature.

Gilding the Lily

January 15, 2015 {8/365} "Gilding the Lily" 

Original image (left) improved by:

º cropping, shifting, and tilting the angle

º editing colors and adding shadows

º honing depth and focus

Perhaps one should gild the lily after all.

Snowy Branches

January 8, 2015 {8/365} Silver lining

(Original Image 12/22/13)

Improvements over original:

°better composition (selected branches)

°clearer colors (not so muddled/green)

Goal/Opportunity for future growth:

°Improve focus (wind & distance caused blur)

Happy New Year!

January 1, 2015 {1/365} "Happy New Year!"

Original image (left) - Champagne at +Harbor House.

Throwback Thursday edits with iPiccy:
softened & blurred background, adjusted hue and saturation,
applied "Lights" texture, and layered text and graphics.

Bonne Année!

New Year - New Ideas

Happy New Year! It's time for a new challenge.

After 730 days of Project 365, I've observed that I tend to take the same images at the same time of each year. There were many repeats from 2013 to 2014, yet it was interesting to see how my point of view, my aesthetic, and my skills changed over time. Some days, there was so much inspiration that I spent hours editing and choosing just one photo of the day. Other days, due to lack of time or adequate light, I struggled to post an image that would satisfy my own requirements. In December, I tried photo-a-day prompts, and although I like how the suggestions helped me to hone my focus for the day, they also felt limiting. Sometimes I'd take pictures of something I loved, but they didn't fit the daily prompt. So this year, I'm shaking things up a bit. I want to eliminate some of the stress while still enjoying the creative process. I'm not going to require myself to post everyday, but at the end of each week, I will post a weekly wrap-up with at least seven photos, thus achieving a modified Project 365. I may decide to participate in the FMS Photo A Day project for a week, a month, or even the year, but I won't put undo pressure on myself to maintain it. The goal of the project has always been to slow down, to be observant, to be creative, to have fun!

French Fridays were quite popular last year and I enjoyed featuring photos that I took in the past but never posted before. So this year, I assign a theme to each day of the week. Voilà, my ideas for 2015:

"MON DAY" MONDAYS - My day to post whatever inspires me, the things I love, n'importe quoi!

TECH TUESDAY - On Tuesdays, I'll mix a little business with pleasure, featuring tech tips and tools.

WISCONSIN WEDNESDAY -  featuring the beauty of my home state (favorite places, culture, products, etc.)

THROWBACK THURSDAYS - I will purposely recreate an image that I've posted before, but with fresh eyes & new skill.

FRENCH FRIDAYS - Continuing my series of French language, culture, and images.

WEEKEND WRAP-UP - Photos of the week - My Project 52/365

Alors, on y va! Bonne année!

Aloha

February 27, 2014 Photo: "Aloha"

Tiny Hawaiians in the Milwaukee Public Market sang to me of their Polynesian homeland 

of coconut palms and powdery sand, of salty waves and technicolor sunsets.  

Their siren song transported me back...

to the luxurious beaches of Waikiki, where the shadow of Diamond Head 

cast just enough shade to shelter me from the tropical sun;

to a cocktail "sailing" cruise...

along the vibrant cliffs of Kauai's Napali Coast...

to the fearful exhilaration of a helicopter without doors... 

fluttering amid jagged canyons and cascading waterfalls;

 to shark-startled snorklers and lungs filled with saltwater; 

to the lush Fern Grotto where natives serenaded us with Elvis' Hawaiian Wedding Song...

As the savage Polar Vortex continues to punish us with vicious sub-zero temperatures, biting winds, and threats of even more snow, I can't decide whether this mini mental holiday provided brief solace from the wicked Wisconsin winter, or exacerbated my need for a change in latitude. 

A hui hou kakou, Hawai'i!  

("Until we meet again!")