Mari's 365 Photos 2010

Today's challenge: "Sunday challenge time! Find any sort of wildlife today, and make a photo. Get in close if you can and focus on the eyes."

I was unable to get in very close for this one. Two reasons, the Pelican's that migrate here for the summer are shy, and tend to move away from me when I'm walking at the lake. I also only had the iPhone with me this morning on my walk, so I was only able to get the Pelican chasing off the other water fowl.

Today's challenge: "Look up today and make a photograph of the sky. Cloudy, clear, or somewhere in between? Tell the story of your sky today."

The leading edge of a cool front moving into the Denver area today. It was a beautiful sunny morning and an overcast afternoon.

Today's challenge: "Clocks are omnipresent in modern life. Make a photo of the clock, watch, or other device that you use most to tell time."

While I have more than 100 watches this is the one I wear most. Joe bought if for me the first time we went to WDW together. If you look closely you will learn that I don't use it to keep track of the date!

Today's challenge: "Shiny things attract attention. Make a photograph of a shiny object and post it today. Focus in on the reflections."

I waited until late today to take this one, but I think this will work!

Today's challenge: "Lose the rectangle today. Make a photograph with a square (1:1) aspect ratio and post it. Crop if needed."

The Lilacs in the middle of the table at lunch smelled so wonderful, and were so pretty!

Today's challenge: "Focus the viewer's attention. Make a photo of a single subject with as plain a background as you can."

Our Instructional Coach had probably a dozen different buttons like this. Most have been packed up and taken home but this one remained. It seemed appropriate going into Finals.

Today's challenge: "Today's color is purple. Maybe you'll find it on a fruit. Maybe a flower. Or, maybe a sign. Make a photo and post it."

Another day here at the end of the school year with limited time! I was able to find these petunias at the grocery on my way home.

Today's challenge: "Sunday challenge time: Make a landscape photo (natural or urban). Create something that you'd want to put on your wall."

After a great brunch at Dazzle we walked to the Civic Center area, and I was able to find this, for today's challenge

Today's challenge: "Baskets, bags, and boxes: containers often go unnoticed. Make a photo focused on the container rather than the contents."

Today's challenge: "Fire hydrants come in many colors and forms. Make a dramatic portrait of your local fire hydrant."

Well, I'm not sure how dramatic this is. However, I did work a little bit to get that truck in the right spot!

Today's challenge: "Work the angles today. Make a photo that gives us a unique perspective on an otherwise ordinary scene."

Today was graduation at Green Mountain. The teachers sit with the students, for the ceremony. It turned out to be a beautiful morning.

Today's challenge: "Make a photo today that distills some simplicity from the complexity of the world."

What could be more simple? Or any better?

Today's challenge: "Self-assessment is vital to artistic growth. Look thru the photos you've posted so far. Remake one you'd like to improve."

There are too many I could work on....I took today as a bye.

Today's challenge: "Black can be dramatic. Go for as much black in a photo as you can with lots of oomph, character, and depth."

Today's challenge: "Sunday Challenge (by popular request): Make a self-portrait, with or without the camera in the frame."

I've always said the reason I'm behind the camera is because I don't particularly like being in front of the camera.

Today's challenge: "Make a photo that you think would work well as computer wallpaper, and try it out for a week!"

This might work for wallpaper - I will try it out.

Today's challenge: "Find an interesting shadow--any shadow--and make a photograph of it. Consider your framing as you shoot."

Aside from some very long days at school the last few weeks - teaching professional development classes and awards ceremonies - we here in Colorado haven't had a lot of sunshine on a regular basis. Today the sun showed itself for a short while - wouldn't you know - I was teaching!

So I was trying to find another shadow, when I walked downstairs with my camera the shadow created by my Cuckoo Clock caught my eye.

Today's challenge: "Make a photograph with motion blur of one kind or another. Use a slow shutter speed, pan, or both."

I really dislike days like today when I'm at school and then at a meeting, and not home until 7pm. So with our weather and low light outside, I didn't have a lot of choices. I was playing around with slow shutter speeds and our ceiling fans.

At first I didn't particularly like this shot, but as I continued to look at it, it has grown on me.

Today's challenge: "Pick an everyday subject and get as close as you can to it. Make a photograph and post it!"

These are generally an everyday item at our house. We grill dinner whenever we get a chance. Last night Joe was able to get done before the snow started. Yes, that is right we had some snow here in Denver last night....not happy about it.

Today's challenge: "What tools do you use and appreciate on a daily basis? Make an interesting photo of one such tool today."

As a Computer Science teacher, and Instructional Technologist this is probably one of the most important tools I use on a daily basis. Oh, I use it for entertainment too, but it is a tool for learning.

Today's challenge: "Pay attention to your surroundings today. Make a photo of something you walk by every day without noticing."

Today's challenge: "Make a photo that contains today's date in it somehow. Maybe abstract representation of the numbers. Maybe literally."

This one took some thought - here's looking at breakfast for the week.

Today's challenge: "Make a photograph that illustrates the last few days of weather wherever you've been."

The weather the last week along the front range in Colorado has at best been unpredictable. My sister was a little over ambitious with her new raised beds for gardening, and put out tomatoes this past week. However, with snow in Boulder one night this week, this is what her tomatoes look like now.

Today's challenge: "Graffiti is something you can find almost anywhere. Make an interesting photograph of some graffiti and post it."

Yes graffiti might have been something I could easily have found in a school. However, I was at a training session all day, and not at school, making this a tough assignment!

Joe said my refrigerator door is the closest thing I've got to graffiti close at hand. So I took a shot of that, and then used a filter in Photoshop for the effect.

It's the best I could do today for this challenge.

Today's challenge: "Find a grid pattern somewhere-maybe a brick sidewalk or ceiling tiles-and make a photo of an interesting slice of it."

The challenge today gave me the opportunity to play with DOF just a bit. And in doing so I discovered I'd accidentally taken the AutoFocus off on my camera....so no wonder everything shot the last two days was out of focus! Guess I'm not ready for that DSLR yet.

Today's challenge: "Breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Make a photograph of a yummy part of one of your meals today."

We had a wonderfully simple meal with my good friend from CSU, Les and her husband Stephen.

Today's challenge: "Find a statue, sculpture, or fountain and make a photograph of it today. Consider the time of day and light."

I hope wood carving also meets the criteria. This little guy is special. I won him! The Teacher Exchange League had a wine tasting, and I won for bringing the best bottle of white, a little funny because I never drink white wine!

I had a bottle of Chardonnay from Scotchman's Hill Vineyard in Australia. A friend from Melbourne shipped it to Joe and I. You can't even buy this wine in the US....It was a blind tasting, but I picked this wine out easily, and was so surprised it won.

Today's challenge: "Make a composition of a wall and what is against it: art, shelves, etc. Consider the rule of thirds and watch your light."

I tried to use the siding as part of my rule of thirds as well as the placement of the moon. And I'm continuing to use the histogram feature on my camera to help with exposure....so far it is like a wonder tool!

Today's challenge: "Sunday challenge: Make a photo of something you cherish today in beautiful light. Arrange and move things if you need to."

I cherish the time I get to spend with Joe! We are often both very busy with work, and other commitments so I always feel our time together is special.

Today's challenge: "Make two photos today of the same subject: one with deep depth of field, one with shallow. Post your favorite of the two."

How timely this challenge was today. Joe and I took a Digital Photo course this morning, and I was able to put into practice many of the things I'd learned about my camera. This photo was my favorite of the two I took.

Still sitting on the fence about purchasing a Digital SLR, but I'm happy with the "Bridge" camera I do own.