iPhoneography: Wylie sky

Sunset over Wylie, Texas (iPhone 8Plus)

© Cindy Dyer. All rights reserved.

iPhoneography: Sunday sky in Texas

© Cindy Dyer. All rights reserved. iPhone 7plus / Snapseed app border

iPhoneography: Sunroof view

© Cindy Dyer. All rights reserved. iPhone 7plus / Snapseed app border

The Painting Years: Birds in flight

Here’s another painting I copied while studying with Lila Prater in Weslaco, Texas. I was about 15 when I painted this 18×24 canvas.

Sunset over Minong

Photographed 8.24.2011 in Minong, Wisconsin

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Last night’s sky…

…courtesy of Michael’s iPhone (always work with what you have!)

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Blue Chicory

Blue Chicory
It has made its way, on wind
far into the city, and it nods there,
on street corners, in what July wind
it slips garner. Since childhood
I have loved it, it is so violet-blue,
its root, its marrow, so interred,
prepared to suffer, impossible to move.
Weed, wildflower, grown waist-high
where it is no one’s responsibility
to mow, its blue-white
center frankly open
as an eye, it flaunts
its tender, living lingerie,
the purple hairs of its interior.
Women are weeds and weeds are women
I once heard a woman say.
Bloom where you are planted, said my mother.

— Catherine Rankovic (reprinted with permission)

Learn more about Catherine here: http://www.catherinerankovic.com/

© Cindy Dyer. All rights reserved.

Field of sunflowers

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Georgia sky

I shot this landscape last August when I was visiting my friend Carmen in South Carolina. We were visiting her sister-in-law and nephew and his wife on their farm in Commerce, Georgia.

© Cindy Dyer. All rights reserved.

Pennybacker Bridge (Austin 360 Bridge)

Sonya and I hiked up a rocky slope to view this panorama of Lake Austin (unfortunately, I was not wearing rock-climbing-appropriate shoes—thank you, Sonya!). The Pennybacker bridges Lake Austin to connect north and south Loop 360 highway, also known as the Capital of Texas Highway. Finished in 1982, the bridge was named for Percy Pennybacker, who designed bridges for the Texas Highway Department and was a pioneer in welded structure technology.

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Sunset + (super?)moonrise on the Potomac River

Michael and I ventured out to the Mount Vernon Parkway before 7:00 p.m. this evening to scout out a good spot to wait for the much-anticipated and much-heralded “Supermoon.” I’m sorry to have to report that I was a tiny bit disappointed. I confess that I was hoping for that end-of-the-world-large-encroaching-orb-could-swallow-us-whole-fodder-for-a-science-fiction-movie effect, but it didn’t happen.

Yes, it was a lovely moon—slightly larger than usual and a bit brighter. I guess I was expecting it to flood the horizon so fully that I would have to take off my Nikkor 80-400 zoom lens and put on the 50mm just to catch it all in my viewfinder. So large that I would hear audible gasps from the neighboring photographers, then perhaps we would spontaneously hold hands and break into song (Kumbaya, perhaps?). Didn’t happen.

The moon I photographed in Huntsville, Alabama a few years ago seemed a whole lot larger and a lumen or two brighter than tonight’s “Supermoon.” You can view that posting here. I was, however, taken in by the sunset’s show earlier.

Hey! Guess what? I was just ready to publish this post and decided to Google this search: “supermoon was disappointing tonight,” just to see if anyone had the same reaction that I did.

I found this on space.com: On Saturday night, the moon will arrive at perigee at 19:09 UT (3:09 p.m. Eastern Time). Its distance from the Earth at the moment will be 221,565 miles. But just over three years ago, on Dec. 12, 2008, which was also the night of a full moon, the moon reached perigee at 21:39 UT (4:39 p.m. Eastern Time) at a distance of 221,559 miles, about 6 miles closer than Saturday night’s perigee distance. So it seems Saturday night’s supermoon will actually be just a little less super than the full moon of Dec. 2008. (You can read skywatching columnist Joe Rao’s full article here.)

Why do I find this so interesting? Well, I photographed that moon near the Huntsville Airport in December 12, 2008! So my eyes (and my memory) did remember a more impressive sky that night than tonight. Unlike tonight, I wasn’t even hunting for it—my friend Sue had picked me up from the airport and I asked her to pull over so I could get a few shots of the spectacular moon! Who would have thought that the moon being only six miles closer to the earth would make such a noticeable difference?

© Cindy Dyer. All rights reserved.

Maine wildflowers

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Marsh near Georgetown, Maine

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Wildflowers in Damariscotta, Maine

© Cindy Dyer. All rights reserved.

Revisited: Lone gull, lone cloud, lone man

A recent comment from my father, a.k.a. The King of Texas, on one of my posts in December 2009:

I have been very remiss in not commenting on this posting and I extend my apologies! Obviously I’ve been very busy—too busy to acknowledge the photographic expertise reflected in these photos, particularly in the shot of that handsome chapeau sported by the handsome dude seated directly below said hat.

How I loved that hat! I remember chasing it in Arizona when an unkindly wind removed it from its wearer and sent it rolling and tumbling toward Canyon de Chelly with its wearer in hot pursuit. Had providence not placed a small bush a few feet from the precipice of the canyon, I may have followed that hat to the canyon’s floor, a sheer drop of 600 feet. However, thanks to providence, the hat’s forward progress was stopped by a strategically placed bit of flora, an indigenous plant equipped with thorny branches that stopped my hat in its race and in its tracks—and me in mine. No, I did not run into the bush—I wisely skidded to a stop when I saw the bush reach out and capture my hat.

That hat and I were inseparable for several more years, but one day it became conspicuous by its absence—it had mysteriously disappeared without leaving the slightest hint of how, when, where or why it left me.

I suspect that my hat felt—even though it was a straw hat rather than a felt hat—from the beginning of that windy day at Canyon de Chelly that its future was inextricably intertwined with the canyon floor, that because of its lightness and its ability to drift with the wind, it would wind up undamaged by the 600 foot drop, and would ultimately live a long life, squared securely atop the head of a person of the four-state region, either New Mexico, Arizona, Utah or Colorado, possibly a direct descendant of the greatest chief in Navajo history, or one of the Apache tribes, Geronimo or Chief Sitting Bull or another of the native American Indians immortalized in literature and movies and television, and still living in the tales told by the most respected elders of various tribes in the great Southwest. Tales of their exploits are also told in the great state of Texas, fantastic recitals that dance—precipitously, so to speak—on the rim of the unbelievable.

Please accept my abject apologies for my failure to respond sooner. I would also be remiss if, driven by my use of the word sooner, I failed to say that the word sooner reminds me that there are also many tall tales told in the great state of Oklahoma.

I do so say.

Reposted from 12/12/2009
Seagull on Chincoteague Island, Virginia; lone cloud somewhere in Colorado; and Dad during our road trip—Great Adventure #678—in 1990 (which he writes about in his recent blog posting, “Arizona apples & cheeseburger briefs” here). 35mm slides scanned by ScanCafe.com

© Cindy Dyer. All rights reserved.

Sunflower closeup

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Will work for Peeps…

(and Little Debbie Cosmic Brownies, too!). This past Sunday, Karen and I drove down to her lakehouse to paint the last remaining bedroom. While making a run to Family Dollar for paint rollers, we picked up some unhealthy snacks (bless her little heart). I told her I sure worked cheap—Peeps and Cosmic Brownies! To quote Steve Martin’s character in The Jerk, “And that’s all I need too. I don’t need one other thing, not one—I need this…and Peeps…and these Cosmic Brownies…but not one other thing…not one…oh, and this blue broom…

Without a doubt, it was plenty of sugar to keep us going. After we finished painting, I stretched out on the lakeside hammock for a few minutes just to get these graphic tree shots and also—because how often does one get to lie in a hammock, anyway?

Yes, Virginia, there is a Peeps Fan Club. Check it out here.

© Cindy Dyer. All rights reserved.

Playing with Actions: Mission San José

Next, I applied some of the Totally Rad Actions to an image I shot of Mission San José in San Antonio, Texas. Learn more about the mission and see more photos in my August 12, 2008 posting here.

© Cindy Dyer. All rights reserved.

Coming full circle?

My friend Cam just finished a painting class with Joseph Melancon at the Art Center of Sarasota. Like me, Cam makes her living as a graphic designer, too. While she has dabbled in acrylic painting just a bit in the past few years, I think her work is really evolving and she is definitely growing as a painter! I photographed this recent painting in her home in Siesta Key a few weeks ago. You can view the work of her instructor, Joseph Melancon, here. She is now enrolled in an abstract painting course at the Art Center of Sarasota.

Kudos, Cam—I do hope you keep at it. I remember being completely absorbed in the process back in my teen years. That’s why I chose to major in art in college. I couldn’t imagine making a living doing anything not creative.

I remember my very sage father asking me, “how will you make a living with your painting?” He was not trying to discourage me; both my parents have been incredibly supportive of all my creative endeavors. I replied, “why, I’ll sell my paintings, of course.” He then asked, “what if no one buys your paintings?” Huh? That one certainly stumped me. I hadn’t imagined that I might not be able to sell my work! It had nothing to do with talent or lack thereof—it was a practical monetary issue. That’s where fantasy and reality collided.

Then I discovered graphic design. Ah…so here was a potential career where you could actually make art, get paid, and not be the quintessential “starving artist.” It made complete sense, so I enrolled in the “Commercial Art” program at Pan American University (now University of Texas Pan American). While I still painted and sketched, I was more focused on a career where I could actually make a living (practically guaranteed). Hey, Sonya and Mary—remember hand-lettering “Make Your Rum Ron Rico” in design class? Yes, hand-lettering. Rapidograph pens, ink and bristol board. Remember waxers, amberlith, rubylith, and sticky registration dots? Jeez, I feel old just typing this. Remember our instructor (Phillip somebody-or-the-other)? He was always working on his own freelance projects, with an exacto knife in one hand and a cigarette in the other, when he was supposed to be teaching us. That should have been a clue to us—here he was teaching and freelancing just to pay the bills. And he was old…why, he was at least 45! Bald on top with gray fringe around the ears. Still having to work two jobs. How did we not question that set-up and run screaming to the career counselor to change our majors? I want a refund!

Fast forward…all these years after, I’m still a graphic designer…and not entirely unhappy with my chosen profession…but somehow both Cam and I are back at the “what if we could paint (or craft or photograph or something else creative) and sell our results to make a living?” mode. We both daydream about that possibility. Life, full circle, perhaps—back to our roots—if only in our imaginations at the moment. Makes me want to drop everything (not possible) and start painting again. I certainly have the arsenal of supplies with which to do so…sigh…some day. But today? Today a newsletter, trade show banner and business card design beckon. Back to the (electronic) drawing board.

Big sky over Utah

Photo notes: Nikon F5, Nikkor 24mm wide angle, Fuji Velvia slide film
35mm slide scanned by ScanCafe.com

© Cindy Dyer. All rights reserved.

First view of Antarctica

Along with the Captain and a couple of crew members, I was the only passenger on the MS Disko up just before dawn to see the ship approaching Antarctica! I was far too excited to sleep (and I’m not usually an early bird). I slept just a few hours (fully dressed) and then headed to the cabin so I could witness the first light over Antarctica. Pretty exciting and I can still remember how that felt! This is the very first shot I got. I took this trip in January/February of 1998, as I recall. I’ll have more slide scans to post from that amazing trip. 35mm slide scanned by ScanCafe.com

© Cindy Dyer. All rights reserved.

Saquaro cactus

This image (definitely shot with Fuji Velvia slide film) was shot in Saguaro National Park in Tucson, Arizona. 35mm slide scanned by ScanCafe.com

© Cindy Dyer. All rights reserved.

Canyonlands from the air

I shot this image during an aerial excursion that my friend Cammie and I took over Canyonlands National Park and Monument Valley years ago. Unfortunately, the plane trip got cut a little short due to lightning storms over Monument Valley (and yes, I was shooting that when it was happening!). I was disappointed the trip was ending thirty minutes earlier (meaning less photography time), but I think Cammie thought the plane ride was plenty long!
35mm slide scanned by ScanCafe.com

© Cindy Dyer. All rights reserved.

Cape May sunrise

Years ago, I attended one of the first Great American Photography Workshops (GAPW) in Cape May, New Jersey. Renowned wildlife and nature photographer Art Wolfe was the guest instructor for the weekend.

This sunrise photo (yes, I got up that early and yes, it really was that intense—no Photoshop enhancing done in this shot, I promise!) won 3rd place in the landscape category that weekend. My prize? A teeny tiny collapsible reflector—about 12″ when expanded—I had no idea they made them that small.

I had hoped my shot of two gulls squawking on posts would have placed in the fauna category instead. Why? I rolled up my pant legs and ventured out, knee deep, into the really cold surf just to get close enough to get the shot (I think my longest lens at the time was the 105 macro!). The sunrise shot was a breeze (except for the having to get up so early part!); I earned the gull shot. I’ll post that shot next.

Photo notes: I’m fairly certain this was shot with my Nikon N90s and Fuji Velvia slide film. 35mm slide scanned by ScanCafe.com

© Cindy Dyer. All rights reserved.

Road trip to Harrisonburg

Today Michael and I headed out to the Green Valley Book Fair in Harrisonburg, Virginia, about 2-1/2 hours away (you know, because we simply need more books). The late afternoon sky was spectacular—simultaneously gloomy on our right with swaths of cornflower blue on our left. Then the sun broke through a dark patch, illuminating the barren trees. We were compelled to pull over and get this can’t-miss-it shot.

© Cindy Dyer. All rights reserved.

Late fall in the rural Virginia countryside

Fairview Christian Church (Madison, VA), erected 1880…and nearby farms

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Big sky on I-81

I shot this image Tuesday afternoon en route from our trip to Nashville. We drove down the previous week to get set up to photograph the Hearing Loss Association of America Convention 2009, June 18-21. We had a great time meeting and photographing so many HLAA members. We also got three new covers in the hopper—member Lois Johnson from Houston, Texas; member (Ret.) Cpt Mark Brogan from Knoxville, Tennessee; and member Jennifer Thorpe and her family from the Nashville area. There will be lots of photos and stories coming right up! As my dad (www.thekingoftexas.wordpress.com) always writes, “I’ll get back to you later with more details.”

© Cindy Dyer. All rights reserved.

Cotton candy

Another view of sunset from a canoe on Lake Land ‘Or, Virginia

© Cindy Dyer. All rights reserved.

Stairway to heaven

Late Saturday afternoon Michael and I drove down to join Karen and Joe at their lake house in Lake Land ‘Or. Just before sunset, Joe took me out in their canoe across the entire lake and pointed out these unusual stair-stepped clouds on our return trip. I finally learned how to paddle a canoe (thanks to Joe’s excellent mentoring) without going around in circles. Yay to me!

Thanks to The Cloud Appreciation Society, I think this cloud formation is an “altocumulus undulatus.”

I’m also experimenting with my new software program, Noise Ninja (doncha love that name?). Noise Ninja, available for both PCs and Macs, removes noise and grain, and is particularly effective with low-light situations (such as this one). Take a look at their before-and-after samples here. Pretty impressive. You can get the program e-mailed to you for as low as $44.95 (this home bundle license includes the Photoshop/Photo Elements plug-ins as well as the stand-alone program) here. I’ll play with some of my own low-light, high-noise examples and report my findings.

More weekend adventures to come…

© Cindy Dyer. All rights reserved.

Afternoon glow

I shot these beautiful red leaves on one of the 60 types of Japanese Maple trees at Garvan Woodland Gardens on Lake Hamilton, surrounded by the Ouachita Mountains, in Hot Springs, Arkansas.

© Cindy Dyer. All rights reserved.