June, 2012

29 Jun

My all time…

By Silver Blue

…favourite candle scent.

Yankee Candle’s “Storm Watch”. It was the very first scent I experienced, and in fact, the scent was retired a number of years ago. The outcry from the public was great, and was heeded. Yankee returned the scent, first as a Limited Edition, and then back to their normal line.

In my candle closet I have about 15 large jars of the Storm Watch — when it goes on sale, I buy! I also appreciate “Fresh Cut Roses” and a scent “Midsummer’s Night,” which is a black candle and smells identical to Drakkar Noir.

Silver Blue, who is not looking forward to the strong storms that are supposed to roll in about midnight.

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25 Jun

Shake….

By Silver Blue

Camera Shake, that is.

There are times that not even Image Stabilization (IS) can help you out.

Then again, there are times when you really don’t want it to.

Take this photo, from October 21, 2006. I’d gone to a Halloween party. The lights were low, and there was a prop “rigged” to the stairs. A shot taken from a tripod, or with IS, wouldn’t have been as effective as this shot, affected by camera shake:

 So…before you use the “delete” key on the back of your digital camera, be sure to look closer… and see what might be lurking in your “throw away” photos. Perhaps you’ve got something you’d not thought of before!

Silver Blue… who is looking forward to joining one, or possibly two of the local photo clubs.

 

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24 Jun

Lily (not Munster)

By Silver Blue

Something about a splash of colour that can bring back memories.

Maybe it was the heat, maybe it was the humidity, or maybe it was something in the reds and yellows that captured my spirit and transported me back to yesteryear.

Perhaps it’s because my mother (and my grandmother) used to raise lilies. In fact, my grandmother also used to raise the most awesome double poppies you’d ever lay your eyes on.

Silver Blue, who wishes there was always enough time to take just one more look around before we leave…

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23 Jun

You’ve Got To Find….

By Silver Blue

…the right kind of garden to grow in.

Since I’ve been remiss in my daily posts, I thought I’d double up today.

Also taken at the Botanical Gardens, Norfolk, VA, there are three … statues tending their garden.

Each season, these statues look different. When I was there shooting the rose gardens, I encountered them for the first time. I must say that in order to keep all the plants at bay must take a LOT of effort.

I’ve not asked the back story to the statues, but I find them interesting. Almost … oh, almost eastern European, Slavic in their interpretations of the workers.

So, as I return to the Botanical Gardens over the next couple of months, we’ll keep an eye on these guys, and see if they’re doing their job, or just half-stepping. LOL.

Silver Blue, who remembers the last statue being drenched by a sprinkler (which made taking the photo interesting, to say the least). Guess even THEY have an intolerance to heat.

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23 Jun

Butterfly, Butterfly

By Silver Blue | 1 comment

1

Photo Phriday (6/22) found me at the Botanical Gardens once again, but this time in their Butterfly House:

They have 16 native types of butterflies that are raised through their entire life cycle. Egg, caterpillar, cocoon, butterfly, repeat

This is known as a Pipevine Swallowtail. Vibrant, colourful.

The more traditional “Monarch” butterfly, quite common in Virginia.

Known as the “Common Buckeye” butterfly, I could see how this could be mistaken for a moth.

We’ll leave the butterfly house with another view of the Pipevine Swallowtail.

It was a great day to photograph, even though the temperatures were in excess of 100F, and it was quite humid.

Silver Blue, who is going to miss Photo Phridays once the summer is over…

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21 Jun

How Could I Want More?

By Silver Blue

When I moved back to Virginia in 1980, I was 11, and was in love with the Chesapeake Bay, and with the sound of Karen Carpenter’s voice.

Some things never change, even 32 years later.

So I have a wonderful photo of the shoreline along the Chesapeake Bay:

As well as a surprise.

Some years ago, an acquaintance asked if I’d ever hear a particular vocalist. He then played “How Could I Ask For More?” I stopped dead in my tracks because to me, it sounded like Karen Carpenter. But it wasn’t. I recognized Richard Carpenter doing the backing vocals, but … in one place the artist singing pronounces the word “cloudy” as “crowdy”. LOL. Her name is Akiko.

Silver Blue, who has enough…how could I ask for more?

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18 Jun

It just LOOKS like it is under construction

By Silver Blue

The Virginia Beach Conference Center (which replaced the old Virginia Beach Pavilion):

I’m sure the fact they’re always doing some sort of construction around the Convention Center doesn’t help promote the fact that it’s been complete for several years. I think it looks… sparse. In an HDR treatment, however, I like the colour shifts.

Silver Blue… who COULD have taken the construction out of this, but that would have been revisionist, wouldn’t it?

Well, wouldn’t it?

LOL.

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17 Jun

Objets Trouvés

By Silver Blue

… or, in English, “Found Objects”.

When I went to the Boardwalk Art Show on Friday at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront, I came across two things that captured my attention (good thing, because most of the artists (rightfully so), disallow photographs of their art).

Exactly what this, cast off in the shrubs, was is beyond me. I do know that it was about 2 blocks over from Croc’s, where they have a “Drag Brunch”. Perhaps some Drag Queen was accosted and lost one of her accoutrements. I know not.

Then, for yet another reason, this caught my eye:

From a Sugar Gum tree, “Gum balls” (which hurt like a lego if you step on them barefoot). I didn’t pose this photo…it’s exactly as I came across them.

The one photo that I really wanted to take of the Art Show the artist permitted me to: It appears that Roxette Bunny™ has been moonlighting and posing for art:

The artist even captured Roxette’s turned down ear! LOL.

Now, before I leave you this evening, allow me to pose a question.

Is it possible to plagiarize yourself? Obviously some people feel that you can, as John Fogerty had to go through the courts due to a case where the publishing company to the old Creedence Clearwater Revival song “Run Through the Jungle” claimed he’d (Fogerty’d) merely rewritten the words for “The Old Man Down The Road”. This case was decided in Fogerty’s favour, and he counter-sued for attorney fees. That wound up in the Supreme Court ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fogerty_v._Fantasy )

One of my favourtie Swedish artists is a musician/author/lecturer/composer named Alexander Bard. He’s been invovled in many groups from Baard to Army of Lovers to Bodies Without Organs (later reduced to “BWO”) to Vacuum to Alcazar to Gravitonas.

But NEVER have I heard someone go back and rewrite a song this way. The first minute or so is the original track he wrote for Army of Lovers. The rest of the song is the current from Gravitonas.

Silver Blue, who wonders if I can plagiarize myself in my style of photography?

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13 Jun

The Eagle Has Landed.

By Silver Blue

Busch Gardens, Williamsburg, are caretakers to injured Bald Eagles, who are incapable of flight, ergo, unable to survive in the wild.

Normally, I’ve captured them looking majestic. The last time I was there, however, I caught one looking… sad, perhaps? Or perhaps there was something at its feet.

I can imagine a tagline being something like: “American Bald Eagle is embarrassed at the behaviour of our current Political System.”

Silver Blue… who reminds you… always keep your eyes open. You’ll see some interesting sights.

 

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11 Jun

Griffon…enhanced.

By Silver Blue

Took this photo via the train at Busch Gardens Williamsburg, while trying to stop the onset of a potential heat stroke.

The drop’s not the bad part. It’s where they take you to the edge and leave you there, hanging, waiting…


They leave you there for what seems like forever, but in actuality, it’s maybe 5 seconds. LOL.

Still, it makes for a great ride…and some great photos. 🙂

Silver Blue…who enjoys the thrill of it.

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Days of Silver Blue

June 2012
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