my slideshow project...

i'm taking a digital imaging class at the local college this semester.  we had to write a paper a couple of weeks ago about our photographic style...and then do a slideshow in lightroom with photos depicting that style.   

my 'style' was a shallow depth of field.  it just so happens that i use this style a lot when i shoot flowers.  

the accompanying music - flower (piano version) - by keiko matsui.    

our next project is a website of these same photos...and we will print our five best from the group. 

enjoy!

for me...

for me..., a photo by credd on Flickr.

these flowers were given to me by one of the coaches in my office.
processed via PhotoToaster

red, white & negrita...

red, white & negrita..., originally uploaded by credd.

three of the flowers in bloom this week in my bulb bowl.

red riding hood tulip, narcissus misty and negrita tulip.

i'm lying on the concrete patio to get this photo. i guess i was feeling a bit TOO good after today's workout.

i hope i don't have to pay for it tomorrow...as i've got lots of plants to get into the ground...and a tomatomania event to attend.

field trip...

i knew i wanted to go out shooting on sunday.  my first thought was to go to mt. diablo...to photograph the snow.  i even tweeted about it.  unfortunately...i was the ONLY one that wanted to go.  so...instead...i went to napa.  

napa never disappointments me.  even though the mustard was just beginning to bloom...it was still a spectacular site to behold.  

the rain had ended for the day.  snow covered the mountain tops.  and beauty was all around...just waiting to be discovered.  

vineyard w/mustard flowers

darioush winery

field of tulips

closer view of the house behind the vineyard 

w/snow topped moutain in the background

darioush - a different focus

i'll get to the mountains one day.  i'm just not sure when. 

there's supposed to be a pretty good storm coming thru here starting tonight.  the snow level's supposed to get down to sea level.  heck...if it gets that low...i might even have snow at MY house.  and if i do...you can bet there'll be photos.  

pretty in pink...

a week of tulips...

on monday i bought some tulips...and have proceeded to photograph them for my photo of the day every day this week.  

here are a few of the photos that i didn't post on flickr.  

garden additions...

christa's challenge.  one shot.  sooc (straight out of camera).

day 3.

two years ago...i went to my local hardware store slash nursery...and picked up a variety of flowers for my garden.  i called it my noah's ark flowerbed...as it seemed i was planting two of everything.  

when reading one of my many gardening books over the weekend...i saw that you should plant odd numbers of plants...as it gives a more 'natural' look.  no worries...as i didn't purchase flowers...and instead planted seeds that i'd harvested from last year's plants.  

 

tonight...i decided to add a few more flowers to the garden...as i now want that 'completely filled in look' that i've seen in some of my magazines.  

i scattered seeds of mexican hat and sunflower...to add touches of yellow & burnt orange to the purple...red and white that already exists.  i've never grown the mexican hat flowers before...and purchased the seeds earlier this year.  the sunflowers are second generation seeds...harvested from last year's plants. 

complementary...

both of these photos are from the same bouquet of flowers.   

the flowers are arranged in a coffee cup...and decorate the tables at sweetie pies in napa. 

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 the first photo is my favorite.

but i'm going to have them both printed for my office.  

the two sides...and the contrasting colors complement each other nicely. 

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perhaps in addition to discovering a new restaurant...
i have a new florist as well.  

so far...i've only had dessert at sweetiepies...

but i'm looking forward to going there for breakfast. 

my greatest title...

i am called many things...daughter...wife...co-worker...boss...sister...friend. the title i like best...mother. the day that i found out i was pregnant was one of the happiest days of my life.

my co-workers guessed that i was pregnant before i actually knew that i was. i think it was my lunch combo of oranges...a package of red vines...and many jars of marinated artichoke hearts that i ate for lunch one day that tipped them off. *don't ask where that combo came from. i'd never had a marinated artichoke heart (or any other kind) in my life...before that day!

growing up...i helped take care of my brothers. as a teenager...i was a babysitter for the neighborhood children. but...being able to hold my own daughter was a joy like none other.

my daughter currently lives in new york...will be turning 27 in two weeks, and is one of my closest friends (my mother is my other one). she'll be coming to the area at the end of the month to attend her friends' wedding...and i'm looking forward to seeing her.

*she sent the flowers pictured above...dwarf korean lilacs...for mother's day.

flower garden...

i love gardening! i get great pleasure from picking out the plants...planning where i'm going to put them...planting them...and then nurturing them. i have a flower garden...a vegetable garden...and an herb garden.

this weekend we worked on the flower garden. it took us three hours to get everything planted...and afterward i was wiped out. we were barely able to get the plants into the ground before we had butterflies ~ bees and ladybugs coming to investigate.



when i'm out working in my garden...i queue up my faves on the ipod...and can lose myself for hours. one of my current fave cds...heather headley ~ audience of one. 'running back to you' is my fave song from the cd. and...if you're a brandy fan...her new cd ~ human ~ is pretty good. 'piano man', '1st & love', 'shattered heart' and 'camoflauge' are great workout songs...in the garden or the gym.