Moments

Sometimes moments don't look like moments; They are just too good. The pose and the lighting are just too right.

I ordered the little girl holding my granddaughter, "Don't touch your hair." She was about to brush the strand from in front of her eye. I snapped the picture.

The edges have been darkened but that is about all. Even the crop is just as it came from my little camera, an old Canon SD10 Digital Elph. Burning edges was cool in the '60s and I still live in the '60s.

If you can work with clean, soft window light - the glass cannot be tinted - go for it. Stay away from the straight-on, built-in, on-camera flash, if you can. For the most part, that in-your-face harsh light causes red eye and kills the look that attracted you in the first place.

If you must use flash, and your camera will allow this, bounce the flash off a white ceiling or other suitable white surface. Doing this prevents red eye and gives a more natural looking light.

This picture is shown almost exactly as it came from the camera, except for the burning down of the edges. This burning style was cool in the '60s. It is very dated today. I still live in the '60s and so I get away with it. I don't encourage others to live in the past.

Here's wishing you a very Happy New Year!

Patterns make pictures

Our world is often composed of patterns. Think of the honeycomb created by bees or the simple patterns made with paving stones used around our homes. I love the interplay between the repeating pattern of paving stones soften by the organic green lines of moss. The bright green moss flourishes between the hard, concrete bricks.

Getting low and using the strong light of a late afternoon sun adds detail and contrast to the image. The golden patina added by the light of the setting sun helps to pull all the elements in the picture together