Tropical Dreams

I looked back on the last week or so of posts and realized that they’ve mostly been of snow.

Add to that the current dreary, cloudy, rain/freezing-rain, waiting-for-six-to-12-inches-of-snowfall kind of day.

Then add to that a few family members and a friend who live in Florida that have called and asked “How’s the weather?” (snicker-guffaw) and “Is it sunny and 85 there today, too?” (did I mention snicker-guffaw?!)

And it makes a gal wax nostalgic for a short 6 months ago when I was lounging in the warmth of the Florida sunshine.

beautiful water and breaking waves! wait… is that green grass?!

ahhh… feel that warm sun!

Again I want to make clear that I am not complaining about the current weather here (ok, maybe I am a little bit… I mean snow is ok but icy roads? that’s crap!) but even the photos of the blue ocean and sky and the sunshine are warming me up and putting a smile on my face.

Hope you all have a warm and happy Friday!

PS: You can take advantage of a free upgrade to next-day shipping if you purchase any of my photographs and posters from imagekind!  (offer ends at midnight tonight)
Here are the links to my galleries:

www.artbycarol.imagekind.com/pop

www.artbycarol.imagekind.com/nature

www.artbycarol.imagekind.com/posters

What better time than now?

“The trouble is, you think you have time.” (Buddha)

…or as a friend of mine would say ~ Carpe the hell out of this diem!

Live life fearlessly!

Saturday Signboard #10

It’s summer here again… I just mean that the temps have (finally) gone back up to summertime 90’s (yay!)

Yeah, I’m that person who wants the seasons to feel like they’re supposed to here.

Hot summers and cold, snowy winters. YES!

Of course, hot temps make me daydream of sandy beaches…

Sounds like a fantastic idea…

I’ll meet ya there!

A few tips…

When I began as a photographer with a digital camera (I specify because I actually began in photography with a 35mm film camera!) these are some tips that helped me get going ~ and still help me when I’m feeling ‘stuck’ (which happens more than I’d care to admit!)

1. Don’t go crazy buying the most expensive equipment right away.
It is possible to get good quality photos with an inexpensive point and shoot. In fact I have even won a few contests with photographs from my first point & shoot camera. The more you practice & learn now, the more you’ll know about what kind of camera to get when it’s time to upgrade.

cool cloud formation!

2. However, do consider a tripod.
Some photographs are just plain better when you take out the “shake factor” ~ especially good for when you’re using dim lighting and/or longer exposure time.

feeding time

3. Enjoy the learning process.
The best part of photography is never running out of things to learn. Inspiration is all around you. Look at everything with the eyes of a photographer and you’ll see opportunities you never noticed before.

can I interest you in some insurance? haha!

4. Keep your camera with you all the time.
I’ve mentioned this already in previous posts. Photo ops often come when you least expect it. If you can keep your equipment relatively simple – just a small camera bag and a tripod – you might be able to take advantage of some of those unexpected opportunities.

wave crash

5. Make a list of shots you’d like to get.
For those times you can’t carry your camera around (for shame!), keep a small notebook to jot down places you’d like to come back and photograph. Or, if your phone has a camera, use it to take “notes” on scenes you’d like to return to with your regular camera. Make sure to note any important details, like the lighting, so you can come back at the same time of day or when the weather’s right.

I think that last tip is key. I have an ongoing list, one that I add to when something new strikes me as photographable.

Or maybe…

The key is to actually use the list and take the photographs?!

Photowalk 14

One of the final photowalks of Florida ~ this time off the coast of North Florida, on Amelia Island.

There are a lot of interesting and historical facts about this area (besides Ft. Clinch) like:
1) the 1988 movie “The Adventures of Pippi Longstocking” was filmed here.
2) nicknamed “The Isle of 8 Flags” it is the only municipality in the United States that has flown eight different national flags.
3) pirates (really!)

But today, I just want to hang at the beach:

walkway to paradise!

a pelican eyes its food

shrimp boat in the distance

apparently this seagull thought we were bringing its dinner, it followed us the entire way down the beach ~ regardless, I did get a cool reflection shot

I plan on sharing maybe one more photowalk of the area… I think. (wow, could that be more indecisive? haha!)

Today let’s just relax in the sand and enjoy the view and the breeze off the ocean.

Excellent idea if I do say so myself!

Saturday Signboard 2

Pretty simple message today:

Do all things with LOVE!

I adore the colors of this breaking wave… it was amazing to see in person, too!

Have a great Saturday!

Which path?

Pursuing my passion…

Check.

Discovering my path…

um…

now which one would that be???

the mountains?

OR

the beach?

OR

someplace in between?

I guess this is where I am to remember that life is a journey and to enjoy it wherever it takes me!

psst… a hint or two of direction would be nice! (perhaps using bright lights? or neon? and maybe some arrows? fireworks? heck, I’d even be grateful for some subtle subtext.)

An Instant

Interesting thought:

Having a good Saturday?

I am! Thanks for asking!

Watermarks

I recently got asked an interesting (I think) question from someone interested in a few of the photographs they saw here on my blog.

Q — “When I purchase a photograph, can I get one without the ‘property of’ text through the middle of it?”
A — But of course!

I’m sure many of you have noticed that it’s pretty easy to just take images off the internet so, yes, here on the blog (and Facebook) I make sure to “protect” my photographs as much as I can by adding watermarks to them.

Some you can see easily (like at the bottom) and some you can’t. It’s just all about this chick tryin’ to make a living.

In fact:
When you purchase through my online image galleries (www.artbycarol.imagekind.com) you’ll see watermarks from that site on the images too. But when you purchase images ~ and on the zazzle site (www.zazzle.com/artbycarol) ~ you’ll get my text “signature” sans watermark.

AND when you purchase any images directly through me you get an actual physical signature straight from my hand! WOW! Cool!!

Now you’re wondering ‘HOW do I get something right from Carol?!’ aren’t you?! Well, right now just shoot me an email (artbycarolcook@yahoo.com) and we can discuss person-to-person.

But look for EXCITING news on the direct online sales subject in the not-so-distant future! (woo hoo!)

By the way, did I mention I’m also a painter? And that I make greeting cards? And I bead jewelry (bracelets & earrings)? Hmmm… maybe it’s time to start sharing that, too!

In the meantime, thanks for supporting me financially by purchasing my images in whatever form you choose… and for continuing to visit me here in blog-land!

Just another day

Was looking for inspiration today.

This is what I found:

Sometimes an average day is absolutely perfect!