Monochrome Maniacs--Iwo Jima Memorial

On Saturday, my cousins, mom, and I went to South Padre Island, but along the way, we stopped at Harlingen to see the Iwo Jima statue.

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Monochrome Maniacs--Vase

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Monochrome Monday x 2!

Okay, so I'll confess that Spring Break was crazy busy for me. Not that I was on break, but one of my friends and two of my cousins were, and so I was out and about a tremendous amount! Anyway, since I didn't do a monochrome last week, I decided to do two this week--and they sort of go together.

These are both from a trip I took to Oxford, Mississippi in 2006.

This is a shot of the Lyceum on the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) campus. It was taken from the sidewalk that James Meredith walked when he became the first African-American student at the University in 1962. My mom remembered hearing about the controversy and the riots that ensued there, and it gave her chills to think that she was standing where so much history was made.

This is William Faulkner's grave. I was the one having the epiphany at this stop. Standing in the cemetery with just grass and dirt (well, and a casket) separating me from the body of my favorite American writer held a lot of meaning for me. I didn't realize I would feel such a connection in a cemetery, but I did. Later, in 2007, I wrote a poem about the experience. I called it "A Pen, a Rose, and a Bottle of Jack," because those were the three items I found on Faulkner's grave when I visited.

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Monochrome Monday--Red Rocks in Mono

I did another Arizona photo today. I just love the texture and shadows of the rocks. This particular shot is from Sedona. I also have it in color if anyone would like to see it for a comparison.


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Monochrome Monday--"Anselized" Grand Canyon

This is the first altered photo I've posted for MM. Usually, I take monos of whatever strikes my fancy, but this time, I thought I'd dig a color photo out of the archives and use computer software to turn it into monochrome. I took this particular shot (in color) during my Arizona trip last October.

While looking through a book of Ansel Adams' work in a coffeehouse a few weeks back, I realized that I had a color photo similar to a mono he'd taken of the Grand Canyon, so I thought it would be fun to use a Grand Canyon picture this week. Since I'm also interested in parks of the western US, maybe next time I visit one I'll think to take some monos along with the color photos.

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Monochrome Monday--Snowy Field and Trees

Okay, so I'm aware that it's not Monday, but since Aileni has so graciously extended the maniacs' posting time, I'm taking advantage and posting on Thursday.

This is one of the photos I took Saturday in the brutal cold. I was actually going for a shot of the wind blowing the dry snow over a field, but every time I tried to get a good view, the cold temperatures encouraged me to get behind a tree and out of the wind. Thus, I ended up with a shot of the field without the wind effect.


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Sorry...

Sorry I am so behind on blogging lately. I still need to do a book meme, two movie reviews, and a monochrome. I think I'm over my illnesses, but I haven't had a lot of energy lately (had a bit of insomnia while I was sick, and I think it's catching up with me). So please, bear with me. I'll try to get my TCT--brown up tomorrow, and perhaps one of the above-mentioned memes or reviews. I've been thinking a lot about the book one, so maybe that'll be the one. Or maybe I'll do the mono. Anyway, I napped off and on this evening, then got on Blogger for a little bit, and now I think I'm going back to bed. Hopefully will have more energy tomorrow...

Snow Photography: Part Deux

Remembering the good fortune I had the last time I tried to take snow monochromes, I decided to give it a go again today. I didn't know it was supposed to snow, but when I woke up, the ground was covered with a thin layer of the stuff, so I thought it would make for some nice monos.

Got in the parents' car (mine was parked in) and headed to my favorite rural photo site, armed with camera and tripod, but foolishly, no gloves. The wind would not stop blasting that horrible arctic air on me. My feet still feel frozen. Fortunately, no spills this time, since the snow was only about an inch deep, as opposed to the foot-deep stuff we had the last time.

I hurriedly set up my tripod in between rubbing my hands together and doing a dance to try to keep from freezing. Eventually, I was able to get everything set up in a workable fashion. Just as the last time, I didn't feel like spending much time out in the field, so I hope I have a salvageable shot in the bunch. Maybe I'll have one ready for Monochrome Monday in a couple of days.

Monochrome Monday--Old Allis Chalmers Tractor

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Monochrome Monday--Just an Old Nail

I don't know why I think this photo is so cool, but I do. This is a shot I took per Aileni's suggestion of taking macros of the old chicken house. While I was getting close-ups of the wood, I thought, what the heck, and got this shot of a rusty old nail that was kind of jutting out of the building.

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Loving This Unseasonably Warm Weather :)

Well, at least for the time being, the snow has melted, and everything is muddy. That's okay with me. I'm just glad it's warm. I don't know how long it will last, but I'll enjoy it while it does. Hope to get my belated Monochrome Monday up today, as well.

Monochrome Monday--Haphazard Winter Shot

This is the place where I fell down during that crazy day I wrote about in Snow Photography: A Farce. I wasn't going to share these monochromes, but I got some requests, so here's the most appropriate one. I don't mind if you laugh at me. Note the footprints--those are the ones I made once I finally got myself back up. This is what happened when I set the tripod down and pointed it in the general direction of some trees (I was too cold and irritated to spend much time fiddling with the framing). Also, you can see that I was standing on a slope, though I thought I was on level ground. Snow can be tricky that way!

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Monochrome Monday--Crocheted Doily

This is the doily I crocheted for my cousin's upcoming wedding.

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Monochrome Monday is Looking Like a Monochrome Tuesday...

I was a little busy today. I spent a good part of the morning working on an online job application that I still haven't finished. Thank goodness they let you save these. It seems like applications are getting longer, and some questions are difficult to answer. Most of my information doesn't fit neatly into a form for some reason. And, being far too concerned about attention to detail, I have been known to obsess over how to answer application questions to the point that I have been warned that my connection would be cut off for security purposes if I didn't show some signs of my presence soon. Finally, I just decided to quit for the time being and pick it up tomorrow.

Then, SC called because she wanted to go out to eat with me... which led to a trip to see BW at work... and another trip to the library. All in all, our little trip to go eat took about three hours, counting all the stops. I have a Monochrome Monday subject, but I haven't taken the picture, yet. For some reason, I'm kind of tired, so I think I'll just put it up tomorrow, as well.

Monochrome Monday--Corn Crib

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Monochrome Monday--Pinecone with Leaves

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Monochrome Monday--Knotty Wood

Aileni inspired me to take this experimental macro shot. This is a knot in the wood from the old chicken house photo I posted for a previous MM. Aileni was the first to comment on that post, and he suggested that I look closely at the wood in the building. I did, and this is what I got. Thanks for the idea, Aileni! I may try some more macro monochromes in the near future.



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Monochrome Monday--Foggy Day

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Monochrome Monday--Along the Fencerow

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Monochrome Monday--Old Chicken House

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