Blue Ridge blog

Vine and branches

I don't ususally take photos like this one. The range of focus could be a little tighter for my tastes, but I like the simple lines running through the photo. It is what it is...

Today I was assigned to photograph a female photographer. Weird, huh? It was awkward at first for both of us, but I have to tell you that for the very first time EVER, I was able to converse with another human being about geeky topics such as color spaces, Epson pro printers and fill light products...Ok so maybe I have talked some with others up here, but not with another being that utilizes these items on a daily basis and makes a living from doing so. And, she has a Mac...so it just keeps getting better. I went in with an idea and after having uploaded the photos, I am delighted with the results.

Then....

I was assigned to photograph another female photographer. Twice in one day. That is truly weird, isn't it? But this chick is also a chef and is probably the funkiest person I've ever photographed. I loved her orange and pink hair and her rhinestoned glasses. Anyway, this photoshoot was so easy. She had a large fiberglass bear outside the restaurant lovingly named Walter. She posed with Walter and then all the sudden stuck her arm in Walter's mouth and pretended to be 'attacked'. Click. Click. I knew immediately that I had scored. I took a safe shot or two and left. It is an awesome fun photo that I will share with you when my day job post's it online...

Happy Friday y'all!

My Last photo about NYC, I promise....

I love this photo. Not because this lady is likely down on her luck...but because we had an entertaining, light-hearted exchange--it was a genuine (perhaps a wee drug-induced on her part) tete-a-tete between strangers.

Ya see, we were both in Times Square. I was trapped by the crowd. She was hired by some dude to carry a sign touting his website "newyorkthiswhatever.com." When monsieur handed me his card, I took it with his agreement that he allow me to take his photo.

"Of course," he replied, "but only with the madame." He yanked at said chick for a posed click.

As he moved on to work the rest of the crowd, madame returned to me laughing. Then, all of the sudden, she started to growl and snap her remaining gold encrusted teeth at me like, well, a bitch in heat.

I was startled just for a moment, but then instinctively raised the camera to take a photo of her doing whatever she intended to do to me. I knew that at least my camera would record the incident and could be used for evidence later. But truthfully, I knew she was harmless, especially since she started giggling like a 12 year old after I took her photo again.

She moved on and the crowd in back of me let out a sigh of laughter, slash relief. They too, were uncertain of her actions.

I felt a steady hand on my back and my husband whispered in my ear:

"Check out your girlfriend. I bet she hasn't smoked any crack today. And, why on earth did you take her photo? You were asking for it, weren't you?"

A nice elbow to his rib was my only reply, slash answer to him.

The madame only harms herself. I wish I could know her a little bit better, except of course, for that teeth gnashing bit. If we were true friends, I'd tell her to cut that crap out...and hope that she would be just as honest with me about my annoying little habits.

New York City

Plain Jane of Coffee and Varnish guessed of my location first so she gets a prize from the Big Apple. Send me your snail mail via email, Plain Jane and I'll get it into the mail directly.
I made a photo album of the trip so far...these first 6 photos are shot literally from my hip. Ok, more like from my belly button mainly because my youngest didn't want me pointing and being obvious with my camera on this trip. But, while editing I found that I enjoyed the surprising results that I would get by just pressing the shutter in the direction of interest. Sometimes it is fun just to mix up the way I think photographically...My favorite lost moment was trying to capture a man eating the world's most disgusting street pretzel. It was literally a mound of mustard, ketchup and mayo piled in heaps on top of the pretzel. Youngest was disgusted but was entertained by my antics of trying to capture the photo without notice. I also missed a subway moment of a man really digging his fingers in his nose--both sides-without any thought. While eldest gagged, I wished I had brought my camera. And no, thankfully he didn't eat his treasure, but instead opted to rub his fingers in his hair.

Sorry, but these details are priceless family memories that I must commit to this blog--less I forget...

If you happened to be watching the ASU-Furman football game on ESPN2 today (kick-off @ noon), see if you can find me on the sidelines. I will be one of two chick photographers standing amongst a zillion guy photographers all of whom are sporting obscenley huge lenses. We will both be bundled up like stuffed ticks, but I will be the one wearing glasses. During commercials, know that I will also be muttering bad things about the man in the red hat. Ill fill you in on that one later...ta ta for now.
Oh yeah!
GO APPS!

Getting to know you...

Chocolate Chip, a miniature donkey, reaches through the fence to get a little nibble of me. I adore the expression on his face. It is almost as if he is smiling.

Disco Snowman

Some things are just wrong and I am compelled to share these with you.

First, I have a relative who frequently sends us holiday cheer in the form of often gaudy made-in-China Christmas decorations. This year, Disco Snowman was added to the collection. Plug in Disco Snowman and three colored lights flash madly inside his guts to turn him from red to green and finally white. The light show is most definitely a migraine inducer. As you can see, even the Rockin Santa behind Disco Snowman appears perplexed and is begging for my to pull his plug. Gladly.

Next,

My youngest got into the car yesterday and told me how her civics class had a party:

"I may be the only one from my civics class who is alive tomorrow, " she said.

"Yeah, and why's that?" I asked, of course.

" Well, this boy brought in nacho cheese dip and Mr. K nuked it in the microwave. It didn't smell right so I was the only one who didn't eat it but everyone else did. Then, people started saying that it didn't taste right either. Mr. K asked the boy where he got the dip. The boy said that he'd gotten it from his grandmother's Y2K stash. We looked on the package and the expiration date was like 1999," she said.

As if a big hairy toe isn't enough excitement...

Well, I give up on having normal days...shortly after photographing this rather bucolic scene on Broadstone Rd., I found Old Red dead. Yep. There I was, minding someone else's business (it is my job afterall) and I saw a pile of red fur peacefully basking in the sun just to the right of the above scene. Now, I'm not just any old dumb hillbilly. I know that horses like to rest their weary bones the same way people do. But this horse was a little bit too still for my liking. I had to crunch through briars to get a closer look see. I regarded no movement in the horse's ribcage. I clicked my tongue several times and stomped the ground and asked of the horse,

"Hey Red, you alive?"

Revelations

Here is my front yard. You can see my favorite rock, my favorite dog and my second favorite Maple tree. There is a spring beneath the boulder from which a constant source of fresh water flows.
Voila! The bare bones of the forest can be seen after the leaves have dropped. Nothing is protected out here much anymore. I can see even the smallest of creatures flitting from limb to limb or hear them crunching between the dried leaves-much to the delight of my cat, Mister Man.

She needs more cowbell...

Sorry. This morning was spent working a pesky murder. Watauga County averages 1 or 2 murders a year. Most of the time, it is just a spat between good ol boys that goes horribly wrong. One of my favorite quotes I ever heard from a confessed killer was: "He just begged to be kilt and I was happy to oblige him." Today's murder was a bit more gruesome than the normal hillbilly killin though. It involved a slightly burned body which was stuffed inside the trunk of a car. Somehow I don't think anyone begs for that to happen to them.

So, all you get right now is this portrait of Crissie the Cow.

Calling all correspondents

A Morning off
Photographer loses sense of direction